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

Chapter 90 Legend of Beishang Township

When the morning light streamed through the windows of the safe house again, Zhang Jianying and Albert had already packed their simple belongings.

"There is no fixed route to Beishang Township. We need to take a train to the port on the east coast first, and then transfer to a regular ferry."

Albert marked the route on the electronic map. "It will take about half a day in total. I heard that it still retains a very traditional atmosphere, and it's a completely different world from Niangguang City."

Zhang Jianying nodded, stuffed the last few outdoor supplies into his backpack, and tossed them into Gengar's shadow space.

Babydra seemed excited about the upcoming trip, running around the living room with its Everstone in its arms, before Gardevoir gently pressed it down with its psychic powers.

The increasingly plump Gengar leaned back on the sofa, eating snacks and drinking cola, occasionally pulling an Energy Cube from its shadow and smacking its lips contentedly.

Zhang Jianying's eyelids twitched as he looked at the increasingly chubby Gui Gui. If this continues, you're probably never going to be able to fly again.

He snatched the snack from Gengar and pressed it down hard with one hand. "Eat, eat, eat! You're getting so fat!"

"Giggle~ Gurgle~"

Gengar, completely ignoring the lousy trainer who couldn't even grasp its thick neck, mischievously sank into the shadows, waving its little arms as if it were drowning.

A giant swordsman carrying a penguin and a shudder passed by, glancing at the trainer with a disdainful snort.

You keep telling it not to eat, but why don't you take the energy cubes out of its shadow? What's the point of putting it in the shadow? It's like throwing Rattata into the granary.

Albert, carrying his luggage, looked helplessly at the messy safe house and the earth tortoise quietly photosynthesizing next to it.

He smiled and thought, "It's nice to have such a lively atmosphere."

The journey was peaceful.

Outside the train window, the scenery of Padiya gradually changed from modern cities to rolling hills and farmland, finally coming to a stop against the azure backdrop of the east coast.

The ferry was an old double-decker passenger ship, carrying a few passengers and cargo, slowly sailing toward the dark blue-green mountain shadow on the northeastern horizon.

Zhang Jianying leaned against the ship's railing, watching Beishang Township get closer and closer.

It was a valley surrounded by verdant mountains, where the rooftops of traditional Japanese buildings could be vaguely seen, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, creating a scene as tranquil as an ancient ukiyo-e painting.

"A feeling of being isolated from the world."

Albert walked over to him, adjusted his glasses, and said, "Places like these often give birth to unique legends—and are also the easiest places to hide secrets."

Zhang Jianying nodded, neither confirming nor denying.

At noon, the ferry docked.

The pier in Beishang Township is small, with a wooden boardwalk extending into the clear seawater.

A middle-aged man dressed simply and with a kind face was already waiting at the dock, holding a sign that read "Beishang Township Ecological Management Station" in front of his chest.

"Welcome to Beishang Township! I'm the local administrator, Mao."

He warmly stepped forward and shook hands. "According to the plan we discussed with the travel agency, you two are here to investigate—well, to record the local ecology and legends, right? Please come with me and settle in at the management station first. I'll tell you about the unique features of this place."

"9

The management station is a traditional wooden structure located on the edge of the village, backed by lush mountains and forests.

The interior was clean and had a faint smell of wood and paper.

Mao served them a local herbal tea, then rubbed his hands together, a mixture of pride and mystery on his face.

"Speaking of the unique features of our Beishang Township, the most famous thing is its ghost and monster legends!"

Mao lowered his voice, as if recounting some incredible secret, "Legend has it that a long, long time ago, on the mountain behind the village, which we called Ghost Mountain—lived a very terrifying ghost."

"It usually lives in the mountains, occasionally scaring away people who come in to chop wood or gather herbs. But thanks to its three brave companions," our village has been safe and sound.

"A precious companion?"

Albert, at the opportune moment, showed a curious expression and took out his notebook.

"Yes, yes, that's right, it's the dog that's awesome, the monkey that's adorable, and the pheasant that's lucky!"

Mao's eyes gleamed. "Legend has it that back then, a ghost suddenly went mad and came down from the mountain for some unknown reason, causing panic among the villagers."

Just then, three Pokémon heroes happened to pass by. They risked their lives and finally drove the ghost back into the mountains! Unfortunately, the three heroes also died from exhaustion—”

"To commemorate them, the villagers respectfully call them 'precious companions,' gave them a grand burial, and erected statues to worship them for generations. Our village's 'covering-the-face' memorial ceremony is dedicated to these three!"

Zhang Jianying silently sipped his tea, his fingertips gently tracing the rim of the cup.

Praise the dog, may the monkey increase, and may the pheasant be auspicious.

It's a standard configuration derived from the Momotaro story.

In my memory, these three were not heroic figures who sacrificed themselves, but greedy thieves and murderers.

He lowered his eyes, concealing the fleeting coldness in them.

Mao continued enthusiastically, "There are detailed informational signs about this legend in three places in the village: Baoban Square, Beishang Center, and Letu Wasteland. I suggest you two start at Baoban Square and walk through the exhibits in order to get a complete understanding of the legend!"

After thanking the administrator Mao, the two decided to go to Baoban Plaza while it was still early.

The square is located in the center of the village and is paved with bluestone slabs. In the center is a circular stone altar.

On the altar, three stone sculptures are lifelike.

The proud dog with its head held high and wearing a collar, the arrogant monkey with its arms crossed, and the magnificent pheasant with its tail feathers swooping and howling.

There are fresh offerings and unburnt incense sticks in front of the statue, indicating that it is still worshipped by the villagers.

On one side of the altar stands an ancient wooden plaque, on which the legend is recorded in neat handwriting.

Albert stepped forward and carefully copied the text into his notebook: "Legend has it that long, long ago, in Kitakami Village, there lived a terrifying demon who dwelled in the mountains behind the village, frightening anyone who entered. One day, the demon unleashed a furious rage and suddenly descended the mountain, plunging the villagers into panic. At that moment, Gouzan, Ape, and Jiji happened to be in the village. The three Pokémon risked their lives and finally drove the demon back into the mountains. The villagers affectionately called these brave creatures Poban," and gave their remains a proper burial, erecting a statue of Poban on their remains."

After finishing copying, Albert closed the notebook and looked at Zhang Jianying, who was standing quietly to the side.

He was looking up at the three statues, his face expressionless, but his eyes were so deep that they were unfathomable.

"What's wrong?" Albert asked. "Are you moved by their selfless act of saving the village?"

Zhang Jianying withdrew his gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I'm not particularly moved. It's just that I might be a sucker for good looks. Don't you think these three have rather unique appearances? They don't quite fit the typical righteous protagonist look of a traditional story."

"Shana?"

Gardevoir, floating beside her, tilted its head slightly, a hint of doubt appearing in its crimson eyes.

Through telepathy, Gardevoir clearly sensed that what was surging in the trainer's heart was not a critical eye for appearance, but a cold emotion of inexplicable disdain.

It knew perfectly well that its trainer never judged Pokémon by their appearance and always treated all Pokémon equally.

Albert paused for a moment, then stroked his chin and chuckled, "Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit like that. That bared dog's teeth, that ape's eyes... tsk, they do look a bit like troublemakers."

He smiled and shook his head, but the smile quickly faded, and his gaze behind his glasses returned to the information plaque, his brows furrowing slightly. "However, putting appearances aside, the legend itself, upon closer examination, has some aspects that don't hold up to scrutiny."

"Oh?" Zhang Jianying looked at him.

"Look."

Albert pointed to the text he had just copied down.

"According to legend, ghosts usually only frighten people who come into the mountains. This shows that although they have power, they do not show any active or strong aggression. It is more like a behavior of marking territory and warning outsiders."

Albert drew a picture in his notebook and continued, "Then why did it suddenly fly into a rage, descend the mountain, and plunge the villagers into panic? What was its motive? There's no record of it. And why did the three Pokémon that happened to be passing by risk their lives to defeat a ghost that could terrify the entire village?"

"The details of the events are vague. After the victory, the ghost was simply driven back into the mountains," while the three heroes died from exhaustion? The ratio of cost to gain is somewhat subtle."

Zhang Jianying looked somewhat surprised.

As expected of an Interpol agent, they can quickly spot logical flaws even in seemingly absurd rural legends.

He nodded. "Indeed. And the phrase 'just happened to be in the village' is itself full of coincidence."

"It seems that this trip to Beishang Township will not be just a simple record of folk customs."

Albert adjusted his glasses, a curious glint in his eyes. "Let's go check out the next location. I'm becoming increasingly interested in this ghost."

The two found a "motorcycle lizard rental shop" on the edge of the village.

Several docile motor lizards were dozing in the shade. When they saw someone coming, two of them immediately stood up and came over, shaking their heads.

The procedures for renting a residence permit are simple.

Zhang Jianying and Albert each rode a Motolizard, a Pokémon that ran smoothly and swiftly, carrying them along the mountain road until they soon arrived at the North Shore Center, where the second information plaque was located.

This is a relatively open sloping area that overlooks the rooftops of most of the village.

The information sign stood by the roadside, its content more detailed than the first one: "Legend has it that the demon possesses four glittering, magical masks, and the terrifying power the demon wields comes from these masks:"

• Wearing the red mask can cause the surrounding area to ignite violently. • Wearing the blue mask can stop flowing rivers. • Wearing the gray mask can easily shatter hard rocks. • Wearing the green mask can cause vegetation to grow lushly. The Hoban-kun stole three masks before collapsing, thus completely sealing the demon's power.

"Four masks—only three were taken?"

After Albert finished copying, his brow furrowed even more. "Where is the fourth mask? Was it taken by the demon, or is it lost? If the demon's power comes entirely from the masks, its power should have been greatly reduced after three were taken away, so why did the companions still fall? And, 'complete seal'—if one mask is still out there, is the seal truly intact?"

A series of questions were thrown out, showing that his mind was racing.

Zhang Jianying didn't answer, but took out some homemade energy cubes from his backpack and fed them to the two motorcycle lizards that had been running all the way and were slightly out of breath.

The motorcycle lizard chewed happily, making comfortable purring sounds, and affectionately rubbed its big head against his palm, its fatigue gone and it seemed more energetic.

"It seems the answer might lie in the last information plaque, or in the place where the demon is sealed."

Zhang Jianying patted the motorcycle lizard's neck, climbed onto it, and said, "Let's go to Paradise Wasteland. It's still early."

Paradise Wasteland is located on the southwest side of Ghost Mountain. It is a relatively flat area with exposed rocks and sparse vegetation.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the place a golden red, exuding a sense of desolation and loneliness.

The third information plaque stood alone amidst a patch of gravel. The two approached and examined the information: "The demon was defeated by the Treasure Companions, but to prevent it from reviving and harming the village again, the villagers erected a barrier in the Paradise Wasteland to seal its power forever. Legend has it that if anyone approaches the sealed area, they will see the demon's phantom, so the villagers warn everyone not to go near this area."

"Barrier - Sealed Land".

Albert looked around. "It seems the legendary ghost is sealed in this area. Could those 'phantoms' the poachers spoke of be signs that the seal is weakening?"

Zhang Jianying gazed at the ghost mountain in the distance, its silhouette growing ever more profound in the twilight, and calmly said, "Since we're already here, and we happen to be near the barrier area, why not take a look? See what this sealed ghost is like. Perhaps we can even find clues to the missing fourth mask."

This suggestion was exactly what Albert wanted to hear.

His curiosity had been fully piqued.

"Alright! We'll camp around here tonight. We'll explore this area thoroughly tomorrow."

Instead of returning to the village, the two chose to camp in a flat, sheltered open space at the foot of Ghost Mountain.

Zhang Jianying then took out some energy cubes to thank the two motorcycle lizards, patted them, and indicated that they could return to the rental shop on their own.

The two motor lizards nuzzled the two of them affectionately before wagging their tails and trotting away along the way they had come.

The tent was quickly set up, the portable stove was lit, and the aroma of a simple dinner filled the air.

Albert sat on a folding stool at the tent entrance, quickly typing in the three legendary texts he had collected that day, along with his initial analysis and questions, into his open laptop.

The sound of keyboard typing was exceptionally clear in the silent wilderness.

Zhang Jianying leaned back next to Torterra, opened her Pokédex, and sent the photos and brief descriptions of the three information plaques she had taken that day to Cynthia, who was far away in Sinnoh.

Not long after, the encyclopedia vibrated slightly, indicating "read".

A moment later, a Garchomp avatar replied: "Interesting legend. How's the quest going? What's the scenery like in Kitakami Township?"

Zhang Jianying smiled and replied, "Mission successful. The legend is strange, we're investigating. The scenery—it's haunted, does that count as a tourist attraction?"

Click send.

He put away the illustrated guide and looked at the shadow of Ghost Mountain, which had completely sunk into darkness in the distance.

The mountain wind blew across the wilderness, making a low whimper, as if something was really lingering in an unseen place.

Unbeknownst to the group, behind a protruding rock halfway up Ghost Mountain, a pair of eyes were gazing intently at the campsite below, which radiated a warm glow.

It was a small figure.

It sat with its knees drawn up to its chest on the cold rock, a huge leaf on its head, and a green mask with a smiling face carved on it tightly in its arms.

The mask was its only treasure, the last memento left to it by that man.

The scene at the camp stirred a ripple in its heart, which had been frozen for too long.

Although the campsite looked messy, it was also so lively and warm.

The orange flames flickered, illuminating the figures of two humans busily working or conversing, while several Pokémon of various shapes played and rested nearby.

A sense of life, once so familiar yet now as distant as a dream, drifted up on the wind.

The floodgates of memory were pried open by this familiar yet unfamiliar warm feeling, and it overwhelmed me like a surging tide.

Many years ago, it also had such a "home".

It's small, even somewhat rudimentary, nestled deep in the mountains and forests.

It was a human who looked very different from the villagers at the foot of the mountain. He carried it across the ocean to this remote place.

Because of their physical differences, they were not accepted by the village and even faced discrimination and exclusion.

The human never complained; he simply lived in seclusion here with it, using his skillful hands to build a wooden house and cultivate a small vegetable garden.

The only friendly carpenter in the village made them several masks.

The red mask makes the fire burn brighter, bringing warmth on cold nights; the blue mask calms the stream temporarily, making it easier to fetch water; the gray mask easily cracks open hard tree fruits; the green mask brings life to the small garden in front of the house.

That was its happiest time.

Although it was just the two of them, and they were far from the crowd, every day was filled with simple laughter and contentment.

Until the day of that festival—

The sounds of lively drumming and laughter came from the foot of the mountain. Unable to contain its curiosity, it tugged at the human's clothes, its eyes full of longing.

The man patted its head, smiled indulgently, and agreed.

Overjoyed, it secretly slipped down the mountain and mingled at the edge of the crowd, watching the lively scene it had never seen before, and danced with joy.

Halfway up the mountain, the small figure, lost in thought, suddenly began to breathe rapidly. It clenched its fists, its heart filled with regret.

Images continued to flash through my mind.

Just as it was immersed in the festival atmosphere.

Three greedy and despicable thieves sneaked into the mountain cabin while it was out.

They were drawn to the four exquisite masks and wanted to possess them.

The man fought desperately to protect his favorite grass mask, but was mercilessly attacked by the three thieves and suffered fatal injuries.

When it returned to the mountains, satisfied, imagining how to describe the splendor of the festival to him, it found instead a man lying in a pool of blood, barely breathing, and a hut in ruins.

With his last ounce of strength, he placed the blood-stained green mask into its hand, gave it a smile as gentle as ever, yet filled with reluctance and apology, and then closed his eyes forever.

The mask's cold touch pulled it back to reality from its cruel memories, and the small figure silently put on the mask.

Two rows of glistening water droplets silently slid down the green mask etched with the curve of a smiling face.

It raised its little hand and gently wiped away the water stains through the mask.

Why do we need to go out?

If we don't go out, will it not happen?

If I had been there at the time—could I have protected him?

Countless "what ifs" and regrets, like poisonous vines, have entwined its heart day and night for hundreds of years.

It hugged the mask tightly, burying its face deep inside.

The smile on the green mask remained unchanged, yet it seemed to mock its loneliness and helplessness.

Down the mountain, the campfire flickered gently in the night, like a distant, warm star.

But that warmth doesn't belong to it.

It was just a lonely ghost wearing a smiling mask.