Mandrake (1)
It's pretty common to end up bedridden after a day of pointless digging. Digging itself demands insane amounts of labor without any know-how. If you don't have the tricks, you won't be able to move properly the next day. Luckily, I'm a guy who's done his military service. A bit of experience saved me; otherwise, I'd have been laid up all day.
'No painkillers around here?' I rubbed my knotted muscles and logged into the Gallery. Hoping for something like painkillers. No luck—nothing like that in sight. Guess that's the limit of this era. Instead, I posted asking for remedies that work on muscle soreness.
What's good for muscle soreness?
YasaengGrill
Dug up the ground yesterday and now I'm wrecked
└SwordTasteStar
The Mana Circulation Method is great for muscle soreness.
└YasaengGrill
It's not some miracle cure-all;;
└Cheonma
It seems you lack understanding, sir. The Internal Power Method—specifically breath control and energy gathering—is quite effective against muscle pain.
└YasaengGrill
Anything besides that? Like herbs?
└SwordTasteStar
Just let muscle soreness ride out for the most part. Treating it with meds hinders muscle growth.
└Cheonma
This is new knowledge to this lady. Is it certain?
└SwordTasteStar
Probably? I get stronger just by breathing lol
└Cheonma
Similar to this lady, it seems.
└YasaengGrill
Wtf;;
└Basement gallery dwellers talking nonsense lol
└No way that body type exists
└If it did, the country would've scooped 'em up
└lololol I wish I had that too
I let out a sigh. Looked like the best bet was just toughing it out. It wasn't so bad I couldn't move at all, so I'd manage. But hard labor today was off the table. Push it, and tomorrow my piss might turn cola-colored.
'Screw the soreness—I just wanna wash up first.' Three days without a bath, and I'm sticky as hell. Especially my face; oil's pouring off it. Can't hit the river, though. Not worth trading hygiene for my life. Good thing this forest is low-humidity and cool; a jungle would've been a nightmare.
'Buy some water for now. Sucks to spend the cash, but no choice.' Gotta maintain basic hygiene to stay healthy. At least wash my hands. I bought a bulk lot of water from the Gallery auction house. Pricey, but until I find another stream, it's this or nothing. It came with a bucket; I tested the water quality first.
'Bought from the auction house, so it better be legit.' Reviews checked out—plain old well water. I used it to wash my face, hands, feet, and sweat-prone spots meticulously. Followed yesterday's advice and grabbed nearly scent-free soap. After a rough rinse, I toweled off with an auction-house towel. Not a full shower, but damn, it felt refreshing.
Crunch—crunch—
"Ugh... Bitter. So bitter."
Next up: breakfast. Chewing the foul Wall Valley Pills twisted my face. Weird thing about these—they're so potent that just a few kill the hunger pangs. Like Cheonma said, packed with premium herbs; no real emptiness in my gut. Portion size meant no real fullness, but it satisfied.
'Meat's a luxury for me right now.' Grateful no carnivores sniffed out my cave yet. Finished breakfast, then peeked into the pouch. Plenty of Wall Valley Pills left, but they'd vanish fast. Could beg Cheonma, but she said they're rare herbs—would just be freeloading.
'Can't rely on the Gallery forever. Gotta keep that in mind.' Normally, Gallery access is impossible in the Four Seasons Forest. No clue why I can, but it could cut off anytime. Need to build my own skills for that day. Vow I keep making.
'Today, head opposite the river.' Where I dumped Mad Dog's corpse and the owl bear showed. Avoided it back then thanks to the owl bear. Not anymore. Gotta adventure to boost escape odds by even 0.01%. Planning a safe zone from here, not going full caveman. Living here was the worst choice to begin with. Holding onto escape hopes, no matter how long.
'Sword and shield only.' Skipping the crossbow—too bulky, less useful than sword in a pinch. Reloading takes forever; could spell doom. Plus, gotta practice SwordTasteStar's basic swordsmanship tutorial. Studied it bit by bit in spare moments.
'For defense, left leg forward...' Checked my stance before heading out. Shield warrior's got killer balance. Shield's solidity boosts confidence—no momentum loss. It's so OP, ancient gladiators supposedly banned it.
'Let's go.' A touch of tension as I stepped from the cave. Entrance had yesterday's half-dug hole. More digging after scouting—ugh, nightmare. No avoiding it. Being solo sucks.
Heading out to scout
YasaengGrill (Photo of me with sword and shield, eyeing the forest)
Going opposite the river today
Fyi, owl bear territory
└Cheonma
Not dangerous? You've got Wall Valley Pills—better master the Internal Power Method first.
└SwordTasteStar
Lady Cheonma's right. Train inside first?
└StarlightPrincess
You're not actually gonna die like a fly, right...?
└SunForever
Gave you that shield—don't die on me
└PassingDwarf
My crossbow's crying, boo hoo...
└YasaengGrill
Can't y'all just cheer...? I'll bolt if owl bear shows...
└lololol
└Seriously worried lol
└Means lotsa peeps care ㅇㅇ
└Gallery'd be sad if you died
Liked seeing the interest. This why we Gallery? Not pure fans like some—I'm desperate for human chat. No Gallery? I'd have died of loneliness. 'Nah, Mad Dog would've got me.'
Heading to old owl bear spot, thinking that. Mad Dog dump site was surprisingly clean. Bits of bone, flesh, head left, but way better than rotting. Owl bear cleanup? Otherwise maggots and stench city.
'Still, stay clear.' Used it as landmark, veered right into thick trees. Open spots riskier—owl bear chase, no escape. Sure, it'd bulldoze trees with house-sized bulk, but gotta up survival odds.
'Trees everywhere.' Marked path with sword while pushing through. Weird vibes? Instant U-turn. Space twists like my life—extra caution.
"Heave. Huh?"
Burst from dense trees into a clearing. Huge one, choked with weeds.
'...Boss monster spawn?' Games had bosses pop here. Backed to trees warily. Spots can shift—careful. Scouted; low shift risk. Clearing wide but natural. Trees ringed it—unique shape.
'Why so defined? Only here?' Edges sharp despite natural. Inspected weeds without dropping guard. Not weeds—plants with fruit. Blood-red like wild strawberries. No eating—poison maybe. Snapped pic, posted.
Anyone know what this is?
YasaengGrill (Photo of plant with strawberry-like red fruit)
Know what it is? Tons here.
└Wild strawberry?
└More like radish? Leaves match
└Radishes fruit?
└They do, but kinda different
Consensus: radish. Looked it. Radishes do fruit, huh. Safe to yank one?
└Olfather
Whoa? Don't yank recklessly. My guess: could be mandrake.
└YasaengGrill
What's mandrake?
└Olfather
Plant that screams when uprooted. Scream won't kill, but wrecks hearing.
└Doesn't the scream kill?
└Thought so too
└Olfather
Misinfo. Causes temporary confusion, not death.
└Why the death rumor?
└Olfather
Human greed. Mandrakes ultra-rare. Hunters kill each other over 'em. Most excused as 'confusion'.
└whoa
└Humans scarier;;
└Classic trash
└Why humans suddenly?
└Always humans with that shit lol
└Fucking racist
Anyway, uprooting just noisy—no life threat. But hearing damage sucks; prep needed.
└Lmao thinks mandrake's a weed
└Four Seasons Forest—could be real
└Pull and judge later
└Mandrake jackpot
└YasaengGrill
Mandrake pricey?
└Duh;; Key elixir ingredient
└Harvesting brutal—auction house riot
└Olfather (Rough plant pic) (Rough human-root pic)
└Olfather
Compare to these.
Debate raging; Olfather posted pics. Matched looks, but fruit differed. Pics green; mine red.
'Ripe fruit?' Bought earplugs from auction anyway. Earth-like. Military-grade per desc. Seals ears tight. Root humanoid-ish—easy ID.
└YasaengGrill
Just yank? No sound issues.
└Olfather
Prepped? Rip like radish.
└YasaengGrill
Got it, just yank hard.
Earplugs in, went for it. Cannon-blast proof per desc—maybe hype, but reviews solid. Deep breath, yanked hard.
"Hya... cha!"
Sloosh!
Slight hitch, but clean pull. Checked root pronto. Gallery said humanoid shape—not perfect human, just close.
"Huh?"
Mine was weirder. More precise: actual human proportions. Limbs defined, even facial expression crystal clear. Hell, chin had beard-like fuzz. Not human-ish—straight-up human replica. Arms crossed, all majestic.
'Why so red? Not mandrake, ginseng?' Mandrake-like but off. Ask direct.
Flick!
Logged in as root's eyes snapped open. All red, missed at first. Uncrossed arms; clocked it late.
"Uh?"
"Huuuuh...!"
Panicking, it inhaled deep. Bad vibes. Dropped it quick—but Olfather's scenario hit.
[ROOOAAAAARRRR!]
Scream pierced earplugs—no, roar. No plugs? Eardrums gone. Grimaced, backed off. Hands on ears, dropped mandrake. Hopes it burrows? Peeped eyes open cautious.
"..."
"...?"
Why frozen? Roared once, recrossed arms. Human-like face stared hollowly. Olfather said screams till reburied—what?
Rumble rumble rumble!
Quaked suddenly. Nearly toppled. Roar then quake. Bad signs.
'Grab this and bail.' Snatched mandrake, clamped mouth shut brute-force. Thick root, but two hands did it.
"Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!"
Didn't expect that—thrashed. Shouldn't have posed cocky. Home free now. Bolted.
Sloosh! Pull!
"Wha...?"
What the hell. Froze mid-step. Red humanoid roots erupting everywhere. Like zombies from graves—clearing flipped.
Identical to mine. All ages/genders mixed, but red = mandrakes confirmed.
'Screwed.'
Uneasy. Beyond—ominous. Gripped mandrake, turned tail. Knew their game. Like yesterday's golden frog. Diff: frog poison shield-blockable. Roars? Run far. Hands full blocking mouth.
"Siiiip!"
"Huuuuh!"
Thick trees again.
[ROOOAAAAARRRR!]
Massive shockwave slammed my back.
*****
What to do if hit by sonic attack?
YasaengGrill
Mandrakes group-screamed me—cure tips?
└Cheonma
Sonic attack and screams? Lion's Roar victim?
└YasaengGrill
Kinda like it.
└Cheonma
How bad?
└YasaengGrill
Ears ringing nonstop.
└Cheonma
Hit hard. Hearing loss or bleeding?
└YasaengGrill
No symptoms—wore earplugs.
└Cheonma
Hearing safe. Rest up, full recovery soon. Tinnitus for a bit—I'll hook you up with meds.
└YasaengGrill
Thanks. You hit by Lion's Roar before, Lady Cheonma?
└Cheonma
Yes. This lady ripped its throat so it'd never roar again.
└whoa x4
└What'd you do to make mandrakes group-roar?
└YasaengGrill
Yanked one; it roared, rest popped out.
└??? First I've heard
└Real mandrakes?
└YasaengGrill
Gonna pic. This mandrake?
YasaengGrill (Pic of battered red mandrake)
Super human-like but body too red?
└Why's it wrecked? Beat to hell face.
└YasaengGrill
Noisy af so slammed head on wall. Stuffed mouth with dirt.
└lolololol
└lolol
└Savage lol
└Silence spell (physical) lol
└Mandrake plant? Feels pain?
└Yeah monster-adjacent, feels pain. But beat quiet? New lol
└Mandrakes look like that?
└Supposed human-ish, but that's straight human
└That's monster not mandrake
└Usual mandrakes creepy human-ish; this identical weirder
└100yo mandrake or some shit?
└lol not wild ginseng
└Book says red mandrake's superior variant?
└What book?
└Herbal Encyclopedia. Rare af.
└How rare?
└Superior to regular
└lol quack book?
└Fr lol
└Written by legit scholar;;
└Elixir needs mandrake? This too?
└Yeah mage tower monopoly
└Superior how good?
Debate over red mandrake.
└Olfather
Oh. My. Arda. Looks like adult mandrake.
Olfather—no, Olfather showed near-shock.