Chapter 78: Machop
The Logging Camp, the loggers were holding sharp axes, constantly felling the surrounding trees.
Tree after tree fell to the ground with a crash, stirring up countless wood chips and dust.
Seeing this, the two Machop guarding nearby dared to step forward. They carried the wood to the back, stacking it onto the neat pile of lumber.
After placing the wood, the Machop immediately returned to continue carrying wood.
Time passed minute by minute, and soon it was noon.
The workers at the logging camp gradually stopped, wiping sweat from their brows as they prepared to go back for a meal.
But the two Machop were still working hard.
Although Machop is a Pokémon with great power and endurance, prolonged work would still make them feel fatigued.
They didn’t dare to stop for a moment because if they were even a second late, the whip would fall upon them without mercy, just like it was in the Royal City before.
Several workers witnessed this scene and couldn’t help but show a hint of pity on their faces.
One man couldn’t help but step forward and advise:
“Hey, you two should rest for a bit too!”
These two monsters had been working alongside them since morning without a single break.
Although they looked strong, this couldn’t go on.
Hearing the man’s voice, the Machop looked over, but their hands didn’t stop moving.
In the Machop’s view, these humans were just like them, here to work.
The one truly in charge hadn’t arrived yet, so they didn’t dare to rest.
Seeing this, the workers exchanged glances.
Just then, one of the Machop finally couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed onto the ground with a thud.
But even so, the other Machop didn’t dare to stop at all.
“This can’t go on!”
“What should we do?”
The workers were a little at a loss.
“Leave it to me!”
Just then, a voice came from behind.
Everyone turned to look and saw a familiar figure walking over.
“Prince Lei Wen!”
“It’s Prince Lei Wen!”
“You all go back and rest first. I’ll handle things here.” Lei Wen nodded to everyone, then cast his gaze towards the two Machop.
He walked over to the Machop that had collapsed from exhaustion, checked its condition, and then looked up to command the other Machop:
“Stop, Machop!”
Hearing this voice, the Machop turned its head and saw a young man issuing a command with a stern expression.
The Machop immediately recognized the person’s identity.
This human was the master of this territory, and also their master!
The Machop dared not disobey the command and quickly put down the wood in its hands.
“Carry it and follow me,” Lei Wen said.
The Machop quickly stepped forward and picked up its companion.
It carefully followed behind its new master, leaving the logging camp and returning to the territory, finally arriving at a wooden house with a courtyard standing by the riverside.
Lei Wen knocked on the door, and soon, it was opened.
“Prince Lei Wen?” Lila asked, somewhat surprised.
“Help me check this monster’s body.” Lei Wen motioned for the Machop behind him to bring the collapsed Machop into the house.
The other complied, and under Lila’s guidance, the Machop placed its companion on a soft and comfortable wooden bed.
Lila carefully examined the Machop’s body and asked, “Prince Lei Wen, what happened?”
“It seems to be exhaustion,” Lei Wen explained. “They’ve been working all morning without a single break.”
“Huh?” Lila was a little surprised. “That won’t do! Indeed… its body has suffered significant depletion due to long-term overwork, and its muscles are showing signs of dissolution. Why does it have so many scars?!”
Lei Wen sighed helplessly. “It was probably from when they were in the Royal City.”
Lila was aware that the Royal City would specifically capture monsters and force them to work.
She hadn’t felt much about it before, but now, the longer she spent with these monsters, the more excessive she found such behavior to be.
How pitiful.
“Can it be healed?” Lei Wen inquired.
“Yes, I’ve just developed a new potion,” Lila turned around and took a bottle of potion from a wooden rack.
This was a potion she had created by combining a regular healing potion with the leaves from the top of a Cherubi’s head.
It could both heal injuries and restore stamina, as well as alleviate fatigue and recover energy.
“This monster probably collapsed due to accumulated old injuries combined with extreme physical exertion,” Lila fed the potion to the Machop. “After drinking the potion, it needs plenty of rest, and it should recover slowly.”
Hearing this, the Machop beside it couldn’t help but feel relieved.
As the potion entered its system, the Machop that had fainted from exhaustion soon regained consciousness.
When it saw Lei Wen, its face immediately showed expressions of panic and fear.
“Don’t be scared, Machop,” Lei Wen tried his best to comfort it. “This is no longer the Royal City; no one will harm you.”
“Kuri…”
The Machop were stunned, but they still appeared somewhat frightened.
Years of continuous, uninterrupted exploitation had deeply ingrained that fear into their very bones.
Even with their robust bodies and immense strength, they dared not resist.
And now, their new master suddenly said that no one would harm them anymore…
The Machop’s first reaction wasn’t relief, but a look of bewildered helplessness.
Seeing this, Lei Wen felt that these two Machop were truly pitiable.
He reached out to pet them, but when they saw him raise his hand, the two Machop flinched, their eyes filled with deep fear.
However, in the next second, the imagined pain did not come.
The Machop opened their eyes and saw their new master gently stroking their heads.
The two Machop froze on the spot; this unprecedented experience left them bewildered.
“Kuri…”
“Don’t be nervous, listen to me carefully,” Lei Wen’s voice sounded at the right moment.
The two Machop instinctively focused their attention on their new master.
“Don’t be afraid, this is my territory, those things are in the past. No one here will harm you, and I won’t harm you, even if you don’t finish your work on time.”
“If you feel tired while working in the future, stop and rest. I won’t blame you. Moreover, the work we are doing is to build our common home, so you don’t need to bear too much burden.”
The two Machop’s expressions were blank, as if they hadn’t quite processed it yet.
No, to be precise, they didn’t dare to believe the content of these words.
