I'm live-streaming Pokémon science popularization on New World.

The next morning, while a thin mist still lingered in the forest, Lin Dao and Li Hao had already gotten up to make preparations.

The serpentine bear seemed to sense their impending departure, having curled up beside Li Hao's sleeping bag all night, and now gazed at him with its round eyes, reluctant to leave.

"Just one day," Li Hao squatted down and stroked the snake-striped bear's head, "I'll come back as soon as I buy the things and bring you something delicious."

They made simple disguises. Lin Dao changed into the last relatively clean hoodie in Li Hao's backpack, pulled up the hood to cover most of his face, and also wrapped his skin, which hadn't been tanned, tightly with the clothes. Li Hao also changed into an inconspicuous gray jacket.

Last night, an announcement was posted in the live stream room that the broadcast would be suspended for one day. Lin Dao does not plan to broadcast the process of entering the city, as that may cause unnecessary attention and confusion.

After packing up, before leaving, Lin Dao carefully instructed the Growlithe and Kangaskhan: "We'll be back by evening at the latest. The campsite is in your hands. If there's any danger, prioritize evacuating to the cave to the east. Safety first."

Growlithe nodded seriously, and Kangaskhan growled to indicate that it understood, pulling the little Kangaskhan closer to its side.

Pichu seemed to understand but not quite, but knowing that Lin Dao was leaving, it rubbed against his trouser leg reluctantly, and was gently patted on the head by Lin Dao to comfort it.

"Let's go," Lin Dao said softly.

As dawn broke, the two embarked on their journey back to the city.

Following the stream and faintly discernible path they remembered, they approached the edge of the city faster than expected.

When the familiar, half-hidden road entrance came into view, Li Hao exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? The roadblocks... are gone?"

A few days ago, when he risked leaving the city, there were still simple metal roadblocks and warning signs, and even traces of temporary guard posts.

Now it is empty, with only the mud recently compacted by wheels showing signs of passage.

Lin Dao's gaze swept over several inconspicuous corners at the intersection, where the reflections of hidden cameras could be seen.

He said in a low voice, "We've been streaming for so many days, and although the content may have been throttled, it has never been banned or interrupted."

"This suggests that at least one force is tacitly approving of, or even observing, us. Removing the roadblocks now might signify some kind of... softening of stance."

"That makes sense." Li Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "But Brother Lin, what if they check IDs when we enter the city... what about your situation..."

He was somewhat worried, after all, Lin Dao was an "unregistered resident".

"Don't worry." Lin Dao gave him a reassuring look. "I'm prepared."

In fact, when Lin Dao tried to get the Arceus mobile phone system to "generate" identity information last night, he unexpectedly discovered that there was an extra queryable module in the system.

After he entered his name and basic characteristics, he was connected to the world's citizen information database, which contained an ID card file registered under his name, with a photo that matched his appearance, complete information, and even records of his recent activities.

The file was created exactly three days ago.

Lin Dao knew perfectly well what this meant.

But he didn't say it out loud; he just felt more confident about getting into the city.

The two walked toward the city checkpoint.

There were two police officers on duty there, equipped with better gear than usual. In addition to regular police equipment, they also carried some special equipment for "abnormal creatures" on their waists, such as net guns and high-voltage stun guns.

"Please show your ID," a young policeman said routinely, but his eyes lingered on Lin Dao for a few seconds longer.

Li Hao nervously handed over his ID card. The police officer swiped it on his handheld terminal, and the screen lit up green.

It was Lin Dao's turn. He calmly took out his phone from his pocket and displayed the QR code.

The police scanned the screen with their terminal, and the following information appeared:

[Name: Lin Dao]

Gender: Male

Age: 24

[Registered Residence: Jinjiang District, Chengdu City (formerly)]

[Identity Status: Survivor (Original place of residence cannot be confirmed due to the disaster)]

[Note: Biometric verification has been completed]

The police officer glanced at Lin Dao, then looked at the photos on the screen for comparison, and finally nodded: "It's okay, please come in."

"A rationing system for supplies has been implemented in the city recently. If you need to purchase bulk goods, please go to the designated supermarkets to complete the procedures."

"Thank you." Lin Dao put away his phone and calmly walked through the checkpoint.

The scene of Chengdu unfolds before my eyes.

Unlike the desolate city Lin Dao had imagined after the disaster, Chengdu was orderly despite the tense atmosphere.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street, but they were all in a hurry. Most of the shops were open, but signs saying "limited purchase" or "rationed" were posted at the entrances. Official announcements and safety tips were being displayed on public screens.

The most striking change is in the city. Many buildings have been fitted with protective netting, windows have been replaced with reinforced glass, evacuation signs and emergency supply points have been added along the streets, parks and green belts have been transformed into temporary planting areas for fast-growing vegetables, and occasionally you can see patrolling squads of armed police with noticeably upgraded equipment.

But the sense of technology is definitely stronger than that of the original world of Lindaoyuan.

Small drones occasionally fly overhead, carrying out patrol or delivery tasks. Some self-service terminals on street corners are lit up, providing information services. You can even see a few sleek, silent new energy vehicles.

"As expected of the ordinary human world within the Pokémon universe," Lin Dao murmured to himself.

This world seems to have taken different branches on the technology tree, especially in the areas of energy and materials.

Li Hao hailed a new energy ride-hailing car.

The vehicle arrived quickly, driverless, but remote customer service confirmed the destination.

After the two got into the car, it started smoothly and headed towards Li Hao's house.

On the bus, Li Hao finally had a chance to call home.

He hasn't dared to contact his family while he's been in the wild these past few days, fearing both that his signal might reveal his location and cause trouble, and that he might hear bad news.

At that moment, his fingers trembled as he dialed his mother's number.

The call was answered almost immediately.

"Hey? Mom! It's me, Xiao Hao!" Li Hao's voice was choked with emotion. "I'm okay, I'm fine... Yes, I'm with Brother Lin... We're on our way home... um, about half an hour... Okay, okay, I'll be right there!"

After hanging up the phone, Li Hao let out a long sigh of relief, but his eyes were red: "Brother Lin, my mom's voice sounds stronger than before... She was very weak when she answered the phone before..."

Lin Dao patted him on the shoulder: "Good thing. This means the situation is improving."

The vehicle drove through half the city and finally stopped in front of an old-fashioned residential area.

The building here is quite old, but it's well-maintained. The walls have been newly coated with a protective layer, and the unit doors have been replaced with a more robust model.

Three figures were already waiting at the entrance of the residential compound.

A middle-aged couple; the husband was stocky and dressed in simple work clothes, his face bearing the marks of long-term hard work, but his eyes were resolute.

His wife was thin and pale, being supported by a young woman, but her eyes lit up the moment she saw Li Hao.

The young woman was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, dressed in a simple shirt and trousers, with no makeup, but with delicate features and a calm demeanor. She was speaking softly to the middle-aged woman.