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The heavy rain gradually subsided, but Jacob no longer had any desire to sleep. He sat upon the remains of his tent, staring blankly at the stars scattered across the sky.
Huxley's surprise attack today had served as a stark reminder to Jacob: even with the powerful Iron Valiant by his side, his own safety might not be as secure as he'd imagined.
Since the start of his journey, his whereabouts and itinerary, in the eyes of powerful and influential individuals like Raya and Huxley, could be said to hold absolutely no secrets.
Which train he took, when he arrived at Sun Mountain, and where he traveled—all of it could be thoroughly investigated by anyone with sufficient resources and motivation.
Jacob gazed at the twinkling stars in the sky and reached a decision. Taking advantage of the deep night, he directly released Noivern and, under the cover of darkness, departed from the Sun Wilderness Reserve.
"Tickets for sale! Tickets for sale! Mistvale River luxury cruise tour, only 888 Pokedollars per person!"
"Three-day luxury tour! Experience the beautiful scenery of Mistvale River—excellent value for your money!"
"Water-type Pokemon! Blastoise will take you on a tour of Mistvale River! Rental is cheap, second Pokemon half price!"
At the pier, enthusiastic shouts rose and fell continuously. As a popular tourist attraction in Greenvale, Mistvale River's pier was crowded with tourists from all over the country during peak season.
Everyone wanted to wear traditional green robes and long gowns, stand with hands clasped behind their backs, float upon a small boat, drift down the Mistvale River, admire the scenery along both banks, and loudly recite poetry about their journey.
They wished to experience the swift justice and romantic entanglements of knights from classical tales.
Everyone harbors a martial arts dream in their heart: wielding a three-foot sword, roaming freely throughout the world.
A cup of wine in the spring breeze among peach and plum blossoms, ten years of lamplight in the night rain of the wandering life.
Jacob wanted to experience this as well. Anyway, he had already concealed his whereabouts and was wearing both a mask and sunglasses. No one should be able to recognize him, allowing him to completely let loose.
Some people seem to put on a mask, but in reality, they're removing their true mask.
Since going off the grid, Jacob's journey over the past few days could be described as a complete release, doing things he had never done in either his previous life or this one.
For example, he rented a luxury racing motorcycle and experienced life at extreme speeds, or tried extreme bungee jumping and high-altitude skydiving.
Jacob even posted videos of his travels online, which led to netizens calling out hopes for a chance encounter with him.
This time, upon arriving at Mistvale River, Jacob wanted to experience the beautiful scenery of the river while wearing traditional Hanfu to feel like an ancient knight.
Jacob specifically rented a small boat and several Seaking. Under the boatman's expert guidance, the Seaking pulled the small boat steadily downstream.
The river water ran clear, and the mountains rose in layers.
The scenery along both banks of Mistvale River was extraordinarily beautiful, with continuous green mountains and lush vegetation.
The boat glided smoothly across the water, making one feel as if they were traveling through a living painting.
A single sail, a single oar, a fishing boat, a fisherman, a fishing hook.
A glance downward, a glance upward, a laugh, a river of bright moonlight, a river of autumn.
Paddling alone on the Mistvale River offered a truly unique experience.
Lying back on the small boat, sleeping amidst mountains and water, dreaming beneath the starry river—this was truly one of life's great joys.
The cool breeze blowing across the river's surface dispelled the oppressive summer heat.
On the river, Jacob discovered he wasn't alone. Many young people, dressed in various traditional costumes, were either paddling small boats or riding on the backs of Lapras and Blastoise, touring Mistvale River and creating precious memories.
Reading ten thousand books cannot compare to traveling ten thousand miles.
Jacob also retrieved his camera at this moment to take commemorative photographs.
Unfortunately, since Jacob was traveling alone this time, he could only ask the boatman to take pictures for him, which added a small touch of regret to the experience.
"Young man, you're quite handsome. You look so young—are you still in school?" After taking several photos, the boatman studied Jacob's face, vaguely sensing a feeling of familiarity but unable to immediately recall where he'd seen him before.
This wasn't particularly surprising, because Jacob's current appearance was completely different from how he looked when he participated in the High School Cup. Not only was he wearing a wig, but he had also changed into traditional costume. Unless someone knew him extremely well, they wouldn't recognize Jacob.
"Just graduated from high school," Jacob replied with a friendly smile. This boatman seemed to be an honest person, earning his living on the river with a few Seaking and a small boat.
"Which university did you get accepted into? My granddaughter is also attending university." Speaking of his granddaughter, the boatman's face broke into a broad smile, revealing his yellowed teeth.
Due to spending years working on the river, the boatman's skin had darkened considerably and his face showed signs of weathering. As he spoke, he retrieved an old photograph from his worn purse.
"Here, let me show you. This is a photo of my granddaughter."
Seeing the proud expression radiating from the boatman's face, Jacob felt inexplicably touched.
The boatman before him represented a microcosm of countless parents throughout the world. No matter the circumstances, when discussing their children, parents are always filled with pride. Regardless of how others might view them, in parents' hearts, their children are always the very best.
Jacob smiled warmly, squatted down to be roughly level with the hunched boatman, and allowed his gaze to settle on the girl in the photograph.
Short hair, a school uniform, a youthful face.
It captured the most beautiful appearance of youth itself.
"She's very pretty," Jacob praised sincerely.
"Of course! My granddaughter had many admirers back when she was in school. Those little troublemakers even followed her home several times. We reported it to their school multiple times, but it was useless. They couldn't control those boys, claiming one was the son of some big official, and they couldn't do anything about it. But my granddaughter remained diligent and hardworking. She knew to focus on her studies and wasn't affected by those troublemakers. Last year, she got accepted into an excellent university."
Speaking about his granddaughter, the boatman seemed to have opened a floodgate, talking continuously and enthusiastically, completely different from his previously quiet demeanor.
"Which university did she attend?" Jacob asked casually, genuinely curious.
"League University." When League University was mentioned, the boatman's face filled with even greater pride. "What about you, young man? How did you perform on your exams? Have you decided which university to apply to?"
Hearing the words "League University," Jacob took a second look, thinking he might encounter this senior student in the future.
"I did alright," Jacob said with a smile. He hadn't even taken the college entrance exam yet, so he could only speak vaguely. "But I definitely want to apply to League University. Maybe I can even become your granddaughter's junior."
"Young man, you have ambition! I can tell you're a talented person—you'll definitely get accepted." The boatman smiled broadly as he spoke. "Where did you attend high school?"
"I'm not from Greenvale River. I'm from Frosthollow."
"Your accent does sound like you're from that region."
Jacob and the boatman chatted idly about various topics. Meanwhile, with the vigorous swimming of several Seaking, Jacob arrived at his destination—the Pier of Mistvale River.
"Young man, we've reached Pier. From this point, our small boats must turn back. If you wish to travel further downstream, you'll need to take a large cruise ship or have powerful Pokemon escort you to continue safely. My Seaking cannot guarantee your safety beyond this point."
The boatman, while steering the boat toward the shore, reminded Jacob carefully: "The water in the latter half of the journey becomes very swift and treacherous. Ordinary small boats aren't permitted to go any further. You'll need to find large, properly licensed vessels. Renting such a boat costs tens of thousands of Pokedollars per day—those operators are quite greedy, I must say. I'd suggest you simply purchase a cruise ticket instead. Even a luxury first-class cabin costs less than ten thousand Pokedollars. The cheapest tickets are only about a thousand."
"Understood. Thanks for everything, old man." Jacob waved his hand appreciatively.