Chapter Five: The Temptation of Mushrooms

"Xiao Bai!" Lin Feng commanded, "Use Glacial Storm!"

"Squeak?"

Xiao Bai licked its paw, looking at Lin Feng, who was 800 meters away, with an expression that clearly said, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

Lin Feng: "..."

Having already come to terms with Xiao Bai's lack of intelligence, Lin Feng didn't feel too disappointed. He crawled out from his hiding spot, ran over to Xiao Bai, sighed, and scooped the creature up to place it on his shoulder.

Fine. Being physically invincible isn't a bad trade-off, he reasoned.

Having comforted himself, Lin Feng abandoned his plan to create a small, localized disturbance to lure out forest rangers and follow them out quietly. Instead, he continued to follow the flow of the water with Xiao Bai. If there was a human camp nearby, the many members residing there would certainly not rely on wild berries for hydration as he had been doing. Following the water source significantly increased his chances of finding them.

Along the way, Lin Feng moved as quietly as possible, yet he still caught the attention of the local wildlife. Jungle Tree Frogs leaped away at his feet, Dusk Birds peered curiously from the branches, Crystalflies scattered in alarm, and on the opposite bank, even a Slime could be seen bobbing along. These weak creatures posed no threat and merely reacted instinctively to his presence.

Lin Feng was deeply moved. This was a real, living fantasy ecosystem—something he had never experienced in any game. If not for the need to maintain stealth, he would have rushed over to observe them properly. He had always wanted to touch a Slime.

After traveling some distance, Lin Feng spotted domestic waste floating in the river. His relaxed body tensed instantly. He first had Xiao Bai scan the surroundings for enemies, and upon receiving a negative response, he suppressed his excitement, retreated a short distance, ensured he was well-concealed, and had Xiao Bai scout the area.

***

Watching the three Treasure Hoarders share mushrooms by the campfire, Faberd, trapped in a cage, felt his heart bleeding. He felt that his luck today was truly abysmal.

Aiming to fulfill his dream of buying a house in Sumeru City, Faberd, a professional forager since birth, had risen early. The freshest, largest, and most valuable mushrooms were only found at dawn. The most precious among them, the Rukkhadevata Mushrooms, were the most sought-after prizes; if he could find them and have them transported to the city, he would make a small fortune. Fueled by this dream, Faberd had mustered the courage to enter a part of the forest he rarely visited.

Looking at his overflowing basket, Faberd had thought his morning self was brilliant. Rarely willing to eat even a Starshroom, he had decided to splurge and cook a meal with the precious fungi he had just gathered as a treat for himself.

"Gurgle, gurgle."

Watching the mushrooms tumble in the pot and smelling the alluring aroma, Faberd couldn't help but swallow. Before the mushrooms were even fully cooked, his cravings got the better of him, and he ladled himself a full bowl of mushroom soup. As he savored the lingering flavor, a blissfully happy Faberd watched the colorful little figures dancing before him and lost consciousness...

"Boss, are these mushrooms even edible?"

"Look at that fool over there. He probably fainted because he ate these, didn't he?"

The new recruit of the Treasure Hoarders, wearing a gray mask, looked at their leader with suspicion.

"Hey, don't you trust your boss?" The burly leader, who bore a scar across his face, patted his subordinate's shoulder indignantly. "Back in the day, I worked with the Black Crow Treasure Hoarders, the biggest group in Sumeru! We even had a Great Treasure Hoarder in the squad—do you know what that means? I heard it from him myself: the mushrooms are fine; the people who get sick just don't cook them long enough. As long as you stew them for a while, you'll be perfectly fine! Come on, boys, drink up! To a successful haul!"

***

Under the cover of night, Lin Feng, who had meticulously disguised himself, stared at the three low-level Treasure Hoarders, speechless. He felt like a fool for having been so on edge during the day.

After discovering signs of human life at noon, he had cleared his tracks, sent Xiao Bai to scout their numbers and position, and carefully prepared his approach, planning to strike under the cover of darkness once they were asleep. He had even instructed Xiao Bai to act decisively if anything went wrong—to kill them all if necessary to ensure his own safety.

Little did he know, his "formidable" opponents were just three novice Treasure Hoarders under level 20. The "goods" in the cage looked equally dim-witted; one look told him there was no profit to be made here, and he might even lose money on the trip.

Lin Feng, already silently mocking their amateurish display, watched as they chatted, drank a pot of some unknown sludge, and then all collapsed to the ground in a heap. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of doubt regarding the intelligence of the people of Teyvat.

Out of a final shred of respect, Lin Feng used "Inspect" on the leader.

[Individual Information: Human — Hu San]
Level: 18 (A seasoned hand with some training)
Element: None
Traits: Brawling 2, Robust 1, Food Poisoning
Mood: Happy
Friendship: 0 (You are strangers)

Seeing the bold "Food Poisoning" trait, Lin Feng felt a thousand grass-mud horses galloping through his mind. He felt like a clown for being so vigilant.

Confirming there were no other enemies, Lin Feng stepped out from his hiding spot, bound the blissful-looking trio with rope found in the camp, and walked over to the prominent wooden cage in the center of the camp.

"Help me, hero! Help me!" Seeing Lin Feng approaching, Faberd, believing he was saved, cried out.

Listening to the victim's call, Lin Feng was surprised to find that although the tone was a bit strange, he could understand it perfectly. It was a relief to have no language barrier. After confirming there was no danger, he used the key he’d recovered to unlock the cage.

Faberd crawled out, tears welling in his eyes, looking at Lin Feng with gratitude.

"The Rukkhadevata be praised! Waaaah, I'm finally saved! I thought I was going to disappear into the rainforest with my mushrooms! You are my savior; I have never been so grateful to anyone in my life, waaaaah!"

Watching the man weep and attempt to cling to his legs, Lin Feng pushed the snot-nosed Faberd away with a look of distaste.

"You must come back to Gandharva Ville with me, brother! I, Faberd, swear to the merciful Rukkhadevata that when we return, I will treat my savior to the finest mushrooms I have ever collected!"

Faberd looked entirely sincere.