Chapter 75

Under the scorching noon sun, the battlements of Nuoweide faded to a grayish-white in the intense light, with only the shadows retaining the cold severity of the bluestone.

The iron-clad city gate stood open, and four guards were checking those entering the city in the shadow of the wall.

The flow of people in this area was already quite large, and Dylan was finally allowed to put on his clothes and pants.

However, at this moment, looking at the city gate from afar, Dylan's expression was not very good.

He had just received a warning from the boss: "There is an active magic array at the city gate."

A magic array placed at the city gate—one could guess with their eyes closed that it was some kind of low-level detection magic.

Although it was low-level, it was certainly more than enough to deal with his own low-level 【Mimicry】.

Keeping a magic array running constantly consumes quite a bit; when did these nobles become so willing to spend money?

He had been in such a rush to travel after leaving the dungeon that he hadn't inquired about any news.

He didn't know if something had happened recently that he wasn't aware of.

In any case, he couldn't enter the city.

Glancing at the merchant beside him whose name he had already forgotten, Dylan casually made up an excuse:

"It's safe here now, and I have other things to do, so I won't accompany you into the city."

The merchant seemed a bit surprised: "Mr. Dylan, what business do you have? I was hoping to thank you properly once we entered the city."

Dylan couldn't even be bothered to make up a reason; he just waved his hand, turned his horse around, and left.

"Mr. Dylan, surely you aren't afraid to enter the city?"

Reining in his horse and turning back, Dylan stared fixedly at the merchant.

What does that mean?

Exposed?

Dylan even began to consider the consequences of killing him here to silence him.

The merchant, however, seemed not to notice Dylan's abnormality and continued: "Could it be that you're afraid my hospitality might delay your journey?"

His knuckles tightened on the reins until they turned pale. After a long while, Dylan said in a slightly hoarse voice: "You joke, I really do have other things to do, so I won't delay here any longer."

Having said that, he pulled the reins and rode away as if fleeing.

The merchant narrowed his eyes, staring at Dylan's departing back.

Dylan rode along the small path for a long time until the city walls were no longer visible, and the passersby gradually disappeared from the surroundings.

However, when he looked back, he saw that familiar figure.

That merchant had actually followed him!?

By now, Dylan realized that something was wrong with this merchant, but he couldn't figure out the other party's purpose.

If he had just accidentally discovered his disguise, shouldn't he have gone to find the guards to arrest him?

Why follow him alone? Wasn't he afraid of being silenced?

When things are abnormal, there must be a demon; Dylan didn't want to face him at all.

So he kept running, running until the sunset was about to fall, and the horse was panting and exhausted.

Looking back, he finally couldn't see the merchant anymore.

But he still couldn't rest easy; Dylan led the horse and plunged into the woods by the side of the road.

It wasn't until the road was no longer visible that Dylan stopped.

Just as Dylan was about to take the luggage off the horse, a small stone flew over and hit Dylan directly in the face.

Regardless of the fact that his 【Mimicry】 had failed, Dylan turned to look at the merchant who had followed him once again, feeling a chill run down his spine.

This was definitely no ordinary merchant!

Only the backpack on the ground could bring him a glimmer of comfort.

However, why wasn't the boss making a move yet?

Did he have to fight a round himself first?

Dylan drew his longsword, just as he thought there would be a fierce battle.

"Sure enough!" The merchant looked at Dylan's face, his voice filled with joy, "Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, we're on the same side!"

Immediately, Dylan saw the merchant's head deform like a water balloon.

It changed into several different faces in succession, and even Dylan's face.

After changing, the merchant smiled and said: "Understand now?"

Understand what?

Knowing you're a monster?

Wait, on the same side?

Dylan touched his green face full of mycelium, lost in thought.

Seeing him like this, the merchant thought he finally understood and sat down on a rock on his own. "Aiya, in a dump like this, it's really rare to run into one of our own."

At this moment, the merchant looked relaxed, his sitting posture was very casual, and he didn't have that stiff feeling from before at all.

"Let's reintroduce ourselves, my name is Kuluoluo, what's yours?"

Seeing him like this, Dylan also temporarily put aside his intention to fight, just putting the backpack back on his body.

"Dylan."

"Brother, you're the parasitic type, right? I've seen them. I'm asking for your real name, not the name of this body."

"Dylan..."

"Alright, alright," Kuluoluo looked helpless, "Brother, your disguise skills aren't great, I didn't expect you to be so tight-lipped."

"Where are the flaws in my disguise?" This was indeed what Dylan wanted to know; the road ahead was still long, if just anyone could see through his disguise, how could he keep going!

"Brother, let's not even talk about how your mimicry fails as soon as you take damage, it definitely doesn't exceed level five. Just look at your behavior—it's too weird!"

Kuluoluo came to Dylan's side, patted him on the shoulder with one hand, looking like an elder teaching a junior.

"How can someone run naked on horseback in broad daylight?

I suspected you the first time I saw you!

Later, when you saw the city gate, you noticed their detection array, right?

Your sense of fleeing when you left was too obvious, and after I tested you with a sentence, you revealed such a big flaw. How exactly did they teach you on your side?"

"Teach?"

Dylan thought about what the boss had said:

"Alright, you already look enough like a human, it should be fine."

Kuluoluo gasped: "That pitfall? No acting training? No counter-reconnaissance teaching? They just let you use low-level mimicry to come behind enemy lines? Which family are you from? Isn't this just sending you to your death?"

"Which family..."

Seeing Dylan about to be silent again, Kuluoluo only felt a bit of admiration.

"I understand, I understand, you can't reveal it casually.

But brother, Brother Dylan, you have to know that loyalty alone won't get things done.

We spies rely on on-the-spot reactions and adaptability.

Your side sent you over without teaching you anything; even by our Demon standards, that's a bit too unscrupulous."

After speaking, Kuluoluo rubbed his chin and began to think, glancing at Dylan from time to time, his eyes full of sympathy and memories.

Dylan, on the other hand, didn't know what to say at all, and the scene fell into silence for a while.

And in the fungal network.

"Boss! What should I do?"

"What do you mean what should you do? Isn't this pretty good?"

Lin Jun initially thought this shapeshifter wanted to figure out Dylan's background and then disguise himself as him; he didn't expect it to develop like this.

"But I'm not a Demon spy!"

"But you are a Mushroom spy, which is basically the same thing if you round it up."

"..."

Dylan recalled his experience after being parasitized.

Helping the boss gather human intelligence, spreading "strategies," writing wooden signs to lure adventurers, helping the boss communicate with pro-Mushroom factions among humans...

It seems he really is a spy, damn it!

On the other side, Kuluoluo seemed to have decided on something.

"Brother Dylan, I know you're still a bit wary of me.

But it's rare to run into a junior like you in this territory, and I can't bear to watch you go to your death.

It just so happens I don't have a mission right now, so it's no problem to accompany you for a stretch and teach you a thing or two."

Dylan looked at Kuluoluo in disbelief.

Are you Demons all this warm-hearted?

Kuluoluo completely understood Dylan's suspicion and wasn't in a hurry.

Like a friend, after sitting down beside Dylan, he took off his flask and drank two gulps; he was thirsty from talking so much.

Being close this time, Dylan noticed that what was in the flask was actually mana potion...