Chapter 28: Caught a Bird and Brought It Back (Please Follow)

Luo Mu scooped a ladle of water from a nearby water vat, tidied his appearance, confirmed the rice in the electric cooker had begun steaming, and decided to step outside to check whether Monarch Snake, Bai Pengpeng, and the little Mianmians had returned.

As soon as he left the kitchen, Luo Mu bumped into Pape, who looked like he’d lost his soul, floating dreamily toward the kitchen.

Pape’s nostrils twitched slightly as he breathed in the faint, sweet aroma, murmuring: “What is this? So fragrant, so sweet...”

“Today’s lunch is vegetable tree-fruit curry rice,” Luo Mu stopped Pape from drifting toward the kitchen, sighing. “Wait until Monarch Snake, Bai Pengpeng, and the others return before we eat. Come on, let’s go check the farmland first.”

“Oh~”

Pape reluctantly tore his gaze away and followed Luo Mu out of the villa to the five small plots of newly sown farmland.

All five Pokémon had gathered on the open ground.

Bai Pengpeng noticed Luo Mu and Pape’s arrival, its eyes darting, then leapt lightly into the air and began spinning rapidly, its cottony fluff scattering across the already sown and watered fields.

Then, a miraculous sight occurred.

As the fluff melted into the soil, the earth trembled with barely perceptible ripples; within a few breaths, tender green sprouts burst forth, standing proudly upright.

The almost miraculous scene left Luo Mu and Pape stunned, frozen in place.

At that moment, Luo Mu understood more deeply than ever the extraordinary power of Pokémon. With such abilities, in ancient times, it might have been worshipped as a deity of abundance.

Perhaps now Bai Pengpeng can only coax sprouts from seeds—but as its strength grows, it will surely one day accelerate the entire cycle of germination, flowering, and fruiting within days.

If Monarch Snake learned gentler cultivation techniques like Grass Terrain, it might even achieve full bloom and decay overnight.

Unfortunately, Monarch Snake only knows how to instantly spawn plants as thick as tree trunks, using them for violent attacks.

After sharing its nutrients once, Bai Pengpeng landed on the ground, panting. Even sharing energy with just one small plot exhausted it—clearly, relying solely on Pokémon to accelerate crops wasn’t sustainable.

After all, what’s the difference between this and the sweatshops before I crossed over?

Luo Mu silently resolved within himself.

Lunchtime.

The dining table left by the elderly couple was already cramped for Luo Mu and his six main Pokémon, let alone with three new additions and the unknown Pokémon yet to hatch from the Egg.

He brought out the steaming curry and spooned a generous helping of its fragrant aroma onto the rice plates before the six Pokémon and Pape—simple, humble, yet complete: tree-fruit curry rice.

“I’m going to eat!”

Starving, Pape received Luo Mu’s reluctant nod and immediately grabbed his spoon with his right hand, lifted his plate with his left, and devoured it messily, eating with appalling manners.

Monarch Snake was far more refined, skillfully using its vine-whip to curl around the spoon and feed itself bite by bite.

Gyarados and Dragonite, even after a year, still fumbled clumsily with the spoon—so they, like Pape, simply lifted their plates and ate with rough, hearty motions.

At first, Bai Pengpeng and the little Mianmians were hesitant, but soon, swept up by the atmosphere, they all lowered their heads and began eating quietly.

Luo Mu ate a few bites himself, then refilled the plates of Dragonite and Gyarados, who had finished their portions in a whirlwind.

The lunch lasted until 1 p.m. Recovered and re-energized, Bai Pengpeng flew off to share its newly replenished nutrients and energy with the experimental tomato plot, then drifted down weakly amid the worried cries of the little Mianmians.

For once, Luo Mu wore a serious expression, sternly setting a rule with Bai Pengpeng: only one cultivation session per day, and never drain the nutrients needed for its own growth.

Otherwise, Bai Pengpeng would eventually damage its own foundation.

After ordering Bai Pengpeng to rest and assigning the little Mianmians to supervise it, Luo Mu summoned Gyarados, Monarch Snake, and Dragonite, and under Pape’s watchful gaze, began processing the wood Dragonite had gathered all morning.

Using Leaf Blade to strip the bark, Air Slash to cut, and Water Gun to polish, they quickly produced wooden planks of the exact dimensions Luo Mu needed.

Though still a novice at farming, Luo Mu had confidence in his craftsmanship.

Following the blueprint he’d drawn earlier, he assembled the differently sized planks, secured them with iron nails, and constructed a miniature, purely natural wooden house.

Finally, he laid a layer of plush carpet inside—thus, a home for Bai Pengpeng and the little Mianmians was complete.

Luo Mu had Gyarados carry the little house to the empty living room on the villa’s first floor, invited Bai Pengpeng and the others to try it out, and received high praise from them.

Especially the two little Mianmians, who had wandered endlessly, and though protected by Bai Pengpeng, had spent most of their memories in carefree days—yet now, truly feeling they had a “home,” a place to belong, they couldn’t help but fling themselves into Luo Mu’s arms and burst into tears.

From then on, the two little Mianmians no longer feared Luo Mu or Monarch Snake; within a single day, they fully integrated into the farm.

Three days later.

Since the crops in the farmland had sprouted thanks to Bai Pengpeng’s power and the little Mianmians had fully integrated into the farm, three days had passed.

Yesterday, Olina and Professor Futu, who had been silent for so long, finally called Luo Mu. After a conversation, Olina herself came to pick up Pape, who looked thoroughly reluctant, and promised to return soon with gifts to thank Luo Mu for taking care of Pape these past days.

Afterward, Luo Mu’s days returned to their quiet, uneventful rhythm.

Each day, besides tending the farmland, he pondered how to plan the pasture and lake zones.

At three in the afternoon, Luo Mu pulled out the lounge chair he’d just bought at the market and enjoyed the sunshine. Bai Pengpeng and the others sat quietly nearby, embedding their bodies into the soil, facing the sun to perform photosynthesis.

Monarch Snake lazily flicked the tip of its tail, absorbing solar energy; Gyarados and Dragonite had vanished somewhere unknown.

Just as peace settled over the scene, the air temperature suddenly rose. Monarch Snake’s languid serpent eyes snapped tight as it reared up, gaze sharp and wary, fixed on the distance.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Monarch Snake?”

Luo Mu yawned, blinking sleepily toward where Monarch Snake was staring—then his drowsiness vanished instantly.

“Holy shit!”

The expletive slipped out as Luo Mu stared wide-eyed at the distance.

There, a Raichu wrapped in lightning was sprinting toward them, with Charizard close behind—and upon closer look, a corner of Mewtwo’s ragdoll form could be seen within Raichu’s shadow.

But none of that mattered.

What stunned Luo Mu was the large bird clutched in Raichu’s mouth—its feathers charred black, flames of orange-red blazing from its head, wings, and tail feathers.