The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 185 Communication and New Ideas (8k8k)

The initial intention of playing the "Resting Song" was to restore the "Poet's Inspiration" before the emotional effects of the "Mind Blade" disappeared, so as to achieve the goal of continuing to establish communication with the spores.

However, Tang Qi quickly realized that he had taken an extra step in his thinking—

For the spores, expressing sufficient goodwill is enough to give them the desire to communicate.

Not to mention after a brief period of calm.

Respect is always mutual.

Tang Qi did not consider them enemies.

They also wouldn't see Tang Qi as an enemy:

“You know us very well,” the spores say.

Beneath the armor, Dawn, now covered in mushrooms, suddenly spoke.

Tang Qi did not stop playing the music; multitasking is actually a perfectly normal skill for a bard.
“I encountered some of your people by chance, and they told me some secrets.”

"Are you from underground too?"

In other words, these mushrooms should have never left the underground world?
Did they migrate from the Underdark?

Tang Qi suppressed his doubts and answered:
“Someone brought a portion of your ‘tribe’ to my residence—to be precise, we were the later arrivals, but in any case, it was there that I learned about you.”

"You are newcomers, won't you be expelled?"

"There's a lease agreement, so no."

Thanks to the fact that the dawn transmits certain terms to the spores through thought, even those that have never heard of the existence of 'contract' can quickly understand its meaning:

"Can we also sign a contract?"

"you mean?"

"We have nowhere to go."

The babbling in my ear sounded like a wail, which inevitably gave me goosebumps.

Even the adventurers who were resting peacefully couldn't help but grip their weapons tighter.

But Tang Qi knew that this was just their way of expressing sadness.

"I know you were forced to migrate here, but why did you choose to settle down here?"

"The environment here is very comfortable."

After expressing her basic emotions, Chenxi then added her own understanding.
"It seems that this land is rich in magic that makes them come alive."

Dragon blood.

There is only one possibility.

Can you sign a contract with us?

"Dawn suddenly spoke."

"To be honest, it's hard for me to make decisions about urban planning issues on behalf of Long Jincheng—but considering the trouble you've caused that lion, he'd probably be more than willing to do so."

Thinking of Leon Lionheart on the surface, struggling with the sealing of the deep well, Tang Qi said sincerely—

Without a doubt, Longjin City's current prosperity is built on the enormous machine known as the 'Deep Well'.

Without its operation, a large number of adventurers will go their separate ways, affecting the cash flow of the entire Deep Well area.

The sewer system will also be shut down, thus suffering a double blow to urban construction and economic development.

This isn't fatal—

After all, aside from the deep well, Longjin City itself is already a major trading city.

But after enjoying the prosperity brought by the deep wells, it would indeed be a considerable problem to revert to the state it was in a hundred years ago.

Leon is a very clever lord. He will definitely be willing to accept the mushrooms, set aside a separate breeding ground, and make use of it to bring more benefits to himself and Dragon Gold City.

The only pity is that he didn't have a bridge to communicate with the mushrooms.

This led to misunderstandings between the two sides, resulting in today's outcome.

"We only trust you."

The dawn expresses their attitude.

We won't hurt you.

"Thank you, so we won't be attacked by those [Spore Minions] anymore, right?"

"You won't."

"No one else can?"

"Those people should pay the price."

Tang Qi sighed, looking somewhat troubled, and said:

"Although I really want to say—'Yes, those greedy people should pay the price to commemorate your fallen comrades. After all, your kindness only earned them further encroachment.'"

But from my own perspective, I hope this matter can end here.

"why?"

"Because 'inciting conflict' is never the best way to solve problems—although most people can't agree with that statement."

But at least in this matter, I believe that if you continue to resist, it will only result in a lose-lose situation.

"We have been winning battles."

Tang Qi shook his head:

"That's because Dragon Gold City doesn't understand you enough, and Lord Lionheart believes the whole matter hasn't reached the point of no return—"

Once they realize your true nature as spores while they're sealing off the dungeons... they'll quickly take countermeasures and wipe you out.

They may pay the price for this, and so will you.

This is far less practical than 'win-win cooperation'.

At least in Tang Qi's view, these scattered spores were not without weaknesses.

Their 'neural network' itself is something that can be exploited. He believed that a mage of Stella's level could figure out a way to counter it; it all depended on whether she was willing to.

While [Spore Minions] can kill through 'corpses' and achieve a positive cycle, it is undeniable that these undead, which only inherit muscle memory, are easily vulnerable when facing spellcasters.

With the help of Long Jincheng's army, while it's hard to say that this crisis can be easily resolved, it can at least solve this problem.

"But they are unwilling to cooperate with us."

The spores' hesitations were rarely due to Tang Qi's persuasion.

More importantly, 'resistance' itself is merely a measure taken when they have no other choice.

By nature, they still yearn to live a secluded life in some underground corner before migrating.

“Since you can’t speak, I can help you.”

"Would you like to help us sign the contract?"

Tang Qi didn't mind telling them the truth:
“A ‘contract’ represents a transaction, which is equivalent to taking one part in exchange for another part.”

So this might require you to give up some 'mushrooms,' which are your dwellings—your 'houses,' not your race itself, right?

Few adventurers realize this, which leads them to take the spores with them when they pick mushrooms.

Without the nutrients supplied by the corpse, the spores will quickly wither away.

That's why they're angry.

“In the society on the surface, everyone needs to work. Right now, you are just exchanging the work of ‘building mushrooms’ for the reward of ‘living underground’.”

Tang Qi considered the issue from the lord's perspective, believing that this was perhaps what Leon would also like to see—

No one doubts the lion's enthusiasm for urban development.

This was the only way for him to prove to Parliament and to the late Eve that his choice was 'correct'.

"Can we trust you?"

"Of course. Do you remember the tribesmen I told you about? They're singing right now in my cellar."

As Tang Qi spoke, he even played a few tunes he had taught the mushrooms.
"You should have assimilated the small amount of spores on her wrist, so you know I wasn't lying, right?"

The existence of a single entity means that even a small number of thoughts or memories will be transmitted to the entire group at the same time.

As Tang Qi played the familiar melody and hummed the well-known tune, the surrounding adventurers heard the lingering, indistinct whispers slowly transforming into a gentle melody—

"Crossing the riverbank of a foreign land, arriving at the unfamiliar other side."

Clinging to dew and vines, they spread out like a carpet in the wetlands.

Human beings are boundless and greedy, and there is a regret that communication is difficult.

The music crossed the mountains, bringing the hopes of their hometown…

In harmony with the improvised melody of the "Resting Song," Tang Qi also sang a song to soothe the mushrooms.

The adventurers surrounding Tang Qi could not fully comprehend the deeper meaning of Tang Qi's lyrics.

But for the community that left their old home and tried to find a new home, this is indeed their heartfelt sentiment all along.

With the help of the dawn's 'translation,' they realized that someone understood their wishes.

This made the lingering song even more harmonious, like a gentle spring flowing into everyone's ears.

After a prolonged period of empathy, the spores suddenly said:

"We believe you. But if that doesn't change anything, we will continue our resistance—"

Therefore, we will bring long darkness to this place until we have a new home.

"of course can."

For Tang Qi, it was enough as long as these spores didn't become an obstacle in his path—he still needed to return to the surface before the Double Moon Feast.

Thinking of this, he asked again:
"Speaking of which, I am heading towards the Tower of Sunrise, which is a tall tower located in the very center of the forest."

It seems the closer we get to that tower, the more spore minions we encounter?

“Life would constantly emerge there, and after they died, they would become our nourishment, so we established a base there.”

"Yes."

This confirmed for Tang Qi that what Black Panther said was true.

He could easily use that portal to quickly reach the bunker and leave the deep well via the fast passage!

"Can you control the servants there so they won't block our way?"

"We don't want to hurt anyone, as long as they stop hurting us."

“They would probably find it difficult to do this even in complete darkness.”

Tang Qi let out a long sigh, but then, as if he had thought of something, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and asked,

"Is that the tallest tower in the entire forest? Taller than the oak trees in this forest?"

"Yes."

"I know Tang Qi pretty well," said Cui Shi, who was munching on rye bread. He couldn't help but mutter.
"What new ideas have you come up with this time?"

When he finished speaking and saw Tang Qi suddenly looking at him with a mocking gaze, Sui Shi regretted asking that question.

"Do you remember what you said before?" Tang Qi suddenly asked.

"What?"

"You said you wanted to hang my bounty poster on the high wall of Dragon Gold City so that everyone could see it."

"Damn it, you're not going to say 'except for dwarves' again, are you? A joke isn't funny when it's repeated twice."

No, what I meant was—

That's a great idea.

"what?"

(End of this chapter)