Hawaii is the only archipelago state of the United States, made up of over a hundred islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Due to differences from Hua Nation's situation, the level of danger in America is relatively high.
As Hua Nation's top researcher, Fang Yuan's international visits basically required bodyguards, even though Honolulu, Hawaii, is a world-famous major city and tourist attraction with acceptable public security—but that couldn't negate the significance of Fang Yuan's identity.
However, providing a bodyguard for Fang Yuan was also very troublesome because Fang Yuan himself was a nearly-top level Trainer. As The Fifth King, his combat power already belonged to the quasi high-end tier, so to better protect him, only Trainers at the level of the Twelve Earthly Branches could suffice.
But Trainers at this level were not always idle and had other important responsibilities, so they couldn't always be available.
So, in the end, the result turned out to be...
Inside Pearl Airport, a person very familiar to Fang Yuan stood there waiting for him.
He was Fang Yuan's bodyguard for this Hawaii trip.
"Yo!" Fang Yuan waved to the other person to greet him.
"Bwoo!" Eevee also waved its paws to greet.
"Yo what?..." Jiang Li gritted his teeth, unable to believe that he, a member of the Four Heavenly Kings and Champion, would actually be sent to serve as Fang Yuan's bodyguard.
The Trainer Association had no choice. If Three-Star Grandmasters wouldn't do, then a Two-Star Master would be the first choice. Champion Jiang Li had recently defeated a veteran Two-Star Master in a 3vs3 battle, and his strength had become very powerful. And when it came to protection, was there anyone more suitable than Psychic Trainers and Ghost Type Trainers?
At the same time, Champion Jiang Li and Fang Yuan were teammates in the World Championship, so this trip to Hawaii, United States, could be seen as tourism or as an experience exchange.
Jiang Li's feelings were now very complicated. Fang Yuan's becoming The Fifth King was already a big shock to him, especially since he had recommended Fang Yuan to participate in the substitute selection... And now, learning that Fang Yuan had become a top researcher and even the Twelve Earthly Branches had to serve as his bodyguards, Jiang Li was speechless.
Jiang Li still vividly remembered the bewildered and shocked expressions of Fang Yuan and Eevee when he first took them into the Spirit World.
A perfectly good newbie persona, how did it completely collapse in just two years?
"Uh, just call me Jiang Li," Jiang Li said, fearing that Fang Yuan would call him "Champion" or something like that, which used to be fine but now felt... awkward.
"Uh..." Fang Yuan was taken aback, wasn't this a bit too polite?
......................
Honolulu.
The capital of Hawaii, United States, the city extends over a coastal plain about 32 kilometers long, with lush vegetation and clear air all year round, and beautiful scenery.
After arriving here, mining tycoon Ray Pembra personally welcomed them, accompanied by several bodyguards.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome to Honolulu," Ray Pembra said, with a stocky figure, bald, and a dense but neatly trimmed mustache above his mouth.
Though the uncle looked very friendly and was enthusiastic about them, Fang Yuan and Jiang Li dared not underestimate him.
The man was a well-known American tycoon, monopolizing several mining industries, with a substantial fortune, ranking within the top 100 of the world's wealthiest, definitely not as simple as he seemed on the surface.
However, the rumor that this tycoon is a fanatical enthusiast of Rock Type Pokémon who enjoys collecting rare minerals is indeed true.
Ray Pembra was so courteous to Fang Yuan, first out of respect for Fang Yuan as a researcher who developed Fossil Revival Techniques, and second because Fang Yuan had a good chance of winning the Ron Award and becoming a big shot within The Pokémon Alliance, a world-class doctor worth befriending.
As for Jiang Li next to Fang Yuan, Ray Pembra treated him as Fang Yuan's bodyguard. Although he didn't completely ignore him, Jiang Li could clearly feel... that he had become part of the backdrop.
"Damn!"
Jiang Li: #
By now, Fang Yuan had already started chatting with Ray Pembra and, at the latter's invitation, got into the car to head for his private villa.
Fang Yuan had come for a trade, and Ray Pembra was well aware that what Fang Yuan valued was not money, but his collection of rare minerals.
Although it pained Ray Pembra to trade away these rare minerals, he felt it was worth it to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with Fang Yuan.
Besides rare minerals, fossils were, of course, part of his collection, and he was the founder of America's largest Fossil Museum.
Among them, there were countless marvelous fossils, which, if only displayed in a museum, were just fossils. But if he could cooperate with Fang Yuan, those fossils could become even more precious assets. Whether it was Bastiodon, Bastognosaur, Weird Jaw Dragon, or Regice, all deeply attracted Ray Pembra...
And these were just the beginning; who knew if more Fossil Spirits would be discovered in the future?
Ray Pembra held great expectations for the Fossil Domain.
Inside Ray Pembra's villa,
Fang Yuan and Jiang Li had become prestigious guests, with Jiang Li quietly snacking at the side, while Fang Yuan was already deep in conversation with the host.
They eagerly discussed the future of Fossil Spirits and Fang Yuan's own research expectations for the Fossil Domain.
When it came to boasting and persuading, Fang Yuan didn't want to be outdone. Although this uncle was smarter than most people, the Fossil Resurgence Domain was after all an emerging field, and as its founder, Fang Yuan had a natural confidence and authority when talking about it.
Rapidly, Ray Pembra too became filled with anticipation for the future described by Fang Yuan – no... even just the current Fossil Revival Techniques were already very exciting for him.
"Hahaha, Doctor Fang Yuan, conversing with you brings me great joy," Ray Pembra said. "I wonder, which of my collection items caught Doctor Fang Yuan's eye?"
With four of the world's top ten gemstones in his hands, Ray Pembra guessed Fang Yuan was interested in one of them. However, Fang Yuan said, "The mineral I seek is rather special, a stone that emits a specific attribute waveform. If it exists, it might be among your private collection, as it's not something displayed in museums. Besides that, I might need some Hawaiian Native Shining Stones and several Evolution Miracle Stones."
"Rotom," Fang Yuan called out Rotom and showed Ray Pembra an image of the Z Pure Crystal.
"This crystal…" Ray Pembra said, puzzled. "I'm sorry, although I've collected many rare and special minerals, I truly do not have this type of crystal in my collection..."
Not only did Ray Pembra not have it, but he had also never even seen such a crystal before.
"Regarding Shining Stones and Evolution Miracle Stones, I can provide some, at least," Ray Pembra said after musing for a moment.
He felt embarrassed, but the Z Pure Crystal that Fang Yuan showed was indeed something he had never heard of or seen before.