62: Mycelium

The newly concocted antidote in Fiona's hand had just worked wonders, pulling Randall back from the brink of death.

The three of us—I, Fiona, and the newly awakened Randall—were all beaming with the joy of surviving a catastrophe.

It was past midnight, so I suggested that everyone rest for a while. Once Randall regained his strength, we would return to the camp.

I took out a wool blanket from the system space, rolled it up, and placed it aside, then helped Randall slowly sit up and lean against the blanket.

Randall's face was still pale, but his eyes gradually regained their lucidity, which brought me some comfort.

Fiona then walked to the center of the cave, her gaze fixed on the huge fissure on the ground.

Inside the fissure, the glowing mycelia still flickered faintly, as if hiding some secret.

"These mycelia are very strange," Fiona murmured, her brows tightly furrowed, and a thoughtful glint in her eyes. "I feel like I've seen them somewhere before."

Hearing this, a hint of doubt arose in my heart, and I couldn't help but ask, "Fiona, have you never been to this cave before? Haven't you always been guarding this forest?" This question had been on my mind for a long time, and I was truly curious.

Fiona turned her head at my question, a complex expression flashing in her eyes. She softly replied, "This is indeed my first time entering here today. Although this forest is within my guardianship, this place is the boundary of the forest I guard. Beyond this small hill is the territory of the Treants."

"Treants?" I was stunned at the mention of the name. It was completely unfamiliar to me; I had never heard of such beings.

Fiona seemed to sense my confusion. She nodded slightly and continued, "Yes, Treants. They are one of the oldest beings on this land, even older than me, and they guard a much larger forest than I do. They possess wisdom, strength, and are true Children of Nature. Tomorrow, I will take you to meet them; I believe they will like you."

Just as Fiona and I were talking, suddenly, a dazzling light burst forth from the fissure.

The light, composed of countless glowing mycelia, shot out from the fissure and darted towards Fiona.

Fiona was standing by the fissure, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

When the glowing mycelia suddenly enveloped her, she only managed to let out a terrified scream, which echoed repeatedly in the cave.

I watched helplessly as Fiona was tightly wrapped by the mycelia, her body rapidly dragged into the depths of the fissure.

I tried to rush forward and grab her, but the mycelia were too fast and too strong; I couldn't reach her at all.

Randall, despite his extreme weakness, still struggled to his feet.

He once again picked up his weapon, his sword and shield gleaming with resolute light in the faint firelight.

He staggered to my side, leaning his weight on the heavy shield, but his gaze towards me was exceptionally firm.

"Ryan, you leave here first," Randall's voice was anxious and resolute. "Go back to the camp and wait for us. I'll go down and find Fiona."

His tone was unquestionable, sounding as if he had already prepared to sacrifice everything.

"No..."

I was about to refuse, wanting to tell him that I couldn't leave him alone, but just as the words reached my lips, another dazzling and eerie light erupted from the fissure.

The light, like the claws of a demon, suddenly shot out from the fissure, carrying an irresistible force.

The glowing mycelia, like living tentacles, instantly enveloped both of us tightly.

I felt an unprecedented chill and restraint, as if countless invisible hands were pulling me down.

I struggled, trying to break free from this restraint, but the mycelia's power was too great; I couldn't move at all.

Randall also let out a terrified cry, but his voice was quickly swallowed by the mycelia.

Both of us were dragged by the mycelia, our bodies instantly losing balance, falling into the dark fissure below.

In the endless dark abyss, I felt like a falling leaf, pulled by an unseen force, rapidly descending.

All around was profound darkness, as if even time had been swallowed by this darkness. Only the mycelia entwined around me emitted a faint green glow, like guiding lights from the underworld, illuminating my face and outlining a hint of life in this boundless darkness.

Although I couldn't see the Dragon King, I could feel it chasing me downwards.

As I descended deeper, the surrounding scenery gradually began to display an indescribable strangeness and grandeur.

Upon the rock walls, as if crafted by nature's most exquisite Carving, various minerals were embedded, radiating dazzling brilliance under the green light.

I saw veins of iron ore, chalcopyrite, and magnetite embedded in the rock crevices.

These minerals, illuminated by the green light, seemed to have been endowed with life.

Immersed in this fantastical world composed of mycelia and minerals, I didn't know where I would fall, nor what secrets and dangers were hidden in this underground realm.

Amidst the intertwining of endless darkness and eerie green mycelia, my feet suddenly found solid ground, as if I had landed on some thick and strange "surface."

Looking down, I realized I was standing on a large, thick platform of mycelia. The mycelia underfoot felt like a soft and elastic carpet, yet it possessed an indescribable eeriness.

I looked up and around, seeing only wriggling mycelia above and all around. They intertwined, layer upon layer, as if forming a huge, living cage.

I felt as if I had fallen into the stomach of some large, unknown creature, and an indescribable sense of fear and oppression arose spontaneously.

The mycelia that had originally entangled me were now stretched thin, like spider silk, precarious.

Gaps appeared between the surrounding mycelia, revealing faint, dim light.

Randall and Fiona were not far from me on either side, also trapped within this mycelia-woven cage.

"Randall! Fiona!" I called out, "Are you alright?"

"Not good! My Mana Vines can't be cast in this cursed place," Fiona yelled. "These mycelia are secreting corrosive fluid; they're eating us!"

"Same here!" Randall said.

My face and body began to feel a stinging sensation. It turned out that the surrounding mycelia were constantly secreting corrosive liquid, gradually eroding my skin and equipment.