After parting ways with Ash and his group, Chihong sat cross-legged on Pidgeot's broad back, scanning the system map. His eyes focused on the red-highlighted route ahead, revealing that his next destination, Crimson City, was still quite far away.
To reach Crimson City, Chihong would have to pass through Heiyun City—also known as Black Cloud City—and traverse several small towns along the way. Despite the distance, Chihong wasn't in any rush. What caught his attention instead was the name "Heiyun City" blinking on the digital map.
"If I remember correctly," he murmured, narrowing his eyes, "there were rumors about the Lightning Bird in Heiyun City."
Indeed, Zapdos—one of the three legendary birds—was rumored to appear near an abandoned power plant in Heiyun City. This wasn't just hearsay in this world; the story had popped up in several versions of the Pokémon games Chihong had played before transmigrating. The location where Zapdos appeared was always the unmanned or disused power plant. This alignment with game lore piqued his interest further.
Wasting no time, Chihong gave a soft command. "Pidgeot, change course. We're heading to Heiyun City."
The majestic Flying-type Pokémon let out a sharp cry and adjusted its wings, angling slightly to the west toward the looming gray sprawl of Heiyun City. Chihong didn't know for certain whether Zapdos would actually be there, but even if the search turned out to be fruitless, the detour wouldn't cost him much time. After all, Heiyun City was still en route to his final destination.
But if he did find Zapdos... the question was: should he try to catch it?
Chihong rubbed his chin thoughtfully. There was no denying the power and rarity of Zapdos. As one of the sacred legendary birds, it stood far above average Pokémon in terms of strength, stamina, and uniqueness. Subduing it would be a remarkable achievement.
However, there was just one issue—its appearance.
Frankly speaking, Zapdos's jagged feathers, angry eyes, and spiky silhouette didn't quite fit Chihong's aesthetic preferences. He appreciated elegance in his Pokémon, and Zapdos looked more like a walking thundercloud with wings.
But even so...
"Well, it's not about looks," he reminded himself with a sigh. "Even if it's not the best-looking Pokémon, a divine beast is still a divine beast."
The urge to collect rare and powerful Pokémon tugged at him. While he didn't have plans to capture all the mythical Pokémon in the world, he wouldn't turn down the opportunity to add a few impressive ones to his roster. Even if he didn't intend to use them in battles regularly, having legendary Pokémon as a show of strength—and maybe even as symbols of status—was satisfying in its own right.
"Alright then," Chihong whispered, determination setting in his eyes. "If I find Zapdos, I'll capture it."
Of course, that was assuming the rumors were true. In the original Pokémon anime, there was no official appearance of Zapdos at the power plant in Heiyun City. Instead, it was a Muk leading a pack of Grimer that caused power issues in the region's new facility.
The only reference to Zapdos's presence in this location came from various versions of the games. So, the only way to know the truth was to see for himself.
But if Zapdos really was there?
Chihong smirked. "As long as it hasn't reached Elite-level strength, I have a 100% chance of subduing it."
With that resolve, Pidgeot sliced through the clouds toward Heiyun City at impressive speed. Before long, the vast, smog-touched outline of the city came into view. Rather than swooping dramatically into the city center, Chihong directed Pidgeot to descend onto a quiet stretch of road just outside the city limits.
He didn't want to attract unnecessary attention. Pidgeot, being much larger than most of its kind, could easily cause a stir—especially in an already tense city like Heiyun.
After dismounting, he gently patted Pidgeot's side and returned it to its Luxury Ball. With Pikachu perched on his shoulder, Chihong started walking toward the city center.
As he wandered through the streets, he was surprised that no trainers came up to challenge him. That was unusual. Normally, someone of his reputation would've been approached several times already.
Then he remembered something.
"In the original version, Heiyun City suffered from frequent power outages," Chihong said to himself. "That made the whole city feel bleak and uninviting."
That might explain the absence of trainers and the heavy atmosphere looming over the streets.
He continued strolling, taking in the sights. The city had clearly once been an industrial powerhouse, but those days were long gone. Empty factories and abandoned warehouses littered the outskirts, while older buildings sagged under the weight of time and neglect. The recent power outages seemed to have only worsened the situation.
Trash was strewn across some alleys, and the faint smell of chemicals hung in the air.
The power outages, Chihong suspected, were likely caused by the same group of Muks and Grimers from the original novel. Those Poison-type Pokémon were drawn to waste, particularly the kind generated by heavy industry. Their presence was more than just a nuisance; it was the result of nature trying to cleanse the environment of pollution in its own way.
In fact, Chihong saw their presence as the world's attempt at self-repair.
"Humans pollute the world, and Muk is the natural counterbalance," he reflected. "They're not pests—they're part of the solution."
Still, their rampant presence disrupted daily life, especially in a city that hadn't fully recovered from industrial decline.
Eventually, Chihong reached the Pokémon Center in Heiyun City. Initially, he hadn't planned on stopping there—only Pidgeot had exerted itself, and the rest of his team was in peak condition. But he needed information, and the Pokémon Center was the best place to get it.
He walked inside and was greeted by the familiar, comforting aroma of healing potions and disinfectant. Nurse Joy was busy tending to a Chansey, but she gave Chihong a warm smile and a nod.
He headed to a videophone and dialed the number for his home villa.
After a few seconds, the screen lit up with the friendly face of Uncle Fu, the family steward.
"Master Chihong! Good afternoon. You've already reached Heiyun City? I didn't expect you to be this fast."
"Good afternoon, Uncle Fu," Chihong replied with a relaxed smile. "Yeah, I arrived not long ago. How are things back at the villa? Have my parents called recently?"
"Everything is running smoothly here," Uncle Fu answered, his voice full of affection. "As for your parents, yes, they've called. They were very concerned about you, of course. Once they learned you were doing well, they were greatly relieved."
Uncle Fu paused, then added, "Your father was especially shocked when he received the photos you sent to the Alliance. He was so intrigued, he immediately pushed aside his ongoing research projects and planned a return to Pallet Town to study them with Professor Oak."
Chihong raised an eyebrow. "That's... pretty serious."
Uncle Fu chuckled. "Indeed. Your mother, on the other hand, was also amazed by the photos, but she didn't show much interest in their contents. She's focused on launching new products in different regions, so she left for another business trip shortly afterward."
Chihong sighed lightly, though he wasn't surprised. "That sounds just like them. Dad's always been a research fanatic, and Mom's the kind of business queen who doesn't care much for anything outside of the company's interests."
He leaned back slightly, a small smile forming on his lips.
"But I didn't expect Dad to set aside his work just to explore those photos with Professor Oak. He really lives up to his title as one of the most respected researchers."
"Indeed," Uncle Fu nodded. "He mentioned that the symbols and details in your photos might lead to insights into ancient Pokémon history and ecology. He was especially curious about the bird you sketched."
"Interesting…" Chihong muttered. "Maybe he's on the verge of uncovering something big."
They chatted a bit longer before ending the call. Chihong felt a bit of warmth in his chest after hearing about his parents. Despite their distance and busy lives, they still cared about him in their own ways.
As he pocketed the phone, he looked toward the window. The darkened skies of Heiyun City loomed outside, heavy with the promise of either rain or thunder.
Either way, he thought, it suits the atmosphere for encountering Zapdos.
With his next goal clear in mind, Chihong prepared to head toward the outskirts of the city—where the old power plant, shrouded in shadows and rumors, awaited him.
And if fate allowed it, he'd walk out of there with a legendary bird by his side.
!