Chapter 680

On the highway.

Long lines of heavy trucks roared past outside, shaking the windows with a rumbling wind.

Geographically, Huang Tie Town lies between Jinqinggang and Guibi City.

To properly manage the various materials donated from outside, Shannian entrusted the Lava Team with building a massive storage base just outside Huang Tie Town, responsible for necessary transit and temporary storage.

It's said to be nearly full, with a second expansion expected.

"How many outsiders come to Huang Tie Town?"

Baimu asked curiously.

Lady Ayana replied: "Not many, but not few either—you know Huang Tie Town can't compete with Guibi City, and the living environment there is far better."

Guibi City was Elder Ejin's former stronghold.

As an Ourean, Baimu had never been there.

But that didn't stop him from gathering information about it through various channels.

According to Shannian, the vast majority of Ourean black tech originated in Guibi City, which was founded after its first mayor dug the water diversion canal through the harshest region of Oure.

With abundant water resources, Guibi City became an oasis in the desert, housing over a million people over centuries.

It was also the only place in Oure to prioritize basic education before defeating Elder Ejin, with a literacy rate exceeding eighty percent.

Because its buildings were mostly pure white like jade, its greenery was exceptionally well-maintained, and its canals crystal clear, it was also called the Holy City and the Oasis City.

Elder Ejin would not have allowed outsiders from the Alliance to be accepted in Guibi City unless the image project was flawless.

This time, Baimu planned to visit Guibi City.

He also wanted to see Oure's largest and most magnificent high-tech arena—the Xionghuang Tower.

This structure was completed during the tenure of the Shadow Team's third-to-last leader, EJia. The current owner is the youngest son of the former third-to-last Shadow Team leader, Sijin—Aiertai.

After Dragonite, the protagonist of Dark Windstorm Version, shattered the Shadow Team's second-generation plan, Aiertai awoke to his conscience and turned himself in to International Police along with his father Sijin and brother Aldus.

As an accomplice with genuine remorse, and since the second-generation Shadow Team's crimes were relatively minor compared to the first and third generations, Aiertai was released from prison within a few years, returned to Oure, and reclaimed control of one of the Shadow Team's legacies—the Xionghuang Tower—while his father and brother remained incarcerated.

Aiertai also played a major role in dismantling the third-generation Shadow Team by actively responding.

Nowadays,

Xionghuang Tower is the third major hub for powerful Trainers, after Master Dui Zhan Shan—the oldest arena—and the Oure Arena.

Previously, Baimu's understanding of Oure's Pokémon Trainers was limited to Huang Tie Town; bluntly speaking, it was like viewing a leopard through a bamboo tube.

To achieve his goal of becoming Oure Champion, he had to learn about those people.

Waiting until Shannian formed the Oure League and then trying to learn about them afterward would be too late.

Suddenly,

A flash of green passed through Baimu's vision.

"Huh?"

He was about to turn around when vast expanses of green flooded his sight!

In the past, outside Huang Tie Town, sandstorms raged year-round, the sun baking the earth into cracked, scarred wastelands—no sign of life could be seen.

Yet,

Before Baimu now stood sparse but strikingly vivid green plants!

Baimu stared in awe at the low shrubs; they were still nearly an hour's drive from Huang Tie Town, and far from the Mount Boshuodola range.

Had Huang Tie Town's greening reached this level already?

"These!"

"Are the work of the large and small Lugia, and N and his Pokémon."

Lady Ayana smiled as she explained: "In greening, N is the most active—he never limits himself to planting near Huang Tie Town; he often leads large groups of Pokémon to plant drought-resistant desert vegetation…"

Oure's land is too barren; N's progress was uncertain at first, since as a "Friend of Pokémon," he had no expertise in greening. Before Shannian's plant expert arrived, they initially planted large trees unsuited to Oure's desert environment.

Huang Tie Town now had no shortage of water thanks to black tech, but it lacked the capacity to transport water outward.

As a result, even with Grass-type Pokémon nurturing them, most seedlings died—wasting both time and effort. Only after expert guidance did they gradually learn to cultivate drought-, sand-, and salt-tolerant desert plants requiring minimal water.

Such as saxaul trees and multi-branched tamarisks.

The recent widespread rainfall by the Lugia mother and child successfully triggered the germination of numerous seeds scattered across the land by bird Pokémon droppings and Grass-type Pokémon actively releasing them.

The lush shrubs Baimu now saw were the result of that recent rainfall.

"Amazing…"

He couldn't describe the emotions surging within him—green plants were everywhere in Hoenn; he'd only found them novel during his first two days there, then largely ignored them afterward.

But these plants were different.

Both in their meaning and in themselves, they were different.

These diverse, resilient desert plants represented N and the Pokémon's relentless efforts—and also represented Baimu and Shannian's original promise.

The promise to change all of Oure!

"Don't get carried away yet—wait until you see the environment around Huang Tie Town before letting your emotions loose," Lady Ayana said, drawing a laugh from Tai Rui.

She called out: "Big Sis is right! This is nothing yet!"

"Then I'll look forward to it."

Baimu had actually seen many photos of Huang Tie Town's surroundings, but he still felt anticipation for seeing firsthand the plants planted by Shannian and Huang Tie Town's people.

The minibus continued driving.

Dazhong and the others gradually shook off their land-sickness; they were long accustomed to the outside scenery and couldn't help chuckling at how awestruck their boss was.

"Wait till we get to Oure—I'll show you the trees I planted! So tall and strong!"

"Sure you did! You always make your sister and the Pokémon do the watering—how are those trees yours? They're just named after you!"

"I planted so many I couldn't keep track!"

Some of them started arguing as they talked.

Baimu ignored them, opened the window, and leaned out to watch the Brave Eagle flying from the horizon and a few fledgling eagles—it was his first time seeing Pokémon in the wild of Oure, and he found it strangely novel.

"The Brave Eagle is indeed better adapted to this environment…"

N has rescued all Pokémon held captive by criminals across the Oure region over the past six months, freeing them from the constraints of Poké Balls.

The total number is roughly in the hundreds of thousands.

Among them, Ice-type Pokémon entirely unable to adapt to Oure's environment were sent to other regions, a small number were tricked or stolen away, while most now live in the wild.

The Rescue Organization currently forbids local Oure trainers from capturing these Pokémon through battle, and is actively seeking proper solutions for their disposition.

After all, the food requirements for hundreds of thousands of Pokémon alone are unimaginable.

N is striving to let them fend for themselves, but so far only Ground-, Rock-, Grass-, Electric-type, and some special Pokémon can manage on their own.

The rest are only just beginning to improve, like Oure's environmental restoration.

According to Shanren, the Rescue Organization has recently considered discussing with N the idea of placing Pokémon in civilian homes—Oure residents still show great enthusiasm for Pokémon.

Yet over the past half-year, N has carefully assessed the people of Huang Tie Town, and truly suitable candidates to entrust Pokémon to are few and far between.

The situation remains stalled.

Baimu intends to persuade N—the food burden of hundreds of thousands of Pokémon, even for N who inherited the Plasma Team's assets, remains an extreme weight.

Moreover, allowing Pokémon to interact with humans also benefits harmonious coexistence with Oure's natural environment.

Haven't you seen Mijina on the Sinnoh continent? Once a desolate wasteland, yet under Damos's governance, even after losing the Life Pearl lent by Arceus, it became extraordinarily fertile.

The joint efforts of humans and Pokémon there were inseparable.

Oure's current primary strategy is for humans and Pokémon to work together to transform their living environment—they clearly understand that Pokémon and humans cannot be separated.

"N's land-based Pokémon Paradise… I wonder how many years it will take."

Baimu shook his head.

The main reason N favors Oure is that this land is vast but sparsely populated, making it far more suitable for wild Pokémon than other overdeveloped regions.

Shanren originally promised N he would ensure the survival environment for wild Pokémon, but now the focus is on building the three major towns.

N's wish is not hard to achieve—if one could find Arceus's Life Pearl or another Pokémon capable of restoring Oure overnight—but is it easy? How many such Legendary Pokémon exist in the world?

Baimu reached for the Thousand Cosmos Bracelet in his chest, then suddenly turned his head toward the window, hearing a flapping of wings—suddenly, the Brave Eagle glided alongside the vehicle, accompanied by the fledglings.

It seemed to be verifying something, studying him closely for two long glances before flapping away.

The fledglings behind it frantically beat their still-developing wings, their expressions anxious as they cried out in distress.

"It's these guys."

Lady Ayana stood up, walked to the next seat, and peered out, "They're N's eyes—probably came here specifically to find you, to confirm where you are."

"Confirm where I am?"

Baimu froze slightly, a sudden suspicion forming in his mind.

The minibus traveled farther, and as it did, vegetation along the road gradually increased from the endless desert—though still far less lush than elsewhere, it still brought him great comfort.

In just half a year, they've achieved this much—perhaps even without Legendary Pokémon, he might live to see Oure become a land thick with greenery.

"Boss! Look! Your mountain's ahead!"

Someone suddenly shouted.

Baimu quickly looked forward through the windshield and saw, far in the distance, a massive mountain range utterly out of place.

Vegetation in the desert was scattered at best; yet this mountain range was covered in dense, varied plants, and he could faintly see numerous Bird-type Pokémon circling and flying around it.

Bonsly's Mountain!

His heart jolted, and his waist vibrated violently—undoubtedly, Bonsly and the Giant Steelix inside were trembling with anticipation.

As their long-awaited territory neared, even Bonsly, whose temperament had matured through travel, could not suppress his excitement.

Seeing this, Baimu said to Terry, "When we get closer, please slow down a bit."

"You're going to climb the mountain? Why not wait until we return to Huang Tie Town? Your hoverbike and car have been maintained by Lady Ayana all along."

Terry looked hesitant.

He quickly explained, "I'm letting out Giant Steelix and Bonsly—they've waited too long. Let them explore the mountain first."

"Oh? Alright! You really spoil your Pokémon." Terry agreed.

Baimu smiled silently and turned to thank Lady Ayana.

When he left, he'd handed over his vehicles to the Rainbow Team's mechanic group—never expected it was Lady Ayana who maintained them.

"Don't thank me—thank my dad. He used to run a motorcycle shop in Jinqing Harbor, now he's back in Huang Tie Town leading the mechanic group. He forced me to learn his skills, so I used your vehicles as 'test subjects.' I even modified them a bit—if you're unhappy, go to my dad, not me."

Lady Ayana shrugged.

A short while later.

The minibus pulled up beside the towering mountain range, and Baimu stepped out, releasing all his Pokémon.

"Gurrr!"

"Huuu~"

Bonsly and Giant Steelix were the most excited, nearly bursting to climb the mountain; the other Pokémon quietly observed their surroundings.

Aside from the original four, the rest had never been to Oure before; after a quick glance around, their gazes turned to Baimu.

"This is our future home—and the place Bonsly has longed for. If you're interested, you may stay here temporarily; I'll come back for you tonight. If not, come with me."

He looked at his Pokémon.

The result was obvious—except for Giant Steelix, which had grown distant over the past half-year, even Bonsly refused to separate from his trainer for the sake of momentary desire.

The Shiny Milotic looked listless—the Oure climate was far too dry; accustomed to Hoenn's humid environment, she was deeply uncomfortable.

The usually lively and playful Dragonite siblings glanced at the Dreepy, then at the Shiny Haunter; seeing neither showed interest, they naturally gave up too.

"Alright, then—Bonsly and Giant Steelix stay."

Baimu looked at the conflicted Bonsly and smiled: "Go on, it's fine—you've waited so long to return; you should take a good look at your territory."

"Gurrr…"

Bonsly turned its head toward the towering mountain range, gazing at the scattered plants, then at the massive Steelix, whose eyes urged it forward with eager anticipation.

It shook its head, walked over to Baimu's side, and let out a low growl, "Gurrr!"

Since it was a flagship Pokémon, it couldn't leave its trainer's side—the mountains are right here and won't fly away; it can always see them tonight or tomorrow.

Rather than walking alone across the vast mountain, it preferred standing beside Baimu at the highest point, overlooking their territory together.

That's right.

This isn't its mountain.

This is its trainer's mountain!

"Fool…" Baimu read much in those sapphire eyes—his heart swelled with both emotion and joy.

What trainer doesn't hope their Pokémon will steadfastly choose them over any temptation?

The Chansey and other Pokémon also wore happy expressions upon seeing this.

The massive Steelix, seeing no one else go, glanced once more at the mountains, then at everyone, and let out a resigned low moan before returning to Baimu's side.

Though it wasn't as clingy as the other Pokémon, it didn't wish to stand apart when its companions were united in will.

Back into the van.

Lady Ayana and the others wore strange expressions—hadn't they agreed to release the Pokémon into the mountains? Why had they brought them all back?

"Sorry for the delay—let's keep going."

Baimu smiled.

The minibus set off again.

At the same moment.

Dashan glanced at his phone and turned to say: "They're almost here—are you ready?"

"Ready!"

"Roar!"

A unified roar echoed across the heavens.

Looking out, the responders seemed like an ocean of people—roughly ten thousand or more, humans and Pokémon everywhere, their faces flushed with excitement and exhilaration, each holding signs, banners, and firecrackers.

Their hero was coming home!