chsdbacks Chapter 293 The Solution – The Stars Slowly Closed Their Eyes
Chapter 293 The Solution – The Stars Slowly Closed Their Eyes
When a perplexing event occurs in real life—especially when such an event happens to result in bloodshed, injury, or even a horrific death—the underlying malice becomes blatantly obvious. Yet, it happens in a remote, inaccessible area where the police cannot reach quickly. Adding to the misfortune, the weather is typhoon or blizzard, and a nearby landslide conveniently blocks traffic. The Pokémon mounts that could have carried their owners to safety are rendered immobile. Even attempts to call for help via cell phone are hampered by interrupted or blocked electronic signals. As a result, all those involved in the case are forced to sit anxiously in a confined space, sharing a room with their injured companions, a bloodied corpse, a bloodstained crime scene, and a terrifying perpetrator lurking in the shadows. In this extremely awkward situation, those involved often lament, "If only a famous detective from a mystery novel were here."
If it were a famous detective, the other party would definitely be able to quickly see through the truth, identify the murderer from among the suspects, and thus protect the innocent people present... at least that's how it's always portrayed in novels, comics, and TV series.
However, this logic is flawed.
So-called private investigators are simply individuals who conduct investigations on behalf of private clients.
Most of their work involves searching for missing Pokémon, as well as investigating extramarital affairs, premarital investigations, and debt investigations—the kind of mundane, low-class tasks that are hardly respectable.
Even the most renowned practitioners may not be able to see through the complex truth of a murder case in the confined space where it occurs; even if they do see through it, they may not be able to do so quickly, and even if they are quick, they may not be able to directly identify the murderer; and even if they do eventually identify the murderer, they may not be able to protect the innocent people involved in the case.
When it comes to the ability to act simply as a protector, the so-called "famous detective" may not even be as good as a decent police officer; not to mention those trainers who carry powerful Pokémon and are best at adapting to changing situations in battle.
Therefore, in the snow-covered mountain villa, more than a famous detective, the noble person who stands at the pinnacle of all trainers is the strongest protector one can find in this world. The place where such a person resides is the safest place in the world.
The famous detective is not the nemesis of the locked-room mystery.
The champion is the one.
.
Just as the first tremor came from underground, the Sinnoh Champion, who was in the Forest Mansion, had already taken action.
Faced with an overwhelming sense of crisis, as if by muscle memory, Cynthia released all five Poké Balls she was carrying in an instant.
Apart from Garchomp, which was temporarily borrowed by the detective, Rockruff, Roserade, Gastrodon, Togekiss, and Lucario all made an appearance.
Even before the red glow of the Pokémon enveloping the Poké Ball had faded, she spoke, calling out to everyone in unison with Officer Jenny, who had just regained her senses—
"Everyone, gather around here immediately!"
Before the words were even finished, the first wave of impact had already arrived.
The once solid ground seemed to instantly transform into a rickety, swaying chair, and the entire building appeared to be floating on a stormy sea.
Moreover, as time ticked by, the tremors emanating from the soles of their feet grew stronger and stronger. Mei Dan and the others, who had just frantically sprang into action, began to stagger and lose their balance.
"Lower your center of gravity!" Officer Jenny shouted sharply.
But the sound was immediately drowned out by the noise of the surrounding furniture shaking and collapsing. In addition, the rumbling sound from underground continued to assault everyone's eardrums, and it grew louder and louder.
The once quaint and luxurious Forest Mansion has been reduced to a mess in an instant, its elegance and mystery gone.
Everyone was in a panic. The atmosphere that had been there before, with everyone sitting across from each other, each with their own hidden agendas, discussing the matter, seemed to have never existed.
Miss Venetian instinctively tried to grab the wall for support amidst the dizzying spin, but was sternly stopped by Champion Bamboo Orchid—
"Everyone, get away from the walls of this Forest Mansion—Lucario!"
"Roar!"
Lucario, who was originally supporting himself on the ground with one hand to sense the aura, heard the trainer's call and immediately acted with lightning speed without needing any further commands. He pulled up the two young men, Vinissa and Neil, who were leaning against the wall, one in each hand, and moved them into the interior of the reception room.
The current situation confirms a certain conjecture that has been swirling in Zhu Lan's mind.
In that conjecture, the most terrifying thing is not the earthquake at present, but the entity that caused the earthquake, and the terrible obsession that has been lingering in this Forest Mansion for hundreds of years!
"...Could it be Arceus, the creator god of this world, has descended? Could my experiment have truly verified the existence of that god hovering above the universe? Is that so? But why did it have to happen at this particular time..."
Mei Dan knelt on the ground, supporting himself on the table, muttering something unintelligible. He was facing the opposite direction from Zhu Lan, so the champion couldn't see whether the atheist's face showed excited elation or desperate sorrow as his beliefs crumbled.
However, with the earth groaning incessantly, Zhu Lan had no time to dwell on the reclusive old man's expression; she had more important things to do—
Roserade! Use "Roots" to stabilize the ground!
"Tokiss! The Mysterious Guardian!"
"Sea Gastrodon, create your 'Stands' to surround everyone!"
As soon as the command was given, the champion's Pokémon immediately began to display their unique abilities.
But the rumbling from underground grew stronger and stronger, as if some creature from the depths of the world was marching towards them with unstoppable strides. The former was clearly a step too slow.
Boom—
The wooden planks broke, the beams collapsed, the stairs broke, and the second-floor rooms were reduced to ruins in the turbulent building.
If Gastrodon and Togekiss hadn't used their attacks to block them, the sheer volume of debris falling from the sky would have completely engulfed everyone present.
Maid Zina fled in panic under the cover of the giant vine. Although the giant vine had evolved to its final stage, it was completely useless compared to Cynthia's Pokémon. In fact, when she tried to use "Vine Whip" to block the steel bars falling from the sky, just like Roserade, she was injured and had to be saved by Togekiss's "Air Slash".
rumbling—
The earth tore open with huge cracks, and the ground that had not yet been "rooted" and covered by Roseradore crumbled and sank inch by inch, revealing the scene inside the basement.
Naturally, those computer clusters that were once lined up like a fluorescent green night sky were now completely destroyed, lying scattered and broken in the underground pit.
The android's head fell silently into the darkness, but no one cared or paid any attention.
"Master, be careful!" Manager Aying helped her employer who was about to fall, but her cheek was grazed by a piece of gravel that bounced up from the ground.
"Damn it! What on earth is going on?!"
Director Hayden screamed in despair, looking hopefully at Officer Jenny who had questioned him earlier, hoping to hear some reassuring information.
however--
"What exactly is that thing down there?"
Officer Jenny stood frozen in place, murmuring to herself. The businessman saw that fear had solidified on Officer Jenny's usually composed face.
Then, he noticed it too—
A milky white light slowly illuminated the basement where Professor Medan was summoning the gods.
The light grew brighter and brighter, as if something was about to break through the barriers of time and space, cross the boundary between reality and illusion, and arrive in this world...
Its essential nature seems to be obvious at a glance.
That thing... could it be the one Mei Dan was researching?
So that's how it is. To gain knowledge that proves the existence of gods, one must pay a corresponding price.
Hayden instantly understood the situation.
Something has started the computing program in the basement mainframe. Even though no one is sitting in the basement monitoring, and the computer screens aren't even turned on, the electronic data flowing through the computer cluster is still under divine watch.
So, you could say this is fate... Just as Medan was enthusiastically introducing his atheistic theory to the mythologists, that sacred name finally emerged from among nine billion possibilities.
Beyond the broken window lay an endless night, and in the face of boundless brilliance, even the stars seemed to close their eyes in embarrassment.
"So this is the return on my investment," Hayden thought to himself.
He closed his eyes and decided to accept it all.
Behind the entrepreneur, the elderly professor, supported by his assistant and daughter, stared blankly at the white light in front of him.
A few cloudy tears slid uncontrollably from the corners of his eyes; for the first time in his life, he felt regret.
Am I, and the beliefs I hold, a little too arrogant?
Whether in science or religion, maintaining a basic sense of awe in the face of the unknown may not be simply foolish, but rather a form of risk management based on empiricism.
He ignored the risks and, together with Hayden, ventured into the forbidden zone of ignorance.
They narrowly escaped with the androids that time. But this time, it seems he messed up.
The white light grew increasingly intense, making one feel as if they were at the center of a white hole, to the point that even the continuous tremors seemed somewhat subdued.
Mei Dan had no awareness of the importance of seeking enlightenment in the morning and dying in the evening. He felt even more guilty for dragging so many people into danger with him.
But when he faced this pure white light, the part of him that was governed by reason still couldn't help but start to think.
Is this truly the light that appeared at the beginning of the world?
Just then—
"Flower Rock Monster! 'Trick Space'!"
The Sinnoh champion's clear voice pierced through the frozen space and time.
Responding to the trainer's will, a shadowy, purplish-gray void appeared abruptly, like an ink spot on white paper. A shimmering light appeared at the center of the ink spot, forming a green ghost face that kept changing shape.
It is none other than the sealed Pokémon that Cyndaquil Champion is so proud of and that gives the Sinnoh Elite Four a lot of headaches—Rhyperior.
As it appeared, countless gridded purple cubes suddenly filled the white light, as if they had already been placed there, only now revealing their color.
"Alright, the attacks have covered the entire underground space. Now—"
Zhu Lan suddenly swung her hand down from top to bottom.
Strangely, unlike when people swing their arms normally, their palms get faster and faster with acceleration, the champion of Bamboo Orchid's arm swing was initially explosive and then gradually slowed down.
Although it seemed unusual at first glance, it appeared extremely solemn in this space at this moment.
Before the words were even finished, a lithe pink figure leaped out, moving faster than any other creature in the room, heading straight for the crack leading to the underground server room.
It's the champion, Gastrodon!
One second it was fending off the splinters of wood and cement from the second floor of the mansion alongside its "stand-in." The next second, it had instantly handed over its duties to Lucario and was now speeding off...
This is a tacit understanding that only champion Pokémon possess.
Under the reversed speed effect of the "Trick Space," the body that could only slowly wriggle along dragging the slime was now as unstoppable as a high-speed chariot.
"Go, Gastrodon! Don't let that guy..."
Zhu Lan cried out, her teardrop-shaped pendant swaying in front of her chest, her long golden hair fluttering in the wind as if in slow motion—
"Use the 'Big Bang'!"