Chapter Sixty-Six: Consecutive Dreams

"Are you planning to revive it now? Such a beautiful and adorable Pokémon—it's truly rare." Although the outcome was already expected, the middle-aged man couldn't help but show a captivated expression as he gazed at the image of the charming Aurorus on the screen.

"How long does the revival process take?" Zhao Fang wasn't in a hurry; he still remembered what his golden finger had told him—if he buried the fossil in the snow before revival, some miracle might occur.

"Well, since your Pokémon hasn't been discovered in the Hoenn region before, we'll need to research and update the data, so it will take about... about two days," the man replied after glancing at his research notes.

Zhao Fang hesitated. Two days was indeed a long wait, but he had no better option. Still, before proceeding, he decided to follow the advice from his golden finger and only then attempt the revival.

"Alright, but I may need to speak with Professor Odagiri first, so I'll bring the fossil over for revival in a day or two," Zhao Fang replied with a cheerful smile, invoking the name of Professor Odagiri. The man, eager as he was to begin, could only agree, for the fossil belonged to Zhao Fang, and the company president’s son was standing nearby.

"Mr. Daigo, the Lileep fossil can't be revived. Do you know any collectors who are fond of fossils?" After leaving the lab, Zhao Fang began discussing the matter with Daigo.

"I quite like it myself. If you're willing to sell me the Lileep fossil, I'll waive the revival fee and give you two hundred thousand League credits. How does that sound?" Daigo had looked at the Lileep fossil more than once before leaving the lab—were it not for Zhao Fang’s presence, he would have already taken it to admire.

"Thank you so much!" Zhao Fang grinned. Two hundred thousand League credits and no revival fee—this was no small sum. With that money, he would have the resources to nurture his Gyarados and others.

Soon, Zhao Fang left with a crystal card in hand, containing the deposit of two hundred thousand League credits. Daigo had also shared the password with him, but these paled in comparison to the private contact information Daigo had given him.

The champion's personal contact—this was not something ordinary people could obtain. With it, Zhao Fang could seek Daigo's help should he ever face trouble.

"It's a bit cold..." Zhao Fang shivered, rubbing his arms as snow began to fall.

That night, he stayed at the Battle Hotel. Though he now had two hundred thousand League credits, he remained frugal. After defeating a trainer with a single badge, he checked into a standard room, pulled the covers over himself, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Zhao Fang awoke with a piercing headache—he had dreamed again. In the dream, he was an Unown, happily playing with companions, only to be captured and fixed to a wall by a faceless figure using strange methods.

"Damn... am I going to be stuck on that wall forever?" Having the same recurring, continuous dream for two nights, he realized it was more than a simple dream; he suspected he was experiencing the memories of an Unown, living its life.

But recalling what befell the Unowns, Zhao Fang felt a pang of distress—they had been imprisoned on the wall until he came to the tower and discovered their plight, finally freeing them.

He suspected he might be trapped in such a dream for a long time. This wasn’t sleep—it was torment.

"The snow's really coming down." Zhao Fang looked at the accumulation outside the window, feeling much relieved. His previous worries about the lack of snow were now resolved.

He changed into winter clothing, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and headed out. He made his way to the outskirts of Kanaz City, along a small path leading to Chimney Mountain. He had walked this trail before; its solitude was a boon. Upon arrival, he saw a thick blanket of snow, untouched by human footsteps.

He hurried over, dug a hole, placed the fossil inside, and covered it with snow. Then he pitched a tent above it, intending to keep watch for a while.

Because of the snow, Zhao Fang had no idea how long the process would take; all he could do was occasionally dig and check.

"Aurorus... I recall it's a Rock and Ice-type Pokémon. Why do I feel more and more like a dodo bird?" Zhao Fang chuckled at himself, then took out his hotpot equipment from his backpack and set it up inside the tent.

Dragometeor had been clamoring for hotpot since morning, and Zhao Fang’s ears were nearly deafened by its demands.

"Drago~" Watching Dragometeor gleefully circle the hotpot, Zhao Fang felt helpless—this little creature always became lively and enthusiastic at mealtime.

He glanced outside the tent; cold winds whooshed in through the gaps. Zhao Fang resolved that once he returned to Kanaz City, he'd buy a better insulated tent—otherwise, winter travels would be impossible.

As he pondered his future, he suddenly noticed a shadow outside the tent—a Snorunt.

He stared in surprise, and the Snorunt vanished.

"There really are Ice-type Pokémon out and about, but I already have one." Zhao Fang yawned, dropped the sliced food into the hotpot, and handed Dragometeor a pair of chopsticks.

He had considered catching a few Ice-types during the snow to train, but now he had abandoned the idea.

"Gyarados, come eat." He released Gyarados, though it was clear the massive Pokémon disliked snowy weather—it roared loudly upon emerging.

"Eat quickly; you'll feel better after." Zhao Fang handed Gyarados its meal, having anticipated this, and prepared a separate portion for the giant.

After Gyarados finished its food in a few gulps and was recalled, Zhao Fang glanced at Dragometeor still eating, then dug into the snow to check the fossil.

[Fossil is absorbing the power of ice and snow. Something marvelous seems to be happening inside.] Reading these words, Zhao Fang sneezed. It seemed he would have to wait a while longer—just how long, he couldn't say.