Chapter 33: No Way Out
“There are still quite a lot of trees here. Can he really find this place?” Ci Lang looked around, a little worried.
“Don’t worry, that guy isn’t like us. He grew up among hunters, so he’s not ordinary!”
Chen Xi pressed the Confusion coin hard, embedding it into the tree.
“Then… are we really not going to do anything?” Ci Lang said, a bit unwillingly.
Chen Xi was silent for a moment, then said very seriously, “Diving headfirst into a protective net prepared by the opponent is a very unwise thing to do. But if Zhen Xing can really escape here, we can still try to lend a hand!”
“Why only lend a hand here?” Ci Lang asked, confused by Chen Xi’s words.
Chen Xi explained to Ci Lang, “Because this place is relatively close to the water energy mud pool. As long as we trigger this protective charm, the Trainers of the Wetland Shrine will quickly come to support us, thus ensuring our safety.”
Ci Lang felt a little relieved upon hearing Chen Xi’s words, but he also hoped that Zhen Xing could escape.
To be honest, Chen Xi wasn’t really worried about Zhen Xing; he just felt that the Gym Leader named Shi Ying might not make it out.
At this time, Chen Xi didn’t know that on the edge of the Great Marsh, Chi Ri, dressed in a temple priest’s robe, was rapidly approaching the Great Marsh, with four rapidly vibrating wings on his back.
He was currently being carried by a Crobat, flying rapidly towards the Great Marsh.
Just then, a man in a sky-blue priest’s robe, riding a Gyarados floating in the sky, blocked Chi Ri’s path.
Chi Ri looked at this person with a hint of solemnity and asked, “Who are you?”
“Wetland Shrine, Chang Wu,” the priest in the priest’s robe said.
Chi Ri gripped his Poké Ball, his expression serious, and said, “The Wetland Shrine has always been aloof from worldly affairs. Do you intend to interfere this time too?”
Chang Wu calmly bowed to Chi Ri, then said, “The Wetland Shrine merely provided the venue. The matters of the hunters are naturally for the hunters themselves to resolve. No one has the right to interfere, including me, and including you!”
“What if I insist on breaking through?” Chi Ri’s gaze sharpened, and a powerful sense of oppression emanated from him.
“The temple should not interfere in human affairs. The more you do, the more mistakes you will make!” Chang Wu advised Chi Ri.
Chi Ri gave a cold laugh, then a Honchkrow was summoned, letting out a long cry.
Chi Ri said, “I come from the human world, and I shall return to the human world. Even if you are an Elite, you cannot stop me!”
No one knew that while a siege was taking place in the Great Marsh, on its periphery, two top Trainers were fighting to the death.
At this time, Ci Lang occasionally looked worriedly in the direction where medical supplies and food were placed.
He was genuinely very worried that Zhen Xing, whom he had only known for a short time, would die in the Great Marsh.
“Stop looking. If you keep looking, someone else might go digging there!” Chen Xi shrugged, looking at Ci Lang’s restless demeanor, then at his Staryu comfortably soaking in the Water-type energy mud pool, enjoying itself.
It was a pity there wasn’t a Psychic energy mud pool here, otherwise, letting Staryu soak in it might have been very beneficial.
There was a Gastrodon in this Water-type mud pool, a powerful Small Elves of level 88, which Chen Xi indicated he couldn't afford to provoke.
And while Staryu was one of Chen Xi’s Key Points Pokémon, his training method for it also focused on strengthening its foundation.
However, Chen Xi emphasized Staryu’s Psychic abilities and didn’t develop many Water-type skills.
Therefore, Staryu did indeed improve its Water-type attributes in this Water-type mud pool.
But it was unrealistic to expect it to gain huge benefits like Torterra, though it did reach level 42 with the help of this Water-type mud pool.
Watching Staryu finish its bath, Chen Xi found an open space and, as usual, trained his Pokémon.
Of course, in terms of training volume, it was even slightly lighter than usual, as if it was just a warm-up for them.
This behavior puzzled Ci Lang, who finally couldn’t help but ask, “How long do we have to wait?”
“Two days. In two days, he’ll either have escaped elsewhere, or he’ll be dead in there!” Chen Xi said.
“Okay, we’ll wait two days!” Ci Lang breathed a slight sigh of relief, yet he was somewhat worried that Zhen Xing wouldn't appear.
But he also worried that if Zhen Xing did appear, he himself might be in great danger, feeling very conflicted.
Chen Xi, however, ate and slept calmly, not at all conflicted about this.
Because Chen Xi could see that Ci Lang worried about Zhen Xing purely out of kindness.
But Chen Xi was different; Chen Xi felt that Zhen Xing wouldn't die this time and had investment potential, which was why he offered help.
If Zhen Xing listened to him and escaped towards this direction, then no matter what, they would have a connection.
The so-called connection doesn’t refer to how many times they met, how many days they chatted, or how much benefit they had.
Instead, it means that the other party, for whatever reason, is ultimately willing to trust oneself once; that is what a connection is.
If Zhen Xing was willing to trust him once, then even for that, Chen Xi would be willing to help.
But if Zhen Xing didn't run this way, it meant that his relationship with Zhen Xing hadn't reached the point of a connection.
Since there was no trust, there was no connection, so Chen Xi didn’t care whether he lived or died.
At this moment, Chen Xi’s gaze fell upon his Nidoran♂.
His three main Pokémon were not over-trained because they needed to maintain their condition.
But Nidoran♂ was different. During this period, he had grown rapidly under Chen Xi's careful care.
In the book “Earth Exploration,” there is an introduction to Nidoran♂’s training methods.
For example, regarding food, in addition to common Poison-type foods, “Earth Exploration” also mentioned a relatively rare ingredient called Moon Powder.
Simply put, it’s Moon Stone powder. Long-term consumption can allow Nidoran♂ to sense Ground-type abilities earlier and also provide a certain degree of Special Attack boost, which is a relatively luxurious training method.
However, this Moon Powder cannot be consumed after Nidoran♂ evolves into Nidorino.
Because adding Moon Powder to food again could potentially cause Nidorino to evolve into Nidoking prematurely.
The book also mentioned the best time to evolve Nidorino into Nidoking.
That is, after Nidorino has mastered the Horn Drill move, it is most appropriate to evolve him into Nidoking.
Other skills are not important for Nidoking, but Nidorino must master Horn Drill before he can evolve into Nidoking.
Because Horn Drill is a one-hit KO move, theoretically speaking, it might even be able to take down Legendary Pokémon.
The existence of this move is not about how powerful it is, but about the deterrence it brings.
However, Chen Xi started training Nidoran♂ not to raise his level, but because Nidoran♂ had already mastered the first skill that could be used to build a tactical system: Focus Energy.
Focus Energy is a skill that many Small Elves will master. It can increase the probability of critical hits.
The first level of Focus Energy is to concentrate one's attention, thereby becoming fully focused and able to perceive the opponent's weaknesses.
The second level of Focus Energy is to feel one's own aura, understand one's own weaknesses and strengths, and thus make more accurate judgments.
The third level of Focus Energy is to feel the aura of others, and even the aura of nature, as if having a God's perspective.
And mastering the third level of Focus Energy basically means being only one step away from Elite Four level, and even many Elite Four level Small Elves cannot achieve this.
And what Chen Xi hoped Nidoran♂ would achieve was just the first step, and to maintain the Focus Energy state for a long time, even making it an instinct.
So, as soon as Nidoran♂ came out of his Poké Ball, Chen Xi ordered him to enter the Focus Energy state immediately.
He even wanted him to make this move an instinct without his command. Chen Xi believed that as long as he fought enough, he would definitely master this move!
Keeping a Small Elves in a Focus Energy state for a long time does not consume much physical energy, but it consumes a considerable amount of mental energy.
This is like asking a person to remain fully concentrated for twenty-four hours a day; that person would either go crazy or die, with no other way out.
Therefore, Chen Xi would also have Nidoran♂ meditate to regulate his excessively consumed mental energy.
Thankfully, although Nidoran♂ couldn't learn the Calm Mind move to increase his Special Defense and Special Attack.
Nidoran♂ did, after all, master the Confusion move, showing some talent for Psychic moves.
So, with Chen Xi possessing a Calm Mind skill inheritance scroll, teaching him Calm Mind to restore his mental energy was achievable, it just lacked the effect of Calm Mind boosting his Special Attack and Special Defense.
Chen Xi’s current training for Nidoran♂ was similar to how he trained Turtwig in the past, mainly to solidify his foundation rather than building a corresponding tactical system.
Therefore, Nidoran♂ only specifically trained moves like Double Kick, Horn Attack, and Focus Energy to strengthen his basics.
Other than that, he ate and slept as he pleased; Chen Xi was not harsh in Nidoran♂’s training.
Chen Xi understood that Nidoran♂ was still in the stage of strengthening his foundation. For him to grow further, his foundation had to be solid.
So, Chen Xi was not in a hurry to train Nidoran♂. Although he was a Poison-type Small Elves, Chen Xi didn't even make him practice many Poison-type moves, only patiently strengthening Nidoran♂'s qualities.
And time just flowed by little by little, and Chen Xi enjoyed training his Pokémon.
Unconsciously, a day had already passed.
At this time, Zhen Xing was supporting Shi Ying, rushing along with a hint of panic and helplessness.
“It’s just ahead, that’s where we agreed to meet. I can feel my Confusion coin is just ahead. When we get there, there will be healing medicine and food. Boss, you must hold on!” Zhen Xing couldn’t help but say.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry, don’t worry…” Shi Ying comforted Zhen Xing. Although his voice was very weak, it was full of determination.
At this moment, there was a deep, bottomless bloody hole in Shi Ying’s abdomen, as if something had pierced through it.
Soon, Zhen Xing found the package of recovery items Chen Xi had buried. Looking at the Confusion coin almost embedded in the tree, Zhen Xing couldn’t help but pout.
His little trick had been discovered by Chen Xi.
But it was good that Chen Xi had, after all, left behind recovery medicine and canned food. For him, these were the most precious things.
He quickly applied some medicine to Shi Ying, but Shi Ying’s chest was still bleeding profusely, and the blood was black.
“What’s the use of this antidote!” Seeing that the medicine Chen Xi left couldn’t treat Shi Ying, Zhen Xing couldn’t help but say angrily.
“It seems there’s really no way!” Shi Ying sighed, calmly saying to Zhen Xing, “Xiao Xing, listen. If I die, go to the temple and find a man named Chi Ri, and follow him. He will blaze a trail for us commoners.”
“I… I don’t want to, you won’t die, I will absolutely not let you die!”
Zhen Xing heard Shi Ying’s words, his voice tinged with a sob, as he spoke to Shi Ying.
At this moment, even though Zhen Xing’s eyes were filled with tears, he wouldn’t let them fall.
Before the two could say anything, a Chatot suddenly let out a series of noisy sounds. The sound traveled quite far, and Zhen Xing and Shi Ying, at close range, found it extremely piercing.
This was Uproar!
Feeling as if his ears were being pierced, Zhen Xing threw out his Crobat, which had already evolved from Golbat, and shouted loudly, “Use Supersonic!”
In an instant, waves of sound were released from Crobat’s mouth, finally blocking the Uproar.
“Boss! Let’s go!” Zhen Xing continued to support Shi Ying, wanting to escape.
But as soon as he turned around, he saw a middle-aged figure in front of him, and beside him was a very ferocious-looking Toxicroak.
Zhen Xing turned around, and behind him, two more people had arrived. Beside these two, a Weavile and a Houndoom stood, surrounding Zhen Xing and Shi Ying.
“You’re very strong. You got poisoned by my Toxicroak, and you’re still alive here!” Hunter S said.
“Stop talking nonsense with him. Just now, Z died because he wasn’t careful and fell into his trap. I don’t want to follow in his footsteps!” Hunter X said.
“Let’s go together. After all, who knows how many trump cards Shi Ying still has left? I don’t think anyone wants to try it themselves!” Hunter Y said.
To be honest, four Letter Hunters attacked together, with masters and even Quasi-Heavenly King level Small Elves among them, but no one expected there would be casualties, or that Shi Ying would even escape.
Fortunately, only this kid came to rescue him, otherwise, Shi Ying might really have gotten away.
But now, they wanted to see what kind of extraordinary abilities Shi Ying still possessed.
In an instant, three Small Elves immediately split into three directions, surrounding Shi Ying.
At this moment, Shi Ying didn't hesitate either, using his last Poké Ball.
Originally, this Small Elves was Shi Ying’s hope for reaching the Elite level, but now, he couldn’t afford to think about that much!
Survival was the most important thing!
“Come out, Snorlax!”
“Snorlax!”