This Dungeon Grew Mushrooms - Chapter 609

The Yellow Book’s ability is quite interesting. Back in the mushroom garden, it never had the chance to show what it could do, and Lin Jun would never have given it one anyway.

This time, as the knight puji observed the process of taking control of the Giant Beast Bone Field and its surrounding areas, he gained a deeper understanding of its capabilities.

At the initial stage, its method of influence is rather crude. The target must personally gaze at the words on its pages before it can charm them to a certain degree.

Then, through repeated exchanges, it gradually deepens the charm effect while subtly guiding emotions—amplifying the bewitched individual’s greed, ambition, fear, or loyalty. At critical decision points, it can then appear to “casually” nudge them toward a desired choice.

In terms of activation conditions and immediate effect, it is actually inferior even to succubi. A succubus only needs an unguarded moment of eye contact to attempt a mental invasion and forcibly control a target.

However, when the number of individuals charmed in the same region accumulates to a certain threshold, a qualitative change occurs. An invisible mental field begins to form and spread.

Like the soldiers and civilians currently bustling about in the Giant Beast Bone Field.

During patrols, soldiers unconsciously double-check the runic stones at the outer perimeter of the ritual. Craftsmen polish bone materials with unusual focus, striving for perfection. Even common laborers hauling soil and stone move with greater urgency than before.

If one observes carefully, almost no one slacks off. No one complains. Everyone is operating at full efficiency toward the shared objective of “completing that ritual.”

Strictly speaking, most of them were never directly charmed at all. They are simply working harder under the influence of the mental field.

This was the source of the faint sense of dissonance that Viscount Cormac sensed upon first entering the area.

The change is extremely subtle. Those affected perceive nothing abnormal. They merely feel “motivated lately” or that they “want to perform well.”

Their reasoning remains their own. Their thoughts feel autonomous. Yet all those reasons subtly point in the same direction.

If no powerful external force intervenes—if no one tears away the invisible veil and makes the collective aware that something is wrong—then this large-scale mental field will continue to deepen, infect, assimilate, and gradually expand outward.

Eventually, it could cultivate something close to a collective obsession or faith-like mental structure. By then, every individual within the region would effectively become the Yellow Book’s captive.

Of course, the process is not fast. There are many opportunities and variables that could disrupt it.

But the inherent subtlety of large-scale suggestion compensates for that weakness.

Someone unfamiliar with the Yellow Book—even if they sensed something was off—would struggle to identify the source or find a solution.

What a pity Lin Jun cannot dismantle the Yellow Book.

Otherwise, acquiring this ability and applying it inside Puji Fort would massively improve everyone’s work efficiency.

Naturally, this thing has quite a few flaws.

For example, the Yellow Book cannot leave the range of its mental field.

Once it departs, all suggestion and charm effects will gradually weaken. People would naturally return to normal, perhaps not even remembering why they had once been so driven.

Secondly, it is extremely vulnerable to decapitation tactics.

The Empire happens to possess the ability to locate it—no wonder it was ultimately sealed.

…

The Yellow Book knows its own weaknesses better than anyone, so this time it is being exceptionally cautious.

Aside from purchasing materials under the pretext of mining operations to set up the magic ritual, it has done nothing else—precisely to avoid attracting the attention of knowledgeable imperial higher-ups who might connect the dots to the Holy Tome.

The Yellow Book understands itself, and it understands its boss as well.

If it were discovered or captured by the Empire, the puji would not cry out about companionship or friendship to save it. That puji sovereign would simply crush its core without hesitation using his twisted soul, ensuring no secrets were ever leaked.

Exposure equals death.

For the Yellow Book, this deep incursion into the heart of the Empire is nothing less than a life-and-death gamble.

And yet, for the possibility—however slim—of possessing a true soul of its own, it has no choice but to risk everything.

If acting solely on its own desires, and if this world were not heading toward its end, it might have preferred to wait for its master from three hundred years ago—the sealed Demon King—to one day retrieve it and fulfill that promise stretching across time.

But time is running out.

It has tried to release the Demon King before. It failed.

The Empire’s recent frenzied extermination of slimes led it to suspect that part of the Demon King may already have broken free from the seal… but that is far from sufficient.

There truly is not much time left.

Setting aside other locations—even the puji dungeon and the Tidal Sanctuary currently occupied by its boss—

If the Demon King is not sufficiently complete, barging in rashly could prove dangerous.

And to restore him to completeness—to the point where he could shape a soul for it—who knows how many twists and struggles would be required?

It cannot wait that long.

Thus, it has no choice but to place its hopes on that evil, greedy, anomalous boss…

…

Lin Jun has no idea what the Yellow Book has been muttering about in its heart.

As for the progress of the ritual preparations at the Giant Beast Bone Field, he is quite satisfied.

The purpose of this magic ritual is to use the coordinates provided by the Divine Tree to transfer the subsidiary space of the already-destroyed dungeon to the northern frontier.

Construction of the corresponding ritual site in the north is progressing even faster than at the Bone Field.

Once completed, Lin Jun will be able to thoroughly and unreservedly research the abyss—a realm brimming with possibilities.

Meanwhile, in the north—

Perhaps because a dragon had recently flown overhead, Duke Eugene’s army, which had already prepared for departure, chose to remain in place again, likely wary of the possibility of running into the red dragon in open terrain.

Lin Jun had intended to stall for as long as possible anyway. Since the duke was staying put, Lin Jun was more than happy to enjoy the lull rather than provoke him.

Slaying the red dragon had noticeably transformed the morale of Puji Fort’s soldiers.

However, elevated morale does not change the reality that most of them are still wearing leather armor.

Although puji tacticians primarily rely on directing puji in combat, reinforcing the protection of command nodes is still extremely important.

At the very least, a few stray arrows should not be able to eliminate a command node so easily.

Conveniently, the first batch of dwarven craftsmen had already been here for two months. They had consumed vast amounts of ore, significantly improved their forging skills, and accumulated considerable contribution point debt.

Lin Jun then offered them a fast-track opportunity to repay their debt—or even earn a tidy profit: go back and recruit more blacksmiths.

For every apprentice they brought in, they would receive generous contribution points. Bringing a full-fledged blacksmith would earn even more.

Of course, they could also take this opportunity to flee Puji Fort, using the skills honed over the past two months to secure proper blacksmith positions in the mountain ranges, ignoring Lin Jun’s debt entirely.

But after experiencing what it is like to have an endless supply of ore for practice, almost no dwarf wished to return to their old frugal days. Many were even considering bringing their families to Puji Fort.

In truth, even if some did defect, Lin Jun would not mind.

The fungal network has already begun spreading into the mountains. A few delinquent dwarves here and there might even add a bit of amusement.

Naturally, the sincere puji would never voice such threats.

In the end, most of the dwarves chose to return to the mountains to recruit more people, while Lin Jun dispatched puji to escort them, waiting for them to return with good news.

Everything in Puji Fort is proceeding smoothly.

Only after Inanna returned to the ducal residence did a small complication arise—

Arama seems to have finally made up his mind to find a suitable match for his daughter.