“Stay in groups of at least three,” Zhao concluded, his owl’s penetrating gaze sweeping across the gathered students.
“Report anything unusual and remember… While safety is paramount, don’t forget this is a gathering class. Your grades will depend directly on the quantity and quality of materials you obtain.”
As students began organizing themselves, Ren studied the nearest trees. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed gently, revealing patterns others might miss.
The silk was valuable, yes, but he knew the real treasures lay at the edges of the marked territory, where beasts still maintained their natural behavior, undisturbed by human presence.
‘I just need to be careful,’ he thought while the mushrooms pulsed softly in agreement. ‘And choose the right moment.’
“Now,” Zhao spread his wings while surveying the students, his owl’s influence making his presence even more imposing.
“These excursions happen only three times throughout the year,” the professor continued. “I hope you’ve paid attention in Professor Song’s theoretical classes. Correct identification of valuable materials will be crucial for your success.”
A mocking laugh echoed from Jin’s group, cutting through the serious atmosphere.
“Did you hear that, Fungus?” he called loud enough for everyone to hear. “The theoretical classes! Aren’t those the ones you never attended because you were too busy becoming less poor or running from us in the caves?”
More laughter joined in. It was true, Ren had spent most of those classes in the mines, both gathering and easily evading Jin and his group’s clumsy pursuit.
“I guess being desperate for a few miserable iron crystals was more important than learning to identify valuable materials, poor people logic,” Jin continued, his tiger markings gleaming with malice.
“If student Patinder considers he already masters the theory,” Zhao intervened, his sharp gaze fixed on Ren, “then his results in this excursion should reflect that.”
Ren maintained a neutral expression, though the mushrooms in his hair pulsed with quiet amusement. If his classmates knew he’d been gathering far more than “miserable crystals” all this time…
“The best performing groups,” Zhao continued, drawing attention back to himself, “won’t just receive the highest grades. The school offers double bonuses for gatherings, remember.”
Several students’ eyes lit up at the mention of rewards.
Even Luna’s noble followers seemed more interested, their previously bored expressions sharpening with sudden focus.
“But remember,” Zhao’s voice hardened, his owl’s wings casting meaningful shadows, “a dead student can’t enjoy any bonus. Keep your priorities in order.”
“Good luck with that, Fungus,” Jin smiled maliciously, his tiger markings rippling. “Maybe you’ll find some dry leaves worth as much as your iron crystals.”
Taro stepped forward, his beetle manifesting protectively, but Ren stopped him with a subtle gesture.
“I get you Jin… Mushrooms are experts at identifying what’s rotten and what’s valuable,” he responded simply, causing the laughter to choke off as they processed the double meaning.
The mushrooms in his hair pulsed with satisfaction while Jin frowned, trying to decide if he’d just been insulted.
“Enough,” Zhao cut in. “You have until sunset for your first gathering. Don’t forget your flares and stay within the marked boundaries.”
As groups began dispersing, Ren caught a slight smile playing at Luna’s lips before she turned away with her companions.
‘Let the others laugh,’ he thought while checking his equipment. ‘Knowledge was almost everything so he could skip almost any theoretical class.’
His mushrooms pulsed in agreement as he prepared to demonstrate exactly how much he’d learned during those “wasted” hours in the caves.
♢♢♢♢
“Did you check your blanket?” Taro asked while adjusting his own, his beetle manifesting darker markings that complemented the camouflage perfectly.
“Mine has a hole,” Min examined his blanket with concern, his water snake coiling nervously. “Do you think the Weavers will notice?”
Ren spread his blanket next to Min’s. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while analyzing the problem. “We can switch. Mine’s bigger than I need.”
Nearby, Jin organized his group with characteristic confidence, his voice carrying across the clearing.
“Cass, you’ll watch while Kai and I gather,” he ordered, his tiger markings glowing with authority. “Your eyes are better at detecting movement.”
“What if I see a real Bark Stalker?” Cass asked, her eagle feathers manifesting slightly.
“We crush it,” Jin smiled, cracking his knuckles menacingly. “The professor said they removed the big ones, didn’t they?”
A few meters away, Klein and his noble companions inspected their equipment with meticulous precision.
“These containers are too basic,” Feng complained, his red cobra manifesting in scarlet patterns. “We have better ones at home.”
“Focus,” Klein ordered, his golden lion gleaming while studying the trees. “The highest quality silk will be in the higher zones.”
Ren noticed Luna keeping her distance from her assigned companions, who whispered among themselves while watching her with poorly concealed admiration.
‘I should thank her,’ he thought. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed softly as he approached.
“Luna,” he called softly, his voice barely carrying above the general commotion. “About what you said in the cart…”
She glanced at him sidelong, her shadow wolf barely visible as a silhouette stretching across the ground. “Don’t misinterpret it. I merely stated a fact.”
“Still, thank you.”
Luna seemed to consider his words for a moment, her wolf’s presence making the shadows around them deepen slightly. “Your knowledge is… interesting,” she said finally, though she avoided looking at him directly. “Most only see the obvious.”
Before Ren could respond, one of the noble girls approached nervously, her eyes darting between Luna and the mysterious mushroom boy.
“Luna, should we start with the eastern sector? The trees seem more…”
“Do what you want,” Luna cut her off, walking away with measured steps. But Ren noticed her path led precisely toward the eastern sector she’d apparently dismissed.
“Ren!” Min called out. “I found something weird with these containers!”
As he returned to his group, Ren reflected on the brief interaction. The mushrooms in his hair pulsed, reminding him they had their own plans for this excursion, plans that would surprise everyone.
“What did you find?” he asked Min, who was holding one of the containers with a puzzled expression.
“Aren’t these supposed to be sealed? This one has a crack…”
Taro joined the examination. “We could ask for a replacement.”
“No,” Ren smiled while the mushrooms pulsed knowingly. “Actually, this could be useful later.”
His friends exchanged knowing looks. After a month, they’d learned that when Ren smiled like that, he had a plan, one that usually worked out better than anyone expected.
“Just make sure to keep the flares handy,” he murmured while the professor began calling groups to assign sectors. “We might need them for something other than emergencies.”