As a Charming Mushroom, I Fell into the Apocalypse (MUSHROOM)
Watching as the clutter in front of him was moved aside, revealing nothing inside.
Gu Wang was slightly distracted.
He pinched the space between his eyebrows, unsure where this inexplicable sense of unease was coming from.
He hadn't felt this unsettled in a long time.
Wang Xiaojun approached, his tone anxious: "Brother Gu, we've searched all the places it could possibly be hiding, but still nothing."
The other new humans didn't dare speak to Gu Wang directly, so they pushed him forward instead.
In truth, Wang Xiaojun's own legs were trembling with fear, and he was barely managing to conceal his terror from Gu Wang.
Seeing that the man didn't respond, Wang Xiaojun forced a casual tone: "Maybe after breaking out, it left the Shelter and ran into the wasteland."
Gu Wang turned around, his deep-set eyes unchanged, but his voice lowered slightly: "Do you think a high-level mutant creature would abandon this slaughterhouse?"
Compared to other mutant creatures in the wasteland, humans were always more coveted prey—not only were there groups with extremely low combat power, but their flesh and blood were also particularly easy to consume.
His words were harsh and unpleasant, yet impossible to refute.
He scanned the faces of everyone present, his tone carrying a veiled warning: "Don't attempt to control high-level mutant creatures. Once they go out of control, it's the death of the arrogant."
Even Dawn Base, with the most advanced research facilities on the continent, was no exception. He had strongly opposed the institute's research on live high-level mutant creatures, overriding all objections to stamp his approval on halting the decision.
Regardless of the purpose, no high-level mutant creature was permitted to enter the base alive.
Otherwise, if anything went wrong, the ones facing the greatest threat would be ordinary people without supernatural abilities.
As long as humanity hadn't perished, everyone's lives must be guaranteed to the same degree.
Those he had stared at all lowered their heads in guilt.
Yu Zhenxin's smile nearly cracked, looking quite strained.
Gu Wang tapped the wall a few times: "Have you searched the ventilation ducts up here?"
They exchanged glances, then shook their heads.
This was now the most suspicious remaining location.
Gu Wang's brow furrowed tightly, a bad premonition beginning to spread: "Search, and search carefully."
Just then, a sneaking new human approached, leaning in to whisper in Yu Zhenxin's ear, but before he could say anything, Gu Wang noticed.
"What is it?"
The man was startled and didn't dare hide anything, recounting in detail how Xiao Bao had been inexplicably knocked unconscious.
Gu Wang's expression abruptly darkened: "Where?"
A silent pressure spread through the air, like an impending storm, instantly suffocating everyone.
...
Inside the nest, realizing that Hui Gu was no longer paying attention to him and wasn't making any gurgling sounds, White Spider fell into a highly agitated emotional spiral.
It wanted Hui Gu to keep watching it constantly, but no matter where it went or what expressions it made with this human shell, all it got was Mushroom turning away in disgust.
White Spider paced back and forth incessantly inside the room, irritating Hui Gu, who ordered it to stop.
Under the influence of the charming pheromones, White Spider halted, but its uncontrollable ugly insect form couldn't help but manifest again.
From the gaps around its fingernails, white silk finer than hair strands began to grow, slowly approaching the oblivious Mushroom.
Just a little more... just a little more and it could envelop the entire mushroom, making it completely its own possession, tainted with its scent, becoming a possession trapped in the spider web forever unable to break free.
Greed and desire intertwined in the White Spider's eyes, forming an impure affection. A tidal wave of intense emotion surged forth.
Just before the white silk could touch him, Hui Gu lowered his head and noticed this dangerous scene. With a "ji" sound, he tried to leap away but found no place to land.
Only then did he realize the table beneath him had long been invaded by white silk, leaving only the palm-sized spot where he stood untouched.
This Spider had only one goal from beginning to end: to completely possess him.
Who knew what would happen if wrapped in those white spider threads? Nothing good, certainly.
Perhaps he'd become a specimen, or forever lose his mobility trapped in a silk cocoon - ultimately no different from being killed outright.
Time for hesitation was running out. Hui Gu released a dense cloud of pheromones once more, issuing the exact same command as before: "Eat a small piece of me."
"Become my captive completely."
No creature could resist this temptation.
The youth's eyes immediately grew dazed. He desperately sniffed the sweet yet not cloying fragrance in the air, his body beast-like as it slightly thrust forward. The moment he opened his mouth, his face suddenly contorted.
"No... can't," it emitted a pained, piercing sound. "Can't eat. Eating means losing the treasure."
The restraint felt like it would explode the next second, heavy panting completely rhythmless.
The instinct to obey waged an extreme battle against that terrifying possessiveness, with the latter ultimately gaining slight upper hand.
The pain of being abandoned back then far exceeded the current agony of resisting the pheromone's will. The White Spider reached out, grabbed a shard of glass, and slashed it deeply into the skin of its arm.
The pain brought some clarity back. Tears streamed down uncontrollably: "Why... why do you want to abandon me again... treasure."
Human bodies had limited pain tolerance. It slowly bent over until both knees completely touched the ground, assuming a prostrate, humble posture, weeping as it gazed up at its deity above.
Every frown, every smile, every anger - all could sway its entire being. It only wanted eternal possession... how could that be wrong!?
Intense desire gushed forth. Only one solution could completely satisfy the hollow, empty heart.
"Please don't think about leaving me anymore, okay?"
It reached toward Hui Gu with bloodied hands that couldn't bleed red, and only green sap continuously overflowing. Copious white spider silk gushed from the wounds!
"Ji!" Hui Gu never expected it could resist this will. His black beady eyes instinctively closed the moment the white silk pounced.
His small body trembled involuntarily.
But the sticky, disgusting sensation never came.
Sssss.
The sound of white silk being sliced echoed in his ears, along with familiar whistling through air.
Hui Gu opened his eyes, staring in astonishment at the sword blocking before him.
It carried heavy killing intent, weighty as if steeped in blood.
Those spider threads even special materials couldn't cut were like tofu before the sword's edge, severed merely by proximity.
Thick black mist enveloped the sword, silver light swirling at its very core. Seeming to sense the little creature trembling behind it, the sword tilted slightly, concealing some of its cold sharpness.
"Ji!" Hui Gu's eyes suddenly lit up, looking toward the laboratory entrance.
A tall man's figure emerged from the entrance where layers of thick spider silk had been severed. As he took in the scene unfolding inside, a cold, shadowy darkness slowly surfaced from the depths of his eyes, and the pupils beneath his profound brow were no longer pure black.
The sword abruptly rose, thrusting toward the young man lying prone on the ground in an unsightly posture.
With a desperate roll, he barely dodged the attack, but a bloody gash still appeared on his face, leaving him looking somewhat disheveled.
"Human! How dare you walk right into my trap!?" he snarled in fury, only to suddenly reach up and touch the warm liquid on his face.
Disfigured?
Panic flashed in White Spider's eyes.
This wouldn't do—this vessel was meant to make Mushroom like him.
Didn't Mushroom adore human appearances? If he turned ugly, Mushroom would surely dislike him again.
He refused to be hated!!!
White Spider opened his mouth and let out a piercing shriek, invisible sound waves rippling outward in layers.
All the surrounding spider silk began to writhe, as if infused with life, squirming and undulating.
The ground shook as if in an earthquake.
Hui Gu, being too lightweight, lost his balance and nearly tumbled off the laboratory table.
Gu Wang's expression sharpened. He strode directly along the path his supernatural ability had cleaved, arriving before Hui Gu just in time to catch him.
Falling once more into those familiar palms, Hui Gu looked up dazedly, meeting those all-too-familiar eyes. They no longer held complex emotions or the aura of ruthless decisiveness, but instead... a mixture of heartache and relief.
Like a fallen young creature suddenly receiving comfort, all the fear Hui Gu had suppressed for so long finally surged forth like a tidal wave.
How could he not be afraid?
Being eaten, being bitten, nearly being wrapped into a white silk cocoon—no matter how many times it happened, he would never grow accustomed to it.
The mushroom trembled slightly in Gu Wang's palm. Unlike his usual angry, bristling self, he shrank into a small, quiet form, unable to snap out of it for a long while.
Yet, he still instinctively clung tightly to Gu Wang, like duckweed finally finding its anchor.
A faint prickling sensation pierced Gu Wang's heart.
His shadowed brows still carried traces of undissipated violence, the black mist swirling around him as sharp as a gale, yet his words were uncharacteristically gentle: "I'm sorry."
He gently reached out to stroke the trembling little gray mushroom.
"I came too late."
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