Chapter 89

Out of the travel company's door, Brock finally asked the doubts he had been holding all the way: "Huo La, what is going on with the Tentacool and Tentacruel that Granny mentioned? Also, how come she looks so much like Granny from Porta Vista, and is actually a cousin? Most importantly, there are only two of us, how can we deal with a group of jellyfish Pokémon?"

A series of questions popped out like a string of firecrackers, Brock's brows knitted tightly—he originally thought it was just a simple reward task, but didn't expect it to involve so many questions, let alone "solving a Pokémon group," which sounded like a tricky thing.

Huo La slowed down and explained: "Granny and Granny are famous 'sisters', one opened a seaside travel food and accommodation hotel in Porta Vista, and one ran a travel company in the port, their tempers are equally fiery, it's not strange that they look alike."

He paused, his fingertips turned toward the other side of the sea, and his words precisely hit the core: "Have you seen the resort hotel being built over there?"

Brock immediately put his hand on his forehead and looked in the direction he pointed; sure enough, a piece of resort hotel framework that had taken shape was standing on the sea in the distance, and the steel and cement were shining with a cold luster in the sun.

He nodded: "It looks like a high-end resort hotel, but... how come I don't see a construction team? Instead, there are many people holding Poké Balls, looking like trainers."

"Those people are the same as us, they are all here for the reward task." Huo La curled his lips, his tone carrying a bit of mockery, "To put it bluntly, they are 'clearing tools' hired by Granny."

"Ah?!" Brock opened his eyes wide, full of shock.

Huo La met the sea breeze and continued to explain: "That sea area was originally the natural habitat of Tentacool and Tentacruel, Granny directly drew the construction scope to the 'doorstep' of others, forcibly destroying their living environment. The jellyfish group had nowhere to go, so they would actively attack the construction team—this is the true origin of the reward."

"So that's how it is..." Brock's brows instantly twisted into a knot, and his tone became filled with righteous indignation, "Destroying the habitat of Pokémon just to build a hotel, this is too much! If we really help her drive away the jellyfish, wouldn't we be helping the evildoer? This one million is not worth earning! Huo La, you can't do things that go against your conscience for money!"

Looking at Brock's appearance of hating evil, Huo La couldn't help but laugh.

Brock was good at everything, just that he had no resistance to big sisters, and then this sense of justice was a bit too "rigid"—but these little temperaments instead made him appear particularly sincere.

"Don't worry, I have a plan in mind." Huo La put away his smile, his tone becoming more serious, "Granny destroying the ecology for her own selfish desires is not right in itself, I'm not confused enough to help her do this kind of thing."

"Then why did you just..." Brock looked puzzled.

"I mean to 'solve the problem', but not to solve it for Granny, but to solve it for the jellyfish." Huo La deliberately dragged out his tone, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

"Solve it for the jellyfish?" Brock was even more confused, scratching his head.

"It means, don't drive them away or kill them, and don't help Granny occupy the habitat." Huo La patted him on the shoulder, his tone firm, "I have a plan for exactly how to do it, let's go, let's go to the beach to see the situation first."

Huo La pointed toward the pier area of the port, "First figure out the activity range and state of the jellyfish group, and then formulate a plan—the one million and the full-year hotel vouchers cannot be snatched by others."

The two walked quickly toward the pier, and from afar, they saw pieces of translucent "umbrellas" floating on the sea, which were the figures of Tentacool, and occasionally a few Tentacruel with larger bodies and longer tentacles shuttled among them, causing tourists on the shore to retreat one after another.

"Sure enough, it's a group gathering." Huo La narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the piece of floating "moving umbrellas" on the sea, and the system panel in his mind popped up data instantly—the levels of Tentacool and Tentacruel were generally between 15 and 20, the status column was almost all marked as "anxious," and even a few young Tentacool had red prompts for "stress."

"It seems that the habitat has really been disturbed and is restless." Brock squatted down, dipped his fingertips lightly into the seawater on the shore, smelled it close to his nose, and observed it carefully for a moment.

Huo La was about to answer and analyze, when a rush of footsteps suddenly came from behind, accompanied by a crisp but angry female voice breaking through the air: "Huo La! You stop right there! Don't even think about running!"

The two turned their heads violently, only to see Bilan carrying a bulging backpack, sweat hanging on her forehead, standing by the reef not far away, panting.

Her cheeks were flushed red from running, her bangs were soaked with sweat, but a pair of bright eyes were filled with anger, staring at Huo La without letting go.

Huo La's heart skipped a beat, his feet subconsciously took half a step back, but his wrist was pulled by Brock.

"Huo La, this is...?" Brock looked at the angry Bilan, then at the slightly flustered Huo La, full of confusion of "what secret are you hiding."

Bilan didn't pay attention to Brock on the side at all, stepped on the sand and rushed straight to Huo La, her chest still heaving violently, she suddenly stretched out her hand, palms up and spread out in front of Huo La, her tone urgent and angry: "Where is my Pokémon egg?! I specially rushed to Porta Vista to find you, but you actually slipped away early! If it weren't for Professor Oak telling me you were coming to the port, I'm afraid I would have gone to the Saffron City Pokémon Center to wait for you."

Huo La coughed twice, his eyes glancing behind Bilan, using his mouth shape to signal her to "pay attention to the influence."

Bilan was stunned for a moment, turned her head along his gaze, and only then discovered that the people around had all stopped their movements, looking over here curiously—after all, a girl shouting "Pokémon egg" at a young man was really too eye-catching.

Her cheeks turned even redder instantly, the previous anger dissipated for the most part, leaving only a bit of embarrassment, subconsciously pulling the backpack strap.

"Let's go, Brock, the situation here is basically figured out." Huo La took the opportunity to speak, his tone returning to his usual calmness, "Go to the Pokémon Center to find a quiet place and plan it out properly."

Saying that, he didn't care about Brock, who was still stunned, and Bilan, who was full of embarrassment, turned around and walked toward the Pokémon Center of the port.

That back was crisp and neat, as if the one who was "interrogated" just now wasn't him.

"Eh? Oh! Good!" Brock reacted, although he had a stomach full of questions, he still maintained his gentlemanly demeanor, turned sideways and made a "please" gesture to Bilan, his tone gentle, "This little sister, let's go over together first, we can talk about anything when we get to the Pokémon Center."

Bilan glanced at Huo La's back, then looked at Brock, who was polite and thoughtful, and although the anger in her heart hadn't completely dissipated, she also knew that arguing in public was indeed inappropriate.

She gave a light "humph," which was considered an agreement, lifted her feet to follow Huo La's pace, but walked slower, just walking side by side with Brock.