“Alright, let’s go!” Lin Zhixuan commanded.
Jiang Mo was the first to step into the entrance, and in that instant, it was as if he had passed through an invisible barrier, entering another world.
Lu Jiyin followed closely behind, still muttering to himself to cheer himself on: “I must perform well in front of Father-in-law; I can’t let him look down on me.”
Mu Qingxue and Feng Lan also entered one after another.
As soon as they stepped into the Evergreen Secret Realm, a humid and hot aura enveloped them like a heavy curtain.
Around them was a dense, almost oppressive jungle, with towering ancient trees blocking out the sun. Sunlight could only barely filter down in faint rays through the gaps in the branches and leaves, and strange vines twisted and coiled around the tree trunks.
Occasionally, some Mankey would shuttle and leap through the branches, emitting clear Growl, as if warning these uninvited guests.
The ground was covered with thick fallen leaves and moss, making a “crunching” sound when stepped on.
Everyone carefully proceeded through the jungle, and Lu Jiyin mumbled softly, “This place doesn’t look simple. Everyone be careful.”
Jiang Mo nodded slightly, his gaze sharp, scanning his surroundings vigilantly, not missing any rustle of leaves or movement.
Suddenly, Mu Qingxue pointed ahead and said softly, “Look, that tree is so big!”
Everyone looked in the direction she pointed, and saw a giant tree towering into the clouds, its trunk so thick that several people would be needed to encircle it.
The tree was densely populated with many Weedle and Kakuna, clearly indicating that this was a Beedrill colony’s nest.
Mu Qingxue’s eyes lit up, sparkling with excitement and curiosity: “I heard that Beedrill hives contain precious Misty Honey, which is extremely helpful for Bug-type Pokémon and is quite valuable outside.”
Lu Jiyin’s heart was stirred, and he eagerly suggested, “Let’s go collect some while the Beedrill are not home.”
Feng Lan hesitated, her brows slightly furrowed: “Won’t that be too risky?”
Jiang Mo, however, smiled confidently: “As long as we are fast, it should be fine.”
So, everyone slowly approached the giant tree.
Jiang Mo squatted down, gently patted Pikachu’s small head, and commanded seriously: “Pikachu, use Quick Attack to go up the tree and check the situation.”
Pikachu responded with a “Pika” and instantly transformed into a yellow lightning bolt, swiftly darting up the tree.
After a short while, it waved its small paws from the tree, signaling that it was safe.
Lu Jiyin quickly had Growlithe stand still at the base of the tree, instructing it with a serious expression: “Growlithe, pay attention to the surrounding movements. If anything happens, use Flame Wheel to attack.”
Jiang Mo and Mu Qingxue then quietly and carefully began searching for the Misty Honey.
Just as they were about to succeed, a “buzzing” sound suddenly came from afar. At first, it was a faint sound, but it quickly spread rapidly.
Lu Jiyin’s face changed drastically, and he shouted loudly: “Oh no, the Beedrill are back!”
In an instant, a swarm of Beedrill surged forward like a black tide. The scene was like dark clouds obscuring the sun, sending shivers down their spines.
Jiang Mo made a decisive move and shouted: “Pikachu, Thunderbolt!”
Pikachu quickly released a powerful current from the tree, and dazzling electric arcs shot towards the Beedrill swarm like silver snakes. The air was instantly filled with a burnt smell, and many Beedrill were electrocuted and fell.
Mu Qingxue also calmly commanded Kirlia: “Kirlia, use Confusion!”
Kirlia’s eyes glowed with a faint blue light, and an invisible Confusion spread out like ripples, attacking the approaching Beedrill.
Lu Jiyin was not to be outdone, his blood boiling: “Growlithe, Flame Wheel, charge!”
Growlithe was instantly engulfed in raging flames, rushing towards the Beedrill swarm like a burning meteor. Wherever it passed, some Beedrill’s wings were scorched, and they fell one after another.
Feng Lan anxiously shouted: “Sudowoodo, use Rock Throw!” Sudowoodo swung its thick arms, and huge rocks, whistling through the air, smashed towards the Beedrill, making the ground tremble slightly.
However, the number of Beedrill was simply too many, dense and seemingly endless.
Moreover, many Weedle crawled down from the tree to help, spitting out fine silk threads that interfered with everyone’s Pokémon like an inescapable net.
Lu Jiyin looked at the increasing number of Beedrill, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, and shouted: “No, there are too many of them, let’s retreat first!”
Jiang Mo also realized the seriousness of the situation and quickly made a judgment: “Run in different directions to disperse their attention, and then meet up in the open space ahead!”
With that, everyone ran in different directions with their Pokémon.
A portion of the enraged Beedrill swarm chased Jiang Mo’s Pikachu, another portion chased Lu Jiyin’s Growlithe, and some flew towards Mu Qingxue and Feng Lan.
Jiang Mo ran wildly through the jungle, the fallen leaves under his feet scattering everywhere.
He looked back at the relentlessly pursuing Beedrill, his heart filled with anxiety, pounding like a drum.
“Pikachu, use Thunderbolt one more time to hold them off!” Jiang Mo shouted.
A blinding flash of electricity passed, and the Beedrill’s speed paused for a moment. Jiang Mo and Pikachu seized this opportunity to speed up, instantly disappearing into a thicket.
The other three also ran desperately, the distance between them growing further and further, their figures gradually swallowed by the dense jungle.
After shaking off the Beedrill, Jiang Mo stopped by a large tree, his hands on his knees, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently.
He looked up, gazing around, only to see that the surrounding trees all looked extremely similar, their layered branches and leaves completely blocking out the sky, with only a few faint rays of light struggling to penetrate.
His heart sank, and only then did he realize that the surrounding environment was completely unfamiliar. It seemed he was completely lost and had also lost Mu Qingxue and the others.
His hand unconsciously moved to the location of the flare gun on his waist, hesitating slightly.
If he fired this flare, the Alliance’s support would arrive very quickly, meaning he could immediately escape this dangerous and unknown predicament.
But that would also mean giving up this rare trip to the secret realm.
Although this Evergreen Secret Realm had always been controlled by the Lin family, entry required Alliance approval, and opportunities were very rare.
The last time he came was thanks to his mother, Lin Zhiqiu, as a descendant of the Lin family, he had the chance to enter the Evergreen Secret Realm once to receive a blessing.
Even the Alliance itself only sent troops in periodically to extract resources, precisely to protect the valuable resources produced here and maintain sustainable development. How could he easily give up?
As he was thinking, Jiang Mo suddenly felt a power operating within him, that familiar warmth, which was Tokiwa Power.
And in the midst of it, he seemed to sense something in the depths of the forest calling to him. It was an indescribable pull, like a whisper from the depths of his soul.
Since he was already lost, Jiang Mo gritted his teeth and simply followed the direction of this sensation, continuing forward.
Along the way, the surrounding jungle became increasingly deep and quiet, so quiet that it made one feel a little uneasy.
Occasionally, the low Growl of unknown Pokémon could be heard, near or far, the sound echoing through the silent jungle, making one vigilant.
Jiang Mo had Pikachu scout ahead, and Gastly had long since hidden in Jiang Mo’s shadow, protecting Jiang Mo’s safety in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
In a place Jiang Mo couldn’t see, a Pidgey flew to a treetop not far from him, its gaze fixed on his retreating figure…
