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Lin Dao stood behind a thicket of honeysuckle, quietly observing the girl in the center of the clearing through the gaps in the branches and leaves.

Safety officer Xiao Wang has quickly retrieved and displayed Zhao Yan's basic information using his personal device.

The information is concise, yet it paints a picture of a resilient soul who struggles to survive amidst the changing times, still grasping at the glimmer of light and striving upwards.

Left-behind children in remote towns, whose parents divorced and remarried when they were a little older, were raised by their grandmothers in the countryside from a young age; despite the lack of educational resources, they did not give up on learning; as adults, they shoulder the burden of life with their young shoulders; their only close relative, their grandmother, passed away before Pokémon arrived; after their hometown was merged and relocated, they lived alone in the resettlement area...

After passing the first batch of trainer assessments, she used up all her meager savings to come to Chengdu.

After purchasing the most basic equipment (a Green Poké Ball and several bottles of healing spray containing medicine), and setting aside the most basic living and transportation expenses, I exchanged all the remaining money for the most common energy cubes.

This is her second and final attempt this year to enter the expensive Pokémon Contact Zone to try and catch a Pokémon.

Last time, she failed to get close to the popular "Domineering Panda Contact Zone."

The documents were cold, but the girl's actions were warm.

Lin Dao had noticed her before.

In the relatively bustling outer area of ​​the park, she didn't rush to chase after those cute or powerful Pokémon like some newcomers, nor did she gather in the crowd to chatter.

She always walked alone, slowly, observing carefully.

When she encounters a Pokémon that interests her, such as a Tailback dozing under a tree, she will first keep a distance of three or four meters, gently place down one or two Energy Cubes, then step back two steps and speak gently in a soft but clear voice.

"Hello, Wei Li. My name is Zhao Yan, and I'm a rookie trainer. I really like your quiet demeanor. If you'd like, we can try to become partners and grow together. If you're not interested, that's okay too; these snacks are for you."

If rejected (usually when Tail takes the energy cube, glances at her, and then runs away or continues sleeping), she will politely bow slightly, say "Excuse me," and then carefully pick up the wrapper (if the other person didn't take the wrapper along with it), and leave quietly without ever bothering her or showing any frustration or complaint.

Know how to maintain distance, show respect, clearly express your intentions, and accept the outcome with equanimity.

His posture was neither humble nor arrogant, and his eyes were clear and focused.

"Interesting," Lin Dao thought to himself.

Seeing that the bear cub had chosen her, he became even more focused.

In the center of the open space, the bear cub had stopped and turned around to face Zhao Yan, who had followed him.

It no longer acted as a guide, but stood on its hind legs, patted its furry chest with its little paws, and stared at Zhao Yan with a clear sense of challenge in its round eyes—it was demanding a fight and seeking recognition through its strength.

Zhao Yan stopped in her tracks.

She bit her lower lip, a subtle gesture that revealed her inner struggle.

The newcomer's handbook and the pre-entry safety training repeatedly emphasized the following clauses, highlighted in bold: Unprotected battles with wild Pokémon are strictly prohibited! Human trainers must never personally participate in or command a battle involving a Pokémon that is directed against them without the protection of a Pokémon partner!

The truth is simple, yet cruel.

Even the most basic impact or scratch can cause serious injury to an untrained human body.

This isn't a game; it's reality.

Just as she was struggling with whether she should follow safety procedures, give up this opportunity, and politely take her leave—

The trouser leg was gently pulled.

She looked down and saw a mushroom that had somehow appeared beside her.

It looked up at her with its round little face covered in two spots, then stretched out a small umbrella-like "hand" and pointed to the bear cub opposite it, which was getting a little impatient and had started scratching the ground with its little paws. Then it patted its own little chest.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: it can help.

Zhao Yan's eyes lit up instantly, but she quickly calmed down.

She didn't agree hastily, but instead squatted down, looked at Mushroom at eye level, and thanked her very earnestly.

"Thank you, Mushroom. But... this battle might be dangerous, I might get hurt. Are you really willing to help me? Even if we might lose?"

Mushroom nodded vigorously, her eyes showing no hesitation, but rather a fighting spirit eager to try.

Zhao Yan took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind.

Instead of giving immediate instructions, she quickly pulled a hard-cover notebook from the faded canvas bag.

The corners of the notebook are worn, revealing the cardboard inside, but it has been carefully preserved.

Lin Dao could see clearly that the notebook was filled with Pokédex information, type advantages and disadvantages, common moves, and even her own simple tactical analysis, all written in neat handwriting.

She turned to the page with the mushroom, compared it to the actual object in front of her, and then began to confirm with the mushroom in a low, clear voice: "Mushroom, you know how to use paralysis powder, right?"

The mushroom nodded.

"What about... super absorption? Or a powerful ramming attack?"

Each time a question was asked, Mushroom would either nod or shake its head.

Soon, Zhao Yan had a better understanding of the situation.

She closed her notebook, took a deep breath, and chose a spot.

"Ready, little bear. Nice to meet you!"

Almost the instant she finished speaking, the bear cub moved!

The bear cub didn't give them much time to prepare. With a kick of its hind legs, its sharp claws gleamed, and it unleashed a flurry of claws, quickly pouncing on the mushroom.

Zhao Yan hurriedly shouted, "Mushroom, get out of the way!"

However, the cub's explosive power and speed still exceeded Zhao Yan's expectations.

Mushroom jumped to the left, but failed to completely avoid the claw attack.

With a "sizzle," several scratch marks were left on the mushroom's body.

Zhao Yan's heart tightened, and her nails dug into her palms unconsciously, but her face did not show any panic.

She forced herself to calmly analyze the situation: the cub bear had the advantage in speed and strength, so a direct confrontation would be disadvantageous. The mushroom's advantage lay in… control and surprise!

Seeing the bear cub pressing its advantage and continuing to pounce, she immediately changed her command: "Mushroom, aim at the ground in front of it and use Paralysis Powder!"

The mushroom reacted quickly, its small caps trembling, and a shimmering yellow powder quickly spilled out, covering the area in front of it.

The bear cub clearly didn't want to get involved in the troublesome powder, so it abruptly stopped its charge and jumped to the side.

"Great opportunity! Mushroom, now's your chance, use a ramming attack!"

Mushroom gathered its strength, took a few short strides, and crashed directly into the bear cub that had just landed and was not yet stable.

"Bang!" The cub was hit and rolled backward several times.

Zhao Yan's eyes sharpened as she seized this fleeting opportunity: "Now! Use the paralyzing powder to cover it!"

The mushrooms released powder again, this time in a more concentrated area.

The cub, which had just gotten up, was caught off guard and was hit squarely by the paralyzing powder. The powder stuck to its fur, and the cub's movements visibly slowed down.

"Final blow, mushroom, full-power ram!"

The mushroom mustered all its strength and charged forward again.

Just as the bear cub was about to dodge, a faint electric spark flashed across its body, clearly indicating that it had been paralyzed.

As a result, it was thrown solidly away, rolled several times on the ground, shook its head, and tried to get up, but the paralysis made its limbs unresponsive. Finally, it let out a reluctant "ow," panting heavily, and lay motionless on the ground.