Chapter Five: The Consequences of Rebellion

In the village, some people seemed to have become ghosts. They would appear and disappear unpredictably, sometimes vanishing without a trace, only to materialize suddenly. First it was the gossipy old man, then Mr. Garbage, and next Ashley. They began shirking their duties, hiding away from sight, violating the labor regulations of the village, yet occasionally showing up before everyone. When questioned about their whereabouts, they would simply say, "I went for a stroll," never revealing where they had been.

Strangest of all, they never appeared together: it was always either the gossipy old man, or Mr. Garbage, or Ashley, each coming alone among the others…

And then there was Orchid.

The village was not large; everyone knew its every corner intimately, and there were hardly any unfamiliar places to hide. Where could they possibly go? Of course, except for that secret passage.

I found my adoptive father and asked, "Father, should we walk through the secret passage once more? I suspect there's another hidden entrance leading into it—I'm certain the gossipy old man and the others have gone there."

Orchid was in much better spirits now, most noticeably: he no longer seemed frail or aged. Perhaps Aunt Ole had discovered some miraculous medicine. Orchid said, "Alright, my child."

Newt and Mazeh continued to stand guard. We lifted the door panel and once again entered the dark corridor. Orchid's face immediately grew somber. He said, "Damn this place, why is it so dark?"

I replied, "The village is underground; we're all used to the darkness."

Orchid said, "By the way, four days ago, did Dalia go out with you?"

I was shocked, realizing I couldn't hide the truth, though I didn't know what harsh punishment awaited me. "It was all my fault," I said. "I couldn't… I couldn't resist Dalia's persuasion."

Orchid laughed. "It's alright, child. Seeing you two care for each other makes me content."

I hesitated, then said, "Dalia still loves Mirce. I think we should respect her wishes."

Orchid replied, "Mirce? Don't be ridiculous. I believe you and Dalia are a perfect match. Ha, in truth, there are no real barriers between any of us. We're a big family, all kin, and should love one another, blend together as one."

"Blend together as one?"

"No, no, I mean harmonious as if we were one body. You misunderstood my meaning."

Having taken the potion, I sensed another Cerberus lair nearby. Orchid charged in first, restored to his former bravery. Each swing of his sword was like a cannon blast; some Cerberus creatures fled in panic, and Orchid roared, "Where are you running to?" as he chased after them.

I was entangled with several remaining Cerberus, and after considerable effort, managed to deal with them. I hurried to assist Orchid and found he had already finished the battle, standing before the canine corpses, his back to me.

I remembered there had been four Cerberus who escaped, yet only three corpses lay on the ground. Orchid's body twitched. I called out anxiously, "Father! Are you hurt?"

"No, nothing. Don't come any closer," Orchid replied.

I still stepped forward. Orchid turned, and I noticed he seemed much fatter; his abdomen bulged, bearing a paw-shaped swelling—the beastly claw of a Cerberus. But in the blink of an eye, the claw was gone, and Orchid's stomach simply protruded as if he'd overeaten.

It must have been a hallucination. I hadn't slept well lately—the matter of the fish, Dalia, the village, the fields—all weighed on me, leaving me dizzy. I truly needed to rest for a few days.

Beyond the lair, we discovered another red pool, equally fetid. The mushroom fields were looking grim; more plots had rotting crops. Was it because the lifespan of these pools had expired? If so, in the coming months, all fields faced reduced yields or even complete desolation.

Unless we found a way to purify the red pool water.

Orchid stared at the pool, his expression mournful, as if enduring great hardship. Suddenly, I seemed to hear him say, "Do not resist, child. Do not resist. Only this way can save everyone. Only this way can carry us through. And we will live even better—become strong beyond measure, immortal."

The voice didn't sound like his; it was so resonant, so persuasive—like sunlight warming the heart in an instant, making one long to draw near to its owner.

I saw he carried the red figurine he'd found days earlier in his breast pocket. Had Orchid kept it with him all this time?

"Father, I heard someone… someone speaking," I said.

"What? Oh, I didn't hear anything," Orchid replied, as if just waking from a dream.

I repeated what I'd heard. Orchid insisted it was my imagination. Doubtful, I let it go. He pointed at the pool, saying, "Child, there will be a way. There will be a way. Now, let's return."

I led the way, with my adoptive father following. Around us, whispers seemed to linger, echoing endlessly, raising my hackles. Orchid remained silent.

By chance, in some faint light from who knows where, I saw my father's shadow behind me. It looked like a lump of kneaded clay, or a misshapen dough—utterly formless. The shadow stretched toward me, as if to engulf me.

Cold sweat broke out on my skin. I turned hurriedly; my father looked normal, but in that instant, I saw discontent and disappointment on his face.

"What's wrong?" my father asked.

"Nothing… nothing," I replied.

He spoke again: "Have you been drinking viper's blood lately?"

How did he know? Did Dalia tell him?

"Yes, Father. I fought demons, and had no choice."

"That potion does your body no good. Don't drink it again, understand?"

"Thank you for your concern, Father. I will be careful."

The pair on guard pulled us up to the surface. Newt asked, "Boss, how did it go?"

"Not well, but don't worry—I will find a solution," Orchid replied.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps thundered. Many villagers, faces twisted with anger, threw open the doors and rushed towards us. Mazeh drew his Sword and Shield Society blade, let out a tiger's roar, halting their advance. Leading them were members of the Mushroom Association, including the gossipy old man's wife and children, and over thirty others—young and old, some scavengers I knew well were among them.

The Mushroom Association's second-in-command, Damon, shouted, "Just as expected! Orchid, it's you! You entered the sanctuary! Desecrated the Mushroom Deity! That's why the fields are failing!"

Grandma Nona—the gossipy old man's wife—cried, "The former village chief sealed the entrance to the sanctuary, forbidding anyone to enter, precisely to prevent disaster! But you had to uncover its secrets—well, well, now you've brought calamity upon us!"

Only then did I realize: the elders of the village knew about the secret passage, but superstition had inspired their blind reverence. They preferred ignorance to risk.

Orchid raised his hand to silence the villagers. "I did enter the passage, but I assure you, I did nothing! For decades, I have worked for the good of the village; my actions are plain for all to see."

Damon demanded angrily, "Then what did you do in the sanctuary?"

I stepped forward, raising my voice: "We saw the fields withering, so we entered the passage to investigate. We did it for the village's sake."

Pam pointed at Orchid's sword. "Ah, there's blood on his blade!"

"Yes," Orchid said. "We encountered demons contaminating the circulation system below. We've already killed them."

Grandma Nona screamed, "Fools! Fools! Those are sacred beasts! The sanctuary's sacred beasts! The original dwellers beloved by the Mushroom Deity! You killed them—of course the deity will take revenge!"

Orchid said, "Quiet! Calm yourselves! Whether they are sacred beasts is questionable, but they were certainly vicious and dangerous."

Grandma Nona declared, "Listen, everyone! This man has never respected our traditions, and he's never truly been one of us! I believe he kidnapped the gossipy old man, Mr. Garbage, and Ashley because those three always opposed him!"

Finally, Orchid lost his temper. "I… have devoted myself to the village, and you dare slander me like this?"

Grandma Nona said, "Young people may forget, but we elders do not! Years ago, the Sword and Shield Society came to our village and forced us into submission. They sent you to stay as overseer. It was you—you killed the chief's son, Sayin, and forced the chief's daughter, Sara, into marriage, seizing power over the village!"

Orchid replied, "You… you slander me! Sayin was my dear friend; he died fighting alongside me while scavenging. I inherited his will, stayed behind, and dedicated myself wholly to you all. Otherwise, why would I remain in this sunless place, and even contract a fatal illness?"

Grandma Nona sneered, "That's just your side of the story. And your sickness is just retribution! Sara's death is your fault too! Because you brought her a curse—sooner or later, Dalia will die from your influence as well! Your whole family, along with these lackeys, will perish!" Her words won thunderous approval; Damon and the others seized the moment, stirring up the crowd.

I was furious, about to drive the spiteful old woman away, when Orchid's sword flashed. In an instant, Nona lay in a pool of blood. The next moment, Damon fell too. I saw clearly—Orchid struck without mercy, killing them both with a single blow.

Some villagers were terrified; others burned with rage, unsure whether to advance or retreat. My companions and I exchanged glances, drew our swords, and shouted, "The chief rebels are dead! If the rest of you don't want to be traitors, stand down! Otherwise, you'll meet the same fate as these two!"

They had no weapons and scattered in all directions.

Orchid had regained his composure. "Newt and Mazeh, you two are a team. Longi and I are another. Gather the loyal scavengers, search every house for villagers' weapons, and from today, increase vigilance. No private gatherings allowed."