Chapter 275: Unknown Totem

"Huo La, I'll say it, our Pearl Team's Moon Bear is far more comfortable to ride than the Mysterious Horn Deer!" Zhu Bei sat on a Moon Bear's back, lifted a hand and gently patted its fluffy crown, her tone full of pride, and a sidelong glance still cared to glance at the nearby Moon Bear King.

On that Moon Bear King, which was a size larger than an ordinary Moon Bear, Huo La lay flat, his complexion still a bit pale, his eyes weary, his expression showing obvious languor, even the strength to speak was reduced.

The load from absorbing Abnormal Energy had not fully dissipated, and his whole body still retained a faint ache.

Ming Yao and Xiao Zhao each rode another Moon Bear, one on the left and one on the right, guarding Huo La.

This matter must be recounted from yesterday.

After Xi Pu led Huo La and the other two into the Pearl Team's territory near the Peat Plateau, she immediately sent someone to inform Zhu Bei—after all, the Moon Bear King is a Pokémon King that the Pearl Team especially cares for, and Huo La's assistance had to be reported to the Captain.

The three entered the Peat Plateau and, without pausing for a moment, headed straight for the Moon Bear King's habitat.

Unlike the earlier Axe Mantis King and Mysterious Antler Deer King, this Moon Bear King was relatively stable, more like the Mysterious Antler Deer King before it became fully berserk, but its eyes hid an imperceptible irritation and pain.

Yet even so, if left unchecked, the Moon Bear King eventually falling into full frenzy was only a matter of time.

Fortunately, with Xi Pu cooperating tacitly beside her, she used years of experience caring for the Moon Bear King, whispering soothing words, gradually easing the creature's irritation, allowing Huo La to approach smoothly.

When Huo La's palm lightly rested on the Moon Bear King's fluffy crown, a sharp, needle‑like bone‑piercing pain instantly surged from his hand throughout his body.

Fortunately, having dealt with it twice before, he had not built up much mental preparation before absorbing this energy, and he vaguely sensed that this Abnormal Energy was markedly weaker than when facing the Axe Mantis King and the Mysterious Antler Deer King.

Once he fully channeled and absorbed the energy, he saw everything go black, his whole body went limp and he plopped onto the ground, gasping heavily, even his fingertips still tingled with the lingering numbness of the energy wash.

At that moment, Zhu Bei arrived hurriedly with her team members.

Zhu Bei had originally thought Huo La would, like last time after dealing with the Mysterious Antler Deer King, fall into a coma for several days, so she had specially arranged for team members to take turns watching over him.

Unexpectedly, at dawn this morning, Huo La himself leaned on a tree trunk and slowly climbed up, but his complexion remained pale, and his spirit was far less vigorous than before.

At this moment, everyone was marching toward the Random Ruins.

After Xi Pu confirmed last night that the Moon Bear King had fully stabilized and its breath returned to normal, she led Huo La and the others, taking the Fragmented Stone Tablet they had captured, and set out first to the Ruins to check whether any other fragments were missing.

Zhu Bei then led Huo La and the others to follow—on one hand she couldn't resist Huo La's desire to explore the Random Ruins, and on the other hand, she also wanted to personally verify the Ruins' damage.

The Peat Plateau's ground was muddy and slippery, each step difficult, yet the Moon Bear's thick paws stepped firmly, unaffected, steadily carrying everyone forward.

Huo La gazed at the fleeting clouds rushing overhead and let out a soft sigh.

Though the fatigue in his body had not fully vanished, seeing the docile Moon Bear King beneath him made his heart feel considerably lighter.

He turned his head toward Ming Yao beside him, his lips moving slightly, whispering low: "Random Ruins......"

Ming Yao heard his whisper and was about to ask when his gaze suddenly froze—he saw a familiar figure emerge from the trees ahead, none other than Xi Pu, who had set out earlier.

She stood on a nearby earthen slope, raised her hand to signal the group, and her expression, compared to yesterday's coldness, had become much gentler.

Xi Pu looked at Huo La, who lay atop the Moon Bear King's head, still looking listless, let out a soft sigh, then raised her hand and gestured.

A Pearl Team member behind her immediately understood, hurried forward, and handed over a Stone Tablet that glowed with a warm, earthy yellow sheen.

Xi Pu took the tablet, fingertips gently tracing the ancient patterns on its surface, her eyes softened a bit, and after Huo La, still holding the Moon Bear King's fur, slowly descended, she handed the tablet over: "This is the Moon Bear King's Earth Plate; the hidden danger has been removed, it is yours."

Ming Yao, seeing this, hurried forward, reached out to take the tablet—Huo La's steps were now unsteady, even the strength to lift his hand was slightly lacking, Xi Pu observed this and raised no objection, merely casting a faint glance at the tablet in Ming Yao's hand, silently approving the action.

"I still do not approve of the Galaxy Team's practice of using Pokeballs to capture Pokemon," Xi Pu paused, her tone still a bit distant, but less cold than before, more sincere, "but... you are quite good."

After saying this, she said no more, turned and stepped into the Random Ruins, her figure quickly merging with the shadows at the Ruins' entrance.

Zhu Bei hurried over to Huo La's side, gently helped him up, and laughed, "Getting Grandma Xi Pu to say that wasn't easy! It shows she truly approves of you all from the bottom of her heart."

Huo La leaned against the Moon Bear King, breathed out, his gaze fell on the Earth Plate in Ming Yao's hand, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes.

"Huo La, inside is the Random Ruins; are you sure you want to go in? It's dark and damp, and your body hasn't fully recovered," Zhu Bei said, looking at the dim Ruins entrance, her tone tinged with concern.

Huo La, leaning on the wall, slowed his pace, and lightly nodded: "It's a rare chance to come; now that we've reached the doorway, it would be a pity not to see it with our own eyes."

"If you're going in, hurry up, don't dawdle," Xi Pu's voice came from deep within the Ruins, a hint of impatience, yet also indirectly urging the group.

Zhu Bei immediately took a lit torch from a Pearl Team member beside her, the flame flickering to dispel some darkness, and she raised the torch, leading the way into the Ruins.

Ming Yao followed closely, one hand shielding Huo La beside him, the other gripping the Earth Plate, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily;

Huo La walked in the middle, his steps unsteady, needing a slight assist to keep his posture stable;

Xiao Zhao stayed right at the rear, seemingly dragging Huo La, but in fact anxiously clutching Huo La's hem, his face tense.

The dim yellow firelight flickered in the passage, illuminating only a few steps ahead; the walls on either side were a dense, impenetrable black, and all that remained in the ears were the group's footsteps and the torch's crackle, imparting a subdued stillness.

After walking down the narrow passage for about half a incense stick's worth of time, the space ahead suddenly opened up—a square pit appeared, its four walls covered with faded, mottled ancient murals, weathered by time yet still revealing some strange patterns.

The most bizarre sight was that in the pit's central air, several creatures resembling black characters floated, bobbing up and down irregularly, surrounded by a faint glow, exuding an eerie and mysterious aura.

"Ah! What is this!" Xiao Zhao jumped at the sight, instinctively shouting, and his body shrank closer to Huo La.

"It's an Unknown Totem," Huo La's voice was weak yet clear, his gaze fixed on those black‑character creatures, his tone calm.

Upon hearing this, Xi Pu snapped her head toward Huo La, her eyes under the dim yellow light filled with disbelief, her tone betraying an unhidden astonishment: "How do you know their name? These creatures never leave the Ruins!"