Elf: Re-employment of retired champion of Padiya

Chapter 784 Black Gold Coal Pit, The Origin of the Growlithe Pokémon Egg
Sinnoh region, Black Gold City.

This is a coal industrial town adjacent to a huge mine.

Thanks to the abundant natural resources contained in the mine, the entire city of Black Gold relies on the coal pits dug in this huge mine for its energy needs, including the livelihoods of its citizens.

After departing from Zhuqing City Station and arriving in Heijin City by special train, Luo Mu and Lei Guanwang did not linger in the city, but instead went straight to the famous Heijin Coal Mine.

The Black Gold Charcoal Pit is located in the south of Black Gold City. It has a long history and is currently managed by the city's Gym Leader, Hyota, who is in charge of all matters related to the charcoal pit.

Naturally, for Luo Mu, whose purpose was to find someone, directly contacting the person in charge was the quickest option.

So before heading to Black Gold City, Luo Mu used his network of connections to notify Piao Tai, the person in charge, in advance.

Far away.

Luo Mu can see a backdrop of numerous mining equipment, busy workers, and Pokémon.

A male figure was standing at the entrance of the charcoal pit, looking around as if waiting for someone.

The other person was wearing a red miner's hat with added lighting, a close-fitting black vest over a gray jacket, and matching gray work pants paired with red-soled black knee-high boots.

—The other party was none other than the owner of the Black Gold Dojo and the person in charge of the Black Gold Charcoal Pit, Piao Tai.

As soon as Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang approached, the other party waved his white-gloved hands and smiled as he came over.

"You must be Mr. Luo Mu, whom Miss Zhu Lan mentioned coming over?"

Piao Tai took off his helmet and awkwardly bowed to Luo Mu.

Judging from his manner, he clearly regarded Luo Mu as some important figure who had come to inspect the area.

Luo Mu was somewhat helpless about this.

Perhaps I shouldn't contact Piao Tai directly through Zhu Lan's connections, but rather come to him directly?

After all, it looks complicated to explain.

While thinking about these things, Luo Mu didn't appear stunned on the surface. He smiled and shook hands with Piao Tai's right hand, which had just removed its glove, and replied, "Yes, nice to meet you, Mr. Piao Tai."

As soon as Luo Mu finished speaking, he noticed that Piao Tai, who was shaking hands with him, kept glancing at Rachel, who was wearing a Bogarman hoodie beside him.

Before Luo Mu could speak...

The next second, Piao Taichi asked in a questioning tone, "This is...your child?"

Piao Tai paused, swallowing the slightly impolite remark, "His head is really big," with a strange expression.

However, his gaze lingered on Luo Mu and the Crown King.

She kept muttering to herself, "How come Luo Mu looks so young, yet he already has a child?"

But when she thought about how her father, Donggua, had been around the same age as her, Piaotai felt it made sense.

Luo Mu was speechless, not expecting that Piao Tai would mistake the Crown Prince for his own child. He could only try to explain.

"It's my Pokémon partner, but it's a little shy and doesn't want to show its true face, so it covers itself up with clothes."

This is also the explanation that Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang jointly decided after discussing it.

Luo Mu had said the same thing to the train attendant when he boarded the train at the station.

Surprisingly, this actually made the Queen of the Crests receive preferential treatment, and she even received a lot of candy from the Queen and her colleagues, which made Shaymi extremely jealous.

It pretended to roll over and act cute for a long time, but not only did no one pay attention to it, it also received very little candy.

Along the way, it used its telepathy countless times to complain in Luo Mu's mind, saying things like, "Human aesthetics must be out of place."

"Pokémon?"

Piao Tai murmured softly.

Now he understood why this Pokémon's head looked so big.

The hood that resembled Bogarman was stretched so wide it made him look quite round, almost like an adorable, chubby penguin.

If they are Pokémon with different body sizes and appearances, then this can be explained.

Although this explanation is a bit strange, the heads of my own Shieldon and Craniosaurus are about the same size!
Putting aside the misunderstanding that the Crested King is not Luo Mu's child.

Not wanting to waste time, Luo Mu quickly began to talk to Piao Tai about his true purpose for coming.

"Looking for someone?"

Piao Tai blinked, a look of confusion appearing on his wheat-colored face.

To be honest, when Cynthia, the champion who was unparalleled in the Sinnoh region, first contacted me and said that a friend of hers was coming to Coal Mine and asked me to take some time to host her.

Piao Tai thought Luo Mu was some important figure who had come for some important matter.

Otherwise, if it were just about seeing himself, there would be no need to trouble the Sinnoh Champion; he could simply go to the coal pit and ask any worker to show him the way.

Luo Mu's words completely baffled him.

No?

So you went all the way to the Sinnoh champion to pull strings, only to come here just to find someone else?
Piao Tai suddenly felt that he couldn't understand the world anymore, and even wondered if he had been in the black gold charcoal pit for too long and had become a little out of touch with society.

Despite being confused, Piao Tai's efficiency was still quite good.

Even though it was somewhat regrettable that Luo Mu wasn't the big investor who had come to invest in the Black Gold Coal Pit as he had initially thought.

However, if you just need to find someone, it should be quite easy to handle.

In a little while, I'll be able to go back into the pit and continue digging for fossils.

"Since you specifically came to me, it means you don't know some specific information about the other party, such as their contact number or something?"

Piao Tai beckoned his assistant over, while analyzing the situation clearly and logically.

"Yes."

Luo Mu nodded in agreement with Piao Tai's analysis and revealed the information he knew.

"The other party is the son of my grandmother who runs a plant seed shop in my town."

“I used to work as an explorer, but recently I seem to have a new idea and want to seek a stable job and life.”

"So during their regular contact, the other party mentioned to the grandmother that he was now working in the black gold coal pit."

"In addition, the mother and son usually communicate via landline, so they don't have accurate contact information. We can only rely on you to find them."

After recounting all the information he knew in one breath, Luo Mu looked at Piao Tai's assistant, who was writing something down, and waited for the other party's reply.

After a short while, the other person looked up and asked, "Although we've pretty much figured out the answer, do you know his name and hometown?"

“I remember it was Jumu, from Pingdie Town in the Padiya region.”

"As long as the other party is not deliberately concealing anything, then this information is correct."

Luo Mu answered immediately.

This was told to him by his grandmother, Ju Zi.

Even if the other party's memory is occasionally not so good due to their age, at least they will never forget their son's name.

As soon as Luo Mu finished speaking, Piao Tai, who was listening in, suddenly realized and said, "Oh! Now that you mention it, I remember too!"

"I remember this person!"

Piao Tai's voice was tinged with an irrepressible excitement.

"It must have been a few months ago when that uncle named Jumu came to the Black Gold Coal Mine for a job interview." "Because his Pokémon are of a very rare type, and he's an expert in mining. Plus, before taking this job, my personal hobby was exploration, and I was an explorer for a while."

"So I made the decision to give him a higher salary and let him be in charge of mining in a mining area."

"I remember, he should be at DD now."

Piao Tai paused, trying to recall something with some distress.

Fortunately, the assistant, who had already organized all the information and confirmed it again using the employee roster, took over.

"Team Leader Jumu is currently leading a team to excavate rare precious metals in the D3 area."

"His Pokémon, Greatsmith, is very strong. Its hammer can break through rock walls that are generally extremely hard, which even workers' bracers, macho strength, and porters cannot break."

"Yes, yes, that's exactly what I wanted to say!"

Under the assistant's helpless expression, Piao Tai casually patted the other person on the shoulder.

Then, he turned to look at Luo Mu.

“D3 area is deep in the mine. Although there are minecarts that can take you there directly, I’ll still send someone to guide you, so you don’t get lost in the mine.”

Luo Mu naturally had no objections to Piao Tai's arrangements.

After all, this is a place that others are familiar with, and it's always right to listen to Piao Tai's arrangements. He wouldn't be so arrogant as to say something as silly as "I can go down by myself."

After politely greeting Piao Tai, Luo Mu, along with Crassou, carrying Shemi, followed the people Piao Tai had sent him.

It's still the same assistant.

As for Hyota himself, judging from his impatient appearance, he probably wants to immediately return to his own mine to excavate fossils.

Luo Mu remembered that all the Rock-type fossil Pokémon in his team were fossils he had discovered and revived himself.

"Mr. Luo Mu, would you like me to introduce you to the Black Gold Coal Pit?"

I wonder what Piao Tai whispered in the assistant's ear when she left.

After leading the way for a short while, the other party started talking to Luo Mu in a very enthusiastic tone, like a door-to-door salesman promoting pension insurance.

Luo Mu wasn't particularly moved by this; instead, he followed the other person's explanation with great interest and began to observe this largest mining area in the Sinnoh region.

After all, he had spent some time in the mining area outside the town of Xeza in the Padiya region during his previous travels, and he could directly distinguish the differences between the two based on his memory.

As they ventured deeper into the Black Gold Coal Mine, a damp scent, a mixture of earth, minerals, and faint hints of seawater, filled their nostrils.

Compared to the mining area in the town of Xeza in the Padiya region that I remember, this place is much larger in scale and more orderly.

Huge, automated conveyor belts roared overhead and beside you, tirelessly transporting the glistening black coal like blood vessels forged from steel.

They constitute the efficient, fully automated transportation system mentioned by the assistant, which is clearly the energy lifeline of the entire coal pit.

The rock walls are lined with a dense array of miners' lamps, which dispel the deep darkness of the underground. The lights illuminate many thick ventilation ducts that connect to the air exchange outlets scattered throughout Black Gold City on the surface, quietly completing the circulation of underground stale air and fresh air above ground.

The tunnel was also bustling with activity.

The workers and their Pokémon partners worked together seamlessly, with Fighting-type Pokémon like Machop and Machoke being the main force. They used their strong physiques to carry heavy objects or pound on the rock walls.

To Luo Mu's slight surprise, in some open and safe areas, he could see some young trainers with Pokémon, who were using the unique environment to battle or practice their skills.

Occasionally, wild Pokémon escape from some of the mines, but their relationship with the trainers or workers is surprisingly harmonious.

According to the assistant, this is because Piao Tai, as the manager, made the decision to minimize the damage to the wild Pokémon's living environment while ensuring the excavation.

In addition, miners and trainers occasionally like to feed these wild Pokémon that run out of the mines, and over time, this strange and harmonious environment of coexistence has been formed.

The Queen of the Rachelon, her gaze hidden beneath the hood of the Bogaman, watched all of this, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.

Board a separate minecart and watch it move along the ever-extending track.

The deeper one ventures into the area marked "D3," the stronger the metallic ore scent in the air becomes, and the echoes from striking the rock walls grow increasingly muffled, as if indicating that the rock strata here are exceptionally hard.

Luo Mu thought to himself that this was probably why Piao Tai valued Ju Mu and his master blacksmith so much.

The assistant also took the opportunity to explain: "The track network of the Black Gold Coal Pit is extremely complex and vast, extending not only beneath the entire Black Gold City, but also extending to the seabed in some places."

"Many people wanted to invest in the Black Gold Coal Mine in the past, but they were all rejected by the owner of the Piao Tai Museum."

"."

The more Luo Mu listened, the more he felt something was wrong.

Why did he really have the feeling that his assistant was frantically trying to sell him "Black Gold Coal Mine is a worthwhile investment"?

But before he could verify his conjecture...

The swaying mining cart arrived at its destination and stopped in front of a large, brightly lit mine shaft.

The assistant pointed to one of the busy miners inside and said, "Mr. Luo Mu, that's Team Leader Ju Mu."

Following the direction he pointed, Luo Mu saw a figure directing a Pokémon that was wielding a huge iron hammer but was relatively small in size to do something.

Luo Mu saw the great blacksmith, whom he knew very well, swing his large iron hammer in a wide arc. With a sharp, penetrating sound, a hard rock wall that even Hao Li found somewhat troublesome shattered.

Several pieces of dark ore also fell out from inside.

Seeing this, Luo Mu narrowed his eyes.

It seems the person has been found.

He carried Shami and got off the minecart with the Rathalos King.

The assistant had already jogged over to the middle-aged man he called Jumu and whispered a few words in his ear.

Luo Mu could sense that Ju Mu was subtly observing him with his eyes while the assistant was speaking.

A short while later, the assistant led Ju Mu over.

It's no wonder he was once an explorer, and now he's working in a mine.

Wearing only a thin vest, Jumu's body was covered with hard, bronze-cast muscles. Under the light of the mine lamps, the beads of sweat hanging on his muscles even reflected light.

The other person's personality matched Luo Mu's first impression, and a bold voice rang out as the other person approached.

"So that's how it is. You're Luo Mu that Mom mentioned?"

Standing in front of Luo Mu, Ju Mu smiled and pointed to himself with his thumb, saying:

"Anyway, thank you for taking care of Mom all this time."

"Come on, ask me anything you know."

Jumu's way of speaking is quite direct.

However, Luo Mu did not dislike his way of speaking; on the contrary, he felt that it was convenient for everyone.

So he said, "I've come here to ask you about the origin of the elf egg."

"The origin of the Pokémon egg?"

Jumu paused slightly, recalling the image of the Pokémon egg he had carried with him a few years ago that had never hatched, and then scratched his head.

"Well, even if you ask me, I don't really know where it comes from."

"Because this fairy egg was given to me by a noble woman dressed in a black dress that resembled that of a widow."

(End of this chapter)