The three Sceptile and three Grovyle instinctively gathered together, forming a small defensive circle.
The leading Sceptile—the one with the injured left arm—swept its gaze over Xinhai and his companions, then lingered briefly on the surroundings before finally settling on the poacher's corpse on the ground.
Its pupils contracted slightly as it let out a low, wary hiss from its throat.
"Cha..."
Xinhai raised both hands to show that he meant no harm.
"You're safe now." His voice was calm and gentle. At the same time, he stepped aside and pointed at the Grovyle still unconscious not far behind him. "That poacher was killed by my companions and me. His body is right here."
Gardevoir floated to his side, her red eyes glowing faintly as she used Telepathy to convey Xinhai's words and genuine feelings to the frightened Pokémon.
Upon hearing this, the leading Sceptile's tense body visibly relaxed somewhat.
Then it turned its head and glanced at the lifeless corpse on the ground.
That gray-black camouflage uniform, that tactical belt hung with empty Poké Balls, and that face it would never forget.
Sceptile withdrew its gaze and looked at Xinhai. It opened its mouth and let out a rapid string of cries while gesturing with its claws.
"Cha! Chacha!"
Xinhai could not understand, but Gardevoir beside him could.
Gardevoir floated closer and softly translated through Telepathy, It's asking whether you've seen its other tribespeople. It says they were captured together, along with several Treecko and Grovyle.
Xinhai shook his head and pointed to the Grovyle that had yet to wake up. "We only came across this one. It was injured, but it's already been treated."
After a pause, he added, "As for the others, they should still be in the Poké Balls on this man. Let me look."
He