Although the situation seemed highly unfavorable for the three Hu brothers, and common sense dictated they should have their Fearow whisk them away from this place, they found themselves in a bind with no easy way out.
They realized that escaping via Fearow was simply impossible now. Earlier, Wen Qi, aware of the aerial threat, had quietly sent his Pidgeotto to summon Pidgeot reinforcements. Perched in the tall trees behind Wen Qi, the Pidgeot family—both Pidgeot and Pidgeotto—had already taken their positions. The Pidgeot clan now boasted five Pidgeot and seven or eight Pidgeotto above level thirty. Upon spotting this, the eldest Hu brother dared not let their Fearow attempt a getaway.
He knew that Pidgeot naturally outsped Fearow, and burdened with the three of them, their Fearow would likely be slower than even those Pidgeotto. Escape through the air was a dead end; they stood no chance against this flock of Pidgeot and Pidgeotto in the sky.
With no other choice, the three brothers exchanged glances, dismounted from their Fearow, and released three injured Mightyena. The tension in the air thickened.
The eldest Hu brother plastered a fawning smile on his face and spoke in a trembling voice: "Friend, this is all a misunderstanding! We three brothers were blind and offended you. Please, show mercy and let us off. We'll never dare do it again."
His eyes were full of pleading, his body unconsciously hunched in a lowly posture, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. The youngest, who had been arrogantly defiant moments ago, now wore a sycophantic expression and quickly added: "Yes, yes, big brother's right. I had too much to drink, my mind was fuzzy, and I was talking nonsense. You're a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against me."
His face twisted into an awkward grin, but his eyes kept darting to Wen Qi, nervously gauging his reaction, while his hands fidgeted with the hem of his clothes. The second brother chimed in: "Exactly, our youngest here loves his drink and can't control himself when he's had too much. That was just drunken rambling. Please don't take it to heart. We beg you to be lenient and spare us this once."
His expression was earnest, his tone urgent, and his eyes filled with hope.
Wen Qi snorted coldly, fixing them with an icy glare. "Do you think I'll believe that? I've seen it all—from your initial arrogance to your current smooth talk. Do you really think I'm that easy to fool?"
His eyes brimmed with doubt and anger, his brows furrowed tightly.
The eldest Hu brother quickly replied: "Friend, we truly know we're wrong. Look at us now, a pitiful mess—how could we dare cause any more trouble? We sincerely apologize and beg you to give us a way out."
As he spoke, he kept wiping sweat from his forehead, his face pale.
Wen Qi retorted without mercy: "Your apologies are too cheap. If I let you go today, who can guarantee you won't come back to cause more harm?"
His expression was stern, his tone firm, arms crossed over his chest.
The three Hu brothers' faces turned grim at these words. The second brother said anxiously: "Friend, rest assured, we won't. We swear we'll reform from now on."
His voice trembled slightly, a hint of despair in his eyes.
Wen Qi sneered: "Swear? Your oaths are worthless. Your eyes have already betrayed you—I can clearly sense your resentment and unwillingness."
The eldest Hu brother's face shifted between shades, hesitating for a moment before saying: "Friend, do you have to be so ruthless? We've humbled ourselves and begged you, yet you still won't let us go. Do you really want to force a fight to the death?"
A glint of ferocity flashed in his eyes, and his teeth ground audibly.
Wen Qi's heart wavered briefly, but he quickly steeled his resolve. "You've harbored ill intentions from the start. I can feel the strong malice and murderous intent radiating from you. Even if I let you go today, you'll surely seek revenge later. Enough talk—you're not leaving today!"
His eyes were resolute, and he clenched his fists.
Hearing this, the eldest Hu brother's face darkened. He gritted his teeth and said: "Fine, if that's the case, don't blame us for fighting to the death!"
The three brothers' expressions turned fierce. The youngest clenched his fists and glared at Wen Qi, shouting: "Big brother, let's fight him!"
The second brother's eyes also showed determination, his body leaning forward as if ready for a desperate struggle.
Wen Qi's Pokémon, sensing their master's resolve, watched the Hu brothers more warily, emitting low growls. Veins bulged on the eldest Hu brother's forehead, sweat pouring down like rain. His eyes darted between Wen Qi and his Pokémon, filled with fear and inner turmoil, his legs feeling weak.
Wen Qi took a deep breath and declared loudly: "Come on! Let's see who laughs last today!"
His voice echoed through the air, pushing the tension to its peak.
Though Wen Qi didn't know their exact strength, seeing their three high-level Fearow and three injured elite-level Mightyena, he wasn't concerned about the power they'd shown. To guard against any hidden tricks, he said: "Scizor, hold back for now. Keep an eye out for any surprises they might have."
Scizor, eager for battle, reluctantly nodded at its master's command.
Looking at the three Fearow, Wen Qi thought for a moment and released his Dragonair. It struck him then that he lacked flying-type Pokémon; the only one he had was Pidgeotto. Butterfree and Venomoth could fly but were too slow, and while Scizor was fast, it couldn't fly high. The only one capable of taking on three Fearow was Dragonair—Pidgeotto was still too low-level.
The moment the three Hu brothers laid eyes on Wen Qi's Dragonair, their gazes burned with intense greed. The eldest's eyes widened like brass bells, as if they might pop out, and he muttered to himself: "That's a Dragonair! If we could get our hands on that, we'd be rich!"
His breathing quickened, and his heart raced. The youngest trembled with excitement, drool at the corner of his mouth, and said: "If that treasure were ours, we'd rule this area!"
His eyes were wild with obsession, as if he already possessed the Dragonair. The second brother's breath grew ragged, his eyes fixed on Dragonair, his mind consumed with thoughts of claiming it. He rubbed his hands together, as if it were already theirs: "Such a rare Pokémon—we can't let it slip away. We've got to find a way to take it!"
Their faces were naked with undisguised greed, as if they could already envision the glory of owning Dragonair. At that moment, avarice completely blinded them, forgetting that whether they'd even leave alive was still uncertain.