Chapter 285: A Challenge from a Roba Youth
Basalt followed Quentin and finally arrived at the entrance of a relatively large courtyard. Quentin pushed open the heavy wooden gate, visibly corroded by wind and sand, and shouted, "Guys, I'm back!"
"Yo? Quentin's back?"
At his call, three men emerged from their respective rooms: Dr. Zander (PhD), Leopold (Master's), and Finn (a fourth-year undergraduate about to get his degree). They all shared a common trait: disheveled appearances and tanned skin.
"Well now, this must be the new kid, Basalt, right? Look at that smooth skin. What a pity. After a month in the desert, you'll look just like the rest of us."
Dr. Zander sized Basalt up, silently lamenting the inevitable ruin of his good looks. That's just how the desert environment was. No matter what you looked like before, you'd end up dark and rough.
Basalt was mentally prepared for this. He didn't mind too much; he had good genes. His skin would recover after a few months of care back home. No worries.
After greeting the three men, Basalt had found his group.
"Hey? Seniors, are you the only four in the camp? Where's Professor Rowan?"
Basalt looked around the courtyard. There were at least ten rooms, but most seemed empty, their doors shut tight.
Professor Rowan, full name Rowan Feng, was in his sixties, a top researcher at Centralis University, a leading figure in quicksand studies, and the head of the Takla Desert research project. Basalt needed to report to him first.
"Oh, Professor Rowan and the others are still out in the desert conducting experiments," Dr. Zander explained. "This is just our base camp, the logistical support area. Our main research site is in a geographically unique quicksand zone, deeper in the desert. The quicksand phenomena are more pronounced there, and the environment is much harsher than here."
"Let me tell you," he continued, "it's incredibly dry out there. Even Pokémon with the Water Absorb ability can barely find any moisture. We only carry enough water for drinking. Washing your face or taking a shower? Forget about it."
"Even Pokémon with Water Absorb can't find water?" Basalt raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
Pokémon with Water Absorb, like Cacnea and Maractus, were native desert dwellers. One of the main reasons the Roba Tribe raised them was for their ability to store water in the desert. He hadn't expected the research site to be so dry that even they were useless.
At this point, Finn chimed in with a sigh, "Our team has fifteen people in total, usually split into four groups. We rotate back to camp for a two-day rest. In other words, we work six days, rest two. Six days without washing... you can imagine how refreshing that feels."
"Gasp~ Six days without washing?" Basalt sucked in a cold breath. He knew the conditions would be tough, but he hadn't expected them to be this rough. This was the desert; daytime temperatures easily exceeded forty degrees Celsius, guaranteeing you'd be drenched in sweat. At night, it could drop below freezing.
Seeing Basalt's shocked expression, Leopold just pursed his lips and sneered, "Not washing is nothing! Besides the harsh environment, the threat from wild Pokémon is the biggest danger. One wrong move, and people can die."
"Indeed. Last month, on our way back, we ran into a wild Gligar flock. They chased us for a good hundred kilometers! Luckily, Finn here is tough. He managed to hold them off for a few minutes, buying us time to escape without dragging him down." Dr. Zander looked nostalgic, walking over to pat Finn's shoulder.
"Huh? So Senior Finn is a trainer?" Basalt raised an eyebrow, impressed. He had been wondering what an undergraduate student was doing on a research team full of PhDs and Master's students. Turns out, his role was bodyguard. A fourth-year student from Centralis University, capable of holding off a flock of Gligar... Pro-level trainer, no doubt.
"Tough? What tough?" Finn shook his head modestly. "If I were really tough, we wouldn't have had to run. Punching through that Gligar flock, that would have been satisfying. Compared to Professor Yuan, I'm still far behind."
"Professor Yuan?"
"Professor Yuan is Mr. Irving Yuan, a teacher from our university's Training College. His main job is ensuring the safety of the researchers in the desert. He's basically the head bodyguard. He has three other fourth-year trainer students under him, myself included."
"I see." Basalt nodded.
After some conversation, he had a basic understanding of Professor Rowan's research team.
Then, Basalt was assigned a simple stone room.
How simple? Besides a wooden plank bed, a stool, and a small table, there was nothing else. However, bedding, toothpaste, toothbrush, and other basic necessities were provided.
Electricity was supplied entirely by a Magnezone – apparently a utility Pokémon. Out here in the vast desert, there were no power lines. The Magnezone controlled the voltage stably, handling charging, lighting, and other tasks without fear of overload or overcurrent.
After making his bed and tidying the room, Basalt stretched and stepped outside, only to see a youth about his own age leaning over the stone courtyard wall, looking at him curiously.
"Hello, can I help you?" Basalt asked, baffled.
"Are you the trainer among the university students from outside the desert? I heard from Big Brother Quentin that you trainers from the outside are supposed to be really strong." The tanned youth with the turban raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical.
Basalt gave a sheepish grin and scratched his head. "Not that strong," he said modestly. "Just decent among people my age."
"Are you interested in a battle then?" The youth's gaze sharpened, finally revealing his purpose.
Hearing this, Basalt's expression immediately turned serious. He clearly remembered Quentin saying that the Roba Tribe's centuries-old Tribal Pokémon training methods were not to be underestimated. He had already planned to challenge one of them when he had time. He hadn't expected the youth to come knocking on his door first.
"Sure," Basalt said with a friendly smile.
Just then, Finn happened to come out. Seeing the Roba youth, he roughly guessed what was happening. He quickly leaned close to Basalt's ear and whispered a warning, "Amuyar is famous among the younger generation of the Roba Tribe as a battle maniac. He loves challenging people. His skills aren't bad either, so be careful."
Finn only knew Basalt was a freshman with some connections, but he didn't know his actual strength, hence the well-intentioned warning. If it had been Quentin, who had seen Bronzong in action, he wouldn't have bothered.
"Don't worry, senior." Basalt's lips curled up slightly. He turned to Amuyar. "Where should we battle? We can't do it in the courtyard, can we?"
"Follow me!" Amuyar waved his hand, turned, and led the way out of the compound towards the edge of the oasis. Basalt followed closely.
"Well, I'm free anyway. Might as well see what this junior's got." Finn shrugged and followed along as well. He was also curious about Basalt. For President Mogan to personally call and insist on inserting him into the research team despite Professor Rowan's objections… Basalt couldn't be simple.
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