Chapter 71
--This is an extremely special Pokémon that exists only in legends. They are Grass and Psychic type, and their bodies are extremely small, but they have the special ability to travel through time and space, as well as various time-related special abilities.
Moreover, this is also a Legendary Pokémon with the concept of a "family". Unlike Suicune or Yveltal, which are unique, many Celebi can exist in the world at the same time. Just like other ordinary Pokémon, countless Celebi together form a family and travel through time and space.
Of course, Celebi's time manipulation abilities are not actually at a supernatural level. Just like Suicune can control water, and Kyogre can also control water, although everyone can control water, there is a considerable difference between them. This difference is also true when applied to Celebi and the true "God of Time".
"You seem to know something. Could you tell me?"
Phoebe keenly noticed Lillie and Qiao Ran actions, which piqued her interest even more.
"We... do know some things, but we've just arrived, so let's rest for a bit first."
Qiao Ran could already sense the urgency in the other person's words, although he didn't understand why they were interested in "Celebi," and the other person didn't seem to need more time.
However, Qiao Ran felt this was an opportunity to seek dialogue.
Being knocked unconscious and brought in, and even having Suicune attacked, made Qiao Ran feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Although the other party didn't seem to have much malice, and even acted almost playfully throughout, it was precisely this attitude that made it so infuriating.
However, Qiao Ran couldn't do anything about her now. If Qiao Ran were to estimate, that Mimikyu alone was definitely over level 50.
--If he were stronger, he would absolutely, definitely, absolutely crush this guy.
"And my Pokémon is injured too; she needs to rest."
Qiao Ran looked at Suicune beside her. Suicune had been knocked away during her head-on confrontation with Mimikyu. Although she hadn't been seriously injured, her eyes were filled with deep worry and self-blame.
Qiao Ran
It was clear that this "Elite Four" only wanted to establish his authority and didn't intend to cause them any real harm. However, the series of events that had just occurred had already taken a toll on Suicune's morale...
"Oh? Worried about your Pokémon...?"
Phoebe gave Qiao Ran a long look, and finally nodded.
"Alright, we'll do as you say."
Perhaps because she cared about the information about Celebi, Phoebe's attitude towards Qiao Ran and the other person improved considerably.
"I will have a banquet prepared tonight. You two can go back to your rooms and rest for a while. We'll meet again at the banquet later."
As Phoebe spoke, she glanced at Mimikyu standing to the side.
"Take them to a room to stay in. You can choose any room you like. I'm going to rest now."
After saying that, Phoebe flapped her wings and disappeared into the shadows. However— Qiao Ran quickly called out to her.
"Wait! I have another question."
"..."
Qiao Ran waited a second, but there seemed to be no response, so he quickly shouted out the question.
Why is there no signal here??
--Signal.
This is a big problem; without a signal, he won't be able to contact Mei and the others outside.
Qiao Ran called out several times, and finally, as if unable to bear it any longer, the other party finally made a sound from the darkness.
"Are you an idiot? Why are you asking me this?"
Search for WiFi yourself! The password is...
!"
Qiao Ran was stunned. "Huh?"
Wi... Fi???
There's no signal here, but there's WiFi???
What kind of strange place is this??
"Mimimimimi."
The tiny Mimikyu darted around quickly on the ground, with Qiao Ran and Lillie following behind, as they entered the depths of the Western-style Mansion.
Whether it was the owner's preference or not, this Western-style Mansion didn't have many lights. It wasn't that there were lights but they weren't turned on; rather, it was that such things were never installed in the first place.
Moreover, even the limited lighting here is mostly provided by Ghost Type Pokémon —such as Litwick.
"Qiao... Qiao Ran... I... I won't be able to sleep... Um... should we...?"
Lillie was trembling from the very beginning, her eyes glistening with pitiful tears, and her hands clutching Qiao Ran's sleeve tightly. This wasn't just a haunted house; it was a real haunted house!
The darkness was filled with the shadows of Ghost Type Pokémon; no one knew what might jump out around the next corner.
If Lillie lived alone, she probably wouldn't even dare to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
"Let's see once we're in the room. If it really doesn't work out, you can just stay in my room." Qiao Ran smiled helplessly. Lillie was gripping his hand so tightly it was starting to hurt. Heaven knows how this girl has such strength.
"Mmm..." Lillie responded softly, seemingly relieved.
On the other side, Qiao Ran took out Rotom, which was already connected to WiFi, and secretly checked the level of the Mimikyu leading the way.
He hadn't had a chance to observe the other party's situation before, but now he has many opportunities.
He took out his Rotom and aimed it at the other party; soon, text appeared on the Rotom's screen.
Mimikyu: Ghost type / Fairy type. Level: 60.
"...60???"
Seeing that terrifying level, Qiao Ran couldn't help but exhale a breath of relief. The highest-level Pokémon he had ever seen before were only Yi Ruoyun's few level 50+ Flying type Pokémon, but now... there was a level 60 Mimikyu in front of him, and it was even leading the way?!
"No wonder... the gap between Suicune and it is still quite large."
Thinking back to that brief encounter, although it wasn't a formal battle, Suicune, which hadn't even reached level 40 yet, was indeed far inferior to this rather petite Pokémon in front of it.
Moreover... Elite Four Pokémon above level 50 can possess some special abilities, so those above level 60 might have other trump cards up their sleeves.
"This is the oldest Elite Four."
Qiao Ran couldn't help but sigh; there was still so much he needed to learn and explore.
What kind of old woman is this woman who calls herself Phoebe?
Lillie
Section 134, page 131 [Phoebe's Table]
"Ask you about things related to the Celebi?"
"Yes, Lillie and I were both there, but neither of us knew why the other would ask these questions. Is she short on time?"
Qiao Ran, holding Rotom, started talking to Mei, who was in Jinling. Mei was also involved, so at this time, both Qiao Ran and Lillie needed to ask for each other's opinion.
"Well... actually, she asked me a similar question before." Mei scratched her head, seemingly a little embarrassed to bring up the topic.
"However, when I first came to this world, I was a bit down, so I just said I had amnesia and brushed it off."
Mei stuck out her tongue. That's exactly how she was back then. She was like a completely different person, devoid of emotion. In the end, she only slowly improved after Dr. Lilia's guidance.
Of course, Qiao Ran's appearance was also a turning point for her to rekindle her hope; otherwise, she would definitely have reverted to her old, withdrawn self.
"So you think it's better not to tell her these things?" Qiao Ran asked.
"No... I'm fine, but it's Qiao Ran... what if someone starts watching you?"
Mei looked at Qiao Ran, her eyes filled with deep worry.
"If Celebi's message is relayed, it will definitely increase some people's covetousness of Legendary Pokémon."
"That's... indeed."
Qiao Ran stroked his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Celebi's existence is known to almost everyone in the Pokémon World, and logically speaking, this news doesn't have any particular value—but for the people of this world, it's nothing short of revolutionary.
It's important to understand that in the eyes of people in this world, Pokémon are merely "creatures that wield special powers," and it's absolutely impossible for them to associate them with worldly powers such as time, space, or even life and death.
If this news gets out, as it spreads, it will inevitably draw public attention to some previously undiscovered Pokémon, and Qiao Ran's everyday Pokémon will certainly be investigated by those with ulterior motives.
The Captivate of Legendary Pokémon is enough to tempt many to take risks.
"So, the Celebi isn't the problem; the key is yourself. If you feel unsafe, then you shouldn't say anything."
Mei didn't want Qiao Ran to take any risks. He was her only hope right now, and if something unexpected happened along the way... Mei didn't even dare to think about that.
"At least... wait until you've grown up..."
"Yes, I also think it's better not to say anything yet..."
Lillie, who was standing nearby, also offered her opinion, but her perspective seemed to differ subtly from Mei's.
"That Elite Four looks terrifying. If I were to speak directly, it definitely wouldn't end well. She's probably plotting something wicked."
"This..."
Looking at the worried eyes of the two girls in front of him, Qiao Ran really wanted to shrug and tell them casually that he had recently added a super powerful Yveltal to his team, and they didn't need to worry about so many things. However... when Qiao Ran thought about Yveltal's level, he ultimately dismissed the idea.
Qiao Ran didn't want them to worry too much, at least... he shouldn't make them live in fear because of his own risky behavior.
"Alright, I'll listen to you. Don't tell me everything, just talk about some of Celebi's more ordinary attributes, and don't involve any strange time powers."
"Okay, that's good."
"Yes, that's good."
Hearing Qiao Ran's answer, both girls breathed a sigh of relief. Although Qiao Ran gave them different feelings and meanings, they were both worried about Qiao Ran safety.
Unbeknownst to them, this man had become the backbone of their group.
"By the way, Mei, do you know what Elite Four this Elite Pokémon is related to? She said she and Iron Maiden are the same kind of people... which means she might also be a descendant of some kind of Pokémon, right?"
Qiao Ran asked about another matter that concerned her, but Mei could only shake her head, indicating that she didn't understand.
"I don't know either... Dr. Lilia didn't mention it either. If I had to guess... maybe it's Salamence? Or something else?"
"How could that be? If it were a dragon, it would at least have a tail, right?"
Qiao Ran dismissed Mei's conjecture. Aside from her red wings, there were almost no other clues about Phoebe related to the Salamence; there was still a significant discrepancy. As for what lay inside Phoebe's skirt... Qiao Ran didn't have the courage to investigate further.
"Ah, speaking of Pokémon, Qiao Ran, didn't you ask me about Pokémon before? How's it going? Has it been resolved now?"
Suddenly, Mei seemed to remember something and abruptly changed the subject.
Qiao Ran had indeed asked her a lot of questions before, such as how to reconcile two Pokémon. Mei cared a lot about these things, so she definitely wanted to ask about the follow-up developments this time.
"Well... let's just say they've made up for now."
"For now? You still haven't grasped the key points I made, have you?"
Mei pouted as she spoke.
"You have to treat Pokémon equally. If you favor one over the other, it will definitely cause disputes. You must have gotten it wrong again, right?"
"Forehead..."
As Mei suddenly launched into a long-winded Mei of Pokémon breeding methods, Qiao Ran couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
Once he starts talking about Pokémon, he just can't stop.
"Pfft." Lillie, watching this scene from the side, couldn't help but smile as well.
Despite her
She wasn't Pokémon Trainer, but she seemed to be able to feel the bond between herself and the Pokémon.
If she has the chance next time, maybe she can try becoming a Trainer...
At dinner time, Qiao Ran and Lillie were once again led by Mimikyu to the Western-style Mansion's Restaurant.
During the break, Qiao Ran not only spoke with Mei but also comforted Suicune, managing to do quite a bit.
However, when Qiao Ran and Lillie arrived at the dining table, they were met with an extremely surprising sight.
--Everywhere there were Haunter carrying plates of food and Polteageist filled with drinks, Litwick stood in the center of the table, illuminating the entire table. Moreover, Qiao Ran could clearly see that there were also several Froslass wearing aprons directing all the actions on the side.
Everything seemed to be proceeding in an orderly manner.
Welcome, both of you.