Yes, fungi often serve as a quiet shorthand for unseen development. An author might describe a city’s underbelly in terms of mycelial threads, implying that growth is happening below the surface even as the streets look ordinary. I’ve noticed that in some speculative pieces the fungus isn’t just a setting but a metaphor for the way ideas or emotions spread invisibly—like a hidden network that keeps everything alive. It’s a subtle touch that can feel almost like a secret conversation between the text and the reader.