Chapter 71: The Culprit

Chapter 71: The Culprit

After Uncle Luobu left, Bai Feng released Helioptile and Brionne, then took them over the fence.

"Gogoat, wait for me here. I'll be back after I look around."

Because Gogoat is large and doesn't have a Poké Ball, it was inconvenient for Bai Feng to take it over the fence, which was quite high here.

Gogoat nodded obediently.

Bai Feng walked a distance with Brionne and Helioptile, and before long, he saw the Forest Aunt Balice had mentioned.

He walked in and observed carefully. Sure enough, he saw bloodstains on a clump of weeds, but the bloodstains had already dried.

Just as Aunt Balice had said, no useful clues could be found around.

About half an hour later, Bai Feng returned to the fence with the two Pokémon. Gogoat was indeed waiting there obediently.

However, before Bai Feng could reach Gogoat, he suddenly noticed a small mound of earth appearing behind Gogoat, and the mound was moving, slowly approaching Gogoat.

"Helioptile, Brionne, attack!"

Realizing something was wrong, Bai Feng immediately shouted at his two Pokémon.

"Aip~"

"Silai~"

The two Pokémon reacted extremely quickly. In the blink of an eye, a blue lightning bolt and a Water Gun shot towards the small mound of earth.

Boom!!!

An explosion sounded. The small mound of earth was blasted to smithereens. Gogoat was truly startled, jumping high, but there was nothing inside the mound.

The thing inside the mound hadn't run far. Bai Feng quickly saw another small mound of earth appear not far from Gogoat, and this mound was moving rapidly, moving from inside the fence to outside in the blink of an eye.

"Helioptile, Brionne, keep attacking!"

Bai Feng shouted loudly.

"Aip~"

"Silai~"

The two Pokémon responded and unleashed bolts of lightning and streams of Water Gun towards the mound.

Soon, Bai Feng discovered that Helioptile's lightning couldn't damage the entity under the mound, but Brionne's Water Gun made the opponent let out painful wails every time.

Bai Feng couldn't help but guess that the entity under the mound was a Ground-type Pokémon, and it just so happened to know the Dig Move.

After a stalemate for a while, the entity under the mound finally escaped. There was nothing they could do; it was hidden under the mound and its Dig speed was extremely fast. Even though Brionne showed signs of countering it, it still couldn't be stopped.

After the entity under the mound left, Bai Feng quickly ran to Gogoat and asked, "Gogoat, are you okay?"

Looking at Gogoat, Bai Feng saw it was clearly very scared. The thing under the mound must have been planning to ambush it. Perhaps that was the culprit behind the frequent disappearances of Gogoat and Skiddo from the pasture recently.

Gogoat shook its head with lingering fear, indicating it was fine, but its heart was pounding extremely fast. It had just been terrified. It was well aware of the recent frequent disappearances of its companions from the pasture, and it had almost become the next one.

"It's good that you're okay."

Bai Feng breathed a sigh of relief. If Gogoat had been successfully ambushed right under his nose, he would truly have no face to see Uncle Luobu and Aunt Balice.

"Let's go back first," Bai Feng said to Gogoat.

Just as Bai Feng was about to take the Pokémon back to Uncle Luobu's Home, he saw Helioptile wiggling its rear end and digging around in the blasted pit.

"What's wrong, Helioptile?" Bai Feng asked, puzzled.

"Aip~ Aip~"

Helioptile suddenly pulled its head out of the pit, seemingly holding something in its hand.

"Aip~ Aip~"

It scurried over to Bai Feng, holding up the thing in its hand for Bai Feng to see. Bai Feng stared with wide eyes for a while before realizing they were a few dark brown hairs, still clinging with damp soil.

"This is..." Bai Feng took the hairs and observed them for a moment. For a while, he couldn't think of which Pokémon they belonged to, so he could only say, "I'll take them to the Pokémon Center to get them tested later."

Then he praised Helioptile, saying, "Well done, Helioptile. You're so careful. If it weren't for you, I would have missed such an important clue."

"Aip~ Aip~" Helioptile waved its hand humbly, indicating it was nothing.

This made Brionne extremely envious. Why didn't it think of digging around in the pit?! It also really wanted to be praised by Bai Feng!

After returning to Uncle Luobu's Home, Bai Feng said to the couple, "I think I've encountered the culprit responsible for the pasture's losses. It's very likely a Pokémon."

"Really?" Aunt Balice asked excitedly. "What kind of Pokémon? Are you confident you can drive it away?"

Bai Feng replied, "I'm not sure what kind of Pokémon it is yet, but I got some of its hair. I'll know after I take it to the Pokémon Center to get it tested. As for how to deal with it, I still need to think."

Aunt Balice said gratefully, "Then I'll trouble you to put in more effort."

Seeing that it was getting late, Bai Feng bid farewell to the couple. The couple saw him all the way to the pasture gate and even brought out many bottles of Grassland Goat Milk produced by the pasture to give to Bai Feng.

Bai Feng originally wanted to refuse, but the couple was too enthusiastic and insisted on stuffing them into Bai Feng's space backpack. In the end, he couldn't resist and had to accept all the Grassland Goat Milk.

After leaving the pasture, Bai Feng didn't go Home immediately. Instead, he rode Talonflame Captain directly to the Pokémon Center in the West District.

Nurse Joy was already very familiar with Bai Feng. When she saw Bai Feng enter, she thought he was there to buy anesthetic again, so she asked with a smile:

"Buying medicine again? You're quite a bit earlier than usual this time!"

Bai Feng's frequency of buying medicine was usually fixed, which was why Nurse Joy said that.

Hearing this, Bai Feng shook his head and said, "I'm not here to buy medicine this time. I have something I'd like to ask for your help with, Nurse Joy." Saying this, he took out the hairs and recounted what had happened at the pasture recently.

Nurse Joy was also a person full of justice. After listening to Bai Feng's account, she immediately indignantly cursed the culprit.

Nurse Joy was indeed Nurse Joy; she truly knew Pokémon like the back of her hand. She stared at the hairs and observed them for over ten seconds, then said, "They look a bit like Excadrill's."

Excadrill? That's really possible! Bai Feng's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Ground-type, knows Dig, isn't that just Excadrill? The fur color also matches.

"To be safe, I'll still help you get them tested. Please wait a moment." Saying this, Nurse Joy took the hairs to the lab.

The various equipment at the Pokémon Center were the most advanced in the Pokémon World. Before long, Nurse Joy came out with the detection result.

"It is indeed Excadrill's hair, no mistake."

Bai Feng paid the testing fee and said gratefully to Nurse Joy, "Thank you so much, Nurse Joy."

Nurse Joy waved her hand and said, "You've already paid, why are you thanking me?" She had originally planned to help for free, but Bai Feng insisted on paying.

After confirming the Pokémon's identity, Bai Feng didn't delay at the Pokémon Center and immediately rode Talonflame Captain back to the East District.

Before returning to Fangxing Mountain, Bai Feng went to the Blue Bird Orphanage and left half of the Grassland Goat Milk given by Uncle Luobu and Aunt Balice for the children.

The Grassland Goat Milk was indeed very delicious. The children praised it profusely. Xiao You was the same as before; he gulped down a mouthful of goat milk and then said happily:

"Hoh~ This is the best thing I've ever drunk!"

Bai Feng chuckled and rubbed his head, saying, "If you like it, I'll buy more for you later."

This Grassland Goat Milk is good for the children's physical development and can indeed be drunk more often. Bai Feng felt he could also drink some.

This was still something Bai Feng could afford now.

"Really? That's great!"

Hearing Bai Feng's words, Xiao You cheered.

Caicaizi said to Brother Bai Feng with a straight face, "Brother Bai Feng, you should spoil him less. This guy likes to take an inch when given an inch."

Bai Feng shook his head and said, "It's just a little drink, how is that spoiling him!"

Hearing this, Xiao You stuck out his tongue at Caicaizi and said, "Exactly, exactly."

Caicaizi was so angry she chased after him to hit him, but unfortunately, she wasn't as fast as Xiao You.

Bai Feng helplessly pulled back Xiao You, who was running past him, and said, "You too, be a little more obedient usually, don't just casually make your older brothers and sisters angry."

"Got it!" Xiao You said with a smiling face.

After returning from the Blue Bird Orphanage, Bai Feng shared the remaining Grassland Goat Milk with his Pokémon, and they indeed liked it very much too.

There was a reason why Uncle Luobu's family's Goat Milk could become popular in Biyi City and become a specialty of Biyi City.

Early the next morning, Bai Feng went to Grandpa Fu's place and reported what had happened at the pasture yesterday.

Grandpa Fu asked, "So, have you thought of a solution?"

Bai Feng nodded and said, "I have a little idea, but I need your help." Saying this, Bai Feng explained his plan.

"Okay, no problem. Do as you say," Grandpa Fu nodded.

Bai Feng added, "I'm just worried that someone is controlling that Excadrill from behind. Otherwise, where did those Gogoat and Skiddo go?"

Grandpa Fu was also worried about this, but he was a bit confused. What kind of person would go to such lengths to sneak into a pasture and steal someone else's Gogoat? It couldn't be just for a sip of goat milk, could it?

If it was to take the Gogoat and Skiddo to sell for money, then what about the bloodstains in the forest?

For a moment, neither Bai Feng nor Grandpa Fu could quite figure it out.

"In any case, be careful. Contact me immediately if anything happens," Grandpa Fu instructed Bai Feng.

"Don't worry."

After staying at Grandpa Fu's place for a while, Bai Feng rode Talonflame Captain to the pasture again.

Uncle Luobu and Aunt Balice were already busy early in the morning. Uncle Luobu was milking the Gogoat, and Aunt Balice was bathing the Skiddo.

Seeing Bai Feng arrive, the couple was very happy.

"Bai Feng, have you had breakfast yet? If not, Auntie will make you some," Aunt Balice said warmly.

After spending time together yesterday, Uncle Luobu, Aunt Balice, and Bai Feng had become quite familiar with each other.

"Aunt Balice, please don't trouble yourself, I've already eaten," Bai Feng quickly stopped Aunt Balice, who was about to go inside the Home, and then took out a bag full of Berries from his space backpack, saying, "I brought you some Berries. They're all grown by myself. Let Uncle, Auntie, and Xiao Yu, Xiao Long have a taste."

He had received their Goat Milk yesterday, so he couldn't come empty-handed today.

Looking at the bag in Bai Feng's hand, Aunt Balice said with a straight face, "Yesterday we gave you Goat Milk, and today you give us Berries. Are you treating us like outsiders?"

How could Bai Feng admit that? He quickly denied it, saying, "Auntie, what are you saying? If Uncle and Auntie can give me Goat Milk, can't I give you Berries? Auntie is a bit too double-standard. This is just a small token of my appreciation. I grew them myself, and they didn't cost any money."

Hearing this, Aunt Balice immediately beamed with joy. "Good child, then Uncle and Auntie will accept it." Saying this, she happily took the bag from Bai Feng's hand.

"Were there any Gogoat or Skiddo missing from the pasture last night?" Bai Feng asked.

Aunt Balice said with a look of relief, "That Pokémon was probably startled by you yesterday. Everything was safe and sound last night."

Bai Feng nodded and said, "That's good. I've confirmed that the Pokémon yesterday was an Excadrill. Today, I'll try to see if I can catch it."

So it was an Excadrill. No wonder she and Luobu couldn't find it no matter what. It hid underground, who could find it? Aunt Balice couldn't help but think.

Then she asked doubtfully, "Why would an Excadrill steal our Gogoat and Skiddo?"

Although Aunt Balice and Uncle Luobu weren't Pokémon Trainers, they did have a father who was a Gym Leader, so they had some common sense about Pokémon.

Could it be that Excadrill particularly liked drinking goat milk?

Bai Feng said with a worried expression, "That's what's strange. Both Grandpa Fu and I are worried that someone is controlling the Excadrill from behind."

Hearing this, Aunt Balice muttered to herself, "Oh dear, I hope there aren't any more incidents!"

After chatting with Aunt Balice and Uncle Luobu for a while, Bai Feng began preparing to catch the Excadrill.

About half an hour later, Bai Feng brought a group of Gogoat to the Forest. Bai Feng instructed them, "If the Excadrill appears, you don't need to do anything. Just run far away."

The Gogoat nodded, but they were somewhat scared, trembling badly. They were now the bait to lure the Excadrill out.

Scary!

Seeing this, Bai Feng comforted them, saying, "Don't worry, I will protect you." He had made ample preparations today.

Hearing Bai Feng's assurance, the Gogoat's unease indeed lessened a bit.

After leaving the Gogoat in the Forest, Bai Feng quietly found a hidden spot to hide. High in the sky, several Talonflame were sharply watching below. As soon as the Excadrill appeared, they would immediately sound a warning.

A long time passed, and Bai Feng still didn't see the Excadrill appear, but he was extremely patient, staying completely still, nestled in the grass.

About three or four hours later, a small mound of earth finally quietly swelled up in the Forest and began moving little by little towards the Gogoat.

"Yagaro!!!"

The Talonflame in the sky immediately issued a warning cry. In an instant, all the Gogoat started running like mad, wishing they could grow a few more legs.

(End of Chapter)