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Question: How can one win the favor of a flock of Corviknight?
Answer: Avian Pokémon love shiny objects. You can subtly lure them with some imperfect modern industrial products.
"Oh, so plastic gems and metal scraps work too?"
Li Xiang typed furiously, consulting a veteran Corviknight breeder online.
Corviknight was surprisingly popular. Even in the Zhu Xia region, many trainers and breeders raised them in large numbers, alongside another species called Skarmory.
After all, the Flying/Steel typing was one of the best combinations—plenty of resistances, few weaknesses. Their offensive capabilities might be slightly lacking, but their role was often that of a shield.
The Shield of the Skies!
[At first, you can't give things to them outright. It's best to mix the items into their food or casually let them catch a glimpse in your pocket.]
[Most Pokémon don't have the concept of theft. If they find something they love, they'll quietly take it without being noticed.]
"But what if they don't notice or accidentally eat it?"
Li Xiang was worried that these toothless creatures, which swallowed things whole, might choke or even suffer internal injuries.
[Hahaha (￣▽￣), it's fine if they eat it. Don't underestimate the digestive abilities of Steel-type Pokémon. Do you know what my Corviknight's diet is?]
"Please enlighten me, master!"
[The basics are the same as other Pokémon, but they must eat Iron Berries at least three times a week. You can also feed them iron, nickel, or chromium powder, or small metal ores.]
[Certain metals make their "armor" tougher and their bodies shinier—lots of benefits. Synthetic gems won't cause any issues either.]
So they eat minerals too…
Li Xiang was stunned. He knew many Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-type Pokémon consumed minerals, but he hadn't expected Corviknight to do the same.
[But remember, not all metals are safe for them.]
The breeder listed over a dozen common metals that were absolutely toxic to Corviknight.
One man's treasure is another's poison.
Li Xiang sent three kneeling emojis in thanks, chatted a bit more, then closed the conversation.
Naturally, Li Xiang wasn't foolish enough to figure things out alone. If he didn't know how to interact with Corviknight, he could just ask those who did.
After gathering info online, he'd double-check with the breeders at the Conservation Base. That was far better than wasting time blindly hoping to win the Corviknight over through sheer persistence.
"Everything's ready. All we need is the right opportunity."
Li Xiang closed his notebook.
Tomorrow, Su Yiliu would deliver his volunteer pass, and he'd officially begin working for the Conservation Base— for free.
---
Typically, volunteer work fell into two categories:
1.Fieldwork:
- Handing out flyers and gifts in the city, promoting kindness toward Pokémon, adoption over buying, and responsible release practices.
- Assisting breeders in relocating wild Pokémon that wandered into urban areas or returning abandoned Pokémon to the wild (or the sanctuary).
Essentially, they were urban Rangers.
2. Conservation Base Work (Li Xiang's Choice)
- Feeding, health checks, bathing, conflict resolution, supervised outdoor time, cleaning habitats, waste disposal, etc.
Exhausting. Extremely exhausting. Yet, students from major academies still flocked to these positions.
Why?
Because Conservation Base volunteering added tons of academic credits and was a prerequisite for scholarships at all levels—school, city, and even state.
This showed that while Conservation Bases weren't as profitable as breeding farms (in fact, they were massive money sinks), their importance to the Pokémon Association was undeniable.
Their social standing was also incredibly high.
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The Next Day
Li Xiang, armed with a bag of marbles and coins, became a "glorious" volunteer.
He stuck out like a sore thumb among the other volunteers—mostly teens and young adults aged 17 to their early 20s.
His presence quickly drew attention from breeders who recognized him, teasing him about whether he'd given up on being a trainer to inherit the deputy director's position.
The other volunteers shot him curious glances.
Li Xiang waved them off, not wanting to explain. After waiting a while, Su Yiliu arrived late, apologizing profusely as she led him away.
A few male volunteers stared at Su Yiliu's mature, graceful figure, whispering and snickering among themselves.
"Alright, enough gawking. That's the deputy director's son and our star coordinator. The kid's just here to experience Conservation Base life—nothing to do with you guys," the supervising breeder snapped, refocusing them. "Since it's your first day, we'll take it easy. You'll all be on fieldwork today…"
Meanwhile, Su Yiliu continued apologizing to Li Xiang.
"Sorry, Little Xiang. I promised to pick you up at seven, but I got held up. Really, my bad."
"It's fine."
Li Xiang shook his head. His mother wasn't on duty today, so Su Yiliu was supposed to bring him to the sanctuary. But after waiting half an hour at his doorstep with no sign of her, he'd called to check before taking a taxi himself.
Same volunteers, different fates.
The newcomers were headed for fieldwork.
Li Xiang, however, would be working with Su Yiliu and a team of breeders, handling all matters in the Aviary Grove.
Technically, as a coordinator, Su Yiliu no longer did hands-on work. Her usual duties involved leading fieldwork teams or managing sections of the sanctuary.
"Just reliving the old days for once," she said, winking at Li Xiang.
Seeing she wouldn't be dissuaded, Li Xiang dropped the subject.
---
By midday, before even reaching the Corviknight sector, Li Xiang was already wiped out from working in the Pidgeot zone.
"I…"
Bent over and panting, sweat drenching his face and back, he stared blankly at Su Yiliu, who only had a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"I was running all over this Conservation Base doing odd jobs back when you were still in diapers!" Su Yiliu laughed, tossing him a towel from a nearby cart.
"Plus, I was a long-distance runner in school. Won plenty of awards."
Li Xiang skeptically eyed her curvaceous figure and long, toned legs.
This physique? A long-distance runner?
"Hey! Where are you looking?!" Su Yiliu caught his gaze and shoved his head. "Don't believe me? Fine."
Li Xiang stood, shrugging. You'd need proof.
Nearby, a family of Pidgeot watched their new feeder and cleaner with curiosity, clucking like chickens.
"Brothers, please stop. The more I hear, the more you sound like chickens—but you're eagles!"
A Pidgey fluttered down, pecked his head twice, dropped an Oran Berry, and flew off.
Though they didn't understand his words, they knew it wasn't complimentary.
A light punishment, followed by a "reward."
"Tch. My kindness wasted."
Rubbing his head, Li Xiang rolled his eyes and tossed the berry back onto the cart.
Then, he looked toward the next area.
Just beyond was the Corviknight territory.
Su Yiliu had timed things perfectly—they'd arrive right at lunch break, when even the Corviknight wouldn't leave.
---
"Gah."
Perched on a tree, a Corviknight dozed lightly, shielding its third egg with its mate.
Summer meant wild berries in the forest couldn't meet their needs. Yet, they weren't allowed to forage freely in the wild or near human structures.
So, these sky-bound but land-restricted birds relied on human care.
Corviknight didn't understand concepts like invasive species, ecological balance, or human infrastructure protection.
All it knew was that its flock was being cared for—and that was enough.
"Chirp!"
"Coo—!"
"Gah!"
The cacophony of bird calls reached its ears.
Lunchtime, finally?
It cracked an eye open—only to see that kid from yesterday, the one who wanted to adopt one of their kin, dressed in volunteer attire.
"Gah—"
Again? I'll chase him off—
"Gah."
Wait.
Just as Corviknight considered demanding a replacement, its mate, a Corvisquire, stopped it.
"Gah."
The Corvisquire let out a soft cry, its gaze lingering on Li Xiang, who was now surrounded by a flock of hungry Rookidee begging for food.
Unlike the Corviknight, which held no fondness for Li Xiang, the Corvisquire was far more tolerant.
Moreover, though unevolved, its intellect surpassed even the eldest Corviknight present.
It believed Li Xiang's request might not be a bad thing.
Their flock numbered over fifty, but the eldest Corviknight was already over thirty years old.
Coincidentally, this elder was the Corvisquire's father—the former leader dethroned by the current one.
The student surpasses the master.
Its mate, the current leader, was only fifteen yet had already surpassed its father.
Who was to say another wouldn't rise to challenge it?
In fact…
The Corvisquire's eyes shifted to a proud, sharp-eyed Corvisquire on the second floor of a small building.
Its eldest son, just four years old, was already on the verge of evolution (according to the breeders) and would inevitably catch up to the current leader.
And this son was ambitious.
Though it hid it well, the Corvisquire was certain: once its son became leader, it would push for territorial expansion.
"The forest belongs only to the strong!"
It had already repeatedly urged its father to attack other avian Pokémon, clashing frequently with neighboring flocks.
A true destabilizing factor.