"Okay, there are a lot of people..." Although there were only about a hundred people, Ash, Misty, and Brock were surprised that so many people had gathered in this wilderness.
"It's less now. When the news first came out, there were more than 400 people here at the peak," said a voice from nearby. The trio looked over and found it was a middle-aged man in a jacket speaking.
"Excuse me, are you..." Brock, seeing that the man seemed familiar with the place, inquired.
"Me? I'm the one who manages this place, and I'm also the one who protects it..." The middle-aged man smoked a cigarette and smiled at the three, "You guys are here because you want to try your luck outside, right?"
"Outside...what do you mean?" Misty asked curiously.
"Just like the literal meaning, here..." The middle-aged man pointed to where everyone was digging, "is the outer area, and the real fossil excavation site is inside, about 667 meters away."
"Then why are they digging here?" Brock asked suspiciously.
"Of course, it's because...the place is now blocked by the Alliance." The middle-aged man shrugged, "If you're not at the Poké Ball level as a Trainer, you are not allowed to enter the central area."
"Is it dangerous?" Hearing this explanation, the three were slightly surprised that they had to reach the Poké Ball level to be allowed into the central area.
"Naturally..."
The middle-aged man nodded slightly, then motioned for Ash and the others to follow him. He walked up a wooden bridge over the stream, "There are many Pokémon living where the fossils were found. Although the strength of the Pokémon isn't very strong, most of them are only at the normal level, but their numbers are huge, and they live in groups."
"It's no wonder that only trainers above the Poké Ball level are allowed to enter..." The three nodded in understanding. Normal-level Pokémon didn't seem strong, but in large numbers, they weren't something an ordinary Trainer could handle, let alone in groups.
To enter the central area, the minimum requirement was Poké Ball level. It didn't mean that a Poké Ball level Trainer could move unimpeded within it, but only that a certain degree of activity was possible.
"This is the living area. You can set up your tent here." After crossing the wooden bridge and walking for a while, led by the middle-aged man, Ash and the others came to a valley.
The valley was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only one entrance and exit. Many tents were set up inside, and many people were moving around.
"Of course, if you put up a tent here, you need to pay a fee of 100 per tent per day," the middle-aged man said.
"I still need to pay?!" Misty asked, a little depressed when she heard she had to pay.
"Of course, look..." The middle-aged man pointed to two people passing by them, wearing the same standard jacket as him. The two nodded and greeted the middle-aged man, calling him "Captain."
"See, these are our people in charge of protecting this place. Haven't you noticed that there are no traces of Pokémon activity here?" The middle-aged man said, "The fee isn't for nothing."
"We understand..." After learning the reason, even Misty had no objections.
"For us, one tent is enough, just for one day, just want to come and have a look." Ash thought for a while and decided to stay here for only one day. He found that the situation here in Dasha Valley was different from what he remembered from the anime. There was a central area.
"Whatever you want..." The middle-aged man nodded indifferently and then called a staff member to take Ash and the others to an open space. After Ash paid the fee, he signaled that they could set up camp.
The appearance of the luxury tent naturally attracted the attention of the people around them, and even the staff member who was about to leave couldn't help but show a look of surprise. The tent was huge, comparable to the size of four or five other tents combined, and it even had awnings.
However, the staff didn't overcharge them. They agreed that one hundred would be one hundred, and they didn't charge extra.
"After we tidy up our things, let's go to the excavation site to have a look later, shall we?" Misty asked Ash while tidying up.
"No problem, but we have to carry important things with us to avoid any accidents," Brock nodded, reminding Ash and Misty.
In a place like this with a mixed crowd, it wasn't enough to have patrols to ensure that others wouldn't steal their belongings. The tent was so big, and it would be nearly impossible to recover small items if they were stolen.
The three of them packed up, mainly putting away sleeping bags and other items so they wouldn't have to take them out again when they returned. Then, they left the tent, heading towards the excavation area.
Ash also planned to explore the central area. He wondered how it differed from his impression.
"It really is you... Ash!" As soon as they walked out of the tent, the three of them heard a magnetic and charming voice, filled with pride. This voice was very familiar to Ash.
"Gary?!" Looking in the direction of the voice, Ash saw that the speaker was indeed Gary. He was wearing a purple long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. His attire was simple but eye-catching.
"Didn't expect to meet you here? Are they your friends?" Gary glanced at Misty and Brock, asking without much interest. He continued, "Since you're here, is your target the big oaf, Aerodactyl, in the valley?"
"What Aerodactyl?" Although Misty disliked Gary's arrogance, she was still surprised to hear Aerodactyl's name.
"You don't know? Didn't your grandpa tell you?" Gary, puzzled by Misty's question, had learned from his grandfather that Aerodactyl had appeared in the central area of Dasha Valley, which was why he had come.
"You know from Professor Oak... I haven't contacted Professor Oak recently, so I haven't received any news..." Ash shook his head.
"Professor Oak... Is he Professor Oak's grandson?!" Misty and Brock, who had heard the news, looked astonished. They hadn't expected the proud young man in front of them to be Professor Oak's grandson.
"That's right!" Gary admitted without hesitation. He didn't think it was wrong for others to refer to him as Professor Oak's grandson. He even believed that one day, when people mentioned Professor Oak, they would call him "Gary's grandpa."
"Then you..." Misty looked at Ash and Gary curiously. She vaguely remembered hearing about Gary when she was in the Viridian Forest.
"I'm Ash's lifelong rival!" Gary crossed his arms, looking at Misty with disdain, then at Brock. "I was a little confused just now. If I remember correctly, you should be the Pewter City Gym Leader, right? Why are you with Ash?"
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