Cheng Tian released Froakie again and said with a chuckle, "Now we are partners! We must work hard together!"
Cheng Tian was genuinely happy now; he had finally caught the Pokémon he wanted on this trip.
A good portion of the 3800 yuan he had spent on supplies before leaving was now used up. Cheng Tian roughly calculated that the Poké Balls, Potions, Antidotes, Repels... all totaled less than 2000 yuan, yet he had captured a starter Pokémon, Froakie.
Moreover, considering Froakie's entire set of inherited skills and the battle experience and methods learned from Barbaracle, it was an absolute steal!
It completely overshadowed anything sold outside!
Although Froakie didn't have the Hidden Ability Protean, Cheng Tian wasn't too bothered.
In his previous life, he played a modified Pokémon game called "Pokémon Ultra Emerald" on his phone, where a Torrent-Ability Froakie had a small chance of evolving into the Mythical Ability Battle Bond when it finally evolved into Greninja at level 36.
In Cheng Tian's view, while the Protean ability was good, it was utterly crushed compared to Battle Bond.
Battle Bond: After defeating an opponent's Pokémon, Greninja resonates with its Trainer's bond, completing a temporary self-transcendence evolution. The damage of the Water Shuriken move also increases.
However, reality couldn't be summarized by a game. Even if Froakie didn't awaken the Mythical Ability in the end, Cheng Tian was still thrilled, not only because Froakie had chosen him but also because Barbaracle trusted him to take good care of Froakie.
Since it had chosen him, Cheng Tian would definitely help Froakie become stronger!
Having finally come to the Pokémon world, wouldn't it be a wasted life if he didn't stand on the peak and look at the view?
Yamper stuck out its tongue and licked Froakie. Froakie felt the licked spot tingle slightly. "See? Yamper likes you a lot too!"
"Froakie." Froakie looked a little embarrassed.
Cheng Tian nodded, "Alright, next we should head back to the city. Froakie, stay close to me."
And so, Cheng Tian, with Yamper and Froakie, began walking toward National Highway 488 in Bingzhou...
Alliance Calendar, September 12, 2055, 5:00 PM.
A black sedan was driving along the national highway.
A girl was sitting in the back seat. Her waist-length hair was dark and glossy, and her calm, unwavering eyes were staring boredly out the window.
Bingzhou?
This place didn't leave a good impression in the girl's memory. It had a large population base, its development had been lagging behind other cities nationwide for decades, and it lacked significant tourism resources or cultural attractions.
If her father hadn't decided, out of sheer boredom, to abandon his position as an honorary elder of the Alliance Breeders Association and come here to be a vice mayor, she wouldn't be here either.
Thinking of her father, the girl couldn't help but feel helpless.
Since that incident and her mother's death, her father had focused all his love on her. She knew he felt guilty for not returning to see her mother in her final moments. Although she had been furious, over time, she had slowly forgiven him. In his mind, his devotion to his daughter was simply an act of atonement.
She slowly opened her mouth, and her clear, melodious voice, like a silver bell, rang out.
"Uncle Wang, could you please open the window? I feel a bit stuffy."
The driver sitting in the front seat was smiling warmly, looking like a kind old man.
Hearing the girl's request, he reached out and pressed a button. The window slowly rolled down, and the car slowed slightly.
Looking through the rearview mirror, the man called Uncle Wang chuckled and said, "Why do you look unhappy, Miss?"
The girl pouted, "I'm not. I just don't understand why Father had to come here to be a vice mayor, forcing me to transfer schools too."
Uncle Wang replied, "The Master is doing this for your benefit, Miss. Although Bingzhou's economy isn't the best, its education ranks highly nationwide. Plus, there are quite a variety of Pokémon species here. Don't you love Pokémon?"
The girl fell silent, not speaking. She did love Pokémon. In the days following her mother's death, besides her father, it was her mother's Pokémon that kept her company.
The car drove along National Highway 488 for a while, gradually approaching the Bingzhou toll booth.
Just then, the girl suddenly saw a filthy figure climb over the fence nearby, run quickly, and finally crouch down beneath the toll booth platform.
"What is that???" The girl wondered...
That filthy thing was indeed Cheng Tian... A long story, as the saying goes.
Originally, Cheng Tian was happily rushing toward National Highway 488 and had paused for a brief rest. But who knew that the grass ahead would rustle, and out would pop a yellow rat with large incisors?
Coincidentally, it was Raticate, the one who had previously led its entire family to hunt Cheng Tian.
Cheng Tian and Raticate were both stunned upon seeing each other, and then both their faces darkened simultaneously.
How could we run into each other again??? / I finally found you!!!
Cheng Tian gave an awkward smile, "Bro, have you eaten today?"
The response was a wide-open mouth.
Cheng Tian started running for his life again, his forehead covered in stress lines. "FREAK, what kind of luck do I have? I run into this thing again!"
Raticate chased relentlessly from behind, so angry its nose was practically crooked.
Yesterday, its kin were almost wiped out by Beedrill, and after injuring the Beedrill leader, Raticate was chased for two miles through the mountains before barely escaping.
Today, I must tear this brat apart!
While running for his life, Cheng Tian shouted, "Big Brother, Big Brother! Leave a thread of hope for future meetings!"
Raticate grew even angrier upon hearing this.
I'll leave your grandma's MMP!
He frantically fled south, completely ignoring the scratches from the bushes. He ended up covered in dust and grime.
Watching Raticate close in, Cheng Tian couldn't help but curse inwardly. Damn you, fate! Just you wait!!!
Just then, Cheng Tian suddenly spotted a spider web strung between two large trees ahead, with a huge spider perched on it. Wasn't that the Ariados that had fled last night!
Ariados was startled upon seeing Cheng Tian, and then rage ignited in its eyes too.
You had a path to heaven but chose not to walk it; you broke into hell when there was no gate. You will be my lunch today!
"F*ck, I guess this is where I die today." Cheng Tian couldn't help but curse.
Raticate, using Hyper Fang, pounced from behind, while Ariados, using Bug Bite, leaped down from the web.
In this critical moment, Cheng Tian gritted his teeth. You forced my hand!
"Thousand Hands Sitting Lotus!!!" Cheng Tian roared, and then, adopting an extremely strange posture, he plopped onto the ground.
For some reason, this move looked incredibly weird when performed by this simpleton...
But with that single sit, the pouncing Raticate and the leaping Ariados slammed violently into each other, hitting each other with their respective moves and tumbling in a dizzy mess.
Seeing this, Cheng Tian immediately bolted.
By the time the two Pokémon regained consciousness, Cheng Tian was long gone. The two Pokémon were consumed by fury, each believing the other had been the obstacle, and they immediately started fighting.
However, Cheng Tian, the instigator, knew nothing of this.
After being chased the entire way, Cheng Tian felt like his throat was bleeding.
But he dared not stop, as he didn't know if those two Pokémon would catch up. He continued to summon every ounce of remaining strength and ran forward.
It wasn't until almost 5 PM that he finally burst out of the woods and saw the familiar fence.
Cheng Tian burst into tears. "I'm finally back in civilization!"
Now there was one last hurdle: sneaking past the toll booth staff without being noticed.
Taking advantage of the moment the toll booth attendant was focused on their phone, Cheng Tian sprinted at extreme speed and crouched beneath the toll booth platform.
But unfortunately, a black sedan pulled up right behind him.
The car's rear window was open, and Cheng Tian and the girl saw each other's faces simultaneously.
This girl is so beautiful. That was the first thought that popped into Cheng Tian's mind.
Cheng Tian had seen many pretty girls, but none could compare to the one in front of him.
The girl before him seemed to have stepped right out of a painting—elegant, noble, and untouchable.
Uncle Wang, sitting in the driver's seat, was startled to see someone crouching beneath the toll booth platform and was about to speak.
Seeing this, Cheng Tian became incredibly anxious and immediately put his hands together in a pleading gesture.
The girl saw Cheng Tian's begging look and subconsciously called out, "Uncle Wang."
Upon hearing her, Uncle Wang changed what he was about to say: "Could you please open the gate for me? Thank you."
The toll booth attendant, wearing a professional smile, opened the barrier for Uncle Wang, and Uncle Wang pressed the accelerator, driving the black sedan away.
The girl, however, leaned her head out and glanced at Cheng Tian again.
That person's eyes are so beautiful.
Uncle Wang, driving, asked confusedly, "Miss, why did you help that person? He looked quite suspicious."
The girl shook her head. "I don't know either."
Hearing this, Uncle Wang said no more and continued driving.
Recalling the image of the dusty boy putting his hands together to beg her, a hint of amusement flashed in the girl's usually calm and clear eyes.
He was adorable, like a small animal...
Cheng Tian was momentarily stunned. Seeing the barrier about to drop, he finally reacted and quickly dashed across.
Having finally returned to Bingzhou, Cheng Tian felt his entire body relax. Yet, the girl sitting in the car kept popping into his mind.
Cheng Tian shook his head. He wasn't the type to freeze up just because he saw a pretty woman. For now, he needed to hurry home.
Looking the way he did, he definitely couldn't go home; he would have to stay at Bai Yun's house first.
Cheng Tian hailed a taxi and asked to be taken to the villa area. The driver eyed the dusty boy suspiciously.
Left with no choice, Cheng Tian added, "I'll give you fifty extra."
The driver immediately beamed and stepped on the gas, heading toward the villa area.
At the entrance of Bai Yun's house in the villa area.
Cheng Tian paid the fare via phone with a pained expression and walked into the villa area.
"I wonder if that kid will be happy to see me. After all, I didn't wake him up that morning since he was sleeping so soundly," Cheng Tian muttered to himself.
Walking up, Cheng Tian was about to knock when he realized the door was ajar.
"Bai Yun, I'm back," Cheng Tian called out. He looked up and saw Bai Yun standing at the door with a grim expression, frantically signaling him.
Cheng Tian jumped in surprise. "Oops, sorry, wrong house."
Just as he was about to close the door, his mother's cold voice rang out. "Where are you going? My dear son? Aren't you going to wash your hands and prepare for dinner?"
Cheng Tian's face froze, and he forced out an extremely awkward smile. "Mom, good... good afternoon."
Cheng Tian's mother exploded in anger: "You little brat, your guts have grown huge! You dared to sneak out all by yourself? Get over here! Watch me flay you alive today!"
Cheng Tian cried out in alarm: "No!!!"