Xin Mu had originally thought applying for and registering a protected area would be quite a cumbersome process, but he never expected that he would not have to handle any of it himself.
When he finished his journey and returned to his home in the Donghuang region, he was surprised to find a professional camping tent pitched outside his door. A conspicuous school flag stood atop it, its simple design clearly identifying the visitors.
"What exactly... is going on here?" Xin Mu asked, bewildered.
A familiar figure emerged from the tent and answered with a smile, "We're waiting for you to come home, of course. Old Lü said you'd gone to sort out an inheritance. We didn't have anything else to do, so we figured we'd just wait here. Seriously, though, that Umbreon in your backyard is pretty fierce."
Just then, Old Liu emerged from the tent as well.
Just as matters with the Donghuang League had wrapped up, news of Xin Mu's championship victory arrived. Compared with other contestants reaching the semifinals or the round of sixteen, an actual championship title carried far more weight. His achievement had surpassed everyone else's.
So Old Liu had simply brought people over to wait outside Xin Mu's home, ready to get an exclusive scoop the moment he returned. That was the difference a rise in status made. Waiting outside a champion's home for an interview was hardly impolite.
As for why Old Liu had said the Umbreon in the backyard was rather fierce...
It was because he had tried to get water from the pool in the backyard, only to be chased straight out.
Good thing it was this time...
Xin Mu silently counted his blessings. Had Regirock been home, he suspected he would have returned to find Old Liu unconscious in