The Beartic generously gifted Su Feng the Key Stone as an apology, though she had no idea what it was. She even insisted he take the Never-Melt Ice as thanks for saving her cubs. Her sincerity and compensation were so thorough that Su Feng's lingering resentment vanished.
This Beartic's got better manners than most humans, he thought, impressed.
"Roar! (Big Brother Human, come visit us again!)"
The older Cubchoo waved goodbye while clutching his jar of Combee honey, his sibling mimicking the gesture. Su Feng had gifted them both honey as a farewell present—a treat irresistible to bear-like Pokémon.
As Su Feng left, he kept glancing back at the cubs.
The Beartic noticed. "Roar! (Anything else I can do for you?)"
"Just one question," Su Feng said hesitantly. "Do your cubs know a human named Guangtou Qiang?"
"Roar? (Who's that?)"
"Never mind," Su Feng chuckled, feeling oddly relieved. Glad that's off my chest.
Leaving the Beartic family behind, Su Feng trekked toward the tallest mountain in the area. The endless white landscape offered no clues, but he suspected the unnatural blizzard's origin might lie at the summit—perhaps tied to a legendary Ice-type or a powerful pseudo-legendary.
As he climbed, he resumed his livestream, displaying the Beartic's image.
"Beartic, the Freezing Pokémon. Pure Ice-type. They typically live in northern coastal regions, diving into frigid waters for prey. Once they catch fish, they freeze them with their breath for storage—like the pile we saw earlier."
"Average height: 8.5 feet. Some reach nearly 10 feet. They can freeze seawater into ice floes to rest on. Generally calm unless provoked."
He added dryly, "Danger rating: ★★★. But if you lack strong Pokémon backup, bump that to ★★★★★."
[Three stars? She nearly turned you into a popsicle!]
[10 feet tall?! I'd faint on sight.]
["Calm" my ass. That icicle attack was terrifying!]
[I just want a Cubchoo that never evolves…]
"Evolution is natural. Don't force your preferences on Pokémon," Su Feng advised. "Respect their choices. Some might refuse to evolve—use an Everstone if they wish to stay as they are. Just don't let them eat it by accident."
By midday, Su Feng reached the mountain's midpoint. Exhausted, he found a sheltered spot to rest.
After lighting a fire, he dug a small pit in the snow nearby. Combusken and Haunter watched, puzzled.
"Checking snow stability," Su Feng explained, brushing away a fragile layer of snow. "Weak layers mean avalanche risk. We'll head to the summit and leave ASAP. Staying here's suicide."
[Smart move. Avalanches are no joke!]
[How does he know all this? Is he a geologist now?]
[Feng's a survivalist genius. Never doubted him.]
As the group prepared to climb higher, Su Feng glanced at the summit, its peak shrouded in mist. Whatever awaited them there, he hoped it'd explain the unnatural storm—and not bury them alive.