BONUS
The reason the poachers were able to make up their minds so quickly, aside from their desire for revenge, was Electabuzz's inherent value.
A lightning-wielding magical beast like that fetched a very high price in their trading circles.
Even dead, it would still sell for enough money to let them live comfortably for quite a while.
So, for a poaching crew that had gained nothing on this trip so far, they simply set their sights on Electabuzz.
If they succeeded, they would leave Evergreen Forest immediately after this job. There would be no need to hunt any other magical beasts.
...
Meanwhile—
Since today's main objective was to set out from the central region of Evergreen Forest, cross a vast stretch of woodland on foot, and reach the Butterfree's flower field, the task could be considered fairly demanding.
So after breakfast, Chen Mo and the others wasted no time. They began heading east through Evergreen Forest, stopping very little along the way.
Since they also didn't encounter many unfamiliar Pokémon that required explanation, the journey went unexpectedly smoothly. By around four in the afternoon, they were close to their destination—
the Butterfree's flower field.
Time had gradually erased much of the artificial traces here. Newly bloomed flowers had begun spreading outward through the collapsed wooden fences.
Under Brother Yi's adjusted camera angle, the livestream audience could see it clearly—
the sea of vibrant blossoms competing in full bloom in the late spring.
[It's truly beautiful. So Brother Hui, hurry up and come apologize!]
[Didn't they say Brother Hui and the others practically trampled this place flat before? Why doesn't it look that bad now?]
[Nature is amazing. Its self-healing ability is strong. And with Pokémon in this world? Even more so.]
The viewers were right.
Since Pokémon had appeared in this world, their impact on nature had been enormous.
As long as the damage wasn't catastrophic, the combined restoration from Pokémon and nature itself would allow things to recover quickly.
Just like the flower field before them.
At that thought, Chen Mo couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Back when he had confronted Ah Hui on stream and learned that they had returned the Pokémon Egg, Chen Mo—who at the time hadn't fully understood how this Pokémon-influenced world worked—had subconsciously assumed that the destruction of the flower field was the main reason the Butterfree attacked.
But now, thinking carefully—
if the flower field could recover so quickly, even if the Butterfree had been angry, they wouldn't have beaten someone to the brink of death over it.
If Chen Mo had realized this sooner back then, he might have uncovered the issue with the Pokémon Egg earlier.
If things had gone smoothly, Caterpie might have been rescued days earlier. Perhaps it wouldn't have ended up in its current state of congenital weakness—at the very least, it wouldn't be struggling so severely just to complete a single evolution.
Of course.
Regret was useless now.
Deepening their understanding of this world and continuing forward—that was what truly mattered.
"Let's go. You ran into the Butterfree near dusk last time. There's still some time. We'll set up the tents first, then come back and wait."
Hearing Chen Mo's words, Ah Hui nodded quietly.
At the same time—
Several kilometers away, in an open area near an artificial pond.
After nearly a full day of lying in wait, the poachers had finally used suitable bait and favorable terrain to force Electabuzz out of the tall grass.
"Electric attacks have a range limit. If you'd kept hiding in the grass and refused to come out, we really wouldn't have had much of a way to deal with you."
The middle-aged man in the black headscarf looked at the magical beast in the distance—bleeding heavily, its body still crackling faintly with electricity—and smiled with grim satisfaction.
"But you're such an idiot. Coming out every single time just to protect magical beasts that have nothing to do with you. Hahaha—"
As he spoke, the man deliberately stomped hard on the magical beast they had used as bait.
It was a small, delicate green creature with two yellow-green legs. Its body and head were fused into a round shape, and atop its head was a bud-like structure split open, revealing a flower core that was half blue and half red.
If Chen Mo were here, he would recognize it immediately—
a Budew.
The poachers didn't know its proper name, but through their own underground channels, they knew it was considered a relatively weak magical beast, and they were aware of some of its habits.
It was precisely by leveraging that information that they had forced Electabuzz to reveal itself.
"Bzzzt!"
A bolt of electricity shot from Electabuzz straight toward the middle-aged man.
But due to its severe injuries and the long distance, the attack failed to reach him.
Instead, it drew mocking laughter from everyone around.
Its consciousness growing blurrier by the second, Electabuzz glared at the humans surrounding it, its eyes filled with fury and unwillingness.
But it was powerless.
Hit repeatedly by hunting rifles, and with previous wounds still not healed, even Electabuzz's robust body had entered a dying state.
Now, even the willpower that had been sustaining it was beginning to fade.
"Boss, it's not dead, is it?"
"If it's dead, it's dead. Makes no difference to us—just a matter of how much money we get. Don't go near it yet. This beast is clever. Don't let it trick you."
As they waited cautiously—
suddenly, an overwhelmingly oppressive roar echoed from the sky above.
Everyone looked up.
In the distant sky, a black speck had appeared.
The sheer pressure radiating from thousands of meters away made the leader's brows knit tightly.
Without a doubt—
it was an extremely powerful magical beast.
"Send someone to check that beast's condition. The rest of you—prepare to retreat to the cave!"
Following the leader's orders, one bold man ran over to inspect Electabuzz. After confirming it had completely fallen unconscious, the group quickly gathered Electabuzz and Budew and began their retreat.
Under the darkening sunset—
near the flower field, Chen Mo and the others also heard that familiar roar.
They looked up and saw the figure floating in the sky, patrolling the forest—
the tyrant of Evergreen Forest.
"Hydreigon… how are we running into it here of all places…"
Though he muttered about their bad luck inwardly, Chen Mo didn't dare underestimate the terrifying dragon. He immediately signaled the others and their Pokémon to retreat into the woods for cover.
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