Yunliu stepped in to save the day, and with just a few swift moves, his Scyther knocked the Nidoking flat on the ground.
Yellow noticed that the Scyther's attack speed was extremely fast, leaving the Nidoking without even a chance to counterattack. This didn't quite fit the rules of a turn-based battle.
Pondering this, Yellow decided to ask Yunliu about it later.
"A tough opponent. Old timer, let's go," cursed the female figure.
"Son of a bitch, you run off as soon as you're done causing trouble?" yelled Yellow.
No one paid him any attention. The figures in black robes released Flying-type Pokémon such as Pidgeot and Fearow, and the group hurriedly fled.
Knowing he was no match for so many enemies, Yunliu didn't bother pursuing them. He looked helplessly at the lifeless remains of the Pokémon on the ground, then suddenly dropped to his knees, weeping bitterly and unable to calm himself for a long time.
"Damn it all to hell!" Yunliu cried out in extreme grief.
...
Once Yunliu had regained his composure, Yellow finally dared to speak up. "Grandpa Yunliu, were those people from Team Rocket?"
Yunliu shook his head and said coldly, "I don't know. But if they are from Team Rocket, then we've just added a new debt of blood to the old ones."
"Years ago, I fought Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket. I was no match for him then, and even less so now. Yellow, the heavy responsibility of punishing Team Rocket may have to fall on your shoulders."
"I am ready to shoulder this duty," Yellow answered firmly.
Alone and desolate, Yunliu gathered up the bodies of the Caterpie, dug a pit with his bare hands to bury them, and told Yellow not to interfere.
When Baiyin arrived at the scene, he didn't dare speak. Looking at Yunliu's hunched back, both of them seemed to catch a glimpse of the spirited, ambitious Pokémon Trainer of years past—yet a youth cannot remain a youth forever.
Yellow didn't ask about the Scyther's multiple consecutive attacks. At a time like this, it was best to let Yunliu have some quiet time.
The three of them parted ways. Yellow and Baiyin headed to the Pewter City Gym, but it was already too late, and the doors were closed.
The two found an inn to stay for the night, and Baiyin asked Yellow for tips on Pokémon battling and raising.
To be honest, Yellow only knew some raising guides and movesets. As for how to bond with Pokémon, he was a novice himself. The two of them held their own opinions, sometimes agreeing and sometimes debating, and before they knew it, they grew quite familiar with each other.
Early the next morning, Yellow and Baiyin arrived at the Pewter City Gym. This time, Baiyin would be the one challenging Brock.
Squirtle had a fourfold type advantage against Geodude and Onix, so the Gym battle was easily won, and the Boulder Badge was claimed.
Just as the two were about to leave, Ash rushed into the Gym.
"Yellow, have you already won your first badge?"
Yellow flashed his Trainer card, drawing a look of intense envy from Ash.
"That's amazing! I'm going to win a badge too!" Ash declared, full of confidence.
"Your opponent uses Rock and Ground-type Pokémon. What Pokémon do you have on hand to deal with them?" Yellow asked.
Ash pulled out two Poké Balls and said, "I have a Caterpie and a Pidgeotto, plus my Pikachu."
"With only three Pokémon, and none of them possessing a type advantage, it's going to be very hard to win, you know?" Yellow advised.
But Ash just exchanged a smile with Pikachu and replied, "I believe in my Pikachu."
"You'd better not use Pikachu, take my advice."
Ash grinned broadly, stepping forward alone. "Don't worry, Yellow, I believe in the teamwork between me and Pikachu."
Yellow pulled Baiyin along to watch the match live. In less than fifteen minutes, the excitement on Ash's face turned to calm as his three Pokémon were defeated one after another.
"How can anyone challenge with a type disadvantage?" Baiyin muttered quietly.
"That's the romance of a passionate youth putting everything on the line," Yellow added, twisting the knife.
Ash walked out of the Gym with a dejected expression, muttering to himself, "It's fine, Pikachu. You did great. I guess we just aren't strong enough yet."
Pikachu: *I think our raw power was actually above theirs, but the Gym Leader's brain cells are definitely above yours, you stupid master.*
Yellow gently patted Ash on the shoulder and offered a final piece of advice: "Ash, Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon. Its attacks won't do much against Geodude and Onix. Don't go hoping for a miracle like the Gym's sprinkler system leaking—unless you go sabotage the water valve yourself."
"If you ask me, my suggestion is to go catch a Water-type Pokémon in Cerulean City first. Then coming back to challenge the Pewter City Gym will be a breeze."
"Thanks, Yellow." Ash walked away with his head down, clearly not having listened at all.
"Oh, and Ash, if you ever meet someone named Goh in the future, don't travel with him."
Ash turned his head and asked, "Why?"
"He's not the type who truly cares about Pokémon. You two will just end up arguing. Of course, it's just a suggestion."
Abandoning the urge to save others and respecting their own destinies, Yellow stopped trying to persuade him and dragged Baiyin toward the next city—Cerulean City.
The two hurried along until they saw a vast, azure river and a seemingly endless long bridge.
Many tall buildings stood surrounding the river, and several trainers had stopped with their Water-type Pokémon to take in the scenery.
In the distance stood an abrupt, towering mountain, which must have been Mt. Moon. They would need to cross the long bridge to reach it, and there were good things hidden inside.
"Ahead is Cerulean City. The Gym Leader uses Water-type Pokémon for battles. Pop quiz: if you want to defeat them, what type of Pokémon should you choose to make it easy?"
Baiyin fell silent, and after thinking for half a minute, replied, "Grass-type and Electric-type Pokémon. They have the type advantage."
"Correct. Let's go."
The two stepped onto the long bridge, where a short-sleeved middle-aged man wearing a red hat sat with several fishing rods laid out before him.
Nearby stood a kind-looking white-haired old man. The two were barely twenty meters apart, yet most of the trainers had gathered around the old man instead.
"Are you new trainers? I'm selling fishing rods here. I can let them go cheap if you want one. You can catch Water-type Pokémon with them, you know."
"Hmph," the old man nearby let out a cold snort, provoking the ire of the man with the red hat. The two locked eyes, their gazes clashing as if sparks were about to fly.
"Two little friends, would you like to spend a tiny bit of money to gain the blessing of the rivers and seas?"
"The blessing of the rivers and seas?" Yellow asked, puzzled. This was the first time he had ever heard such a phrase.
"That's right, the blessing of the rivers and seas. I have forged a deep bond with the rivers and oceans everywhere. As long as you are willing to pay, I can share a bit of my good fortune with you, making it much easier to encounter rare Water-type Pokémon."
Yellow stared at the old man, completely disbelieving a single word, and simply asked, "How am I supposed to know if you actually have that kind of ability, old timer?"
The old man sneered and waved his hand to shoo the surrounding trainers back a short distance.
"Then you'd better watch closely, little one."
With that, the old man raised both arms and shouted loudly, "O sacred ocean! Roar for me!"
As soon as the words fell, the current of the river beneath the bridge suddenly twisted, forming a whirlpool. Three huge columns of water burst forth from the depths, soaring straight up toward the daylight.
This scene shocked Yellow and all the trainers present.
It also made Yellow realize just how mysterious the Pokémon World truly was.
Yellow: *Huh? Isn't this the Pokémon World? Why is someone out here cultivating immortality?*
"What on earth is going on here? Let me see what's happening." Yellow leaned over the bridge railing and stared intently at the river, but nothing seemed amiss.
"This is completely defying the laws of nature," Yellow couldn't help muttering.
Yet just as he was about to turn back, he caught a flash of bright white light darting through the river.
Thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him, Yellow kept his gaze fixed on the water's surface.
Sure enough, two minutes later, another streak of bright white flashed by and vanished in an instant.
"How about it? Does anyone want to receive the blessing of the rivers and seas? It only costs fifteen hundred gold for a lifetime of good fortune," the old man cried out to the crowd.
Dozens of Pokémon images flashed through Yellow's mind before he finally locked onto the most likely culprit.
However, crashing someone's gig in public meant cutting off their livelihood. Yellow gestured for the old man to lean down and listen.
The old man bent over, and Yellow whispered into his ear, "Grandpa, you're amazing. I almost thought there was a Gyarados in the river cooperating with you."
The old man's sturdy frame jerked, but he quickly forced a calm expression and said, "You kids sure love to joke. How could that be? Run along now."
Yellow nodded and walked over to the man selling fishing rods.
"Mister, I'll take two fishing rods."
The middle-aged man naturally smiled happily, but the old man nearby didn't show any expression at all, nor did he look envious—which meant there was definitely a story there.