Pokémon: I have no choice but to do this old thing?

Chapter 89 Sour Hope and the Legend of "Ghosts"

Interpol's task force arrived at the scene.

Three discreetly painted vertical takeoff and landing transport aircraft landed on the relatively flat sand, and team members in standard combat uniforms filed out and quickly took over the scene.

The unconscious poachers were searched one by one to confirm their identities before being lifted onto stretchers. The locked Poké Balls were placed in a specially made energy shielding box. The wreckage of the exploded vehicle and the damaged cylindrical device were also carefully examined, sampled, and sealed.

A middle-aged woman wearing captain's epaulets saluted Albert: "Sir 'Gardener,' the scene is under control. The subsequent cleanup and evidence chain construction will be handled by Squad Seven."

Albert nodded, gave a few brief instructions, and then retreated with Zhang Jianying to the shaded area of ​​the rock pillars.

Piper stood awkwardly to the side, holding the container that still emitted a faint sour smell, watching the well-trained Interpol officers work efficiently.

"take it easy."

Zhang Jianying handed him a bottle of water. "Just routine. Besides, you're considered an assistant in this act of bravery."

Pipa took the water, sipped it, and his gaze involuntarily drifted to the container in his arms.

The secret sour seasoning inside was his only hope for saving his partner.

Once the initial on-site handling was complete, Albert gestured for Piper to follow them to a quieter spot.

Let's get to know each other formally.

Albert adjusted his glasses, his tone much gentler than before. "I'm a special agent from Interpol's Padia division, codename Gardener. This is Zhang Jianying, a special collaborator from Sinnoh. What's your name? Are you here to obtain this special plant?"

Pipa relaxed and nodded gently: "Yes. My name is Pipa, and I'm a student at Padia Academy, currently on leave of absence."

He hesitated for a moment, then added, "Thank you so much for today. Without you, I'm afraid I—"

"You're welcome."

Albert waved his hand, "We also have our own mission objectives. Saving you was just a side thing." At the same time, he looked inquiringly at the secret seasoning.

Piper noticed the gaze.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

"I know you may have many questions—about why I'm here, about this."

He gently lifted the container, and through the specially made transparent part, he could see the strange plant inside emitting a faint, emerald-green glow. "This is the 'Secret Sour Seasoning,' a very rare and special ingredient. I need it—to save my family."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts: "To express my gratitude, and to prove I meant no harm, I can use it to do something right now. Would you like to take a look?"

Zhang Jianying and Albert exchanged a glance, both seeing curiosity in each other's eyes.

Albert nodded slightly: "Please go ahead. We are also very interested in the unique ingredients of Parthia."

Piper's eyes lit up.

He seemed like a different person; his awkwardness and unease quickly faded away, replaced by an almost devout focus.

He carefully placed the container on a flat rock, then removed the professional-looking cooking backpack and began preparing with practiced ease.

Portable stove, heat-resistant cooking plate, a set of silver knives of different sizes, several sealed food containers, grinder, thermometer —

He took out and arranged the tools one by one in an orderly manner.

Zhang Jianying watched as Papa took out items one by one from his backpack, and felt a surge of emotion.

Goodness, this backpack is quite heavy. You must be in good shape to be able to carry it so easily across the sand.

Piper first took out a small piece of the secret sour seasoning crystal, which was only the size of a fingernail, and carefully ground it into a fine powder in a specially made mortar with tweezers. He was as focused as if he were conducting a precision experiment.

Next, he opened the other food containers.

Fresh tomatoes and lettuce still glistening with moisture, baked whole-wheat bread, delicate avocados, and several Padina herbs and berries whose names Zhang Jianying couldn't recall but whose aromas were unique.

Pipa's movements were fluid and graceful, yet possessed a unique rhythm.

The knife skills in cutting and preparing the ingredients are precise and neat. The order in which the ingredients are paired and the proportions of the sauce seem to have been carefully considered a thousand times.

He incorporated that tiny bit of acidic seasoning powder into his homemade tree fruit mayonnaise. The moment the powder touched the sauce, a faint green glow seemed to come alive, flowing through the sauce and releasing an indescribable, refreshing yet deeply stimulating complex aroma.

In just over ten minutes, six seemingly simple yet enticing sandwiches were neatly arranged on the cutting board.

"This is a lemon and vegetable energy sandwich."

"6

Papa wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, his face showing a hint of fatigue, but even more so anticipation. "The amount of the secret seasoning used is extremely small, but the effect should be very noticeable."

He picked one up, but instead of eating it himself, he turned to Zhang Jianying and Albert and said solemnly, "Before letting the Mastiff Godfather try it, I'd like to thank your Pokémon partners. They protected me today and used up a lot of energy. If you don't mind—"

Zhang Jianying glanced at the Pokémon beside him, who were already itching to get going, and smiled helplessly.

He took several sandwiches and handed one to Gardevoir first.

Gardevoir gracefully used its psychic powers to lift the food and put it into its mouth.

It closed its eyes, savoring the moment. After a while, it reopened its eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in its crimson pupils.

The telepathic connection brought a pleasant feeling, and Gardevoir said that it was not only delicious, but also had a gentle and pure energy that quickly soothed the mental fatigue brought on by the battle, and even the speed at which her psychic abilities recovered was significantly faster.

"Genga!"

Gengar had already floated over impatiently, watching eagerly.

Zhang Jianying smiled and handed her a piece.

Gengar grabbed it and stuffed it into its mouth. Its round body froze instantly, then its eyes widened and its face showed an extremely exaggerated, blissful expression, as if it had ascended to heaven.

With its short paws covering its chubby face, it happily spun around in the air, letting out a muffled, strange laugh. Clearly, the double impact of deliciousness and energy made it extremely happy.

The tortoise also received a piece. Because of its size and eating habits, Zhang Jianying personally placed the sandwich in front of it.

The earth turtle savored its food slowly, its eyes slightly narrowed, emitting a comfortable growl, and the trees on its back seemed to become even greener.

Shuttle poked its head out of its shell, looking around curiously, and Torterra gently nudged it with its nose. The two turtle Pokémon huddled together, quietly sharing their food, creating a heartwarming scene.

Although the baby dragon had just finished detoxifying and was still a little listless, it came over when it smelled the aroma.

It took small bites of its own portion, and the weakness caused by the poisoning seemed to have dissipated considerably. Its eyes regained their brightness, and after finishing, it licked its paws with lingering satisfaction, looking at the little penguin who was still happily eating its sandwich.

The little penguin froze, looked at its own portion, and then reluctantly broke off half and handed it to the baby dragon.

The baby dragon paused for a moment, then awkwardly turned its head, waving its claws to indicate that the little penguin should eat by itself. The little penguin didn't refuse anymore and happily continued eating.

Meanwhile, the two Pokémon known for their majesty and composure, Samurai and Albert's Electabuzz, initially tried to maintain their composure, eating in small, reserved bites.

But the moment the sandwich entered his mouth, Raiden's ears stood up straight and his tail began to wag uncontrollably.

Although the Greatsword Demon remained expressionless, his chewing movements noticeably quickened, his eyes gleamed slightly, and after finishing, he glanced discreetly at the remaining piece on the cooking plate.

Albert and Zhang Jianying watched from the side, trying hard to keep their faces straight, but their shoulders couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Seeing the Pokémon's reactions, Piper finally showed a genuinely relaxed smile.

The smile softened the gloom that lingered between his brows, making him look more like a young man of his age.

He picked up the last sandwich, which also looked the most substantial, took a deep breath, and released the Poké Ball.

A flash of light, and the Mastiff Godfather appeared on the sand.

It was still weak, and although the bandages on its body were clean, it was clear that its injuries had not healed.

The Mastiff Godfather tried to get up but failed. He looked around warily and then obediently leaned towards Pipa.

"Hey buddy, try this."

Piper's voice was incredibly gentle. He knelt down and fed the Mastiff godfather the sandwich little by little.

The mastiff godfather was quickly attracted by the aroma of the food and began to eat carefully.

What happened next made all three of them hold their breath.

On the body of the Mastiff Godfather, especially in the injured areas, extremely faint, luminous green spots, the same as those of the sour sauce, began to appear.

Its initially heavy breathing gradually became steady and powerful, and the tired expression on its face faded at a visible speed.

The Mastiff Godfather tried to stand up again. Although it was still trembling a bit, it really stood up and even tried to take a small step forward!

"Great! It really works! It really works!"

Piper's voice choked with sobs. He could no longer hold back and hugged the mastiff godfather's neck, burying his face in its thick fur, his shoulders trembling slightly.

The Mastiff Godfather lowered his head meekly, gently nuzzling the boy's hair with his nose, and making a comforting whimper in his throat.

After a long while, Pipa calmed down, raised her head, her eyes were still a little red, but the light in them was brighter than ever before.

He looked at Zhang Jianying and Albert, who were applauding and blessing them, and began to tell his story.

"The Mastiff Godfather—he's been my companion since I was old enough to understand. My parents were scholars who studied the Padia Crater and Paradox Pokémon, and they lost contact with me a few years ago after an in-depth expedition."

Piper's voice was calm, but his grip on the Mastiff Godfather's collar tightened slightly. "I don't believe they just disappeared like that. Six months ago, I sneaked into their sealed-off research lab and found their research notes and two copies of an ancient book called 'The Book of Crimson/Purple'."

"The notes mentioned secret seasonings, and ancient books recorded some of their miraculous effects. At the time, I just thought they were legends. Until—"

Piper's voice lowered. "Until two months ago, I ventured deep into Sector Zero of the Padia Crater, searching for clues left by my parents. We encountered a Paradoxical Pokémon we'd never seen before, one that was incredibly aggressive. Godfather Mastiff was hit head-on by its attack while protecting me."

"Miss Joey did her best, but she could only temporarily stabilize the injury; she couldn't cure it completely. The energy in the wound is strange; it's constantly eroding the Godfather's life force."

Piper stroked the Mastiff Godfather's head. "Just when I was almost in despair, I remembered that book. I tried it with the trace amount of sweetener left in the lab—the wound really stopped getting worse. So, I dropped out of school and started searching for all the secret seasonings based on the clues in the book. I will definitely heal it."

After listening, Albert remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly. "I understand that feeling."

He patted the Electamon beside him. "A few years ago, during a mission to hunt down a cross-regional smuggling ring, Electamon was critically injured and on the verge of death while taking a malicious shot aimed at trainers for me. That period was indeed very difficult."

He looked at Pipa with approval in his eyes: "You are brave and responsible. It's remarkable that you would do this for your partner."

Piper lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly, then looked up again, her eyes filled with expectation: "Um, Mr. Albert, Mr. Zhang, I know you have a mission, but if I go looking for other seasonings later, could I—could I ask for your help again? I know it's presumptuous, but I really—"

Albert smiled. "As long as there are no urgent mission conflicts, I can provide some information and assistance to the best of my ability while I'm stationed in Padia. After all, protecting the legitimate rights of trainers and Pokémon, and combating poaching and illegal activities, is also our duty. You did help us thwart the criminal gang's operations today."

Piper's eyes lit up even more, and then he looked at Zhang Jianying, "Then Mr. Zhang—"

"He is a Sinnoh trainer who was invited by one of our seniors to temporarily assist with this case."

Albert explained, "I won't stay in Padia for long."

Zhang Jianying nodded and said to Pipa, "Although I can't accompany you on your search forever, you can ask me if you need any advice on battling or Pokémon breeding."

He thought for a moment, took out a notebook from his backpack, quickly wrote down a recipe, tore it off, and handed it to Pipa. "This is a recipe for Energy Cubes that I improved myself. The ingredients are relatively common, it's easy to make, and it's quite effective at restoring Pokémon's stamina and relieving hidden injuries. You can give it a try."

Pipa treasured it and carefully put it away.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

He looked at Zhang Jianying earnestly, "When you finish your journey in Sinnoh, if you come to Padia again, please be sure to tell me!"

"When the time comes, I'll definitely use all the secret seasonings I've collected to make the most delicious meal for your Pokémon!"

"Okay, it's a deal."

Zhang Jianying smiled and agreed.

At this point, Interpol officers came over to report that the scene had been basically cleared and the prisoners and evidence would be transported back to the branch.

Pipa also packed his things. Although the Mastiff Godfather still couldn't walk around for long periods of time, his spirits had improved considerably.

He decided to return to the college first and try to contact reliable friends, such as the supposedly very capable student council president, to help prepare for the upcoming journey.

After exchanging contact information, Pipa, along with the Mastiff Godfather, left the Honghong Desert with the help of Interpol.

After seeing them off, Zhang Jianying and Albert boarded a transport plane back to Niangguang City.

Inside the safe house, night had fallen.

After a brief rest, Albert turned on his encrypted communication device and joined an internal Interpol meeting.

The light screen lit up, and it was still that processed, synthesized electronic voice, making it impossible to discern gender or age.

"Thank you both for your hard work. The operation report for the 'Red Desert' operation has been preliminarily reviewed. This operation has yielded significant results."

"While Hunter J's intervention was unexpected, she paid a heavy price this time, and her cooperation with local poaching gangs was exposed, which will greatly limit her ability to move in the short term."

The electronic voice paused for a moment: "Based on the initial interrogation of the captured ringleader, Hunter J played the roles of both 'technology supplier' and 'acceptance officer' in this matter."

"She provided and improved the core technology of that trapping device, and her main purpose in coming here is to test the device's effectiveness in actually capturing rare Pokémon."

"As for her deeper motives, and why she was interested in rare ingredients like 'secret seasonings,' these lower-ranking members were unaware. However, they provided some potentially relevant scattered information: recently, there has been an increase in sightings and rumors throughout Padia about 'guardian Pokémon' or 'strange phenomena' associated with ancient legends."

Several blurry photos and text records switched on the screen, pointing to a mountainous area in northeastern Parthia that faces the mainland across the sea—Kita-kho.

"The headquarters archives contain scattered records of ghost stories about Kitakami Township, but no systematic investigation has ever been conducted. It is currently impossible to confirm whether this is a special Ghost-type Pokémon activity, a regional ecological phenomenon, or some other unknown situation."

"This intelligence is now being shared with you, and investigation access to the Kitakami Township area is being granted. This is a non-mandatory mission; you may decide whether to proceed based on your own circumstances and the overall arrangements of the Patia branch."

"The main objectives are: to verify the authenticity of the legends, to confirm the existence of unknown or protected Pokémon populations, and to collect basic ecological data for the League database."

Looking at the description of "ghost legends" on the screen, Zhang Jianying understood.

Oh, the ominous gate.

He was indeed somewhat interested in that young widow who wore a mask and feared loneliness.

"Understood," Albert replied. "We will assess the situation and provide a response soon."

"Very good. This task has been rated excellent, and the relevant rewards and contribution points have been recorded. We look forward to your future performance. Call ended."

The light curtain went dark.

Albert looked at Zhang Jianying: "How about Beishang Township? Interested in going to take a look? It's a nice break from missions. Besides, there are ancient legends and ghost stories. Sometimes, behind these seemingly absurd clues, there might be something unexpected."

Zhang Jianying nodded, recalling the so-called "Three Treasures Companion" whom he had repeatedly tormented in the original story.

"Since we're already here, of course we have to go and take a look."

He made a little joke, "I'm also quite curious, what do the ghosts of Parthia look like?"