After confirming that two types of Berries could be used to create Poké Puffs, Xia Huna made more with three and four types. Unfortunately, although he succeeded, there was no substantial breakthrough in energy absorption compared to Poké Puffs made with two types. The only difference was a richer flavor.
Xia Huna and Lu Kunwu concluded that the molecular motion of multi-Berry Poké Puffs was too chaotic, leading to wasted ingredients.
Having finished making the Poké Puffs, Xia Huna and Lu Kunwu bid farewell. "Thanks, Lu Ge, I'll be going now."
Lu Kunwu nodded. "Alright, you go ahead. Are you sure you don't need to inform the teacher?"
Xia Huna thought for a moment. "You can handle it as you see fit."
Xia Huna left the Qingyin Mountain Research Institute and, upon reaching the main entrance, was about to hail a taxi when a car pulled up. As Xia Huna got in, he exclaimed, "Oh, what a coincidence, it's you again, uncle."
As fate would have it, the driver was the same one who had brought him there before.
After the taxi set off, Xia Huna leaned back in his seat, saying nothing. He watched the scenery blur past the window, feeling a sense of calm. He wasn't sure if this was the right way, and he couldn't do anything if the taxi driver tried to overcharge him.
Two hours passed in the blink of an eye. Seeing the car still circling the city, Xia Huna grew impatient. "Look, it's been two hours. It didn't take this long to get here from our school before."
The taxi driver, one hand on the steering wheel, pulled a knife from his pocket with the other and held it against Xia Huna's waist.
"Uncle, calm down. My kidneys are quite valuable. Be careful."
The uncle said nothing. He drove Xia Huna around the streets for another half hour, then stopped the car. With his left hand, he pulled out a phone from his pocket. "Hello, it's me. I'm lost, what about it!"
Xia Huna listened to the uncle on the phone, resting his chin on his hand and leaning against the door, saying nothing.
A few minutes later, a van drove up from nearby and stopped in front of Xia Huna. Several people jumped out, quickly blindfolded Xia Huna, and forced him into the van. The group then disappeared down the road.
It was a long time after Xia Huna was taken out of the van that the blindfold was removed. Around him, seven or eight children of similar age were sitting with their hands and feet bound.
Xia Huna looked around. It appeared to be an abandoned warehouse, with cobwebs accumulated in every corner and dust covering the floor around him.
Xia Huna shook his head. He didn't see any kidnappers, only the eight or nine young people there.
Xia Huna asked the system, "System, where am I now?"
The system opened its map. "Not entirely clear. I only know you are in the suburbs of Liuling City. As for when your backup will arrive, that's hard to say."
"What about my Poké Balls?"
"Your Poké Balls are still here. It seems they didn't intend to take your Poké Balls."
Xia Huna pouted at the situation. Things had devolved this far from his original plans. He disliked situations beyond his control, but since he was still safe, he decided to wait and see. After all, he had some confidence in his backup.
Xia Huna spent another half hour there with nothing out of the ordinary happening. Neither the kidnappers who brought him nor his planned backup had shown up. Xia Huna was starting to lose patience and decided to make a run for it. How long had it been?
Just as Xia Huna was trying to reach for his Poké Balls behind his back, a boy stepped forward. "I say, aren't any of you planning to escape?"
Seeing the scar-faced boy step forward, Xia Huna decided to abandon his escape plan for now. It was interesting to have someone take the lead, especially after such a long wait. Xia Huna couldn't help but wonder what this boy was up to.
The boy looked at everyone. "It's been this long, and they still haven't come for us. This is our best chance. If we work together, we can definitely get out."
Saying this, the boy struggled to reach his waist with his bound hands and pulled out a Poké Ball. "Come out, Chikorita!"
A Chikorita emerged from the Poké Ball. The boy turned around. "Chikorita, use Razor Leaf on the ropes!"
Chikorita swung its head, its leaves easily severing the ropes binding the boy's hands. The boy broke free. "Quick, everyone, reach your hands over. I'll cut your ropes so we can escape."
Everyone stretched out their hands, and Xia Huna naturally didn't want to be an exception. Once everyone's ropes were untied, the boy said, "Follow me."
The boy looked left and right, then aimed at a window on the wall. The group followed the boy out through the window at the back of the house, only to see two men in black smiling at them. "You've escaped, have you? Then go back. Zubat, use Astonish on them!"
Another person by his side also threw out a Poké Ball. "Sandshrew, use Poison Sting!"
The scar-faced boy commanded his Chikorita, "Chikorita, use Razor Leaf on Sandshrew. You guys, send out your Pokémon too!"
With the scar-faced boy giving orders, the group of boys threw out their Poké Balls. Xia Huna also released Froakie. The Pokémon and their trainers worked together, creating a somewhat imposing, chaotic scene.
The group split into two. One part attacked Sandshrew, while the other attacked Zubat. Although they dealt with the people who had captured them, before they could leave, another figure appeared. With a raised hand, he released a Charizard. "Charizard, use Flamethrower!"
Charizard spat out scorching flames, encircling the group. The situation became extremely critical. Just as Xia Huna was about to send out "Little Meng" to help, someone suddenly appeared. "Aegislash, use Water Tail."
Aegislash's Water Tail neutralized Charizard's Flamethrower, leaving the man in black, whom Xia Huna suspected was the mastermind, in shock. "Wh-what's going on?"
The man in black looked stunned. He stared intently at the "savior" who had just appeared and then exclaimed in alarm, "It's you? As expected of a strong warrior from Lixing Country, you are truly extraordinary. I admit defeat, I admit defeat." With that, he fled with his subordinates in a panic.
Seeing the men in black leave, the boys breathed a sigh of relief. The so-called strong warrior from Lixing Country then turned to them with a kind smile. "Are you all alright?"
The scar-faced boy quickly approached the strong warrior, his eyes shining with admiration. "Thank you for saving us. Can you tell me how I can become as strong as you?"
As if touched by the boy's desire to become stronger, the Lixing Country strong warrior nodded. "You want to become strong? Come with me."
Seeing that the Lixing Country strong warrior had agreed to his request, the scar-faced boy was overjoyed. "Okay, I'll go with you! You must make me strong!"
After saying this, the scar-faced boy turned to face everyone. "Everyone, don't you want to become strong? Are we just going to wait for others to save us? Only by becoming strong can we control our own destiny, and only by becoming strong will we not be bullied."
The boy's words were extremely inspiring. Under his influence, one person stepped forward, tears streaming down his face. "I'll go with you. I can't stand this life anymore!"
With the first person leading the way, others followed. Soon, a group of them followed the scar-faced boy. Only Xia Huna and a young man beside him remained silent, simply watching them.
The scar-faced boy saw their indifference and walked up to Xia Huna and the others.
"What, do you still want to live like this?"
Xia Huna looked at the scar-faced boy with boredom. "Forget it. Your acting skills are terrible. You're trying too hard. While your lines are somewhat persuasive, they don't earn you a passing grade from me. You just want to recruit some promising youths from Minglong Country, is that it? Why put on such a show? It's rather boring."
The scar-faced boy grabbed Xia Huna's collar. "What nonsense are you talking about? It's people like you who take kindness for granted and are always filled with dark conspiracy theories!"
Xia Huna pouted and kicked the scar-faced boy between his legs, causing him to stumble back several steps and sit on the ground, clutching his injured area.
Xia Huna shook his head. "Just shut up. I'm not in the mood to play along. I don't know why the Minglong Police Department people I arranged haven't arrived, but I don't think you can stop me."
Xia Huna said this, put his hands in his pockets, and started to leave. At that moment, the so-called hero from Lixing Country stepped forward. "Kid, you've insulted my honor. I challenge you to a duel. Aegislash, Water Pulse."
"How troublesome. Where did you people from Lixing Country learn this bad habit? Little Meng, use Hyper Voice."
The level forty-six Aegislash clashed head-on with the level sixty-seven Little Meng and was immediately defeated.
Seeing himself defeated by a child, the hero from Lixing Country became furious. "You bastard, Thomson, help me!"
The trainer who had initially used Charizard suddenly emerged from the trees. "Hmph, Jeffrey, I didn't expect you to fall to such a small child."
Xia Huna watched as the two Lixing Country individuals surrounded him from left and right. Xia Huna sighed. "Although I don't like relying on external help, classmate, would you like to fight alongside me?"
The young man who had been standing beside Xia Huna took out a Poké Ball. "Of course. Come out, Gyarados!"