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In the forest.
Li Xiang and Su Yiliu were distributing food.
"Earlier, I told you that Corviknight are gentle, but their pre-evolutions aren't like that."
Su Yiliu held up a bamboo basket, waiting for the Corvisquire to carry it away.
Different Pokémon had different diets—even those in the same evolutionary line didn't necessarily share the same food preferences.
Because of this, only after the first batch of Rookidee, representing the youngest, had eaten would it be the turn of Corvisquire and Corviknight.
And the order of feeding was also arranged from smallest to largest.
"Huh?"
Li Xiang blinked, his hand still holding a berry that had just been snatched away by a Rookidee.
Su Yiliu nudged her chin toward a certain direction and whispered in his ear, "See that Corvisquire over there?"
In the spot she indicated, a Corvisquire sat coldly in its nest, watching them. It was robust, its feathers sleek and glossy, its chest muscles well-defined—clearly not one to be trifled with.
Su Yiliu explained, "This one's a troublemaker. Even though it was born in the Conservation Base, surrounded by gentle companions, it has the mindset of some wild Pokémon."
"Wild Pokémon's mindset?"
"Right. This guy believes in the law of the jungle, advocates expanding the territory of its kind, and occupying other Pokémon's habitats. It basically preaches that the strong rule the world and all that." Su Yiliu paused.
"In principle, it's not entirely wrong. But in a Conservation Base, that kind of thinking is unacceptable."
Conservation Bases were shelters for Pokémon, advocating peaceful coexistence—a sort of utopia. Breeders would never support Corvisquire's ideology.
"Huh… So how do you plan to handle it?"
Li Xiang stared at the Corvisquire, deep in thought, not looking away even when it noticed his gaze.
He was observing it openly—why should he feel guilty? It wasn't like it could pluck his eyeballs out.
But for Corvisquire, this behavior was undoubtedly a provocation.
"What else can we do? The usual method. So far, it hasn't shown any signs of bullying other Pokémon, meaning it hasn't been completely brainwashed by the law of the jungle."
Su Yiliu stroked the tail feathers of another Corvisquire. The breeders at the Conservation Base were experts in ideological reform, mainly because they had patience—one year wasn't enough? Then two. Two wasn't enough? Then three.
For breeders, time wasn't as precious as it was for trainers.
Their professional prime could last well into their fifties or sixties. The current director of the Conservation Base was a woman in her sixties.
She was the one who had reformed the "Guardian Arcanine's" mindset.
A long time ago, the Guardian Arcanine's temper wasn't much better than Metagross'—always picking fights and even attacking breeders.
But in the end, the old director had tamed it.
Li Xiang remembered Yin telling him that the old director's gift was the ability to make any Pokémon she faced feel inner peace.
Pokémon were inherently kind creatures. As long as they weren't influenced by hormones, they wouldn't attack an elderly woman.
Over time, their mindsets were gradually reshaped.
In the distance.
The Corvisquire, unable to tolerate Li Xiang's unbroken stare any longer, flapped its wings and flew over.
Su Yiliu noticed and picked up a basket from the cart.
But instead of taking the basket, the Corvisquire landed right in front of Li Xiang, perching on the cart and glaring at him with its ruby-red eyes.
It stretched its short neck forward, lowering its sharp beak so that its head jutted out, practically face-to-face with Li Xiang as it stared him down.
"Gaaah…"
A hoarse cry escaped its throat, as if saying:
Kid, I've been watching you. What are you looking at?
Li Xiang was slightly taken aback by its boldness. He wanted to look away but then realized—he was here to deliver food. He had every right to be here. Why should he back off?
You're staring at me? Then I'll stare right back!
Perhaps out of sheer stubbornness, Li Xiang not only didn't retreat but glared back even harder.
Yeah, I'm looking at you. What about it?!
"Gah!"
Oh, you—! (#ﾟДﾟ)
Never having been challenged like this before, the Corvisquire immediately lost its cool. All its life, it had been the one glaring at others—no one had ever dared to glare back!
It dug its claws into the metal cart and violently flapped its wings, not attacking Li Xiang but making a powerful display, as if trying to intimidate him into backing down.
Su Yiliu frowned slightly, glancing at her Clefable. Seeing that its fingertips were glowing slightly and it shook its head, she didn't interfere with the "battle" between the human and the bird.
Corvisquire fully expected that after such a display, this human brat would either retreat in fear or at least blink rapidly and flinch.
But it never expected—
Li Xiang had trained for this!
He hadn't spent all those months dodging his third sister's punches for nothing!
The more Corvisquire tried to intimidate him, the wider his eyes became—not blinking even once. He even flashed a hint of ferocity, as if he might suddenly throw a punch!
Come on!
Little chick!
I might not be able to take on a big bird, but I sure as hell can handle a small one like you!
Li Xiang's gaze grew increasingly disdainful. The sensitive Corvisquire only grew more furious.
Without thinking, it took off from the cart and began circling above Li Xiang, letting out a series of harsh, grating cries.
"GAAH—GAAH—GAAH—"
It was screaming with all its might.
Soon, even the Corviknight in the distance started calling out too.
Li Xiang blinked his slightly sore eyes. "What's it saying?"
"It's cursing at you. And it's pretty nasty. It's saying it wants to… fight you one-on-one?"
Su Yiliu had somehow taken on the role of translator. "The Corviknight are trying to talk it down."
Li Xiang turned and saw that Clefable's body was enveloped in a faint glow.
Clearly, it was ready to intervene if needed.
"One-on-one? How?"
Li Xiang looked up at the Corvisquire and shouted back.
Of course, he couldn't use actual profanity—Su Yiliu would definitely get mad if she heard.
But not retaliating was out of the question. If he knew he was being insulted and didn't fight back, Li Xiang would never tolerate that kind of humiliation.
The Corvisquire in the sky, though it didn't fully understand the complex, roundabout insults, could tell the kid wasn't saying anything nice!
It immediately perched on a tree branch, devoting all its energy to a long-distance shouting match with Li Xiang.
Su Yiliu couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the human and bird going at it. "It'd have to be your Pokémon fighting it. Wild Pokémon in the sanctuary aren't allowed to attack humans."
"Perfect… You just wait, little chick! I'm calling for backup!"
Li Xiang roared at the Corvisquire before pulling out his phone to contact a certain Purugly.
He had anticipated this kind of situation, so he'd given his old phone to Purugly for emergencies.
The Corvisquire lifted its head arrogantly, staring down at Li Xiang with lingering anger. Beside it, another Corvisquire had appeared at some point.
"Gah."
Corvisquire No. 4396—the mother—looked at her son with a "gentle" expression.
Clearly, she was here to mediate. She wanted to stop this fight.
"GAAH!"
The Corvisquire shook its head, refusing its mother's suggestion. It had never been humiliated like this in its life.
Today, no one can stop me! I'm gonna beat him!
I'll crush his Pokémon, then grab him and peck his head!
The mother Corvisquire glanced at her son, then at Li Xiang, who looked utterly confident, before flying back to her nest.
It seemed this fight was inevitable.
"Gah."
The lead Corviknight narrowed its eyes, displeased.
In its opinion, just chasing the kid away would solve everything.
Why fight? What's the point?
"Gaaah…"
The mother Corvisquire landed on its head and sighed silently.
It's because of your increasingly passive attitude that I'm worried your son will surpass you!
A comfortable environment dulled one's fighting spirit—the same went for Pokémon.
The lead Corviknight, accustomed to peace, was no longer as fierce and bold as it had been in the past, when it had dared to challenge the former leader.
Of course, this was a good thing.
The Corviknight's living conditions proved that they needed this kind of leader.
What they didn't need was a leader like her son.
Oh, child… When will you wise up?
The mother Corvisquire watched her son and Li Xiang still hurling insults at each other, an inexplicable emotion lingering in her heart.
———
After about ten minutes.
Purugly arrived with Li Xiang's three Pokémon in tow.
Li Xiang cleared his slightly hoarse throat. Minors' vocal cords weren't fully developed, so prolonged shouting could easily strain them.
But the effect wouldn't last long.
"Yiliu, I need you to give me some intel."
Li Xiang began seeking reinforcements.
Su Yiliu blinked. "Isn't that cheating? Getting inside info from me?"
"Trainer affairs can't be called cheating," Li Xiang declared righteously. "Intel gathering is part of battle strategy!"
"Such nonsense." Su Yiliu pinched his cheek. "Fine, I'll tell you what I know. First, it's already Level 30—not far from evolving again. At most, in a natural growth environment, it'll take one or two years."
One or two years is "not far"?!
Li Xiang didn't quite understand breeders' logic.
In the games, Corvisquire evolved at Level 38. In this world, the minimum was Level 35.
Level 30 to Level 35 was only a five-level gap. If it trained hard, it really could evolve in about a year—maybe even less with a trainer's help, perhaps six or seven months.
And for breeders, one or two years wasn't that long.
Listening to Su Yiliu's intel, a strange light gradually appeared in Li Xiang's eyes.
On the tree branch.
The Corvisquire had grown impatient. Its sharp gaze swept over Torracat and the others, freezing momentarily when it saw Purugly before quickly looking away to focus on Riolu and Frogadier.
Finally, it sneered.
"GAHAH!!"
All of you are trash!
Then, it actually laughed—a grating, unpleasant sound that echoed through the forest.
Below.
Torracat and the others had been confused at first, but after hearing the Corvisquire's taunt, their rage meters instantly maxed out!
Their faces twisted in fury!
Torracat:"Let's beat it up! (ﾒ｀ﾛ´)/"
Riolu:"Beat it! Beat it to death! (╬￣皿￣)=○"
Frogadier: "Kill it! KILL IT!! (#ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ"
The three Pokémon, who usually competed with each other, suddenly became united in their hatred!