Chapter 1290: Wang Luo the Humble One

Evening.

The small hut at Gu Xi's secluded residence.

Baimu shared dinner with Wu Si and Dr. Lappen — a Padia-style submarine sandwich.

"A small token, not worth mentioning."

He said to Wu Si: "I was in a rush when I came, and didn't have anything presentable on hand. I hope you won't disdain it."

"Gladly accepted."

Wu Si smiled faintly, looking at the sandwich packed with various tree fruits, vegetables, and sprinkled with all kinds of secret seasonings, its colors vibrant and varied; a flash of curiosity crossed her eyes.

It was still the first time she had seen such a strange food.

Dr. Lappen beside her felt much the same. "Baimu, why is the bread glowing?"

"Because it's mixed with a rare secret seasoning from Padia." Baimu didn't conceal it, lifting the top layer of the sandwich to display the inner ingredients.

Dr. Lappen suddenly realized. "Padia! I know that place! Baimu, you've actually been to Padia?"

The Padia region isn't like the current Xicui; it belongs to the "Great Powers" that have been open to trade year-round. It's normal for Dr. Lappen to know it.

Wu Si tasted in small bites, and before long revealed a satisfied smile.

"Not bad."

"It's delicious! Baimu, your cooking skill is really good!"

Dr. Lappen also couldn't hold back and chewed in big mouthfuls, his eyes darting everywhere, full of curiosity.

Simply because there were quite a few things here that, in his view, were rather novel.

A velvet double bed, various antique ornaments and Carlos-style cabinets, even "electric lamps"… Tian Guan Mountain is located in the central region of the Xicui landmass; how did Wu Si get these things here?

Could it be this place trades with the outside?

What made Dr. Lappen even more curious was that Baimu seemed to have long known Wu Si lived in seclusion here, yet from the exchange between the two, it was clearly a first meeting…

He couldn't figure it out no matter how he thought.

Finishing the sandwich in two or three bites, Dr. Lappen took out his sketchbook and drew the Pokemon he had seen today.

In this era without compact cameras, making an illustrated guide could only rely on hand-drawing. Baimu watched from the side for a while and nodded inwardly.

This doctor's sketching skill is in no way inferior to my own!

Wu Si likewise watched with great interest, then proceeded to offer pointers on Dr. Lappen's drawing technique.

Dr. Lappen accepted humbly and made careful revisions.

Inside the small hut, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

As the sky outside turned completely dark, considering they would set off once the sun rose tomorrow, Dr. Lappen took out a folding tent and sleeping bag, preparing to stay outside.

It was clear he had extensive wilderness living experience; the sleeping bag's material was extremely thick, and at a single glance one could tell its cold-resistant function was extremely strong.

But before he could fall asleep, a sound came from outside.

"Ms. Wu Si."

It was a magnetic male voice. "Forgive the disturbance so late at night; this humble one wishes to lodge here tonight. May I trouble you for the convenience?"

Dr. Lappen subconsciously looked at Baimu. There are actually other people who would come here?

How lively!

Little did he know that at this moment Baimu narrowed his eyes.

"We really ran into him."

He grinned. Another reason he deliberately stayed overnight at Gu Xi's secluded residence was to see how his luck would turn out.

Reasonably speaking, the other party tore open a spacetime rift and couldn't find the target, so they would leave before long.

Wu Si smiled. "It's been a long time since it was this lively. I have two guests here as well."

"Oh?"

The hut door opened, and a man wearing Ginkgo Guild attire poked his head in, his gaze wandering among Wu Si, Baimu, and Dr. Lappen.

Suddenly.

His eyes landed on the top of Baimu's head.

A red chain coiled around its neck, holding the Thousand-Arms Wrist in its mouth — Turobagos — was perched there.

The next second the man's gaze shifted away without a trace, and he said amiably: "This humble one is named Wang Luo. Who might the two of you be?"

Wang Luo, the final villain of the game "Legends: Arceus," a man suspected to be an ancestor of Chilan yet harboring great ambition, using the identity of a traveling merchant as a cover, secretly approached the game protagonist, step by step guiding them to collect the plates and the red chain.

The purpose is to subdue Arceus and reforge the world.

"I'm Lappen! A Pokemon Professor from the Galaxy Team Survey Corps, here to investigate the anomaly at the summit of Tian Guan Mountain!"

Dr. Lappen has no guile; he laughed hee-hee and blurted out his background.

Facing Wang Luo's gaze shifting over, Baimu also smiled. "Baimu, Galaxy Team Survey Corps."

"... So you're friends of the Galaxy Team."

Wang Luo responded with a smile, but inexplicably a feeling of being targeted arose in his heart.

As if prey had encountered a hunter.

After a brief round of self-introductions, Baimu left Wu Si's hut together with Dr. Lappen.

The hut was certainly warm, but the space wasn't large; the two of them, big men, weren't suited to staying inside overnight.

They could only come out to pitch a tent and build a fire.

And what made Dr. Lappen feel amazed was that Baimu kept taking things out of the Shiny Gengar's belly — from tents and sleeping bags to dry firewood and so on.

He couldn't help asking: "Your Gengar's belly can hold this many things?"

Baimu nodded. "Mm, trained it."

Dr. Lappen said: "Then how come the cargo you brought along would…"

"How could the Chamber of Commerce's goods be placed together with my personal belongings?" Baimu had already thought of an excuse, "I am a traveling merchant of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce in the Ore region."

Dr. Laban listened, stunned, "Rainbow Chamber of Commerce..."

A name he had never heard of before!

Where exactly does this Chamber of Commerce conduct trade?

After the two had set up their tent and lit a roaring bonfire, Wangluo emerged from the hut, smiling and saying, "May I join you? I can take charge of keeping watch and adding firewood."

"Sure, call me for the second half of the night."

Dr. Laban agreed without hesitation.

It was evident that even in ancient times, the Pokémon world was quite harmonious, and lighting fires served not only for warmth but largely to guard against wild Pokémon.

These days, wild Pokémon are extremely fierce; they will chase you upon sight from seventy or eighty meters away.

Baimu remained silent, as if accepting this proposal.

Dr. Laban wearily curled into his sleeping bag, saying, "Good night, Baimu, wishing us smooth sailing ahead."

He nodded, "Good night, Doctor."

Soon, faint snoring sounds arose.

To be able to sleep so deeply and quickly in the wilderness—truly enviable sleep quality.

Baimu gazed at the bonfire, and Wangluo's voice sounded beside his ear.

"Is that on your head a Pokémon?"

"Exactly, it's Tai Le Bagoes, from the Paldea region." Baimu held Tai Le Bagoes close to his chest, speaking softly, "I see your attire—you must be from the Ginkgo Chamber of Commerce?"

Wangluo smiled, "Exactly, I am indeed a member of the Ginkgo Chamber of Commerce. We aspire to sell our goods worldwide! Interested in taking a look?"

He said this while proactively pulling items from his pack.

Baimu glanced casually—mostly medicines, combs, and other basic industrial goods.

Clearly, the Ginkgo Guild brings in outside goods to Xicui for barter with the locals.

Which locals?

Naturally, the two major human settlements in Xicui outside of Zhuge Village—the Ganggang Team and the Zhenzhu Team.

"Do you have your eye on any item, guest?" Wangluo asked with fervent smile.

Baimu shook his head, "No, thank you for your kindness."

Upon hearing this, Wangluo could only regretfully take back the goods, then turned to idle chatter, after all, there's little to do in these times.

Genggui couldn't play game consoles or look at phones in front of outsiders, only hiding in shadows to peek.

Not long after.

Baimu yawned, curled into his sleeping bag, "Thank you for taking the first half of the night—remember to call me for the second half."

"Rest easy, I'll handle it."

Wangluo smiled, then glanced at Tai Le Bagoes sprawled beside the sleeping bag, snoring loudly.

By the fire, things gradually grew quiet.

—

Who knows how long passed.

A figure approached Baimu, eyes falling on the red chain entwining Tai Le Bagoes and the Qianzhou Wrist, reaching out...

"!"

Suddenly, eyes snapped open to meet the palm about to touch the shoulder.

Wangluo leaned in, smiling, "Lord Baimu, it's already midnight."

"Midnight already."

Baimu crawled out of his sleeping bag, glanced at Tai Le Bagoes, and nodded, "You've worked hard."

"No big deal—helping each other out on the road."

Wangluo waved a hand, then yawned, "I'll go wake Dr. Laban."

Baimu said, "No need—let him sleep. You should rest early too; we still have to rush tomorrow, right?"

Upon hearing this, Wangluo returned to his small tent, lay down in his bedding with his back to the fire, and fell asleep.

Crackle~

Sparks flew.

Baimu added some dry firewood with one hand, cradling Tai Le Bagoes, gazing at Wangluo's back, and suddenly sighed, "I truly underestimated you."

"Huh?"

Wangluo rose blankly.

Baimu poked at the firewood, saying, "The spacetime rift at the summit of Guanding Mountain—was that your doing, descendant of the Shenhe people, Wangluo?"

Wangluo's eyes, narrowed from a shallow smile, snapped open, the upturned corners of his mouth tightened, and his whole being exuded a unique coldness.

Then he smiled again, saying, "What are you talking about, my lord?"

But this smile was extremely cold, far lacking the earlier enthusiasm.

"Even if you collaborate with Palkia, Arceus is not someone you can see just because you want to."

Baimu really couldn't keep up the act anymore.

Originally planning to hedge with Wangluo, wait for him to act on Tai Le Bagoes, then make other plans—never expecting him to endure so long.

He lifted Tai Le Bagoes, saying, "See? The red chain and Qianzhou Wrist—I am closer to Arceus than you are."

"..."

Wangluo said nothing.

He stared at Baimu with eyes full of hostility, "So what? I am not a worshipper of Arceus."

"Love, is it? I just want to say, don't do such boring things. Your greed will make the Hisui land suffer hardships."

Baimu stood up, gradually approaching Wangluo.

His super wisdom told him it was time to use super power!

"Use force? This young master isn't afraid of you!"

Wangluo felt the pressure rushing at his face, swiftly dodging backward, not caring even if he crashed through the tent.

From the corner of his eye he glanced at Labein, who was actually still sleeping soundly.

Baimu said: "Don't look. My Gengar used Hypnosis. I know you're a Pokemon trainer, bring it on."

As they spoke.

Wangluo threw the first Poke Ball.

Bang!

Pang Yan Guai appeared. Night is the home field for Ghost-type Pokemon. The moment it saw Baimu, it attacked without hesitation.

However, Baimu had already thrown a pellet even faster.

Bang!

A cloud of golden dust spread out.

Wangluo inhaled a small amount, only feeling his head swim, his face changing drastically, "Sleep Powder?"

"How about breathing in a few more mouthfuls?"

Baimu raised his hand, the multi-faceted phone in his pocket flew out and transformed into the shape of an electric baton.

The next instant, he fiercely swung it onto Pang Yan Guai.

Zzt!!

Accompanied by a burst of lightning and thunder, the Pang Yan Guai that had inhaled too much Sleep Powder was knocked flying backward, motionless.

Wangluo, this Hisui person's face changed like neon lights, "Who exactly are you?"

"Someone come to collect you."

Baimu advanced slowly, each step like a heavy hammer striking Wangluo's heart.

He hurriedly threw more Poke Balls.

Bang bang bang!

A team almost identical to Zhulan's appeared, but before they could move, a vast mental power controlled them and threw them far away.

Wangluo was shocked pale, "What did you do?"

"Never seen psychic powers? This is my Shika's doing. Alright, hurry up and call out your collaborator."

Baimu was getting a bit impatient waiting, "Your own Pokemon have no value to me."

Wangluo's retreating steps halted. He looked at the aggressively pressing Baimu, saying: "Are you sure? Are you sure you can withstand this power?"

"No need for your concern. Bring it out early."

Baimu pulled out a string of Poke Balls from his pocket, "My Pokemon have been waiting for a long time!"

Bang bang bang!

A series of crisp sounds.

Because he hadn't had time to send his Pokemon back to Platinum Mountain earlier, at this moment Baimu had his full roster with him.

From Eguigui, Milletong to Taodailang, Jizhiji and so on.

Dozens of Pokemon, large and small, densely packed, occupied the entire Ancient Past Hideout!

Wangluo looked at these Pokemon with auras either profound or vast, unable to believe he would actually encounter such an inexplicable existence.

He had only just taken action!

"This is..."

Just as Wangluo gritted his teeth, preparing to summon Giratina, a sigh rang out from the distant cottage.

"Ah, so noisy."

The door opened, Wusi walked out from within, looking at the sword-drawn bow-bent Baimu and Wangluo, softly saying: "I should have known long ago. That you would appear here destined this scene to happen."

"Wusi..."

Wangluo's lips moved, seeming not to dare look directly at her.

Wusi said: "Wangluo, I originally had no intention of judging your actions, but as one of the Sinnoh people, you should not do anything harmful to this land no matter what."

Wangluo clenched his fists, saying: "This young master just wants to create a better world! Unable to suppress this curiosity to see Arceus!"

"Your curiosity is a disaster to this world. You stop being curious, alright?"

Baimu helplessly roasted Wangluo's pursuit.

Good thing Hisui people are few, otherwise with him doing this who knows how many Pokemon and humans would be harmed.

"Hmph! More words are useless! Offending Wusi! Today this young master will clear all obstacles!!"

Wangluo, anger rising to his head, actually threw caution to the wind, yanking off his hat to reveal a hairstyle extremely similar to Arceus.

Baimu only felt it was an eyesore, thinking of that Arceus-shaped Mawile in Sun and Moon.

"You, you're simply Arceus's toxic solo stan."

He couldn't help but say.

Wangluo, with anger attacking his heart, froze for a moment, "Toxic solo stan? What toxic solo stan?"

"No obligation to explain... hmm, it's coming." Baimu replied while scanning the surroundings.

He could feel an eerie movement.

The source was shockingly Giratina about to arrive from the Distortion World into reality!