Chapter 413: Cute Slowpoke
Under the unsettling stares, Bai Feng finally arrived at Mister Steel's doorstep.
Upon arriving, he saw a white-haired elder at the entrance. The elder was holding a hammer and tapping away at some unknown material, seemingly forging something.
Sensing someone approaching, the elder didn't even lift his head and said in an impatient tone, "Another one here to customize Poké Balls? Didn't I say the orders are full?"
Clearly, this elder was the Legendary Mister Steel, a Master Poké Ball craftsman. Countless people came every day asking him to make Poké Balls, which he found incredibly annoying.
Actually, Mister Steel's son also worked on Poké Ball research at Silph Company, but the father and son took different paths. Mister Steel focused more on traditional craftsmanship, while his son researched how to use modern technology to develop Poké Balls with stronger functionality.
Mister Steel's son had participated in the research of the Master Ball, which was a flash in the pan at Silph Company.
However, Silph Company had now been taken over by the Pokémon League, and the manufacturing and research of the Master Ball had become a discarded plan and a taboo.
Hearing Mister Steel's words, Qianhui spoke up to remind him, "Grandfather, it's me!"
Mister Steel finally looked up.
"Oh, it's Qianhui back..." Before he could finish speaking, he noticed Bai Feng beside Qianhui.
Seeing her grandfather's confused gaze, Qianhui quickly introduced, "Grandfather, this is Brother Bai Feng, the one Grandpa Oak introduced to stay with us."
"Oh~ So it's you!" Mister Steel suddenly understood, then asked in surprise, "How did you get here so fast? Didn't Oak say you were in the Kalos Region?"
Bai Feng smiled and said, "There was a special reason, so I came a bit faster."
Mister Steel didn't delve deeper and said to Qianhui, "Alright, Qianhui, take him to get settled."
"Okay," Qianhui responded and led Bai Feng into the house.
As they walked, Bai Feng asked Qianhui, "Qianhui, have you heard about the Archaeological Team that recently came to Azalea Town?"
Hearing this, Qianhui suddenly said mysteriously, "Of course I know! That Archaeological Team has been experiencing strange things lately."
"What strange occurrences?" Bai Feng asked curiously.
The Ninetales beside him also perked up its ears.
"One day, the Archaeological Team Members suddenly fell into a mysterious sleep and couldn't be woken up no matter what. The people in town say they angered the Slowpoke God," Qianhui whispered.
Bai Feng: ...
Slowpoke God? What the heck? Is there such a thing?
After getting settled, Bai Feng asked Qianhui, "Qianhui, can you take me to see that Archaeological Team?"
Qianhui hesitated upon hearing this. "Brother Bai Feng, you want to go to the Archaeological Team? Will we fall asleep too if we go?"
"Then forget it, just tell me the location, and I'll find my way there myself." Bai Feng suddenly changed his mind. The situation at the Archaeological Team's camp was unclear, and if anything happened to Qianhui because of it, he wouldn't be able to explain it to Mister Steel.
"Okay, then Brother Bai Feng, please be careful," Qianhui said.
"Don't worry," Bai Feng said, smiling as he patted Qianhui's shoulder.
After getting the address from Qianhui, Bai Feng left with Ninetales. As he passed Mister Steel, he heard Mister Steel say, "Be back before dark, or I won't let you in."
Bai Feng smiled and nodded, "Okay."
Walking back into town, Bai Feng was once again surrounded by Slowpoke. He thought for a moment, took out the paper slip Qianhui gave him, and asked an older woman:
"Excuse me, ma'am, how do I get to this place?"
The older woman glanced at the text on the paper slip and asked in surprise, "You want to go to the Archaeological Team's place? I advise you not to go, it's been strange there lately."
Bai Feng said helplessly, "I have something important, I have to go there."
Since Bai Feng said so, the older woman had no choice but to say, "Alright, then be careful. If you encounter strange occurrences, run quickly." As she spoke, she pointed the way for Bai Feng and didn't forget to give him a few extra words of caution. Bai Feng was someone loved by Slowpoke, so the older woman's gaze towards Bai Feng also unconsciously showed affection.
"Okay, thank you very much," Bai Feng said.
Bai Feng walked a few steps, and suddenly a Slowpoke appeared at his feet and patted his foot with its small claws.
Bai Feng looked at the Slowpoke in confusion and asked, "Hello, is something wrong?"
Meeting the Slowpoke's "wise" gaze, Bai Feng always felt like this guy wasn't looking at him but was spacing out. But... maybe this guy really was spacing out, after all, it was a Slowpoke.
"Ya~~~ Dong~~~~"
The Slowpoke let out a slow cry, but Bai Feng still understood its meaning.
"You want to lead the way for me?"
As soon as Bai Feng said this, all the surrounding Slowpoke slowly turned their heads. Bai Feng somehow saw a hint of eagerness in their blank gazes.
At this moment, the Slowpoke at Bai Feng's feet suddenly stood upright, blocking Bai Feng behind it, and showed a fierce expression, as if saying: None of you are allowed to steal this from me.
Of course, even so, the Slowpoke's expression didn't have much deterrent power because it was truly too blank.
Seeing this, the other Slowpoke all showed the same expression.
Bai Feng quickly said, "You're the one, please lead the way for me." He was really afraid these Slowpoke would suddenly start fighting.
Being inexplicably liked by Slowpoke, his mood was just so complicated!
Receiving Bai Feng's promise, the Slowpoke showed a hint of smugness. Others might find it hard to discern emotions on a Slowpoke's face, but somehow, Bai Feng could see it.
"Then let's go!" Bai Feng said.
So the Slowpoke walked forward on its own.
The Slowpoke's movements weren't slow, but following behind it, Bai Feng somehow saw a sense of leisure and contentment.
After a while, a camp appeared in Bai Feng's line of sight. The camp was filled with tents, but it was very quiet around, as if there wasn't a single person.
"Is anyone there?" Bai Feng called out.
Just then, one of the tents opened, and a middle-aged man with a tired face walked out. He looked at Bai Feng in surprise and asked, "Who are you?" Since the Archaeological Team Members started falling one after another, no one from Azalea Town dared to approach here anymore.
"My name is Bai Feng. I heard strange occurrences were happening here, so I wanted to come and see," Bai Feng replied.
"Bai Feng?" Hearing Bai Feng's words, the middle-aged man's eyes lit up. "Are you Mister Bai Feng, the Strongest Trainer in the Pokémon League? Did Miss Cynthia ask you to come?"
Indeed, Cynthia asking him to come was for the Archaeological Team's matter.
However, before Bai Feng could finish speaking, another surprised voice rang out.
"Bai Feng? The Strongest Trainer in the Pokémon League? Where?" From another tent, a purple-haired young man poked his head out, his face full of surprise.
"Gym Leader Bugsy," the middle-aged man called out to the young man.
"Gym Leader Bugsy of Azalea Town?" Bai Feng asked, looking at the young man.
"It's me, it's me!" the young man said happily. "I can't believe Mister Bai Feng actually came!"
With such a big matter happening to the Archaeological Team, Bugsy, as the Gym Leader of Azalea Town, naturally had to come and check the situation. He had been staying here for several days.
Bai Feng asked, "I heard that some members of the Archaeological Team have fallen into a deep sleep and can't be woken up no matter what. Can you take me to see them?"
"Of course, Mister Bai Feng, please follow me," the middle-aged man said warmly. After getting acquainted, Bai Feng learned that the man's name was Manolo, the Deputy Captain of the Archaeological Team. As for their Captain... he had fallen into a deep sleep like the other members.
Out of the more than ten Archaeological Team members, only Manolo was still awake.
Under Manolo's guidance, Bai Feng, accompanied by Slowpoke and Ninetales, walked into the largest tent. Upon entering, he saw more than ten unconscious people lying on the ground.
"No, don't come over!"
"Help, help! It's so scary, someone save me!"
"Go away, quickly go away! Ahhh~~"
~~~
Although these people were all in a deep sleep, Bai Feng could faintly hear their mumbling. They seemed to be having nightmares.
After checking the condition of a few people, Bai Feng frowned and asked, "Have they been like this since they fell unconscious?"
Manolo nodded and said, "Yes."
"When did they fall unconscious?" Bai Feng asked again.
"Five days ago, they suddenly became like this after returning from the ruins," Manolo replied.
Bai Feng nodded. He had confirmed that the Archaeological Team members had all been hit by Hypnosis and also afflicted with the Move Nightmare. No wonder Cynthia asked him to come. In this state, without the help of a powerful Psychic, these people would likely have a hard time waking up.
Although Cynthia knew Caitlin, Caitlin couldn't come immediately, and the condition of these people couldn't be delayed. In a nightmare state, they could be in danger at any time.
After asking his questions, Bai Feng said, "I'll try to see if I can wake them up."
Hearing this, Manolo said with surprise, "That's great, everyone is saved, thank you so much, Mister Bai Feng."
After all, Bai Feng was the Strongest Trainer in the Pokémon League, so Manolo naturally had a lot of confidence in him.
Bai Feng waved his hand and said, "Don't get too happy too soon. I can only say I'll try. Whether I can wake them up depends on the attempt."
Manolo said, "No matter the outcome, your coming is the greatest help to us."
Bai Feng nodded, then slowly closed his eyes, and his psychic power began to spread out from him.
Suddenly, Bai Feng felt as if he had entered some Unknown Space. It was completely dark here, with nothing in it, but all the Archaeological Team members were trapped here, huddled in corners, trembling.
And in the sky, there was a giant black shadow, looking down on everyone from above, its pair of scarlet eyes emitting terrifying radiance.
Its form was indistinct, like a shadow, and like mist, making its true appearance unclear.
Bai Feng knew that he must have entered a place similar to a Psychic Space. It was this Unknown Space that trapped the Archaeological Team members, preventing them from waking up.
Bai Feng's appearance was like a beam of light illuminating the dark space. A road slowly extended in the dark space.
"Come here, everyone, quickly come here!" Bai Feng shouted to the Archaeological Team members huddled in the corner.
"Who are you?" a young woman asked.
Bai Feng knew her; she was Dr. White, the captain of this Archaeological Team and an expert in archaeology.
"I'm here to save everyone, quickly follow me, hurry, or you'll alarm that guy," Bai Feng said.
"Quick, everyone, let's go!" After hearing Bai Feng's reply, Dr. White quickly urged everyone to follow Bai Feng.
After the Archaeological Team members came to Bai Feng's side, Bai Feng pointed to the glowing road behind him and said, "Quick, follow this road forward, don't look back!"
"Okay!" Dr. White nodded and was the first to run forward along the road.
At the end of the road was a glowing passage. If they ran through it, they would successfully wake up.
Just as everyone was halfway there, the black shadow in the sky suddenly reacted.
"Roar!!!"
It roared and suddenly shot out a black light pillar towards Bai Feng.
Just as Bai Feng was about to counterattack, a figure suddenly appeared beside him and shot a pink ray at the light pillar.
"Ya dong~~~"
Of course, that fragile pink ray didn't do anything to the black light pillar; instead, it was instantly destroyed by the black light pillar.
Bai Feng, quick-witted, hugged that figure and disappeared from the Original spot with a Teleport, causing the black light pillar to miss.
Hearing the commotion here, Dr. White and the others all turned back to check the situation. Seeing this, Bai Feng shouted again, "Run forward, don't look back!"
"But..." Dr. White looked hesitant.
"Hurry, don't waste time!" Bai Feng was a little annoyed.
Perhaps Bai Feng's expression was too grim, Dr. White shrank her neck in fright and quickly turned around, leading the other Archaeological Team members to run forward.
Meanwhile, the black shadow here attacked Bai Feng again because it could sense that only Bai Feng could pose a threat to it.
Bai Feng dodged the black shadow's attack again with Teleport and looked at the Slowpoke in his arms, asking, "How did you get here? Are you here to help me?"
He was a bit surprised that Slowpoke could enter here.
"Ya dong~~" Slowpoke slowly nodded. Although it still looked blank, Bai Feng somehow found it very cute looking at it.
Because Bai Feng attracted the black shadow's attention, Dr. White and the others quickly escaped the space, and in reality, they gradually woke up.
"They're awake, the captain and the others are awake, that's great!" Manolo shouted happily.
Dr. White rubbed her aching head and asked, "What happened?" Suddenly, she remembered something and quickly asked, "Where is the person who saved us?"
"You mean Mister Bai Feng, he's right there!" Manolo said, pointing to Bai Feng, who still had his eyes closed. Slowpoke was currently lying on his feet.
In the dark space, Bai Feng's psychic power surged wildly, transforming into a purple light ray that struck the black shadow, causing it to twist violently.
"Roar~~~"
Amidst the black shadow's roar, Bai Feng hugged Slowpoke and disappeared from the space. At the same time, in reality, he slowly opened his eyes.
The moment Bai Feng disappeared, outside Azalea Town, within the ruins, a black shadow roared in anger, and at the same time, a Gastly slowly flew out from the ruins.
"Mister Bai Feng, you're awake!"
(End of Chapter)