"Kongjian, you're back."
Alice was keeping watch over Fletchling. It was the evening of the third day since the bird had fallen into its deep sleep, and it was nearly time for it to wake.
"The bones in Fletchling's wings have knit back together. Normal flight won't be an issue now," Feng Che said, carefully inspecting the bird's wings before giving Alice a stern look. "Just make sure she doesn't overexert herself. We don't want a secondary fracture."
"Feng Che, did you find any more keys while you were out scouting?" Alice asked casually as she performed maintenance on her Desert Eagle.
"I found three nests that definitely have keys," Feng Che reported. "One is a Beedrill swarm, one is a Meowth den, and the third is by a creek where a Poliwhirl is carrying a Silver Key."
He shared his discoveries with her in detail. "I want to start with the Beedrill nest to test the waters. What do you think?"
Feng Che looked up. His deep, calm eyes met Alice's fiery red gaze.
"I'm in. No problem," Alice replied. "I've dealt with Beedrill barehanded before and won. Now that I have this Desert Eagle, taking on three at once should be a piece of cake."
Feng Che was internally amazed. Her physical stats really are on the level of a 'Super Pallet Townian'.
"Kongjian, don't misunderstand—my sister and I are polar opposites," Alice said with a sigh. "She has a frail body but immense psychic power. My physical stats are double that of an average human. That's exactly why she hates me so much. She couldn't stand the 'useless' sister being physically superior, so she hired assassins to get rid of me."
It was tragic that blood-related twins could reach such a state of mutual destruction.
"I realized that if I keep backing down, she just pushes harder," Alice laughed, a cold glint in her eyes. "Since she's so determined to see me dead, why should I give her the satisfaction? I'm going to live better than anyone else. I'll make her burn with envy and spite."
Feng Che could hear a trace of weary helplessness behind her laughter.
"So, when do we move?" Alice asked.
"Tomorrow morning. I'm planning to use some small tricks to help us. If we don't act quickly, the Kakuna hanging under the nest are going to evolve. Once they do, the colony will be too large to crack, and the difficulty will spike."
"Alice, if you're comfortable with it, I'd like Fletchling to lure away one or two of the guards." Fletchling was faster and more agile than Beedrill.
"That..." Alice hesitated. She wanted Fletchling to train, but she was terrified the injury wasn't fully healed. Another break would be disastrous.
"Chirp! Chirp!"
Just then, Fletchling woke up. It had overheard the conversation. It flapped its wings experimentally and found the pain was gone. It took flight easily, landing on Alice's shoulder and gently pecking her cheek. It was a clear demand to join the fight.
"Are you sure, Fletchling? If you get hurt again, it'll be bad," Alice confirmed. She could feel the bird's fierce determination.
Fletchling nodded vigorously and puffed out its chest as if to say, 'I'm tough! No problem!'
"You've really grown up," Feng Che said, ruffling the bird's head. "Rest assured, I've checked the wings. She's recovered well. She's probably just hungry now."
He pulled a bowl of dried Kasib Berries from his bracelet. Fletchling darted toward the food like a released arrow, pecking away happily.
"Don't worry, even if she gets a scratch, I can fix it," Feng Che told Alice. "You can't stifle her growth just because you're afraid. A flower in a greenhouse never learns to survive the storm."
Alice finally nodded, her expression resolute.
The next morning, as the first rays of dawn touched the island, the two were already in position near the nest. Being close to the coast, the morning mist was incredibly thick—a wall of white that made it impossible to see a hand in front of one's face.
They could only hear the low, rhythmic buzzing of the Beedrill's wings. The trees were heavy with dew; a slight nudge would cause a miniature rainstorm of droplets to fall from the leaves.
Alice pulled two pairs of glasses from her storage ring. She put one on and handed the other to Feng Che.
"Infrared goggles. Fog and rain won't block your vision with these."
With the goggles, she could see the Beedrill clearly. Their wings were soaked with dew, making them heavy and sluggish. She looked at Feng Che with pure admiration.
"This was part of your plan too, wasn't it?"
"Yes. This part of the island is coastal, and the morning fog is a constant here," Feng Che explained. "A Beedrill's wings are gossamer-thin and extremely light. When the mist coats them in droplets, they become weighted down. Their flight speed drops by at least twenty percent until the sun burns the mist away."
"In this state, almost any Flying-type can outmaneuver them. Plus, the fog obscures the vision of the Kakuna, preventing us from accidentally triggering their evolution while we fight the adults."
"Kongjian, I have a question," Alice said, raising her hand like a student in class.
"Go ahead." Feng Che was pleased with her cooperative attitude.
"Won't the Kakuna hear the fighting and realize the nest is under attack?"
"No," Feng Che shook his head. "The Kakuna state is unique. Their shells are filled with a dense nutrient fluid. Sound waves need to travel through an air-filled canal to vibrate the eardrum. In Kakuna, the 'canal' is flooded with liquid, making it almost impossible for them to hear external sounds. As long as you don't stand directly in front of their eyes, you can make as much noise as you want. However, if your movements are too loud, the adult Beedrill sentries will still spot you."
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