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After nearly a day and a half in the RV, Li Xiang noticed the faint exhaustion on Li Zhehan's face. He considered offering to take over driving several times but held back.
His dad wouldn't agree.
Suggesting they stop for a break was also refused.
They were less than twenty kilometers from Saizhou, and Li Zhehan wanted to push through in one go.
"Is Mom asleep?" Li Zhehan asked softly, taking a sip from his thermos.
"Yeah," Li Xiang nodded.
Mrs. Yin had driven for nearly ten hours yesterday before Li Zhehan finally convinced her to rest. Now she was sound asleep.
Outside the window, darkness enveloped everything, broken only by the towering silhouettes of mountains, pale and barren in the winter cold.
Li Xiang poured himself a cup of hot cocoa and sat in the passenger seat, sipping slowly as he stared blankly at the highway receding under the headlights.
His thoughts drifted to the Snow Cult.
From what he'd researched, this organization—which should have faded into history—still lingered at the fringes of the Zhu Xia region, suffocated under the pressure of the Ho-Oh Temple.
But in recent years, rumors suggested a resurgence?
Li Xiang wasn't sure how reliable online information was.
Still, an inexplicable premonition told him this trip to Saizhou wouldn't go smoothly—
SCREECH—!
The car jerked violently as brakes squealed. Li Xiang barely kept his cocoa from spilling, lurching forward before the seatbelt snapped him back.
If not for the belt, his face would've met the windshield.
"Landslide…"
Li Zhehan's grim voice reached Li Xiang's ears.
All the Pokémon in the back woke up, blinking in confusion.
From the rear sleeping area, Mrs. Yin stumbled out, her Meowstic's eyes glowing as it scanned the surroundings.
"What happened?" she asked in a low voice.
Li Zhehan exhaled deeply, fatigue from the long drive finally hitting him.
"Landslide. Probably a mountain collapse. You know how Yanzhou is."
Natural disasters—no world was free of them. Landslides and earthquakes were unfortunate realities in Yanzhou.
Meowstic flew out through the sunroof, surveying the area.
The RV pulled into the emergency lane, hazard lights flashing.
Li Zhehan stepped out, looking around. They weren't the only ones stuck—a line of cars stretched behind them, high beams glaring, horns blaring as they too moved to the shoulder.
What do you do when a highway collapses?
You wait. There's no other option.
Li Zhehan rubbed his temples. Mrs. Yin followed him out, patting his shoulder and urging him to rest.
Meanwhile, she called emergency services and questioned Meowstic about the situation.
"Of all things, a landslide. Unbelievable."
Li Xiang leaned out the door, scanning the area. A sudden curiosity struck him—what did the other side of the landslide look like?
"Mom, I'm gonna fly up with Corviknight and check it out."
Mrs. Yin frowned. "At night? Can you and Corviknight even see?"
"Don't worry, our eyesight's fine."
Li Xiang gave a thumbs-up. In his past life, many birds were night-blind, but Pokémon clearly weren't.
"...Be careful."
Only then did Mrs. Yin relent.
...
High above.
Li Xiang sat on Corviknight's back, its dark feathers blending into the night.
From the air, the landslide looked no different from videos he'd seen in his past life.
The scale didn't seem too large—the road would probably reopen soon.
"A natural disaster, huh… Hm?"
Mid-sentence, his peripheral vision caught a large boulder rolling—not downhill, but uphill.
'Graveler?'
He frowned. Maybe it was responsible? Pokémon attacking highways wasn't unheard of.
But in recent years, wild Pokémon had grown smarter.
Besides, this was Yanzhou, not even Saizhou yet.
'...Human sabotage?'
'Murder? A prank? A deliberate roadblock?'
Li Xiang studied the landslide—piles of rocks and mud, no sign of crushed cars or bodies.
He couldn't fathom a reason for someone to cause this.
If there were casualties, the Pokémon Association and Rangers would investigate whether it was natural or man-made.
A landslide caused by Pokémon moves had distinct differences from a natural one.
Faking a disaster like this was reckless and pointless.
Everyone knew how relentless Rangers could be…
Just as Li Xiang was about to turn back, an explosion echoed from behind.
BOOM—!!
Then— A pillar of fire and smoke erupted into the sky!
Li Xiang whipped his head around, eyes widening. He immediately urged Corviknight back toward the highway.
The explosion wasn't near his parents, but who knew if there'd be chain reactions? And why did it explode?
'A fuel tanker?'
Unease gnawed at him. The more he thought, the more the explosion and landslide seemed connected.
Was this really some kind of attack?
Zhu Xia was prosperous and stable, with Rangers and the Association doing their jobs—
Forget it.
He had to see for himself.
Li Xiang crouched low as Corviknight accelerated.
In moments, they neared the explosion site. People and Pokémon fled the smoke, some even on fire.
Thankfully, his family's RV was far enough to avoid the flames—but not by much, only about 400-500 meters.
Li Zhehan, now in a fireproof suit, sprinted from the RV with two fire extinguishers, his Feraligatr and others following.
"Li Xiang! Get back in the car!"
He spotted Corviknight and shouted.
"Dad! It's too dangerous—let the professionals handle it!"
Li Xiang didn't want his father playing hero. What if there was a second explosion?
Wasn't this exactly what emergency services were for?
"Your mom already agreed! You gonna stop me? Lives are at stake! Don't worry, I've fought fires at sea before—no time to argue! Get back to the car! Your mom's alone!"
With that, Li Zhehan charged toward the flames.
A Pelipper flew past Corviknight, its wings glowing—Rain Dance ready to unleash.
Li Xiang watched his father's retreating figure, along with other drivers grabbing extinguishers or sending out Water-types, his expression conflicted.
He knew his dad wasn't showing off.
Li Zhehan believed that if he helped others in their time of need,
Then someday, if he, Mrs. Yin, or Li Xiang were in trouble, someone would help them in return.
Cause and effect. Karma.
In a way, his dad was pretty superstitious.
"...Being a hero, huh."
Li Xiang sighed. This kind of selflessness wasn't something he'd inherited.
But then again, he came from a world where cynicism was the norm.
Fine.
If his dad was charging in, he couldn't just watch.
Li Xiang landed, recalling Corviknight, then rushed back to the RV. He dug out the protective gear Mrs. Yin had bought him and grabbed Frogadier and Riolu.
Torracat stayed behind.
"Mom, 'like father, like son.'"
Li Xiang smiled at Mrs. Yin's attempt to stop him. "I've gotta back Dad up."
Mrs. Yin fell silent, stepping aside.
She had to stay with the RV.
Li Xiang dashed toward the fire with his Pokémon.
First, even with protective gear, entering a fire wasn't safe.
This was borderline suicidal.
Second, leave it to the professionals. Don't get in their way.
But right now, firefighters wouldn't arrive immediately.
And with the flames spreading, packed vehicles risked chain explosions if not contained fast.
Li Xiang reached the fire's edge, watching as Pokémon sprayed water at burning cars. Dark clouds gathered overhead, rain beginning to fall.
'Where's Dad?'
He scanned the area—only Floatzel and Pelipper in sight. His expression tightened.
Had Li Zhehan gone inside?
Just as panic set in, figures emerged from the smoke—a man carrying someone scorched and limp, followed by Feraligatr hauling two more.
Li Zhehan.
The nearly 6'3" man staggered out, gasping. Others rushed to help.
Some with first-aid kits began checking the survivors.
Li Zhehan pulled off his mask, sweat and rain dripping into his suit. He must've moved something heavy—he never got this exhausted otherwise.
"Dad!"
Li Xiang ran over. "What were you thinking, going in there? You could've died!"
Li Zhehan glanced at him. "I heard screams… couldn't just leave them…"
Someone handed him water.
Li Zhehan gulped it down. "Why'd you come? Where's your mom?"
"In the RV. I was worried about you."
Li Xiang scowled. Charging into a fire? That was way too reckless.
Behind them, the flames gradually died under the combined efforts. Sirens wailed in the distance—firefighters stuck behind the traffic, but closer than expected.
"Firefighters are here. Let's go."
Li Xiang helped Li Zhehan up, ready to leave, but after only a few steps, a faintly familiar voice cried out.
"My partner! Where's my partner? Have you seen a tall, thin man?"
Li Xiang turned.
A woman with wine-red hair sat on the ground, covered in burns and blood, her face frantic.
One of the three Li Zhehan had saved.
—Bian Zhen.
Li Xiang froze. He hadn't expected to see her here.
And as she questioned the crowd, her eyes locked onto Li Xiang and Li Zhehan.
She shoved away the person bandaging her, stumbling to her feet.
"Kid! Remember the trainer with the Walrein? Have you seen him?"
"Sir! When you saved me, did you see a tall, thin man?"
Li Zhehan frowned, steadying her. "Your car was an RV, right? When I found you, it was split in half. You were the only one inside… the other half was gone…"
Li Xiang shook his head. "Sorry, Big Sister. I didn't see him."
As their words sank in, Bian Zhen's face twisted into despair.