Feng Che looked up, his scalp tingling. The Ninjask was already firmly in the Male Pidgeot's clutches, its sharp talons digging deep into the bug's fragile exoskeleton.
The Pidgeot knew Feng Che had saved its mate; otherwise, it would have crushed Feng Che's skull without a second thought. Nearby, the Scolipede lay motionless on the ground, a hole the size of a bowl torn into its head. Its yellow pupils stared fixatedly at the Pidgeot.
[Scolipede: A single slip... lost everything. But if I die, you're coming with me. You've already been struck by my venom... Hahaha...]
With a final spasm, the Scolipede went limp. Feng Che felt a pang of regret—had he been faster, he could have captured the Scolipede before its last breath.
Suddenly, the Male Pidgeot's head tilted, and it crashed to the ground. Its face turned a sickly bluish-purple, and its body began to twitch violently. Remembering the Scolipede's last thoughts, Feng Che realized the Pidgeot was suffering from acute poisoning.
He parted the thick feathers and found two distinct bite marks oozing black blood. "Scolipede's Poison Fang... it's a neurotoxin. My freshly made antidote should work."
Feng Che immediately forced an antidote down the Pidgeot's throat. Neurotoxins move fast; if the heart becomes paralyzed, it's game over. He then used his dagger to score the bite marks, letting the blackened blood spray out. He didn't waste it—he collected the toxic blood in glass vials. This "Elite-tier Poison Blood" would be perfect for crafting lures later in the Poison Marsh.
After a few minutes of treatment, the blood ran clear red again. The Pidgeot's breathing steadied.
Beside them, the captured Ninjask began to stir. Feng Che didn't hesitate, throwing a silver Rocket Great Ball. Weakened by the Pidgeot's assault, the Level 41 Ninjask was sucked in without resistance. Click.
"Wait, where's Ditto?"
Feng Che looked around the quiet clearing. He eventually found the pink blob snoring under a large tree. He searched for the Yanmega's body, but it was gone. The swarm must have taken their leader's remains back, he thought, not suspecting for a second that the slender-looking Ditto had devoured the entire Level 48 carcass.
"Return, Ditto." He recalled the exhausted blob.
Half an hour later, the Pidgeots were both awake. They looked at Feng Che with genuine warmth. After a brief chirping exchange, the Male Pidgeot flew up to the nest and released a flurry of precise Air Slashes, cutting the stems of the Salac Berries. He used localized whirlwinds to gently lower them to the ground.
He pushed all five crimson berries toward Feng Che.
"I only need two, Pidgeot," Feng Che said. He wasn't greedy; two were enough to secure his rank and brew his potions. But the Pidgeot insisted, pushing all of them forward.
[Male Pidgeot: These are useless to us now. It'll be a while before the baby hatches; we can wait for the next harvest.]
Feng Che smiled and accepted the gift. "Thank you. Also, Pidgeot, I have to go to the Poison Marsh for a while. Could you look after my Rookidee and train her?"
The Pidgeot looked at the little bird and nodded solemnly. It would teach her the secrets of the sky—Steel Wing, Air Cutter, and the art of wind manipulation.
Before he left, the Pidgeot retrieved a purple-red crystal from the Scolipede's remains. A Poison Barb (Toxic Crystal). Feng Che put on protective gloves to take it. This was a high-grade material that could be polished into a Toxic Orb, essential for Pokémon with the Poison Heal ability.
Feng Che also stowed the Scolipede's carcass into his spatial bracelet. High-level venomous blood was a treasure on the black market.
"Rookidee, study hard with Pidgeot," he whispered, patting her head before heading toward the marsh.
It was now noon. Feng Che rode on Linoone's back, with Ditto (now a Golbat again) scouting overhead. Linoone was the perfect mount, leaping across the treacherous, thorn-filled terrain with ease.
As they neared the Poison Marsh, a thick, pea-green miasma began to choke the air. The sunlight was blocked by a dense canopy of ancient, moss-covered trees.
Feng Che noticed his communicator lost its signal. Even his high-powered flashlight could only penetrate five meters of the fog.
The miasma out here is already this thick... what will the center be like?
In the wild, mountain miasmas are lethal, especially when mixed with the toxic gases emitted by hundreds of Poison-type Pokémon. This was a compound toxin, nearly impossible to cure without specialized knowledge.
Feng Che only dared enter because of his "Outstanding" antidotes. Tianchen and Alice were likely relying on psychic barriers and combat prowess. He wondered who else was foolish enough to enter this death trap.
As Linoone leaped onto a high branch to rest, Feng Che saw hundreds of glowing eyes in the dark—red, green, and blue. They watched the Level 30 Linoone and the Golbat warily. For now, they kept their distance.
He looked ahead. A faint, flickering light appeared through the fog.
....BONUS CHAPTER IS COMING....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
⭐ Read chapters early on Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/Bagga_10 ⭐
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
• Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
• Every 40 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.