Chapter 1254: Greedy Lizard

Late at night.

Frut AI forcibly terminated the discussion.

"You need to rest."

"Ah!"

Bai Leiya looked at her phone time in a daze, "It's already eleven o'clock!"

Though she came for the Great Void of Zero, Talegos, she was immersed in the application techniques of solar crystal energy.

"It seems we can only wait until we return to continue the discussion."

Bai Leiya's tone carried no small regret.

She truly wanted to continue discussing with Frut AI.

As the inventor of the Blueberry Academy Ecological Core and Solar Crystal Attribute Variation Technology, she was very curious about the many solar crystal technologies mastered by Dr. Frut.

Unfortunately, there are more important things to do tomorrow.

Frut AI said gently: "I will await your good news at the Fourth Observation Station, wishing you smooth sailing."

"Thank you for your kind words."

Bai Leiya smiled faintly, and fatigue suddenly welled up in her heart.

She forced herself to stay awake and walked toward the dormitory area; opening the room door, she saw Dan Yu and others asleep.

The four-person room, not spacious, just accommodated her, Dan Yu, Nimo, and Mu Dan; Bai Mu and Pa Pa lived elsewhere.

"They're already asleep..."

Bai Leiya yawned, just about to go wash up, when she heard two familiar yet unfamiliar low growls from outside, along with Bai Mu's scolding voice.

"If you two keep arguing, don't follow tomorrow."

"Ah-ga-si..."

"Gu-ao~"

Through the window, she saw Miller and Fultor sitting properly before her, one bowing his head, the other raising it.

Training Pokémon in the middle of the night?

Bai Leiya originally wanted to remind them through the window, but considering they were not her students and held champion status, she thought it wouldn't delay tomorrow's affairs.

After all, no matter what kind of champion, only those with extreme self-discipline can achieve it.

How can someone lacking self-control talk about mastering Pokémon?

Bai Leiya yawned again, quickly finished her washing up, suppressed her inner excitement, and went to bed.

Finally arriving at Zone Zero, along the way she didn't know how many photos she had taken, several times wanting to get off the vehicle for a more detailed ecological survey.

A long-held wish finally fulfilled, no one could imagine her current mood.

"I'm really looking forward to it."

She curled up in the warm blanket, thinking it would be hard to fall asleep, but who knew the faint fragrant incense in the dormitory soon lulled her into dreams.

Outside the observation station, Bai Mu heard no movement from the dormitory and thought the calming incense was indeed effective as always.

His heavy attention returned to Fultor and Miller.

These two had been fighting from evening until deep night without stopping, truly somewhat disturbing the peace, forcing Bai Mu to intervene.

Compared to Miller, who admits fault quickly and has a good attitude, Fultor is more unruly and unrestrained, completely indifferent to Bai Mu's reprimands.

"Gu-ao!"

If you have the ability, hit me!

The primordial giant lizard had an eager-to-try expression; pure melee truly consumes little energy, it could fight all day!

Bai Mu frowned, looking at the head-down Miller.

The cyber giant lizard's jealousy period is short; as long as it can beat Fultor once, it immediately turns from cloudy to sunny and becomes happy.

It probably no longer wants to fight.

Simply put, Fultor refuses to cease fire, and it unwillingly suffers one-sided blows, hence the battle lasted until midnight.

Bai Mu shouted at it: "Let's stop here for today, okay?"

"Gu-ao!"

Fultor let out a low growl, leaped backward, and assumed a provocative posture toward Miller, utterly disregarding his words.

This is not strange.

Fultor currently favors Bai Mu and sandwiches— the latter being the key point.

But to say completely obedient...

How could that be possible?

Fultor's Master Ball is not in his hand.

Bai Mu finds it difficult to dominate through non-combat means, and more intuitively grasp this primordial giant lizard.

However, merely wanting to settle their dispute is actually not troublesome.

"Come back."

He recalled Miller into the ball, turned his head, and walked back to the observation station, leaving Fultor standing in place.

The primordial giant lizard stared blankly.

It had prepared to fight, yet he just left?

Fultor paced in place a few circles, seeming somewhat restless, yet also seeming at a loss.

Eventually, it chose to follow into the observation station, trailing Bai Mu's footsteps.

Ironically, Fultor can enter the observation station's gate, but cannot enter the dormitory room door, blocked outside.

"Gu——"

It had planned to let out a roar, but Frutu AI appeared behind it at some unknown time.

Frutu AI smiled and said: "Want to go back into the Poké Ball to rest?"

"Ah-guh-si..."

Faulton quickly shook its head.

It had no desire to return to that kind of place; although the Master Ball was comfortable, it, as the Wing King, naturally loved freedom.

Frutu AI still wore a smiling expression: "Then you'd better stay quiet—tomorrow they still have important matters to attend to."

"Gu-ao~"

Faulton nodded to indicate affirmation.

After Frutu AI left, it irritably flicked its long tail, its head slowly drooping.

Soon, it curled up in the corridor, boredly swaying its tail, occasionally turning its head to glance at the dormitory door.

Like a large dog barred from its owner's bedroom.

Seeing no one to play with, Faulton also began to feel drowsy, especially as a continuous aroma drifted from the crack under the door.

Slowly.

Faulton fell asleep.

It dreamed of countless sandwiches lining up to run into its mouth, with Milton prostrating itself fivefold before it, sincerely paying homage.

Baimu shouted: "I don't want Milton anymore—please, be my partner! I'll make you sandwiches every day!"

"Ah-ga-si~"

Milton pleaded miserably, Faulton laughed wildly, then pressed it down and savagely tore at it, listening to its wails...

In the cold corridor of the observation station.

The curled-up Faulton revealed a happy smile.

—

Crack.

"Wow!"

Paipa's cry suddenly woke Faulton, interrupting its beautiful dream of eating the 1,300th sandwich.

It unhappily lifted its head: "Gu-ao?"

Then it saw the other half-opening the door, wearing a look of astonishment, and simultaneously turned its head to ask: "How did it end up at the door?"

Baimu, who was tidying up, replied: "It must have come in last night, fought with Milton until midnight, making a huge racket."

"Indeed, it's just another noisy troublemaker!"

Paipa snorted.

He holds a much stronger opinion of Faulton than of Milton.

The latter, at least, once lived with him for a period, barely counting as having some affection—Faulton?

Not treating it as a father-killing enemy is already not bad!

Paipa naturally knows that was an accident—Frutu Doctor, without taking any protective measures, rashly intervened in their battle.

But to say he harbors no resentment in his heart at all? That's impossible.

It's only because Paipa's thoughts are pure enough that he hasn't treated Faulton the same way.

Moreover, Faulton equally refuses to engage with him; as a Cover God with not-low intelligence, who's good and who's bad is obvious at a glance.

Paipa and Mu Dan clearly reject it intensely, Ni Mo relatively stronger, and Baimu is the best!

Because Faulton can always draw threads of kindness from the other party.

Especially when the other party pulls out a sandwich—it's simply handsome to the extreme.

"Gu-ao!"

It rushed into the dormitory, enthusiastically wanting to lick Baimu, forming a stark contrast with yesterday's obedient and wild posture.

I want to eat sandwiches! I still want to eat sandwiches!

Faulton firmly linked dream and reality together.

Baimu repeatedly dodged its big tongue, strangely asking: "What's this? Came to apologize?"

"Not really—more like begging for food."

The multi-sided phone replied.

Baimu sighed: "Pokémon... whoever feeds you is your mother."

"Baimu! I already went to the cafeteria to get your breakfast!" Paipa's voice came from outside the door.

He responded with an acknowledgment, but did not satisfy Faulton's demand.

Yesterday it was so disobedient—today, how can it still demand food and get it? At least let it starve for two or three days, so it knows sandwiches aren't that easy to come by.

"Gu-ao?"

Faulton was utterly puzzled—why wasn't it fed?

Just now it was still being fed so enthusiastically!

It tried to scrape Baimu with its claws, but all were dodged: "Gu-ao~~"

"Not giving—you want me to give?"

Baimu glared at it.

Disobedient children get no candy!

Faced with such a decisive answer, Faulton stared blankly for a moment, then began rolling around in the narrow dormitory.

"Ah-guh-si! Gu-ao~gu-ao!"

This is nothing like in the dream! Not! One! Bit! the same!

"What's all the noise about?"

Nimmo poked her head in from outside, bleary-eyed, spotted Gourgeist rolling all over the floor, and asked, "What's wrong with it?"

"Don't mind it. Is Teacher Baila up yet?"

Baimu shoved the items into Gengar's belly, left Gourgeist behind, and walked out of the dormitory.

Creak.

The door was left half-shut.

Gourgeist sensed the light dimming, got up reluctantly, and chased after them, pursuing them all the way to the cafeteria.

Inside the cafeteria, quite a few staff members voluntarily offered it food.

Although this guy was a bit fierce, it normally didn't attack people, plus it protected the Fourth Observation Station from Paradox Pokémon harassment, so it had earned the gratitude of many.

"Gu——"

Gourgeist's mouth had been spoiled by the Secret-Recipe Sandwiches; it originally didn't want to eat these ordinary sandwiches, but seeing Baimu's ruthless retreating figure, it could only open its mouth and eat them down.

It's way too different from the dream!

It ran dejectedly to the table where Baimu and the others were eating; Peony was startled by its sudden appearance.

"Eek! It... what happened to it?"

In Peony's memory, Gourgeist was very lively.

Baimu said, "It was making too much of a ruckus and wasn't very obedient. Just now it asked me for food, and I didn't give it any."

"Oh?"

Baila grew interested, smiled, speared a piece of food with her fork, and held it out, "Want to eat mine?"

Gourgeist turned its head away disdainfully.

Pipa explained, "Teacher Baila, it likes to eat sandwiches."

"Sandwiches?"

Baila had completely not expected it to have this kind of dietary preference. "Then have the head chef make a few for it."

Nimmo chuckled, "What it wants to eat are the ones Baimu makes."

"Baimu——ah, I remember now, you're a famous chef!"

Baila laughed, and said to Gourgeist, "Looks like I can't help you."

The Great Primeval Lizard still hadn't managed to eat the sandwiches it wanted by the time breakfast ended.

It had originally been counting on snatching Miltank's, but who knew Baimu hadn't even fed Miltank, thoroughly dashing its hopes.

"Guo——"

Gourgeist lay on its back, tongue half lolling out, just feeling that reality was too cruel.

Dreams are still better; dreams have everything.

The despairing Gourgeist, spirits crushed, went off to find a place to sleep, not even noticing when Baimu and the others walked away.

——

Zero Zone Research Institute.

Baila gazed at the building fused with the giant crystal, and could only feel awestruck.

"A research institute built in a place like this... no wonder it could create a marvel like a time machine!"

Click-click~

Danyu kept snapping photos, preparing to go back and share them with Wuli.

Futou AI had not accompanied them; the institute was already familiar beyond measure to the group.

Nimmo inserted the disc Yaci had given her into the instrument at the entrance.

【Beep... Detecting... Blue Disc... Elevator activated...】

The mechanical announcement reverberated.

Then the institute's main doors opened, revealing the interior environment gradually lit up by lights.

Baila entered first, and felt deep regret seeing the missing instrument in the center.

"Was the time machine dismantled and taken away?"

"To prevent the program from activating again, the Professor had the League dismantle the time machine."

Nimmo explained while leading the way to the elevator.

Baila followed close behind, watched the elevator doors opening slowly, took a deep breath, clapped her hands lightly, and said with a smile:

"Students, we're about to unveil the Terastal phenomenon's greatest secret! Let's set off together!"

The morale-boosting words instantly drew responses from Nimmo and Baimu; the others, seeing this, also chimed in one after another.

The Rotom Phone activated video recording mode. "Do you mind if I record the exploration process?"

"Of course! Please do! This will become very important footage!"

Baila nodded with a smile.

The group entered the elevator in turn, feeling the slight weightlessness from its rapid descent.

Ding——

The elevator doors opened.

A sparkling, brilliant cavern presented itself before everyone.

Compared to the Upper, Middle, and Lower three layers of Area Zero, the Great Crater of Zero appeared much more cramped; if not for the shining crystals visible everywhere, it would truly give Baimu a sense of déjà vu of returning to Cortondo.

Baila didn't say another word and just ran off, cheerfully saying, "Can breathe smoothly! This place connects to the outside world!"

"What are these?"

Peony immediately spotted the desks placed beside the elevator doors, piled high with all sorts of documents.

Upon hearing this, Bailiya quickly turned and ran over, and she and Baimu each picked up a book to examine.

"In the lower levels of Zone Zero

there exists a massive cavity.

And Talabagos...

the Secret Treasure of Zero slumbers at the very depths of that cavity.

Its crystallized body protects it from enemy invasion.

It seems it will need some time to awaken."

"Talabagos! It really is here! The Ancestor's notes were correct!"

Bailiya was beside herself with joy.

On Baimu's side, he saw a different passage.

"Whether due to the influence of Talabagos or not,

a Tai crystallization phenomenon never before seen

is occurring on the ground inside the great cavity.

Tai crystals encompassing all attributes...

I have decided to temporarily call this Tai crystal attribute Star Crystal."

Star Crystal?

It feels like something similar to Wuji Taidna's Wuji Gigantification.

Baimu handed over the notes, saying, "Teacher Bailiya, take a look at this."

Bailiya hurriedly accepted it, examining it closely with excitement, "Star Crystal, Secret Treasure of Zero, these are all things not mentioned in the Ancestor's notes, ah! Just this data alone is already a treasure trove!"

Click click.

The Polygon Phone said nothing and just kept snapping photos, attempting to record all the data.

Danyu felt puzzled by Bailiya's current state, "Teacher really is... in such a bizarre space, she can still get this excited."

Mudan felt much the same; she felt that the Great Cavity of Zero inexplicably exuded an aura that made her blood run cold.