Chapter 108: There's Something Off About My Pokémon [108]
"Not hungry, Wang Yingjie?" a thin boy asked, glancing over at him. Among the new recruits, he and Wang Yingjie were the only ones from underprivileged backgrounds, which made him feel a kinship between them. Yet, Wang Yingjie remained as cold and distant as ever, leaving the boy a little discouraged. Still, he tried to strike up a conversation.
Wang Yingjie's gaze swept over the mess of plates and the tomato sauce-stained bedspread, his frown barely noticeable. "No, you go ahead."
The thin boy shrugged, a bit disappointed, and went back to fiddling with his phone. Behind him, a ghostly figure with a skull head peered curiously at the screen, eerie red light flickering within its skull.
"Tch."
From across the room, another youth with a dark, sullen expression gave a scoffing laugh. At his side, a Toxicroak covered in greenish-blue pustules, dripping venom, bared its fangs in a sinister sneer, mirroring its trainer. Yet, held back by the circumstances, the youth refrained from any outright provocation.
"I'm going to check on the boss." The youth rose and headed for the door.
Originally, the arrangement was supposed to be two people per cabin, but Ren Li had claimed an entire cabin for himself, leaving the other three squeezed together.
Wang Yingjie hardly noticed; he was deep in thought, considering how he might finally settle his score with Ren Li.
Just then, the youth's voice came from the doorway. "Who are you?"
---
As soon as the door opened, Lu Cheng's eyes widened. Through the crack, he saw Wang Yingjie!
Clearly, Liu Shengnan saw him too. She frowned, giving a low shout, "Take action!"
At her words, she struck the back of the young man's neck with her gun handle, making him collapse instantly. But just as he hit the ground, the Toxicroak beside him, whose bulging, oozing glands released toxic pus, exploded forward at an alarming speed, lunging toward Liu Shengnan with its poison-dripping fingers stretched out for a strike!
Liu Shengnan sidestepped, narrowly dodging the attack, and Xie Yuan's command followed immediately. "Parasect, Sleep Powder!"
Parasect had been ready, and spores sprayed from the vibrant, dangerous mushroom on its back, releasing a dense cloud of green dust that clung to Toxicroak, making its jaundiced eyes grow drowsy.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, and the thin boy still hadn't reacted before Wang Yingjie bolted to his feet. With a flash of red light, a fierce-eyed Wartortle glared at Lu Cheng, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth like a piranha's.
"Wartortle, Hydro Pump at the doorway!"
A thick blast of water shot out from Wartortle's mouth, blowing the cabin door open. The jet of water threatened to engulf all four of them.
Not even sparing his own allies? Liu Shengnan's eyes flashed with surprise as she swiftly released a Pokémon with massive, shield-like hands.
"Duobi, Light Screen!"
Encased in a green, womb-like membrane, the artificial cell Pokémon, Duobi, swung its massive hands, instantly forming a transparent barrier. The Hydro Pump hit the Light Screen, scattering into sprays of water that drenched the narrow hallway.
"Block the doorway!" Wang Yingjie yelled to the still-dazed thin boy. "Have your Duskull attack through the walls!"
The thin boy snapped back, nervously stammering, "Duskull, use Confuse Ray on that green one!"
Unlike its trainer, Duskull grinned, eagerly merging with the wall and reappearing with a twisted face. Its skull detached from its body, releasing a spray of ghostly blood that splattered across the walls. Then, a bright white light flickered from the void within its empty eye sockets!
"Don't look!" Liu Shengnan shouted at Lu Cheng. "That's Night Shade—it's concealing Confuse Ray!"
"What's with all the racket out here?!"
Suddenly, the door to Cabin 208 burst open, and Ren Li stormed out, face flushed with anger. He froze for a second, taking in the unconscious young man and the chaos in the hallway. Then his expression twisted into a snarl as he pulled out a Pokéball. "Well, well. You came right to me, didn't you?"
"Go, Golem! Krookodile!"
With a flick of his wrist, Ren Li threw out two Pokéballs, releasing two fierce-looking Pokémon that instantly blocked the corridor's exit.
Golem resembled a massive boulder with jagged cracks, with a turtle-like head nestled in the center of its stony body. Its feet were scaly, clawed, and powerful, each step causing the floor to shake slightly. Beside it, Krookodile stood poised like a jungle predator, its black and yellow patterned body giving it a fierce, intimidating look. Its black eye ridges looked like shades as it bared its jaw full of sharp teeth.
Both of them are trouble!
"I'll handle him," Xie Yuan said, his heavy-lidded eyes now alert. Reflexively, he reached to his side, only to grab empty air. He looked down at his empty hand, startled for a moment.
"Lost in thought? Your Vileplume is still back at HQ!" Liu Shengnan shouted, raising her pistol and aiming straight at Ren Li. She pulled the trigger, the gunshot echoing through the corridor.
A bitter tang of gunpowder filled the air, but Ren Li didn't flinch. With a grin, he stood there with his arms folded.
With a loud clang, the bullet shell dropped to the floor as Golem lowered its rock-solid arms, glaring coldly at Liu Shengnan, its rocky body having shielded Ren Li from the shot.
"Oh, come on!" Liu Shengnan cursed. "Duobi, stop them!"
"Lu Cheng, get out of here—" Before she could finish, a fiery shape darted forward. Six tails lashing, Ninetales struck Duskull embedded in the wall, sending it crashing down with a pained wail. The powerful Foul Play hit, and Duskull was immediately knocked out!
Almost simultaneously, a green blur streaked into the cabin. With a flash of cold light, Grovyle swung its bone blade down toward Wartortle with fierce momentum.
"Don't worry, Sis, I've got this!" Lu Cheng shouted.
With Duskull's confusion cleared, Liu Shengnan exhaled a sigh of relief. Now, she could refocus. "Xie Yuan, let's take him on together!"
Xie Yuan nodded seriously, yelling, "Parasect, Leech Seed on Krookodile!"
"Duobi, set up Reflect for Parasect!"
Inside the cabin, Wang Yingjie glared coldly at Lu Cheng, silent but seething. This was the person who had shattered his championship dreams, and he would never forget the scorching flames from that night at West Lake Gym.
"Wartortle, Ice Punch!" Wang Yingjie commanded sharply.
Lu Cheng wouldn't back down. His goal was clear: keep Wang Yingjie pinned in the cabin, away from the hallway battle. "Grovyle, Leaf Blade!"
Grovyle's gleaming blade met Wartortle's frosty fist, the two Pokémon locking gazes, each filled with smoldering determination.
But just as Lu Cheng focused intently on the clash, another Duskull silently slipped through the wall, creeping toward him from behind.
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T/N:
Hi, lovelies! I'm so excited to share my new project with you—I Just Want A Single Ending! It's a crossover of mygo!!! and Bocchi The Rock! with all the band drama, emotions, and fun you could ever want. I've been swooning over every chapter, and I hope you fall in love with it too! (i got like 200+ chapters stockpiled!)
Oh, and guess what? I've got a few more stories coming your way this week, so stay tuned. As always, thank you so much for your support—you're the best!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
future me here this didn't publish this morning so im publishing it now
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