Why is my Pokémon girl a bit strange?

Qiao Ran felt he should hurry and send Eve to her sister. He could protect the girl for a while, but not for a lifetime. Moreover, finding Eve's sister was one of Qiao Ran's reasons for coming here. The person in that photo was just too special.

As for challenging the Jinling Gym, Qiao Ran felt it was better to deal with the current matters first. Challenging a Gym allowed for no distractions. If Eve were to be captured again midway, it would be quite troublesome for him.

"She should be at the company. I'll give you directions... Do you have money for a taxi?"

"Of course, I have money," Qiao Ran rolled his eyes.

"I'm a legitimate Adventurer, I get subsidies from the Pokémon League. I'm not like you, sneaking out. Besides, I also earned a 30,000 yuan prize money before."

"30,000 yuan... that should have been mine."

Eve also rolled her eyes. If Qiao Ran hadn't appeared, she would have had a high chance of winning the championship. However, if Qiao Ran hadn't come, the subsequent events wouldn't have happened either.

Comparing the two, Eve felt that perhaps the current situation was better.

Qiao Ran hailed a taxi by the roadside, and he, along with Eve and her two "sisters," headed to their destination.

However, when Qiao Ran arrived at the office building and reached the location Eve had pointed out, he stared blankly at the company name at the entrance.

"Wind Flower Snow Moon Ruins Investigation Company?"

Ruins Investigation Company... What was that? And why was the name so strange?

"It's a company that excavates Pokémon ruins. These ruins are usually quite dangerous, so only investigators with both professional knowledge and strength can take on the job."

"My sister's job is to lead these investigators and explore things hidden within the ruins. Of course, generally speaking, such companies cooperate with the League. It's perfectly fine to consider them as research institutes."

Eve began to explain, standing to the side. From her admiring gaze, it was clear that she truly respected her sister's profession.

"You wait by the entrance for a bit. I'll go in and see what's happening... if my sister is here. Those staff members should still recognize me, as my sister has brought me to her company several times."

Eve planned to have Qiao Ran wait at the entrance first. After all, she didn't know how to explain the boy's identity to her sister yet. It was better to take things slowly.

— If her sister's first impression of him was bad, it would be troublesome.

"Alright, be careful. If anything happens, shout loudly, and I'll be there immediately."

Qiao Ran reminded her, then obediently stayed at the entrance. After all, it was someone else's company, and it wasn't convenient for him to go in and disturb them. So, staying put was a reasonable choice.

A moment later, Eve walked out of the door again, but this time her expression was a little disappointed.

"Sorry... it seems my sister and the others aren't here."

"It seems my sister and the others found a nearby ruin and went for an excavation. That ruin hasn't been around for long, so maybe they can find something very important."

"Excavation work? That girl... the girl I asked you about earlier, did she go too?" Qiao Ran continued to ask.

"Yes, she went with them. I heard she's already my sister's personal assistant, so there's no reason for my sister not to bring her."

Although Eve was puzzled as to why Qiao Ran kept focusing on that girl, she still explained the situation truthfully.

"Is that so..."

After hearing Eve's explanation, Qiao Ran was out of options. Since they had left for something else, they had no better choice than to wait obediently.

"Excavating ruins... digging up fossils. I wonder if they can restore an Aerodactyl." Qiao Ran muttered to himself.

However, upon hearing Qiao Ran's words, Eve blinked in confusion.

"Aerodactyl...? What's that?"

"You don't know Aerodactyl? What about Kabutops or Omanyte?"

Qiao Ran also blinked in confusion. Since they were excavating fossils and ruins, it made no sense not to encounter these Pokémon.

Qiao Ran thought for a moment, perhaps it was because the naming conventions were different in this world. He then proceeded to describe the appearances of those Pokémon to Eve. However, even after hearing the descriptions, Eve remained completely clueless.

"What are those? I've never heard of such things before?"

Eve took Qiao Ran's hand and walked into the company's entrance. Not far from the entrance, several colorful photos were displayed.

"Look, those are the restoration images of fossil Pokémon. Which one of them looks like what you described? They're completely different things! What flying dragon? They're clearly just flying mosquitoes."

Eve gave Qiao Ran a sideways glance, as if blaming him for joking with her.

She wasn't a child anymore, how could she be fooled by such lies?

However, looking at the photos on the wall, Qiao Ran's eyes widened directly, and then—his whole body shivered, a chill creeping up from his heart, starting from his arms and spreading goosebumps all over him.

Staring at the crooked, messily colored fossil restoration images, Qiao Ran felt a chilling sensation.

A muscular mosquito... a glowing jellyfish... a dragon-shaped bee... a nimble cockroach...

These things... these things were not fossil Pokémon at all...

These things... were clearly the so-called Ultra Beasts!!!

Chapter 50 Section 049 [Jinling Gym]

Ultra Beasts.

Mysterious creatures that existed outside the Pokémon world, originating from what was called "Ultra Space" or another dimension.

Like Pokémon, they could be contained in special Poké Balls. However, unlike Pokémon that could coexist harmoniously in the natural world, they mostly played the role of "ecological destroyers."

Furthermore, compared to Pokémon in the Pokémon world, they possessed immense power. Although they were just ordinary, everyday individuals in "Ultra Space," they were truly terrifying existences compared to regular Pokémon.

The racial values of these Ultra Beasts generally reach levels of 540 and 570. If this were the case for ordinary Pokémon, only the cream of the crop would be able to achieve such numbers.

Their immense power, coupled with a destructive urge that not only fails to integrate with the environment but actively alters it, makes them a considerable nuisance.

Take Guzzlord, for example. Its insatiable appetite can destroy anything it sees. There are even rumors that Guzzlord is a corrupted Zygarde from another world, its endless hunger merely a duty to maintain ecological balance by digesting waste and restoring equilibrium.

This rumor is supported by three points.

First, Guzzlord and Zygarde share similar body colors. Not only that, but their shiny forms are also quite alike, with most of their bodies being pure white.

Second, Guzzlord's head bears a strong resemblance to Zygarde's.

Third, the parts extending from Zygarde's rear are virtually identical to Guzzlord's pincers, with no significant differences. Furthermore, both have eye-like features on their chests.

However, even with so much evidence, Qiao Ran remained skeptical. Until there's concrete proof, these are just speculations.

After all, Zygarde is an incredibly powerful being, a Legendary Pokémon responsible for maintaining ecological balance. Her strength is unquestionable. If even she could fall, what kind of power would that take?

Qiao Ran shook his head, refocusing his attention.

"These fossils..."

Qiao Ran took a deep breath. While some matters remained unconfirmed, judging by the fossils excavated from this world and the murals he had seen previously, Qiao Ran couldn't help but entertain a rather absurd thought.

—These ruins might not be from the real Pokémon world.

Instead, they might be from a parallel world, an alternate world where Ultra Beasts exist and thrive!

Why?

Why would these things appear here?

"Are there any real fossils here? I want to see the real fossils."

Qiao Ran gazed at Eve with burning intensity. His thirst for knowledge surged unprecedentedly. He wanted to see fossils of Ultra Beasts and uncover the truth behind it all.

He wondered if Mei's reason for joining this company was also related to these things. The Pokémon world, the Ultra world... perhaps this world too, had long been connected.

"Hmm... If you want to see fossils now, I can't really do anything. My sister won't even let me see her fossils... But if you really want to see them, you can visit the museum.

Scientists are currently trying to revive these fossilized creatures. It's unclear when they'll have any new breakthroughs."

Faced with Qiao Ran's sudden request, Eve could do nothing. She was merely the leader's sister, and fossils were company secrets. They couldn't just be shown to anyone.

"Alright," Qiao Ran pouted helplessly. But the thought of these people trying to revive those fossils made him want to criticize their recklessness.

The Pokémon world had gone to great lengths to fight Ultra Beasts, yet here they were, striving to revive them. What else could that be but courting disaster?

Qiao Ran felt that if he had the chance, he absolutely had to talk to Eve's sister, at least to explain the dangers involved.

Otherwise, if they actually managed to revive a Guzzlord and it started devouring the world, it would be a real problem.

Since he couldn't find anyone at the company, both Eve's sister and Mei, whom Qiao Ran needed to find, would be back after some time. To avoid wasting time, Qiao Ran decided to head to the Gym first.

To prepare for the Gym battle, Qiao Ran also found an excuse to visit a Pokémon Center, pretending to leave his two "sisters" there.

This was a necessary preparation. If Eve saw two beautiful girls suddenly transform into Pokémon, she would likely have nightmares.

"So, we're still going to challenge the Gym now? I haven't seen a Gym battle before. Are Gym battles exciting?"

Eve chattered incessantly beside him, making Qiao Ran's head buzz.

"Gym battles aren't exciting. And don't wander off randomly. If you get lost again, I won't be able to find you. This isn't the sea; if someone gets lost here, they can't be fished out."

Qiao Ran sternly warned Eve. It wasn't that he found her troublesome, but that was simply the reality... Well, she was indeed a bit troublesome.

Qiao Ran felt like he was carrying a dead weight.

"It's okay! The Gym Leader here is actually my sister's friend. Speaking of which, my sister and her were high school classmates... so I actually know her too. No one will dare cause trouble at the Gym. Also, you probably didn't make a reservation, right? How about I take you straight to the Gym Leader?"

Eve said mysteriously. This girl's connections were surprisingly extensive.

"The Jinling Gym Leader is a very powerful Steel-type trainer. If you want to win, you'll need to prepare Pokémon with advantageous types. Steel is a very difficult type to deal with."

"Oh? Steel-type?"

Qiao Ran raised an eyebrow. Honestly, Steel was arguably one of the most formidable types in the Pokémon world. Even the mighty Dragon-type suddenly had a swarm of pink demons to counter it, but Steel-type... it naturally possessed ten resistances and one immunity. Compared to other types, Steel was practically a darling favored by the heavens.

"Do you know what her ace Pokémon is? For a Steel-type..."

Qiao Ran couldn't help but think of Yi Ruoyun's Skarmory. With its level exceeding 50, it was undoubtedly one of the most powerful Pokémon he had encountered.

"Her ace Pokémon is..."

Eve fell into thought. Even when she was very young, she had experienced that Pokémon's charm.

Not beauty, not prettiness, but a nobility and dignity that emanated from within.

"—Empoleon, though some people also like to call it—Steel Emperor Penguin!"

Chapter 51: 050 [Steel Gym Leader] (Seeking Votes!)

The Jinling Gym was not as ostentatious as the Longjiang Gym.

On the contrary, it exuded a heavy, steel fortress-like aura. Although it also allowed for spectators, it wasn't designed with tourism in mind. Each Gym Leader had their own personality and choices, leading to different management styles.

As for the League, they didn't impose strict profit requirements on Gyms. After all, the primary duty of a Gym was to teach trainers and help them improve their strength. As long as this objective was met, the League supported Gyms engaging in social activities like running tutoring sessions or selling tickets.

These activities outside of Gym operations also helped foster the public's love for Pokémon sports. As long as the Pokémon craze didn't fade, the League could continue to exist, constantly attracting new blood.

"The second Gym badge... here I come for the second Gym badge!"

Standing at the entrance of the Gym, Qiao Ran excitedly patted his cheeks. Back at the Longjiang Gym, Qiao Ran hadn't fought the Gym Leader, but instead got tangled up with the Gym Leader's daughter. This time, however, his strength had grown significantly. To some extent, he could now go toe-to-toe with Elite Trainers.

However, when facing Steel-types, Qiao Ran indeed had a bit of trouble. Firstly, his highest-leveled Vulpix was doubly weak to Steel-types, and Dianxi, who could Mega Evolve, was quadruply weak. It was likely that taking even one hit would cause major problems.

Even though Dianxi's defense was terrifyingly high, under a quadruple weakness, it would still need to avoid direct confrontation.

"Suicune is probably the most reliable one for this battle... Altaria's level is still quite low; I doubt she could last long even if sent out."

As Qiao Ran considered his strategy for this battle, he walked towards the front desk. The young lady at the Gym's front desk looked at Qiao Ran with a smile.

"Hello, do you have an appointment?"

"An appointment..." Qiao Ran glanced at Eve behind him, indicating it was her time to shine.

He now had a "disease" where he could only challenge Gyms if he didn't have an appointment. How happy would it be if future Gym challenges didn't require appointments and waiting in line?

As long as the path of no appointments continued to extend, his Gym challenges could also continue uninterrupted.

And Eve truly didn't disappoint Qiao Ran. After arriving at this Gym, she seemed as comfortable as if she had come home.

"We have an appointment. Please contact the Gym Leader and just tell her 'Eve is here.'"

"Eve? Okay, please wait a moment. We'll confirm with the Gym Leader."

Although the young lady at the front desk didn't understand the special significance of the name "Eve," she very dutifully picked up the phone.

"What? Yes, it's one male and one female, both very young. Okay... okay, I understand. I'll have them wait here."

After the phone call ended, the young lady at the front desk looked at Qiao Ran and Eve again, a smile appearing on her face.

"I've contacted the Gym Leader. She said she'll be here shortly, so please wait here for a moment."

"Okay."