Chapter 145: Rookie Trainers Who Never Return
The second location was a snow mountain.
Ekaterina had Jynx and Tropius search around there, confirming that the place had no Ice Stone Vein.
Finally, the two headed toward the third location.
The second location was actually not far from the third, as both places were located within a stretch of snow mountains.
The endless snow mountains made it impossible to see the end.
“Qingyun Mountain Range actually has a snow mountain of this scale. The map that guy gave us is incomplete.” Lu Li was full of displeasure.
Ekaterina was quite calm. “That’s normal. An Elite Level Bidoof probably can’t fly over this snow mountain.”
Hearing this, Lu Li asked worriedly, “Dragonite should be fine, right?”
Ekaterina didn’t speak but turned her gaze to Dragonite.
“Roar~”
After Dragonite roared, it shook its head vigorously, indicating it couldn’t do it.
“Dragonite means this place is too cold. He can’t persist for long and can’t carry us through this snow mountain.” Jynx translated from the side.
Ekaterina didn’t speak but lowered her head to look at the map in her hand.
The map on the tablet computer was incomplete; this area was just a white expanse.
At first, Ekaterina thought this white area was an ice plain, but now it seemed it was clearly a snow mountain.
Dragonite, which is four times weak to Ice, could fly very high but couldn’t break through the atmosphere. With the already high altitude and extremely cold temperatures, it was no wonder.
It was normal for Dragonite not to be able to fly for long in such an environment.
“The position you marked should be in the center of the snow mountain. To prevent accidents, how about I send you back first? I’ll go alone with Dragonite.” Ekaterina said to Lu Li.
This wasn’t because she thought Lu Li was a burden, but because she didn’t want to delay his College Entrance Examination.
Lu Li’s uncanny prospecting technology had already proven his value in the Secret Realm.
Most importantly, Ekaterina also felt that the probability of Kyurem existing in this snow mountain was the highest.
Lu Li nodded upon hearing this.
He couldn’t abandon the College Entrance Examination just to help Ekaterina, especially since the upcoming adventure would be the same with or without him.
“Then I’ll trouble you.” Lu Li said.
Ekaterina said sincerely, “My intuition tells me I’ll have a big harvest in this snow mountain, so you’ve already fulfilled the Promise.”
Lu Li just smiled and didn’t speak.
The more sincere Ekaterina was, the more uneasy his conscience felt.
The only silver lining was that although he had a bit of conscience, it wasn’t much.
And so, Ekaterina sent Lu Li out of the Secret Realm.
Moreover, to keep her word, Ekaterina accompanied Lu Li for a stroll around the market.
In fact, just as Ekaterina said, there was nothing worth picking up in this market.
After a fruitless stroll, Lu Li let it go.
Things with no direct effect on Pokémon—trainers probably wouldn’t take them even if they saw them, let alone trade for them.
What he thought before was completely wishful thinking.
The depressed Lu Li was sent home by Ekaterina.
When he got home, the time outside was midnight at 12 o’clock.
“I wish you success on your College Entrance Examination. I hope we meet again after your Area competition ends.”
After Ekaterina finished speaking, she rode Dragonite and disappeared into the night.
Lu Li sighed.
Beauty is precious, love is even more so; for immortality’s sake, both can be cast aside!
Lu Li didn’t go back to the bedroom to rest but went to the basement Alchemy Room.
It wasn’t until noon that Lu Li came out of the basement.
As soon as he arrived in the yard, Lu Li was about to head to the orchard when he ran into Wei bringing Ai Ke in.
“I saw you were busy in the basement, so I didn’t disturb you. I specially went to pick up Ai Ke.” Wei smiled and said to Lu Li when she saw him.
Lu Li nodded.
“Hello, Lu Li, long time no see.” Ai Ke laughed heartily, then said, “I’m here for the interview.”
“Let’s sit down and talk.”
Lu Li pointed to the sofa and said.
Ai Ke nodded quickly, then sat upright on the sofa.
Originally, Ai Ke wouldn’t dare do this, since he was quite dirty.
The Wildfire Gang’s main source of income was picking through trash, so it was normal for Ai Ke, who frequented garbage dumps year-round, to be unclean.
“I heard you’re planning to build a ranch and need reliable people to help?” Ai Ke asked nervously.
Lu Li nodded, then said seriously, “What I want isn’t hired labor.”
“Wei already told me.” Ai Ke nodded.
Ai Ke said earnestly, “As long as the conditions you offer are fine, I’m willing to sell myself to you.”
“Tell me your conditions.” Lu Li handed the initiative to Ai Ke.
Ai Ke said seriously, “I want to support my siblings.”
Lu Li: “I can provide jobs for your able-bodied siblings and give them a chance to become trainers.”
“So what’s the price?” Ai Ke asked.
“Loyalty to me.”
“Like ancient retainers.”
Lu Li nodded.
Ai Ke complained helplessly, “You’re harsher than those sponsoring families.”
Lu Li didn’t speak.
Moments later, Ai Ke let out a heavy breath, then said solemnly, “I agree.”
Seeing Ai Ke agree, Lu Li quickly got into character and said directly, “You can relocate your Wildfire Gang to Golden Chicken Village. By the way, how many youths in your Wildfire Gang are about to turn 16?”
“Four are about to turn 16.” Ai Ke said.
Lu Li asked again, “What about trainers?”
Ai Ke: “They left…”
Hearing this, Lu Li frowned. If he remembered correctly, besides Ai Ke, the Wildfire Gang should have two other trainers, since Ai Ke had brought back a Grimer Pokémon Egg.
Ai Ke explained, “After they became trainers, they left the Wildfire Gang to travel.”
Hearing this, Lu Li frowned.
“Over so many years, plenty of kids from your Wildfire Class must have gone out to travel, right? Not one came back?” Lu Li couldn’t help asking.
“None.”
Ai Ke shook his head bitterly.
The room fell silent again.
Lu Li didn’t know how to broach the subject.
Because this was an awkward issue—the Wildfire Gang sent out youths to travel every year, but none ever returned.
There were only two possibilities.
The first was leaving and never returning: an accident.
In this world, eight out of ten wild trainers who go traveling never come back.
The second was leaving and never returning: ungrateful.
Those who became trainers wanted to cut ties with the Wildfire Gang, so…
Lu Li leaned toward the former.
After all, this was a modern society. No matter how wasteful someone was, making a phone call home during travel shouldn’t be a problem, right?
No news meant only one possibility: an accident.
“So it was an accident? I remember you have a phone. Not one called back?” Lu Li couldn’t help asking.
Ai Ke, slumped weakly on the sofa, said softly, “I don’t know, but I hope they just abandoned their past and didn’t want to call back.”
Wei analyzed from the side, “Could it be they have no communication tools?”
“Jiuzhou Region has public telephones in every city, even small towns.” Lu Li gave Wei a speechless look.
