Chapter 343: Red Mould and Spore People

The Holt family had picked a good time. Had they requested an audience immediately after Levi and Stellan were driven away, Ron certainly wouldn’t have received them. To him, the fungus clinging to his hand and trying to suck his blood was a much more pressing danger than guests from afar whose intentions were unknown.

"Where did you find these things?"

After driving away the members of the Bengsen Clan, Ron and Delaford found Jilannis, who had shut herself in her laboratory for the better part of a month. They showed her a sample of the strange fungus, and to their surprise, her expression changed drastically after just a single glance.

"You know what this is?" Seeing her reaction, Ron knew he’d come to the right person.

"This fungus is generally known as Red Mould—hold on, let me stop the experiment I’m working on." Jilannis shut down an instrument she had brought back from Carolina, retrieved a new set of equipment, and cast Protective Magic on both herself and Ron. Only after these thorough preparations did she allow Ron to take out the fungal samples.

"Red Mould is reddish-brown and is only found in dark, warm, and humid places. It usually attaches to metal, making itself look like a patch of rust," the Moon Elf said, staring intently at the fungus, which appeared inert. "A very long time ago, traces of this fungus were discovered in the forests where the Elves dwelled. I never thought I’d find it here."

"Is this stuff dangerous?" Delaford shrugged. "It’s even more fragile than ordinary fungi. It dies quickly when exposed to light."

"It’s fragile, but the life it gives birth to is anything but," Jilannis said, her lake-blue eyes turning to Ron. She knew goblins wouldn’t be familiar with such things. "Ron, have you ever heard of a creature called the Spore People?"

"Spore People?" Ron repeated the term and shook his head. "No, I’ve only heard of Mushroom People. Are Spore People another name for Mushroom People?"

"The two species are very similar, but they aren’t the same," Jilannis said with a wave of her hand. "Although both are fungal creatures, Mushroom People are generally found in the Dark Territory. It’s rare to find any trace of them on the surface. Sightings of Spore People, on the other hand, are mostly in dark jungles on the surface, or in ancient ruins deep in the mountains."

"Furthermore, while Mushroom People create new companions by reanimating the corpses of other creatures, they are still considered mild-mannered compared to Spore People. The latter can absorb nutrients from soil and various organic matter, but their favorite food is still fresh meat, bones, and blood."

"But what does that have to do with this... Red Mould?" Delaford asked, confused.

"Spore People are born from this very Red Mould!" Jilannis said, her expression serious. "Red Mould and its spores are highly toxic to ordinary living things. A corpse killed by it will give birth to Spore People after twenty-four hours. The larger the corpse, the more Spore People will be born!"

"Red Mould, especially Red Mould that has already infected a living creature, is not easy to remove. Among direct damage types, only Strong Acid and Light and Dark Ability are effective. Besides that, magic that neutralizes toxins or cures diseases can also kill them."

"As for other methods, besides exposure to sunlight, salt and alcohol also have some effect."

"You call that hard to kill?" The Goblin Hunter scoffed. "Isn’t that something you can just—"

"You have to understand, not everyone or every team has as many methods as you do, especially those Adventurers who are used to traveling in teams of four or five," Jilannis sighed. "Back then, the Elves paid a heavy price just to figure out what these things were."

"Where exactly did you get this stuff?"

Ron told the Elf Grand Mage the whole story from beginning to end. Watching Jilannis’s eyebrows draw closer and closer together, and considering what she had just explained, Ron knew this situation could get ugly.

"On the other side of the mountain, in the ruins that the Vampire Count discovered, a massive tribe of Spore People has likely already formed," the Moon Elf said slowly, gazing at the Red Mould samples they had brought back. "A few hundred years, even in a sparsely populated area, is enough for a trickle to become a flood."

"Not to mention the large number of wild animals," Delaford nodded. "You should have seen it. The beasts in the Count’s domain alone were already breeding and swarming all over the mountains!"

The Moon Elf seemed to have thought of something. She touched a brass ring on her hand, and a heavy tome appeared in her grasp. "The wild animals aren’t the biggest problem. Let me see... yes, that’s right. Among the life forms born from Red Mould, besides the Spore People, there is also a fungal creature called a ’Thorny Beast’."

"Thorny Beasts are larger and more ferocious than Spore People, and their bodies are covered in hard thorns. But they are far less intelligent. If the Red Mould has only infected wild animals, the situation is still manageable."

"The fear is that there are too many Spore People—Lord, did the Count’s notes mention the state of the ruins they found?"

"Unfortunately, he was an amateur. He had no habit of keeping detailed, systematic records," Ron said, spreading his hands helplessly. "His wife, the witch, might have kept more detailed records, but her manuscripts were likely devoured by the Red Mould."

"I’d like to ask for your opinion: Do you think we need to pay attention to this matter?"

The Moon Elf thought for a good while. "I suppose this is what you’d call an ’important but not urgent’ task."

"The ruins of an ancient civilization, plus the source of power the Count was so sure of—these are definitely related to the secrets behind Delusional Land. But that’s all ancient history now. The Spore People’s area of activity won’t be very large, and they can’t get close to this place no matter what. If you don’t want to delve deep into all this, you could completely ignore it."

"But the fear is that something unexpected could happen," Ron and Jilannis said almost in unison.

"The more you know about that entity, the better. On one hand, a display of your abilities might drive that Devil Duke to favor you more. That kind of help is a rare opportunity you can’t just seek out. On the other hand, it will also allow you, your companions, and your subjects to manage your expectations. Even if you can’t fight it, you can at least leave in time and not end up like that Saran fellow."

"Alright," Ron nodded, then suddenly thought of another question. "Lady Jilannis, you were once one of the most powerful Mages in the world. Based on our description, can you speculate on just how powerful the final entity of this land could be?"

"It ’ate’ all the Undead Creatures in the entire Count’s domain in a single bite. Is that a level of power a mortal can achieve?"