Chapter 30: Another Bear?

"I’m reminded of my grandfather. He passed away without ever having enjoyed a day of ease. We keep his belongings well-preserved, and my father gets so heartbroken whenever he looks at his photos. My grandmother is getting on in years now, and I’m so afraid that one day, she’ll be gone too."

"Everyone has to go through the loss of loved ones. My grandparents on both sides are still with us, and our family is safe and sound."

"I never had the chance to meet my grandparents."

"I hear you, but this was still a bit too reckless."

"I understand, but I can't condone it."

The passing of loved ones and the scattering of friends are inevitable parts of life—no feast lasts forever. To be able to cherish the memory of those who have departed is perhaps the greatest prayer for those who remain.

Qian Lin still did not approve of this guy running out here alone to look for a photograph.

"Come to think of it, I don't even know your name yet," Qian Lin said, looking at the man. "My name is Qian Lin. You must have watched my streams. This is Swablu."

Qian Lin pointed to the drowsy Swablu perched on his head.

The man nodded. "Zhou Fuqing."

He had indeed watched Qian Lin's streams; he had been tuning in since the day after the very first broadcast. It was seeing Qian Lin interact and play with Pokémon so effortlessly that gave him the resolve to venture out into the wild.

What he failed to realize, however, was that the success of the previous trip was largely due to that terrifyingly powerful Milotic. It was Milotic's presence that had kept the surrounding Pokémon from attacking Qian Lin directly. While not an absolute guarantee, Milotic had certainly served as a deterrent.

"Zhou Fuqing, is it?" Qian Lin crouched down in front of him. "I'll carry you down first. I have a vehicle at my camp. After I get you back, I’ll be staying here for another half a month or so. During that time, I’ll help you look for your grandfather’s photo."

Zhou Fuqing’s pale face flushed slightly, and his expression filled with gratitude. "Thank you... thank you so much."

"Don't be so quick to thank me," Qian Lin shook his head. "I don't know what that photo looks like, so the chances of finding it are incredibly slim."

Zhou Fuqing fell silent. It was true; he didn't even know which Pokémon had taken the locket, let alone Qian Lin.

Thinking of this, he looked up at Qian Lin. "The photo... it’s a picture of my grandparents together. My grandmother used to be an intellectual. It was kept inside a golden locket, shaped like a pocket watch... *cough, cough*... and it had my grandparents' names engraved on it... *cough*..."

As he spoke, Zhou Fuqing coughed twice, his voice strained. He hadn't had water in at least three days, and his throat was parched; the small amount of water and glucose he had just consumed wasn't enough to restore his voice immediately.

"No need to rush, take your time," Qian Lin said with a friendly smile. "What were the names engraved on it? And where was the locket originally kept?"

Zhou Fuqing took a couple of light breaths, steadied himself, and continued, "Zhou Qianguo and Zhao Zhenmin—my grandfather's and grandmother's names."

"My grandmother always wore the locket, but when the Pokémon arrived, she was taking a nap, and it was hanging on the headboard. Her memory isn't what it used to be, and she was in such a hurry to leave that she forgot it. It was only later, when she couldn't find it, that she realized."

At this point, a look of sorrow crossed Zhou Fuqing's face. "Grandma blames herself deeply. It was the first time I ever saw her cry. We all tried to comfort her, and for the past few months, she’s said she’s let it go, but we all know she still blames herself."

"Grandma’s health is failing now, and my father and the others say she doesn't have many years left. That’s why I was so desperate to find that photo of my grandfather..."

As he spoke, tears began to stream down his face.

His hoarse voice, combined with this brief story, painted a vivid picture. Though he didn't say much, one could almost see the elderly woman in her twilight years, berating herself for forgetting her late husband's keepsake, pretending to be fine just to keep her family from worrying.

"Your grandmother must be a very gentle person," Qian Lin said with a soft smile. "I understand. I will do my best to find it."

"I wanted to scold him, but I guess I’ll let it slide."

"I still don’t advocate for running out here like this, but I accept his reasoning."

"It makes me think of my own grandparents. Sigh, my dad said the same thing—that he never managed to let them enjoy a few good years. They really are unfilial."

"But then again, to look for a tiny locket in such a massive place? Isn't that like looking for a needle in a haystack?"

"Can’t he get the Pokémon to help like he did before?"

"Pokémon aren't omnipotent. After so much time, any scent would have faded long ago. And since we don't know which Pokémon took it or why, even a miracle wouldn't help."

"Champagne is on ice for now; we'll save it for next time."

In short, it was best not to get hopes up too high.

Qian Lin crouched down and hoisted Zhou Fuqing onto his back. Fortunately, the man wasn't heavy—though it wouldn't have made much difference to Qian Lin—but the mountain path was too treacherous for a heavy load anyway.

With Zhou Fuqing on his back and Swablu perched on his head, Qian Lin slowly made his way down the forest path, confirming details about the photo with Zhou Fuqing while responding to the stream's comments. Zhou Fuqing, slumped on Qian Lin's back, could see the drone's screen and would occasionally chime in to answer questions about himself.

"Speaking of which, there’s one more question: why did your backpack end up there?"

"Aipom, obviously. Didn't the streamer mention that before?"

"Aipom?" Zhou Fuqing paused, confused. Having missed the second stream, he didn't recognize the Pokémon.

Qian Lin explained, "It's a type of Pokémon that looks like a monkey, but its tail looks like a hand."

"I found your dropped backpack in the fruit grove. Among the local Pokémon, only Aipom has the habit of snatching things from humans. So, I guessed that an Aipom snatched your bag, you got scared and didn't dare to chase it, and the Aipom, finding it boring, just tossed your bag aside."

Having finished his explanation, Qian Lin gave a confident smile and turned to look at Zhou Fuqing. "I guessed right, didn't I?"

Zhou Fuqing blinked, seemingly hesitating, before slowly shaking his head after a long moment.

"Huh? I guessed wrong?" Qian Lin froze. "Could it have been a Bewear?"

"Hahaha, hilarious! Who was calling himself Conan earlier?"

"Conan? More like Kogoro Mouri."

"A lifetime of reputation ruined in one go."

"And he was so sure, 'I definitely guessed right.' Didn't see that coming, did you? Completely wrong!"

Seeing the teasing in the chat, Qian Lin’s face darkened. "What do you mean 'guessed wrong'? In the world of Pokémon, is it really a 'guess'? That’s called logical deduction! What do you guys know!"

"Oh, sure, sure. I don't know anything."

"He's flustered! He's flustered!"

"I don't think Qian Lin was entirely wrong; at least he correctly guessed it was a Pokémon, right?"

"Who here didn't know it was a Pokémon? Did you not know?"

"I definitely knew."

Qian Lin’s expression darkened further. He looked at Zhou Fuqing, his tone stiff. "I refuse to believe I was completely off the mark. Come on, tell us the answer—what kind of Pokémon was it that made you throw your backpack away?"

In theory, in this lively atmosphere, Zhou Fuqing’s mood should have improved, but Qian Lin was met with a face filled with sheer terror.

It caught him and all the viewers off guard.

"It was a bear..." Zhou Fuqing’s voice trembled. "Not a Bewear. It was... a black and white bear that looked like a panda. It was at least two meters tall, and it seemed to be wearing a black cape on its back."