HPDBC Chapter 13 13: Divine Poison Truffle
Chapter 13 13: Divine Poison Truffle
**[Regional Announcement: Player Ballerina has completed the Prologue of the Main Quest, receiving 30 free attribute points and 1000 prestige!]**
**[Regional Announcement: Player...]**
**DefyingHeaven2001:** "30 attribute points?! That's like six levels' worth of stats just handed to him! This is so unbalanced!"
**Don'tDropTheSoap:** "Is balance even a thing here? Those big guild players are way faster than us solo players!"
**BuriedInSnow:** "Haha, I hate to tell you guys, but I got 15 attribute points just for fishing with an NPC. They even gave me a crafting skill."
While players on the world chat complained about how overpowered the rewards were, Orson wasn't surprised.
One of the biggest draws of *Infinite Dimensions* was the sheer number of side quests and hidden tasks, many of which rewarded attribute points, skills, or rare items. Leveling up and gearing up through combat alone wasn't the only way to become a top player; immersive exploration and hidden quest triggers were equally important.
Returning to the *Abandoned Riverbed*, Orson picked up a mushroom growing from a rotting tree trunk. It looked suspiciously poisonous—the kind that would knock you flat with one bite.
**[Divine Poison Truffle]**
Quality: Common
Effect: A rare mountain delicacy, it melts in your mouth with a delicious, sweet flavor.
Divine Review: A must-have for any gods' party.
Orson hesitated, staring at the item description.
He still couldn't fathom what had possessed those players in his past life to actually cook and eat this thing, nearly leading to a full party wipe.
In *Infinite Dimensions*, players didn't need a formal **Cooking** skill to prepare meals; ingredients could be thrown together freely, and the taste was almost indistinguishable from real food, though it didn't actually fill you up. However, adding rare spices or monster meat created buff effects, making things more interesting.
Some players, especially those who were chefs in real life, made a fortune in-game by selling dishes and recipes. Large guilds even employed dedicated chefs, with the best ones able to boost members' stats to the next level.
To unlock the *Abandoned Riverbed*'s elite dungeon, though, Orson needed to eat the poisonous mushroom and fall unconscious. Reluctantly, he grabbed the mushroom and bit into it raw.
As he bit through the stem, juice burst onto his tongue, filling his mouth with an odd fragrance. He grimaced as the bitter, waxy texture spread across his taste buds.
**"You have eaten the Divine Poison Truffle."**
**"Your willpower is being eroded..."**
**"Three."**
**"Two."**
**"One."**
**"You are now in a hallucination..."**
The system messages appeared one after another, but Orson stayed calm, leaning back against a rock and letting sleep overtake him.
When he opened his eyes, everything was hazy. He squinted, struggling to focus.
His surroundings were painted in soft pinks, and a photo of him with a sweet-looking girl hung on the wall. Lying on a bed nearby was a familiar face, peacefully asleep with a gentle smile.
After a few minutes, Orson was dropped as a food supply in a rough beast tribe camp and tossed into a cellar.
**Night of Terror Dungeon**
**Objective 1: Escape the Cellar.**
**Objective 2: Defeat all Elite Centaur and Minotaur Warriors.**
**Objective 3: Defeat the Beastman Chieftain.**
Seeing his objectives, Orson nodded. Completing the dungeon first would yield additional rewards.
However, the real prize awaited after defeating the dungeon boss.
**MP -1**
**MP -2**
...
A fireball lit up in Orson's hand, illuminating the cellar around him. He grimaced. Bones and chunks of rotting flesh littered the floor, mostly human remains.
No wonder this place was called *Abandoned Riverbed*. The remains here were from kidnapped villagers, now just discarded remnants.
The cellar walls were rough, marked with climbable indentations. But just as he began to move, something heavy dropped from above, landing with a thud.
Orson instinctively pressed against the wall, listening to a pained groan.
Shining his fireball closer, he found a woman lying on the floor.
"Wait... what?" Orson was bewildered. "This dungeon's been run hundreds of times—no one's ever mentioned a woman here!"
He was alone, without a party, so there shouldn't be another player with him.
The woman had a graceful figure and porcelain skin. Her beauty struck Orson as familiar, stirring an unexpected sense of recognition.
"Hazel?" he whispered hesitantly.
"Hmm?"
Hearing her name, the woman drowsily opened her large, doe-like eyes.
"Have you seen my Silverlight Holy Chaos Robe?" she asked, groggily. "And my Apprentice Hat, Holy Life Staff, Silver Dragon Rhinoceros Shoulder Guards, boots, and gloves?"
She sighed dramatically, "If I've lost them, my teacher will scold me to death..."
Her voice trembled as she began to sniffle, nearly on the verge of tears. Orson bit his lip, struggling to suppress his laughter.
Last time, she'd only lost her hat. Now, she'd managed to lose an entire set of gear. In a world full of intelligent NPCs, her absent-mindedness was truly a unique trait.
**"Hidden Quest Activated: Anxious Hazel, Part II – Hungry Hazel."**
Divine Review: Hazel's become even smarter after tasting the Divine Poison Truffle with an adventurer!