Yet at this moment, Gengar's expression grew grave as it repeatedly scrutinized the Beedrill in the video. Finally, it chuckled coldly.
[Have you ever thought that this Beedrill might be the same one from Yangliu Village?]
The moment those words left Gengar's mouth, Wu Yao sprayed her soda all over the floor, staring incredulously at him.
"The same Beedrill? Are you sure about that, Gengar?"
Wu Yao asked repeatedly.
Gengar nodded firmly.
Although difficult to believe, Gengar was certain:
The Beedrill in the video was indeed the same one they'd encountered previously.
Seeing Gengar's certainty, Wu Yao turned her attention back to the video, this time focusing not on the Pokémon but on the mysterious trainer standing atop the Pidgeot.
To her eyes, this Beedrill looked no different from any other. Perhaps an expert could spot subtle differences, but she couldn't. Thus, she could only judge based on the trainer's appearance.
"The build looks similar..."
"His voice is too distorted to be sure, though."
"But their ages do seem close!"
"It's at least eighty or ninety percent likely he's the trainer from Yangliu Village!"
Though Guo Yi had worn a mask to hide his face and altered his voice, he couldn't disguise his physique or age. With these matching details—and both trainers possessing powerful Beedrills—it was highly probable they were the same person.
Realizing Beedrill's true strength, Wu Yao anxiously patted her chest, feeling lucky they'd narrowly escaped danger.
"Gengar, thank goodness you reacted quickly back then!"
"If not, we'd have been in deep trouble!"
Back then, she'd doubted Beedrill's capabilities. But now, recalling that even the Legendary Zapdos had fallen to it, she felt an immense sense of relief.
[Hmph!]
Hearing Wu Yao's praise, Gengar snorted smugly. Then, as if suddenly recalling something, a sly smile crept onto his face.
Seeing that expression, Wu Yao felt a sense of dread and immediately glanced toward her wallet on the bed.
Without hesitation, she lunged forward.
Yet how could a human match a Ghost-type Pokémon, let alone a Elite Four-Tier Gengar?
In a blink, the wallet appeared in Gengar's hands.
"Gengar! Give me back my wallet!"
Wu Yao huffed, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed angrily.
Ignoring her completely, Gengar casually pulled out a thick wad of cash, stuffing half directly into his mouth. Then, putting the rest back, he tossed the wallet back to Wu Yao with a smirk.
"Keke!"
[Consider it emotional compensation!]
Gengar declared shamelessly.
"Gengar, you…!"
Though furious, Wu Yao knew she wouldn't recover any money once it entered Gengar's stomach. Remembering her earlier doubts about Gengar, she begrudgingly counted the remaining cash, secretly vowing revenge in her heart.
Just wait, you sneaky Gengar!
Once I'm stronger, I'll reclaim every cent from you!
---
Ye Qing, Su Qingxue, and Tang Rong sat together watching the evening news broadcast.
"Qing-jie, who would've guessed someone could train a Beedrill to such an incredible level?"
Dressed comfortably in alluring pajamas, Tang Rong lounged lazily on the sofa, expressing her astonishment.
Ye Qing nodded in agreement.
In public perception, Bug-type Pokémon were synonymous with weakness and poverty. Beedrill, especially, sat at the bottom tier. Any family with even modest wealth wouldn't consider giving their child such a Pokémon.
Yet this Beedrill singlehandedly altered everyone's perception.
"Wu-oh!"
Suddenly, when the video reached the dramatic scene where the [Z-Move] was unleashed, a shiny black Kakuna beside Su Qingxue cried out excitedly.
Its cry instantly drew Ye Qing and Tang Rong's attention.
"Xiao Xue, what's gotten Kakuna so worked up?" Tang Rong asked curiously, glancing at the excited cocoon Pokémon.
This shiny Kakuna was none other than the Weedle Su Qingxue had captured in the Thunder Valley Secret Realm. After returning to Shanghai, she'd ceased using the [Everstone], allowing Weedle to evolve naturally after proper nourishment.
Seeing the familiar [Z-Ring] and [Z-Crystal] on the mysterious trainer's wrist, Su Qingxue immediately understood Kakuna's excitement.
Teacher! The mysterious trainer in the video is actually Teacher!
She barely resisted blurting it out in excitement, only managing to hold back when she recalled Guo Yi's instructions.
She'd thought she knew enough about her teacher, yet now it seemed the power he'd previously shown was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Now Su Qingxue deeply felt how fortunate she'd been to choose him as her mentor.
Facing Tang Rong's inquisitive gaze, Su Qingxue quickly fabricated a believable excuse:
"Tang-yi, Kakuna must've gotten excited seeing such a powerful Beedrill. After all, she'll evolve soon as well."
As Kakuna's trainer, Su Qingxue knew her Pokémon had also recognized their teacher from the video, but she couldn't reveal that.
"Really?"
Tang Rong glanced at her doubtfully. She couldn't shake the feeling Xiao Xue knew something more. Her sharp instincts had never been wrong.
But before she could question further, Su Qingxue quickly stood up, holding Kakuna carefully in her arms.
"Mom, Tang-yi, sorry, but I need to go apply medicine to Kakuna."
Unable to stay longer, Su Qingxue feared she'd inadvertently reveal her secret if she lingered. Without waiting for their reply, she hurried upstairs.
Watching Su Qingxue hastily depart, Tang Rong remarked lightly:
"Qing-jie, Xiao Xue seems unusually excited."
Ye Qing dismissed it calmly.
"It's understandable. After all, Xiao Xue has a shiny Kakuna herself. This Beedrill's strength has clearly demonstrated its potential."
To be honest, Ye Qing had initially been hesitant about her daughter choosing Beedrill as a main Pokémon. Even if it was shiny, she believed it couldn't compare to pseudo-legendaries like Dratini or Bagon.
But now, after seeing this exceptional Beedrill, her stubborn opinion was wavering.
Such was the impact of a truly powerful Pokémon.
"Ah… if only we knew who this mysterious trainer was," Ye Qing sighed. "I'd pay generously just to have him give Xiao Xue a few pointers."
Tang Rong nodded in agreement. If the mysterious trainer's identity was known, perhaps the rarity of Xiao Xue's shiny Beedrill would tempt him into mentoring her.
Unfortunately, the public still knew nothing about this mysterious figure.
---
Following the news broadcast, Beedrill's popularity soared throughout the Dragon Nation. Three hot topics immediately dominated Weibo's trending page:
Who was the mysterious trainer?
Exactly how strong was Beedrill?
What was the identity of the mysterious, cat-like Legendary Pokémon?
Poor superstar Feng, who'd just announced his concert yesterday, found his headlines completely overshadowed.
Then, shortly after the TV broadcast, another Weibo post pushed public excitement to new heights:
[Bug-type Elite Four Lin Feng]:I sincerely apologize for my previous remarks—Beedrill isn't weaker than any other Pokémon! I also thank the mysterious trainer for helping me rediscover my initial resolve as a Pokémon Trainer. I've decided to take a six-month leave to prepare for this year's Elite Fours' Tournament. Expect a brand-new me!
Finally, allow me to respectfully address this mysterious trainer as 'Teacher.' The capable should teach—I humbly admit I fall short compared to your expertise in training Bug-types. If possible, I sincerely hope we can meet face-to-face someday.
Lin Feng's statement instantly went viral, receiving countless shares and comments.
[Dragon-type Elite Four Jin Peng]:Old Lin, I'll be waiting!
[Psychic-type Elite Four Xiaxuan]:Lin-ge, looking forward to seeing your rebirth!
[Water-type Elite Four Li Bing]:Good luck!
With Lin Feng's public endorsement, this mysterious trainer was now recognized universally as the foremost authority on Bug-type Pokémon.
In mere hours, countless major corporations and Pokémon breeders offered enormous sums just to meet him.
Yet his true identity remained a complete mystery.
---
Shanghai.
A remote suburban area.
In an elegant, classically decorated hall, an elderly man with snow-white hair and an imposing aura stared intently at the video playing on the television.
Beside him sat a cool and composed young woman, watching quietly alongside him.
"Grandfather, just how powerful is that mysterious trainer in the video?"
After watching Zapdos being defeated by Beedrill, Bingyue couldn't help but ask.
The old man remained silent for a moment before responding slowly:
"That Beedrill originally had Champion-Tier strength. But after defeating Zapdos, it seems it has surpassed even Champion-Tier."
"As for that mysterious Pokémon… even I cannot see through its strength."
He could discern Beedrill's approximate level, but as for Mewtwo's true power—even someone of his caliber couldn't clearly identify it.
Hearing this, Bingyue was visibly startled.
Had it been anyone else, Bingyue wouldn't have been surprised. But for even her grandfather to be uncertain—that truly was astonishing.
After all, Bingyue's grandfather was none other than Bing Dehai, the retired Champion of the Dragon Nation Pokémon League, known worldwide as the "Ice King." His mastery over Ice-type Pokémon had struck fear into countless foreign challengers, especially after that legendary battle over a decade ago.
…
Over ten years earlier, in the Winter Sea Region, a large permanent Pokémon Secret Realm had suddenly emerged on a remote island.
Its immense size rivaled even the most famous Secret Realms within the Dragon Nation's territory, and rare Dragon-type Pokémon had been discovered inside, making it instantly coveted.
Quickly, nearby national Pokémon Leagues scrambled to claim ownership, each arguing the island belonged to their territory. Among them, the Sakura Nation League had brazenly dispatched two Elite Four-level trainers to forcibly occupy the Secret Realm.
Upon receiving the news, Bing Dehai had swiftly led his team to occupy the island, declaring firmly:
"Only citizens of the Dragon Nation may freely enter. Foreigners wishing to enter must pay a hefty fee. Additionally, if foreigners wish to leave with Pokémon or resources, a 5% tax on their total gains is mandatory."
"Defiance of these rules will be regarded as aggression against the Dragon Nation, and we will respond accordingly."
His declaration instantly ignited fury among neighboring leagues. In their eyes, this Secret Realm belonged equally to everyone—how dare the Dragon Nation monopolize it?
Provoked further by the scheming Eagle Nation, four Elite Four-Level trainers—two from the Sakura Nation, two hastily assembled from other nations—openly defied the order and tried to forcibly enter the Secret Realm.
If they succeeded, the Dragon Nation's dignity would suffer a severe blow.
Determined to uphold the Dragon Nation's authority, Bing Dehai single-handedly confronted the four Elite Four-Level challengers, barring their entry at sea.
In the battle that ensued, the world finally witnessed the Ice King's true terrifying strength.
According to official records, that fight lasted two entire days and nights, freezing a thousand kilometers of ocean solid. The challengers suffered devastating losses—one dead, three severely injured—and retreated in disgrace, never daring to question ownership again.
Yet the shameless Eagle Nation seized this as an excuse to denounce the Dragon Nation's "hegemony," sending its own Champion and Elite Four members provocatively close to the Dragon Nation's borders.
The Dragon Nation could not tolerate such blatant aggression.
Bing Dehai swiftly led the Dragon Nation's Elite Four to confront them head-on. The atmosphere was explosive, teetering on the brink of war.
The Eagle Nation hadn't expected the Dragon Nation's response to be so fierce and determined. After two tense weeks of standoff, the Eagle Nation eventually backed down, withdrawing their forces quietly.
From that day forward, any foreigner entering the Secret Realm obediently complied with the established rules—even the powerful Eagle Nation was no exception.
Indeed, the phrase "Those who threaten the Dragon Nation shall face justice, no matter how far" was not just a slogan.
This battle had firmly established the Dragon Nation's dominance in international Pokémon affairs, and Bing Dehai became the renowned "Ice King" in global media.
Yet now, even someone as formidable as the Ice King was unable to gauge this mysterious Pokémon's true strength, naturally stunning Bingyue.
Seeing his granddaughter's astonishment, Bing Dehai chuckled lightly:
"Xiaoyue, there's no need to be shocked."
"Although your grandfather's strength isn't insignificant, it's not to the extent of accurately measuring a Pokémon's full capabilities just by viewing a video."
"Unlike Beedrill, who fought desperately against Zapdos, clearly displaying its strength, this mysterious Pokémon barely revealed its true power."
"Apart from rescuing the airplane, it only acted once, casually intercepting and repelling Zapdos's attack."
"But based on its relaxed demeanor, I can confidently say it's at minimum on par with my Abomasnow."
Though Mewtwo appeared only briefly, whether catching a plummeting airplane barehanded or effortlessly driving back Zapdos, Bing Dehai himself would likely struggle to achieve the same feats.
In fact, even this assessment might still underestimate the mysterious Pokémon's true power.