"Hello, uncle, my name is Pai Pa, and I'm ten years old this year."
On the way to the research lab inside the institute, a re-energized Pai Pa chattered incessantly beside Luo Mu's ear.
Luo Mu had a bit of a headache. Could this talkative child really turn into the slightly melancholic Senior Pai Pa from violet?
The change was too drastic, wasn't it?
Actually, Pai Pa being talkative wasn't much for Luo Mu; he was the kind of man who could sit through a four-hour meeting that started punctually after work. A mere verbal bombardment...
However, this was the one thing Luo Mu couldn't tolerate.
After Pai Pa called out "uncle" once more, Luo Mu placed his hand on his shoulder and said with a smile, "Is there a possibility that I'm only about eight years older than you?"
"Be good, call me older brother."
"...Luo Mu ge-ge," Pai Pa said weakly.
Although he preferred calling Luo Mu "uncle," the smile Luo Mu had just shown seemed to hide some untouchable slide, so Pai Pa chose to play it safe.
Children's emotions always come and go quickly. Pai Pa soon started chattering again, calling out "older brother, older brother" non-stop.
This time, even Ao Lin, who had been enduring it, couldn't stand her son's chanting-like nagging. She said, half-annoyed, "Shut up! Go back to your room and play with Mabosstiff."
Pai Pa seemed to be used to Ao Lin's temper. He made a face at her and then rode Mabosstiff, rushing towards another turn.
Ao Lin could only watch helplessly as Pai Pa rode Mabosstiff away, a softness appearing in her eyes that she herself hadn't noticed.
Witnessing everything, a sudden thought of the grown-up Pai Pa's melancholic expression surfaced in Luo Mu's mind.
Even though his parents had stayed in Area Zero for several years for their Time Machine research, the moment the AI, replacing the two Doctors, contacted Pai Pa, perhaps he had already realized that the parents speaking to him had become another stranger.
That's why Pai Pa's brow always carried an indelible sorrow.
True emotions were too difficult for AI to Mimic. Even inheriting all emotions, the Ao Lin/Fu Tu AI only gradually understood these things after observing the protagonists' magnificent adventure.
Could his arrival change these tragedies?
Luo Mu fell into deep thought.
Ao Lin noticed that the atmosphere seemed a bit stagnant due to Pai Pa's departure. Still feeling guilty for having wronged Luo Mu, Ao Lin decided to find a random topic to talk about.
"Little Brother Luo Mu, do you know why I was so nervous just now?"
Luo Mu's thoughts were interrupted. He slowly raised his head, a look of confusion in his eyes.
Right, Ao Lin didn't mention it, and he hadn't thought of it.
As a region where evil organizations rarely operate, the number of criminals in the Paldea region should be very small.
But Ao Lin was so nervous at that time, as if she was afraid of something.
Luo Mu nodded and said, "I'm very curious."
Ao Lin said seriously, "The police have announced that a group of criminals from other regions seems to have escaped into the Paldea region recently, and their business is kidnapping or abducting children."
"They extort money from parents who are rich and have status, and ordinary children are directly sold to evil organizations in other regions. This is also why my reaction to you was so intense."
"Is that so?"
Luo Mu's gaze sharpened. He was quite disdainful of criminals who abducted children.
Although he wouldn't go out of his way to be a hero, if he happened to encounter them, they definitely wouldn't have a good outcome.
Soon, the place where Dr. Ao Lin and the never-before-met Dr. Fu Tu usually worked and researched came into Luo Mu's view.
The laboratory was not a cutting-edge place full of technology and metallic feel as Luo Mu had imagined; instead, it was very homely.
The research area naturally had many high-precision and sophisticated equipment, but there was also a considerable living area within the room, especially with bookshelves piled high with various books.
Noticing Luo Mu's curious gaze, Ao Lin introduced him in detail to the research topic she was currently working on: "Besides taking on commissions for crafting tera orbs, my husband and I are researching the legends that have been passed down in the Paldea region since ancient times."
"The four ancient shrines distributed throughout the Paldea region, the ultimate mystery within the Paldea Great Crater... just thinking about these makes my blood boil."
Ao Lin was undoubtedly a Doctor who loved research. When she talked about research, her expression sparkled.
Ao Lin walked to the bookshelf and pulled out a book with a red cover, stroking the cover as she enthusiastically introduced the facilities within the research institute to Luo Mu.
But Luo Mu couldn't hear anything. His gaze was fixed on the book in Ao Lin's hand, his pupils slightly contracted.
This was the scarlet book!
He remembered that this book was written by Hai Zhe, an explorer who successfully reached the bottom of the Paldea Great Crater one or two hundred years ago.
The main content recorded Hai Zhe's expedition team's experiences in the mysterious area they named 【Area Zero】 at the very bottom of the Paldea Great Crater.
However, the content of the scarlet book was truly bizarre, and the mainstream thought in the Paldea region currently leaned towards the book's content being Hai Zhe's delusion.
The scarlet book was labeled as supernatural literature, and Hai Zhe himself was branded with the name 【Liar】.
It's worth mentioning that the zhi zhi shu was also published by Hai Zhe shortly after the scarlet book.
Luo Mu roughly remembered the contents of the scarlet book and the zhi zhi shu, and both books were also collected in the Orange Academy library. If he really forgot, he could go to the library to read them after class.
But what shocked Luo Mu was not the existence of the scarlet book / zhi zhi shu, but Dr. Ao Lin holding the scarlet book.
This meant that Dr. Ao Lin and Dr. Fu Tu might already have the idea of going to Area Zero to create a Time Machine and research past/future Pokemon.
Once they had this idea, it probably wouldn't be too long until the appearance of Paradox Pokemon and even the arrival of the violet cover Pokemon.
Luo Mu was silent for a moment. His dream was to live a peaceful and leisurely life, but he also couldn't bear to see tragedy happen.
Hesitating for a moment, Luo Mu still asked, "Does Dr. Ao Lin like this scarlet book very much?"
Ao Lin was startled, then showed a brilliant smile and said, "I'm very interested in the huge, ferocious Pokemon with ancient wildness described in the book. This also prompted me to decide to fully dedicate myself to the research of Area Zero."
"You came at a very opportune time. My husband and I are scheduled to restart the Tera Project for the Paldea Great Crater this month, and my husband is also out negotiating with companies interested in financing because of this matter. Any later, and I probably wouldn't have time to make a tera orb for you."
"Are you also interested in the scarlet book?" Ao Lin looked at Luo Mu with expectant eyes. When Ye Ci contacted her, she had specifically mentioned that Luo Mu was a powerful Champion-level Trainer, no less than herself.
If she could persuade him to join her research team, the dangerous wild Pokemon in the Paldea Great Crater and Area Zero would no longer be a threat.
Luo Mu thought for a moment and said modestly, "I've only read it and know a little."