On Lake Heart Island, a man in black was slowly crawling ashore from a rocky lake. The cold lake water soaked his entire body, making him shiver uncontrollably as he sat on the bank. He had endured the risk of hypothermia, hiding in the icy lake.
It was Xia Yong, who had been forgotten all this time. This international criminal had long lived a life on the edge, so the not-so-extreme wilderness environment on Lake Heart Island was not a big problem for him.
He was trembling all over from the cold, muttering, "I didn't expect Captain Shi to die just like that, without even a scream, his soul directly extinguished by a Will-O-Wisp. Even the Leader and Deputy Leader were captured."
At this moment, Xia Yong, having witnessed other members either being killed or captured, was filled with lingering fear and only wanted to escape this forbidden land of China as quickly as possible. He only had a Sharpedo with a normal ability and a Mandibuzz left, but escaping to the high seas shouldn't be a big problem.
"No, if I just escape like this, I'll have no financial security when I return to the Water Blade Gang. I heard that the Squirtle and Totodile in the Water-type Wilderness Area have good aptitudes. I'll take advantage of the night to poach some before I flee."
Indeed, these criminals were beyond saving. Even when in danger, all they thought about was how to poach Pokémon…
…………
In the Research Institute~
Unlike Xia Yong's rough living, Zhang Heng and Qi Shu, after witnessing Yi Shu's astonishing and exquisite cooking, were like people who had reincarnated from starving ghosts!
Their eyes stared at a table full of incredibly delicious dishes, and their throats occasionally made gurgling sounds of swallowing.
As soon as Yi Shu brought the last dish to the table, Qi Shu eagerly extended her chopsticks, swiftly picking up a fragrant piece of braised pork and putting it into her mouth.
While chewing heartily, she indistinctly praised, "Delicious! So delicious!" And Zhang Heng, beside her, quickly picked up a spoon and scooped a large spoonful of tender and juicy scrambled eggs with shrimp, stuffing it into his mouth in big bites.
(PS: Don't ask me what kind of shrimp I used, okay? I can't answer that either.)
Just like that, the two devoured the food like a whirlwind. In a short while, the table, which had been full of dishes, was completely clean, not even a grain of rice left.
Qi Shu patted her round belly, letting out a satisfied burp; Zhang Heng leaned back in his chair, his hand on his bulging stomach, both their faces beaming with smiles.
Seeing their comical, ravenous eating, Yi Shu also felt very happy, because they both highly approved of the food she cooked.
"By the way, Zhang Heng, is this pink Shinny Mudkip the partner you chose in the Wilderness Area?"
Zhang Heng was wiping his mouth with his lips when he heard Yi Shu's question and replied, "Yes, my and Mudkip's information have both been registered with the Alliance, and I've officially registered as a Trainer."
Yi Shu looked at Zhang Heng for help and said, "Dr. Chen previously promised that we could open up selection slots, and you've already chosen, but I haven't decided yet. Could you please help me and come with me to the Wilderness Area Pokémon Egg Hatching Area to choose a Pokémon egg?"
Zhang Heng didn't decline. With his system's detection ability, he could definitely help Yi Shu choose a Pokémon that she liked and that had good aptitude.
"Of course, no problem, leave it to me. By the way, where's Chen Xue?"
"Chen Xue heard that Dr. Chen was injured, so she went to Goose City Hospital to take care of the unconscious Dr. Chen."
Zhang Heng nodded in understanding. Then he said, "Let's go, it's a good time to digest after eating. Let's go to the Hatching Area together."
Qi Shu, however, wasn't very interested, as all the Pokémon here were Water-type Pokémon. She said, "I need to go to the treatment room first to see the injured Vikavolt and the others."
"Okay, remember to wash the dishes before you go. Yi Shu, let's go."
After speaking, Zhang Heng took out a love ball, returned Mudkip to the ball, and then pulled Yi Shu's wrist, quickly walking towards the elevator. Qi Shu was still sitting blankly in the dining chair, not having reacted yet, as Zhang Heng and Yi Shu had already entered the elevator.
"That's not right! Two people ate the meal, so why do I have to wash the dishes alone?"
Under the guidance of the Research Institute staff, Zhang Heng and Yi Shu arrived at the lowest level of the Wilderness Area. Along the way, there were no fewer than 10 rangers guarding this area.
After all, high-aptitude Pokémon eggs are one of a country's important strategic resources.
"Hello, please present your identification for selection qualification verification. This Wilderness Area is not open to external visitors; only those with selection slots issued by the Research Institute itself can enter this area."
The speaker was a young female staff member of the Wilderness Area, in her early 20s.
Upon hearing this, Yi Shu took out her Pokédex and scanned it in the sensing area. After verifying her selection qualification, the staff member continued, "Is this person next to you an accompanying person?"
Zhang Heng replied, "Yes, can I go in with her?"
"Of course, you can. Please be informed that this consumption of one selection slot only allows you to take one Pokémon egg. Please follow me."
Zhang Heng and Yi Shu, led by this young Miss, walked behind a special steel door.
This place, deeply hidden beneath the Research Institute, was an extremely grand storage area for Pokémon eggs. Although sunlight rarely reached here throughout the year, the 24-hour constant temperature lights kept the entire area warm and inviting, completely devoid of the usual damp and cold feeling one might associate with underground spaces.
Upon entering this area, the first thing that caught the eye was the clear and organized zoning. Each area was meticulously labeled, detailing various attribute combinations, specific Pokémon species names, and important information such as the aptitude of their parents. All relevant information was clear at a glance, like a series of vivid and living Pokémon growth histories displayed before their eyes.
The Miss said, "The recent Squirtle and Totodile Pokémon eggs have very good aptitudes. Would you like me to show you around?"
Zhang Heng looked at Yi Shu next to him, who was hesitating. Perhaps girls cared more about whether a Pokémon had a cute appearance, unlike battle-oriented players like them who preferred strength.
So he asked, "Yi Shu, do you have any goals? Or what kind of Pokémon do you like, what kind of attribute combination? You can tell me, and I'll help you consider."
"Hmm... I really like Water-type Pokémon, and I also like Ice-type and Fairy-type. I wonder if there are similar attribute combinations in the Wilderness Area."
The Miss leading them on the tour spoke, saying, "There are Pokémon with Water and Ice-type attribute combinations. They're over there."
Under the guidance of the staff, Zhang Heng and Yi Shu arrived at a separate hatching area. According to the display boards, all the Pokémon eggs were Water + Ice-type Pokémon.
Such as Seel, Shellder, Spheal, and two particularly rare Lapras Pokémon eggs...