WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom-Chapter 62: Variety of Plant

Ben gazed once more at the many slimes floating inside the insect-like plants. He could already picture what would happen if he fought them head-on. It’d be like battling a necromancer—every time he killed one, another would rise, stronger than before.

A nightmare.

But that didn’t mean he was giving up. Ben planned to return later—with Elvira. As long as he supplied her with enough mana, he was confident she could unleash a large-scale spell to burn them all down.

Still… something didn’t add up.

’Fire is clearly their weakness… so how the hell are they surviving in this hot places?’ His gaze flicked back to the insect-like plants. ’Are these things their hosts? Some kind of hibernation pods?’

He filed the thought away for later. Right now, there were more pressing matters. His water expedition had failed. That meant it was time to check on the other group—the team he had sent to track the Ravagers. Ben pulled up the link to his scouts. They were still moving. But they didn’t find any ravager, instead they found a variety of small, unusual plants.

Ben raised an eyebrow as the visuals fed into his mind.

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The first species caught his attention immediately—a spiraling, vine-like growth that coiled unnaturally, its tendrils slick and glistening as though coated in oil. Its leaves were serrated like a fangs, their dark, almost metallic surface reflecting the faint glow of the fungal canopy above. When a scout brushed against it, the leaves snapped shut instantly—like a predator’s maw clamping down, before slowly peeling back open with an eerie, grinding sound.

The second plant had a smooth, waxy exterior, its surface a deep, iridescent purple, shifting between dark like liquid metal. Its hollowed-out core pulsed faintly, releasing a thin, shimmering mist when disturbed. The air around it grew noticeably heavier, thicker, and the faintly sweet aroma carried an unnatural sharpness—a scent that lingered too long in the lungs.

The third was the most unsettling. A squat, bulbous fungus with nearly translucent flesh, its surface stretched tight like skin over something pulsating beneath. When light passed through it, a network of glowing veins flickered inside, beating in slow, deliberate pulses—like a living heart trapped within its core. Each pulse sent out a faint ripple through the air, distorting the space around it for the briefest of moments, as if the very fabric of reality shuddered in its presence.

Ben crossed his arms, thinking. He need some more test, but so far most of these plants weren’t dangerous. and they could be useful. ’Food variety is important. The Krell can eat almost anything, but having more options will make long-term survival easier.’ And Ben haven’t tried it but usually in game he play food with magic will give buff on the stats, he wonder if this is the same case here too.

The scouts took sample on each plant than continued exploring, pushing further ahead. Ben let them work but decided it was time to rendezvous. It was better to meet up first—then hunt the Ravagers together.

Both teams adjusted their course, moving to converge at a midpoint. It didn’t take long before they finally regrouped. Ben didn’t waste time. "Alright," he muttered, scanning the terrain. "Let’s find where these things are coming from."

They moved forward, eyes sharp for any trace of the Ravagers. Soon enough, the signs began to appear. Deep claw marks etched into the damp fungal ground, patches of disturbed earth, broken mushroom stalks where something large had barreled through.

Ben crouched, running his fingers over a jagged footprint—wider than his own boot, the edges still fresh. "They came through here recently," he murmured. His gaze followed the subtle shift in the terrain—a faint trail, weaving through the glowing undergrowth.

The group followed the path, pushing deeper, until— They found it. The Ravager nest.

At first glance, it matched his expectations—twisted burrows carved into the earth, layered with hardened resin-like material. The stench of raw meat and decay clung to the air, a clear sign that this was where they fed.

Something was off.

Ben’s eyes narrowed. ’Only this many? No way. Even the ones that ambushed me before outnumbered this.’ It wasn’t that the nest was empty—but the Ravagers here weren’t fighters.

The burrows were filled with hatchlings and juveniles—young, undeveloped, too weak to be a threat. Even with just his current squad, Ben was confident they could wipe out the entire nest in minutes.

But that wasn’t the issue.

His fingers tapped against his weapon absently as he considered his options. Capturing them was an option. Ravagers were fast, aggressive, and highly coordinated. If tamed, they could make excellent war beasts.

’But is it worth the resources?’

Breeding them would be a long-term commitment. They’d need food, containment, a way to control them. Could they even be domesticated?

His thoughts were cut short.A sharp move through the hive mind. The Krell at the stronghold had sent a distress signal.

Ben’s vision flashed, his senses shifting—seeing through his scout’s eyes. The scene slammed into his mind instantly. He stood atop the stronghold wall, bow in hand, looking down at the chaos below.

Hundreds of Ravagers. Their bodies packed together like armored tide, their glowing spines flaring in a synchronized, battle-ready rhythm.

ROOOOAAAAARRR!!! They charged. The ground trembled under their sheer numbers, claws tearing up the fungal earth as they sprinted toward the fortress.

But something else caught his eye. Some of the Ravagers weren’t aiming for the gate. Instead, they veered off—toward the waste pit where Ben had dumped his trash. ’What are they—’

WHOOSH!

A massive chunk of debris flew through the air—straight at the walls. The Krell Scout barely had time to react, jerking to the side as a hunk of fungus crashed into the spot where he had been standing seconds ago.

Ben’s mind snapped into action. ’They’re using my own damn garbage as projectiles?!’

More debris soared, splattering against the walls like makeshift artillery. The height advantage let the Krell Scouts evade easily, but the real threat Was at the gates.