Returning home, Lu Ye's mother was lighting the fire to cook. Seeing the visitor, her expression immediately showed disbelief.
"Mom, what are we eating for dinner?"
Lu Ye sat down casually, grabbing a bayberry from the basin while handing one to Haunter.
"Oh, just some small dishes." Liang Fang patted her apron, sitting beside Lu Ye. "How is school?"
"Pretty good. Where is Dad?"
"He went to your uncle's back mountain picking berries. He will return shortly."
Liang Fang had already noticed Haunter vigorously chewing bayberries but did not intend to ask questions, merely gazing at Haunter with a kind expression.
"Your Pokémon?"
"Yeah, just captured it recently."
"Let it eat more. It has become so thin."
While chatting casually, Lu Ye's father shouldered a full, large sack, rushing in from outside, his eyes immediately brightening.
"Yo, Little Lu returned!"
"Dad, how many berries did you pick?"
White-haired Lu Yong smiled. "Not many, just picked a little bit from your uncle's place."
Lu Ye's father was originally a teacher but could not adapt to the city's fast pace, returning to the village to become the village head.
The family raised a Linoone. The courtyard potted plant was tended by an Oddish.
Occasionally teasing the neighbour's Lillipup, sometimes going riverside fishing for Magikarp, such life possessed a unique charm.
Seeing the grinning Haunter, Linoone widened its black beady eyes, somewhat fearfully shrinking behind Lu Yong.
Lu Yong kicked Linoone once, laughing. "Do not be afraid. Go say hello!"
Haunter adopted a boxer's stance, swinging fists toward Linoone with "huff huff" sounds.
However, Shadow Punch could not damage Normal-types anyway, so Lu Ye let both Pokémon play aside.
"How long are you staying this trip?"
"Staying two days before returning. School still has exams."
"Your uncle said you appeared on television, that something Piplup Cup. What kind of competition is that?"
"Just a viewer tournament. Do not trouble yourselves over it."
After chatting with his father for quite a while, Lu Ye finally understood that the back mountain forest now primarily cultivated for berries.
After all, berries yielded high profits with good sales, but they always attracted some wild Pokémon, causing village head Lu Yong considerable headaches.
"Your timing today is perfect. Go up the mountain with your uncle tonight."
Lu Yong puffed on his pipe. "Check those newly planted saplings to prevent wild Pokémon gnawing them bare."
Lu Ye asked curiously. "Are mountain Pokémon really this fierce?"
"Absolutely. Many saplings have been bitten to death." Lu Yong felt somewhat pained.
"I always advised your uncle to place trap cages. At this rate, not placing them really will not work!"
Lu Ye nodded. "I will check tonight."
With Haunter's strength, dealing with a batch of wild Pokémon posed no problems.
After all, this area was not far from the county seat. If genuinely powerful wild Pokémon existed, the Association would have dispatched people handling them already.
The sun gradually set westward. Cooking smoke rose gently.
Lu Ye's mother kept serving Haunter dishes, giving Lu Ye a distinct feeling of losing favour.
After dinner, Lu Ye walked the Linoone for digestion while bringing Haunter to bully children.
However, these kids were naturally rambunctious, quickly warming up to Haunter.
"Brother Lu, do not steal my swing!"
"Ah, I also want to play on the seesaw! Brother Lu, please come down first!"
Lu Ye also walked the Linoone, visiting households, obtaining plenty of fruits and snacks.
Until evening, Lu Ye cracked sunflower seeds, his mouth never stopping.
Village bully life was precisely this simple and unpretentious.
And mundane.
"Caw!"
Murkrow perched on power line poles, emitting hoarse cries.
As evening deepened, Uncle found Lu Ye, going up the mountain together.
"Your father told you, right?" Uncle smiled. "This really troubles you. Rarely returning home, yet still needing to guard the forest at night."
"This is not a problem. I am accustomed to staying up late anyway." Lu Ye also smiled in reply.
Behind Uncle followed a snarling Poochyena, nervously barking toward Haunter.
Haunter remained completely oblivious, using fingers to stretch mouth corners, frantically making scary faces.
The sky gradually darkened. Dense mountain forests became pitch black, revealing no light whatsoever.
Uncle turned on his flashlight, having Poochyena scout ahead.
"Little Lu, follow closely. Uncle buried many trap cages nearby."
Uncle muttered. "I know you scholars might think this is too cruel, but there is no choice. If we cannot catch thieves, Uncle must also starve."
Fruit orchards were many village households' livelihoods, but suffered from wild Pokémon troubles.
Lu Ye had not investigated, so he had no right to speak, merely silently following behind.
Mountain forests echoed with partridge calls and low roars.
Vision suddenly opened up. In the sparse fruit tree forest, several saplings had already suffered.
"Damn it, like this again!"
Uncle stamped his feet angrily, suddenly seeing a black shadow flash through the bushes.
"Poochyena, chase it!"
"Awoo!!"
[Spirit Vision checking 61, check successful!]
The sky was too dark. Lu Ye could barely distinguish that black shadow, merely a black mass impossible to identify.
Poochyena dove into the bushes. Lu Ye also commanded sharply. "Haunter, follow up! Confuse Ray!"
Although possibly injuring Poochyena accidentally, under these circumstances, Confuse Ray was still the optimal choice.
Haunter grinned viciously, flying toward the bushes. Eerie light suddenly illuminated, the entire fruit tree forest appearing bright as day.
Lu Ye squinted when sharp wailing suddenly rang from the bushes.
Uncle vigorously swung his fist. "That brat stepped on a trap!"
Both people rushed forward, only seeing a row of dripping blood traces continuously extending along the bitten-off cage.
Uncle's expression became extremely strange. "It could even bite through this! How good must this guy's teeth be!"
"This guy's size would not be too large." Lu Ye frowned. "Uncle, stay here. Haunter and I will chase."
If they could not catch this thief tonight, Lu Ye would not sleep peacefully staying in the countryside!
"Ah? Little Lu, be careful!"
Only rustling cicada calls surrounded them. Several fat Caterpie fell from trees, hissing while spitting thick silk.
Lu Ye cautiously advanced along the small path, stepping on dead branches with crunching sounds.
Under Spirit Vision's 'Eagle Eye' effect, those rows of green blood footprints had gradually disappeared.
The final blood trace appeared on this thick camphor tree trunk.
Lu Ye raised his head.
A sharp cry rang out. A black shadow leapt down from the treetop.
"Haunter, Protect!"
Thick black mist shrouded Lu Ye. The barrier rose, clanging to spark cyan-blue sparks!
"Confuse Ray!" Lu Ye squinted while commanding sharply. "Hex!"
Massive black mist emanated from Haunter's surroundings, blooming with eerie light while extending toward that black shadow like conscious beings.
However, that Pokémon easily broke through the black mist, lunging to bite Haunter!
"Ineffective? This is actually Normal-type!"
Lu Ye cursed internally. "Haunter, Protect!"
This was the Dark-type move Bite. With Haunter's fragile frame, it might easily be finished off.
"Spray gas at it!"
Facing the extremely close black shadow, Haunter suddenly spewed thick mist, making the opponent choke heavily.
"Do not burn the surroundings! Use Will-O-Wisp!"
Will-O-Wisp's temperature was not high, below the nearby ancient trees' ignition point, but sufficient to ignite this rich poison gas.
"Bui!"
Only hearing a wail, a blue ghostly flame suddenly bloomed in the darkness before disappearing again.
Thud!
That black shadow heavily fell to the ground, emitting hoarse, low cries.
Lu Ye grabbed a tree branch, cautiously approaching.
"Crack!"
Lu Ye used the branch, parting its fur, but it directly bit through the branch next second.
Precisely at this moment did the system's Pokédex successfully identify it.
Lu Ye looked at the Pokédex, somewhat bewildered.
Then compared it with this thick-furred, scorch-marked black ball.
Lu Ye said incredulously, "Eevee?!"
(End of Chapter)