As a Charming Mushroom, I Fell into the Apocalypse (MUSHROOM)
The road occasionally had bumpy ridges, but the modified wheels provided remarkable stability, making the ride surprisingly smooth.
Sitting in the back seat, Wang Xiaojun introduced himself and his girlfriend to the boss, then couldn't resist adding more to demonstrate his usefulness. "Before the apocalypse, my family ran an auto repair shop. I've been interested in modifying cars since I was young. This one here is my own..."
His words were cut off as Gu Wang interrupted him.
The man showed no interest in his past, speaking with a detached expression, "The shelter you mentioned earlier—is it nearby?"
Wang Xiaojun nodded repeatedly. "Yes, this area used to be the territory of an S-class mutant creature. For some reason, it's rarely appeared recently."
The shelter had been established to survive under these precarious conditions.
Aggressive creatures didn't dare approach this territory, and with the territorial ruler temporarily absent, it had become an ideal hiding spot.
Though temporary, humanity was now surviving in the cracks anyway. Small bases fell every day, and those lucky enough not to be eaten could only keep running for their lives.
Those with the capability to overcome all obstacles could seek refuge in major bases. But for those unable to endure long journeys through the wasteland, they often had to band together for survival, taking each day as it came.
This was why shelters kept multiplying.
The more small bases fell, the more these temporary shelters—housing fewer than a hundred people, sometimes even fewer than ten—sprang up.
In the face of catastrophe, everything humanity once took pride in had vanished, leaving only the eternal law of survival of the fittest still operating.
After just half a day together, Wang Xiaojun had already figured out how to interact with Gu Wang.
This boss appeared extremely aloof and disliked others prying too much. All he and his girlfriend could do was minimize their presence.
They only spoke occasionally when directions were needed.
Meanwhile, they also noticed the boss showed an unconscious indulgence toward that mushroom.
Earlier, when the mushroom ran too fast and nearly fell from the front seat, the boss—whose eyes hadn't strayed from the road—still caught him instantly.
Now the tired gray mushroom was resting on the boss's lap.
What Wang Xiaojun didn't know was that Hui Gu wasn't just resting on Gu Wang's lap—he was lying directly over the wound on his thigh.
Though it had healed without visible scars, to mutant creatures, there remained a faint, lingering scent of blood.
Hui Gu loved it; it carried the unique scent of the Incubator.
Wang Xiaojun and Fang Xiangxiang no longer held any reservations about Hui Gu. Even having inhaled pheromones diluted countless times, they had already been partially enchanted.
Not only did he not question why the big shot insisted on keeping a mutant creature, but he even began to feel the urge to treat Hui Gu well.
Gu Wang: "Do you know anything about the ruler of this wasteland?"
Seeing the big shot's interest, Wang Xiaojun quickly spilled everything he could think of: "I heard it's an S-class mutated plant, and it's currently a rare non-aggressive S-class mutant. Everyone calls it the Titan Arum."
Fang Xiangxiang added: "Before the apocalypse, it was probably just an indoor potted plant. Now it's grown several meters tall, with a brightly colored flower crown and yellow fruits."
Hearing this familiar description, Hui Gu couldn't resist poking his head out: "Goo?"
Wasn't this that stalker flower he knew?
The one that kept dumping "garbage" at his doorstep every day, with each day's offering bigger than the last.
But as his little fan flower, it was relatively well-behaved.
Gu Wang lowered his gaze and reached out to gently push him back inside.
His fingers hesitated for a moment before finally settling into a comforting pat on the mushroom, the motion transitioning from initially stiff to gradually proficient.
He thought Hui Gu had been frightened - after all, for a weak little mushroom, a several-meter-tall mutated plant didn't even need to attack; just passing by could crush him into dried mushroom flakes.
The little gray mushroom who got inexplicably pushed back: ?
Hui Gu blinked his black beady eyes, originally intending to protest in dissatisfaction, but found the patting rather pleasant.
Gee.
Forget it, he'd forgive this rude human one more time, considering how good he was at serving mushrooms.
The atmosphere in the vehicle remained unexpectedly harmonious.
Along the way, things unfolded just as they had anticipated - very few mutant creatures initiated attacks actively. Even when some were drawn toward them, they were only low-level mutants.
Within moments, they would be cleaved in half by Gu Wang's supernatural ability, the black-silver shuriken rotating around the vehicle at speeds invisible to the naked eye.
These mutant creatures never even got a chance to approach before their corpses fell to the ground, becoming unexpected fertilizer for some mutated plants.
After lying quietly for a while, Hui Gu couldn't resist poking his head out the window again, feeling the cool breeze against his mushroom cap, his entire mushroom body swaying with the wind.
Gu Wang kept worrying that this silly mushroom might accidentally get blown away by the wind and fall out the window. With bad luck, he might tumble right into some mutant creature's stomach.
He had to divert part of his attention to watch over him.
As time passed, he began to feel something strange again.
This scene felt familiar once more.
The neighbor's dog from his childhood also loved sticking its head out of the car window to feel the wind rushing by...
It was practically a Puppy Mushroom.
The Puppy Mushroom soon made a new discovery and quickly reminded them: "Squeak!"
Ahead stood a wall with rough black spray paint spelling out large characters: Shelter 200 meters ahead, turn right.
Judging by the color of the paint, it hadn't been there too long.
Wang Xiaojun immediately grew excited: "A Shelter! It's a Shelter! We're saved!"
Fang Xiangxiang lowered her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
The two youngsters hugged each other again.
Hui Gu's interest in the Shelter was diverted, but just as he tried to look back at them, a large hand blocked his view.
Gu Wang's tone carried a hint of displeasure: "Don't look."
Not suitable for children.
Young ones shouldn't be exposed to such things too early.
Wang Xiaojun suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively released his girlfriend, looking around in confusion.
Hui Gu was enveloped in Gu Wang's palm, feeling stuffy and very dry, surrounded by this human's unique pleasant scent.
Yet he remained unhappy about having his view blocked: "Squeak squeak!" Let me go.
It was pitch black; he couldn't see anything.
Gu Wang casually placed him in his pocket and instructed in a low voice: "Shelters usually face food shortages. If you're discovered, you might end up as Roasted Mushroom."
R-roasted mushroom?
Hui Gu froze.
A faint smile flickered in Gu Wang's eyes but quickly vanished, his tone calm yet serious: "Remember, without my permission, don't expose yourself in front of others."
Hui Gu tilted his head in thought, then nodded.
Unusually obedient.
The corners of Gu Wang's lips curved slightly, and only then did he take him out of the vehicle.
The road ahead was somewhat narrow, requiring them to walk the remaining distance to the Shelter on foot.
Wang Xiaojun hid his car and packed all the portable supplies from the vehicle.
Fang Xiangxiang went to help, occasionally glancing at Gu Wang during the process, but noticed he showed no intention of coming over to claim a share.
This was an almost rare display of noble character in the post-apocalyptic world.
Especially since he was a powerful new human.
Gu Wang paid no mind to their thoughts, merely stating coldly when they approached: "Don't say anything unnecessary."
It wasn't exactly a warning, but coming from him, it carried an unconscious authority that made others want to comply.
They naturally understood he was referring to the Grey Mushroom and quickly nodded repeatedly.
Thus, Hui Gu hid in the pocket, secretly listening as they arrived at the Shelter's gate and communicated with those inside through a simple intercom system.
The gatekeeper was a middle-aged man, his cautious voice sounding somewhat distorted through the intercom as he vaguely asked a few questions: "How many people?"
"Three."
"Any new humans?"
"All three of us are."
Hearing this, the gatekeeper's tone noticeably improved.
He asked a few more basic questions and checked them for external injuries.
Gu Wang's external injuries had almost healed completely. When he lifted his shirt to reveal his robust muscles and well-defined abs, the scars were already beginning to fade.
Only he himself knew the true severity of his internal injuries—their seriousness couldn't be discerned from appearance alone, and no one would guess that barely two days had passed since he'd narrowly escaped death.
Getting injured in the wasteland was perfectly normal, so the gatekeeper didn't bother asking for reasons and simply continued the procedure.
"What level is your supernatural ability? What kind of power?"
Wang Xiaojun looked somewhat embarrassed: "I'm D-class, with the ability to control water. My girlfriend is C-class with healing abilities."
After speaking, he glanced at Gu Wang.
The man's expression remained inscrutable, his tone betraying neither joy nor anger: "A-class, unique offensive ability."
Hui Gu let out a tiny snort from inside the pocket.
Liar.
A-class!
The guard inside immediately changed his tone, switching from his previous condescending attitude to fawning sycophancy. After consulting his superior, he seemed like a completely different person as he quickly opened the main gate.
He jogged over, his voice dripping with flattery: "We're not a small Shelter, we have about a hundred people, so our checks need to be strict. I'm sure you understand."
Gu Wang didn't look at him: "Is there anything else that needs checking?"
If they were entering a proper base, simple visual observation wouldn't suffice.
They would need to strip completely and undergo instrument checks for pollution level and other issues.
Clearly, the Shelter didn't have such stringent requirements.
Especially when facing a powerful A-class new human, these requirements were minimized even further.
Who wouldn't want more protection?
The guard practically wanted to immediately invite Gu Wang to become a member of the Shelter. The middle-aged man's somewhat wrinkled face scrunched up even more: "Haha, no, no, let me take you to meet our director first."
Wang Xiaojun said happily: "We're benefiting from the big shot's influence, getting in so quickly."
Soon, news about an A-class new human arriving at the Shelter spread everywhere.
Many people came over curiously to sneak a look.
Hui Gu hid in the pocket, observing the new environment through a three-millimeter hole he had secretly poked.
The humans here all had dirty faces, seemingly because they lacked resources to clean themselves regularly. Their clothes were mostly tattered and worn.
This place was originally a subway entrance in the city, now converted into a simple Shelter.
For safety reasons, the Shelter had to remain sealed most of the time. Having been without sunlight for so long, the ventilation system had long since deteriorated. The air seemed to carry a musty smell, with a damp cold that seeped into the bones.
Hui Gu looked around and discovered that these people were actually all ordinary humans without supernatural abilities.
New humans seemed relatively rare in this Shelter.
"The director is coming!" Commotion arose among the crowd, but they didn't immediately disperse, instead making way for the Shelter's leader with practiced coordination.
The director was much younger than Hui Gu had imagined, at most thirty-five years old. He wore expensive, finely crafted glasses and a well-fitted suit. The ring on his finger was made from the skull of some high-level mutant creature, polished to a smooth finish that completely concealed any sense of post-apocalyptic hardship. Instead, he more closely resembled a successful business elite from before the apocalypse.
His narrow, fox-like eyes had evolved, with pupils the color of emerald green.
This was also a new human.
And not low-level at that.
Hui Gu couldn't determine his exact level, but could sense he was at least A-class.
The director smiled as he introduced himself: "I'm the leader of this Shelter, surname Yu, called Yu Zhenxin. But everyone calls me Director Yu."
After speaking, he extended his hand.
Gu Wang said concisely: "Gu Chen."
He didn't hesitate to fabricate a false name.
Hui Gu watched through the small hole as they briefly shook hands, then slowly shifted his gaze to the director's face.
The man continued to smile, his green eyes obscuring his true thoughts.
It might have been an illusion, but his gaze seemed to flicker in his direction for a moment.
Upon closer observation, however, he never once lowered his head.
Disliked him.
Hui Gu’s intuition quickly categorized this human into the "disliked" group.
Even in the face of Gu Wang’s indifference, the director showed no sign of displeasure. Instead, he spoke amiably, "I am also an A-grade new human, and currently the only A-grade in this Shelter."
He paused, his tone lifting slightly as if pleased, "Naturally, if you’re willing to stay, the Shelter would then have two A-grade new humans."
Even in large bases, the number of new humans above B-grade was extremely scarce.
For a Shelter of a hundred people to have two was an exceptionally rare occurrence.
"Perhaps I need to verify your ability."
Gu Wang had no objection. His supernatural ability swiftly materialized into a small dagger. With a mere exchange of glances, it shot like an arrow straight toward the center of the director’s brow.
Though mentally prepared, the director’s green pupils constricted sharply under the overwhelming pressure of that instant. He tilted his head to dodge, but still couldn’t match the terrifying speed—a thin line of blood appeared on his cheek, sliced by the Blade Qi.
Yu Zhenxin instinctively activated his own supernatural ability, attempting to intercept the dagger. His power took the form of a gaseous, snake-like entity, its head swiftly clamping onto the dagger. Yet, it held for less than half a moment before dispersing, a faint green mist quickly scattering into the air.
Hui Gu tilted his head, inwardly curling his lip.
So useless.
His Incubator was far more impressive!
He could sense that Gu Wang had deliberately restrained himself, holding back much of his strength.
But the chasm between S-grade and A-grade was insurmountable, let alone the fact that Gu Wang’s true power surpassed S-grade.
This casual strike was enough to shatter all of Director Yu’s defenses.
The dagger halted just half a centimeter from the wall, avoiding contact entirely.
Such absolute control over his supernatural ability made Director Yu’s expression turn solemn with respect. "You’re beyond A-grade."
A power approaching S-grade—perhaps, under the right circumstances, it could evolve into S-grade.
For new humans, climbing each level higher comes at a tremendous cost. The vast majority of new humans might never have the chance to advance before death.
Gu Wang hadn’t expected that even while holding back, he still exceeded the typical level of an ordinary A-Class.
He wasn’t good at lying, so he simply nodded along with the other’s words.
Hui Gu had originally thought this Shelter Director would show displeasure, but instead, he looked quite delighted.
Yu Zhenxin couldn’t hide the smile on his face: "That’s wonderful! If our Shelter can have a Super A-Class new human, it would truly be an honor."
Humans are the strangest creatures.
Hui Gu thought.
A companion stronger than oneself arrives, and as the leader, not only does he not feel threatened, but he welcomes it wholeheartedly?
Hui Gu shook his head in confusion inside the pocket.
The several people behind the Director were clearly new humans as well. They all showed joyful expressions and began chattering about welcoming the new companion.
Wang Xiaojun and Fang Xiangxiang followed behind Gu Wang, even standing a bit straighter.
But Hui Gu suddenly noticed that aside from these new humans being so happy, the ordinary people who had come to sneak a peek still showed little emotion.
Their eyes only held a numb gaze as they watched them.
As if whether the Shelter gained another A-Class new human made no difference to them at all.
For humans, social creatures accustomed to seeking protection from the stronger, this was truly strange.
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