"Dun-dun, dun-dun-dun!"
A familiar healing tone echoed from the Pokédex.
Su Bai lifted the Poké Ball from the machine and handed it to the two trainers, whose expressions couldn't have been more different.
Liu Yunlan quickly released Chimchar, hugging it tightly and consoling it with teary eyes.
Chimchar whimpered softly, snuggling into her arms.
Before hiding its face, it threw a fearful glance at the dopey-faced, hulking Grotle that had just crushed its confidence.
Yep—beaten so badly by a type disadvantage, it was borderline traumatized.
"Why didn't you say your Turtwig had evolved?!" Liu Yunlan pouted. "You've got that honest, wide-eyed face, and yet you pulled a dirty trick like that?!"
Wang Tao shrugged.
"If I told you, would you still have agreed to battle?"
Liu Yunlan rolled her eyes.
"Obviously not! Who'd send a non-evolved Pokémon against an evolved one?!"
Wang Tao grinned unapologetically.
"Exactly. So how else was I supposed to get revenge?"
"Wait for Chimchar to evolve? No way."
Liu Yunlan was speechless, caught in her own logic.
Murong Nan hesitated, then asked:
"Wang Tao… how did you manage to do it?"
"Yunlan and I have both been training hard these past few days. We've been getting up before sunrise."
"And we didn't go to any free training grounds either—we paid for top-tier facilities."
"So how is it that your training worked better?"
Her voice was full of doubt and frustration.
After all, in this world of awakened beings, Pokémon weren't just cute companions.
They were powerful partners—often stronger than their trainers themselves.
That's exactly why serious training was a must.
They had done everything by the book, even going the extra mile… and yet, somehow this chubby guy outpaced them?
Three days to evolve? It didn't even seem possible!
Wang Tao chuckled and, not hiding anything, began proudly recounting what he'd been doing for the past few days.
To his credit, Wang Tao was a loyal friend—especially when it came to sharing knowledge.
By the time he finished his tale of "battle-tested grind," Murong Nan looked stunned.
"So... that's how you did it..."
She and Liu Yunlan came from well-off families. Naturally, they'd never considered taking on low-level missions just to earn some experience.
Ironically, their privilege had become their weakness.
Su Bai, hearing the full story for the first time, nodded thoughtfully.
"In that case, it makes sense."
"Pokémon grow more in real combat. That kind of experience can't be replicated in artificial training rooms."
"That said, this method probably only works for Pokémon like Turtwig."
"Chimchar and Piplup might be stronger offensively, but they don't have Turtwig's tankiness."
"If you tried sending Chimchar or Piplup into low-level beast-hunting missions, you'd burn through potions in no time."
Rai-Rabbits and other weak beasts couldn't even scratch Grotle. But against Chimchar or Piplup? Different story.
That's where high defense and stamina really shined.
"Still," Su Bai added, "the fact that Wang Tao figured this out on his own... that's real talent."
It wasn't flattery—it was the truth.
Recognizing the optimal way to raise his Pokémon so quickly? That took insight.
Wang Tao beamed at the praise, puffing out his chest a bit. He was about to boast further when—
BANG!
The pet shop's front door was flung open.
A boy with glasses stumbled in, panting as he leaned against the doorframe.
In his trembling hand was a dazzling, golden card.
"Um… Store Manager Su Bai!"
"I… I'm here to pick up my Gible!"
"I transferred the full amount—eighty million yuan!"
With a swipe of Su Bai's fingers, the store's largest transaction to date was officially complete.
From the Pokédex, the short, shark-like silhouette of Gible sprang out with enthusiasm.
It immediately leaped onto the nervous but excited Zhang Qun, gleefully licking his face with its oversized tongue.
"That's a pseudo-legendary Pokémon!"
Liu Yunlan's eyes lit up like fire.
Pseudo-legendary.
Even though Gible looked like a weirdly cute mini shark—it was still a pseudo-legendary Pokémon!
Just hearing that title made it feel like it oozed status.
"I'm so jealous..."
Wang Tao was practically drooling.
But at a price like that? He could sell every ounce of fat he had and still not afford one!
The air in the shop turned sour with envy.
Gible, meanwhile, happily slobbered all over its new owner, unfazed by the attention.
Su Bai chuckled and reached out a hand.
He gently pulled the clinging Zhang Qun up and handed him a pitch-black, luxuriously decorated Poké Ball.
"Here, this is your Poké Ball."
"We assign different quality balls based on the Pokémon's tier."
"This one's a Luxury Ball."
"To a Pokémon, a Luxury Ball is basically a... private villa."
"It greatly boosts friendship and affection growth."
"Still, nothing beats spending actual time together."
As Zhang Qun received the Luxury Ball, Su Bai couldn't resist giving the store's first pseudo-legendary a little pat.
The texture was rougher than expected—coarse, almost grainy.
"Yeah… fluffy ones still feel nicer to touch."
Gible's ability was Sand Veil, which raised its evasion during sandstorms and made it immune to sandstorm damage.
Not quite as rare as Rough Skin, its Hidden Ability, but its coarse exterior still felt plenty tough to Su Bai.
There was a rugged charm to Gible—ugly-cute in just the right way, with a hint of cool menace.
It was no wonder the others were drooling with envy.
Zhang Qun tucked the Luxury Ball safely into his pocket.
He clearly had no intention of keeping Gible inside it. If possible, he'd keep it by his side all day.
In a world where contracted beasts were uncommon but not unheard of, having Gible out in public wouldn't raise too many eyebrows.
"Your dad really gave you eighty million that easily?!"
"That's enough to hire an A-rank awakened fighter for years!"
Liu Yunlan was green with envy.
Even in her wealthy household, no one would give her that much money.
In this world, eighty million could move mountains.
Clearly, Zhang Qun came from a very different kind of rich.
Zhang Qun gave a shy smile.
"Actually… my dad didn't agree at first."
"But when I told him that this Pokémon could help me advance faster on my awakened path... he reluctantly approved."
"Still, if I can't train it into a powerhouse soon… I probably won't get a second chance."
Then he turned to Wang Tao with bright eyes, full of hope and admiration.
"By the way, senior!"
"Do you think I'm ready to take on missions like you do—on my own?"