Chapter 122: The Identity of the Attacker

"The patient has multiple soft tissue contusions and several fractures. His internal organs are largely undamaged—he's been lucky."

The female doctor in a white coat adjusted her glasses and calmly explained the boy's condition to Luo Mu.

"Typical bear-type Pokémon have immense strength. That he only suffered a few fractures after being attacked is astonishing—I was already considering how to treat a patient with comminuted fractures when I heard someone had been attacked by a wild bear-type Pokémon."

With a look of relief on her face, the doctor picked up the water cup beside her and sipped warm water to moisten her dry lips and throat after a long day's work.

Luo Mu, however, did not share the doctor's relief. After a moment of silence, he said softly: "I found a shrunken Poké Ball tightly clenched in his right hand. Inside was a Magnemite with broken wings and severe injuries. Fortunately, the Poké Ball stabilized its condition and prevented further deterioration—it's now in the intensive care unit of the Pokémon Center."

"I see."

The doctor lowered her head, unsure what to say.

The general course of events was already clear in her mind.

The boy, while exploring the wilds, was attacked by a bear-type Pokémon. The Pokémon, having broken free from its Poké Ball, fiercely protected its trainer, sustaining grave injuries itself—but saved the trainer from further harm.

"Sigh."

After Luo Mu left with the report, the doctor slumped onto her desk and let out a heavy sigh.

Ziqin Orthopedic Hospital specializes in treating bone-related ailments and holds a certain reputation among nearby towns centered around Ziqin Town.

The boy Luo Mu saved was named Qiren, a student at Ju Zi Academy. After Luo Mu contacted the academy, Principal Mu Fei immediately reached Qiren's parents, who are now on their way to Ziqin Town.

As Luo Mu had expected, Qiren had reported to the academy a few days ago that he planned to explore the wilds near Ziqin Town to capture a rare Pokémon.

Qiren fell into a coma due to the pain from his fractures. Shortly after Luo Mu brought him to Ziqin Orthopedic Hospital, after initial treatment, the boy gradually regained consciousness.

Leaving the doctor's office, Luo Mu went straight to the private ward on the second floor. Qiren, pale-faced and wrapped from head to toe in bandages that left no skin exposed, stared fixedly out the window at the crabapple tree.

Luo Mu followed his gaze and immediately understood.

On the branches of the crabapple tree, several green-feathered Pidgeotto were hopping and playfully squabbling. Seeing these winged bird Pokémon, Qiren was likely thinking of his Magnemite.

Luo Mu gently knocked on the door. Only when Qiren turned his gaze toward him did he step inside the ward.

Unable to make large movements, Qiren could only nod slightly: "Teacher."

Luo Mu smiled and pulled over a chair to sit down: "Has the painkiller helped at all?"

"Much better—not as painful anymore." Qiren's mood was low. As if making a decision, his pale face gained a faint flush of color as he looked at Luo Mu with hope: "Teacher, how is the Magnemite doing now?"

Worried that revealing the Magnemite's condition might further traumatize Qiren and worsen his state, Luo Mu had withheld the truth until now. But since Qiren's condition had stabilized, continuing to hide it was pointless.

Luo Mu gently explained that the Magnemite was now in the intensive care unit of the Pokémon Center. To avoid upsetting Qiren, he added: "Nurse Joy is an expert in Pokémon medicine—she will surely save the Magnemite."

"Mm." Qiren lowered his head, voice choked. He tried to cover his face but found his hands still immobilized. "It saved me. It got so badly hurt trying to save me."

Qiren suddenly began to sob quietly.

Luo Mu sighed and waited for him to fully release his emotions. Letting out tears and relieving some psychological pressure was better than holding it in.

Once Qiren's emotions had calmed somewhat, Luo Mu asked: "Can you tell me the details of the Pokémon that attacked you? We may need to send a Warden to relocate it far from human settlements."

Qiren nodded slightly: "It was a bear-type Pokémon that looked like a plush toy bear—very cute. It had a baby with it."

From Qiren's description, Luo Mu instantly recognized the Pokémon.

Wearable Bear.

Like Mimikyu, it first appeared in the Alola region, and the baby was surely a Cuddly Bear.

Wearable Bears are not native to the Paldea region, but Pokémon are living creatures—many factors can cause them to move. It's not impossible for one or two rarely distributed Pokémon to appear here.

Recalling Wearable Bear's behavior, Luo Mu frowned. He couldn't understand why Qiren had approached it. In Alola, Wearable Bears—especially those with cubs—are classified as dangerous Pokémon.

Wearable Bears possess astonishing strength; their hugs can crush human bones. Had the Magnemite not intervened—

Luo Mu asked, puzzled: "That Pokémon is called Wearable Bear. Why did you approach it?"

Qiren fell silent for a moment, his expression distant: "Wearable Bears are extremely rare in Paldea, so I specifically went there hoping to catch one. I heard that when they wave their arms, it's a friendly gesture—I thought I had a chance to approach and capture it."

Luo Mu frowned: "You heard this from whom?"

"In Alola, Wearable Bears are classified as dangerous Pokémon prone to attacking humans. When they wave their arms, it looks like they're greeting you—but it's actually a warning to stay away."

"How could that be?!" Qiren's eyes widened in disbelief. He trembled: "That's a friendly gesture! That's what they told me!"

Luo Mu zeroed in on the key point: "Who are 'they'? Where did you get this unreliable information?"

"From my classmates." Qiren lowered his head, pupils trembling. As if trying to convince himself, he whispered: "They probably didn't know either. After all, Wearable Bears are extremely rare in Paldea!"

"It's just bad luck on my part."

Luo Mu said nothing, lost in thought.

Was it really as Qiren believed? If he knew about Wearable Bear's habit of waving its arms, could his classmates truly be "completely unaware"?

Recalling the students at Ju Zi Academy who took pleasure in bullying, Luo Mu found it hard to believe this was merely an accident.

It seems that after handing Qiren over to his parents, I'll need to speak with Principal Mu Fei. If possible, I'd like to know which students are close to Qiren.

Among them, perhaps, is the one who told Qiren Wearable Bears are harmless.

(End of Chapter)