Xia Chi's phone did not come with night vision, so he turned off his livestream when the sky grew dark to focus on resolving the Mingchong Mountain supernatural incident.
The Oddish must have developed PTSD from whatever unknown Ghost-type Pokémon that was.
As soon as night fell, they immediately buried their bodies in the dirt to cosplay as ostriches, leaving only a few blades of grass swaying in the wind.
The Bellsprout were no better; roots planted and leaves drooping, they likewise blended themselves into the surrounding environment.
Only Xia Chi and Sprigatito remained sitting by the campfire, along with Pachirisu, who had mustered up the courage to barely avoid being a deserter.
The mountain night wind sounded exceptionally clear in the silent forest.
Amidst the pitch-black darkness that resembled a man-swallowing behemoth, eerie red lights flashed from time to time.
Listening intently, one could even hear faint sounds akin to Pokémon weeping.
"Pachi."
Pachirisu trembled, wanting to lean close to Xia Chi to draw courage, only to be forcefully shoved aside by Sprigatito.
Xia Chi comforted it, "Don't worry, it's probably just some other Pokémon passing by."
Though he said that, he still muttered quietly to himself in his heart.
Not gonna lie, this was getting a bit freaky.
It felt like watching a horror movie back in the day-everyone knew it was just a movie, something fictional.
Yet when Kayako actually crawled toward you on the screen, or when the little boy Toshio crept out from under the covers, an irrepressible feeling of fear would still well up.
Just like right now, even while knowing a Ghost-type Pokémon was making mischief, he still felt scared.
Whether it was his imagination or not, Xia Chi always felt that tonight's moonlight made people's hearts creepily unsettled.
Whoosh-
A gust of mountain wind blew past, and the leaping campfire flames took the shape of a phantom face, pouncing toward Xia Chi and Sprigatito.
By this time, Pachirisu had curled up into a complete ball, whimpering softly.
"Pachi."
Wuwuwu, I think I just saw my great-grandma.
Sprigatito's condition was slightly better.
Yet Xia Chi, sitting right beside it, could still feel its trembling body.
Only the desire to protect its Trainer barely maintained Sprigatito's courage and willpower.
At this moment, Xia Chi was actually no longer afraid.
With Sprigatito like this, if he allowed himself to be infected by fear as well, that would truly be the end of it.
He knew this was that Ghost-type Pokémon building up a terrifying atmosphere, attempting to gradually dismantle his willpower.
Rather than following its rhythm and letting fear spread, it was better to take the initiative.
"Anyway, it's boring just sitting here. Should I tell you a story?"
Xia Chi suddenly said, "You definitely won't be scared anymore after hearing this story."
Pachirisu nodded frantically, "Pachi!"
At a time like this, who cared about anything else? Having someone talk to distract them was certainly better than being slowly eroded by fear!
"Ahem."
Xia Chi cleared his throat and slowly began, "In the deep of a midnight city, a taxi-driving Pachirisu was preparing to pick up its last passenger before getting off work and heading home."
"At that moment, an Oddish suddenly appeared by the roadside. Its complexion looked extremely pale, and its gaze stared blankly ahead. Although Pachirisu driver was somewhat scared, it still mustered up the courage to strike up a conversation."
Holy mother of god! It's a ghost story!
Pachirisu, which was already trembling, became even more terrified.
In the dense woods not far away, that strange red light seemed to accelerate its flashing frequency as well.
Noticing this detail, Xia Chi continued, "[Sir, do you need a cab?] the Pachirisu driver asked. The Oddish didn't speak; it merely nodded, then opened the back door with its wilted leaves."
"Upon hearing the door close, the Pachirisu driver started on its way. The trip was eerie to the point of silence. Pachirisu tried talking to the Oddish to ease its frightened mood, but there was still no sound from the back seat-only the continuous slapping sounds coming from outside the car window..."
"[Sir, where are you heading?] Pachirisu's question still received no reply. It cautiously looked back through the rearview mirror, only to find... the Oddish that ought to have been sitting in the back seat was gone! Only its iconic grass leaves on top of its head were swaying unceasingly!"
"Pachi!"
"Myao!"
Hearing this, Pachirisu and Sprigatito huddled together in fright.
Xia Chi faintly heard a weak "Myao!" coming from the bushes beside them.
At the same time, the red light in the darkness flickered with increasing frequency.
Xia Chi pressed his lips together and chuckled inwardly.
Thought you were some kind of master, but turns out you're just a little noob.
He continued, "The terrified Pachirisu slammed its foot on the gas, but the slapping sounds outside the car grew louder and denser."
"Finally, it couldn't help slamming on the emergency brakes, ready to fight this eerie passenger. As a result, when it got out to check, it realized..."
"Turns out this drunk Oddish passenger had left its body locked outside the car when it got in, while its leaves got jammed inside. The slapping sounds outside were actually the sound of its body colliding with the high-speed car."
"Pachi!"
"Myao!"
The sudden plot twist turned the story's tone from terrifying to comedic, and the two Pokémon's emotions went on a roller coaster ride, shifting from initial fear to relaxation.
Meanwhile, from the dense forest that Xia Chi had been secretly watching, crisp, giggling sounds of "Hehe" faintly drifted over.
The previously densely flashing red light gradually slowed down.
So you're a kid who's scared of ghosts too!
Having figured out the weakness of the unknown Ghost Pokémon, Xia Chi rolled his eyes and instantly came up with an idea.
"Well? Not scared anymore, right?"
Xia Chi said to Sprigatito and Pachirisu, who had calmed down, "How about I tell you another story?"
Pachirisu, hearing a story like this for the first time, nodded happily, "Pachi!"
Xia Chi cleared his throat and began to narrate.
"There was an ordinary cave at the southern foot of Mingchong Mountain. Even in midsummer, it was permeated with a rotting, damp aura. Nearby Pachirisu passing by would suddenly bristle, as if being choked by something."
"No one knew that over a decade ago, the Nidoking living here had cruelly sliced open its mate Nidoqueen's belly with sharp claws. When the first witness, an Oddish, discovered them, Nidoqueen's limbs were bent backward at angles impossible for a Pokémon's body, twisted like a hemp rope by an invisible hand. As for their child, a six-month-old Nidoran♂, it was nowhere to be found."
"Ever since then, every Pokémon resident who moved to live near here died in the middle of some dark night without exception, their states of death extremely terrifying."
That's right, what Xia Chi was telling was precisely the notorious Pokémon-remixed version of Ju-On: The Grudge starring Kayako.
And as the story deepened, the breathing of Sprigatito, Pachirisu, and that Pokémon hidden in the dense forest all gradually grew tense and heavy.
Finally, after nearly half an hour of narration, the story reached its climax.
".Pachirisu hid in the bushes in terror, wanting to escape the pursuit behind it. But right at that moment, it horrifiedly discovered heavy breathing coming from the thicket. Pachirisu slowly pushed aside the branches, and Banette's hollow, pitch-black eyes were pressed right against the tip of its nose."
"[Found you.] Banette's purplish-black gums exposed a spine-chilling smile, a gurgling sound mixed with bloody froth rolling from its throat."
The moment his voice fell, a dark shadow suddenly burst out from the bushes.
Accompanied by it was a terrified voice.
"Myao!"
Before you continue