Baimu calmed the panicked wild Pokémon and continued to move toward the location of the Forest Ranger's Cabin, instructing the Drifloon to lower their altitude to avoid detection.
Walking and resolving along the way.
Very soon.
He arrived near the Forest Ranger's Cabin and paused when he heard the noisy commotion from that direction.
"Shh~"
Baimu gestured for silence to the Drifloon, parted the bushes, and looked into the distance. He saw an array of iron cages filled with various wild Pokémon, either silent or crying out, near the stream and around the cabin.
Two mountain bikes were parked not far from the iron cages.
Two Pokémon Hunters sat at the door, smoking and chatting, with two Mightyena at their side sneezing continuously, seemingly irritated by the smoke.
"To think they'd have dog-type Pokémon... Fortunately, these guys smoke."
He smirked slightly.
In normal circumstances, his complex scent might easily be picked up by the Mightyena, but luck was on his side this time.
He surveyed the area around the Forest Ranger's Cabin and found he could maneuver along the stream to a spot unnoticed by those two.
"...Stay here, don't move, wait until I call you out, okay?"
Baimu gestured and spoke to the Drifloon.
He believed these intelligent creatures could understand his meaning.
Indeed.
As he moved a few steps aside, the Drifloon didn't follow but watched him vigilantly from their spot.
Truly obedient Ghost-type Pokémon.
With a calmer heart, Baimu quietly and swiftly maneuvered to the back of the Forest Ranger's Cabin, clutching a Pokeball as he moved forward carefully.
There was a window at the back of the cabin.
He climbed up silently and peeked inside, spotting the Forest Ranger bound in the corner, still conscious—thankfully alive.
Among Pokémon hunters, there were both weak and ruthless ones. Hunter J from the Sinnoh Region was a particularly vicious type, but she ultimately met her end in Lake Verity, one of the few confirmed deaths in the main Pokémon animation.
Confirming that besides the two out front, there were no other Pokémon Hunters, he proceeded to climb onto the roof, looking down at the two Pokémon Hunters below.
No doubt about it.
The Mightyena's senses were keen, even though the second-hand smoke nearly dulled their noses, they instinctively looked up, meeting Baimu's gaze.
"Howl——"
The bark had just started when Baimu leapt from the rooftop, accompanied by the flash and sound of a Pokeball activating.
Bang!
With Enhanced Fist and Hundred Thousand Volts, Mawile and Porygon emerged, striking from either side and sending the Mightyena flying, leaving the stunned Pokémon Hunters wide-eyed.
They belatedly turned their heads in panic.
"Who are—ah!"
Both yelled in pain as their heads smoothly collided into Baimu's grasp, slamming hard onto the ground with a thud, leaving them unconscious with eyes rolled back.
"Hoo..."
Baimu stood up, exhaled deeply, and looked at the defeated Mightyena dispatched by Mawile and Porygon, then called out to the Drifloon hidden in the distant bushes, "It's over, come out quickly."
"Fwo~"
The four Drifloon floated out gently.
"They're all yours. Make sure they don't escape," Baimu instructed the Drifloon after searching the Pokémon Hunters and ensuring they had no weapons.
He walked into the Forest Ranger's Cabin.
Seeing Baimu, the Forest Ranger widened his eyes as Baimu untied him and removed the cloth from his mouth.
"I've dealt with the two outside. Four more went out to capture Pokémon and haven't returned. The police have been notified. What do we do now?"
Baimu quickly briefed him on the situation.
The Forest Ranger was initially stunned, then urgently said, "When did you call the police? Did they go southwest? Quick, we need to stop them! We can't let them capture Lei Gong!"
"—Huh?"
"Lei Gong! The Legendary Celestial Thunder Pokémon! Lei Gong!"
The Forest Ranger's voice thundered like a storm, shaking Baimu's heart.