Chapter 85: Pikachu Sighs, We’ve Been Tricked! Tricked!
“Buzz~” Ninjask let out another insect cry.
“Buzz~” Perrserker followed with a sword cry.
“Buzz~~ Buzz~ Buzz~~~ Buzz~ Buzz~~~ Buzz~~~”
(A passing Beedrill silently gave a thumbs up)
The two Pokémon had a conversation.
The Electric Mouse sensed something was off the more it listened!
Ninjask was describing the Pokémon Day Care and the wonders of this world to Perrserker.
Moreover, Ninjask’s descriptions were vivid and lifelike. If Pikachu hadn’t traveled the world with Zuo Hang, it would have totally believed it.
There was indeed a large waterfall below the Black Rock Cliff, and the sunset was beautiful.
But if you wanted to watch the sunset from the waterfall’s edge, first you had to beat the Elite Four-level Giant Wing Flying Fish at the lake bottom, or it wouldn’t let you stay peacefully by the waterfall.
The sight of Butterfree swarming over Liuchuan Plain only happened at the end of summer. At other times, you were likely to see only Caterpillars and Metapods, and Liuchuan Plain in winter was all snow, nothing but white as far as the eye could see, not beautiful at all.
“Pika! Pika pika~~”
‘Fake! It’s all fake!’
Pikachu waved its paws desperately, telling Perrserker that what Ninjask said was fake.
But to Perrserker, everything in this world was unfamiliar, so even a monotonous snow-covered plain looked like a rare beautiful sight in its eyes.
Perrserker believed it.
Moreover, it kept pestering Ninjask with questions. If no one interrupted, this sword and cicada seemed likely to talk until dawn.
“Ninjask is right. There are too many beautiful places in this world, though they’re not much different from your world. But the cities might still feel novel to you,” Zuo Hang said.
“Hundred-meter, thousand-meter tall buildings and towers—you’ve definitely never seen those. Machines that can record movements and sounds, oh wait, your world doesn’t seem to have the concept of machines. Maybe… your term is magical treasures?”
Zuo Hang pulled a Poké Ball from the back of his waist.
—A black body with deep red patterns on it.
This was a Luxury Ball.
“Can’t explain it in a few words. Come with me and see for yourself. This world has mountains and rivers beyond your imagination.”
“Pika!” As soon as Zuo Hang spoke, the Electric Mouse immediately blocked in front of Perrserker, trying to make a final struggle.
Can’t go in!
This ball!
Absolutely can’t go in!
Easy to board a pirate ship, hard to get off! Especially Zuo Hang’s ship!
However…
Perrserker didn’t listen at all.
It was a Pokémon, and it was also a sword!
Once it decided on something, it would press forward relentlessly. A sword never retreated.
Perrserker actively touched the Luxury Ball.
A red light flashed, and it was sucked into the ball.
The Luxury Ball shook a few times and didn’t burst open.
—Capture successful!
Zuo Hang immediately threw out the Poké Ball and released Perrserker.
“This is the Secret Realm. Let’s start looking around here. Poké Balls and such—you don’t have to go in.”
Perrserker entered a Poké Ball for the first time and didn’t reject the inside at all.
On the contrary, it found it quite comfortable, perfectly suitable as a resting place after fatigue.
Swords also needed maintenance.
On the other side, Xingye and Lin Ping seemed out of place with the scene before them.
……
“Little Pingzi, let me tell you a secret. Hangzi Ge and White Dragon’s Adaptability is zero.”
Lin Ping glanced at Xingye: “So… what’s the problem with Adaptability being zero? Zuo Hang doesn’t need White Dragon’s teleportation anyway, right? Is there anything in this Secret Realm that can threaten him?”
Xingye said: “No, you’re missing the point. White Dragon is said to favor those who pursue Truth, while Black Dragon leans more toward Ideal. If Zuo Hang’s Adaptability with White Dragon is zero, doesn’t that mean it’s 100% with Black Dragon??”
“Truth can be a bit false, no problem, as long as it develops in the direction you want, it’s all acceptable.”
“I always thought Ideal and Truth were both positive words, but everything should have a limit. If White Dragon’s Adaptability is 100%, this guy might be someone who pursues Truth to the extreme. His world tolerates no falsehood at all… If we assume Zuo Hang’s Black Dragon Adaptability is 100%, doesn’t that mean Zuo Hang is an extreme Idealist??”
“No matter which aspect reaches the extreme, that person could be terrifying.”
“Look at Hangzi Ge. Imagine an extremely Ideal soul hidden beneath that unsmiling body.”
“After today’s journey, I feel like Hangzi Ge has been correcting our team’s issues the whole time, even getting angry at us. Maybe it’s because he wants us all to become the ideal versions in his mind.”
“If we don’t meet his expectations, maybe we’ll be”
Lin Ping pondered for a moment, then spoke up.
“Extreme Ideal…”
“I don’t think so. Zuo Hang seems like a pretty Adamant guy, doesn’t seem to match with Ideal at all. If anything, he leans more toward White Dragon. Xingye, you’re overthinking it.”
No sooner had he spoken than Zuo Hang suddenly patted both their shoulders from behind, startling Xingye into nearly tripping on flat ground.
“What are you talking about? Seemed like I heard my name just now?”
“N-nothing…” Xingye said.
“Oh, he said you’re an extreme Ideal person. If our team doesn’t develop the way you want, you’ll kill us to silence us!” Lin Ping said casually.
“Bullshit! I didn’t say kill to silence! That’s slander!”
“Didn’t say it outright, but that’s what you meant, right? Anyone could guess that.”
“Little Bottle! You’ve narrowed your own path! Snowy Child! Get him!”
“—Smack~” Snowy Child swung a Brick right at Xingye’s head.
‘Hit hit hit! Every damn day, so annoying! Can’t we just travel peacefully at night? Why fight? Doesn’t Swablu fly? I don’t fly! Stuck with a trainer like you is really tough on this child!’
Zuo Hang heard Snowy Child’s “maoji~maoji~” complaints.
He glanced at the time on the Terminal.
9:32.
Unknowingly, several hours had passed in the Maze.
Though it wasn’t rest time yet, the group had been traveling almost all day, so it was time to rest early.
Zuo Hang said to the team members and Pokémon: “Those who can fly and those who can’t, go gather some firewood. Set up camp here.”
“We’ll take turns guarding at night. Those who want to guard the first half of the night, raise your hand.”
Everyone was silent, no one spoke, no one raised a hand.
Zuo Hang said: “The first half of the night is safer. Around three or four in the morning is when those Pokémon good at ambushes and assassinations make their move, so the one guarding the first half doesn’t need to worry at all.”
The group remained silent, no one raised a hand.
Zuo Hang was helpless.
He sighed.
“Then Zuo Rou and Heichuan will guard the first half of the night. I’ll guard the second half with Lin Ping and Xingye.”
“Come on… give some reaction! Am I Xi Ran or something? Can’t you talk? Can’t you at least raise your hand?”
The silly and cute Heichuan nodded.
“Yeah, you’re pretty scary.”
