As a Charming Mushroom, I Fell into the Apocalypse (MUSHROOM)
While Gu Wang was tidying up, Hui Gu circled around him. Following the man’s movements, he soon noticed a faint, elusive scent of blood.
“Ji!?” Hui Gu bristled slightly.
Like a little chick, he clung closely to Gu Wang’s heels, following immediately with every step the man took.
Gu Wang kept half his attention on him, worried he might accidentally step on him.
Hearing Hui Gu's puzzled voice, he didn't elaborate much: "Got injured accidentally while working."
"Ji." Hui Gu sounded displeased.
He wasn't satisfied with this answer.
He could sense that Gu Wang's injury was fresh.
Gu Wang looked at Hui Gu, his expression softening momentarily as he lifted him onto his shoulder: "Just a minor injury, but right now others only see me as an A-class."
So he couldn't let the wound heal too quickly.
An injury that would take an S-class half a day to recover from would require two or three days for an A-class.
To maintain his disguise, he had to pay attention to these details.
The moment Hui Gu landed on him, he began burrowing into his clothes: "Ji?" Let me see, what kind of injury.
Gu Wang chuckled softly and swiftly pulled him out from his clothes: "Cut by a work machine accidentally."
Hui Gu emitted a displeased grumble: "Gu."
Like a cat with its face pulled down.
Gu Wang gathered all the clothes and folded them neatly. When his eyes fell on the white shirt in his hands, his gaze froze for a moment, and his movements paused.
The shirt had some wrinkles, unlike the other clothes that had simply been tossed on the floor. It seemed to have been worn.
Seeing Gu Wang staring at the clothes he had worn, Hui Gu felt somewhat guilty. He stopped pestering Gu Wang about the injury and pretended nothing had happened, running off to play elsewhere.
Gu Wang's train of thought was interrupted by Little Gray Mushroom's sudden departure, and he didn't continue scrutinizing the shirt.
No matter how far his imagination stretched, he couldn't possibly conceive that his mushroom had turned human and secretly worn his clothes, attributing the traces instead to the previous owner.
Hui Gu pretended to attack the bag of items Gu Wang had brought, but his attention remained fixed on Gu Wang. When the man finished tidying up and entered the bathroom alone, he immediately followed with mushroom-like stealth.
Not only did he want to see Gu Wang's injury, but he also wanted to seize an opportunity to drink a little blood.
At the thought of that uniquely soul-nourishing flavor, Hui Gu couldn't help but smack his lips.
This slight sound caught attention, and the running water in the bathroom grew quieter.
Discovered?
Hui Gu went on alert, pausing his attempts to pry open the bathroom door, holding his breath to observe.
Like a suddenly frozen little ostrich, deceiving himself into stillness while waiting for the predator to leave on its own.
Gu Wang swept his wet hair back, revealing his full forehead and sharp, defined features. His deep-set eyes resembled a black panther lurking in the jungle, ready to strike—yet those intensely predatory dark orbs now held a teasing glint.
He looked directly toward Little Gray Mushroom's location.
The silly mushroom had completely forgotten that the bathroom glass was one-way: while those outside couldn't see in, those inside could vaguely make out shadows outside.
Now he could clearly see a mushroom smaller than a palm clinging to the door like a mushroom-shaped sticker.
Gu Wang's thin lips parted slightly, forming silent words: Little pervert mushroom.
Given Hui Gu's prior behavior, he wasn't too surprised—just raised an eyebrow and pretended not to notice, continuing his shower.
Water resources in the base were almost entirely provided by water-type Ability Users. Each use required deducting a significant number of points. In the apocalypse, being able to shower once a week was already considered meticulous.
Yet Gu Wang maintained his pre-apocalypse habit, striving to shower daily whenever possible.
Generally, those who worship and follow him enjoy portraying him as an unrestrained and unconventional figure. Some violence-obsessed devotees even go so far as to embellish him into a blood-soaked individual who bathes in gore daily.
Only his closest confidants know these are wildly inaccurate rumors—the real Gu Wang actually has a touch of obsessive-compulsiveness.
Not in the sense of germophobia, but he makes a conscious effort to keep his workspace and living environment tidy, and naturally, he maintains the same standard for his personal appearance. When eliminating Exotic Beasts, he always uses his supernatural ability for long-range attacks. The rumored image of him crushing hearts with his bare hands, splattered head to toe in blood like a deranged killer, is utterly impossible.
Hearing the continuous sound of running water from the bathroom, Hui Gu gradually relaxed, convinced that his concealment had been flawless and entirely undetected.
Stealthily, he nudged the sliding bathroom door open just a crack.
His small size and flexible body allowed him to squeeze through the three-centimeter gap, flattening himself to slip inside before promptly puffing back up like an inflated balloon.
What he hadn’t anticipated was how slippery the wet bathroom floor would be. The moment he hopped forward, he lost his footing with a squeak and slid rapidly across the damp surface, only to be caught mid-motion by the man bending down.
Dazed, Hui Gu blinked his eyes open to find Gu Wang just finishing his shower. A white towel was wrapped around the man’s lean, powerful waist, covering most of his abdominal muscles yet still hinting at their perfect definition. Beads of water clinging to his body only added to his striking presence.
But there, stark against his skin, was a glaring wound on his shoulder. Washed by the warm water, the injury revealed pale red flesh, its bloody scent considerably diluted.
"Ji!?" Hui Gu scrutinized it closely and immediately realized he’d been deceived moments earlier.
This was no so-called mechanical accident—it was clearly a wound inflicted by a supernatural ability attack.
Gu Wang hadn’t expected him to be so perceptive, but from Hui Gu’s indignant reaction, he knew the truth was out.
He dried the damp Mushroom gently, his tone neutral. "It doesn’t hurt at all."
Hui Gu eyed him skeptically, his little mind working slowly.
Seeing Gu Wang’s calm expression, he had deliberately suppressed his natural healing to let the wound close gradually, making the severe injury seem almost illusory.
Hui Gu leaned in for a sniff—a faint, pleasant scent, unmistakably his own blood.
Unable to resist, he gave it a lick.
So delicious.
Like a bee tumbling into a vat of rich honey, Hui Gu felt his rationality slip away for an instant. Meeting the man’s dark eyes, he shuddered and quickly regained his senses.
Had he been caught…?
Blinking his beady black eyes, Hui Gu quietly nestled against the man’s collarbone, pretending nothing had happened.
Gu Wang’s brow furrowed slightly; he’d felt a faint itch from the wound.
Had it been licked?
Hui Gu had never shown any craving for flesh and blood in front of him before.
Gu Wang examined the injury—Hui Gu had been too cautious, leaving almost no trace behind.
Perhaps he’d just imagined it.
Maybe it was only a light brush.
After a moment passed without any scrutinizing gaze, Hui Gu breathed a soft sigh of relief.
It seemed he would have to be even more careful from now on to avoid detection.
However, Gu Wang's blood, as his internal injuries healed, had become increasingly nourishing.
The word "nourishing" was odd, yet it fit perfectly.
After just sneaking a few licks, Hui Gu felt the depleted areas within his body refilled, a warm, cozy sensation spreading throughout his limbs. But unlike the first time, there was no intense feverish reaction—perhaps because he had consumed too little, or maybe he had developed some resistance. The urge to transform could now be consciously controlled, leaving him as content as a cat basking in the sun.
He lounged lazily on Gu Wang, following the man into the kitchen and watching as he pulled out various ingredients from a large bag he had brought, along with a cookbook.
The cookbook was flipped open precisely to the page detailing how to prepare Earth Dragon Meat, a corner of which Gu Wang had pre-folded.
Hui Gu craned his neck curiously. Though he couldn’t read, he could tell from the ingredients Gu Wang was handling what was being prepared. He had a vague memory of this meat.
It was from that small stall he had seen after entering the base yesterday.
Back then, Gu Wang hadn’t had any points.
But now he had bought so much.
"Ji?" Hui Gu sounded puzzled.
Gu Wang: "I earned three hundred points today."
He had used the vast majority to repay his loan, and almost all the remaining points were spent on things Hui Gu would like.
Earning three hundred points in a single day, especially in the apocalypse, undoubtedly meant taking on high-risk work.
But Mushroom didn’t understand the dangers involved; he only felt that the Incubator had worked very hard.
Hui Gu nuzzled him: "Ji." You’ve worked hard.
Gu Wang gently rubbed him, a smile evident in his eyes.
Soon, the Earth Dragon Meat was deodorized, steamed, and served.
The only truly tasty part of this mutant creature was the tender belly meat; the rest had the tough, chewy texture characteristic of mutated flesh.
On the table were two bowls of meat. One was piled high, but the smaller bowl contained finely chopped pieces of the tender belly meat.
Gu Wang deftly placed Hui Gu beside him and pushed the small bowl in front of him.
Only after seeing him happily begin to eat did Gu Wang pick up his own chopsticks.
Hui Gu did like it, but this afternoon, when he had sneaked out, he had already eaten several bowls of noodles.
The portions were so large that even the two shop owners had been astonished.
Now, after just a few bites, his belly was round and full.
After finishing his meal, Gu Wang glanced over at him, his brow unconsciously furrowing.
He reached out and stroked Hui Gu: "Don’t like it?"
"Ji." It’s delicious.
Hui Gu shook his head, then nodded, affirming Gu Wang’s cooking skills.
Gu Wang: "Then why aren’t you eating?"
Hui Gu crouched down slightly, his Mushroom Cap curling downward to cover his plump, white stem, shaking his head with an innocent expression.
No matter how Gu Wang coaxed him, he refused to take another bite.
Gu Wang didn’t want to force him, but he found it somewhat troubling.
It was the first time he had encountered such a problem—it was as if a young one at home had suddenly become picky.
After confirming that Hui Gu truly wouldn’t eat another bite, Gu Wang put the food away, mentally marking this incident as something to note.
…
The next day, when Hui Gu woke up, he noticed that the lunch Gu Wang had left for him had increased in portion.
Without overthinking it, he huffed and puffed, diligently finishing it all before immediately transforming into his human form, changing into clothes, and putting on the mask and hat he had hidden earlier.
Yesterday, Aide had asked him to come to Nightclub again but didn't specify a time. Hui Gu had no concept of punctuality, nor did he understand the human workplace rule of arriving early.
He simply followed his own preferences and dragged his feet until the afternoon to head over. While sauntering leisurely, he happened to run into Tang Qi.
Tang Qi had just rejected a difficult customer the day before and was reprimanded by his team leader for accidentally using verbal aggression.
When he saw Hui Gu, his eyes widened, and he blinked frantically, signaling him to leave quickly and avoid walking into trouble.
Hui Gu didn’t understand. He remembered this human had helped him before, and there was that thing he mentioned… a favor.
Oh right, he had to repay the favor.
Human society was so complicated.
Hui Gu moved closer, looking innocent. "Are your eyes uncomfortable?"
Tang Qi couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
The team leader was startled by the sudden appearance of someone and spoke with clear displeasure. "Which team are you from!?"
Hui Gu glanced at him. "You’re too noisy."
He didn’t quite understand why humans always liked to shout.
Hui Gu said calmly, "Can you move away?"
Move away? Move where?
When the team leader met those sapphire-blue eyes, his mind instantly turned to mush. Without even understanding why, his legs had already turned him around and led him away.
Hui Gu was used to this kind of reaction.
Tang Qi’s jaw nearly dropped. "H-he just left like that?"
"Hmm?" Hui Gu looked at him slightly puzzled.
Tang Qi suddenly remembered the question he had asked earlier and felt his face flush slightly. His tone remained a bit stiff. "Of course I’m fine. You’re the one who should be worried."
He grabbed Hui Gu and pulled him upstairs, muttering under his breath, "There’s some big gossip at Nightclub today. Rumor has it that Manager Aide got stood up—I knew it had to be you!"
Unlike others, he had believed from the very beginning that Hui Gu would be selected.
This trust was utterly blind and might even sound ridiculous if spoken aloud.
But Tang Qi didn’t know why—he just felt that Hui Gu had a certain magnetism that made him instinctively choose to believe.
Soon, they reached the tenth floor again, just like the day before. This time, there were no other interviewees or interviewers—only Aide and Ji Nianwen sitting and chatting.
Ji Nianwen took a sip of his drink. In the post-apocalyptic world, something that could be sold for a sky-high price with just a little effort seemed like nothing more than an accessory in his hands.
His demeanor made him seem more like an internal executive of Nightclub than Aide.
Ji Nianwen smiled faintly. "It seems my competitor isn’t planning to show up. Mr. Aide, are you still—"
He was brimming with confidence, and his level, which far surpassed others in the Mental System, certainly gave him plenty of assurance.
The sudden sound of footsteps interrupted their conversation. Feeling the invisible pressure in their gaze, Tang Qi knew he couldn’t go any further, so he subtly pushed Hui Gu forward, signaling him to approach.
Hui Gu walked in, completely unaware that he had kept them waiting for hours. "Hello."
He even greeted them quite politely.
Beneath the brim of his hat, his crystal-clear eyes held no impurities or excess emotions.
His calm was truly like still water, forming a stark contrast to Ji Nianwen’s somewhat deliberate ease.
Aide snorted coldly. "You’re too late."
Hui Gu: "Oh, but you didn’t set a time with me."
Aide paused, taken aback by an angle he had never considered. His perpetually stern poker face showed a flicker of contemplation before he actually apologized, "You're right, that was an oversight on my part. I should have been clearer."
Ji Nianwen shot a surprised glance at Aide before his light brown eyes settled naturally on Hui Gu, adopting the demeanor of a senior. "Hello, please have a seat," he said smoothly.
A wave of Mental Power emanated from him—if visible to the naked eye, it would appear as a hazy, pale pink hue, seemingly gentle yet laced with an intangible toxicity.
He intended to subtly pressure Hui Gu, making him feel the strain and choose to leave on his own.
After all, he was just an ordinary person—hardly a potential obstacle.
Aide, tall and broad-shouldered, made the sofa seem cramped as he sat down. "I called you both here today mainly to inform you that you've been accepted," he announced.
Hui Gu took a seat directly, just as the faint pink Mental Power sealed off the air around him, poised to invade his body in the final step.
Just as Ji Nianwen was about to reveal a smug smile, his expression abruptly shifted. A sudden, needle-like pain pierced his mind, and he gasped, the taste of blood surging up his throat.
He instinctively withdrew all his outwardly exerted Mental Pressure, barely managing to suppress the urge to cough up blood.
He stared at Hui Gu in disbelief.
How was this possible?!
Even the usually unflappable Aide was startled by his sudden reaction and rose to check on him. "What's wrong?"
Ji Nianwen’s face was slightly pale, but he instinctively curved his lips into a gentle smile. "It's nothing. Last night, I used my Mental Power to soothe some new humans with high Contamination Values. One of them was nearly S-class, but their pollution level was on the verge of collapse…"
He left the sentence unfinished, sighing softly.
He had concocted this excuse in an instant, and his performance was flawless.
It cleverly deceived Aide.
The reason Mental Power new humans were so valued was their ability to ease the suffering of those whose pollution levels surged uncontrollably. However, this method only addressed the symptoms, not the root cause.
It was more like a mental anesthetic. Even so, many Mental Power new humans couldn’t withstand the drain on their own energy, often causing their own pollution levels to spike. As a result, fewer and fewer were willing to dedicate significant Mental Power to provide relief.
If Ji Nianwen had truly suffered such severe injuries from soothing highly contaminated individuals, then the rumors praising his kindness were indeed not exaggerated.
Aide’s expression softened slightly as he reminded him, "Don’t get too absorbed in helping them. High pollution levels are incurable."
Ji Nianwen knew his explanation had worked—not only had he covered up the truth, but he’d also earned some goodwill.
Knowing that saying more might risk exposure, he coughed lightly and said, "Don’t let me hold things up. Please continue."
Once his performance concluded, he immediately glanced sideways at Hui Gu, feeling both shock and confusion.
That mental backlash was something he had never encountered before.
Mental Power was supposed to allow the strong to invade the weak—how could there be such a intense counterforce? And he had only been testing, not even launching a real attack.
If the backlash was this powerful, had he truly intended to turn the young man into a fool, he might already be…
He stopped scaring himself with further speculation, instead focusing his attention intently on Hui Gu, hoping to spot any slip-ups.
Hui Gu paid no attention to Ji Nianwen, who was nearly coughing up blood. He felt completely unfazed—that wisp of Mental Power wasn’t even considered a nuisance in his eyes.
He even had the leisure to pick up a fake orange from the table and play with it before being unable to resist giving it a sniff.
An overwhelmingly artificial orange fragrance hit him, and Hui Gu tossed it back in disappointment.
The red veins in Ji Nianwen’s eyes flickered faintly. He couldn’t detect any flaw in Hui Gu.
No matter how he looked at it, this was clearly an ordinary person without any supernatural ability… Could it be that the backlash earlier wasn’t because of him?
Ji Nianwen’s emotions were in turmoil, but he didn’t dare try again.
That sharp pain was enough to leave a lasting shadow after just one experience.
Aide didn’t notice his discomposure and diligently explained many details about the job requirements.
In short, Nightclub wanted to create a star—a celebrity unique to the base.
The word "star" felt incongruously humorous in the context of the apocalypse, even carrying a bizarre sense of irony, yet the subtext in Aide’s words revealed Nightclub’s true ambition.
What they wanted wasn’t just an idol for admiration, but rather a "creation of faith" in another sense.
Ji Nianwen was clever. His high-level Mental System ability often made people overlook his cunning, manipulative nature.
He knew exactly what kind of person Nightclub was looking for.
In fact, internal leaks about the god-making plan had reached him through his connections, allowing him to learn parts of it.
Ji Nianwen knew this was his opportunity.
A chance to prove that Mental System abilities could stand above all offensive supernatural abilities.
And as the only S-class Mental System user, he would naturally ascend to the pinnacle.
He offered a seemingly natural smile: "But if you’re trying to create a unique star, why hire two people?"
His gaze drifted subtly toward Hui Gu, and he offered him a slightly apologetic smile.
Hui Gu: ?
He glanced inexplicably at Ji Nianwen, furrowing his brows in dissatisfaction.
It was like a kitten baring its teeth upon first meeting someone it disliked.
It was the first time Ji Nianwen had been treated this way, but his composure was strong enough that his expression didn’t change at all, leaving others unable to decipher his true thoughts.
The question clearly hit the mark. Aide cleared his throat: "Yes, only one person can ultimately become the representative of our Nightclub. So from this moment on, the two of you are competitors."
"Competitors." Ji Nianwen seemed to find the word interesting, repeating it with a subtle tone, his eyes smiling as he looked at Hui Gu.
He didn’t dare use Mental Power to probe again, but he still instinctively employed psychological tactics to exert his influence invisibly.
It was as if he had said nothing, yet also as if he had said everything.
The person he was watching showed no reaction whatsoever. Hui Gu raised his hand and eagerly asked the only question he cared about: "So how many points are you going to give me?"
Ji Nianwen: "…"
He felt a sense of powerlessness, as if all his meticulous scheming had ultimately collapsed against cotton.
…
Meanwhile, in the underground venue.
Gu Wang sat resting to the side, shrouded in a dense, gloomy aura.
His keen hearing allowed him to catch every word of the hushed discussions around him.
"See that newcomer? Maybe he really can challenge that person."
"Shh, he's like a rabid dog today—he crippled several people."
"If they hadn't forcibly stopped him, he probably would've killed someone."
"Is he even human? With skills like that, his pollution level must be sky-high..."
"He racks up points like he's got a death wish. I don't earn in a month what he got in bonuses just today."
"Nobody dares speak to him. Old Jin, why don't you go try?"
The man called Old Jin swatted the speaker. "Don't joke about that! I've got family waiting for me at home. I can handle getting injured, but not dying."
As he finished speaking, he suddenly noticed all the people who'd been whispering were now staring in terror behind him.
Old Jin forced a laugh. "Stop trying to scare me."
It wasn't until his companion frantically elbowed him that he realized something was wrong.
When he turned around, Gu Wang was already standing behind him.
Old Jin's heart clenched. Though Gu Wang wasn't particularly close, the bloody, ruthless aura bred from countless battles had already seeped through the air into Old Jin's bones. Just meeting his gaze was enough to make one's legs go weak.
"I'm sorry!" His mind went blank, instinctively apologizing while bowing under the pressure of this higher-level new human.
Gu Wang: "I just want to ask you a question."
"Do you have children at home?" Gu Wang's obsidian eyes watched him calmly.
"Y-yes." Old Jin swallowed nervously. "I have a wife too. Our family of three barely managed to settle in the base. My wife and child are both ordinary people—if something happens to me, they'll have no one to rely on!"
He rambled on, hoping to appeal to the other's mercy.
As for the others, they'd all scattered the moment Gu Wang approached, as if automatically evacuated.
What a bunch of traitors!
Old Jin cursed inwardly.
Gu Wang: "Then do you know why a cub at home might suddenly eat less?"
Old Jin froze, completely unprepared for this question. After several seconds of mental blankness, he finally managed: "You're sure the food isn't problematic?"
Gu Wang nodded. "Yesterday's dinner—he suddenly ate very little."
So it was just one meal... Was that worth worrying about? Spoiling children in the apocalypse never ends well.
Old Jin mentally complained but didn't dare show it.
He pinched himself to focus, screaming internally: Think, you idiot!
Suddenly inspired, his eyes lit up. "Yesterday was your first day working here, right? Were you usually with him before?"
Gu Wang: "Yes."
Old Jin clapped his hands. "That's it! He's probably acting out due to insecurity. Why don't you go home early today to spend time with him?"
Insecurity.
Gu Wang pondered this. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Old Jin waved hurriedly.
Facing unfamiliar territory, Gu Wang remained humble. "If I go back early today, will he eat more?"
Old Jin answered without thinking: "Of course! And if you surprise him by coming home early, he'll be overjoyed!"
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
The completed novel is now available in my Ko-fi page.
If you appreciate what I do, please consider supporting me on kofi. Thank you!
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•