Chapter 280: Mediation
On a road at the outskirts of Pallet Town, a dozen local residents, armed with farm tools, formed a line, blocking a convoy of vehicles.
From the other side, the outsiders, came a barrage of curses, punctuated by the incessant blare of car horns. The situation was, in a word, chaotic.
Xiu didn't immediately intervene, instead taking a moment to survey the scene.
His eyes quickly found the nearby fields, clearly damaged by vehicle tracks. These were the common farmlands outside Pallet Town, planted with essential crops like grains and vegetables.
Now, obvious signs of crushing marred one section of the farmland. Large swathes of healthy crops were flattened, the plants directly under the tire tracks mangled beyond recovery.
Xiu surmised that some drivers, attempting an ill-advised shortcut to bypass any queue into town, had driven straight through the cultivated land, leading to the current standoff with the incensed townspeople.
Having grasped the situation, Xiu wasted no time and strode purposefully between the two groups.
"Stop!" he called out, his loud voice cutting through the din and drawing everyone's attention.
The Pallet Town residents, recognizing Xiu, quieted down. The outsiders, however, had no idea who this young man was. Few among them paid any mind to such a young man stepping forward, and their clamor continued unabated.
"I'm here to resolve one thing!" Xiu declared, his voice sharp, and pointed towards the damaged fields. "Who drove through those fields? Step forward, apologize, and pay for the damages. Then, everyone can be on their way. Otherwise, none of you will be permitted entry into Pallet Town until this matter is settled."
Xiu's attitude was resolute, his voice unwavering despite facing a large, agitated crowd. His confidence seemed to momentarily deflate the aggression of the outsiders.
For a moment, the occupants of the lead vehicles fell silent, a hush falling over their section of the convoy.
"Step forward quickly," Xiu continued, his tone shifting, becoming almost casual, yet his words visibly agitated the people in the convoy.
"Everyone's time is precious. The longer you delay, the longer everyone stays here."
His veiled threat hung in the air.
"Whoever did it, own up! Don't waste our time!" someone from the convoy shouted.
"Who was it, damn it? Get out here!"
"If you want to die, don't drag us down with you!"
"Which idiot was it…?"
The arguments within the convoy escalated, but still, no one stepped forward.
Xiu, however, remained unhurried, observing the unfolding drama with a detached air, almost as if watching a show.
With just a few words, he had stoked their anxieties, successfully dividing them.
Those with significant means and connections would aim for the Indigo Plateau, the heavily fortified headquarters of the Kanto League, Xiu mused.
Others, well-informed and possessing some wealth but lacking top-tier influence, had likely fled the major cities the previous night. Pallet Town was now seeing the arrival of this secondary wave of evacuees.
The current convoy consisted mostly of ordinary vehicles, indicating that their owners, while possessing some assets, were far from the region's elite. They were just following the general exodus, their primary distinction from truly ordinary folk being the ownership of a car.
It was a realistic assessment that individuals in this tier of society would be a mixed bag, and relying on their inherent morality was wishful thinking. Forcing them to take responsibility was, therefore, the only reasonable approach.
Soon, amidst accusations and shoves from the others, one man was pushed forward. Xiu observed him: a middle-aged man in a white shirt, his hair streaked with grey. He had a rather mild appearance, making Xiu wonder why he'd done something so reckless.
The man was now profusely apologizing to the townspeople, bowing low with a forced, obsequious smile. "I'm so sorry! It's my first time in this area, and I was in such a rush. I didn't realize those were your farmlands. I'll pay for the damages, of course!"
Pressured from both sides, the man didn't dare argue further and began negotiating compensation with the Pallet Town residents.
Xiu, however, wasn't satisfied. He gestured to the man. "Wait a minute. Come here!"
While Xiu himself held little official sway in Pallet Town, his association with Professor Oak afforded him a degree of respect. The townspeople paused their demands, allowing the middle-aged man to approach Xiu.
The man, though unaware of Xiu's exact identity, could discern his influence from the townspeople's deference. He hurried over to Xiu, offering placating words.
Xiu cut him off, uninterested in the flattery, and asked a direct question. "Were you the first one to drive through the field?"
The middle-aged man looked stunned for a moment but quickly recovered. "No!" he said hastily. "There were people before me…"
Before he could elaborate, angry shouts erupted from the convoy again.
"What kind of person are you? Trying to shift the blame!"
"Who are you trying to fool?"
"If you've identified the culprits, then deal with them and let us through!"
"Heh." Xiu let out a short, humorless laugh. Instead of anger, his expression was one of cold amusement as he walked towards the convoy. "I'll give you one more chance. Come out quickly and don't waste everyone's time."
Xiu fixed his gaze on a portly middle-aged man among the vehicle owners, whose ill-fitting clothes strained over his considerable girth. Yet, his thinning hair was meticulously combed, a strange contrast to his florid face that Xiu found almost comical.
"Why were you so agitated just now?" Xiu approached him directly, then glanced at the vehicle parked behind the man. "Could it be that you were involved as well? Is this your car?"
"Little brother, don't talk nonsense!" the fat man blustered, startled by Xiu's direct approach, his tone attempting to be tough.
Xiu remained calm. He bent down and picked up a crushed plant stem, caked with fresh mud, from the tread of the man's tire. He held it up for all to see.
"Do you know what this is?" Xiu explained. "This is from the crops grown in those fields – the food people here rely on.
The soil in cultivated land like that is distinct. Anyone driving through it will have their tires pick up undeniable traces. It's easy to spot."
He flicked the stem towards the fat man. A cold smile touched Xiu's lips. "Do you want to apologize or compensate first?"
"Are you trying to bully an honest man?" the fat man feigned indignation, clearly having no intention of admitting his guilt. "You're accusing me based on a bit of dirt!"
Xiu had been prepared to let the pressure build further, perhaps enjoying the spectacle a little longer, but at that moment, the back door of the fat man's car opened. A young man emerged, shot a disdainful glance at the fat middle-aged man, and scolded sharply, "You're useless! You can't even handle such a small matter. You're embarrassing me."
Xiu turned his attention to the newcomer. It was a portly young man, perhaps a few years older than Xiu himself.
Despite his youth and build, he carried himself with an air of haughty dignity.