As promised, Xiao Ran provided them with over a hundred Z-Rings. Of course, the vast majority were taken by Pokémon Trainers from the China Empire.
Although the Alola Region was now teeming with Ultra Beasts and fraught with danger, danger often came hand in hand with opportunity.
Whether it was the wealth of battle experience, the local specialties brought out of Ultra Wormholes, or the Ultra Beasts themselves... all of these could strengthen those Pokémon Trainers.
After settling matters there, Xiao Ran enjoyed another few leisurely months, until Ye Ling finally went into labor.
Outside the hospital's maternity ward, Qiao Yan paced back and forth, unable to contain her excitement.
Xiao Ran was in the delivery room with Ye Ling, holding her hand tightly. He did not even feel it when she scratched his palm open.
"Why so sudden? She's having the babies already? How long has she been in there?" Xuan Yuan Nian and Veranica arrived directly by Teleport. When they saw Qiao Yan outside the delivery room, they asked their questions with equal nervousness.
"When does something like this ever give you time to prepare? But Lingling is an Awakened with a strong constitution. She'll definitely be fine!" Qiao Yan reassured them instead.
Having been through it herself, she knew a thing or two about childbirth. There had never been a recorded case of an Awakened suffering a fatal complication from difficult labor. The ordeal, however, was unavoidable. A woman still had to go through it.
Sure enough, Ye Ling's delivery went smoothly. Several hours later, two little babies were born one after the other.
Standing outside the glass window of the sterile room, Xuan Yuan Nian and Veranica watched the little babies in their cradles with rapt interest, as though they could never get enough.
As Awakened,