Chapter Thirty-Five: Have You Ever Seen a Gengar Bigger Than a Dining Table?

Zhao Fang was remarkably patient, perhaps because in his previous life he often waited for video games to be released. Over time, he'd developed patience and experience. Now, faced with the injuries of Magikarp and Dreepy, he was equally unhurried. He waited patiently until Magikarp’s wounds were completely healed, until Dreepy once again circled around his neck, before finally rolling up the carpet and opening the hidden trapdoor.

As soon as the trapdoor was opened, Zhao Fang saw a staircase spiraling down into darkness. He couldn’t see the bottom, but he had no choice; if he tried to leave now, Gastly would probably appear immediately to cause trouble. Zhao Fang didn’t think Gastly, having suffered once already, would fail to guard against the possibility of Zhao Fang retreating to his room.

Truth be told, Zhao Fang would much rather battle Pokémon than human villains. Fighting Pokémon was straightforward enough—at worst, his own team would be completely incapacitated and he’d be tormented by Gastly for a while until rescue arrived. But if he encountered human criminals… that was another matter entirely. After his transmigration, he’d seen on television an organ trafficking ring dismantled by the Officer Jenny family. They targeted ordinary people or lone, weak trainers, raising them like livestock until a matching organ was needed—then they’d be slaughtered and sold.

“Forget it—there shouldn’t be anyone left in a place like this,” Zhao Fang muttered, swallowing nervously as he traced the wall and began his descent.

He had no flashlight, and neither Magikarp nor Dreepy knew Flash. At first, he could just make out the path ahead, but soon he was moving blindly through pitch darkness. He didn’t know how long he’d been going when he finally felt solid ground beneath his feet. Reaching out, he found a doorknob.

He didn’t open the door immediately. Pressing his ear to it, he listened—nothing. Only then did he cautiously turn the handle.

Light flooded in instantly. Though it wasn’t particularly bright outside, compared to the utter blackness of the passage, it was like stepping into paradise. Zhao Fang cracked the door open to peer out, then immediately shut it again.

“Holy shit, what the hell is that?” Zhao Fang felt his heart leap into his throat.

Through that narrow gap, Zhao Fang had taken in the room beyond—a spotlessly clean dining room, complete with a refrigerator, tables and chairs, and even kitchen knives. Yet what seized his attention instantly was the gigantic figure sprawled across the center of the dining table.

It was a Gengar. And not just any Gengar—a massive one, its robust body and thick aura of ghostly energy so intense that even Dreepy trembled, darting back into its Poké Ball on its own. Zhao Fang’s mood could only be described as “utterly screwed.” Even if he’d found Gastly wandering the room, he wouldn’t have been so surprised—at least with Gastly, there was a chance to struggle. But faced with a Gengar of that size, Zhao Fang had not a single thought of resistance.

The difference in power was overwhelming. Dreepy compared to that Gengar was like a newborn baby sent into the ring against an eighty-kilogram boxing champion—utterly absurd.

“This thing could be a prehistoric giant Gengar for all I know. Was I transported to Galar? Is this a Dynamaxed Gengar?” Zhao Fang wondered if he was hallucinating, but watching Dreepy cower confirmed it was real.

Beyond the secret passage’s door, a colossal Gengar was lying on the dining table.

Zhao Fang felt completely trapped. He’d hoped to sneak out through this way, but with that enormous Gengar outside, he guessed that the moment he stepped through, the creature would open its eyes and see him. There was no singing Jigglypuff here to keep Gengar sleeping.

For the first time, Zhao Fang felt truly caught between a rock and a hard place. The room above was safe, but he couldn’t stay there forever; Gastly was still a tricky opponent, but the Gengar below was in a class of its own. Zhao Fang had never considered fighting Gengar—even if Magikarp evolved into Gyarados, it wouldn’t stand a chance.

With this in mind, Zhao Fang started back up the stairs, feeling his way along the wall. He decided to test his luck with Gastly after all—at least Gastly was a fight he could attempt. Gengar, though, would simply wipe him out in an instant.

This time, Zhao Fang was careful. As he ascended, he began counting the steps out loud—a habit he’d developed long ago, believing it helped him count more accurately.

“Seventy-six… seventy-seven…” he whispered.

“No need to count, kid—there are one hundred and six steps in total,” a chilling, ghastly voice said.

Zhao Fang yelped in fright, jumping and pressing himself against the wall, staring into the darkness behind him.

A pair of enormous crimson eyes shone out from the pitch black, unmistakable and terrifying. Zhao Fang’s guts twisted with fear.

It was none other than that giant Gengar.

“Tsk, tsk. What are you so afraid of, young man?” Suddenly, a bright light flared, and Zhao Fang saw the Gengar before him, its hand glowing like a miniature sun, radiating endless light.

Zhao Fang swallowed hard. Claiming he wasn’t afraid would be a lie. The sheer size of this Gengar, and the dark purple-black mist seeping from its body in the light, were enough to terrify anyone.

That was the sign of abundant ghost energy—this Gengar was formidable in both size and strength.

“Um… Lord Gengar, is there something you want me to do?” Zhao Fang, after his initial panic, calmed down somewhat. At least this Gengar didn’t seem hostile—otherwise, it wouldn’t be talking. A single Shadow Punch would have flattened him already.

“You have a ring on you. That’s mine… give it to me, and you can leave,” Gengar said bluntly, extending a massive hand.

Without hesitation, Zhao Fang handed over the ring, holding it out with both hands to Gengar.

Gengar’s hand was enormous, the ring tiny, but Gengar gazed at it with utmost concentration, as if holding a priceless treasure.

“The notebook, the mirror, and the doll you took from the room—put them back. They’re not yours,” Gengar said, a hint of sorrow in its voice.

“All right,” Zhao Fang replied immediately. He wouldn’t dare argue—as long as he could get out of this place, that was enough.