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Returning home.
Li Xiang had no choice but to release Feraligatr and the others.
Instantly, a sea of white bandages filled his vision, and the pungent smell of medicine assaulted his nose.
Buzzwole didn't hold back. Every move it made was aimed at lethal spots.
Therefore, even though Pokémon naturally had strong recovery abilities, Feraligatr and the others would still need a few days to fully recover.
Among them, Torracat, who had a lower level and took a direct hit from Buzzwole, was the most severely injured. Three ribs were broken, and its right arm bone was fractured in the middle with large cracks on both sides. Its internal organs were also shaken.
Even though Torracat was in its growth phase and healed quickly, coupled with the advanced medical technology from another world, it would still take at least a week of rest to recover.
At the moment, it couldn't even walk properly, so Li Xiang had to wait until he got upstairs to release it.
"Riolu..."
Riolu looked guilty, holding Torracat's Poké Ball with both hands, slowly following behind Li Xiang.
If it hadn't made that mistake, Torracat wouldn't have been so badly injured, leaving it unable to train for the next week.
Li Xiang rubbed Riolu's head but didn't say anything.
After this battle, Riolu truly understood that Torracat and it weren't just rivals but also teammates. It deeply grasped the meaning of the term "companion" that Li Xiang always emphasized.
Torracat's selfless act made Riolu realize that this little cat, who always opposed it and seemed shameless, actually cared deeply for it.
It was even willing to use its own body as a shield.
Such camaraderie...
As Riolu lay on the bed next to Torracat, watching it endure pain during treatment, all its previous grievances against the cat vanished.
"You've worked hard. I'm really sorry for dragging you into this and letting you get so badly hurt."
Li Xiang gently touched Feraligatr and Floatzel's skin, then pinched the beak of Pelipper, who was nestled in Feraligatr's arm, fast asleep due to its injured wing.
"Feraligatr~"
Feraligatr, with bandages on its chin and wounds on its chest and arms, let out a low growl, its expression gentle.
Floatzel, with torn skin and a severe abdominal injury, softly responded.
To them, Li Xiang's safety was the most important thing.
If Li Xiang had been hurt, they would have been too ashamed to face Li Zhehan, sinking into a pit of self-blame.
Going upstairs together.
Li Xiang took a deep breath. With Feraligatr and the others so badly injured, he was bound to face questioning from his family.
Such a big incident couldn't be hidden from the Association, and they would likely demand that Li Xiang and Lin Feng keep it confidential to maintain the city's stability.
There was no way to hide it.
The best approach was to tell the truth, and he had no choice but to do so.
Thinking this, Li Xiang pressed the doorbell.
...
Li Zhehan and Mrs. Yin rushed home as if their lives depended on it.
When they saw Li Xiang unharmed, with only a few scratches and a patch of hair burned off the back of his head, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Mrs. Yin quickly stepped forward and hugged Li Xiang with all her strength, crying softly.
There was no scolding, only the fear evident in her voice.
Li Zhehan glanced at Feraligatr, covered in wounds, and Torracat, looking the most pitiful on the sofa. His face darkened as if ink could drip from it.
"It's good that you're safe, it's good that you're safe."
Grandpa and Grandma comforted Mrs. Yin on the side.
Li Xiang didn't dare say a word, only silently patting Mrs. Yin's back to ease her helplessness.
This was only the second time he had seen his mother cry.
The first time was on their wedding anniversary, when her tears were of joy.
But this time...
It was fear, regret, terror, and self-blame.
These were the same emotions Li Xiang had felt in his previous life when he discovered his parents were seriously ill.
He turned to look at Li Zhehan and found that his usually carefree father's eyes were bloodshot, his fists clenched so tightly they turned white, filled with rage.
Not directed at him, but seemingly hating something else.
But beneath the anger, Li Xiang also saw Li Zhehan's despair.
It was eerily similar to how he had felt when faced with that critical illness notice.
In the end, Li Zhehan hugged his wife and son.
The family clung together, with only Mrs. Yin's sobs and the sighs of Grandpa and Grandma filling the air.
Li Xiang wasn't scolded or hit, but he felt a thousand times worse than if he had been.
Dinner.
The family ate simply and sparingly, as no one had much appetite.
Mrs. Yin, her eyes red, fell asleep in the bedroom, holding her son in her arms. It was only when Li Xiang lay in her arms that he realized how fragile his mother truly was.
After managing to slip away after she fell asleep, he noticed his Grandpa watching TV seemingly distracted, while his Grandma kept making mistakes while knitting, the little cat on the sweater turning out deformed.
Li Zhehan was also nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Dad?"
Li Xiang asked softly.
The two elders snapped out of their daze, smiling at Li Xiang and saying he was on the rooftop. They also asked why he wasn't resting more.
Li Xiang responded briefly, then headed upstairs. He was worried about Li Zhehan. When someone was as angry as he was, they could lose their rationality.
But at the rooftop door, he stopped.
Not because he was afraid to go forward, but because he heard Li Zhehan's voice on the phone.
He was furious. Even though he was suppressing his voice, Li Xiang could still hear the rage in it.
This lion-like man in Li Xiang's memory was growling into the phone.
"...I don't care what your reasons are! What did you promise me back then? You said it would never affect my family!"
...
"My son almost died! How do you expect me to calm down!?"
...
"Compensation? Is that what we're talking about now? You think I'm trying to extort you!?"
...
"Now you're giving me official talk, huh? Xu Dongran, search your conscience, slap your head. If it weren't for me risking my life to help you back then, you wouldn't have even made it past the fucking coastline!"
...
"Yeah, you remember my kindness, but only in your head, not your actions. You so-called Zhu Xia clans are all the same, birds of a feather!"
...
"Oh, look at you talking. How could I dare? I'm even afraid you'll silence my whole family. After all, we're not close. Years of being desk mates means nothing, right?"
...
"Being unreasonable? If I were truly unreasonable, do you believe that tomorrow morning, Xia Chunyu would fly over from Tiandu and blow your door down! Let's all die together!"
...
"Xu Dongran! I'll fuck your mother! Is that mature enough for you? Now I'm putting myself in your father's shoes, giving you the perspective you wanted! In my thirty-plus years of life, this is the first time I've heard such nonsense!"
...
"...It's me, Uncle. Yes, 8 a.m. tomorrow? I'll be there on time. See you then."
The call ended.
Li Zhehan, who rarely smoked, started puffing on a cigarette under the moonlight. The numerous cigarette butts on the ground showed he had already smoked more than a pack.
Meanwhile, Li Xiang, hiding at the rooftop door, began breathing heavily.
The amount of information was overwhelming.
Xu Dongran.
Wasn't he the son of Qingcheng Association's president, Xu Zhen? A well-known Pokémon ecology doctor and the current vice president of Yuzhou Research Institute.
More importantly, he was Xu Wan's father.
And he knew Li Zhehan?
Also, since when did Li Zhehan know how to be sarcastic?
Li Xiang knew Li Zhehan often cursed. People who worked on ships were a mixed bunch, and swearing was common.
But sarcasm? That was a first.
As for the deeper meaning behind their conversation, why Xia Chunyu would come to blow up Xu Dongran's door, and why it would mean mutual destruction.
And why Li Zhehan happened to be in the archipelago at such a coincidental time, bringing back a talented Riolu...
It could only mean one thing.
The source of Buzzwole's appearance was the archipelago region. Li Zhehan had transported a group of people who had done something reckless, bringing back something unknown to Zhu Xia.
As a result, they had attracted an Ultra Beast from the archipelago region.
The item might even have been stolen.
The archipelago region, despite the massive economic losses, had forcibly locked down the entire area. How could they have willingly handed over something so crucial to Zhu Xia?
Holy crap.
It seemed fate had truly been altered. Ordinary side characters wouldn't encounter such absurd situations.
And yet, he had actively run into an Ultra Beast.
Li Xiang was speechless. What was this? The sins of the father visited upon the son?
To be so reckless as to attract an Ultra Beast to Zhu Xia, which had nothing to do with it—if Li Xiang were Xia Chunyu, he would probably want to kill these troublemakers too.
How long had the current champion been in office?
If something like this happened again, replicating the earlier tragedy, he might go down in history.
By the way, 8 a.m. tomorrow?
Was it for negotiations?
What was Li Zhehan's demand? Justice? An explanation? Guarantees?
Li Xiang's curiosity was piqued. He really wanted to go too, but Li Zhehan clearly wouldn't let him. From the conversation, it was clear Li Zhehan didn't trust the Xu family. If things went south...
It was unlikely. Now that the incident had blown up, once the news got out, many people would turn their attention to Qingcheng. If Li Zhehan were to die under mysterious circumstances at this time.
It would inevitably lead to mutual destruction. The international police weren't fools; their ability to follow clues was top-notch.
Therefore, it would only be about appeasement.
Thinking this, Li Xiang knocked on the metal door.
"Dad."
Li Zhehan, who was smoking, froze. He quickly stubbed out the cigarette, waved away the smoke in the air, and smiled. "What's up? Where's your mom?"
"Mom's asleep. Dad..."
Li Xiang ignored the lingering smoke in the air and recounted his experiences in detail, excluding technical terms, including the part about the three Master-level trainers. He also handed over a memory card.
Now, every single thing Li Xiang had experienced could become a bargaining chip for Li Zhehan's negotiations.
Including this memory card.
Of course, it was a copy. Li Xiang had already made several backups at the Pokémon Center.
"Alright. I got it. Go to sleep. Your mom will panic if she doesn't see you. Don't stay too far from her."
Li Zhehan smiled as he took the memory card, ruffling Li Xiang's hair, his eyes complex.
He naturally understood the importance of the memory card and the information Li Xiang had shared, but as Li Xiang's father, how could he not have cards up his sleeve?
He had prepared for this long ago.
"By the way, what about that Froakie you mentioned?"
Li Zhehan suddenly remembered something and asked in a low voice.
After saying this, he let out a surprised "huh," staring blankly at Li Xiang's shoulder. "When did it get on your shoulder?"
"It's been there the whole time."
Li Xiang looked shocked, turning to his shoulder and locking eyes with Froakie again. "Were you invisible?"
Froakie shook its head. Li Xiang had told it not to use invisibility at home for safety reasons, so it hadn't.
How could you not notice such a big Pokémon? The rooftop was a bit dark, but it wasn't so dark that you couldn't see something so close.
Since it wasn't a big deal, Li Zhehan didn't dwell on it and sent Li Xiang downstairs.
But Li Xiang was still deep in thought as he looked at Froakie.
This guy... could it have a talent for diluting its presence?
A natural-born assassin!