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The second test was actually a physical exercise. A marathon along a predetermined route, together with a Pokémon.
Distance: ten kilometers.
There was no time requirement; the main point was to complete it.
Li Xiang personally didn't quite understand how this related to the qualification test for entering Mist Island, but since that was the requirement, he could only comply.
After thinking about which Pokémon to partner with, he ultimately chose Riolu.
The dog was more considerate. If it ran fast and pulled ahead, it would stop and wait for him. If he had chosen that beast Incineroar instead, it would probably run backwards while taunting him for his weak stamina.
Only an idiot would pick that guy.
"Riolu!"
Riolu materialized and, through Li Xiang's brief explanation, understood its task.
Immediately, it patted its chest and proudly raised its head, "Riolu!"
'Leave it to me!'
So man and dog set off according to the map Zhong Hai had given them.
Not long after they left, Mo Ye approached Zhong Hai, watching the departing pair, and said, "Did you always conduct tests like this in the past?"
"Of course not. Entering Mist Island and entering Mirage Island are two different concepts. If he's going to follow us in, he at least needs the endurance to flee for his life."
Zhong Hai's expression didn't change as he turned his head. "I don't know where you get your confidence, but I have never underestimated Mirage Island. After all..."
That was the dwelling place of a god!
Mo Ye looked at Zhong Hai's serious expression, remaining calm and composed as always. The things giving him confidence were too numerous to count: the Ho-Oh Guard, his own strength, his Pokémon, Mega Evolution...
This fox-eyed man never fought an unprepared battle.
Moreover, if even the chief of the Zhu Xia Elite Four was timid and hesitant, then what future could humanity have?
Of course, that's not to say he disregarded the Lake Spirit, but one must maintain a certain bearing. Whether he could win or not, he would only know after fighting!
"Ha.."
Seeing Mo Ye's cool expression, Zhong Hai relaxed his serious face and laughed, "Just kidding. Mirage Island is only one reason. More importantly, I admire him."
"Admire him?"
"Exactly. I believe that if he were willing to become a ranger, he would definitely go further than me. And his profound love for Pokémon perfectly aligns with our rangers' philosophy."
Zhong Hai spoke in a strange tone.
It was hard for others to tell if he was being serious.
"..."
Mo Ye was silent for a moment, then said, "He will only ever be a trainer."
With that, he turned and left, not giving Zhong Hai a chance to respond.
"Oh dear, a competitor with such a prestigious background. This is going to be a tough wall to breach."
Zhong Hai watched Mo Ye's retreating figure, feeling somewhat regretful. These days, who wouldn't want a valuable talent?
Not to mention an organization like the Ranger Union. There were already few people who met the requirements, and even fewer with talent.
On the other side.
Li Xiang breathed evenly, running through the forest with Riolu.
The surrounding area was the habitat of group after group of Pokémon. Some revealed themselves, brazenly watching them, while others hid in dark corners, secretly peering out.
But regardless, their gazes were rather strange.
Li Xiang initially thought they were looking at him, but then realized these Pokémon were focused on Riolu.
"Are they all from those gangs?" he asked softly.
"Riolu!"
Riolu nodded.
The conservation base was essentially the headquarters for various Pokémon groups. Whether it was the Savage Hounds Gang or the Iron Cats Gang, their bases were set up here.
And their current route happened to pass right by the Iron Cats Gang's Cat Nest and the Savage Hounds Gang's Pawprint Hill.
To be honest, Riolu was a bit worried about being attacked.
But on second thought, with Li Xiang there, it was unlikely. These Pokémon organizations had clear rules: humans must not be involved in their conflicts.
They were, after all, legitimate organizations. They knew what they could and couldn't do.
Thinking this, the man and dog had already left the Bug Horde Gang's territory. His daily morning runs weren't for nothing.
Ten kilometers?
Running it all in one go would indeed be tiring, but that was about it. The real challenge was the temptation along the way.
Li Xiang looked at some of the cute insect-like Pokémon around him, really wanting to stop and pet them.
Especially the two-meter-tall, four-legged purple Scolipede, which looked extraordinarily majestic, like a fine steed.
How could there be such an adorable giant centipede in this world!
What a pity. To complete the ten kilometers, he could only watch the distance between them grow.
"Alas..." Li Xiang ran forward reluctantly, reluctant to part, completely unaware of how many times Riolu had rolled its eyes.
Before long, they neared Pawprint Hill.
The surrounding barking grew louder, and Riolu's expression became increasingly alert.
Li Xiang asked curiously, "What's wrong..."
"Woof woof woof woof!"
"Arf arf arf!"
"Growl!"
A frenzy of barks and howls, along with shadows pouncing out, startled Li Xiang into quickly releasing Aegislash.
Clang!
A massive shield materialized in front of him!
"Use Bulldoze—huh?"
Just as Li Xiang was about to command Riolu to attack, he saw the shadows were actually a crowd of Poochyena, Growlithe, Houndour, and Electrike.
Small, cute, and adorable.
They all looked very young, probably around the same age as the Litten when it first came to Li Xiang.
Or even younger, with big, watery eyes. The key thing was, after seeing him, they unanimously shut their mouths, wearing expressions of shock and looks that said, "Oh no, we messed up."
"Ah... all puppies just a few months old."
Li Xiang pushed Aegislash aside and picked up a Growlithe that was frantically backing away.
Seeing his action, the group of puppies fled in all directions, cowardly abandoning the Growlithe.
"Hello there."
He scratched under the Growlithe's chin. It was trembling at first, but soon succumbed to his skilled technique.
"Riolu!"
Riolu indignantly kicked Li Xiang's calf, demanding if this guy understood the most important thing right now.
"Ah! Sorry, sorry."
Li Xiang finally pulled his hand away from the Growlithe's warm, soft body, placed it on the ground, and vigorously rubbed its head, "Farewell, hope to see you again... Oh, your mom seems to be coming too."
He glanced at an orange figure speeding towards them in the distance. Honestly, he kind of wanted to pet that Arcanine too.
Recalling the bewildered Aegislash, which had no idea why it was even brought out, Li Xiang continued on his way.
Pawprint Hill was a mandatory point on the map.
As Li Xiang and Riolu passed through, they received quite a ceremonious stare. Countless canine Pokémon of all kinds were present.
"What exactly did you guys do?"
He looked at the groups of canine Pokémon gathered on the hillsides, watching them intently, clearly prepared for action.
He understood that Riolu had probably given these guys an unforgettable memory.
"Riolu."
Riolu shook its head. It hadn't done much, just won over thirty consecutive arena matches against Savage Hounds Gang members, beating them until they called it "Big Sister" and begged for mercy.
Was that too much?
Not at all, right!
Brother Incineroar even made them kneel and sing "Conquest"!
As they ran through Pawprint Hill, the Savage Hounds Gang's Pokémon naturally didn't dare pounce on them, especially with Li Xiang right there.
He was like a "get out of jail free" card.
Although Riolu wasn't afraid of them anyway.
After Pawprint Hill came a clearly demarcated stream, crossed by a steel bridge reinforced with concrete and steel cables.
Two Mightyena guarded this spot. Seeing Riolu, they were about to bark, but noticing Li Xiang beside it, they immediately calmed down.
"Sigh, you're both dogs, but you're really unpopular here."
Li Xiang crossed the bridge, feeling sorry for Riolu.
Riolu angrily punched him in the kidney, "Riolu!"
'You're just as much a dog!'
"Hehehehe..."
They continued forward.
The next stop was the Cat Nest.
Similar to Pawprint Hill, Li Xiang saw a huge number of cats here.
He remembered Incineroar mentioning this was the Iron Cats Gang's territory.
Li Xiang watched as a group of cats circled around him. Under Riolu's cold glare, he forcibly restrained himself from bending down to pet them.
But as they passed a small hillside, a Galarian Meowth with a white ribbon tied around its forehead, stirring something in a large pot, caught his attention.
"Yukihira Sōma!?"
Li Xiang looked curious, and beside him came Riolu's call. After a brief exchange….
"Huh? You're saying this is the one that got struck by lightning and is a bit simple-minded?"
He looked at the Galarian Meowth, which wore a confident expression and smiled like a Gengar, and said, "This guy doesn't seem as simple-minded as you described."
"Riolu..." Riolu was also a bit confused, but its Aura told it it hadn't mistaken its identity.
Why?
Li Xiang took a sniff of the air, "Smells pretty good. This cat is probably a combination of Yukihira Sōma and Kurokiba Ryo. Mm, with a bit of Team Rocket's Meowth thrown in."
The world was full of wonders.
If talking Meowth could exist, why be surprised by a cat into "Food Wars"?
He didn't linger too long. After taking a good look at the Galarian Meowth, Li Xiang dashed towards the finish line.
Back on the hillside, the Galarian Meowth, with its fanatical and confident expression, seemed to sense his gaze. It looked up and swept its eyes over.
Finally, it squinted, sniffed, and showed a strange expression.
'This guy, why does he smell like everything? Cat smell, dog smell, pollen, rust, and... Hmm?'
'This guy can also cook handmade meals!'
The Galarian Meowth's eyes lit up. Its sense of smell was incredibly acute, able to clearly distinguish various odors in the air. It could even discern the pheromones secreted by others' bodies.
Its proficiency in the culinary arts stemmed from this as well. And on Li Xiang, there was a special aroma of food.
It was the kind of scent unique to food made with love for Pokémon, with care and sincerity.
Very immature.
It reminded the Galarian Meowth of itself when it first started cooking with the Dean.
Just who is this guy?
It looked at Riolu beside Li Xiang, thinking it would ask this dog next time they met.
On the other side, after passing the Cat Nest and traversing some jagged rocks, finally, Li Xiang arrived at his destination.
He saw Zhong Hai standing at the end, along with the proud and tsundere Zangoose.
"35 minutes, 25.8 seconds. Not bad physical condition."
Zhong Hai looked at Li Xiang approvingly. "But there's still room for improvement. When you can run it in under 30 minutes, you'll be an excellent ranger."
"Huh?"
Li Xiang panted heavily, incredulous. "Thirty minutes makes an excellent ranger?"
"Of course. The record here for ten kilometers is eighteen minutes!"
Zhong Hai raised an eyebrow.
'Eighteen minutes, my ass! Are you Superman!?'
Sure enough, these people from another world had different constitutions; their physical limits were truly high.
Li Xiang wiped the sweat from his forehead, not dwelling on it too much. These people who could occasionally block Pokémon moves couldn't be judged by common sense.