After a good night's sleep, Pink Puki finally remembered to have the knight take the clothes and hide in the corner before the transformation was lifted, only coming out once dressed as a human.

Meanwhile, Edin was stretching his limbs, finding the experience of lying on the fungal mat quite novel and comfortable, wrapped in gentle energy that was soothing.

But as a well-traveled, determined middle-aged man, this comfort wasn't enough to captivate him—not compared to the two heavy, lustrous A Level Demon Crystals he held in his arms.

Once both of them were rested, Lin Jun took the opportunity to test their actual control over the Pukis.

The results surprised Lin Jun a bit: Edin, despite not being endowed with the Spiritual Integration skill, was able to control up to forty Pukis steadily with just his own spiritual power!

Inanna's performance, on the other hand, was within the normal range, as she could command twenty-two Pukis.

Afterward, at Inanna's request, Lin Jun gave her twenty Pukis, including two Elite Pukis, telling others that they were controlled through the knight.

Inanna couldn't stay in the Underground City indefinitely.

If Edin disappeared, Chairman Fa'er might just send someone to symbolically search a bit and leave it at that.

But if the Duke's Daughter got lost in the Underground City again, Fa'er would definitely go mad, and even the Duke himself might lose it!

Before they left, Lin Jun selected some demon crystals and accessory equipment from the small treasury to give to Inanna, considering it the "treasures found."

This was to prevent anyone from obsessing over "Puki's treasure" like they did with "ONE PIECE."

On the way to the fifth floor, Lin Jun also brought Xiao Hai out to recognize their own people.

"Xiao Hai, remember the magic aura of these two, they are our own people."

Xiao Hai leaned close to Inanna, sniffing her face carefully several times with a wrinkled nose, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

For Inanna and Edin, this was the first time seeing Xiao Hai's true form after shedding her mimicry!

"A Dragon Man?!" Edin gasped, his voice filled with incredulous shock, "The Big Black Mushroom on the fifth floor is actually a Dragon Man!"

He himself had taken on the reconnaissance task back then, but he would never have thought that among a bunch of Pukis, a Dragon Man would sneak in!

Inanna, however, was more purely curious.

She gingerly reached out a finger, gently touching Xiao Hai's thick scales... they were a bit prickly.

…

Half a day later, they arrived back at the Adventurer's Guild smoothly.

Seeing Chairman Fa'er, surrounded by Pukis, Inanna wore an unprecedentedly bright smile on her face as she proactively asked, "Chairman Fa'er, is there anywhere my knight-controlled Pukis can help?"

This sudden enthusiasm truly startled Fa'er, who was used to Inanna's cold and distant demeanor.

He immediately put on a welcoming smile, expressing enthusiasm in return, "Miss Inanna, you've done our Guild an immense favor this time! As for those trivial follow-up issues, how could we dare trouble you? Rest assured, our Guild will handle them properly, and I'm immensely grateful for your kindness!"

Fa'er's words weren't entirely out of politeness.

Firstly, as the collapse of the Underground City approached, the Puki issue was indeed no longer pressing;

Secondly, from current observations, indirect control through Knight Puki seems only possible within the line of sight, limiting its practical application... quite limited.

However, barely had he finished speaking, Inanna's bright smile visibly collapsed, as if the sunshine was abruptly withdrawn.

She pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes filled with undisguised disappointment and displeasure, even a hint of resentment, glaring at Fa'er for a good few seconds.

Finally, with a cautious reminder from the guard beside her, she reluctantly turned around, stepping back onto her path.

Fa'er: ???

To transport these twenty "precious" Pukis, Inanna generously bought two sturdy wooden wagons in the town with a wave of her hand.

"Miss, will these Pukis suddenly attack and damage the wagon?" a guard asked worriedly, looking at the mushroom cannons atop the Pukis or the blade-tipped mycelium tentacles.

"How could they!" Inanna replied, sticking close to Knight Puki, "Pukis are the most gentle, lovable, and peace-loving! As long as you don't provoke them on purpose, they won't randomly attack!"

-----------------

Deep Area.

A giant lizard, munching on plants with its head lowered, suddenly froze.

With night vision, it raised its scale-covered head in confusion, its murky vertical pupils vigilantly scanning the surrounding darkness—did some strange movement just occur?

Yet, there was nothing in sight.

The giant lizard shook its head, letting out a low rumble from its throat, ready to continue enjoying its "salad."

Hiss!——

Just as it lowered its head, a sharp wind whistled through, slicing the air!

"Roar——!!!" The giant lizard's howl of agony erupted instantaneously!

Its huge head swung back violently, its eyes pierced by an invisible blade in an instant, sending boiling blood spraying out!

The blood shower, in mid-air, outlined a Puki's figure!

And this was just the beginning!

Almost simultaneously, cutting sounds from sharp blades piercing flesh came from various parts of the giant lizard's massive body—neck, sides, joints.

The searing pain, like countless red-hot needles stabbing nerves, drove the giant lizard into madness!

It let out a shrill, distorted shriek, its massive body flipping and rolling chaotically on the ground as if out of control, crushing everything in its path!

A dull explosion resounded, and the ground over which it rolled bore the flattened remnants of mycelium from an unfortunate Puki that hadn't escaped in time.

Puki!

Invisible Pukis surrounded it!

The Pukis were slicing through the giant lizard's body, worsening its injuries until it fell silent on the ground amidst a mournful cry.

The scene within the cave rippled and twisted like water waves, eventually revealing ten... twenty… a hundred… five hundred Pukis!

Of course, only a few of them had acted directly just now.

The Refraction Invisibility Level 7 skill was simply a dimensional-reducing strike against these low intelligence wild demons lacking detection skills.

Unfortunately, this was the perilous underground depths.

Here resided numerous hunters relying on vibration, thermal energy, or sheer perception for survival; invisibility wasn't omnipotent.

Even so, Refraction Invisibility had significantly reduced the difficulty of Lin Jun's advance!

Thanks to the Sword Saint, although they hadn't killed all the demons along the way, the truly powerful and threatening ones were slain, considerably lowering the obstacle for Lin Jun in reaching the core.

Additionally, with Refraction Invisibility, Lin Jun only dispatched 500 Pukis, spreading fungal mats while advancing towards the core, without even needing Little Pig to spearhead.

It wasn't that Lin Jun was eager to repair the core, but rather preparation for a refuge for the main body before the core restoration.

As for the location of the refuge…

Nearly eighteen hundred Pukis gathered in the Chis Rift's cave, Little Pig among their ranks.

This was the first batch of pioneers to cross the rift.

Once Lin Jun established a foothold on the other side, spreading fungal mats and initially assessing the situation there, Norris, and even Xiao Hai, would join the expedition as the second wave of main forces.

After all, once the core handling began, nothing critically important or anyone significant would be left behind here.

By the way, being a polite and civilized mushroom, proper etiquette dictates announcing your presence to the neighbors when borrowing their place!

A twisted-voiced Puki was carried to the rift's edge.

Then, an inhuman voice squeezed out, like rusted metal grinding on rock, dry, hoarse, echoing, layer upon layer, into the darkness beyond the rift: "Chis… I'm… coming… in…"

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