Chapter 140:

The Foggy Forest was located to the east of Lake of Rage. It was named for the thick fog that permeated the woods year-round. Ordinary people entering the forest could easily lose their way, making it difficult to leave.

The forest was home to some Ghost-type Pokémon, so the faint-hearted might be terrified if they ventured inside. Some had even entered and left the forest in a state of shock.

The Pokémon Association warned those with insufficient strength not to enter the Foggy Forest recklessly. The same applied to the adjoining Misty Mountains.

After climbing ashore, Cain wasted no time, leading Slowpoke straight into the Foggy Forest.

Although Slowpoke couldn't use Teleport, it could still utilize other Psychic-type moves, so Cain wasn't worried about the Ghost-type Pokémon. However, for safety, he also summoned Murkrow.

After walking for a full hour into the depths of the forest, Cain finally stopped.

Searching for some dry wood, Cain started a fire on the ground to dry off. Once completely dry, Cain changed into a fresh set of clothes. He stowed his soaked garments into his ring, since they were still on the run and needed to avoid leaving any traces behind.

In the Foggy Forest, the sun was not visible, but it was already close to setting when Cain entered with Slowpoke. An hour had passed since then, and it must have been dark outside by now. Cain summoned his Pokémon, preparing to make dinner.

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the woods. Both of them were dressed in mid-tier Pokémon Association uniforms, and slowly made their way towards Cain.

In truth, they were disoriented and couldn't find their bearings in the Foggy Forest, wandering aimlessly like headless flies as they searched for their assigned target. But they had unexpectedly spotted a flicker of firelight and hurried over.

Although their superiors had assigned them to find someone, they were given no information – not even the person's appearance or clothing. How were they supposed to find their target? With a "blind cat catching a dead rat" mentality, they thought they might as well see if they could stumble upon their target by chance.

Little did they know that just as they were approaching the firelight, their target – Cain – was there. Cain couldn't help but feel frustrated. Had his luck been too good before, leading to today's bad fortune? They had randomly chosen a spot to camp in the Foggy Forest, only to be found by two Pokémon Association trainers looking for them.

One of them stepped forward and asked, "Hey there, have you seen anyone else pass by here?"

Quickly thinking, Cain pretended to consider before answering, "I think I saw someone earlier, all wet and looking quite fierce, so I didn't approach him. Are you two looking for someone?"

Upon hearing Cain's response, the two trainers exchanged glances. The one who had spoken earlier waved his hand with a smile, saying, "No, no, we were just curious. People are rare in the Foggy Forest, so it's not often we come across others."

"Yeah, I usually don't see anyone for weeks, but today I've met three people. Quite unusual," Cain said as he continued setting up his tent, maintaining his composure. Observing Cain's nonchalant demeanor, the two men's initial suspicions wavered once more. At the very least, the young person before them, who spoke with an endearing simplicity, didn't seem like a bad individual.

"You guys are Association members, right?" Cain pretended not to notice their exchange of glances. As they remained silent, Cain spoke to break their defenses and find an opportunity to escape.

"Ah, yes, we are," they replied hastily, their exchange interrupted by Cain's question. "Where are you from, young man?"

Cain finished setting up his tent and sat down on a rock next to the fire, warming his hands above the flames, driving away the chill.

"Oh, I'm from Saffron City in the Kanto region. I started my journey recently and heard that training in the Misty Mountains could be really effective, so I came straight here. But I've been stuck here for almost a month and still haven't found my way out."

The two men joined Cain by the fire, warming themselves like he did.

"Saffron City? That's a big city, right?"

"Well, it's not much different from Goldenrod City. But my family is pretty ordinary, and I'm the only one who became a Trainer," Cain casually replied, waving his hand dismissively.

"Oh? Would you mind showing us your Association ID? No offense, but we just want to confirm you're one of us. As you can see, we're all Association Trainers." The two men gestured to their own clothes, clearly proud of their affiliation.

Cain pretended to be hesitant, mulling it over for a moment. The two men, thinking Cain didn't trust them, showed their own IDs, assuring him they meant no harm. At the same time, they subtly reached for their Pokeballs, ready to take action if Cain showed any signs of trouble.

Upon seeing their IDs, Cain nodded and pulled out his own, tossing it to them. They examined it carefully, comparing the information and Cain's appearance, finding no discrepancies. It appeared to be his genuine ID.

While not every person with a Association ID was necessarily good, they was far more trustworthy than Team Rocket members they'd fought earlier that day. Handing Cain his ID back, one of them apologized with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, kid. Don't take it personally. It's just that making more friends out here is always a good thing."

Given their limited exposure to fake IDs, they were inclined to trust Cain's ID.