Back in Zhao Jie's office, Chen Kai saw Miraidon reading a book.
This was rare; it usually only watched its phone or TV, spending the rest of its time thinking about what to eat, never reading books.
"Miraidon, what are you reading?" Chen Kai leaned over and asked.
"Look, this book!" Miraidon transmitted to Chen Kai, simultaneously flipping the page to a specific one.
On this page was a sketch, somewhat resembling the legendary Pokemon ‘Bisharp’, but with a mechanical feel.
Chen Kai naturally recognized it as a sketch of Iron Leaves; he quickly took the book, glanced at the cover, and understood.
"This is the purple book!"
"What's the purple book?" Miraidon asked, puzzled.
Chen Kai spoke while flipping through the book: "When I was on Earth, in the games I played, the purple book recorded Area Zero, Paradox Pokemon, and the legendary seasonings.
Look, this is about the seasonings."
‘There are 5 legendary seasonings in the world. They grow in the desert, in the Gobi, on high mountains, underground, and by the lake.’
Chen Kai pondered, stroking his chin: "Emm… it's written very vaguely, isn't it? We should have found the seasoning by the lake before."
"But at least there are some clues, aren't there?" Miraidon said optimistically.
"Oh! You're looking at this book now. I almost forgot, the Plant Department asked me to give this to you," Zhao Jie mentioned as she saw Chen Kai looking at the purple book.
"This is an ancient text. The content is a chaotic mess, basically fabricated, but fortunately, it's exquisitely made, which is why it's preserved in the Capital."
"By the way, considering Iron Leaves' trouble-averse personality, if it knew there was a portrait of it on this Blue Star, it would probably destroy it, right?" Chen Kai secretly asked Miraidon.
"Very likely," Miraidon nodded.
"Zhao Jie, can I take this book?" Chen Kai asked.
Zhao Jie shook her head and said, "Not this one! After all, it's not mine; it's an antique from the institute. You can take a photo, and the people from the Plant Department will take it back later."
It seems he would have to be an invisible hero again before returning to Sichuan Province.
Chen Kai thought to himself.
By the time they left the research institute, it was already late. Chen Kai planned to visit the Capital Rock-type Gym.
It was the small mountain he first saw on his first night in the Capital on Blue Star.
His home on Earth was originally located where that small mountain was, and Chen Kai had just learned that it was the Rock-type Gym.
Thanks to it, Chen Kai's family moved within the 5th Ring Road of the Capital.
This time, he didn't need to take a bus; Chen Kai could see this small mountain from his own home.
Chen Kai estimated that this small mountain was artificially made, and Pokemon must have assisted in its creation, allowing it to cleverly blend with the surrounding environment.
There were few plants on the mountain, mostly exposed rocks and loess. The rocks were of various shapes, some resembling reclining giant beasts, others towering spires, vaguely identifiable as Rock-type Pokemon.
A narrow and steep path wound upwards, with dust flying underfoot. Occasionally, a few stubbornly growing small grasses could be seen, poking their tender green heads out from between the rocks, swaying gently in the breeze, as if demonstrating life's resilience.
A sign hung at the entrance of the path: Capital Rock-type Pokemon.
At the entrance stood a young man and a Rockruff. Seeing Chen Kai, the young man stepped forward to remind him, "The Gym Leader is currently out. If you wish to challenge the Gym, please come another day."
"Can I go inside and visit? I have this," Chen Kai said, taking out his green card.
Seeing the card, the young man understood: "Oh! You're Leaf Gym Leader's student, aren't you? You're welcome to visit. If you need anything, Rockruff and I can show you around."
Rockruff also barked enthusiastically:
"Woof!"
Chen Kai politely said, "Thank you, then I'll trouble you and Rockruff."
"No trouble at all. Our Rock-type Gym, besides rocks, is still rocks. The only two trees are actually Sudowoodo in disguise, so few people come to visit our Gym.
Haha, this is my first time showing someone around," the young man said, leading Chen Kai up the path.
Chen Kai learned that the young man was Xu SanShi, the same grade as Chun Jie, and about to enter his third year of high school.
Xu SanShi saw the Dipplin following Chen Kai: "Have you decided on an evolution path for your Pokemon? That's great!
My Rockruff is already Elite Level (over level 30), and I still don't know what to evolve it into."
Only then did Chen Kai notice that Rockruff had a stone hanging around its neck. Rockruff evolves at level 25, so that stone was most likely an Everstone.
"You could ask Rockruff what it wants to evolve into. My Dipplin itself wanted to evolve into a Hydrapple."
Xu SanShi gave a wry smile: "The main thing is that it's also indecisive, which is why we've been dragging it out until now. That's why Director Dong has been nagging me a lot lately. It's a headache."
Rockruff's tail also drooped, and it seemed disheartened.
Chen Kai felt a bit awkward. Folks, let's just look at the scenery here.
The mountain path leading to the summit was narrow and rugged. The path was paved with stones of varying sizes, their edges rounded by the erosion of time.
Along the path, many Geodude and Graveler were rolling around. Fortunately, with Xu SanShi accompanying them, they did not attack Chen Kai.
Upon reaching the summit, the view opened up. The bustling cityscape of Beijing unfolded before them; skyscrapers stood like towering giants, and vehicles streamed through the streets. In the distance, ancient buildings appeared uniquely distinct amidst the modern city. This seemingly barren artificial mountain, with its unique presence, became a distinctive landscape within the city.
And on the mountaintop, there were many more types of Pokemon: Onix slithered, and several Rhyhorn competed to see whose horn was harder, whose head was tougher.
The most amazing thing was that there was even a pool of water at the summit.
Xu SanShi introduced, "If you come in winter, there will be many Coalossal, but it's too hot in summer, so they've all been arranged to go into the caves.
That pool was specially dug by Director Dong for his beloved Pokemon."
Chen Kai approached and saw a Relicanth leisurely swimming in the large pool.
Many colorful gems were also placed in the pool, but the Relicanth seemed to dislike them all, pushing them aside.
Chen Kai guessed that since there were no trees on the mountaintop, with direct sunlight, the gems were probably too dazzling?
"I heard that Director Dong went diving in the sea for this Relicanth and spent two years to catch it," Xu SanShi said.
"Now Director Dong has gone to the mountains to dig for fossils again. He said he wants to collect all three types of Rock Pokemon: sea, land, and air."
No wonder Director Dong gave a gift to his uncle; it seems it was mostly to revive fossils early. So Chen Kai asked, "Has he dug any up?"
Xu SanShi thought for a moment and said, "Uh… he's been digging for a year, and he hasn't found any yet.
But I estimate he'll find some soon."