When the three Puki returned to the Tree Demon Forest, Lin Jun noticed that the tree demons connected to the Fungal Network had increased in number.

"Nice to see you again, my tree demon neighbors. So, there are five of you this time..."

Compared to the hundreds of tree demons in the entire forest, it was few, but a good start.

A few tree demons had clearly sensed the Puki through the Fungal Network and were waiting for Lin Jun's arrival.

Lin Jun could feel that they were a bit nervous.

However, after realizing Xiao Hai hadn't come along, the tension dropped considerably.

It seemed they were worried Lin Jun might think it was too few. The same tree demon with a mushroom on its head stepped forward and said, "Mushroom Dominator, my tribe needs more time to accept the change, please understand."

A pacifying thought was transmitted to the tree demons through the Fungal Network: "I'm glad to see there are five of you willing to come out and communicate. In fact, I came to ask for a small favor. Is anyone willing to help? Of course, there is a reward."

Lin Jun didn't say what the small favor was, explaining the testing of the relay nodes wasn't straightforward.

The tree demons exchanged looks. They had already mentally prepared themselves when joining the Fungal Network, so naturally, there was no reason to refuse, and they all stepped forward.

However, Lin Jun saw a determination in them.

Thanks to Xiao Hai's good precedent, they might now think the "small favor" is to let Xiao Hai play with them like toys...

Take it slow.

Puki led the tree demons out of the forest, their destination being the bottom of the rocky wall near the covered stairway by the Fungal Mat.

The location of the Tree Demon Forest was indeed remote, requiring passage through several demon territories along the way.

In fact, there had been five Puki initially, but without Xiao Hai to clear the way, only three made it to the Tree Demon Forest.

For example, on the return journey, the group ran into trouble again when a vine-type demon suddenly ensnared a passing Puki, tightening gradually, threatening to crush it.

Initially, Lin Jun didn't pay much attention, as saving it was out of the question.

Puki regularly lost hundreds daily, and during the six-level strategy period, losses were even higher.

Later, a Tree Man approached and reached out to the vine, which surprisingly released its prey!

What on earth was that?

Lin Jun opened the panel, and after some searching, barely found a skill: [Plant Affinity Level 4].

He already knew tree demons had this skill, but he always assumed it was for growing mushrooms and moss on themselves.

So, this was its effect?

If Puki had this skill, wouldn't that mean…

The tree demons inexplicably felt a chill but couldn't find the source.

No, no, no!

No need for drastic measures.

Just pick up some accidentally deceased tree demon corpses... They probably don't have a cremation culture, right?

After one vine attack, the tree demon moved ahead of Puki, voluntarily acting as a road opener.

Upon encountering aggressive plants, it would first use [Plant Affinity] to calm them before allowing the group to proceed.

This gave Lin Jun a clearer understanding of the skill—it wasn't as convenient as initially thought.

Lin Jun assumed at first, with this skill, there wouldn't be any attacks anymore. However, after watching the Tree Man employing it a few times, he found it to be an active skill rather than a passive one.

Using the skill required touching the plant, but you must know, Puki would likely die instantly upon being touched...

Moreover, the skill's effect seemed more like a plant version of the Charm Technique.

Successfully using it makes opponents abandon their attack, whereas failure results in a vine forcibly pulled apart by the Tree Man's brute strength.

When the five tree demons finally reached the destination, they saw a Fungal Mat spreading across the entire rock wall and over sixty Puki underneath.

Anxiety about the unknown loomed in every tree demon's heart, and one bolder tree demon directly asked:

"Mushroom Dominator, could you tell us what you need us to do now?"

Lin Jun didn't keep them waiting intentionally and explained directly:

"The task I want you to help with is testing the Fungal Network. It's the thing we're using to communicate now, so just a basic understanding will do."

Saying this, Lin Jun transferred control of two Puki to the talking tree demon.

The tree demon almost immediately realized the change.

At first, it watched the two Puki mimic its movements and, within half a minute and without further instructions from Lin Jun, understood how to give orders to the Puki.

"How does it feel?" Lin Jun asked.

"It feels..." The tree demon controlled the two Puki to perform different actions in front of it, "a bit like a root vein, but different."

Lin Jun knew root veins were the way tree demons communicated, but emotions had to be interpreted, lacking the convenience of the Fungal Network.

But that wasn't what Lin Jun wanted to ask.

"How's your spirit? Any pressure?"

The tree demon shook its head, indicating no.

Lin Jun decisively gave it control of another four Puki.

Seeing it still seemed fine, Lin Jun continued to increase the number.

"Let me know if you feel any pressure!"

When the number reached 24, this tree demon finally waved its hand, indicating discomfort.

"Dizzy..."

Lin Jun quickly took back all the control and let this tree demon rest on the side.

Next, Lin Jun had the other tree demons take turns testing.

He discovered that tree demons generally could control over 12 Puki, and the tree demon with a mushroom on its head could manage as many as 20.

So, giving Xiao Hai over twenty at once was indeed a bit much...

These tree demons seemed quite suitable to assist me!

However, Lin Jun wasn't in a hurry to let them lead the Puki to rampage through the sixth level; this matter couldn't be rushed.

Just five tree demons wouldn't suffice.

After completing the tests, Lin Jun took out the rewards he had prepared.

Five fingertip-sized C Level Demon Crystals.

It didn't seem like much, but the task itself was a mere stroll for these tree demons and could be considered quite generous.

Moreover, Lin Jun had observed that, although Demon Crystals existed on the sixth level, they were fractured and mixed, of poor quality, on the verge of waste.

The quality was so poor that some Demon Crystals were exposed outside the earth walls, and passing adventurers didn't bother picking them up.

C Level Demon Crystals are a rare resource for sixth-level demons.

And to tree demons, Demon Crystals should be akin to mushrooms—they can be used to fertilize the land.

Sure enough, after receiving the Demon Crystals, the spirit of several Tree Man visibly improved, seemingly not expecting such luck!

Lin Jun didn't delay much longer, distributed the daily wages, and let them go back themselves.

From their expressions, Lin Jun knew that the secondary goal had also been achieved.

After several encounters, establishing a foundation of trust, Lin Jun could then select some tree demons willing to completely side with him, offering them more benefits.

With a few role models, the mushroom faction among the tree demons would slowly grow, eventually incorporating them completely!

Lin Jun had already planned the tree demons' future.

By then, relying on the Fungal Network's relay nodes, perhaps the management and maintenance of the sixth level wouldn't need his concern at all?

It would be great if other layers had tree demons too.

Thinking about it, Lin Jun remembered the Werewolves on the tenth level might fit the criteria?

But first, the tenth level was still quite far away, and Lin Jun hadn't figured out how to bypass the eighth level Teleportation Maze yet.

Moreover, Werewolves might not be the best company; his memory of them wasn't favorable...

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