"Eh?"
"I said I want to as well... Is there a problem? Master, I want to as well..."
Dianxi raised her head. Her ruby-like eyes shimmered with tears as she looked toward Qiao Ran.
Even if she had fallen behind by a step, Dianxi did not want to fall too far behind. Compared to Vulpix, what she wanted was far more than just this.
"Here...?"
Qiao Ran looked at Dianxi's delicate pink lips, which were trembling slightly, and his own heart quivered as well.
This was the resting room—Vulpix was here, and so was Eve!
Besides, was this really something a Pokémon was supposed to do?!
Why were all my Pokémon so strange?!
Qiao Ran roared inwardly, but he had to admit that even now, he still remembered the feeling Vulpix had left him with back then.
Were girls like them... really just Pokémon meant for battle?
"No... Let's go to the deck."
Dianxi tugged on Qiao Ran's sleeve. She was different from Vulpix; even at a moment like this, she felt there needed to be a certain atmosphere.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Dianxi did not want to waste it.
"Let Vulpix and Suicune stay here. Just the two of us... Master... just the two of us..."
The two held hands and went to the deck together.
With the breeze against their faces, the river before them, and sunlight bathing them, this was indeed the most scenic spot on the entire ship.
Dianxi liked the river. It was scenery she had never seen before, so she felt this place had the best atmosphere.
"Big brother... Master... Ah..."
Qiao Ran and Dianxi's bold behavior unsurprisingly drew quite a lot of attention.
Of course, the main reason was that Dianxi's appearance was simply too eye-catching. By comparison, Qiao Ran could only be considered "fairly handsome."
"Ahem."
"Mmm... mmm..."
After certain bold actions, Qiao Ran looked at Dianxi's flushed face and had no idea what to say to ease the awkwardness between them.
Compared to Vulpix's brief taste back then, Dianxi had clearly been much more proactive and much more thorough this time.
And compared to Vulpix's cool, sweet touch, Dianxi felt warmer and more intoxicating. Their sensations... were different.
"Let's... go back first. It wouldn't be good if something happened with Eve."
"Mmm... mmm."
Dianxi lowered her head as she answered Qiao Ran. Even now, her legs felt weak, and her head was still spinning.
What exactly had happened?
Dianxi did not know, nor did she dare ask Qiao Ran. She only felt that it had been wonderful... perhaps even addictive.
They returned to the bedroom through the corridor.
The first to greet them was Vulpix after taking human form—or rather, the girl who called herself Qiao Liuliu.
"You're back, big brother... You went to..."
Vulpix's gaze swept over Qiao Ran and Dianxi's faces. She almost did not need any further explanation to understand what had happened.
"...Welcome back."
Vulpix did not say anything else. Eve, lying on the bed, secretly watched the scene while muttering to herself inwardly.
Why was the atmosphere between these people... so strange? Why was it so... heavy?
Could this be... the relationship between ordinary siblings?
Thankfully... I only have one older sister.
Eve could not help feeling a trace of relief. Her older sister was very understanding, and she often answered questions Eve could not comprehend, teaching Eve all sorts of interesting things.
Eve wanted to go to Jinling this time because she hoped her older sister could help her. More importantly, after everything that had happened, her resolve had only grown stronger—she had to pursue her dream.
Otherwise, what meaning would life have?
On the other side of the room, Suicune lay on the floor in boredom. Yet as she watched the lively crowd in the room, a gentle light gradually appeared in her eyes.
Now that she no longer needed to hide her identity from Eve, Suicune had the chance to move around outside. Most importantly, she could start researching cooking again.
"Awoo—"
Perhaps Suicune had the simplest thoughts of everyone present. As long as she could protect these people and stay by their side, that was enough for her.
Section 047: Evolutionary Stone
For the next stretch of time, almost nothing happened. The two kidnappers did not appear again, and Eve's condition improved day by day.
However, in order to look after Eve, Qiao Ran still took the initiative to sleep on the floor. She still needed to rest and recover. Yet what Qiao Ran had not expected was that ever since he started sleeping on the floor, Vulpix and Dianxi seemed to have voluntarily lost their intelligence. Every day, they somehow ended up falling under the bed, giving Qiao Ran endless headaches.
Aside from that, Qiao Ran chose a suitable time to hold a welcome party for Altaria. The timing had not actually been easy to arrange. He had to protect Eve's safety on one hand while making sure she did not discover anything on the other, so he could only go to Pokémon Pioneer Land after she had fallen asleep.
"Welcome to our group... Altaria. If it hadn't been for you, our last operation would have failed."
For this welcome party, Suicune had prepared food in advance within Pokémon Pioneer Land. The wonderful aroma attracted many Pokémon from the forest. Qiao Ran did not stop them from coming, and everyone was happy to share their joy with the little ones.
Although they had returned to a wild environment, these Pokémon still acknowledged Qiao Ran in their hearts. More importantly—they truly liked this new home.
Compared to the outside world, they always felt more at ease living in this world. Even their bodies recovered faster. Qiao Ran had asked Vulpix and Dianxi about it, and they had agreed—when they were in Pokémon Pioneer Land, they felt much more comfortable.
"Chirp—chirp!"
Altaria flew excitedly through the sky. Her golden body radiated light even in the night. Qiao Ran had always liked Altaria, both in games and in reality.
Not only because of her beautiful and unique appearance, but also because she looked so gentle and lovable. In any case, Qiao Ran had never played favorites with his Pokémon.
"Chirp chirp chirp."
After circling through the air, Altaria ended her strange cry and finally landed beside Qiao Ran. However, there was now a glowing round stone in her beak.
"This is..."
Qiao Ran's gaze flickered when he saw the stone.
He understood what she meant and quickly took it from her. At the center of the stone was a pattern resembling both a leaf and a DNA helix.
"Is this your Evolution Stone, Altaria?"
"Chirp—" Altaria nodded vigorously.
Without a doubt, this was an Evolutionary Stone, a special stone that could form a bond with a specific Pokémon and trigger Mega Evolution.
Qiao Ran gently pulled aside his clothes. In fact, there was already a stone resting against his chest—it was Dianxi's stone.
The reason Dianxi had been able to evolve on the stage last time was because Qiao Ran had never taken off that Evolutionary Stone. When Dianxi's powerful will resonated with Qiao Ran, an unprecedented evolution occurred, releasing her into an entirely new form.
—The same applied to Altaria. From now on, Qiao Ran would keep her stone close to his body as well and never take it off.
However... a strange thought still arose in Qiao Ran's mind. He only had two Evolutionary Stones right now. Wearing them on his chest was fine, but... what would he do once he had more stones in the future?
Was he really going to string them together and hang them around his neck like prayer beads???
"..."
Shaking his head, Qiao Ran finally drove those inexplicable thoughts from his mind. There was no point worrying about that now. He should focus on what was in front of him.
"I'll keep it safe."
Qiao Ran stroked Altaria's soft head, paying special attention to the two long cowlicks on her head that resembled flowing ribbons.
"Chirp...!"
Altaria's body trembled, but she did not resist. It was clear that she seemed very sensitive about her cowlicks.
I wonder how they would feel after she takes human form. Qiao Ran thought to himself.
"One last group photo, Rotom—Bullet Seed!"
The welcome party at night did not last long. Qiao Ran and the others had to hurry back. They could use pillows to imitate the shape of people under the blankets, but if anything went wrong and Eve discovered them, it would be difficult to explain.
Qiao Ran did not want anyone else to know about this.
This was a secret belonging only to him and his Pokémon.
The cruise ship's voyage was nearing its end. Before disembarking, however, Qiao Ran asked Eve about some crucial matters.
"Who exactly were those kidnappers? What was their goal?"
Qiao Ran felt that he needed to know. After all, he had paid quite a price for that battle.
"Those people... should be mercenaries, or perhaps something like errand-runners. The kind of people who accept commissions and get things done."
Eve glanced at Qiao Ran. She no longer intended to hide things from the boy before her.
"As for why they kidnapped me, it was probably my mother's idea... She wanted me to go back and continue studying, live properly as a wealthy lady, and marry into a good family in the future."
"Mercenaries?" Qiao Ran frowned. "If she wanted to take you back, wouldn't it have been better for your mother to contact the police?"
"It's different. My mother... isn't that simple either. In any case, she prefers dealing with people like them."
Eve's eyes flickered as she carefully considered her wording.
"So your family is actually very wealthy?"
"Yes. I've actually always attended a private aristocratic Pokémon school... Sorry, I didn't tell you before because I wanted to deceive you. I just felt that..."
Eve's gaze dimmed. Countless people yearned for a noble life, but as someone within that circle, she instead longed for the freedom outside it.
"My mother is a very strict person. She only wants my sister and me to live out our lives peacefully, but what meaning does that have...? My older sister has already built her own career. I can do the same... That's why I ran away by myself..."
Eve lowered her eyes, and her voice grew softer and softer. It was the first time she had spoken to someone else about these things. She had not even revealed such thoughts to her own older sister.
"I trained when no one was around. Jynx and I kept training, training... I did so much... all so I could travel on my own..."
Eve's desire to pursue her dream infected Qiao Ran as well. Hadn't he set out on his journey for the dream he had always held?
"I know. I can tell—you really have worked hard."
Qiao Ran looked at her seriously, a smile appearing on his face as he instinctively reached out and stroked her head.
Qiao Ran swore that it had truly been an instinctive action. Perhaps his Pokémon had brainwashed him. He had not been like this in the past.
A few months ago, his understanding of hands had been limited to using chopsticks to eat... But now...
Feeling the touch on the top of her head, Eve froze slightly. Her face flushed with startling speed, and she stumbled back a step, clutching at her chest.
"Don't... don't suddenly be so nice to me... I'll really start crying..."
Although she said that, tears had already flowed from the corners of her eyes. Sometimes, meeting someone who understood you was truly both sweet and luxurious.
Most importantly, at that moment, she was undoubtedly happy.
Section 048: Ruins and Fossils
"Wow—It's huge!"
The moment she stepped off the cruise ship, Eve could not help exclaiming.
Jinling, one of the most prosperous cities in the south, had been an important place for the flourishing and inheritance of Huaxia civilization since ancient times. It had suffered the ravages of war many times, yet every time it had rebuilt its prosperity from ruins and desolation. This city was a true legend.
"Didn't you come here before? I saw it in the photos."
Qiao Ran could not help teasing her. She had already admitted that she was a wealthy young lady, so why was she acting like some country bumpkin who had never seen the world?
"Hehe, I just wanted to say it. If my mother were here, she wouldn't let me shout like that."
Recovered from her injuries, Eve seemed to have returned to her usual mischievous self. However, because her backpack had been lost during the kidnapping, she had no way to disguise her appearance now and could only run around with her distinctive golden hair on display.
"Let's go find your older sister now. Where should she be?"
Before you continue