Bisharp was hit by Thunder Wave, fell to the ground paralyzed, and Zhu Zi was struggling with the Cutting Rotom that had suddenly appeared before him.
“Can we talk now, Officer Zhu Zi? Or should I call you Officer Jiang?”
Zhang Heng’s sudden words made his pupils tremble even more; he hadn’t expected his identity to be seen through so easily.
Seeing Zhu Zi’s reaction, Zhang Heng knew his guess was correct. The person calling himself Zhu Zi was actually named Jiang, one of the descendants of the first Southwest Champion.
Zhu Zi shrugged helplessly. Since it had come to this, there was no need for further conflict. He said, “As I said, just call me Zhu Zi. I didn’t expect anyone to remember my grandfather, or to recognize my identity.”
“What Champion Jiang did for Hua Nation is something every Hua Nation citizen should remember and will never forget.”
Zhang Heng first expressed his friendliness, then took a bottle of Full Heal in a glass container from his waist and threw it towards the fallen Bisharp. Bang! The container shattered, and the liquid turned into a mist, enveloping Bisharp’s body and alleviating its paralysis.
Zhu Zi watched this scene without speaking, curious about what Zhang Heng would do next. Would he report him for trespassing into the hospital’s backyard, or did he have another purpose?
Zhang Heng also had his own considerations. He thought, “Since Champion Jiang’s descendant is here, it means the prison guardian Pokémon underground is most likely Champion Jiang’s Pokémon! If I can go with him, the danger factor will be greatly reduced.”
Looking at Zhu Zi, he said frankly, “I want to get an item from the Pokémon guarding the prison. Although I don’t know your purpose, our destination should be the same.”
Zhu Zi first recalled Bisharp into its Poké Ball, then said thoughtfully, “So, this free clinic was originally held for you to explore the underground prison?”
Zhang Heng nodded and invited Zhu Zi, saying, “That’s right, just as you thought. Even your appearance here is thanks to my free clinic. Since it’s a Pokémon left behind by Champion Jiang, you should have a better grasp. I hope to explore the secrets underground with you.”
Zhu Zi suddenly nodded readily and said, “Alright, the item you want should be the Ampharosite that has been widely rumored recently. Don’t worry, our purposes are indeed different.”
In fact, Zhu Zi agreed so readily simply because Zhang Heng still remembered his grandfather and the outstanding contributions his grandfather made to Hua Nation. This was why he could trust Zhang Heng.
Zhang Heng, however, asked curiously, “Then what is your purpose?”
“Time is pressing. It’s not too late to talk as we go.”
As Zhu Zi spoke, Gimmighoul returned to his shadow, and he immediately began searching for an entrance in the backyard.
Zhang Heng also had Cutting Rotom assist in the search. The Pokémon guarding the prison underground was an electric-type, and Cutting Rotom, being grass and electric-type, had a quadruple resistance to electric-type attacks, so he didn’t have Rotom switch back to its original form.
The two searched carefully along the backyard wall. Zhang Heng occasionally squatted down, gently tapping the ground with his fingers, judging whether there was a hollow space below by the sound. Zhu Zi, on the other hand, closed his eyes and concentrated, letting Gimmighoul sense the surrounding energy fluctuations from within his shadow.
“This way!” Zhu Zi suddenly opened his eyes and quickly walked towards a flower bush in the corner of the wall. Pushing aside the dense branches and leaves, a rusty steel plate was revealed at one corner. Zhang Heng quickly followed, and together they pulled the handle of the steel plate, moving it aside.
Although it was past nine in the morning, the entrance to the underground was a dark hole, and visibility was not high. They could only see steps leading downwards, and a damp, musty smell wafted towards them.
“Cutting Rotom, use Charge to clear the way.”
Cutting Rotom flashed into the entrance, its body radiating electric light. The dense electric-type energy in the opening began to converge on Rotom’s body.
Charge is an electric-type status move that increases the user’s electric-type move power and Special Defense. It also produces a strong light when used.
Zhang Heng used this point to have Cutting Rotom lead the way. At the same time, it could also increase the power of its moves and provide emergency capability for unexpected situations.
As soon as they stepped into the entrance, a low growl came, and Zhang Heng’s heart rate suddenly quickened. His hand unconsciously reached for the Poké Ball on his waist. Zhu Zi, however, remained calm and whispered, “Don’t worry, there are many wild Electric-type Pokémon underground in the prison that provide power to the entire prison.”
Under the illumination of Cutting Rotom, the cave walls gleamed with a faint phosphorescence, lighting their way forward. The further they went, the wider the space became, with crisscrossing paths. Bisharp was released to guard their surroundings.
Seeing no unusual circumstances, Zhang Heng asked, “Is there anything in here that you want?”
Zhu Zi did not hide it at this point, only saying as he walked, “I’m here to find the secret of Gimmighoul’s evolution.”
“The secret of evolution? Didn’t Champion Jiang tell you?”
Zhu Zi didn’t turn back, but his voice carried a hint of sadness, saying, “As you know, my grandfather was ambushed and killed by a coalition of Champions from multiple countries on his way back to China. Many things were left unsaid, including the secret of Gimmighoul’s evolution. He only left this behind.”
From the pocket of his police uniform, he took out a gold coin and threw it to Zhang Heng. Zhang Heng reached out and caught it, realizing it was the gold coin most favored by Roaming Form Gimmighoul, and also a key item for Gimmighoul’s evolution.
Zhu Zi continued, “I’ve tried many ways to make this item resonate with Gimmighoul, but I always feel something is missing. I even suspected my grandfather’s method was wrong from the start.”
Zhang Heng understood the problem here. In the games, Gimmighoul’s evolution requires collecting 999 Gimmighoul-exclusive gold coins for Chest Form Gimmighoul to evolve, and this world should also follow that setting.
However, Zhang Heng felt that if he said it directly, the other person might not believe him, because some things were too troublesome to explain. He could only change his approach and guide him, “Perhaps it’s possible that you don’t have enough gold coins, you never know.”
Zhu Zi stopped, turned to look at Zhang Heng, and felt that it seemed to make some sense—it was a method he hadn’t verified.
Zhu Zi pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. “What you said is not impossible. I really hadn’t considered the number of gold coins before.” He caressed the Gimmighoul’s Poké Ball in his hand, a glimmer of hope appearing in his eyes.
The two continued forward, the surrounding electric-type energy growing denser, and the humming sound of electricity echoing in their ears.
Suddenly, a group of Galvantula surged from a fork in the path ahead. Their crimson compound eyes glared, and crackling electricity pulsed along their legs. Clearly disturbed by the intruders, they adopted an aggressive stance.
Standing at the very back was a humanoid Pokémon with two tails, watching them menacingly…