Chapter 142: The Silver Plains

[What about that white-furred monkey they were talking about earlier? Care to fill me in?]

"Just a nickname given by a Gym Leader I don't really get along with, nothing special."

Zhu Suihan placed the books he had dug out onto the table.

[I'll read half, you read the other half, and then we'll enter a synchronized state to cross-reference.]

"Deal."

Time passed. The family was sitting on the grass by the large lake having dinner. Zhu Suihan tapped his head, feeling like he had finally sorted out this whole "geography" thing.

At least for now, it made sense. At least Zhu Suihan felt that if he went to class again, his scalp wouldn't go numb from being tormented by weather-related topics.

"From ancient times to the present, from massive tectonic shifts down to building skyscrapers and carving through mountains, geographical environments really have changed a lot."

Zhu Suihan took a sip of juice. "Though we also have to thank those legendary Pokémon who wake up just to throw hands whenever they feel like it."

Meteorological data had been recorded since ancient times, and key data points were all inputted into certain security programs.

Once triggered, the League would definitely react, dispatching personnel to the anomalous climate zones to track down the source of the trouble and determine if it was left behind by a Legendary Pokémon.

If one truly appeared, the League wouldn't panic openly on the surface, but emergency protocols and similar measures would definitely be put into motion.

Nearby, Mewtwo listened with a look of surprise as Lapras recounted the tale.

[A guy who came out of a block of ice? It feels like you could launch an entire archaeological series based on him alone.]

"Awoo!"

Lapras nodded proudly. That's our Trainer!

"Milu!"

Old, cranky, and has a huge appetite!

"I can hear you, and I understand every word," Zhu Suihan said in a lingering tone.

"I'll accept being old and having a big appetite, but being cranky? I cannot accept that. Absolutely not."

Lapras laughed so hard she almost flipped over. Milcery maintained the demeanor of "There is only one truth" right in the palm of Zhu Suihan's hand, convinced that as a future empress, she must uphold the truth.

Even Mewtwo twitched the corner of its mouth slightly, thinking that its "second sister's" summary was rather spot-on.

The afternoon was reserved for a major lecture, though not one on university graduate employment and entrepreneurship.

Before the class ended, the teacher, who was explaining the homework assignments, was interrupted by a knock on the door. Upon seeing another teacher holding a stack of documents, the instructor told the class to study on their own for a moment.

Zhu Suihan poked his Poké Ball. "Can you see what's written on those papers?"

[You'll find out in a moment anyway. Something like this hardly warrants using psychic powers.]

"It's nothing. I just feel like when you're a student, knowing about teacher announcements ahead of time gives you a sense of superiority."

[So basically you just want to have some fun, right?]

The instructor walked back in. "Students, the school administration has notified us of a matter. I believe some of the well-informed students are already aware."

Zhu Suihan: ?

Oh, well-informed, huh? That probably referred to those who had close ties with the upperclassmen; it had nothing to do with him.

"The time for the Silver Plains has arrived. Everyone, please go back after class today and prepare your travel supplies. The detailed notification will be sent to your dormitories."

The teacher smiled. "Now, let me continue explaining the homework. Even if you're excited by this news, you cannot neglect your unfinished studies."

After class, Zhu Suihan took out his phone and searched for the Silver Plains, but found no information whatsoever.

"Nothing on the regular internet? Does that mean it's classified?"

It couldn't possibly be some mysterious ruin or a secret realm, right? Something similar to the natural ruins at the Lake of Rage?

After dinner, Mewtwo waved its hand, using psychic powers to open the door and pull in a stack of documents from outside.

Zhu Suihan unwrapped the package, glanced at Lapras and Milcery who had already crowded around, and then looked at Mewtwo, who was sitting nearby sipping tea.

"Do me a favor and use your psychic powers to project the contents onto the wall in front of us. It'll be much easier to read that way."

[Simple.]

Mewtwo waved its hand again, and both text and images materialized before the family.

"The time for the Silver Plains has arrived. All first-year students, please make your preparations."

Zhu Suihan read the text aloud: "The top ten performers in this event will be qualified to participate as auxiliary personnel in the work sequence for the Indigo Plateau Conference."

"Huh?"

Setting aside the fact that the Indigo Plateau Conference was about to begin, what on earth was this auxiliary personnel sequence?

Zhu Suihan immediately recalled the grandeur of the Indigo Plateau Conference. When the time came, the Pokémon needing medical treatment wouldn't just belong to the contestants; they'd belong to the spectators as well.

And the spectators' Pokémon were the truly heavy-duty nightmares whose problems never followed common sense.

At the mere thought of that congealed Shuckle, Zhu Suihan instantly decided that this participation quota was better off ignored.

[Aren't you focusing on the wrong thing? The origin of the Silver Plains is right below.]

"Oh, right."

Zhu Suihan placed Milcery on top of his head, hugged Lapras with his left arm, and patted the sofa beside him with his right hand.

Mewtwo hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down, its body stiffening for a fraction of a second when Zhu Suihan wrapped an arm around it.

However, the stiffness lasted for only an instant—which could be considered a rather tremendous improvement.

"Having one on each side and one on top of my head... now *this* is life."

The family began to read the contents seriously, finally learning the origin of the Silver Plains.

Zhu Suihan roughly estimated its geographical location. Even if you set out from the bustling Goldenrod City, strictly speaking, that place was deep in the remote mountains.

It had a low probability of spawning powerful wild Pokémon.

It was a vast plain where Bug-type Pokémon stopped to rest halfway through their migration, and its location was never made public.

"No wonder I couldn't find a single trace of information."

The Bug-type Pokémon took a brief respite there to replenish food and even heal their injuries—and naturally, there were plenty of pairs catching feelings and starting families.

When the time came, all the Bug-type Pokémon would take flight once more, continuing their migration of life.

From the resting period to stepping back onto the journey, no matter the activity, the Bug-type Pokémon would scatter scales, leaving brilliant trails across the night sky.

Because of the sheer number of Pokémon, these fallen scales would pile up across the plains, turning the landscape into a silvery expanse that seemed to reflect the Bug-type Pokémon flying in the heavens.

And this was the origin of the Silver Plains.

What the Joys needed to do was protect and treat these Bug-type Pokémon.

To put it accurately, the Joy served as the pastor, while the Officer Jennys were responsible for crushing any potential outlaws, cooperating with the personnel dispatched by the League.

Moreover, this activity had a long history, and the foundation of trust was maxed out.

Some Bug-type Pokémon would take their eggs with them to raise, while others would entrust them to helpful participants.

As for the workload, it was likely even higher than the Lake of Rage incident last time, considering that vast plain could accommodate a massive volume of Bug-type Pokémon.

It was equivalent to a large-scale multi-line transfer station for a subway system.

Zhu Suihan pondered, "So basically, this is just a plain covered in Silver Powder?"

Silver Powder was a held item in the games, which had the effect of boosting the power of Bug-type moves when held.

As for why it couldn't be leaked outside, the reason was simple: setting aside the fact that you could scoop up a whole bucket of Silver Powder off the ground effortlessly, the migrating Pokémon themselves were a massive fortune.

Zhu Suihan looked thoughtful.

From Bug Catchers to veteran Bug-catching grandpas, they certainly wouldn't choose to disrupt the life cycles of Bug-type Pokémon.

But leaving aside villainous old scumbags like Team Rocket, there were definitely abandoned trainers out there—the kind who dumped Charmanders, Tepigs, or Gengars.

In Milcery's words, scumbags who could never comprehend the "Heart of Joy" in their entire lives would find the existence of such a place to be a sheer disaster.

Therefore, the location had to be kept strictly confidential. Even if travelers or trainers prone to getting lost like Ash happened to stumble upon it by accident, they would likely be politely begged to keep it a secret.

In any case, League and Jenny personnel guarded the place year after year. If you dared to show up again the following year, they wouldn't be nearly as polite—they'd invite you over for a cup of tea, one way or another.

[Wait, there's more at the bottom.]

Mewtwo said, [Never mind, it's just a list of recommended items to bring. Nothing to worry about.]

"The Silver Plains..."

Zhu Suihan thought for a moment, then flipped his phone and dialed Bugsy's number.

"Hello, what are you up to?"

"Working overtime. A trainer almost dropped to his knees and begged for mercy."

Bugsy's tone was laden with profound exhaustion. "With the League Conference about to start, we Gym Leaders are being dragged into battles every single day by trainers from all over."

"Why are you suddenly calling me? Don't tell me someone managed to break into Joy Academy just to harass you."

"If you're looking for peace and quiet, you can come over—provided you don't start conducting any weird experiments."

Lapras looked at Mewtwo. "Awoo."

Hear that? The Trainer is already famous!

[Though I feel like this sounds more like infamy.]

Zhu Suihan scratched Lapras under the chin. "Let me ask you this, then. I just picked up a medical aid gig for the Silver Plains."

"You're supposed to be one of the League's leading personnel for it, right?"

Bugsy, who was eating curry rice one spoonful at a time, froze.

"Ahhhhh!"

Bugsy's scream was so loud that Zhu Suihan couldn't help tossing his phone onto the table.

"You still alive? Don't tell me you forgot."

"Suihan, you're my god!"

Bugsy's tone perfectly embodied the phrase "laughing through tears."

"I almost forgot all about that! Too many people have been coming to the Gym lately!"

Zhu Suihan was stunned. "Suddenly surging? What's going on?"

"Oh, I followed your suggestion and started an interest project involving bug silk weaving. It's currently brought an extra tourism revenue stream to Azalea Town."

Bugsy wiped his face and opened his computer to check the documents sent by the League.

"After I made that Bug-type Lure Module and tweaked it a bit, paired with the nutrient solution, everyone at the Gym saw a significant boost in strength."

"A lot of trainers are putting off challenging the Azalea Gym specifically so they can get a bit more training in first."

Bugsy sat in front of his computer and massaged his brow, while the Scizor behind him gently tapped Bugsy's shoulders to help him relax his muscles.

"With more tourists and high-intensity battles draining our mental energy, the staff at the Gym had to expand twice in a row."

"Things are busy. Even though my body is tired, I'm pretty happy overall."

Zhu Suihan grinned. "Then you really ought to thank me, otherwise your Gym Leader evaluation at the end of the year would've been a total disaster. At best, they would've slapped you with a dereliction of duty."

Bugsy laughed. "Too far, too far, it's not that bad."

"See you at the Silver Plains."

"See you at the plains."