Chapter 1478: Time Loop

The mine shaft was pitch black and deep.

Boss Kodora walked slowly forward, with Kodora trailing behind, taking tiny steps.

"Ko?"

It didn't understand why it had come here.

The giant beast recalled the past while turning its head and letting out a low growl: "Guh-oh!"

This is where you will live from now on.

Kodora tilted its head: "Ko?"

Why is it only them, and that human didn't follow along?

Obviously, the foolish Kodora didn't understand what Boss Kodora had said, and the Shiny Gengar laughed shrilly behind them.

"Kekekeke~"

Because it's only you~

Kodora's steps froze in shock—what do you mean, only it?

No.

Are you not going to keep it anymore?

Although the time spent with Baimu was very brief—just one night—but for the abandoned Kodora, it was a long-lost warmth and kindness.

You clearly rescued it, so why are you leaving it here?

What about the Digletts?

The lead Boss Kodora stopped, turned around, and let out a solemn low growl: "Guh-oh!"

First, Baimu belongs to it.

Second, what belongs to it also belongs to someone else, and all it needs to do is wait here.

"Ko..."

Kodora completely failed to understand.

The giant beast, anthropomorphized, showed a speechless expression, nearly defeated by its own stupidity.

—Look, even Pokémon can't empathize with their childhood selves.

But mainly, it's because Boss Kodora itself finds Kodora annoying.

The Shiny Gengar keenly noticed that the usually gentle giant beast had little patience when facing its past self.

It couldn't help but feel strange.

"Maybe it's a sense of crisis."

In the Sandslash team's finance office, the Dugtrio scanned the ledger while discussing related matters with Baimu.

Boss Kodora's "abnormality" naturally didn't escape Baimu's eyes, so while causing trouble for the Sandslash team, he also began consulting with Dugtrio.

"Sense of crisis?"

"Exactly, you've been too kind to Kodora,"

"Is kindness not good?"

"Of course not—if Kodora takes a liking to you and wants to follow you, what then? Can you bring it along?"

"Kodora is Boss Kodora's past self! How could I possibly take it with me?"

"So, from your perspective, Kodora will eventually meet your present self in this era;"

Dugtrio said: "But Boss Kodora worries that your excessive closeness with Kodora will alter this spacetime, preventing its past self from meeting your past self, thus affecting the future."

"..."

Baimu chewed over these words.

They had returned to the past, completing a time loop similar to Ash and Professor Oak's, but Boss Kodora again worried about spacetime anomalies, causing its mindset to become slightly unbalanced.

"Once we go back and explain things clearly to Kodora, it should be fine."

Often, all a Pokémon needs is a single promise.

"All sorted!"

Dugtrio said with a tsk: "Not a single honest one—the Sandslash team's boss embezzles at least half the funds every year."

Half!

Baimu felt a certain admiration for the Sandslash team's boss—knowing he was merely a subordinate of the Shadow Team, yet daring to embezzle so much.

The office door opened, and a man with black-and-white streaked hair and a stubbled beard laughed heartily as he entered.

"Prosecutor, how are the ledgers looking? It's getting late—why don't I set up a banquet to entertain you?"

"No thanks, I still have to go next door."

Baimu smiled.

The person before him was indeed the Sandslash team's boss, ranking above the three top executives of Jing, Sha, and Shi.

To be honest, he had lived in the Sandslash team's territory for many years, but this was the first time he had ever seen the Sandslash team's boss.

Before becoming an official member, he wasn't worthy of an audience; later, after finally becoming one, the Sandslash team's boss had already gone to Silica-Beryl City.

His invitation rejected, the Sandslash team's boss's smile gradually faded: "Oh..."

Baimu's refusal made him lose face, and more importantly, he knew exactly what he had done, so he wanted to use the banquet as an opportunity to reach a private deal with Baimu.

Little did he know the other side wouldn't fall for it.

The Sandslash team's boss was certainly unwilling, but he firmly believed there were no incorruptible powerholders in the Oule region, and no Meowth would dislike gold coins.

As long as Baimu remained in Huang Tie Town, there would always be an opportunity.

Not long after.

The Evil Dog team next door welcomed Baimu in, then, after several hours, nervously sent him out, watching helplessly as he went to other factions.

The leaders of the Quicksand Team and the Mad Dog Team exchanged glances—two originally hostile neighboring forces had, for the first time, reached some kind of consensus due to an outsider.

We need to figure out how to deal with this person!

—

I wandered around all day.

Baimu also gained a new understanding of the various factions that once existed in Huang Tie Town.

"This audit has made me realize some things."

"What things?"

"Some things that happened in the past."

He relayed one by one what he had thought of to the multilateral phone.

In fact, Baimu had long been curious why the leaders of the Quicksand Team and the Mad Dog Team were summoned to Beryllium City and had not returned for months.

There is no doubt it was precisely because they had taken far too much.

To the extent that even Elder Ejin could not tolerate it.

The reasons I had heard before were actually just excuses; the truth uncovered by this audit is the real cause.

Moreover, the selection of the Quicksand Team and the Mad Dog Team for the charity event was by no means a matter of turn—it was a minor punishment from the Shadow Team against these two lawless factions.

Huang Tie Town has nearly twenty factions, big and small; the Quicksand Team and the Mad Dog Team were the greediest, and the key point is that their leaders were still transferring assets, likely planning to retire outside after growing old—

They also know Huang Tie Town is no easy place to live!

Naturally, Baimu reported all of this directly to Denis, striving to cause as much trouble as possible for this bunch of scoundrels.

Crack.

The room door suddenly opened.

Baimu looked up and saw the variegated Geng Ghost had returned.

It suddenly tore open its belly, releasing the inner Boshiduola and Kukuduo, letting out a "Hng~Ga!"

"You're back?"

"Guhou!"

"Ge!"

Kukuduo responded enthusiastically, even running all the way to Baimu's feet, hoping he would give it something to eat.

Boshiduola's face instantly darkened, "Guhou!"

All that talk was for nothing!

It walked over, immediately wanting to swing Kukuduo away with its tail, but was stopped by Baimu raising his hand.

"Guhou..."

The giant beast's pupils trembled violently.

Just as it felt displeased, Baimu, while handing Kukuduo an iron ingot, said: "You should have been to that place before; tomorrow I will take you there, and all you need to do is wait."

"... Ge?"

Kukuduo, having just bitten two mouthfuls of the iron ingot, froze.

Is this meant to abandon it?

Baimu seemed to see words in those dazed eyes, and softly said: "No, not abandonment, but letting you find your true soulmate."

He stood up, placing his hand on Boshiduola's shoulder, saying: "I and it, and the giant beast, are the most sincere partners—time and space cannot divide us.

"And you, too, will someday meet the one who makes you willing to sacrifice your life to save them, and who will not hesitate to brave danger and hardship to come rescue you."

Baimu and Boshiduola gazed at each other, as if together returning to that passage on the verge of collapse.

Once upon a time.

Dragons and the cursed dolls could not escape the underground.

But on that day decades later, humans and Pokémon who redeemed each other succeeded in breaking through endless darkness, welcoming their own light.

Kukuduo stared blankly at Baimu and Boshiduola, and in its clear eyes, a hint of envy suddenly appeared.

"Guh..."

Its cry became slightly low.

That night.

Kukuduo slept uneasily, constantly recalling past encounters, feeling life as if shrouded in darkness.

Yet faintly, a pair of blurred figures had been etched into its heart.

—

Sunlight illuminated the earth.

Baimu returned to the past on the fourth day.

He had already prepared to leave; the accounts he wanted to check were basically done, and the things he wanted to do were basically done.

"Let's go."

Baimu looked at Kukuduo and said softly.

Originally, I planned to have the variegated Geng Ghost send Kukuduo over, but after thinking carefully, I decided to go myself.

By practicing breath control to avoid all suspicious people, he soon arrived before the abandoned mine cave.

"Huh..."

The familiar environment made Baimu take a deep breath.

I vaguely recall that Huang Tie Town later redeveloped this area entirely, and naturally, the abandoned mine cave disappeared along with it.

Kukuduo came for the second time to this bottomless cave, its steps somewhat hesitant.

It still could not understand why it had to stay here, unable to walk with them.

"Goo."

"Let's go."

Baimu took the lead.

As for the many routes inside, his memory remained clear, and he soon arrived at the place where he had originally placed the token.

He turned around and found a relatively hidden and stable dead end for Kekodora.

"Here will do."

Baimu felt the surroundings were somewhat monotonous, but Kekodora wouldn't stay long, so it didn't matter.

He crouched down, gently brushing off the sand and gravel remaining on Kekodora's body surface, and said softly: "Sorry, I can only do so much. Please endure for now, and wait for the destined one to appear."

"Goo!"

Kekodora called out softly, seeing Baimu put down a large amount of iron ingots, and roughly understood his intention, "Goo!"

"This is destiny; you won't wait too long, that person will come."

Baimu had absolute confidence in himself: "You will be the most soul-matched partners in this world, you will adventure together, camp together, taste countless foods together, and spend all hardships and joys together."

He sighed: "So, please give him some time, let him have a chance to find you."

"..."

Kekodora fell silent.

Baimu didn't know how much it could understand, but he believed what he did would not be in vain.

This was for himself as well as for Boss Kekodora.

Baimu turned and left.

Kekodora watched his back, imprinting it in its heart, and also tried to digest what it had heard.

Waiting.

Waiting for that person to appear.

Kekodora quietly observed the surroundings, began to strike and dig into the rock wall, and hid the iron ingots inside.

It didn't know where this was, but its small mind gradually understood that it would have to stay here for a long time.

Outside the abandoned mine.

Baimu rode on Miloton's back, and Multifon couldn't help but say: "Wouldn't it be too cruel to throw a Pokémon into such a place?"

"Who let me be so selfish."

He replied softly.

To ensure he could meet Boss Kekodora and guarantee no deviation in the future, he had to do this.

This was also Boss Kekodora's own opinion.

Therefore, it did not come to see Kekodora off, representing that this decision was jointly made by them.

"Want to go see what you're like now?" Multifon suggested again.

Baimu thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Forget it, seeing him would be meaningless, and I can't give him anything to improve his life."

As for the current "Baimu," whether it was gold or jewels, he had no way to spend them, and could only become a burden.

Cash?

Baimu hadn't used cash in a long time.

"Is that so."

Multifon was a bit disappointed; it still really wanted to see Baimu from this era, feeling that a trainer with budding youthful vigor must be adorable.

"Then where should we go now? Report to Dennis?"

"That's even more unnecessary, generating too many social interactions would be bad..."

Baimu thought for a moment, came up with something that likely wouldn't affect the future, and said: "Let's go destroy the production line of Dark Pokémon."

"Great!"

Multifon was enthusiastic.

Its knowledge of Dark Pokémon was limited to Dark Lugia, and it was curious whether other Dark Pokémon would also change their appearance.

"Gyaoo!"

Having received the order, Miloton flew toward Silicon Beryllium City, but its ultimate goal was the Shadow Secret Factory on the east side of Battle Mountain.

This place was indeed where Dark Pokémon were produced.

In fact, the third-generation Shadow Team had not obtained the source technology for producing Dark Pokémon; they merely implemented it based on existing equipment, and the investigation results of the later rescue organization were the same.

Therefore, Baimu thought of directly dismantling their equipment together, so as to facilitate the rescue organization's subsequent assault.

At the same time, not waiting for the subordinates of others to stand at the hotel room door and softly call out, when no response came after a long wait, they chose to send out Pokémon for reconnaissance.

Eventually, they learned that the Special Investigation Officer was no longer there.

Other forces in Huang Tie Town that had received the news were all in an uproar; some were waiting to invite Baimu to negotiate terms, some were waiting for Baimu to come knocking to extort money, who would have thought the other party would just run away!

Is it the same as last time?

They dare not be certain of Baimu's whereabouts, and can only wait in secret.

On the Silicon Beryllium City side.

Ejin received Baimu's investigation results from Dennis, and for a moment was furious to the point of almost smashing his office.

Not long after, another piece of news came that nearly made him burst a blood vessel—

The Shadow Secret Factory suddenly caught fire, and the equipment could not be saved!

"All bastards! All bastards! Call these people out! I want to find them and settle accounts one by one!" Ejin roared, preparing to pour all his anger onto the leaders of all major forces in Huang Tie Town.

Dennis, upon hearing the news, felt delighted while also realizing that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had arrived; he quickly contacted the overseas Yarnen, telling him to get ready.

And having destroyed the Shadow Secret Factory, Baimu, who hid his merits and fame, quietly pressed the leave key, and his entire person vanished from the spot.

At the same moment.

In a sweltering tin-roofed room on Qingli Street, Huang Tie Town, a gaunt youth opened his eyes.

"Where... am I? Ourei... Shadow Squad... Quicksand Squad? Is this... Pokémon?"