Chapter 28: Plata

The race began swiftly. Zhao Fang started at the front of the pack, but he was soon overtaken by several others. He didn’t mind; although he had been training, he knew he couldn’t compete with those who had been practicing combat and fitness since childhood. Besides, this race was not simply about who started the fastest.

Zhao Fang maintained a steady, measured pace, keeping his breathing controlled without pushing himself to exhaustion. After about ten minutes of cycling, he reached the junction marked on the map. Where the shortcut should have been, there was only a steep slope. The organizers had not marked it as a viable path, leading many to stick to the main map route. Zhao Fang, however, made a decisive turn, steering onto the shortcut according to the route he had memorized.

It must be said that the Mauville City Cycling Race, as a signature event of the city, had garnered significant attention from the League. Throughout the entire ride, Zhao Fang encountered no troublesome Pokémon or obstructive spectators, which allowed him to pick up his speed. He had initially feared the race might present moral dilemmas—like encountering injured Pokémon—but it seemed the organizers were focused strictly on the sport.

Soon, Zhao Fang rejoined the main road after the shortcut, but he was surprised to see someone still ahead of him, cycling at an incredible pace. At first, he could just barely make out the figure, but soon the rider disappeared into the distance. Zhao Fang felt a bit speechless; it seemed he wasn't the only clever one.

After all, the referee had explicitly told them to study the map carefully. It was only natural that others would suspect a hidden path. That this person also possessed such immense stamina made them seem like a monster.

Though slightly anxious, Zhao Fang kept his cool and maintained his rhythm. After some time, the silhouette of Mauville City finally appeared. Crowds gathered along the roadside, cheering, which gave Zhao Fang a surge of energy that helped him recover from his fatigue.

When he reached the finish line, he saw a boy already standing there with his bike, a sleek, high-performance model. Zhao Fang gritted his teeth; it seemed he would have to settle for second place.

"Congratulations! You’ve taken second place! Here is your reward—please choose a mid-range bicycle," a staff member said with a warm smile. Zhao Fang didn’t hesitate and opted for the high-performance model he had been using.

Watching the young man being interviewed by reporters nearby, Zhao Fang sighed. Even after spotting the trap, he hadn't managed to take first?

The reporters only interviewed the boy in first place before moving on to other professionals and well-known adult competitors. Zhao Fang didn't pay it much mind. While it was a pity to miss out on the top-tier prize, the mid-range bike was quite good, and he had only managed to do this well thanks to his own "cheat."

"Excuse me, did you also spot the trap?" the boy asked curiously as Zhao Fang prepared to wheel his bike away.

"Yes, the referee's words were always a bit suspicious," Zhao Fang replied with a nod. As he suspected, this boy was another clever one who had seen through the trick.

"That's amazing! I thought I was the only one! My name is Plata, and I'm a trainer collecting Gym Badges!" The boy extended his hand generously.

"Ah, I'm Zhao Fang. Nice to meet you; I'm a trainer as well," Zhao Fang said, feeling a bit awkward. He wasn't particularly good at dealing with such overly enthusiastic people.

"Oh? Zhao Fang? That’s a unique name! How about a battle? I just earned my Voltage Badge!" Plata’s eyes lit up.

Zhao Fang twitched his lip. He had come to understand people in this Pokémon world; they were battle fanatics. Pokémon battles were the most popular program, followed by Contests, and then idols.

"About that..." Zhao Fang scratched his head, hesitant to battle someone so intense.

However, Plata was so passionate, even sharing his experiences and the puzzles he encountered at the Electric-type Gym, that Zhao Fang eventually relented.

"If you're going to battle me, you’d better be prepared with antidotes. Do you have enough?" Plata asked, clutching his Poké Ball and looking at Zhao Fang cautiously.

Zhao Fang raised an eyebrow. It seemed Plata was a Poison-type specialist. Unfortunately, he didn't have any Pokémon with the Immunity ability.

"Of course, I have enough. Shall we begin?" Zhao Fang nodded, feeling a spark of respect for Plata; it took a certain kind of openness to warn an opponent about one's own poison tactics.

"Then I'll leave it to you! Nidorino!" Plata tossed his Poké Ball, and a Nidorino appeared on the field.

Zhao Fang frowned. He knew the species, but he didn't know its ability. If it had Poison Point, close-quarters combat could be dangerous. He hesitated for a moment before sending out Dreepy, wanting to see how much his Pokémon had progressed.

"I've never seen that Pokémon before!" Plata said, looking more serious.

"Execute Tactical Plan One!" Zhao Fang commanded, a strategy he had learned from Qian Sha to keep his intentions hidden.

"Watch out for attacks, and use Toxic Spikes!" Plata ordered.

Zhao Fang curled his lip. Typical—these Poison-type trainers loved setting up Toxic Spikes. If they piled up, switching Pokémon would become a headache.

But while Nidorino was setting the spikes, Dreepy closed in, raking Nidorino with its claws before darting back and firing a Shadow Ball, fueled by ghostly energy, straight at Nidorino's face.

"Nidorino! Use Poison Jab!" Plata’s voice remained steady, his composure unshaken.