Confront the fungus owner!

"Container... return..." A grand, cold thought, as if composed of countless overlapping voices, resounded directly in the depths of their souls, carrying an unquestionable command and a hint of... indifferent scrutiny of the "defective products."

Next second!

"boom--!!!"

An even more violent and direct mental assault, like an invisible hammer, slammed down upon Pei Du! This time, the goal was clear: to disintegrate his consciousness, strip away his resistance, and devour him as nourishment to awaken the "perfect vessel"! The Master of Fungus no longer concealed its will; it viewed Pei Du as an imperfect vessel, a "fuel" that must be recycled!

“Ugh—!” Pei Du was struck hard, his body lurching violently, and he fell to one knee on the squirming, high-temperature fungal carpet! The cold murderous intent that had just coalesced in his eyes was instantly shrouded in a vortex of chaos! Countless tampered memory fragments, implanted fears, the emptiness of a collapsed identity, and a deep hatred for that “perfect vessel” were infinitely amplified and distorted by the will of the Fungus Master, transforming into countless cold, venomous snakes that frantically bit at his consciousness! The blood-red crystal clusters on his broken arm flickered and hummed violently due to the mental shock, bringing soul-tearing pain!

"Pei Du... stick to... the frequency... the pollution... the pattern... remains unchanged!" Xu Shuangyao's weak but extremely clear thoughts exploded like thunder in Pei Du's chaotic consciousness! She lay on Pei Du's back, blood still seeping from her seven orifices, but her eyes burst out with a scientist's almost cold and focused light because she was facing the core of the fungus master! She ignored her own pain and mental pollution, and focused all her will on analyzing and resisting the fungus master's mental attack pattern! The crown of thorns emitted an extremely weak but extremely stable light above her head, like a beacon in the storm! She was no longer a weak person begging for cooperation, but a warrior who used her own will as a weapon to fight against the ultimate pollution!

"Frequency...lock...reverse...offset...node...counterclockwise...37 degrees..." One after another clear and cold analytical instructions, like a precise scalpel, pierced into Pei Du's polluted and corroded consciousness through the painful symbiotic connection!

Pei Du gnashed his steel teeth, blood foam oozing from his gums! He forced himself to focus his shattered will, grasping at a lifeline as if it were a straw. He followed Xu Shuangyao's analytical instructions, and built a fragile dam based on scientific logic deep in his consciousness!

“Sizzle!”

The invisible collision of spirits erupted into a fierce spark at the level of consciousness! The Fungus Master's violent devouring will was temporarily blocked by this fragile resistance based on precise analysis! The chaotic vortex in Pei Du's eyes retreated slightly, and the cold flames rekindled!

“Roar!!!!” As if sensing this weak resistance and the interference of the “Creator”, the huge dark red “sclerotium” suddenly pulsated violently! An even more terrifying pressure swept over like a tsunami!

However, at this moment of intense spiritual confrontation——

An extremely strong and clear strange sensation, carrying the scent of cold life-sustaining fluid and genetic homology resonance, suddenly exploded from deep within Pei Du's spine and from the core of the fusion crown, like a red-hot iron!

The source—pointing to the very bottom of the base of the Throne of Thorns! The deepest part, entangled and wrapped by countless thick, wriggling mycelial roots!

Clone! That "mirror image"!

It was right here! Right beneath the throne! Like a "perfect container" treasured by the Fungus Master, waiting to be awakened! That cold, empty presence was now imprinted with incredible clarity in Pei Du's perception! It was like the most naked mockery and threat to this "defective product" of his!

Pei Du's mind was shaken! All his movements froze instantly! He raised his head abruptly, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the mycelium-wrapped shadow beneath the throne. The raging fire in his eyes was instantly replaced by an extremely complex mixture of violence, hatred, absurdity, and even a hint of strange attraction!

Find it! Destroy it! Tear apart the "perfect shell" that represents all his shame and threats!

This thought spread like wildfire, almost overwhelming the desire to destroy the core of the fungus master!

Almost simultaneously, Xu Shuangyao, who was on his back, sensed Pei Du's violent emotional fluctuations and the strong homologous signal directed towards the base of the throne! Her face instantly paled! As a former "creator," she knew better than Pei Du what it would mean if the "mirror image" were activated by the Fungus Master—a true, irresistible disaster! Her goal remained unchanged—destroy the Fungus Master's core! At any cost!

"Core...attack...'sclerotium'...weakness...energy turbulence...upper right quadrant!" Xu Shuangyao's anxious thoughts screamed in Pei Du's mind, pointing to the constantly pulsating dark red "sclerotium" on the top of the throne!

"Down there! That 'thing' is down there!" Pei Du responded with a low roar, and his only remaining left hand suddenly pointed towards the wriggling mycelium shadow under the base, his eyes revealing an undisguised obsession with destroying the "mirror"!

Disagreement! Huge disagreement! Before the core of the Throne of Thorns, under the shadow of death, due to the clone's strong intuition and the completely shattered trust before, it suddenly erupted!

The two men's eyes met briefly in the air filled with spiritual pollution and the smell of death.

His eyes were filled with violent obsession: Destroy the clone! Tear apart this symbol of shame!

There was a desperate determination in her eyes: Attack the mycelium! This is the only chance to destroy the main fungus!

There is no trust, no basis for communication. There is only uncompromising obsession and bottomless suspicion!

The icy will of the Master of Fungi, like a maggot on the tarsal bone, continued to press against their mental defenses. The massive "sclerotium" atop the throne pulsed more violently, emitting an even more dangerous light. The signal from the clones, encased in hyphae beneath the pedestal, was a silent mockery.

A difficult choice lies ahead.

Is it to go upwards and attack that terrifying core?

Or go down and destroy the source of shame?

Every step may lead to the abyss of destruction.