Chapter 25: Are You Giving Up on the Villa?

"Awoo!" Growlithe, a true dog at heart, let out a bark at the screen, looking quite restless.

The researchers standing behind Growlithe looked at one another, momentarily at a loss for how to proceed.

Just then, Supervisor Che opened the door and walked in. "What’s going on?"

One of the researchers pointed at Growlithe and said, "Ever since Qian Lin left this morning, Growlithe has been in a state of extreme anxiety. We didn't know what to do, so we opened Qian Lin's livestream for him to watch, and well... this is the result."

Growlithe kept emitting a low growl, but it wasn't the kind of warning growl; it sounded more like... a whimper? No, that wasn't quite right either; it wasn't that miserable. In any case, it was very strange.

Supervisor Che looked at Growlithe and asked the researcher, "Is he trying to go find Qian Lin?"

"That’s what we think, too," the researcher nodded. "But we asked Growlithe, and he just ignores us."

Normally, Growlithe would acknowledge them—not exactly affectionate, but he would at least respond. Unlike now, he wouldn't pay any attention regardless of what was said, and he hadn't touched a single bite of food since Qian Lin left.

Supervisor Che nodded. He walked over to Growlithe and crouched down, speaking in a calm voice. "Growlithe, we can send you to Qian Lin, but we need to contact him first. It will take a little time."

Growlithe suddenly stopped whimpering. He turned his head and stared intently at Supervisor Che, as if verifying the truth in his words.

Seeing this, Supervisor Che smiled. "Don't worry. It's not too far from here; we can have you there in two hours at most."

"Awoo~" Growlithe was no longer nervous; he let out a very earnest bark at the supervisor.

Qian Lin was right; Pokémon truly are amazing creatures... Supervisor Che thought to himself, his expression turning slightly more serious. "But there is one issue. Our research on wild Pokémon has only just begun, so we cannot take you directly to Qian Lin's side. At most, we can drop you off at the perimeter of the cordon."

"Can you find Qian Lin on your own?" The supervisor's tone was grave as he asked this. After all, Growlithe was currently the only Pokémon in the world actively cooperating with their research. They didn't mind him following Qian Lin, but if Growlithe got lost, it would be a loss for the entire country.

"Awooo!" Hearing this, Growlithe lifted his chin and barked confidently at the supervisor, as if to say, "Who do you think you're looking down on?"

"I understand." Supervisor Che stood up and turned to the researchers behind him. "Make the arrangements to send Growlithe to the cordon line. Notify the livestream moderators to contact Qian Lin and explain the situation... or perhaps just have him return to the town to pick up Growlithe..."

"Awoo!" (I can go there myself, no need to trouble Qian Lin!)

Supervisor Che was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "I see. Then we will just inform Qian Lin that you are on your way."

"Awoo~" Growlithe spun around in excitement.

Beside him, the researcher who had spoken earlier said with some concern, "Supervisor, will this be...?"

Supervisor Che shook his head. "Don't worry, the higher-ups have already considered your concerns."

The researcher paused. Oh, I see. That’s fine then.

...

"Growlithe is coming here?" Qian Lin touched the back of his head, somewhat confused as he listened to Supervisor Che’s voice on his phone.

"Yes, we’ve arranged for someone to take him over. He should arrive at the cordon line in about two hours. However, Growlithe doesn't seem to want you to pick him up. He should be able to find your location, right?" Supervisor Che’s voice carried a hint of inquiry; given the importance of the matter, he needed to be sure.

Qian Lin nodded and replied, "Growlithe’s sense of smell is incredibly sharp. This distance is no problem for him, and there’s no danger on the way. With his abilities, he'll be fine."

As he spoke, Qian Lin glanced at the vast orchard behind him and the hillside bordering the Twelve Villages. "Besides... if someone is truly lost, Growlithe can help me find them."

Swablu hadn't returned yet, and this vast expanse of land was an orchard, backed by a mountain. Finding traces of a human in such a place was no simple task.

"That would be for the best, of course," Supervisor Che said, his voice tinged with helplessness. "Let’s just hope nothing happens."

Always following Qian Lin's stream, he knew what was going on. In fact, personnel checks were already underway near the cordon line. If it was confirmed that someone was lost, search and rescue would be the next step.

When it came to search and rescue in complex terrain, the first thing that came to mind was search dogs. It was precisely because they thought of search dogs that the higher-ups considered Growlithe. If ordinary dogs could be trained for search and rescue, wouldn't Growlithe—the police's best partner, as Qian Lin called him—have the same... or even far superior abilities?

"I'm not a professional, and I can't analyze how long this backpack has been lying here. The worst-case scenario... is that the person arrived here even before I finished my broadcast. That would be the worst." Qian Lin sighed. If that were the case, a full month had already passed.

"In any case, be careful. Don't worry about the search and rescue side of things," Supervisor Che comforted him. After confirming the estimated arrival time for Growlithe, they hung up.

Qian Lin put his phone away, picked up the mud-stained backpack, and walked toward the campsite he had found earlier.

[This guy is way too bold.]

[I want to go into the wilderness too, but when I think of Old Pi getting chased by those Beedrill next door, I think I'll just stick to watching the stream.]

[Old Pi was just asking for it. If you're careful, wandering a bit isn't a big deal.]

[Speaking of Old Pi, did he kick the bucket? Let me know so I can ask later.]

[Who is Old Pi?]

[He didn't. He was saved by the patrolling soldiers. They said he jumped into a lake to escape. He got a bit hurt, but he should be out of the hospital now. I saw him ranting on his feed a couple of days ago.]

[Ranting? Probably ranting about Qian Lin...]

[Yeah, he was calling Qian Lin a coward for not daring to provoke the Beedrill, claiming he dared to, and that he's going back out into the wild later.]

[So he got the clout, and then what? Nothing?]

[So, who actually is Old Pi?]

[I know. He ended up like that "spirit kid" who provoked the Growlithe—sentenced to a year and three months.]

[Good riddance!]

[That's a bit harsh to say...]

[Dammit, you guys are having such a good time discussing this, can you explain to us new viewers who Old Pi is?]

[In short, he's the first generation of "spirit kids." For those asking who the "spirit kid" is, search Bilibili for "Commanding Pokémon Battles: The Professionalism of Science Streamer Qian Lin, it got me fired up."]

The dense wall of comments eased Qian Lin’s worried heart a little. "You guys are getting off-topic."

[Yo, Swablu isn't here, and you still dare to talk to us like that, streamer?]

[What color sack do you prefer?]

[While Swablu is gone, bully the streamer as much as we can. Once Swablu is back, we won't have the chance!]

Watching the flood of jokes, Qian Lin couldn't help but smile. These guys probably didn't want him to worry too much, which was why they were deliberately shifting the topic.

It was true; worrying now wouldn't help. He could only hope that Swablu would find some traces, or else he’d have to wait for Growlithe.

Taking a deep breath, Qian Lin smiled. "Alright, let's continue with the topic of the National Pokédex."

[What kind of Dex?]

[National what Dex?]

[National what?]

Qian Lin: "..."

Ignoring them, he continued as if he hadn't seen the comments. "Completing the National Pokédex is no simple task. If I keep going where my mind takes me like I am now, even in ten years, I probably won't find every Pokémon. So, from now on, I will search for specific types and species of Pokémon within our country's borders based on their attributes, habitats, legends, and so on."

As he spoke, Qian Lin looked into the camera. "Honestly, because there’s too much cluttered information in my head, I can't really tell you where I'm going right now, so..."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Qian Lin extended his right hand toward the camera, like a gentleman inviting a lady to the dance floor. "So, from now on, you decide. What kind of Pokémon do you want to see? What do you want to learn about? Within the scope of your interests and curiosity, I will lead you to find them. Let us use our own eyes to witness the beauty of the Pokémon world."

The tone was plain, yet the words were resonant and powerful, making the audience behind their screens feel a jolt in their hearts.

[It's over... Does he actually think he looks cool right now?]

[Don't say it! We have to play along, or he'll be so embarrassed he'll end the stream, and then what will we watch?]

[So cool, so cool!]

[Play along, everyone play along.]

[Wait, why do I see a villa under Qian Lin's feet?]

It wasn't much before, but now he really wanted to dig a hole and hide in a villa. A bunch of haters.

Qian Lin wiped the stiff smile off his face, choosing to ignore his mischievous fans, and continued walking as if nothing had happened. "You guys think about it, then post on the official website. If you need help with anything related to Pokémon, you can post it there too. Someone will compile it, and I will handle things based on their priority. Alright, let's head back."

[He's definitely changing the subject.]

[Don't expose him.]

[Are we not getting the villa? What a pity.]

Even though he said he would ignore them, honestly, Qian Lin was quite curious about what these guys were talking about. So, his gaze drifted to the screen intentionally or otherwise.

Then, he saw the moderator who had said he "didn't have a bird" asking him if he still wanted the villa.

Qian Lin's face darkened. "Sooner or later, I'm firing you and getting a new moderator."