Deep within the dense forest, Zhou Zhiwen and his team trudged forward with heavy steps.
Every Pokémon they encountered along the way, unless it was an exceptionally gentle species, would launch an attack the moment it sensed their presence, plunging the entire group into a series of fierce battles.
Although Zhou Zhiwen and his team were extraordinarily capable, the relentless fighting left them utterly exhausted.
Many of the team’s Pokémon were injured and unable to continue fighting, placing immense pressure on the group.
Zhou Zhiwen knew they couldn’t risk pushing forward any further; he had to find a safe place for the team to rest.
So, he signaled a subordinate who had a Sandslash to quickly find a suitable spot and dig a cave for them to take shelter.
Under the current circumstances, camping above ground had become extremely dangerous; they could only seek a peaceful resting place underground.
Soon, a spacious and concealed cave was excavated, and Zhou Zhiwen immediately ordered everyone to enter and rest.
To ensure safety, Zhou Zhiwen sprayed a scent-neutralizing agent around the cave, preventing other Pokémon from detecting their presence.
In the dim cave, every team member’s face was etched with exhaustion and tension.
Fortunately, the cave was spacious enough for them to release their Pokémon and apply healing items to their wounds.
After applying the medicine, the Pokémon’s condition gradually improved, allowing the team to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Seeing this, Zhou Zhiwen pulled out the intermediate perfect energy cubes he had bought from Wen Qi earlier and distributed them to each team member.
These energy cubes covered almost all types of Pokémon needs, making them an excellent choice for restoring stamina.
The team members were impressed by their captain’s ability to produce such a variety of intermediate perfect energy cubes.
They all knew these cubes must have come from that senior breeder Zhou Zhiwen had dealt with.
However, they were puzzled—Zhou Zhiwen had been with them recently, rarely leaving the group. How had he obtained these cubes?
Though doubts lingered, now was not the time to ask.
The team understood that in this perilous moment, having these energy cubes was already a stroke of luck.
They silently accepted the cubes and fed them to their Pokémon to replenish their energy.
Meanwhile, in the inner zone of Chunhua Forest, Wang Jian had been hiding for several days.
During this time, he had suffered relentless pursuit, unable to eat or sleep well, leaving him physically and mentally drained.
His biggest headache was that Bulbasaur, which seemed impossible to store in a Poké Ball. Every time he hid, its cries would soon give away his location.
Wang Jian had considered giving up multiple times, but thinking about how much effort he had put into catching this Bulbasaur, he forced himself to endure his frustration and persist.
Fortunately, he was agile, and his Gym-level Shiftry was powerful enough to break through before other Gym-level Pokémon could find him.
Coupled with the special abilities of his Kecleon, he managed to escape danger repeatedly.
However, the situation was becoming increasingly dire.
That Bulbasaur seemed to be getting smarter. Previously, some toys could temporarily calm it, but now even delicious energy cubes were losing their effect.
The Bulbasaur grew more restless, leaving Wang Jian at a loss.
Wang Jian knew this couldn’t go on; he had to find a way to change the situation.
He looked at the Kecleon playing with the Bulbasaur and a bold idea struck him.
He decided to split up with Kecleon: Kecleon would knock out the Bulbasaur, turn invisible, and carry it away in another direction.
Meanwhile, he would go alone with Shiftry, free from the Bulbasaur’s burden, giving him a chance to escape.
Kecleon was Wang Jian’s loyal companion, having been with him for over twenty years and very obedient.
After hearing Wang Jian’s plan, it nodded in agreement. Thus, a thrilling split operation began.
Wang Jian quietly left the cave with Shiftry, while Kecleon, invisible, carried the Bulbasaur in another direction.
Though splitting up was fraught with unknowns and dangers, Wang Jian believed it was their only way out.
He could only pray for smooth sailing and hope to reunite with Kecleon at their previous rendezvous point.
At that moment, Zhou Zhiwen and his team, resting in the underground cave, were unaware of Wang Jian’s plan.
Whether by luck or coincidence, the direction Wang Jian was breaking through roughly aligned with the path Zhou Zhiwen’s team was taking.
When they eventually met, it was hard to say whether it would be Wang Jian’s fortune or misfortune.
Kecleon’s side was relatively safe. As long as it stayed invisible and didn’t use energy, it could avoid detection. It had already traveled a long distance without incident, despite encountering many curious Pokémon along the way.
It had deftly evaded them, and as long as no unexpected events occurred, it should be able to leave safely.
As for Wang Jian on the other side, his luck was less favorable. During previous battles, the scent of him and Shiftry had been memorized by the local Pokémon.
Though he had applied scent-neutralizing agents, over time, some of their scent had leaked out.
Moreover, the combination of him and Shiftry was quite conspicuous.
Wang Jian had considered storing Shiftry and releasing his Rapidash, but he realized his Rapidash was even more eye-catching.
If he brought out Rapidash, sneaking away would be impossible—its blazing flames would make them stand out too much.
Fortunately, without the Bulbasaur weighing him down, Wang Jian and Shiftry quickly reached the last blockade: the boundary between the inner and outer zones.
He thought they were in the clear—once past this point, danger should be behind them.
But he celebrated too soon. Two Gym-level Venusaur appeared ahead.
The moment they emerged, their imposing aura surged toward Wang Jian.
If not for Shiftry blocking the front, even that aura would have been unbearable for Wang Jian. As it was, it still felt oppressive.
At his age, he was considered middle-aged or elderly. Without years of training, the past few days’ ordeal combined with this pressure would have already broken him.
Even so, his condition was far from good.
Seeing the two Gym-level Venusaur, Wang Jian knew he couldn’t hold back anymore; holding back would mean death.
He opened his Poké Balls and released Rapidash, along with a level 40 Pidgeot and a level 40 Poliwrath.
He had originally planned to have Pidgeot carry him out of the encirclement, but now, he had no choice but to fight.
Otherwise, Shiftry alone couldn’t handle two Venusaur.
The Venusaur, seeing Wang Jian release more Pokémon, let out loud roars.
Wang Jian knew that sound meant trouble—they were calling for reinforcements. He had to break through quickly; if backup arrived, escape would be impossible.
Sunlight filtered through the dense forest, casting dappled light on the clearing that was about to become a battlefield.
Wang Jian sat astride Rapidash, his gaze steady. He lightly waved his command stick, ready to issue battle orders.
Shiftry, Pidgeot, and Poliwrath stood to his left, right, and rear, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for the coming fight.
The two Venusaur stood opposite, their massive bodies looking even more imposing in the sunlight.
Their leaves quivered slightly, as if gathering strength for an attack.
The battle was about to begin. Wang Jian gave the first command:
“Shiftry, use Hyper Beam!”
Shiftry opened its mouth wide, and a powerful beam of light shot out, aimed at one of the Venusaur.
The Venusaur reacted quickly, using “Razor Leaf” to counter. Countless sharp leaves rained down like a storm toward Shiftry.
Seeing this, Pidgeot soared high to avoid the leaf attack, then unleashed “Air Slash,” sending sharp wind blades cutting through the air toward the other Venusaur.
The Venusaur calmly used “Protect,” blocking Pidgeot’s attack without taking damage.
Poliwirth moved swiftly on the ground, using “Water Pulse.” A powerful stream of water shot from its body, charging at one of the Venusaur.
The Venusaur responded with “Solar Beam,” and beams of scorching light collided with the water, creating massive steam and explosions.
The battle intensified. Trees and rocks on the field shattered under the impact of the attacks, dust flying, turning the entire area into chaos.
Under Wang Jian’s command, Rapidash weaved nimbly through the battlefield, leaving scorched trails with its “Flame Wheel.”
Though injured, Shiftry’s fighting spirit remained unbroken. It used “Hyper Beam” again, this time targeting the ground beneath the Venusaur to destabilize them.
Feeling the threat, the Venusaur began using “Petal Dance.” Countless petals swirled in the air, forming a beautiful barrier that also provided them protection.
The battle reached a fever pitch. Wang Jian knew they had to break out quickly.
He gave the final command:
“Rapidash, use Flame Charge!”
Rapidash accelerated instantly, its body engulfed in flames, forming a fiery whirlwind as it charged toward a gap in the encirclement.
At that moment, one of the Venusaur used “Earthquake,” causing the ground to shake violently. But this time, it inadvertently created an opening for Wang Jian’s escape.
The fissures from the earthquake distracted the Venusaur, causing a slight crack in their Petal Dance barrier.
Wang Jian seized the opportunity. Riding Rapidash, he led the injured Shiftry, Pidgeot, and Poliwrath through that gap.
Behind them echoed the furious roars of the two Venusaur and the falling petals.
Wang Jian and his Pokémon had finally broken out of the encirclement. Though injured, they were alive.
Wang Jian looked back at the chaotic battlefield, his heart filled with complex emotions.
He knew this battle was part of their struggle for survival, and they had only earned a temporary respite.
Now, Wang Jian understood he had to seize the golden moment before the Venusaur could react and flee this perilous forest without delay.
Even if he gave his all to escape the inner zone, danger would still lurk as long as he remained in this vast forest.
So far, the mysterious figure of the dominant Pokémon had yet to appear, but if they encountered it, Wang Jian knew he stood no chance of escape.
What worried him more was that his Pokémon had all suffered varying degrees of injury during this thrilling breakout and urgently needed rest and recovery.
His Pidgeot and Rapidash were especially badly hurt.
Pidgeot, the Pokémon that had once soared through the skies with him, was still fighting by his side, but its injuries had left it too weak to continue.
Wang Jian had originally planned to ride Pidgeot and fly away from this dangerous place, but now that plan was shattered.
As for Rapidash, it had risked itself to protect Wang Jian and was now exhausted and covered in wounds.
It had been gritting its teeth to keep going, but finally gave out, collapsing to the ground, unable to move.
Faced with this predicament, Wang Jian knew he had to stop temporarily and find a safe place for his Pokémon to recover.
So, he began searching the forest for a suitable resting spot.
Meanwhile, far from the battlefield, Wen Qi was leisurely sitting in his pavilion, enjoying the simple pleasures of watching shows and snacking.
He was living a carefree life on his farm, like a lazy fish.
Beside him, his Torterra quietly absorbed the power of life, detached from the world.
But peaceful days are always easily disrupted.
Torterra suddenly sensed a familiar aura coming from the nearby forest.
Curious, it raised its head to investigate.
It called out to Wen Qi, who was absorbed in his show, trying to get his attention.
Hearing Torterra’s calls, Wen Qi turned around and saw the curiosity and longing in its eyes.
He understood what Torterra meant. Though he knew the forest was full of unknown dangers, considering his own strength, he thought it might be worth a try.
So, he set off with Torterra and his Gogoat, heading deeper into the forest.
Soon, Wen Qi, riding Gogoat and accompanied by Torterra, arrived at the source of the aura.
But when they got there, they found only an ordinary patch of woods, with nothing unusual.
Wen Qi looked at Torterra, his eyes full of doubt, as if asking:
“Did you sense it wrong?”
Torterra looked at him pitifully and called out a few more times, as if saying:
“How can you not believe me? Don’t you love me anymore?”
Wen Qi was amused by Torterra’s reaction. He shook his head helplessly and began using his Aura power to search the surrounding grass.
To his surprise, he found a little creature hiding in the grass—a Bulbasaur.
It was well concealed, almost invisible from the outside. Its body was dirty, with scratches from trees, clearly injured during its escape.
It looked in very bad shape, as if it urgently needed treatment.
Wen Qi used his Aura power to carefully sense this Bulbasaur and was astonished to find that the energy inside it was almost identical to Torterra’s—both were the power of a legendary Pokémon.
Though its level was lower than Torterra’s, its vitality was exceptionally strong, even surpassing that of Gogoat beside him.
Looking at this injured yet resilient little creature, Wen Qi couldn’t help but feel a surge of inexplicable emotion.