Chapter 1379: Fox Returns to Mother

All Baimu waited at the villa on the mountainside until the sun was high.

"Where do you think Professor Oak is now?"

"Almost at the research institute." The Rotom Phone transmitted Professor Oak's location.

Although he let him explore at will and had confidence in his physique, the professor was old after all, so he should indeed pay attention to it.

It had to be said that the old Pallet Towner was indeed a Pallet Towner. Even though he was running around everywhere and was beaten by wild Pokémon many times, he could still continue to explore with full enthusiasm and curiosity.

He didn't even want to rest.

He wished he could turn over every part of Mt. Silver in one day.

But without a map, Professor Oak clearly got lost, and could only move forward along the "man"-made canal, turning left and right, and finally arrived near the Hisui Ecological Research Institute.

Then he was attracted by the Pokémon of the Hisui era there.

All Baimu thought for a long time and decided to go over and take a look, and by the way, let the Hisuian Zorua return to its "mother's home."

"Let's go, let's go to the research institute."

"Awoo?"

The Hisuian Zorua jumped off the treadmill, and a hopeful light flashed in its eyes.

Is this finally letting it go?

Great!

Finally able to escape the sea of suffering!

The Hisuian Zorua flicked its fluffy big tail and followed All Baimu like a puppy.

Thinking that it could return to the good life of eating and waiting to die, its feet didn't ache, its head didn't hurt, and it could run five kilometers in one breath.

Worried about being left behind, it followed All Baimu closely, circling around his forward steps, turning back and forth in the opened gap, which could be described as sticking tightly.

All Baimu was amused by this guy, "Are you afraid that I won't step on you?"

The Hisuian Zorua didn't speak, just looked at him with those bright eyes, showing an impatient look.

All Baimu was helpless and said, "Don't get close to me, keep a distance of one meter."

"Ao?"

The Hisuian Zorua's ears drooped in frustration.

The pitiful appearance would have mostly softened someone else's heart, but All Baimu had been with it for many days and knew the cunning of this guy very well, "Either you stay here."

"Ao!?"

The Hisuian Zorua was immediately unhappy when it heard this, obediently retreated to one meter away, and followed honestly.

The villa on the mountainside was not close to the research institute. After all, the specific site selection was outside the Mt. Silver range, barely considered adjacent.

In the past, the Hisuian Zorua would walk halfway at most and then be unable to walk and need to rest.

Today, it followed to the end very toughly, even though its footsteps were floating like it was drunk, and its little tongue was stuck out and hard to retract.

Even when it saw the outer outline of the research institute, it burst out with a force from somewhere and rushed toward the home that was strange yet particularly yearning.

"Ao——!!"

The Hisuian Zorua shouted.

It just so happened that a basket of people were standing at the door of the research institute.

They were welcoming Professor Oak who had arrived suddenly, never expecting the Hisuian Zorua to intervene, rushing over with tears in its eyes.

"Ao~ ao~"

For the Hisuian Zorua, the researchers were naturally no strangers. As one of the cores of ecological restoration, its birth and growth had always been very troublesome.

It was handed over to the Orre Champion to take care of some time ago, which was also to let it experience a different living environment.

Why did it come back so soon?

And...

"Eh? Zorua, did you lose weight?" A female researcher squatted down, looking at the Hisuian Zorua that was significantly slimmer, and couldn't help but reach out.

The Hisuian Zorua threw itself into her arms with tears in its eyes, "Ao! Ao!"

It was too aggrieved.

These past half months could be described as having suffered inhuman torture.

Not only was there no food, but it also had to exercise every day. How could it have had such an experience when it was pampered since childhood?

The female researcher's words attracted the attention of others. They surrounded the Hisuian Zorua and weighed it one by one, finding that it was indeed much lighter.

It used to be as heavy as a weight when held, dead heavy and the meat was also beach by beach.

Now it could clearly feel that the waist and limbs had shrunk a lot, and it felt extremely firm to the touch.

Does this count as successful weight loss?

Everyone looked at each other, never expecting that in just half a month, All Baimu returned a completely different Hisuian Zorua to them.

Careful observation also revealed that its fur was smoother and more delicate, as if it had been coated with a layer of oil but didn't stick to hands, not as rough and knotted as before, forming garlic-petal fur due to excessive obesity.

As expected of the Champion!

Cultivating Pokémon is indeed professional!

"Everyone, cough cough!"

The director's cough came.

The researchers realized that the top priority was to entertain Professor Oak, so they hurriedly put the Hisuian Zorua on the ground and apologized to it with shame.

Professor Oak waved his hand with a chuckle, "No problem! As a Pokémon researcher, it is only right to have this kind of focus."

At the same time, All Baimu arrived.

He said, "Professor Oak, you ran a bit too far."

"All Baimu! Your mountain is really good!"

Professor Oak gave him a thumbs up, "Not only are the Pokémon species rich, but their physical conditions are also healthier than the other!"

All Baimu smiled, "Must be, there is a benevolent king on my mountain, who will not sit idly by regarding the health of Pokémon."

"Benevolent king? Ah! It's Calyrex!" Professor Oak realized what he was talking about, and yearned, "I really want to meet it."

All Baimu didn't commit.

This sort of thing depends on whether Queen Leiguanwang minds; if Queen Leiguanwang is unwilling, even Professor Oak would not force it.

The group entered the research institute.

Professor Oak had been tossed about all morning and truly wanted to rest for a while.

"Professor Oak!"

A portion of the researchers surrounded him, while another portion surrounded All Baimu to ask for advice on Pokémon knowledge.

On All Baimu's side, they naturally asked how he had raised the Hisuian Zorua to make it lose so much weight in just half a month.

"Nothing else, just exercise."

He rebuked them unceremoniously: "You all coddle Zorua far too much. Its physical condition is very concerning. To put it bluntly, its blood might be sweeter than a watermelon."

"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"

The researcher responsible for looking after the Hisuian Zorua felt a bit awkward.

Another researcher adjusted their glasses, "No, it's possible. The sweetness of a watermelon isn't actually that high, while Zorua's blood sugar index..."

He didn't continue.

After all, his colleague was practically trying to crawl into a crack in the ground.

As a researcher attempting to recreate Hisuian Pokémon, to actually raise a Pokémon like this truly makes one doubt his professionalism.

"Have you adjusted it properly now?"

"No, it's still far from it."

All Baimu said calmly: "I just let it come back to take a look; it had been wanting to return, so I satisfied that wish."

That was likely not what the Hisuian Zorua meant.

Several researchers looked at each other, having no intention of keeping the Hisuian Zorua behind.

Simply because they all hoped to see a healthy and fit Pokémon.

The Hisuian Zorua, completely unaware of this, was resting in its little nest; the long-missed scent made it feel relaxed, and it soon fell asleep.

In its dream, its life returned to its former state, continuing to gorge itself, and its waistline expanded rapidly along with it, expanding endlessly and quickly.

Finally, one day, as it ate a piece of cake, the entire fox exploded with a bang!

"Awoo!"

The Hisuian Zorua woke up with a start, looking around in a panic.

After discovering it was in a safe environment and its waistline wasn't that expanded, it let out a sigh of relief.

It licked its fur in confusion to relax itself.

During that initial period, it had also had nightmares, dreaming that All Baimu and several fierce-looking Pokémon were chasing it from behind; it kept running forward, unable to escape their clutches.

After waking up and finding itself running in reality, it truly left it with quite a bit of trauma.

But what was up with today's dream?

The Hisuian Zorua couldn't figure it out, so it decided to go find something to eat.

Habitually walking to its food bowl, it found it empty, and no one came even after it barked a few times.

The Hisuian Zorua didn't pay much mind, skillfully opening the room door to go outside, and before long, it encountered the first researcher.

"Awoo~"

It unfolded its cuteness technique without hesitation, begging for food just like in the past.

The other person smiled and stroked its head, and their hand did indeed reach into their pocket, but in the end, they didn't pull anything out.

"Almost forgot, I can't give you anything to eat."

"!"

The Hisuian Zorua was shocked.

What do you mean you can't give me food? Did I do something heinous?

It rushed to circle around the person's feet, but the person immediately ran away, giving it no chance to pester them.

Hisuian Zorua: "..."

Hmph!

If you won't give it, plenty of others will!

Indignant, it ran elsewhere to ask for food.

However, something the Hisuian Zorua couldn't believe happened.

Although everyone acted as gently as they had in the past, when it came to the feeding part, one and all refused.

Am I not awake?

That must be it, otherwise how could there be such a hellish nightmare!

The Hisuian Zorua returned to its room in a daze, collapsing weakly in its nest like an injured puppy.

The researchers hiding in the shadows couldn't bear it.

"How about... feeding it a little to try? A little shouldn't matter, right? It has to eat sooner or later anyway."

"No, the Champion said fixed time, fixed place, fixed amount; you'll mess up the plan."

"But I really can't bear it—"

The Hisuian Zorua was a Pokémon they had watched grow up; it was hard to accept that the chubby, lucky-looking little fox they once knew would actually be sleeping hungry one day.

These big pig-raising folks really couldn't bear it.

In desperation, they took out the Hisuian Zorua's medical report to calm themselves down.

That's right, cooling their brains through external means.

The effect was outstanding.

Once they saw the terrifying numbers on the medical report, the urge to feed it faded instantly, and the look they gave the Hisuian Zorua was filled with the determination of a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her child.

The Hisuian Zorua was completely unaware of what it was facing; it only thought it hadn't woken up yet and was still in a nightmare.

Not long after.

Lunchtime arrived.

The Hisuian Zorua's stomach began to growl right on time; it subconsciously got up and looked toward the door, and a familiar figure appeared.

It was All Baimu.

"It's time to eat."

He put down the food bowl emitting a faint glow and reached out to the Hisuian Zorua, "Starving, aren't you? Considering you exercised for so long today, I added a few extra scoops for you."

"Awoo!?"

Upon hearing this, the Hisuian Zorua became excited instantly.

Although it was very unhappy with All Baimu's practice of forcing it to exercise, the food it got was indeed flawless, which was a large part of the reason it persisted.

Every time it thought about being able to eat such a meal, its willpower to exercise became much firmer.

It buried its head deep into the bowl, its chin scooping up food like a shovel, and then savored it carefully.

Nowadays, it had long since learned to chew slowly, otherwise it felt like it hadn't eaten anything at all during a meal, and it would be unhappy all day.

And All Baimu left after delivering the food, saying to the researchers guarding outside the door: "If you want to give it extra food, you can only feed it low-sugar berries, and the total amount cannot exceed 50 grams."

"Got it, got it."

The researcher was like a raw recruit.

Soon, the time came to the afternoon.

Professor Oak had also finished touring this research institute and said to All Baimu: "Your power might be the key to ensuring they see the light of day again."

From the director, he had already learned what All Baimu had done for the Hisuian Goodra group.

Ordinary people might find it incredible, but the well-traveled Professor Oak felt it was very normal; if All Baimu didn't have some special ability, how could so many Legendary and Mythical Pokémon be attracted to him?

"For this kind of thing, everyone still needs to work together." All Baimu had no intention of taking it all on himself.

He was happy that Hisuian Pokémon could live in Orre, and he would try his best to exert his abilities.

But for things that couldn't be forced, he wouldn't force them.

Otherwise, wouldn't he be just like the various iconic villains in the Pokémon series?

Professor Oak set off again on his journey to tour Mount Silver; this time he had received directions and wouldn't run off into the no-man's-land.

It was also time for the Hisuian Zorua to return "home."

"Time to go."

All Baimu woke up the groggy fat fox, "Do you intend to spend the night here?"

"Awoo!"

The Hisuian Zorua followed instinctively; its chaotic brain still hadn't realized that it had only returned to its mother's home by chance and hadn't been let off by All Baimu.

By the time it reacted, it was already outside the research institute.

The Hisuian Zorua's expression was suddenly shocked; it turned around abruptly to frantically claw at the institute's gate, but it couldn't open it no matter what.

"Awoo! Awoo!"

Let me in! I want to go home!

It cried out miserably, receiving no response.

All Baimu stood behind it with his hands on his hips, watching, and said: "Stop struggling, learn to accept it; you have completely said goodbye to your former life."

"Woo..."

How could this be...

Two clear tears streaked down the corner of the Hisuian Zorua's eyes.

It thought the good days had returned, but it didn't expect its good days were over again.

The Hisuian Zorua followed All Baimu dejectedly, turning its head from time to time to glance at the institute, hoping someone would open the gate.

But this was destined to be an unrealistic luxury.

Had it been abandoned by everyone?

The Hisuian Zorua thought blankly, but soon remembered what All Baimu had told it—

"When you successfully lose weight and develop good habits, you can return to the institute."

It had originally taken this sentence as a joke.

Now it seemed that, except for itself, everyone was serious.