"May I ask what this fungus is called?"
Inside the monitoring room, Robnos half-reclined in his chair, his leather boots propped up on the desk, looking lazy and relaxed.
He was Lino's superior, the supervisor of the Collection Department.
Hearing the question from the audio array device, Robnos scoffed.
"You really aren't afraid of death, kid. To think you'd ask me what that fungus is called first, instead of worrying about your own life. Aren't you afraid of getting eaten by it?"
On the monitor, Lino shrugged, the mechanical arm on his shoulder armor trembling slightly. "I can't just die without knowing why, can I?"
"Heh, how optimistic." Robnos pillowed his head on his arms and said, "Walk forward and turn the corner. You'll see a toolbox sitting by the wall. Inside is a complete set of tools for excavating the fungus. The most important ones are the handheld scanner and the retractor."
On the screen, Lino found the box and inspected the tools.
He picked up the handheld scanner, paused for a second, and quickly returned to normal.
Robnos teased, "Look at you. This must be your first time seeing this kind of scanner, right?"
"Yes, Supervisor. This scanner looks pretty impressive."
"Put your curiosity away for now. The next steps are very important, so listen closely."
Robnos wiggled his ankles, his leather boots swaying on the desk.
"Step one, mount the retractor on the wall and attach its hook to your belt. When your heart rate suddenly spikes over a hundred and fifty beats per minute, the retractor will automatically activate. It will use its cable and hook to drag you away from the Ghost Mushroom. That way, you can break free from its hallucinations."
"Ghost Mushroom," Lino muttered. "Is that the name of this fungus?"
"Yes. Keep listening, don't interrupt."
Robnos paused before continuing, "The Ghost Mushroom has a massive and complex root system. Of course, the root system I'm talking about is actually its main body, not something like tree roots. I just prefer to call it a root system.
"The handheld scanner can precisely map the roots buried underground. You must follow the instructions on the scanner's display and dig out the Ghost Mushroom's root system bit by bit.
"Whatever you do, don't damage the roots. Otherwise, you will suffer hallucinations a hundred times stronger. Do you understand? Repeat my words back to me."
Lino lifted the toolbox and looked up at the blue-purple mushroom a short distance away.
"Yes, Supervisor, I understand. Dig out the root system according to the scanner's instructions, and don't damage the roots. Before I officially start digging, I have to secure the retractor first to stop myself from being consumed by the mushroom."
The supervisor's voice came through the earpiece. "Good. Get to work."
Lino pondered for a moment before asking, "Supervisor, I'd like to know how much a dangerous job like this pays. Does it include accommodation and three meals a day?"
The earpiece fell silent for a few seconds. "Did I forget to mention that to you guys earlier?"
Lino was speechless. This supervisor really was forgetful.
"Yes, Supervisor, you didn't mention the salary."
"Ah, my oversight. Once you pass your probation, you will become retainers of the Kram Family, and your status will change from Lower Hive residents to Midhive citizens. The daily wage is 50 Credit Points, and for every Ghost Mushroom root system you collect, you'll earn a commission of 500 Credit Points. Credit Points are the currency of the Midhive and the upper hive. During your training and employment, we provide free lunch and dinner, but no accommodation."
The two free meals weren't the main point, nor were the Credit Points.
The real point was that after passing probation, one could become a retainer of the Kram Family and go from a Lower Hive resident to a Midhive citizen!
This was a monumental shift, no less than a complete rebirth.
Lino raised his eyebrows and asked, "Then can we move to the Midhive later?"
"Of course you can. After serving for five years, you can apply for retirement, go to the Midhive as a minor foreman, and just coast through the rest of your days with a wife in your arms."
The voice in the earpiece chuckled.
"However, the prerequisite for enjoying life is surviving the Ghost Mushroom's test. Do your best, kid. Chit-chat time is over. Get to work. I have to keep an eye on the others."
The transmission cut off, leaving the earpiece completely silent.
The underground cavern grew quiet, accompanied only by the sound of his own heavy breathing.
Lino steadied his nerves and took the retractor out of the toolbox.
The retractor came with built-in pitons.
When pressed against the wall, it would automatically anchor itself into the rock.
After hooking it onto his belt, Lino picked up the handheld scanner once again.
At that moment, a system interface popped up.
[You have equipped the Handheld Scanner.]
[System Function: Fungal Analysis has received a temporary enhancement. Analytical capabilities have significantly increased.]
[You have met the upgrade conditions for Fungal Analysis.]
[Do you wish to absorb the Handheld Scanner to permanently upgrade the Fungal Analysis function?]
When he first picked up the scanner, this was exactly why Lino had frozen in shock.
Equipping the scanner temporarily enhanced the system's Fungal Analysis function.
Putting the scanner down removed the temporary enhancement.
Absorbing the scanner permanently upgraded the Fungal Analysis function.
The scanner had formed a synergy with Fungal Analysis, something completely outside of Lino's expectations.
He just didn't know what would be so special about the enhanced Fungal Analysis function.
Lino narrowed his eyes, staring at the Ghost Mushroom not far away.
The mushroom's appearance was breathtaking.
It looked like a Christmas tree adorned with LED light strips. Its overlapping caps were stacked from largest to smallest, forming a pagoda that sparkled with blue-purple light.
At a glance, the mushroom reached a height of about two meters. It was hard to imagine just how extensive its "root system" must be.
What caught Lino's attention the most were the mushroom's "tendrils."
Just like the Fluorescent Spore, the Ghost Mushroom also had "tendrils." They moved without any wind, swaying diagonally like weeping willows.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but Lino felt like those "tendrils" were pointing at him, as if they wanted to entangle and strangle him to death.
Lino shivered. He felt a bone-piercing chill and couldn't help but want to retreat.
Fuck.
This job wasn't fit for human beings.
No wonder the pay was so generous, no wonder one could jump straight to being a Midhive citizen, and no wonder one could just coast through retirement.
It was practically trading one's life for money.
"Um, Supervisor, why not send more people to dig up the Ghost Mushroom's roots?"
Lino asked over the comms channel.
He quickly received a response.
"The more people there are around a Ghost Mushroom, the stronger the hallucinations become. A single person excavating the root system is the safest approach; the hallucination intensity is at its lowest. But even so, the vast majority of people don't meet the requirements. Only those with unwavering willpower can handle this job."
"So that's how it is."
The transmission ended.
Lino silently called out in his mind, 'Fungal Analysis.'
An interface far more detailed than ever before materialized.
At the same time, the Ghost Mushroom underwent a massive transformation in Lino's vision.
Information bubbles popped up from every part of the mushroom, unveiling all the secrets of the Ghost Mushroom to him.