Chapter 605: Chapter 595: Big Mushroom Charity Association
With the release of Julia, other members of the Mushroom Worship Sect who were held captive regained their freedom one after another.
However, Julia did not rush to reorganize the sect to spread faith.
She gathered those who were still willing to follow Puki and announced the establishment of a brand new organization - the Big Mushroom Charity Association.
"Charity?" A follower who had just been released, with a complexion still pale from the lack of sunlight, repeated the word in confusion, "Is it going to be like in the past, where the Bright Church provided porridge relief on the street? But now..."
In the past, whenever there were natural disasters or calamities, the Bright Church would often join forces with local lords to distribute porridge outside the church, simultaneously spreading the teachings of the God of Light while relieving the hungry.
But such scenes are no longer visible.
It’s not that the church is no longer kind, but that hunger itself has almost disappeared in the United Kingdom.
Even though the Kingdom lost nearly a third of its territory, displacing countless people.
The yield of wild mushrooms increased even more, capable of supporting even twice the number of refugees who temporarily cannot engage in production.
Unless a person has lost the strength to bend down and pick them, it’s hard to imagine that anyone would truly die of hunger now.
Naturally, there’s no need for anyone to provide porridge.
"Similar, but different," Julia explained to the puzzled followers before her, "We don’t distribute food, but help the refugees still roaming outside the city in the wilderness to build shelters that can be called home."
Refugees wander outside the city, another change that has occurred recently.
Previously, refugees would flock to towns seeking shelter, but now, many destitute migrants choose to wander on the fringes of the wilderness and forests instead.
Mushrooms inside the city are regularly harvested, and their numbers are limited, while outside they can pick freely.
However, the abundance outdoors comes with dangers.
Demons roam, cold nights are merciless, storms have no shelter...
Seeing that the people were still unclear, Julia gently turned sideways and respectfully let Twelve stand before them.
Twelve walked onto a patch of Fungal Mat, without any exaggerated movements, simply pressing a few strands of mycelium gently to the ground.
The next moment, a miracle happened before everyone’s eyes!
The mycelium rapidly rose from the ground, interwoven, thickened, and the structure formed visibly.
Soon, a Mushroom House, over a dozen meters high and with a rounded design, stood before everyone.
Its outer wall had textures similar to bark, yet was softer and more resilient, its top spreading slightly like an umbrella, with glowing mycelium strands hanging naturally at the edges, providing gentle lighting.
A soft ladder woven from mycelium hung down, allowing one to climb up into the hollow dwelling in the middle.
But it didn’t end there.
As Twelve pointed several strands of mycelium in different directions, a second and third Mushroom House also emerged from the ground.
Even more amazing was that between the towering Mushroom Houses, bridges-like structures connected them in mid-air, forming a tiny aerial settlement.
This was a shelter designed by Lin Jun, inspired by the Tree City of the Elf Forest, though unlike the elves who live directly in gigantic trees hundreds of meters high.
Such height would make most ordinary humans afraid of heights.
Later, adding some Hallucinogenic Spore traps around the Mushroom Houses can effectively defend against those wild demons, at least providing a relatively safe residence for those refugees wandering in the wilderness.
"What we are to do, is to actively seek those scattered refugees in the wilderness, using the blessings of the Mushroom Race, to build them such homes. So they no longer have to clutch sharp sticks and shiver every night, nor awaken at the slightest rustle. We want the arrival of night to become something to look forward to again."
"And we must tell them, whether it’s the inexhaustible mushrooms from the wilderness, or the Mushroom Houses now shielding them from the wind and rain, all of this comes from the grace of Puki and the gifts of the Fungal Mat!"
...
Julia and Twelve quietly left Mushroom City with only a few people.
Despite having Inanna’s protection, continuing public preaching in the main cities of the Kingdom ultimately attracted too much attention.
More importantly, urban residents have relatively stable lives, and the possibility of changing their original beliefs to convert to a new sect was already slim.
While the floating migrants in the wilderness and border areas are like an undeveloped blue ocean market.
Just imagine, when these homeless refugees live in tall Mushroom Houses, relying on the abundant mushrooms to feed themselves, and depending on Puki’s protection to resist the wilderness’s dangers.
Regarding "believing in Puki," they might feel some inclination, right?
When the number of shallow believers accumulates to a certain extent, Lin Jun can choose the right time to display some skills that seem like divine miracles, thinking that the faith in Puki can truly take shape.
For now, let’s let them develop on their own. After all, their range of activities is within the Fungal Mat. If they encounter any trouble, Twelve can call Lin Jun for help.
Frankly, it’s because the God of Light is now like disappeared, without miracles or divine revelations, that Lin Jun dares to make such small moves.
If one day, the God of Light suddenly reappeared, Lin Jun could only immediately retract Twelve, and quickly cut ties.
No way, Lin Jun can’t even understand Old Deng of the Divine Wood, let alone a real God.
Being cautious when necessary has always been Lin Jun’s excellent character.
...
While the United Kingdom is planning for long-term development, the Northern Territory presents a different scenario.
With the noticeable rise in temperature, the entire Fungus Castle seems to have been infused with new vitality.
The once-suppressed vitality burst forth, with every Fungus Person’s face brimming with joy.
For most Fungus Castle residents, life in the Fungus Castle is stable, orderly, and full of hope.
But facing the seemingly endless dropping temperatures, although officially claimed to be under the boss’s control, saying people had no worries would definitely be false.
If the Fungus Castle were defeated by the severe cold, where could they go?
The Underground City couldn’t accommodate tens of thousands of people, and if displaced to the Empire... apart from calling the door those two Vampires, nobody would likely favor such an outcome.
Thus, when the threat of cold truly began to diminish, the entire Fungus Castle naturally fell into heartfelt celebration.
Recently, even the sales of mushroom wine have significantly risen, and the air seems to be filled with a slightly tipsy carefree atmosphere.
However, contrary to the relaxation and joy of the lower Fungus People, the management core consisting of Hunting, Xing Huo, and Little Pig had their nerves tightened like never before.
The extreme cold was a survival threat, but it was also a solid barrier, isolating the Fungus Castle from the Empire.
Perhaps, in the Empire’s intelligence, the Northern Territory is considered a lifeless white land by now.
But this misunderstanding won’t last long—the Fungus Castle’s existence being detected by the outside world, and subsequently reported to the Empire’s border lords and even higher-level authorities is only a matter of time.
It’s hard to imagine the Empire tolerating a newly emerged force posing a threat to its northern border.
This is the first and most severe challenge that the Fungus Castle must face after its rookie protection period ends.
"If they dare reach out, chop their hands off; if they dare stick their heads over, chop their heads off too! Demonstrating strength is the best diplomatic strategy, right?" exclaimed Little Pig with his eyes full of blood and fire during the council meeting.
