Wen Qi paced over to them. Before the Scyther could even speak, he directly released his Scizor and raised his voice loudly:
"You've all just arrived, and I have no clue about your strength. In a bit, every Scyther will come out and fight my Scizor here, so I can see just how good you really are!"
The moment the Scyther heard it was about battle, they instantly got hyped up, each one brimming with excitement, scrambling to be the first to fight. In the end, the strongest one snatched the top spot.
While they were jostling for position, Wen Qi pulled his Scizor aside and, lowering his voice, quietly explained his plan to him. He told the Scizor not to end the fight too quickly during the matches, but to hit them as much as possible. Just be careful not to strike too hard—only enough to make them feel pain.
Though the Scizor didn't understand why Wen Qi wanted this, he figured that since he was going to beat them up anyway, hitting them more or less didn't make much difference, so he agreed without hesitation. Seeing the Scizor nod in agreement, Wen Qi felt overjoyed, thinking about how watching them get thrashed would be a great way to vent his frustration. His mood instantly lifted.
Half an hour later, Wen Qi cheerfully led his Scizor back for breakfast. By then, the earlier gloom had vanished, leaving him feeling refreshed and utterly at ease. Before leaving, he made sure to tell the Scyther to train farther away in the mornings and not near the villa.
As for the Scyther, who had been full of energy earlier, they were now sprawled on the ground, panting heavily, nowhere near their former lively state. Though their injuries weren't serious and didn't need treatment, they'd recover quickly. But it really hurt! Every move the Scizor made landed precisely on the most painful spots on their bodies. Now they lay there, groaning and whimpering incessantly.
Wen Qi listened to the sounds drifting over, feeling like it was a beautiful symphony, and thought smugly: That's what you get for waking me up—this is your punishment! Hahaha...
Of course, he couldn't laugh out loud in front of them, but once back in the villa, he finally let loose, laughing heartily. Watching his Bellossom look on in confusion, he couldn't help but sigh: Is this kid beyond saving? Maybe I should find a new owner.
Amid this joyful atmosphere, Wen Qi happily finished his breakfast. He had also left food for the Scyther before leaving. This time, he didn't give them a full day's worth, only one meal's portion. Because yesterday, a patrolling Pidgey had seen how the Scyther ate and told Wen Qi. So from today on, he'd give it meal by meal—otherwise, if he gave too much, they'd wolf it all down at once. He was worried they might not die in battle but from overeating. If one actually did choke to death, he wouldn't know how to explain it to the Scyther leader, and he'd probably be laughed at.
After eating, Wen Qi knew Zhou Zhiwen would come looking for him later, so he decided not to go out and just waited at home. As for the Scizor, he sent him with the Venomoth and the three Butterfree to train with the Scyther. He didn't place much importance on those three Butterfree anymore, now that he had the superior Venomoth. Still, they were green Pokémon, and more training was always beneficial. Since they were all Bug-type Pokémon, training together was convenient.
For the next few days, he'd first feed the Scyther well and have the Scizor lead their training. Once they got familiar with each other, he'd have his own Pokémon fight them. That way, not only would the Scyther get trained, but his own Pokémon could also improve their combat skills. It was a win-win situation. Thinking about it, Wen Qi couldn't stop grinning—it seemed the arrival of these Scyther was really a good thing!
While Wen Qi was basking in contentment at the villa, Zhou Zhiwen in the city got up early, ate breakfast, and mounted his Arcanine to head toward Wen Qi's place. Why not ride his Charizard? Because Charizard was his main ace, and he needed to conserve its stamina. When there was no rush, riding Arcanine was more suitable. Besides, Arcanine was fast—even without a full sprint, it could reach Wen Qi's farm in about an hour.
This time, Zhou Zhiwen smoothly entered the farm without having to wait at the gate. As he arrived, the farm hadn't changed much, except the pasture grass was lusher, and the air carried the fragrance of berries. Though the berries weren't ripe yet, their enticing scent was already wafting around. From the aroma alone, Zhou Zhiwen could tell these were top-quality berries. He wondered how Wen Qi managed to cultivate such excellent berries in such a short time.
Approaching the villa, Zhou Zhiwen spotted a red Scizor in the distance, leading ten Scyther, a Venomoth, and three Butterfree in training. He wasn't surprised by the Scizor, Venomoth, or Butterfree, having seen them before. The Butterfree, though new to him, were common Pokémon, so nothing special. What truly stunned him were the ten Scyther. Even from a distance, he couldn't gauge their exact strength, but the weakest among them was at least a high-level Pokémon, with a few possibly reaching elite level. This discovery left Zhou Zhiwen gaping in astonishment.
Scyther were Pokémon that grew quickly, had fierce combat abilities, and looked incredibly cool, making them favorites among trainers. But they were proud and hard to catch in the wild. Buying them from breeding facilities was rare and expensive, so they were tough to obtain. Yet here, Wen Qi had ten of them. Watching the dashing Scyther in the distance, Zhou Zhiwen felt a twinge of desire, wondering if Wen Qi would refuse if he asked to buy one. But now wasn't the time for that—he had important business to discuss with Wen Qi.
Soon, Zhou Zhiwen entered the villa. It was his first time inside Wen Qi's home. Though it was new, it wasn't luxurious, just cozy and pleasant. When Wen Qi saw Audino leading Zhou Zhiwen in, he immediately stood up to greet him. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they sat down. Audino set out tea and snacks for them before heading off to play with Bellossom. Zhou Zhiwen noticed this and looked at Wen Qi with curiosity, as if to say, "Your Pokémon preferences are really consistent."
Wen Qi caught his gaze and felt a bit speechless—even at a time like this, he was still thinking about such things. But he didn't bother explaining. He just stared back at Zhou Zhiwen, waiting to see who would crack first.