As a Charming Mushroom, I Fell into the Apocalypse (MUSHROOM)
If mushrooms had fur, Hui Gu would have transformed into a fluffy, puffed-up ball right then.
Biological instinct urged him to flee, but before he could take two steps, Gu Wang grabbed him.
The silver light in those dark eyes vanished, leaving only a bottomless black that silently stared at Hui Gu.
Hui Gu looked down, then left and right, confirming that Gu Wang was staring only at him. His little brain whirred to life, and he began rubbing against Gu Wang's hand.
His round Mushroom Cap brushed against the man's slender fingers, rubbing back and forth between the knuckles.
"Chirp." Hello, human.
The naive little Grey Mushroom possessed some innate Enchantment and coquettish skills.
Any other mutant creature would have been utterly bewitched by now.
Unfortunately, in Gu Wang's eyes, this was just a somewhat dull-witted mushroom wriggling foolishly.
Gu Wang frowned slightly and curled his fingers to avoid the touch.
Hui Gu looked at the disobedient finger and gave it a light, displeased nibble.
Stop running away.
No creature had ever dodged him when he was being coquettish.
A strange competitive spirit ignited within him. Instead of retreating, Hui Gu eagerly chased after the evading finger, determined to rub against it.
Watching the mushroom squirm and chirp madly on his hand, Gu Wang's frown deepened, though his anger subsided somewhat.
Observing the human's expression, Hui Gu snorted triumphantly in his heart.
Human, you're also captivated by this mushroom, aren't you?
Gu Wang: "..."
Forget it. Why bother arguing with a mushroom?
After all, it's just a mutant creature.
To be fair, I didn't consider its feeding needs in time, causing it to run off hungry. I bear some responsibility too.
For a mushroom, knowing to seek food when hungry isn't too stupid.
But the necessary lesson still can't be skipped.
This must not happen a second time.
Just as Gu Wang prepared to further his education, the commotion caught the attention of the people fighting around the corner.
The leader, Yellow Hair, swaggered over. "Who's there? You dare watch my show?"
His expression shifted like an overturned palette the moment he saw Gu Wang. Forcing a few awkward laughs, he said, "I didn't mean it like that. Just a minor disagreement."
Having been by Yu Zhenxin's side yesterday as one of his trusted aides, he naturally knew Gu Wang was someone he absolutely couldn't afford to provoke.
Gu Wang's cold gaze shifted from his face to Wang Xiaojun's.
The moment Gu Wang appeared, Fang Xiangxiang grabbed onto him like a lifeline. "Brother Gu, please help us."
"Brother Gu!" Wang Xiaojun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and called out to Gu Wang as well.
Hui Gu heard the Yellow Hair sneer disdainfully at Wang Xiaojun, muttering that he was lucky, before leading his group away in a hurry.
Fang Xiangxiang quickly helped Wang Xiaojun up, and both of them expressed their gratitude to Gu Wang with heartfelt thanks.
Gu Wang: "No need to thank me. I didn’t do anything."
Although the Yellow Hair had indeed left after seeing him arrive, Gu Wang had made no move to intervene from the start.
Wang Xiaojun and Fang Xiangxiang exchanged a glance, understanding that he had no intention of getting involved.
Wang Xiaojun let out a bitter laugh. "We all came together, so they must think we’re a group. Brother Gu, you’ve helped us a great deal without even realizing it."
He emphasized the word "together," hinting at something unspoken.
Fang Xiangxiang chimed in immediately, "If it weren’t for Brother Gu’s presence, we would have been treated even worse."
Both of them had seen Hui Gu before, and without hesitation, the little creature poked his head out of Gu Wang’s pocket. "Squeak."
Wang Xiaojun and Fang Xiangxiang’s gazes were instantly drawn to him, their fondness for the creature resurfacing uncontrollably.
Gu Wang expressionlessly turned sideways, blocking their view. With a slight nod, he left with Hui Gu, showing no intention of engaging in further conversation.
Left behind, the two exchanged a complicated look, as if silently communicating something unspoken.
…
Hui Gu was carried back by Gu Wang. The entire way, the man remained silent, not reacting even when Hui Gu bumped against the fabric of his clothes.
The silence was overwhelming.
Hui Gu had never been ignored like this before. The slight guilt he felt for sneaking out to play vanished completely, replaced only by resentment toward Gu Wang for his anger.
As soon as the door closed, Hui Gu began to struggle, demanding to be let down.
Gu Wang swiftly reached out and grabbed him, preventing his escape.
Hui Gu threw a small tantrum. "Squeak, squeak, squeak!" Let me go!
He wasn’t even fed properly! He was caught and dragged back after going out to play! And now this human was taking his anger out on him!
Bad human!
Gu Wang frowned, staring at the mushroom chattering angrily at him, unsure who should really be upset in this situation.
He had somehow become the villain.
Gu Wang’s face remained cold, but he didn’t dare to use too much force.
The difference in their strength was too vast. Even if he wanted to punish the mushroom, he had no idea how to be harsh toward it.
Hui Gu eventually tired himself out from scolding. As he paused to catch his breath, he noticed a tomato can lying on the floor.
Huh? A red can?
What was this?
He caught a faint whiff of food—a unique, sweet aroma.
A gurgling sound echoed once more.
This time, it wasn’t Hui Gu mimicking the sound of a hungry stomach. It was genuinely his own.
Gu Wang paused, all the words he had been about to say vanishing with that pitiful sound.
After a few seconds of silence, he bent down, picked up the tomato can, and used his supernatural ability to materialize a small knife. With ease, he opened the can, revealing the red flesh and juice inside.
Although the expiration date had long passed, the can had been well-preserved. The food inside remained unspoiled, emitting a sweet and tangy scent.
Hui Gu had never eaten canned food before, let alone tomatoes. He immediately forgot his anger and curiously leaned his head closer.
Then he buried his head in and began eating, occasionally letting out soft hums to show his approval of the canned food.
Unconsciously, Gu Wang's expression softened, the fierce aura around him having long since vanished without a trace.
He watched Hui Gu eat for a full half hour.
"Burp-chirp." Hui Gu let out a satisfied belch and lay down with his round little belly bulging again.
The tomato can was several times larger than him, yet he had managed to eat it all.
Gu Wang couldn't resist reaching out to gently rub his belly.
Whether it was an illusion or not, every time after eating his fill, this mushroom seemed to become even rounder.
The white stem was nearly as plump as his Mushroom Cap now.
Hui Gu drowsily enjoyed the sensation in his palm, growing sleepy from contentment.
After eating and drinking his fill, his earlier anger no longer seemed important.
He hummed contentedly under the soothing rubs.
"Chirp." You're forgiven, human.
Gu Wang continued stroking the mushroom, becoming somewhat addicted to its unique soft texture.
After rubbing for a while, the man finally spoke slowly: "Next time, I'll take you with me when I go out."
Reasoning with a mushroom was useless.
The only thing he could do was impose restrictions.
As long as he kept it with him at all times, those safety concerns would naturally disappear.
Gu Wang's tone was actually quite forceful, carrying a habitual air of finality.
But Hui Gu didn't understand.
To his ears, such words indicated that the Incubator had gained a clearer understanding of his own identity.
As his Incubator, of course he should have the awareness to keep him by his side at all times.
"Ji."
Hui Gu nodded contentedly.
The furrow between Gu Wang's brows completely relaxed as he placed him by the pillow: "Time to sleep."
Thus, through mutual misunderstanding, the human and mushroom reached a very pleasant consensus.
After all the commotion, it was already late.
Hui Gu rolled around on the pillow a few times, playing until he was too drowsy to keep his eyes open, yet still refused to sleep.
He stubbornly insisted on waiting for Gu Wang to come over.
When Gu Wang finished washing up and came out, he looked somewhat helplessly at the mushroom nodding off like a pecking chick on the pillow.
Abandoning his original plan to read for a while, he proactively lifted the blanket and lay down.
He counted silently in his heart.
One, two...
Before the third count, Hui Gu had already rolled over and snuggled up, nestling against his neck just like yesterday to fall asleep.
The tiny mushroom caused a slight tickling sensation on his neck.
Gu Wang said nothing and just close his eyes as if completely unbothered.
Late night.
The silence, so profound it bordered on deathly stillness, was broken by heavy footsteps.
The man opened his eyes in the darkness, his sharp gaze quickly turning outward.
The footsteps stopped right outside their door.
His senses were keen—even through the thick door, he could hear the visitor's labored breathing.
It sounded as if blood froth was clogging their throat, carrying a faint, rattling breath.
Gu Wang showed no intention of getting up, though he had already gathered a supernatural ability into a forearm-length black shimmering sword by his hand. The blade pointed straight at the door, radiating an intangible aura of intimidation.
The breathing grew heavier, accompanied by pained, low coughs, but ultimately dragged away with seemingly shuffling footsteps.
Hui Gu was completely unaware of all this. He slept deeply, accustomed to having something protect him nearby. Unless he woke naturally, even the bed collapsing would hardly rouse him.
In his dreams, he only felt the Incubator's enticing, pleasant fragrance growing stronger.
It seemed a bit delicious...
The next day.
Hui Gu only woke up groggily when Gu Wang placed him in his pocket.
He let out a soft, questioning sound: "Gu ji?"
His mind was still muddled from sleep when he heard Gu Wang explain: "We're going out. Today we need to trade for more food."
They wouldn't stay in this Shelter forever, and before leaving, he had some preparations to make.
Gu Wang gave him a few more instructions, including not to recklessly poke his head out.
Hui Gu only listened to what he liked.
Such as finding food.
He happily stayed in Gu Wang's pocket, like a silly little accessory—obedient and miniature.
He had assumed Gu Wang would seek out other new humans with supernatural abilities like himself, but instead, he brought him to where the ordinary people gathered most densely.
Only upon reaching this area did the Shelter reveal its truly painful side.
Compared to the new humans' private rooms, this place could practically be called a massive dormitory—a huge post-disaster refugee camp.
In a large hall, each person occupied a small area for sleeping and activities. Those better off could not only lay out a bedsheet but also set up a simple small tent to separate themselves from others.
Everyone was crowded together yet exchanged few words.
As soon as one approached this area, a foul odor permeated the air.
Hui Gu disliked it. He wriggled in the pocket, pressing his head closer against Gu Wang's abdominal muscles.
Sensing the fresh scent on the man, he no longer felt like running away.
Gu Wang stood out like a crane among chickens here. His well-fitted clothes and height that towered over others made him distinctly out of place.
Soon, someone came to guide him.
The guide was the middle-aged man who had made a trade with him last time.
The man awkwardly stroked his stubble: "The smell here is a bit unpleasant. Everyone's struggling to get by and doesn't pay much attention to hygiene."
Gu Wang said nothing.
He knew these people probably had very limited water allocations, primarily used to sustain bodily functions. Washing their faces was difficult, let alone bathing.
Still, the environment seemed even harsher than he had imagined.
Beside each person sleeping in the communal area stood simple containers. These vessels, whose contents were indiscernible, were the main source of the odor.
Fearing Gu Wang might leave, the guide hurriedly explained it was a necessary measure.
To avoid attracting mutant creatures, no one was allowed to leave their sleeping spots after dark—even those on duty had to remain awake at their posts without moving.
Ordinary people faced stricter constraints; they weren't permitted to get up to use the toilet at night.
Thus, they had resorted to this method to handle sudden physiological needs during the night.
Hui Gu felt Gu Wang halt. Curious, he looked up and noticed the man's flawless jaw tightening, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
A deep, magnetic voice followed: "No one is allowed to move around freely here at night?"
The middle-aged man nodded firmly: "Yes, that's the Shelter's most important rule."
No movement after dark.
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