Pokemon: I refuse to be a supporting character!

Read advance chapters for both of my work, exclusively on Patreon at - www.patreon.com/Sniperwoof

-----------------

The path was narrow at first, barely enough for a person to pass through—

But that wasn't the case here.

The cave was much more spacious than Li Xiang had anticipated, and it remained that way as they walked, with a single path stretching forward without any forks or branches.

Feraligatr led the way ahead, and the two of them could easily walk behind it, tucked into the crook of its massive arm.

The only unsettling part was the silence. The cave was eerily quiet, with the darkness behind them stretching endlessly, lit only faintly by the light from the entrance, creating an almost oppressive atmosphere.

"There's a slope here. Are we heading underground?"

Lin Feng moved cautiously, noting the slippery ground underfoot, possibly due to the cave's proximity to the coast. The air was heavy with dampness, making it harder to breathe.

"Maybe," Li Xiang replied, catching a faint whiff of the gas mask he wore, the smell making him frown.

The masks had been stored in a warehouse by Li Zhehan, leftovers that had been replaced by newer equipment. His grandmother, unwilling to waste them, had kept them. Though outdated, they were still functional—Li Xiang had confirmed this with Li Zhehan beforehand.

"The humidity is intense. The dock isn't far either. Why hasn't anyone discovered this cave inside the mountain?" Lin Feng's voice broke the silence, his unease with the confined space apparent.

"There are plenty of undeveloped areas around Qingcheng. Once we study land utilization, you'll understand better," Li Xiang replied, sweeping a high-powered flashlight across the cave's ceiling.

Caves like this often served as havens for Pokémon like Zubat and Noibat. Yet, strangely, while there were signs of their presence—claw marks on the ceiling and droppings on the ground—not a single one was in sight.

Had they fled when the cave was disturbed?

But if so, why hadn't the two Rattata back in the house fled too?

They continued deeper into the cave.

The silence was oppressive.

Each breath seemed unnaturally loud, the sound of their heavy breathing almost maddening. While Feraligatr seemed unfazed, Lin Feng was clearly struggling.

"Li—"

"Shh!"

Li Xiang suddenly covered Lin Feng's mask's vent, switching off both of their flashlights. Feraligatr followed suit, its forehead light extinguished.

The cave, previously dimly illuminated, was now plunged into near-total darkness, lit faintly by the glow of Charmeleon's tail flame.

Lin Feng, startled, held his breath but quickly recalled Charmeleon to its PokéBall.

Only then did Li Xiang let go.

Their breathing slowed as the cave's oppressive silence returned, broken only by a faint, distant sound—a low, indistinct wailing echoing from deeper within.

"What's that…?" Lin Feng whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Probably a Pokémon," Li Xiang replied, licking his finger and raising it into the air.

Lin Feng gave him a confused look.

It was a simple trick to test airflow—wherever it felt cooler, wind was likely coming from.

But—nothing.

Li Xiang sighed internally, acknowledging his failed attempt to look impressive. He had no way of determining if there was an exit deeper in the cave.

"Let's keep moving, but use the flashlight sparingly," he said, adjusting the flashlight to its dimmest setting before handing it to Lin Feng.

Wild Pokémon accustomed to living in darkness were sensitive to light. The bright beam from Feraligatr's headlamp could easily startle them, and since their goal was to catch Pokémon, scaring them away would be counterproductive.

Lin Feng nodded, ready to cover the light with his hand if needed.

As for Feraligatr, it didn't rely heavily on vision. It could sense intruders even in murky waters, relying on instincts other than sight.

They pressed forward.

Before long, the path ended—not with a dead end, but with—

"There's light! And I can hear waves!" Lin Feng exclaimed softly, rubbing his tired eyes.

The cave not only remained wide but expanded even further ahead.

In the distance, faint light filtered through, accompanied by the sound of waves crashing against rocks.

Li Xiang nodded.

This was beyond his expectations. He'd assumed the cave would lead to a narrow, sunless underground chamber, but it turned out to be a hidden world.

A dual exit? Air circulation?

The two, along with their Pokémon, quickly emerged from the dim tunnel, and suddenly—

The world opened up.

Brilliant sunlight poured over a shimmering pool and rocky outcrops before them, the light reflecting beautifully. Jagged stone walls surrounded the area, covered in peculiar plants, while a gentle breeze blew in from above.

At the far end of the pool was an "outlet to the sea," nestled between two cliffs. The opening was narrow but offered a glimpse of the vast ocean beyond.

This was the interior of a seaside cliff!

Li Xiang could finally empathize with the protagonist of The Peach Blossom Spring, feeling the same joy of rediscovering light and freedom.

But none of this was the main point.

The real focus was on the creature by the edge of the pool.

Its body was a striking cerulean blue, with soft yellow on its throat, chest, and belly. Resembling a chubby, miniature Loch Ness monster, its back was adorned with a gray, rocky shell.

A Water/Ice-type Pokémon—Lapras.

Also known as the Transport Pokémon, Lapras had been driven to near extinction due to rampant illegal hunting, making it a rare, highly protected species.

Although their wild numbers had been gradually recovering in recent years—

The condition of this Lapras was dire.

Its body was covered in wounds, its shell cracked, and several horn-like protrusions on its back had snapped. Its head drooped weakly by the pool's edge, eyes shut tight.

It was unconscious, its injuries severe.

"What terrible injuries!"

Lin Feng was about to rush forward as soon as he saw it, but after taking only a few steps, he was pulled back by Feraligatr.

"Why are you in such a hurry? You haven't even figured out the situation yet, and you're running off to get yourself killed?"

Li Xiang pulled Lin Feng back. "What if it's a trap?"

It's always good to be cautious.

The sight of a Lapras—a typically social Pokémon—appearing alone here was strange enough. Add to that its body being covered in scars, looking like it had been attacked—it was a pitiful sight.

This situation was eerily similar to traps set by predators in the wild, using prey to lure others. Rushing in recklessly would be like gambling with their lives.

Lin Feng's anxious expression slowly calmed down at Li Xiang's words.

While impulsive, he wasn't just a brainless brute. The situation did feel off.

The two observed for a while and found that the only path out of the area was the tunnel they were in. After Lucario scanned the area with its Aura and confirmed no hidden Pokémon, Feraligatr was sent forward to probe the situation.

The two stood back and watched.

"You know, I feel like we're different from the typical trainers you see on TV," Lin Feng remarked as he watched Feraligatr cautiously approach.

In his impression, trainers always took the initiative, handling everything themselves.

If they encountered an injured Pokémon, they would rush forward without hesitation, not sneak around like they were doing now.

"You already said it's TV. Why don't you understand yet?"

Li Xiang kept his eyes on Feraligatr as it approached the Lapras, tentatively touched it, and then waded into the water to investigate the pond.

After completing its checks, Feraligatr carried the semi-conscious Lapras onto the shore and gave them a thumbs-up to signal the area was safe.

"It should be safe for the most part," Li Xiang said, though he didn't fully relax. He and Lin Feng, accompanied by their Pokémon, moved forward.

"While we don't know who attacked it, our priority is to treat its wounds and get it to a Pokémon Center. With injuries like these, it's not something that will heal in a week or two."

The two approached the Lapras.

Li Xiang put on gloves, pried open its eyelids, checked its mouth, and then examined its wounds.

The wounds were dark and purplish, showing traces of blood and bruising. They were relatively small but neatly inflicted.

The cracks on the shell of its back radiated from a single point, with irregular fissures around it.

"Punching moves?"

Li Xiang looked at Lin Feng in surprise. "Are there any Water-type Pokémon that are particularly good at punching moves?"

"Poliwrath?" Lin Feng tilted his head as he handed Li Xiang a can of spray.

Then he added, "Plenty of Water-types know punching moves, and it might not even be a Water-type."

"Guessing won't hurt," Li Xiang replied casually. "Looking at its size and teeth, this one's still a baby."

Adult Lapras can grow up to about 2.5 meters, but this one was barely 1.7 meters.

"Maybe it got separated from its group, wandered in here, and got beaten up by the Pokémon that lives here?"

Lin Feng started spinning his imagination. "Then that Pokémon, scared of the Lapras's parents coming for revenge, smashed the rock wall and fled in a panic?"

Li Xiang's mouth twitched. "I think you'd make a great TV scriptwriter with your wild ideas."

Lin Feng scratched his head sheepishly. "Haha…"

"Stop laughing! Do you think I'm complimenting you? Get out a PokéBall already. How are we supposed to take it to the Pokémon Center without one? Are you planning to carry it?" Li Xiang gave him a smack on the shoulder.

Though they could have Feraligatr carry it, putting it in a PokéBall was obviously safer.

Lin Feng nodded and pulled a PokéBall from his bag.

With a soft pop, the Lapras was drawn into the PokéBall. In its semi-conscious state, the capture process went smoothly.

The PokéBall's light dimmed, signaling a successful capture.

"Yeah!"

Out of nowhere, Lin Feng stood up and cheered, only to lose his balance and tumble backward into the pond with a splash.

Still in the water, Feraligatr quickly pulled the floundering Lin Feng out.

"Blah! Pffft!"

Lin Feng spat out a mouthful of water, his expression dazed.

Li Xiang handed him a towel with a sigh. "Calm down, kid. No need to get so worked up."

"…Haha," Lin Feng laughed, taking the towel to dry himself off. "This is my first time capturing a Pokémon with a PokéBall. I couldn't help it."

But as he wiped his back, he frowned at a white, foamy residue. "What is this gross stuff?"

Fortunately, it came off with a quick wipe, so he didn't dwell on it.

"This is still my first time catching a wild Pokémon."

Soaking wet, Lin Feng couldn't hide his excitement. "Even though it was to help it rather than add it as a partner, and it wasn't the dramatic encounter-battle-bond-capture process I imagined."

"Skipping a few steps is fine," Li Xiang said as he removed his gloves and surveyed the area again.

"Besides, building bonds can come later. You're a kid, and it's a baby. Once it recovers, see if it's willing to stay with you."

Lin Feng froze for a moment before shaking his head. "No need. Really, there's no need. We found it together, and it doesn't fit the reason we came here in the first place. It has no reason to belong to me."

His expression was serious and resolute.

In this world, many friendships between trainers had fractured over a rare or valuable Pokémon. Some pretended to be magnanimous but secretly harbored resentment.

Unequal distribution.

Lin Feng didn't want that. If it came to it, he'd rather give it up.

"Do you think I went through all this trouble, borrowed my dad's Pokémon, brought all this gear, and made all these preparations to play nice?"

Li Xiang scoffed. "I came here to help you catch a new Water-type Pokémon."

"If I weren't here for you, I wouldn't have even stepped into this place. Stop overthinking it! Whether the Lapras wants to stay with you is up to it."