"According to the test results, it is indeed edible. Furthermore, these wild mushrooms are rich in nutrients and are extremely beneficial to the human body. This is a rare and precious find!"
He did not forget to add, "It’s simply incredible!"
A stir ran through the soldiers upon hearing this; finding food on a barren planet was an incredibly lucky event. With the help of several eager soldiers, a pot of mushroom soup, emitting a peculiar aroma, was prepared in no time.
When the steaming soup was brought before the soldiers, everyone gathered around curiously, watching the grayish-brown mushroom slices hovering in the broth. The air was thick with the scent of earth mixed with the unique smell of the mushrooms. Muxi typed a message on her communicator, gesturing for everyone to have a taste, but the soldiers just looked at one another, not daring to try it. Even though Doctor Tang had confirmed it was edible, they felt an instinctive hesitation toward unknown food.
Muxi had not eaten a hot meal for several days, so she ladled out a bowl for herself and sipped it slowly. Fesili also picked up a bowl and began to drink. Seeing their commander partake, some of the bolder soldiers hesitantly picked up their utensils, carefully scooped up a spoonful of the mushroom soup, and brought it to their lips for a tentative taste.
The peculiar flavor spread through their mouths; despite a slight earthy tang, it revealed a distinct, savory richness upon closer inspection. One soldier couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Hey, this tastes quite unique—it’s not as bad as I imagined."
Once he said this, the surrounding soldiers summoned their courage and began to gulp down the soup. Muxi watched everyone gradually accept the mushroom soup, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. "Drink more, everyone."
As soon as she spoke, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her in shock.
"What is..." She trailed off, stopping mid-sentence herself.
She could speak!
She swallowed, and there was no pain at all! Muxi looked down at her throat, touching it in surprise and delight, her eyes filled with disbelief. She tried speaking a few more words; although her voice was still a bit raspy, she could clearly articulate her thoughts.
The others were genuinely happy for her. "That’s wonderful! Miss Muxi can speak!"
"Is there any other discomfort?" Fesili set his bowl down and asked in a low voice.
Muxi shook her head. "I don’t know what happened; I was suddenly able to speak, and my throat doesn't hurt anymore." She looked back at the remaining half-pot of mushroom soup, a silent conjecture forming in her mind.
Fesili frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before saying, "Regardless, this is a good thing. Let Doctor Tang perform a detailed check on your physical condition to ensure everything is perfectly fine."
Muxi nodded and drank another half-bowl.
Just then, a cry of surprise came from nearby. A soldier who had suffered a minor arm injury earlier widened his eyes in astonishment. "My arm doesn't hurt anymore!"
He touched his injured arm in wonder; the wound that had been throbbing with pain was now healing at a visible rate, and the swelling was rapidly subsiding. This miraculous sight instantly caused a commotion. Everyone stopped what they were doing and crowded around the soldier to inspect his arm. Seeing that the wound had already scabbed over and was starting to peel, the others rushed to check their own injuries. Without exception, everyone with an external wound was recovering rapidly.
The soldiers erupted into cheers, looking at Muxi with awe and reverence. This female continued to surprise them time and again. Fesili also looked at the incredible scene in shock, then turned to look at Muxi, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Muxi herself was bewildered. She stared blankly at the crowd and typed on her communicator: "I didn't know it would have this effect. I only knew these mushrooms were edible."
She asked Xixi in her mind, "Isn't it supposed to enhance Mental Power? Why can it heal wounds?"
"Master, is it possible... we found the wrong thing?"
Hearing Xixi’s words, Muxi widened her eyes. We found the wrong thing???
"If we found the wrong thing, why didn't you say so earlier? What if there are side effects?"
"Don't worry, Master; it's not poisonous and is safe to consume."
Muxi had thought she found something from the book that could enhance Mental Power, but she had accidentally discovered a magical mushroom capable of rapidly healing external wounds. By a twist of fate, it had even cured her own throat.
Watching Muxi’s bewildered expression, Fesili knew she was truly unaware. He immediately gave the order for the remaining mushrooms to be cooked and distributed among the troops. He then arranged for his adjutant to go and harvest all the mushrooms nearby. The adjutant took the order and led a team of soldiers sprinting toward the location where the mushrooms had been found, their faces brimming with undisguised excitement and anticipation. If the mushrooms were this effective, collecting more would be a massive boon for the entire troop—not to mention the benefits of presenting them to the Empire.
Back at the camp, when the soldiers heard that the rest of the mushrooms would be cooked for everyone, the cheering grew louder and louder. They lined up spontaneously, their eyes burning with eagerness. Most of them carried some form of injury, and they were impatient to try this miraculous substance.
Muxi stood to the side, watching the lively scene with a growing sense of trepidation. She typed to Fesili on her communicator: "Is it really okay to give it all to everyone? Although it looks like the effect is good for now, what if..."
Fesili interrupted her, his tone earnest. "Everyone is currently injured. These mushrooms allow wounds to heal rapidly, which is a rare opportunity for all of them. Since Doctor Tang has tested it and found no issues, there shouldn't be any major problems." Seeing that she remained nervous, he reached out and patted her head. "Don't worry, I will take responsibility if anything goes wrong."
Soon after, pot after pot of mushroom soup was prepared, and a rich, savory aroma permeated the entire camp.
...
An hour later, an accident occurred.
Everyone began to suffer from severe diarrhea. The soldiers’ faces turned pale as they clutched their stomachs and ran toward the camp's temporary latrines. In an instant, the entire camp was filled with a foul stench!
The adjutant directed the soldiers to maintain order while instructing those unaffected to hurry and help care for their suffering comrades. He cast a resentful glance at the pot containing the remaining dregs of the soup, but said nothing.
Muxi turned deathly pale with fright. She stood there frozen, her eyes filled with horror and self-reproach.
"How could this happen... I really didn't know it would end up like this..."
Tears welled up in her eyes. She was filled with guilt for everyone. She had thought it was a wonderful find that would bring joy, never imagining it would turn into such a disaster.
The doctors were also overwhelmed, rushing back and forth across the camp to check on the soldiers’ conditions while frantically preparing various anti-diarrheal medications and treatments. But there were too many soldiers—over ten thousand of them had been struck down. Their pained groans echoed one after another, weighing the atmosphere of the entire camp down to a point of extreme despair.