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The battle is over.

Unlike some trainers, Zhao Yan did not immediately throw the Poké Ball out of excitement.

She first let out a long sigh of relief, then quickly took out a pair of faded work gloves from her bag and put them on, and then took out wet wipes and a bottle of wound medicine.

She first went to the bear cub and carefully wiped away the remaining paralyzing powder on its body with a wet wipe, her movements gentle, as if she were treating a baby.

Then, she sprayed medicine on the wounds on the cub's body, watched the wounds gradually heal, and said softly, "Sorry, cub, it won't hurt anymore soon."

After dealing with the bear cub, she immediately went to the mushroom and carefully wiped off the small amount of paralyzing powder that had gotten on its body before treating its scratches.

As she sprayed the ointment, she gently comforted the wound like she was soothing a child, saying, "Thank you, Mushroom, the pain will fly away, it won't hurt anymore soon."

After doing all this, she took out the remaining energy cubes from the side pocket of her canvas bag. They were of ordinary quality, but they were the best she could offer.

"Here you go, thank you for your hard work." She handed most of the portion to Mushroom and placed the smaller portion in front of Baby Bear.

The little bear didn't stand on ceremony; it quickly finished its portion and then stared longingly at the mushroom.

Mushroom hesitated for a moment, then gave it half.

After finishing its meal, the bear cub licked its paws with lingering satisfaction, then looked at Zhao Yan's empty hands, clearly still hungry.

Zhao Yan looked at it, spread her hands with a wry smile, her smile carrying apology and a hint of embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry, little bear... I, this is all I have left."

"Next time... if I have the chance to come again next time, I will definitely bring you more delicious food."

She finished cleaning up the trash and bowed to the two Pokémon: "Thank you for battling me and giving me such valuable experience."

"I'm leaving now, little bear. I hope you're happy every day and meet some great trainers. Mushroom, thank you too, goodbye."

After saying that, she turned around and prepared to return the way she came.

His steps remained steady, but to Lin Dao, his back view inexplicably conveyed a sense of fragility and loneliness.

Just then, the mushroom that had been quietly observing her suddenly jumped forward a few steps and gently tugged at Zhao Yan's trouser leg with its small cap.

As Zhao Yan looked down at it in confusion, Mushroom stretched out its "hand," first pointing to the bear cub beside it that was licking its paws and looking adorable, then looking at Zhao Yan and making a sound with a distinctly questioning tone: "Goo? Goo goo?"

Zhao Yan paused for a moment, then, after a moment's understanding, tentatively asked, "You mean... why did you defeat the bear cub but not try to tame it?"

The mushroom nodded vigorously.

Zhao Yan looked at the bear cub and answered very frankly, her voice not loud but exceptionally clear in the quiet forest: "The bear cub is very strong and very cute. But..."

She paused, her tone becoming somewhat helpless and serious, "It seems to have a large appetite. Energy cubes are probably just snacks for it."

"I don't have much money right now." She said this softly, but without avoiding the question.

"We may not be able to provide it with the food and resources to grow healthily."

"If it suffers from hunger or stunted growth because of me, that would be incredibly irresponsible."

She lowered her head slightly, her voice becoming even softer, as if talking to herself, or perhaps speaking to a shadow of the past.

"I don't want to...become that kind of irresponsible person. That...is not good."

Mushroom blinked its round eyes, as if it understood.

It pointed to itself again and continued making questioning sounds: "Goo-ooh? Goo-ooh?"

—Then why don't you ask me if I'd like to come with you? Don't you think I'm good enough for you?

Zhao Yan paused for a moment, then smiled somewhat embarrassedly, her smile clear: "Mushroom, you misunderstood. You're so skilled, you know how to cooperate with me in battle, and you're so kind and helpful..."

"It must be one of the staff members or researchers in the park's Pokémon, right? It came specifically to help me and test me, didn't it? Thank you so much for your help earlier."

She never considered the possibility that a wild Pokémon might choose her.

In her limited knowledge and imagination, such a smart and cooperative Pokémon must already have an owner.

"It doesn't belong to anyone's Pokémon."

A gentle, smiling male voice came from behind the bushes nearby.

"It was entirely due to his own efforts and the help of these enthusiastic friends," Lin Dao said, leading safety officer Xiao Wang out from behind the tree, while raising his voice slightly to those around him.

"Stop hiding, come out!"

As he spoke and called out, a number of Pokémon suddenly emerged from the bushes and behind the rocks—Pikachu, who couldn't contain its curiosity any longer (it jumped onto Lin Dao's shoulder), Growlithe, who followed closely behind, as well as Beradium and Kangaskhan, who had been playing nearby.

What surprised Zhao Yan even more was that several Paras and Oddish appeared around her, and even two Pidgeys landed on a tree branch not far away from the sky.

The bear cub that had just been "defeated" ran off to a large, robust circly bear that emerged from behind a larger thicket of trees, nuzzled it affectionately, and then turned back to make a face at Zhao Yan and Mushroom.

They all curiously gathered around, sizing up Zhao Yan, especially Pikachu, which sidled up to Mushroom and chatted eagerly with "Pika Pika," as if it were making its final "advice."

Being stared at by so many people and Pokémon, especially by Lin Dao, the idol she had only seen in news and promotional videos, Zhao Yan's face flushed red. The composure and competence she had displayed while commanding the battle vanished instantly, leaving her flustered and subconsciously lowering her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

"I...I...Mr. Lin..." she stammered, her voice barely audible, her mind blank, completely unsure of what to say or do.

Overwhelmed by a mix of immense surprise, embarrassment, disbelief, and inexplicable panic, she was almost unable to think straight.

Lin Dao couldn't help but laugh when he saw her drastically different appearance.

"You seemed quite confident and calm when you were communicating with the Pokémon and directing the battle just now. Why are you so shy now?"

Zhao Yan's face turned even redder, almost burying itself in her chest, and the tips of her ears were tinged with crimson.

At this moment, Mushroom, having finished "discussing" with Pikachu and the others, tugged at Zhao Yan's trouser leg again.

When Zhao Yan looked down at it, Mushroom tilted its little face up, its eyes bright and determined, and made a clear and powerful call to her. Then it turned to the forest path and called out a few more times.

Lin Dao understood.

His smile softened, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes. He turned to Zhao Yan, who was still at a loss, and "translated" for her in a clear and solemn tone.

"The mushroom says it's willing to go with you. It believes you can help it grow stronger and see a wider world."

"It's not because it thinks you're powerful now, but because it sees the most precious things in you: responsibility, sincerity, and a fundamental respect for everyone. It asks you if you'd like to become its trainer?"

These words were like a warm and powerful ray of sunshine, suddenly piercing through all the tension, unease, inferiority, and confusion in Zhao Yan's heart.

The hardships endured alone for so long, the fear of the future, the longing for companionship, and the vulnerability buried deep in the heart that dared not be easily shown to others—at this moment, it seems that they have finally found a safe harbor to dock in, a reason to move forward together.

She stared blankly at the determined-looking Mushroom in front of her, then looked around at Lin Dao with his kind smile, the safety officer Xiao Wang, and the various Pokémon that were quietly watching her...

Emotions that had been building up for too long, like a flood bursting its banks, could no longer be controlled.

Zhao Yan's tears rolled down her cheeks without warning, large drops streaming down her face, which were flushed with emotion.

She didn't make a sound, but her shoulders trembled slightly.

She crouched down, reached out her hand, as if wanting to hug Mushroom, but was afraid of being too forward.

Mushroom took a step forward and gently touched her hand with its small cap.

The next second, Zhao Yan hugged the mushroom tightly, buried her face in its small body that carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, and her voice was choked with sobs.

"Mushroom... Waaah... Thank you... Thank you for believing in me... I... I swear... I will work hard to earn money... I will raise you well... I won't let you regret it... I swear..."

Her promise, though naive and simple, carried immense weight.