Chapter Thirty-Two: The Battle Begins

Hu Pa’s words filled Chen Ou’s mind with doubt. He didn’t treat the plotlines he’d seen before as gospel, but he also didn’t believe every difference was mere coincidence.

This matter was strange, yet Chen Ou had no time to dwell on it now. He watched as Hu Pa’s malevolent form neared the ambush zone, hoping those four burly men would stick to the plan and quickly snatch back the Punishment Jar. He wasn’t worried about their betrayal. They had already earned enough money; what they sought now was the right to walk openly under the sun, especially the chance for their descendants to live normal lives in daylight. After investigating them, Chen Ou discovered none of the four had ever committed murder or arson.

Thus, Chen Ou promised them honest work. He could now establish his own research institute, hiring a few people was no issue. And he possessed the ability to erase the blemishes from their pasts. After all, Chen Ou was now a doctoral graduate; such matters were within his power.

Meanwhile, Crimson watched Hu Pa’s malevolent form, his expression grave. “Ou, this guy is strong.”

Chen Ou followed his gaze and saw Hu Pa’s malevolence gathering a sphere of shadow at his chest, then blasting it at a small mountain. Smoke and dust rose, and the mountain vanished without a trace.

“Of course he’s strong. This one is, in the truest sense, a god.”

Chen Ou’s words drew the group’s attention again. A god in the truest sense? What did he mean?

Seeing their puzzled faces, Chen Ou smiled. “Prepare for battle first. I’ll explain in detail later—this is one of my latest research findings, about the uniqueness of divine beasts and their clans.”

Hearing it was unpublished research, the group did not press further. Shirona and Crimson weren’t outsiders, but such matters weren’t for casual inquiry. Besides, Chen Ou didn’t intend to conceal it, only that Hu Pa’s malevolence had now entered their ambush circle.

Chen Ou fiddled with the communicator in his ear, connecting to another channel.

“Dr. Chen Ou, the target is about to enter the ambush zone,” a steady, serious voice reported.

Chen Ou pursed his lips. “Attack as soon as the target enters the ambush zone. Teams 1 and 3 initiate, teams 2 and 10 finish. Try to lure him to the riverside to give water-type Pokémon a field advantage. Afterward, withdraw.”

“Understood.”

“Be careful,” Chen Ou’s tone was slightly somber.

“Yes, Doctor,” the man replied, his voice lighter. Everyone was ready to risk their lives.

After giving his orders, Chen Ou looked to Crimson, Shirona, Karune, and little Hu Pa.

“Hu Pa, you’ll be with me—I’ll direct him and the Pokémon he summons. I believe this guy still holds an inexplicable attraction for that big one. Leave it to me. If Hu Pa’s malevolence remains rational enough to call forth other divine beasts, then the three of you will need to intercept at least three. The divine beasts Hu Pa summons must be stopped. I and the water, earth, and ice units will hold off Hu Pa’s malevolence. If everyone can endure for half an hour, Wataru and his team will arrive.”

Chen Ou had just finished his orders when Crimson, still serious, asked, “What if the Punishment Jar isn’t recovered?”

Chen Ou fell silent for a moment. “My initial plan was to let Hu Pa redeem it. Since it’s Hu Pa’s power—even if it’s hated, even if it’s evil—if the origin remains unchanged, there’s still hope for restoration. But now Hu Pa says the malevolent emotions aren’t anger, but chaos and madness…”

“In short… if things go poorly, I’ll try throwing a ball. I’ve already asked Professor Oak to send me a Master Ball. This is our final attempt. If it still fails…”

A fierce resolve flashed in Chen Ou’s eyes. “Energy is only energy. Hold him off, attack him—there’s always a way to drain him dry.”

Crimson nodded. “As long as you have a plan. We’ll act as instructed. You must be careful. I know if I offered to switch tasks you wouldn’t accept, so please, be cautious.”

Seeing Crimson’s earnest expression, Chen Ou nodded slowly. He felt someone tugging at his sleeve; turning, he found Shirona gazing at him with worry. Chen Ou smiled, took Shirona’s hand, and as her fair face glowed in the evening light, he said, “Don’t worry. I won’t act recklessly. I’m confident, and my plan doesn’t put others at undue risk.”

Shirona blushed, nodded, and after calming herself said, “You must be careful. I’ll come to your aid as soon as I can.”

“Don’t rush; haste brings mistakes. I’ll be careful, and you must prioritize your own safety…”

“Cough!” Karune gave a heavy cough. “You two, save the flirting for a better time. Now’s not the moment to feed us dog food.”

Chen Ou and Shirona smiled sheepishly.

In this way, the heaviness of life and death was dispelled. Then, after a thunderous crash, several small figures shot from the mountain, and Hu Pa’s malevolence fell flat. Clearly, its intelligence had been diminished.

Then it rose in fury, chasing after the distant figures.

Seeing this, Chen Ou breathed a sigh of relief; the plan could still proceed, his grasp of the situation hadn’t faltered. The others also relaxed, reassured that Chen Ou remained reliable. Everyone regarded Chen Ou as their strategist—the kind willing to think up tactics in such dire circumstances was rare.

And Chen Ou was the most dependable among them.

“What do we do now?” Karune asked.

“We need to wait for their plan to succeed, then take over the battlefield. If their action fails, we must step in. Without water, water-type Pokémon are severely hampered. And subsequent containment efforts will also require water. In short… we must lure him to a water source first.”

Chen Ou explained clearly. He had no intention of hiding the battle plan; no one had asked, that was all. The plan was simple, involving only one task per person—only Chen Ou needed to command and contain. He had no desire to bear everyone’s fate alone. At least, Chen Ou did not wish to.

But wishing didn’t change anything; this was Wataru’s commission, and a sense of responsibility compelled him.

Chen Ou watched the roaring Hu Pa, the teammates fleeing in all directions, and murmured heavily.

“The battle has begun.”