Chapter 133

Of course, what they discussed most was Zacian, which had demonstrated absolutely overwhelming strength.

"... Wow, that's amazing."

"Wow... that's amazing."

That's really amazing.

"Yeah yeah."

Tonight, I wonder how many people will be completely sleepless.

Meanwhile, Qiao Ran and Lillie had already returned to the Real World before lunch; they couldn't stay here for too long—at least not until they left the Western-style Mansion.

"... Gloria, are you alright?"

At Marnie's house, Marnie looked at Gloria had been acting strangely ever since that battle.

"Um... it's nothing."

Gloria looked up and gave Marnie a reassuring smile, but her slightly delayed reaction betrayed her inner turmoil.

"Are you still thinking about the fight just now? That's just how he is... You don't need to compete with him."

Marnie wanted to comfort her best friend, saying that it's normal for Trainer to compare themselves to each other, as it's a way to improve, but... Qiao Ran might really be that special exception.

Comparing yourself to him really makes you feel an unimaginable sense of powerlessness.

However, Gloria is clearly no ordinary person.

"Compare him to me...?"

A glint flashed in Gloria's eyes.

"That's great... I'd love to battle alongside Pokémon like that too..."

That feeling, Ken

It must be great...

Section 258, Page 254 [Next Stop]

The main entrance of the Western-style Mansion.

"Well... I'll be going now."

"Um."

"Don't... don't look at me like that, it's not like we'll never see each other again."

"Yes, I'll be even stronger when we meet again."

Looking at the girl in front of him, Qiao Ran smiled and gently hugged her.

Me too.

The girl whispered the same words in Qiao Ran's ear.

This exchange did not last long.

A man and two women stood at the entrance of the enormous Western-style Mansion, but their steps gradually diverged in two directions.

Let's go too.

Qiao Ran looked at the girl who was still by his side. Unlike Mei, who needed to go back to report, Lillie had nowhere else to go but to stay with him.

Let's go.

Lillie nodded. She had already changed into a smart white shirt and blue and white skirt, and her long blonde hair was tied into twin ponytails. Although her outfit was slightly different from before, the feeling of a young lady going on a long trip was still there.

Qiao Ran and Lillie started walking, gradually leaving the gloomy Western-style Mansion. Before leaving, he went to see Phoebe one last time. However, she only told him to call if there were any problems, and as for other matters, she just told him to take good care of Mimikyu.

Given the chance... he'll probably come back to visit again.

When he becomes even more powerful, will he be able to have a real battle with this veteran Elite Four?

Qiao Ran's next stop on her trip is Hangcheng.

This is a city with a long history. It has been a famous trading port in the South since ancient times, and its natural scenery is also very beautiful. It has always been known as "paradise on earth".

Although Qiao Ran's initial plan was to go to Magic City, which was further away, and visit his cousin whom his mother had mentioned, the change of plans led him to Zhenze Lake. Therefore, he had no choice but to go to Hangcheng, which was slightly closer, first.

"Hangcheng? You've actually started going there already? I heard you were Disappearance for a while, I thought something really happened to you."

"The Gym Leader from Hangcheng?... Hmm, he's a pretty strong old man, though not in the top tier of Gym Leader, but about as strong as that guy from Longjiang City."

During his trip, Qiao Ran also received a call from Iron Maiden. The Gym Leader in Jinling City seemed to have been keeping an eye on his situation. After their routine conversation, she expressed her concern for him. Although she sounded indifferent, the dozens of missed calls on his phone didn't lie.

Of course, besides her, Eve and Long Jiangxue, whom he had met during his trip, also contacted him and sent him a lot of messages. Apart from his parents and relatives, this was the first time Qiao Ran had experienced being cared for by a group of people, which warmed his heart.

While traveling, Qiao Ran replied to messages and made phone calls to all of them, and also let her family know she was safe.

Although Qiao Ran's parents may not understand what happened to him, before entering the Ruins to begin his mission, he specifically contacted his family, saying that he might be going on a confidential mission for the Pokémon League and might not be contacted for a while. Moreover, the Pokémon League has never released any information about Qiao Ran's Disappearance; this information is probably only known to certain high-ranking members of the Pokémon League.

Even so, Qiao Ran still felt that doing this kind of thing was meaningful.

What kind of people are Qiao Ran's parents?

In the wilderness at night, Qiao Ran and Lillie sat by their tent, gazing at the boundless sea of stars and feeling the warmth of the wind.

"... He's probably just an ordinary person."

Qiao Ran didn't think his parents were anything special, and he understood this even more after he started traveling and meeting all sorts of people.

However, they remain a special part of his life.

"If I have the chance, could I go and see them?"

Lillie seemed quite curious about Qiao Ran's parents. Perhaps she wanted to know what kind of people raised Qiao Ran. Although Qiao Ran himself spoke very modestly, Lillie always felt that things were not that simple.

Furthermore, she also wanted to see how other children interacted with their parents.

"You want to see them?" Qiao Ran asked, somewhat surprised.

"... Ah." Seeing Qiao Ran's surprised face, Lillie blushed, as if she realized something.

"No... no, that's not what I meant."

She swore she hadn't thought of that at all.

"Well... let's forget about it then. It's better not to see him for now. We can deal with this later..."

As Lillie spoke, she became both happy and cautious again, after all, things were starting to develop in a direction she hadn't anticipated.

"Um."

Qiao Ran also

He nodded noncommittally. To be honest, he was a little hesitant about introducing Lillie directly to his parents. Would it damage his relationships with other people, especially the Pokémon...?

"Oh no... this is terrible."

Thinking of this, Qiao Ran's expression suddenly changed.

He then realized that he seemed to have forgotten something.

Because he's been spending a lot of time with Lillie and the others lately, Qiao Ran hasn't been to the Pokémon Pioneer Land in a long time. Even if he manages to go once in his spare time, he won't stay for very long. But in fact, Qiao Ran has a promise with the Pokémon.

Especially Dianxi and Vulpix, before that great battle, they had already...

"Qiao Ran?"

Seeing Qiao Ran suddenly lost in thought, Lillie couldn't help but ask about his condition, her expression showing concern.

"Was there... something I said wrong earlier?"

"No, I just spaced out a little, hahaha."

Qiao Ran smiled and brushed it off, but in his heart he was already planning how to sneak off to the Pokémon Pioneer Land that night before Rest.

He and Lillie wouldn't sleep together directly, but the tent in the wilderness wasn't very big. If he waited until she fell asleep and then quietly left for a while, she probably wouldn't notice, right?

After all... he didn't know how to explain the current situation of his Pokémon to Lillie or Mei...

Section 259, page 255 [Fear]

During their trip with Lillie, although Qiao Ran occasionally used some means of transportation, most of the time they would hike through seemingly remote areas. This was not only to let Lillie experience the feeling of "traveling," but also to allow Qiao Ran to collect more Pokémon.

Qiao Ran hadn't forgotten his "mission"—under the influence of some force, once he captured a certain number of the corresponding Pokémon and released them into an open area, he could claim a reward.

This reward could very well be the foundation for his future battles against powerful enemies, since no one knows how many people are behind that fake Rose, or whether he has any other accomplices.

Qiao Ran would never give up any way to become stronger.

Furthermore, battling Pokémon in the wild is also a way to train your own companions, especially Mimikyu and Altaria. Compared to those Legendary Pokémon, they may really need more training.

As night deepened, Qiao Ran and Lillie lay down in their sleeping bags early. The day's walking had taken a toll on their energy; not only Lillie, but even Qiao Ran himself felt quite tired.

Looking up at the dark tent ceiling, Qiao Ran couldn't help but mutter something to himself.

"These attributes are way too difficult!"

Attribute: Psychic

Quantity: 3/200

--Psychic-type Pokémon are relatively rare, and most of Pokémon don't live in any fixed location, so encountering them really depends on Pokémon.

Moreover, the number of these two hundred is simply terrifying. In the past few days, Qiao Ran has only found three. Heaven knows how much longer it will take to reach this level.

"Forget it, I'll stop thinking about it now. It's more important to get down to business."

Qiao Ran glanced at Lillie lying next to him; her cute little nose was breathing evenly, and she seemed to be asleep.

Yay!

Qiao Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quietly opened the passage leading to the Wild Area.

They probably won't be discovered, right?

Pokémon Pioneer Land.

Just like in the Real World, it's nighttime here too. However, unlike ordinary humans, many Pokémon don't need to sleep for long periods of time, especially the legendary Pokémon, who can maintain their energy for several days without much trouble.

However, once they fall into a deep sleep, it won't be a matter of just a day or two.

"Master, it's been so long..."

The familiar Cave, inlaid with Gem, still glows faintly even at night, reflected in the Gem.

The petite girl with long, dark Purple Long Hair greeted Qiao Ran with a smile, but no matter how you looked at it, her expression carried a hint of danger.

She never forgot her promise to Qiao Ran and kept looking forward to it. Vulpix had the same expectation as her, and since that day, Dianxi would occasionally invite Vulpix to stay at her place.

--At that moment, Vulpix happened to be nearby, but unlike the smiling Dianxi, Vulpix simply hummed softly without any expression, expressing its emotions.

There's absolutely no doubt that Qiao Ran them up.

Moreover, it seems that even if Qiao Ran comes today, she won't be able to stay with them for very long. This can be sensed from the anxiety in Qiao Ran's heart.

--As the Pokémon have been with Qiao Ran the longest, Dianxi and Vulpix can indeed be considered to understand Qiao Ran the most.

"Sorry... I was actually a bit tied up, after all..."

You saw it when you went out earlier, there were still people over there... I can't possibly expose your identities, can I?"

Qiao Ran scratched his head awkwardly, but his words were immediately interrupted by Dianxi.

"Can't we just introduce her to us?"

"This..."

Dianxi's gaze was fixed on Qiao Ran's eyes, but Qiao Ran's body suddenly froze in place.

"She's your owner's Pokémon too, right? At least for now and for the future. We'll definitely get to know each other."

"..."

Is the master afraid of something?

Dianxi's straightforward words left Qiao Ran speechless. Although he knew that Dianxi and the others were angry with him for a reason, which was why they spoke so bluntly, it was undeniable that Dianxi's words made sense.

--It's impossible for Lillie not to know.

Becoming his Pokémon means being connected to him for almost the rest of your life. Is it even possible to keep avoiding Lillie forever?