As the strangers continued to ignore him, Pikachu called out "Pika Pika" twice, then crossed his arms over his chest like a little child, lowered his head, and sulked.
Listening to Mr. Harris's words, Peter Chang observed Pikachu, who was sulking with his head down and arms crossed, and couldn't help but say:
"This little guy doesn't seem to have any defects at all!"
Others also noticed Pikachu's childlike sulking and couldn't help but smile at its cute demeanor.
Alex Young commented:
"Forget it, if we can't figure it out, let's not worry about it. Since this little guy is here, its owner must be nearby. When we find the owner, we can ask and get to the bottom of this."
Peter Chang wondered aloud:
"What if it was abandoned by its owner or released into the wild?"
Hearing this, Mr. Hudson playfully smacked him on the back of the head:
"You silly boy, don't you understand the law? Discarding genetically modified organisms or releasing them into the wild is illegal and can result in a prison sentence of more than three years but less than ten years! Besides, genetic organisms are so expensive—costing millions—even a billionaire wouldn't just throw one away!"
Peter, rubbing the back of his head, looked at Mr. Hudson with a mix of confusion and hurt, wanting to ask why. Before he could speak, Mr. Hudson elaborated:
"Ah! Is there really such a law? How come I didn't know? And isn't a prison term of three to ten years too harsh?"
Mr. Hudson rolled his eyes at Peter:
"You really need to brush up on your legal knowledge!"
Peter nodded awkwardly:
"I've never raised a genetically modified organism, so I'm not familiar with these legal aspects!"
Mr. Harris then addressed Peter's earlier question:
"Peter, Mr. Hudson is right. Abandoning genetically modified organisms or releasing them into the wild indeed results in a prison sentence of three to ten years. This is because genetically modified organisms are artificial creations, not naturally occurring. Human-made entities inherently carry uncertainties, and since genetic technology isn't fully mature, these uncertainties are significant. If a genetic organism goes rogue, it could pose a greater threat to human safety than natural organisms. Most genetically modified organisms are stronger than their natural counterparts because humans tend to aim for enhanced capabilities. Releasing them into the wild could disrupt the food chain and cause genetic mutations, leading to unpredictable outcomes. Therefore, if an owner decides not to keep a genetically modified creature, they must return it to the originating company. Creatures with clear genetic defects may be euthanized."
After Mr. Harris's explanation, Peter scratched his head, suddenly understanding:
"Oh! That makes sense. The punishment does seem reasonable!"
Listening to the conversation, the others felt it made sense and stopped worrying about Pikachu's origin.
Zoe, who had been watching Pikachu intently, remarked:
"It seemed like it wanted to communicate with us, but we couldn't understand it!"
Mr. Hudson suggested:
"It seems familiar with this place. All animals have a territorial instinct, and genetic creatures are no exception! It probably sees this as its territory and wanted to know why we were here."
Mr. Harris added:
"I thought the same thing!"
Encouraged by their words, Zoe cautiously took two steps forward, intending to communicate with the little creature about their presence.
However, as Zoe approached, Pikachu took two cautious steps back, baring its teeth in an attempt to intimidate her. Unfortunately, Pikachu's attempt at intimidation only melted hearts further:
"So cute! I want to hug it!"
Zoe smiled indulgently at Pikachu's cuteness but recognized its wariness and stopped, saying:
"Hey little guy, what's your name? We're from the 'Longing for Life' program team, here to film a show."
Realizing Zoe wasn't a threat, Pikachu let its guard down slightly. Hearing Zoe's question about its name, it responded:
"Pikachu~"
However, Pikachu didn't comprehend the rest. Despite its intelligence being akin to a seven or eight-year-old human child, it was unfamiliar with the outside world, having only known this small mountain village. Consequently, it didn't understand what a program crew or filming meant. It then scratched its head with its tiny yellow hands and called out in confusion:
"Pikachu~Pikachu~"
Pikachu's puzzled expression and sounds excited the group:
"So cute!"
Director Walker, observing Pikachu, was thrilled. The creature's intelligence and charm could significantly boost the show's ratings if featured on TV. The immediate task was to locate its owner and convince them to let Pikachu participate in the show's filming. Securing long-term filming rights for Pikachu could make the show's ratings soar.
Reacting to Pikachu's puzzled gestures and sounds, Mr. Harris noted:
"It seems it can't understand human language, which isn't surprising. Genetic organisms, despite their intelligence, can't grasp human complexities."
While Pikachu didn't understand terms like program crew or filming, it did comprehend Mr. Harris's mention of low-level creatures and intelligence. Infuriated, Pikachu raised a tiny hand, pointed at Mr. Harris, and exclaimed:
"Pikachu~Pika~Pika~Pikachu~"
Translation: "You foolish human, you're the low-level creature with no intelligence!"
Everyone was taken aback by Pikachu's spirited reaction.