Beedrill stared at Su Yu in silence for a long while before finally giving him an answer. Cooperation was acceptable—more than acceptable, in fact. Even if Su Yu hadn't explained anything and had simply started renovating the mountain, the Beedrill tribe would have been forced to move anyway. And moving meant territory disputes, battles with other Pokémon, and an uncertain future. Now, however, Su Yu planned to turn the mountain into an orchard, which meant they wouldn't need to leave at all. Not only that, but there would be stable food supplies in the future. All they needed to do was help manage the orchard. No matter how the Beedrill leader calculated it, this deal was pure profit. Guaranteed food, no relocation, no unnecessary fights—there was simply no reason to refuse. If they did refuse, they might be driven away by force the very next moment. After all, the entire tribe together still couldn't defeat the human standing in front of them.
Having made up its mind, the Beedrill leader began gesturing enthusiastically, dancing in the air as it communicated its agreement. Su Yu patiently clarified the details of the cooperation. Once the orchard was established, he would regularly place energy cubes in fixed locations where the Beedrills could come and eat freely. Their daily tasks would include driving away Pokémon that tried to steal fruit, maintaining order in the orchard, and brewing honey as usual. When needed, they would also help venture into the Trackless Forest to look for specific tree fruits or materials. After all, if Pokémon could handle the searching, why should he do it himself?
The Beedrill leader, however, was curious about one thing—what exactly was an energy cube? Hearing the question, Su Yu took out a few cubes he had brought along and handed them over. He explained that energy cubes were specially made Pokémon food, capable of filling one's stomach quickly. The ones he brought were designed for Pokémon with large appetites, like Snorlax, and were perfect for simply replenishing energy without focusing on stat boosts. One or two cubes were enough to fill a Beedrill completely.
Cautious as ever, the Beedrill leader gently pierced the cube with its stinger, sniffed it carefully, and only then stuffed it into its mouth. The moment it swallowed the cube, its eyes widened. The sensation was like eating several high-quality tree fruits at once. Without hesitation, it let out an excited cry and immediately agreed to all of Su Yu's conditions. Seeing this reaction, Su Yu was clearly pleased. He assured them that once the orchard was completed, he would notify them, and that he would also need their help with planting trees and other preparations. From now on, as long as they worked properly, food would no longer be a concern.
The Beedrill leader nodded vigorously. For wild Pokémon, life was often harsh. Aside from territorial conflicts, food scarcity was a constant issue—especially during winter. Many tree fruits weren't edible for them, and unlike some Pokémon, they couldn't survive on tree sap alone. Hunger bred aggression, and that was why Beedrill were notorious for their violent temper and extreme territorial instincts. Now, with someone willing to take responsibility for their food supply, refusal simply wasn't an option.
With the agreement settled, Su Yu proposed moving on to negotiate with the other Pokémon groups on the mountain. He invited the Beedrill leader to accompany him and help guide the way. The back mountain wasn't small, and there were quite a few Pokémon living there. Aside from the Bug-type groups, there were also Pidgey tribes, as well as scattered Pokémon like Raticate and Diglett. Once the major groups agreed, the rest would naturally fall in line—especially after the area was fenced off. If any refused, Su Yu wouldn't hesitate to drive them away.
The Beedrill leader agreed immediately, calling over a few trusted subordinates and signaling Su Yu to follow. Together, they moved on to the next territory. The Butterfree tribe was easy to negotiate with; after a calm and friendly discussion, they also agreed without much resistance. One by one, the major groups in the mountain were contacted. Beedrill, Butterfree, and Pidgey—these were the most common and influential tribes here. Below the mountain, there was even a small lake filled with Magikarp, though those "salted fish" had no real sense of organization and could be ignored for now.
When Su Yu finally arrived at the Pidgey tribe's territory, he encountered an unexpected scene. A confrontation was already underway. Two large birds clashed in midair, Wing Attacks colliding fiercely as feathers scattered. Su Yu's gaze immediately locked onto one of them. Its feathers gleamed with a rich, golden hue, radiating an almost noble presence. The other was an ordinary Pidgeot. There was no doubt about it—the golden one was a Shiny Pokémon.
Su Yu's breath caught slightly. A Shiny Pidgeot… in an ordinary back mountain like this? If word got out, countless Trainers would swarm this place within half an hour. In this world, Shiny Pokémon were rarer even than quasi-gods. At that moment, the two Pidgeot were clearly competing for leadership of the tribe. Watching the golden Pidgeot—one that seemed to have evolved not long ago—Su Yu's eyes burned with determination.
This one… he had to conquer it.