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However, what Qing Wu was most eager to do was to remove the micro-bomb in his neck.
Qing Wu wandered through the underground black market, eventually stopping in front of a dilapidated shop. This shop wasn't large, and a foul, rotten smell wafted from within. After Qing Wu smelled this odor, he held his breath for a moment. This was the scent of Weezing's poison mixed with a faint protein-burning smell, like a burnt corpse.
After inhaling it uncomfortably, within this smell was also a faint, almost imperceptible scent of burnt protein. Qing Wu went straight into the shop. The shop sold various herbs, such as Revive roots and Oddish's leaves.
From Qing Wu's perspective as a Pokémon Breeding Master, the quality of these herbs was quite perfect. However, the price and the unpleasant smell emanating from the shop combined to deter 99% of consumers who wanted to buy herbs. Unlike other prosperous shops, this shop was deserted.
"Welcome," a lazy, drawling voice came from inside the shop. Qing Wu looked up and saw the yawning shop owner.
The shop owner had a pale, fair face with a distinct coolness in the corners of his eyes. His dark, deep peach blossom eyes gleamed with a captivating light. He looked even more enchanting than a woman. His peach blossom eyes flickered subtly as he gazed at Qing Wu. He looked exactly like the shop owner in his memory.
However, the heavy dark circles under the man's eyes indicated that he had been suffering from insomnia for some time.
"Is there anything you want to buy? If not, please leave. I need to rest." The man saw Qing Wu lingering in the shop and, thinking he was another customer daunted by the prices, he yawned, subtly conveying his intention to see him out.
"Shop owner, is this the way to treat guests?" Qing Wu said with a smile.
"Who are you?!" Lotus heard someone call his name. His face darkened. The veins on the back of his hand bulged, revealing his current agitation.
Lotus was a Grass-type trainer and an excellent herbalist. At this moment, he was conducting an important research project. The results of this research attracted many covetous eyes, and Lotus was betrayed by his former comrades and pursued by the Alliance. By counting the days, Lotus's main Pokémon were now heavily injured, and he was hiding in the Golden City's underground black market to avoid pursuit and complete his subsequent research.
In his previous life, Qing Wu had saved him, which led to their acquaintance, and Qing Wu learned many Pokémon breeding techniques from him.
"I have no malicious intent," Qing Wu raised his hands to indicate.
"I'm just here to make a trade." Seeing Lotus's face gradually darkening, and as he was considering whether or not to make Qing Wu stay, Qing Wu quickly added.
"Trade? What trade? Do you want to trade information about pursuing me?" Lotus said coldly, like an immortal descending to the mortal realm.
"My body was implanted with a micro-bomb. I want to borrow your medical skills to remove the micro-bomb. In return, I can help you treat your Pokémon's injuries. I know that among your Pokémon, there's one affected by the fire of a Fire-type trainer, and you're currently suppressing the fire poison in its body."
"How do you know this?" Lotus almost released his Pokémon. His main Pokémon was heavily injured. The Pokémon he had now was recently captured and no match for Crobat by Qing Wu's side. He wasn't incapable of defeating the person in front of him, but he simply wanted to know why this person knew so much about him.
Yes, that's right, this is what Lotus thought in his heart.
"I smelled the scent of the Fire of Purgatory on you. Although you cleverly used Weezing's poison to cover up the scent on your body, the Fire of Purgatory is like a lingering illness that is extremely difficult to remove. My nose is very sensitive, and I smelled the unique protein-burning smell of the Fire of Purgatory in the air emanating from your shop," Qing Wu said, removing his mask and pointing to his neck.
The Fire of Purgatory was a well-known poison, currently considered incurable. Qing Wu knew this, and it wasn't too surprising.
Lotus saw Qing Wu's young face, but this face had never appeared in Lotus's memories.
"Who exactly are you?" Lotus had been betrayed, so he didn't trust anything Qing Wu said.
"I told you, I am your ally. I have needs that require your help, and you have difficulties that require my solution. We help each other."
Qing Wu saw that Lotus still had a look of distrust, so he had no choice but to recite a few herbal recipes from his mouth.
"Violet, Longevity Grass, Raral Berry, Revive Herb…" Qing Wu, like a well-versed master, spoke out the formula Lotus used to suppress the Fire of Purgatory.
Qing Wu knew that Lotus's Pokémon had been tormented by the Fire of Purgatory for a long time. Every day they suffered from the burning flames. Lotus only discovered the formula that could truly cure the Fire of Purgatory much later. Qing Wu told Lotus all of this from his previous life and took out the final formula for removing the Fire of Purgatory. At the same time, Lotus also discovered the poisonous agent, Flower of Shadows.
Originally, Lotus had only intended to use the poisonous properties of the Flower of Shadows to enhance the attack power of his Grass-type Pokémon. After all, many Grass-type Pokémon are Grass/Poison type, such as Venusaur, Victreebel, Vileplume, etc.
But Lotus was betrayed by his good friend, and the reputation of the Flower of Shadows spread throughout the entire Pokémon world. Many Rocket Team cadres died from the poison of the Flower of Shadows. Lotus was a top herbalist of the Alliance. Now he was being hunted by the Alliance, just like the ruined Rocket Team.
Lotus listened to the herbal formula Qing Wu recited, his eyes growing brighter.
After Qing Wu finished, he took out a pen and wrote a set of formulas on paper, then handed it to Lotus.
"This is my sincerity," Qing Wu said with a smile.
Lotus snatched the formula and suddenly slapped his thigh hard.
"Wonderful! This line of thought has a unique elegance similar to my own, and it's even better than some of my formulas!" Lotus was, after all, a senior herbalist. With three formulas, he immediately knew their specific effects.
"Now, can we help each other?" Qing Wu yelled at Lotus.
"Yes," Lotus quickly nodded, his wary expression dissolving.
From this formula, Lotus knew that Qing Wu also had deep knowledge in herbalism. Qing Wu knew that this was originally Lotus's research. Now, Qing Wu, eager to achieve his goal, didn't hesitate to give Lotus his things in return, without any middleman earning a difference, perfect.
"What do you need me to do?" Lotus was very satisfied with this formula. It could help his Pokémon completely get rid of the trouble of the Fire of Purgatory, so his attitude towards Qing Wu also became much warmer.
"I need you to remove the micro-bomb implanted in my neck, Lotus," Qing Wu said again.
"From the Rocket Team?" Lotus probed.
"Yes, from the Rocket Team. But I can swear to the heavens that I will not reveal your whereabouts." Qing Wu openly admitted that he was a member of the Rocket Team.
"I'm afraid I can't do that. The Rocket Team's latest research, micro-bombs, are not something a small pharmacist like me can remove." Lotus shook his head.
"As a top-tier pharmacist and surgical expert in the Alliance, if even you can't do it, then no one can." Qing Wu said with a hint of meaning, causing Lotus's face to flush.
"I can tell you the steps for this micro-surgery. It's just a simple micro-surgery, and for you, it's only a matter of five minutes."
"Alright, but let me warn you beforehand, if anything unexpected happens, I won't be responsible," Lotus said, looking somewhat arrogant.
"Follow me." Lotus closed his shop. At the shop entrance, he put up a 'Closed for the day' sign on the rolled-up door. As a top-tier pharmacist, Lotus naturally had ways to make money. He only had six shops. Lotus pressed a button, and a secret door appeared on the floor. After opening the secret door, there was a long staircase.
Qing Wu also felt a surge of admiration for Lotus. He actually had a small laboratory hidden beneath the Rocket Team's underground black market. This could be said to be like a lamp under a bushel. No wonder the Rocket Team had never found Lotus, this top-tier pharmacist.
"—You are the first and only person to enter my lab. Although the equipment isn't as extensive as in my Alliance lab, even simple detection here is enough to give you a basic introduction to Pokémon."
"I didn't expect there to be a Pokémon analysis device here. This is quite useful, right?" Qing Wu was extremely envious of this Pokémon analysis device, which could analyze and detect various indicators of a Pokémon, and even detect hidden injuries.
"This Pokémon analysis device was also transported through the Alliance's secret channels," Lotus said, leading Qing Wu to visit his other laboratories, namely the Pokémon Detection Lab, Herb Cultivation Lab, Pokémon Breeding Lab, and a small Surgery Room.
Lotus's Pokémon were all crouching in the Pokémon Breeding Lab at this moment, their skin glowing faintly reddish. Their leaves were scorched yellow and withered, and the air was filled with a scent of burnt protein. If it weren't for Lotus's Pokémon Breeding Lab being extravagantly covered with green grass and occasionally gathering beautiful droplets of life-giving water to sustain the lives of his Grass-type Pokémon, Lotus's Pokémon would have already perished.
Venusaur, Victreebel, Vileplume, Gloom, Vileplume, and Tropius—these Pokémon were all Lotus's main Pokémon. If it weren't for these Pokémon assisting each other, they wouldn't be able to last this long.
"Wait for me for a bit, I'll help my Pokémon remove the poison first," Lotus said hastily.
"Please," Qing Wu understood the pain of severe burns. That scorching, tingling pain (it felt good), of course, allowed him to empathize with Lotus's Pokémon.
Originally, Lotus already had treated herbs here. According to the formula Qing Wu provided, Lotus quickly gave two doses to his Pokémon.
First, he gave the strongest one to Vileplume. After Vileplume consumed it, the red color of its skin slowly faded, revealing its original skin color. Vileplume felt the pain that had tormented it for several months gradually recede.
"It worked!" Lotus was overjoyed and quickly prepared the remaining antidotes. Seeing his Pokémon's relieved expressions, Lotus felt a ripple of comfort in his own heart.
"Come, let's go to the surgery room for the surgery!" Lotus truly was a top-tier surgical expert. Under Qing Wu's guidance, he quickly grasped the key points. The sharp surgical blade smoothly cut through the second bulge on Qing Wu's neck, creating a cut about 1cm long.
Lotus used the power of the microscope to find the micro-bomb hidden in Qing Wu's neck. Finally, a micro-bomb the size of a 1mm fingernail was removed with tweezers from his body. Lotus then skillfully absorbed a thread of his aura into the surgical incision to heal it.
The entire process took less than a minute. Qing Wu didn't even need anesthesia. He only felt like a mosquito bite, and the micro-bomb was successfully removed by Lotus.
The removal of the micro-bomb lifted a heavy weight from Qing Wu's heart. This timed bomb, which could explode at any moment, truly made Qing Wu restless.
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