Getting physically wrecked from shoveling is actually quite common. Shoveling naturally demands terrifying physical labor.
Without know-how, moving properly the next day is impossible, but fortunately, I’m a veteran who completed military service.
It’s a relief I had a bit of know-how; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to move all day.
’Isn’t there anything like pain relief patches?’
Massaging my tightly knotted muscles, I logged into the Gallery, wondering if there were pain patches available.
Regrettably, no pain patches were to be found. Looks like a limitation of the eras.
Instead, I posted a thread asking if there was any medicine effective for muscle soreness.
Title: What’s good for muscle soreness?
Wild Grylls
Got muscle cramps digging holes yesterday
↳ Sword Matstar: Mana Cultivation Methods are good for muscle pain.
↳ Wild Grylls: It’s not like Mana Cultivation is a cure-all or something;;
↳ Heavenly Demon: It seems you are uninformed. Practicing an Internal Cultivation Art—specifically, Internal Energy Regulation—is highly effective for muscle soreness.
↳ Wild Grylls: Besides that, isn’t there any medicinal herb?
↳ Sword Matstar: Just leave muscle soreness alone if possible. Treating it with medicine hinders muscle growth.
↳ Heavenly Demon: That is knowledge I have never heard before. Are you certain?
↳ Sword Matstar: Probably? I have a constitution where I grow stronger just by breathing.
↳ Heavenly Demon: Similar to this mistress, then.
↳ Wild Grylls: What the...;;
↳ Basement-dwelling Gallery addicts spewing this nonsense lol
↳ Where on earth does a constitution like that even exist?
↳ If it existed, the kingdom would have served them on a silver platter
↳ HAHAHA
I wish I had a constitution like that too. I let out a sigh.
In the end, it seemed best to just endure the muscle soreness. It wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t move at all, so enduring it should be fine.
Instead, heavy physical labor today was out of the question. Pushing further might turn my urine the color of Cola tomorrow from rhabdo.
’Muscle pain aside, I just want to wash up.’
Not being able to wash for three days left me feeling disgustingly filthy. My face in particular was slick with oil.
Still, going to the river was out of the question. You can’t trade your life for a shower, right?
Fortunately, humidity in this forest was low and the air cool; if it were a tropical jungle, it would have been absolute hell.
’Let’s buy water for immediate needs. It hurts to waste money, but I have no choice.’
Maintaining minimal cleanliness is necessary to prevent severe health issues. I need to wash my hands at least.
I bought a large quantity of water from the Gallery Auction House. Though it pained my wallet, there was no helping it until I found another river.
The purchased water came with a bucket, and before washing, I inspected the water quality.
’Since it was bought from the Auction House, I can’t be too trusting.’
Fortunately, just as the reviews stated, it was plain, ordinary water—drawn straight from a well.
With that water, I washed my face, hands, feet, and finally the sweat-prone areas thoroughly.
I also used soap in the process, sticking to the advice from yesterday by using an almost scentless soap.
After a quick wash, I dried myself cleanly with a towel bought from the Auction House.
Though it wasn’t a full shower, even this made me feel immensely refreshed.
Eujeok- eujeok-
"Ugh... so bitter. Bitter."
Next came breakfast. Chewing on the horribly bitter Fasting Pill made me grimace automatically.
What’s really fascinating about these Fasting Pills is that chewing just a couple of pills completely eliminates hunger.
Just as Heavenly Demon said, being made of healthy medicinal herbs, I didn’t feel hungry at all.
Of course, given the physical volume, I didn’t expect a sense of fullness. Still, it was quite satisfactory.
’From my perspective, meat is a luxury.’
I should be grateful that carnivorous beasts haven’t raided this cave yet.
After finishing breakfast, I peered into the pouch containing the Fasting Pills.
There were still plenty of Fasting Pills left, but even these wouldn’t last forever.
I could ask Heavenly Demon, but since she mentioned they were made of precious herbs, it would be nothing more than a burden.
’I shouldn’t rely solely on the Gallery. I must keep reminding myself of this.’
Normally, Gallery access is impossible in the Forest of the Four Seasons. But for some unknown reason, I can access it.
In other words, there’s no telling when my Gallery access might cut off.
I need to build up my own capabilities in preparation for that day. This is a resolve I reaffirm every time.
’Today, let’s head in the opposite direction instead of toward the river.’
It was the area where I had dumped the Mad Dog’s corpse and where the Owlbear appeared.
Because of the Owlbear, I hadn’t dared set foot there for a while.
But not anymore. To raise the possibility of escape by even 0.01%, I need to venture out.
I intended to turn this base into a safe zone, not live out my entire life as a primitive Hermit.
Choosing to live here forever was the absolute worst-case scenario. Even if it takes time, I hold on to the hope of escaping.
’Things to pack: sword and shield.’
I didn’t bring the crossbow. It was too bulky and far less useful than a sword during emergencies.
In particular, reloading after a single shot took way too long. That alone could cause fatal trouble.
Besides, I needed to practice the basic swordsmanship posted by Sword Matstar. Whenever I had time, I read through it carefully.
’When holding your ground, step forward with the left leg...’
I checked my stance before heading out to explore. A sword-and-shield warrior is a build with exceptional balance.
The solid protection of a shield instills a deep sense of security, so there’s no fear of losing momentum.
Shields are so overpowered, in fact, that there’s even a story that ancient gladiators banned them because they were too OP.
’Let’s go.’
With a tinge of tension, I stepped out of the cave. At the cave entrance was the half-dug hole from yesterday.
Once I return from exploring, I’ll have to shovel again. Just imagining it is terrifying.
Still, I can’t just leave it undone. Being alone is truly sad.
Title: Off to explore
Wild Grylls
(Photo looking at the forest while holding a sword and shield)
Today I’m heading in the opposite direction, not toward the river.
By the way, it’s where the Owlbear showed up.
↳ Heavenly Demon: Will it not be dangerous? Since you have plenty of Fasting Pills, it would be wise to master an Internal Cultivation Art before departing.
↳ Sword Matstar: Heavenly Demon-nim is right. How about training inside first?
↳ Starlight Lady: You’re not actually going to turn into fly bait, right...?
↳ Praise the Sun: I gave you a shield, so it’d be kinda lame if you died.
↳ Passing Dwarf: My crossbow is crying, crying...
↳ Wild Grylls: Can’t you guys just cheer me on...? If an Owlbear pops out, I’m running instantly...
↳ Sulking LOL
↳ But fr, we’re genuinely worried so we can’t help it kkk
↳ It just means everyone cares a lot, yeah.
↳ If you die, the Gallery will be sad.
Just as the comments said, it felt good that so many people paid attention to me. Is this why people spend time on forums?
Unlike actual attention-seekers, though, I was in desperate need of human conversation.
If not for the Gallery, how would I have survived the crushing loneliness?
’Wait, no. I would’ve been killed by the Mad Dog.’
Thinking that, I moved toward the area where the Owlbear had previously appeared.
Heading to the spot where I had discarded the Mad Dog carcass, I found it surprisingly clean.
Although a few bones, scraps of flesh, and part of the head remained, it was much better than leaving it completely untended.
If the Owlbear hadn’t cleaned it up, maggots and bugs would be swarming over a foul stench.
’Still, let’s not get too close.’
Using the Mad Dog carcass as a landmark, I veered to the right into a dense cluster of trees.
Open ground was dangerous because if I ran into an Owlbear, I wouldn’t even be able to flee.
Of course, given its house-sized frame, it could easily smash through trees, but shouldn’t I maximize my chances of survival even by a fraction?
’There are quite a few trees here.’
As I pushed through the trees, I didn’t forget to mark my path with my sword.
Especially if the area felt strange, I intended to turn around immediately without looking back.
Since space here was twisted like my own damn life, I needed to exercise extreme caution.
"Heave-ho. Huh?"
Emerging from the densely packed trees, an open clearing stretched out before me.
It was quite a wide clearing, overgrown with thick wild weeds.
’...Could a boss monster spawn here?’
In games, boss mobs always pop up in places like this. Just in case, I took a step back toward the trees.
Since the environment could shift suddenly, caution was necessary.
After observing the surroundings for a moment, I realized the likelihood of a spatial shift was low.
While the clearing was somewhat broad, I couldn’t spot anything unnaturally disjointed.
Given how trees naturally encircled the clearing, this spot just seemed naturally peculiar.
’Why? Why is only this place so defined?’
Though not unnatural, the boundary was distinctly defined. Without lowering my guard, I examined the weeds in the clearing.
Looking closely, it wasn’t weeds but a fruiting plant—bearing crimson berries resembling wild raspberries.
I didn’t dare eat them since they might be poisonous. Instead, I snapped a photo and posted it on the Gallery.
Title: Anyone know what this is?
Wild Grylls
(Photo of a plant with wild raspberry-like berries)
Anyone know what this is? There are tons of them here.
↳ Isn’t that wild raspberry?
↳ Looks more like radish than raspberry? The leaves look like it.
↳ Do radishes even grow berries?
↳ They do, but this looks a bit different.
Most users concluded it was a radish. Honestly, it did look like a radish plant.
So radishes really do grow fruit, huh? Then wouldn’t it be okay to pull one up?
↳ Allfather: Oh? You must not pull that up carelessly. It is merely my guess, but it could be a Mandrake.
↳ Wild Grylls: What’s a Mandrake?
↳ Allfather: It is a plant that screams when its root is pulled. Hearing the scream will not kill you, but it will inflict severe damage upon your hearing.
↳ Don’t you die if you hear the scream?
↳ That’s what I thought too.
↳ Allfather: That is a misconception. A Mandrake’s scream induces temporary confusion, but it does not cause death.
↳ Then why did rumors say people die?
↳ Allfather: Due to human greed. Mandrakes are extremely rare plants. Often, people ended up killing one another while trying to claim them, mostly excused under the pretext of having fallen into a state of confusion.
↳ Shiverrrr
↳ Humans are scarier;;
↳ Classic fucking humans
↳ Why bring up humans all of a sudden?
↳ Whenever you see stuff like that, it’s always humans kek
↳ Fuck, this guy is species-discriminating
At any rate, pulling the root meant it’d just be a bit noisy, but not fatal.
However, suffering hearing loss would be troublesome, so I needed to prepare.
↳ Tsk tsk. Does he think Mandrakes grow like weeds? kek
↳ It’s the Forest of the Four Seasons. Might actually be real.
↳ It’s not too late to judge after he pulls it up.
↳ If it’s a Mandrake, that’s a massive jackpot.
↳ Wild Grylls: Are Mandrakes expensive?
↳ Is that even a question;; It’s one of the main ingredients for an Elixir.
↳ Harvesting it is fucking hard too, so if you list it on the Auction House, people will lose their minds.
↳ Allfather: (Rough photo of the plant) (Rough photo of human-shaped root)
↳ Allfather: It will be easier if you compare it with this.
As the debate raged back and forth, Allfather posted pictures. I compared the photos with the plant before me.
The exterior matched the picture, but the berries differed. The fruit in the photo was green, whereas the one I saw was bright red.
’Did the fruit ripen?’
Just in case, I bought earplugs from the Auction House. They were similar to those from Earth.
Supposedly used in the military too, but I wasn’t sure. As long as they plug my ears tightly, that’s all that matters.
Since the root was close to human shape, identifying it wouldn’t be difficult.
↳ Wild Grylls: So do I just pull it up? Won’t hear a thing.
↳ Allfather: If you are prepared, simply pull it up refreshingly, just as you would pull up a radish.
↳ Wild Grylls: Ok.
So just yank it out with full force. I executed it immediately.
Having put on the earplugs, I should be fine against screams. The description even claimed it blocks cannon fire.
It might be slightly exaggerated, but looking at the reviews, reliability was high.
Exhaling a tense breath, I yanked with all my strength.
"Eurat... cha!"
Ssuk!
There was a brief snag halfway, but it pulled out smoothly. I immediately checked the shape of the root.
The Gallery informed me that Mandrakes took on a human shape.
Not a full human shape, but merely an appearance resembling a human.
"Huh?"
However, what I pulled up was far stranger than that. To describe it more accurately, it looked like a real human.
It didn’t just resemble a human; its proportions were identical to a human’s. Not only were arms and legs clearly distinct, but even facial expressions were vivid.
To top it off, it even had beard-like fuzz on its chin. Rather than resembling a human shape, it looked as if a human’s exact visage had been carved into it.
Its posture was even standing with arms crossed, looking remarkably majestic.
’Why is the color so red, too? Is this red ginseng instead of a Mandrake?’
It looked like a Mandrake, but it was far too different. I’d probably have to ask directly.
Beonteok!
Just as I logged onto the Gallery, the closed eyes of the root suddenly snapped wide open.
Because the entire root was red, I didn’t notice at first that it opened its eyes. Only after it slowly uncrossed its arms did I realize.
"Uh?"
"Huuuuup...!"
While I panicked, the root began taking a deep, long breath. An intense foreboding washed over me.
Just as I hurriedly tried to drop the root, the exact scenario Allfather described unfolded.
"UWOOOOOOOH!"
Penetrating right through the earplugs came a scream—no, a monstrous roar. Without the earplugs, my eardrums would have ruptured beyond mere hearing damage.
Grimacing, I recoiled backward. In covering both ears, I dropped the Mandrake.
Was it going to burrow back into the ground? I cautiously opened my tightly shut eyes.
"..."
"...?"
Why is this thing standing still? After bellowing a short roar, it crossed its arms again.
Because it looked identical to a human, it felt as if it were looking up at me with a sullen expression.
Allfather explained that it would scream continuously until reburied, so what’s going on?
Kugugugugugu!
While caught in doubt, a sudden earthquake shook the ground. I nearly lost my balance.
First a bellowing roar, now an earthquake. This didn’t seem like a good sign.
’Let’s grab this thing and leave first.’
I hurriedly grabbed the Mandrake. I clamped my hand tightly over its mouth so it couldn’t roar.
Because the root itself was thick, covering its mouth was tough, but holding it with both hands did the trick.
"Mmgh! Mph! Mph!"
It didn’t expect me to gag its mouth, flailing in struggle. That’s what you get for standing there arrogantly with crossed arms.
If I just make it back like this, I’m home free. Without delay, I bolted.
Ssuk! Ssuk!
"Uh...?"
What on earth are those? I froze in my tracks.
Red human-shaped things were rising up out of the ground on their own.
Like corpses rising from graves, the entire clearing turned inside out.
The things erupting from the dirt looked identical to the Mandrake that just roared.
Though varied in male, female, young, and old, their overall red color confirmed they were definitely Mandrakes.
’I’m fucked.’
Anxiety surged. Beyond mere worry, it was purely ominous.
Holding the Mandrake in hand, I spun around. I had a pretty good idea of what those things were about to do.
Didn’t the Golden Frog do something similar just yesterday?
The difference was that frog venom could be blocked with a shield. But roars are different.
Running far away was the only answer. Especially since I was holding down this Mandrake’s mouth with both hands.
"Suuuuup!"
"Huuuuup!"
Just as I reentered the dense tree line...
"UWOOOOOOOH!"
A colossal shockwave slammed into my back.
Title: How to deal with being hit by a sonic attack?
Wild Grylls
A group of Mandrakes screamed together, anyone got a cure?
↳ Heavenly Demon: A sonic attack and screams? Have you been struck by a Lion’s Roar?
↳ Wild Grylls: Something like that.
↳ Heavenly Demon: How severely are you injured?
↳ Wild Grylls: My ears keep ringing with a beep sound.
↳ Heavenly Demon: It seems you took a direct hit. Are you deafened or bleeding from your ears?
↳ Wild Grylls: Luckily no symptoms like that. I wore earplugs.
↳ Heavenly Demon: Then your hearing should not be permanently damaged. With sufficient rest, you will recover quickly. However, since tinnitus will trouble you for a while, I shall obtain medicine for you.
↳ Wild Grylls: Thank you. Have you also been hit by a Lion’s Roar before, Heavenly Demon-nim?
↳ Heavenly Demon: Indeed. This mistress tore open their throat so they would never make another sound for the rest of their life.
↳ Wild Grylls: Shiverrrr
↳ What the hell did you do to make a whole group of Mandrakes scream together?
↳ Wild Grylls: I pulled one up, it roared, and then the rest came out on their own?
↳ ??? Never heard of such nonsense?
↳ Is that even a Mandrake?
↳ Wild Grylls: Sec, snapping a pic and posting it.
Title: Is this really a Mandrake?
Wild Grylls
(Photo of a battered red Mandrake)
It really looks human, but the body is way too red?
↳ Why does it look like that? Its face looks fucking beaten up.
↳ Wild Grylls: It was making so much noise I grabbed its head and slammed it into a wall. Then shoved dirt into its mouth.
↳ LMAOOOOO
↳ HAHAHA
↳ Seriously brutal kkk
↳ Silence Magic (Physical) LOL
↳ Isn’t a Mandrake a plant? Does it even feel pain?
↳ Yeah, it’s closer to a monster so it feels pain. But beating the shit out of it to silence it is a first kkk
↳ But do Mandrakes really look like that?
↳ They say it resembles a human, but that’s literally a person.
↳ At that point, isn’t it just a monster rather than a Mandrake?
↳ Normally Mandrakes vaguely resemble humans so it’s uncanny, but that one is identical so it’s even weirder.
↳ What, is it like a 100-year-aged Mandrake?
↳ LOL as if it’s wild ginseng
↳ I looked it up in a book and it says red Mandrakes are a higher variant?
↳ Which book did you look up?
↳ Herbal Encyclopedia. Says it’s super rare.
↳ How rare?
↳ Written as even rarer because it’s a higher variant.
↳ LOL isn’t that book written by a quack?
↳ Fr LOL
↳ Hey, this was written by a highly prestigious scholar;;
↳ Doesn’t Elixir use Mandrake as an ingredient? Would that work too?
↳ Yeah, that’s why Mandrake cultivation only happens at the Magic Tower.
↳ If it’s a higher variant, how ridiculously good is it then?
While everyone was fiercely debating over the red Mandrake...
↳ Allfather: Oh. By Aragon! It appears to be a Mature Mandrake.
Father-emon—no, Allfather showed a reaction bordering on shock.