Zhou Zhiwen stared at Wang Jian with an unyielding gaze, as if trying to see right through him. The night was pitch black, with only the faint glow of the campfire around them adding a touch of warmth to the silent darkness.
At first, Wang Jian thought Zhou Zhiwen was just spacing out, standing there motionless and staring at him. But as time passed, through the dim firelight, Wang Jian gradually noticed something unusual in Zhou Zhiwen’s eyes. Recalling the strange expression on Zhou Zhiwen’s face when he answered the phone earlier, an ominous feeling crept into Wang Jian’s heart. He felt uneasy but didn’t know how to respond.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhiwen’s mind was a whirlwind of mixed emotions. He had thought that, based on the clues Wang Jian provided, he could smoothly find Kecleon and Bulbasaur and fulfill his promise to Venusaur. But the news from the other end of the phone had completely dashed his hopes. According to the on-site investigation, no Pokémon had appeared at that so-called secret base recently. This result left Zhou Zhiwen deeply disheartened; he didn’t know how to explain it all to Venusaur.
Venusaur stood nearby, its eyes closed as if asleep. But Zhou Zhiwen knew its perception was incredibly sharp—every move he made was under its watch. He didn’t dare to openly question Wang Jian, afraid of drawing Venusaur’s attention. Yet if they didn’t resolve this quickly, both he and Wang Jian would face huge trouble. They had to find a way to communicate with Wang Jian and learn more.
After some thought, Zhou Zhiwen decided on a more cautious approach. He walked over to Wang Jian and said in a low voice, “Wang Jian, I need to talk to you alone about something.”
Wang Jian looked at him in surprise, puzzled by his sudden secrecy, but nodded for him to go on. Not wanting to speak loudly and alert Venusaur nearby, Zhou Zhiwen took out a pen and paper and wrote a line: “My colleague reported that no Kecleon or Bulbasaur were found at your secret base. That place hasn’t had any Pokémon visit in a long time.”
Wang Jian took the note, read it, and let out a startled exclamation. The sound immediately caught Venusaur’s attention; it opened its eyes, a mix of confusion and wariness in its gaze. Though Venusaur didn’t know what they had written, it could sense the tension between the two humans. It began to suspect they were plotting something against it.
Venusaur’s aura suddenly surged, a powerful pressure enveloping Zhou Zhiwen and Wang Jian. They felt suffocated, as if crushed under an invisible mountain. Wang Jian’s mind was in chaos; he didn’t know how to handle this sudden turn. He started worrying if something had happened to his Kecleon, if it had been caught by other Pokémon in the forest. But he quickly dismissed that thought—if Kecleon had been captured, Bulbasaur would have been returned by now. After all, Venusaur, as the ruler of this forest, knew everything within it. Yet Venusaur was still here, clearly having received no news about Kecleon. This left Wang Jian confused and lost, unsure how to explain.
Zhou Zhiwen also felt Venusaur’s oppressive aura and knew his plan had been exposed. Now, he could only hope Wang Jian would provide useful information to solve the problem. But Wang Jian was too flustered to offer any valuable clues. A wave of despair washed over Zhou Zhiwen; he didn’t know how to face this tricky situation.
Just then, Venusaur’s dignified, deep voice echoed in both their minds. “You two little ones, are you up to some trick again? Why haven’t you brought my grandson yet? Has something gone wrong?”
Faced with Venusaur’s questioning, they exchanged glances, at a loss for words. Any lie would be as fragile as paper before Venusaur. But if they told the truth, they feared Venusaur’s wrath would leave them battered. Time ticked by, the air thick with tension and oppression.
Seeing them silent for so long, Venusaur’s anger flared. It wasn’t without a temper, just reluctant to show it. Zhou Zhiwen felt Venusaur’s aura growing stronger, like a volcano about to erupt. He knew if he didn’t speak the truth, they’d likely face a beating. So, steeling himself, he recounted everything that had happened to Venusaur.
After hearing Zhou Zhiwen’s story, Venusaur’s aura intensified, making Wang Jian and Zhou Zhiwen tremble with fear. Oh no! Venusaur seemed to think they had deceived it. “Cunning humans, how dare you trick me! It seems I’ve been too kind to you!” Venusaur roared angrily. “Let me show you my power!”
Without warning, Venusaur attacked, its two vine whips lashing out like lightning. The two quickly released all their Pokémon. Zhou Zhiwen had a Gym-level Charizard, an Elite Arcanine, and an Elite Ninetales—he had a few more level-40 Pokémon but felt the gap was too big and didn’t bother sending them out. Wang Jian only had a Gym-level Shiftry; his others were too injured to release.
The attack, though seemingly slow, pinned their Pokémon in place under Venusaur’s overwhelming pressure. They gave it their all, unleashing their strongest moves. Zhou Zhiwen’s three Fire-type Pokémon shot out blazing flames, and Shiftry fired a Hyper Beam. But these attacks were pitifully weak against Venusaur’s vine whips. The whips easily pierced through the flames and beam, striking the Pokémon hard.
Dust and smoke filled the air. When it cleared, Zhou Zhiwen and Wang Jian’s Pokémon lay on the ground, clearly defeated. Only Zhou Zhiwen’s Charizard remained standing, but it was covered in wounds, badly injured. Wang Jian and Zhou Zhiwen stared in shock, never imagining Venusaur’s strength was so terrifying—one move had crushed their Pokémon.
The forest atmosphere grew heavy. Sweat beaded on Wang Jian and Zhou Zhiwen’s faces; despite the cool night breeze, they felt as if trapped in a blazing furnace. Just then, a clear dragon’s roar rang out from the distant sky. It was like a heavenly sound, shattering the forest’s silence.
Hearing the roar, Zhou Zhiwen’s spirits lifted, as if freed from a crushing weight. His tense nerves relaxed instantly, and he collapsed onto the ground. Wang Jian, hearing the roar too and seeing Zhou Zhiwen’s reaction, realized reinforcements had arrived. He followed suit, lying down as well. Finally, they could breathe easy, knowing they wouldn’t have to face the battle alone anymore.