That wasn't all.
In just two short months, there were countless other instances of Mewtwo winning over the Pokémon of Mist Island.
One thing after another accumulated, causing Mewtwo to be respected by the Ten Sages and even the entire Knowledge Museum, who strongly supported its journey to the outside world.
On the other side, the Ranger Union people were actually very reasonable.
After sensing that Mewtwo was a highly rational Pokémon, nothing like the destructive being described in the North American Pokémon Research Institute's data, they actively supported its choice.
However, for the sake of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, some questions had to be asked and some reminders had to be given to Mewtwo.
On Mo Ye's end, due to the war of words between the two associations within the Union, Mewtwo, as the individual concerned, had to appear in person.
The benefit was that Mewtwo could have its own identity in human society.
As long as it exercised self-control and didn't cause destruction, it could freely enter and exit cities without fear of being stopped by patrol officers.
"I see," Li Xiang said, suddenly understanding.
He looked at Mewtwo, whose expression had relaxed, and patted its shoulder with emotion.
"It hasn't been easy for you. You've worked hard."
Mewtwo had to handle so many things on one hand, and on the other hand, it still came back for meals.
Managing both sides, it successfully gained the recognition of all the sages within two months.
This achievement was truly moving. Moreover, Li Xiang also understood the reason Mewtwo was willing to go to the Union and expose itself to the public.
"As long as one lives on this planet, one can never truly avoid humans and cities, right?" Mewtwo looked at the guilty expression on the boy's face and smiled serenely.
"Besides, humans and Pokémon have always lived together. Why should I avoid them?"
The two Mewtwos from the original world lived in seclusion, hiding from human eyes and ears.
But this Mewtwo, because of its unbreakable friendship with Li Xiang and its thirst for knowledge, couldn't do the same as its predecessors.
In the end, it chose to actively engage with humanity.
What path lay ahead, Mewtwo did not know. But it felt that, as a part of this world, it had the right to choose its own direction.
Li Xiang also smiled.
"You're right. Humans and Pokémon have always lived together."
That night, Mewtwo, unburdened by any worries, began to wreak havoc on Incineroar and the other Pokémon, beating them so badly they howled and scattered in panic.
Mood can often directly affect a Pokémon's combat effectiveness.
A cheerful Mewtwo was even stronger than its usual stressed self.
Incineroar and the others had previously been able to exchange a few moves with it, but now, forget exchanging moves, they were lucky not to get sent flying.
It was utterly brutal.
Li Xiang cooked dinner on the side, watching the group of Pokémon play around, a helpless yet happy smile on his face.
The six months on Mirage Island had been very monotonous. There was no internet, no entertainment, no peers. The only activities were reading books stored on his phone and looking at long-unresponsive apps like WeChat.
Over the six months, he had traversed almost all of Mirage Island, from caves to riverbeds.
The scenery remained beautiful, but it could no longer captivate him.
However, with Incineroar and the others by his side, he managed to get through those six months.
Mewtwo came back every day. Perhaps it didn't want to leave him alone in loneliness?
Mewtwo, having spent countless years in a culture tank, must have experienced that same solitude of having no one to talk to.
Perhaps that was why it had initially believed that person's lies and been brainwashed—the joy of its first real communication with another being had overwhelmed its caution towards a stranger.
"Dinner's ready!" Li Xiang called out as he placed the last dish on the table.
The Pokémon responded with loud cheers.
...….
The Mist Island journey was about to come to an end.
On the day Mirage Island closed, Li Xiang stood on a reef, watching the magnificent floating island slowly disappear from his view, his feelings complicated.
After all, it had been his home for six months.
It was impossible to say he had no attachment to it.
Watching it depart for another space, not knowing when he would see it again, stirred a strange emotion within him.
"Phew..." Li Xiang let out a long breath. "Let's go."
"Ruu!" The Lucario nodded, the silver bell around its neck swaying gently.
It could still wear the bell even after evolution. And seeing how much Lucario treasured it, Li Xiang couldn't bear to ask for it back.
Not that anyone would give it to him if he did.
Mo Ye was also leaving today. With Mewtwo gone, he had lost his reason to stay.
"Kid, did you enjoy wearing that protective suit?" Zhong Hai grabbed Li Xiang around the neck, grinning.
"Very much. It's deeply imprinted with my mark now," Li Xiang clutched his chest, hinting heavily.
Zhong Hai pinched his cheek. "Enough. That suit was always yours, custom-made for you."
Custom-made, perhaps, but the suit had some flexibility. At least, Li Xiang could still wear it until he reached 1.9 meters tall.
He was currently around 1.78 meters and still growing.
However, with more advanced protective suits being developed, this one would probably become an antique.
"It's that good? Thank you, Uncle Zhong!" Li Xiang grinned.
Zhong Hai let go of his neck, waved nonchalantly, and went off to help.
Through this incident, the Knowledge Museum had decided to strengthen trade with the outside world, providing fresh Moomoo Milk and Berries.
Although Mist Island was rich in resources, the outside world also had many things that Mist Island desired.
At the same time, trade would also promote communication between the two sides.
"Now that Mirage Island has disappeared, the flow of time has already changed," a ranger said helplessly, holding an hourglass and watching the speed of the sand inside.
Li Xiang was taken aback, remembering belatedly that the flow of time on Mist Island was not fixed.
Seven months of slowed-down living had almost made him forget that detail.
"Li Xiang!" Mo Ye's voice called out in the distance.
"Coming!" He ran over quickly and saw a group of long-awaited Lapras by the riverbank.
Among them was one with a slightly lighter body color, looking rather young. That was the one he had ridden on when he came in.
"Long time no see!" Li Xiang called out with a smile.
The Lapras responded cheerfully.
He looked around and, not seeing Mewtwo, was about to ask. Just then, Mewtwo flew in rapidly from the distant sky, followed by a group of Pokémon.
"Sorry, I went to say goodbye," it explained its tardiness simply.
Seeing Li Xiang's curious look at what was behind it, Mewtwo said, "These children want to go out and see the world, just like me."
Did all Pokémon on Mist Island want to stay here forever, never dreaming of the outside world?
Not necessarily. But for various reasons, they could only remain on Mist Island.
Mewtwo's arrival had given them renewed courage to venture outside, so these Pokémon chose to follow it.
"Well, well," Li Xiang looked at those Pokémon, suddenly feeling that his six months on Mist Island might have been wasted.
Senior Sister Abigail had managed to talk a Shiny Milotic into leaving!
Meanwhile, he hadn't gotten anything...
No.
He looked at Mewtwo, squinting slightly. Hadn't this guy been convinced by him instead?
Mewtwo tilted its head, not understanding why Li Xiang was squinting at it.
Without wasting any more time, taking advantage of the early hour, the group set off for the outside world.
...….
Misty Lake.
It was night, past eight o'clock.
The air was not as fresh as on Mist Island, comparatively slightly turbid, yet Li Xiang missed it dearly.
After all, he had been inside for a full six months.
"So this is the outside world." Mewtwo looked at the foggy surroundings, its eyes slightly bright, as if piercing through the seemingly impenetrable mist.
The Lapras brought the group to the shore.
Li Xiang looked at the distant, familiar yet unfamiliar tall buildings and mountains, and the brick and stone bridge beneath him.
He felt a strange sense of satisfaction, as if after drifting for many years, he had finally returned to human society.
He took out his phone.
The moment it connected to the internet, a frenzy of notification sounds made his hand vibrate non-stop.
There were calls, text messages, and WeChat messages.
From his parents, classmates, senior brothers and sisters, an overwhelming number.
Li Xiang had definitely told them before going to Mist Island, but that didn't stop them from calling anyway.
"So this is the internet you talked about?" Mewtwo looked around curiously.
It had been interested in the internet for a long time but had never truly been able to access it.
"That's right. I'll buy you a phone tomorrow, and you'll understand once you use it yourself," Li Xiang nodded.
The prize money from the spring tournament had already been distributed. It had been directly deposited into his mother's account.
That was also the reason Mrs. Yin had called.
Even though it was only a regional-level competition, the school had given him a full two million. The number was so large that his heart had skipped a beat when he saw it.
The Junior World Tournament... is it really this lucrative?
No wonder everyone wanted to participate!
He remembered his senior sister leading the Yuzhou team to the top eight. How much prize money had she received?
Also a few million, probably.
Wow. Participating in this competition was far more profitable than the ten or twenty thousand from outside matches.
Li Xiang sighed with emotion, but he understood that five million was just a small number for Mist City University and the United Universities.
If he could lead the Mist City team to a good international ranking, the prize money might even exceed a hundred million—
Well, that might be a bit exaggerated.
"Then I'll look forward to it," Mewtwo nodded.
Mo Ye had to report back to the Mist City Association, and Mewtwo was supposed to go with him.
But after thinking for a moment, the latter said it wanted to see Li Xiang's school first and would go to the association later.
Mo Ye glanced at it but had no objections. He wasn't afraid of Mewtwo running off.
If it wanted to run, it would have done so long ago. Why bother lying?
So, the group parted ways.
Li Xiang walked back to the school by himself; it wasn't far. As he walked, he had to make phone calls and reply to text messages.
Mewtwo followed beside him, curiously observing its surroundings.
It was fascinated by everything in human society, but because of Li Xiang's advice, while using its psychic powers to scan, it also used its physical eyes to observe the scenery around it.
At the same time, it listened to Li Xiang's phone conversations.
The other Pokémon from Mist Island were the same, staying close behind Mewtwo, looking at their surroundings with a mix of timidity and longing.
The procession was grand, attracting the attention of many out for a walk or exercising.
"Those Pokémon are all so big!"
"Yeah!"
"What is that Pokémon? A Shiny Breloom?"
"I think it's an Elgyem."
"It looks more like an alien to me."
"A little bit..."