Chapter 110: Intelligence from the Great Ant Mound Wasteland, Feeding Niuniu for the Second Time

The director of the Botanical Research Institute pushed up his glasses, his expression still somewhat shaken.

“Which group of hunters are you from? You look quite young. But it doesn’t matter—thank you for saving me,” the director said, sizing up Su Yi.

The director’s personality and outlook had always been like this. As a member of the long-lived Dragonkin, he believed he was destined to witness countless lives age and fade away.

Therefore, rather than forming friendships only to suffer the sorrow and loneliness of losing friends over time, he preferred to immerse himself in studying plants with long lifespans, like the ancient giant trees, letting them keep him company.

As a result, the director rarely paid attention to those around him, focusing solely on his botanical research.

“By the way, Director, isn’t it too dangerous to venture out alone for research? You should at least have a hunter accompany you,” Su Yi remarked.

The director shook his head. “There aren’t many hunters left at the base right now. Recently, the Great Ant Mound Wasteland has had some issues, and many hunters have gone to investigate.”

“So the base is currently short on hunting personnel,” Su Yi deduced.

His interest piqued by this information, Su Yi asked, “What’s going on in the Great Ant Mound Wasteland?”

The director looked puzzled. “You’re a hunter, and you don’t know?”

Realizing he had let something slip, Su Yi calmly explained, “My mission is in the Ancient Tree Forest area; I haven’t returned to the base much recently.”

“I see,” the director said without suspicion. This wasn’t something he would typically pay attention to.

“The monsters in the Great Ant Mound Wasteland have been unusually active lately—creatures like the Primal Jaw, Sandburrow Dragon, and Female Fire Dragon have been frequently appearing near the oasis and swamps surrounding the base,” the director explained.

“Their activity zones have shifted away from their original habitats, which is rather unusual.”

Su Yi thought for a moment, then asked, “Is there any abnormal weather?”

The director replied, “You guess it might be the influence of the Ancient Dragon? But I heard it’s not that severe, and no climate anomalies have been observed.”

Such a situation meant either a powerful monster had invaded their territory or some disaster was forcing them to abandon their habitats.

“Have you found any leads?” Su Yi pressed.

The director shook his head. “Not yet. And with the shortage of personnel, the investigation is slow. Some hunters have even been injured by monsters whose temper has become more aggressive.”

“Forget all that for now. Hunter, there’s a research project I haven’t finished, but those monsters interrupted me. I’d like to ask you to escort me, if you don’t mind,” the director earnestly requested.

Su Yi thought it over. He had no pressing matters, and accompanying the director would be a good chance to discreetly gather information about the base. He nodded in agreement.

Once more entering the forest, the director was much more cautious. Upon reaching a massive root of an ancient giant tree, he hurried over, searching eagerly for something.

“Found it!” the director exclaimed joyfully.

He began unpacking various tools, recording data, and collecting samples from several plants.

After a series of operations that Su Yi couldn’t quite follow, the director stood up, satisfied.

“Ancient giant trees are truly wondrous. That’s why I’m so eager to study them,” he marveled.

“Countless plants coexist and flourish alongside these ancient giants. If we can unravel the secrets of this symbiosis, it could lead to mass cultivation of some rare and difficult-to-grow plants.”

Clearly energized by his discovery, the director spoke at length, revealing his genuine passion for plants and fascination with the mystery of the ancient giant trees’ symbiotic relationships.

“Unfortunately, the ancient tree seeds I’ve brought back still refuse to germinate,” he sighed.

Su Yi knew the method to make those seeds sprout, but it required the energy of an Ancient Dragon—something currently out of reach.

It was only later, when the Molten Mountain Dragon made landfall and the investigation team tracked its trail, that they found fragments of its discarded shell. Using those as fertilizer, the ancient tree seeds finally sprouted.

“Meow? Did you hear something, meow?” Rucao twitched her cat ears.

“Something?” Su Yi pricked up his ears. The soft, steady thumping of footsteps gradually grew clearer.

“A monster?” Su Yi tightened his grip on the silent lone sword sheath, alert to his surroundings.

“Director, we need to go!” Su Yi urged.

“All right!” the director nodded, his expression instantly tense.

Thud!

A pair of massive horns broke through the underbrush, and a huge beast draped in snow-white fur strode forward, clearing obstacles to stand before Su Yi and the others.

“It’s a Bullhorn Dragon,” Su Yi breathed, momentarily relieved.

“A monster! Shouldn’t we run?” The director was visibly terrified.

His outcry caught the Bullhorn Dragon’s attention. It turned its head toward the noisy little creature, snorting with some displeasure.

Su Yi quickly reassured the director, “Don’t worry, Director. As long as you don’t provoke this kind of monster, it won’t be dangerous.”

The director patted his chest, forcing himself to calm down, then gasped, “So provoking it is dangerous, huh?”

Su Yi shrugged. Provoking monsters is always dangerous.

Seeing the little creature quiet down, the Bullhorn Dragon glanced around before fixing its gaze on Su Yi, tilting its head in apparent curiosity.

“Is that the same Bullhorn Dragon?” Su Yi was taken aback, then smiled as he scattered a jar of Pokémon food on the ground, adding several tree fruits from the Pokémon world.

“Moo~” The Bullhorn Dragon, delighted by the rare scent it couldn’t find anywhere else in the Ancient Tree Forest, approached eagerly. It sniffed and then devoured the food mixed with the fruits in one bite.

“Moo~” The Bullhorn Dragon shook its head, flicking its small ears as if savoring the taste.

Gathering his courage, Su Yi took out more Pokémon food and tree fruits, holding them in his hands as he slowly stepped forward.

The Bullhorn Dragon lowered its head, sniffing the food infused with Su Yi’s scent. At such close range, Su Yi could clearly feel the warm breath emanating from the beast.

Without hesitation, the Bullhorn Dragon curled its tongue and scooped all the food from Su Yi’s hands.

Su Yi smiled and wiped the saliva from his hands.

“Moo~” the Bullhorn Dragon lowed softly, then continued moving toward a direction deeper into the lush forest.

“Phew! You’re quite brave!” the director adjusted his glasses, amazed.

“Haha! It’s okay,” Su Yi exhaled in relief.

He hadn’t forgotten that monsters, no matter how varied their temperaments, were far from the rationality of Pokémon. Caution was still necessary.

If the Bullhorn Dragon hadn’t seemed to recognize him earlier, Su Yi wouldn’t have dared to approach.

After completing the investigation, the director expressed his wish to return to the base. Su Yi escorted him to the outskirts before departing.

Back at the base, Su Yi found that Xunmiao really hadn’t wandered off but was lazily lying in the shade of a tree.

Su Yi felt reassured and instinctively reached out to pat Xunmiao’s tail, as he would with other companion creatures.

“Phew!” Xunmiao turned its head and shot Su Yi a displeased glare.

“Uh,” Su Yi immediately withdrew his hand, and Xunmiao, no longer bothered, turned back and settled down.

Ultimate feeding for the Bullhorn! (Chaos ensues)

(End of chapter)