Chapter 167: The Little Home Wrecker
Thursday, September 9th.
After a three-day trip, Lu Ye boarded a flight back to the Donghuang region. Aside from the Blue Glass Flute hanging on Haunter's chest and the 200,000 check in his pocket, he also had a certain Growlithe pressing its face against the cabin window, standing on tiptoes and wagging its tail.
As for why he was in first class, where Pokémon were allowed out of their Poké Balls… Don't ask. If the company covers the ticket, why not?
Glancing at the dazed Growlithe, Lu Ye opened the group chat and tagged everyone.
Lu Ye: "Anyone got a Growlithe training guide? Send me one, please!"
Green raised an eyebrow. "You're starting the Beat Up tactics already?" Previously, when Lu Ye built his Perish Song Team, he had raised a new Gastly. Now, his Beat Up tactics seemed to involve an Arcanine.
Lu Ye: "No… It's an Intimidate Growlithe that inherited Morning Sun." He glanced at the round, chubby Growlithe, struggling to see how this fluffy ball had anything to do with Intimidate.
Green: "Hmm… A battlefield control Arcanine, huh…" He stroked his chin, deep in thought. "I got it… I'll draft a training plan, and you can adjust it as needed."
Lu Ye grinned. "No worries, I trust your expertise!" As the grandson of Professor Oak and a Pokémon Breeder, Green was truly a reliable senior (and an excellent resource).
Gold chimed in, "Crystal raised an Arcanine too. I'll ask her about it."
Blue suddenly jumped in, "@Lu Ye, hurry, hurry, hurry! Buy a Fire Stone from me now and get a 20% discount!"
Lu Ye's eye twitched. With Steven around—a literal rock collector—why would he ever buy from a shameless merchant like Blue? Speaking of which… Even though he had finally paid off his debt to Steven, the arrival of this new Growlithe still made Lu Ye a bit uneasy.
"Worst case scenario… I'll just borrow an Everstone from Red…" he muttered.
Brock squinted and added, "Pokémon that evolve with stones can learn most of their moves before evolution… That way, training costs are significantly lower."
Lu Ye nodded. "Exactly my thoughts."
For once, the usually stoic Brock smiled. In truth, his financial struggles had forced him to become an expert in cost-efficient training. Finding someone who shared the same approach—Lu Ye—felt like an unspoken bond between men. Brock crossed his arms and nodded firmly.
Lu Ye finally got Crystal's Arcanine training notes from Gold.
[File: 'Arcanine Training Manual' has been received.]
As Professor Oak's assistant, Crystal rarely showed up in chats. Gold had to call her multiple times just to get the file.
Lu Ye was touched. "Thanks, Gold!"
"Heh, it's no big deal," Gold said, rubbing his nose. "If you evolve it into an Arcanine, you can have a match with my Typhlosion."
Lu Ye looked up at the sky. If he translated this situation into game data, Red's Snorlax was probably around level 90, and Gold's Typhlosion was Elite Four-tier at the very least… He had somehow gained another rival, and he could only silently mourn for his Growlithe.
Lu Ye coughed lightly. "Next time, for sure!"
Back home, Haunter put on an apron and started cleaning the room. Lu Ye placed the curious Growlithe on the floor, hands on his hips. "Hmm… Looks like I need to build a doghouse soon."
Growlithe took slow, steady steps, sniffed the ground… and then grinned. "Arf! (＾ω＾)!" Smells like home.
Meanwhile, Sylveon gracefully walked over to the exercise wheel, its eyes burning with determination. "Vee!" (Time to lose weight!)
"Oh… But there's a midnight snack later. You can work out a little first," Lu Ye said casually.
"Vee…" Sylveon instantly flopped onto the carpet like a puddle, yawning lazily. Tomorrow… Tomorrow will be fine too!
Lu Ye stepped into the kitchen to prepare tonight's supper. "Since we have a new family member… might as well update my cooking video series," he muttered. Turning on the camera, he got into the zone.
After washing his hands and setting up the utensils, Lu Ye transformed into a master chef—one could almost see an Azure Dragon coiling behind him. "Tonight's dish… Boeuf Bourguignon!"
A classic Kalos cuisine, said to be the signature dish of the Water-type Elite Four Siebold. The ingredients needed to be precisely selected, from the grain-fed Tauros meat to the origin of the red wine. But Lu Ye was broke. He had to make do with ordinary ingredients, relying on technique and seasoning to compensate.
He pulled out a beautifully marbled Tauros hind leg, patted it dry, and brushed a thin layer of honey over the surface. Melting butter in the pan, the sizzling sound of steak searing filled the air. As the golden crust formed, the rich aroma spread throughout the kitchen. He sautéed carrots and onions for extra flavor, then added them to the pot with the beef, along with thyme, bay leaves, and a generous pour of red wine. Finally, he placed the stew pot into a preheated oven. It needed at least three hours to cook.
After editing, the video would be ready for release by tomorrow night. As the stew's fragrance thickened, Lu Ye nodded in satisfaction.
Suddenly, something startled him. Clang! The sound of an enamel cup hitting the floor!
Lu Ye walked out of his bedroom, heart pounding, his breath hitching slightly.
Ten minutes earlier.
Growlithe sat obediently on the couch, glancing around nervously. Seeing everyone busy with their tasks while it was just sitting there doing nothing made it feel uneasy.
"Gengar!" Haunter floated over, patted Growlithe on the head, and grinned mischievously. Helping the new member integrate into the team? That's part of my job!
"Arf?" Growlithe tilted its head in confusion.
Haunter grinned wider, and its body split, creating a Substitute, which began darting around in the air. Growlithe's jaw dropped just as a swift figure flashed past—Sylveon landed gracefully, flicked its feelers, and instantly shattered the Substitute.
"Gengar! (*⊙~⊙)" While chewing on an energy cube to restore its strength, Haunter extended an invitation to Growlithe. Wanna play?
"Arf!" Growlithe's tail wagged excitedly as it nodded vigorously.
Moments later, Growlithe was bouncing all over the place, completely absorbed in playing with the others. Chaos erupted. Lu Ye looked around—paw prints on the walls, a shredded couch, a completely wrecked floor… His hands and feet went cold.
Wasn't Growlithe supposed to have a gentle temperament?! How had it already been corrupted on its first day home?!
Looking at Growlithe's utterly thrilled expression, Lu Ye felt conflicted. This little thing… It's a husky in disguise, isn't it?!
Sensing Lu Ye's presence, the Pokémon froze mid-play, awkwardly turning their gazes toward him. Lu Ye crossed his arms and swept his stern gaze across the four Pokémon. For a moment, the room was filled with an oppressive silence. But then, to his own surprise, Lu Ye found himself laughing in frustration.
"I swear, you guys…" He sighed and said, "Haunter, the repair costs are coming out of your paycheck."
"Gengar!" Haunter cackled and nodded smugly.
The previously tense Growlithe, seeing the mood lighten, wagged its tail happily.
Lu Ye sighed. "Alright, clean up the mess. Time for dinner!"
"Sylveon!" Sylveon leaped gracefully into Lu Ye's arms, blinking its bright blue eyes.
"…What do you want?" Lu Ye paused, then sighed as he carried Sylveon over to the dining table.
A perfectly cooked steak, bathed in a deep red sauce, filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma. "Hold on—don't start eating yet, I need to film this." Lu Ye set up his camera.
"Arf…?" Growlithe froze for a second, ears twitching in embarrassment.
Haunter, a seasoned pro at this, neatly tucked in a napkin, picked up a fork and knife, and began methodically cutting its steak.
"Squirtle!" Squirtle shot Lu Ye a cautious look, making sure everything was fine before nodding in approval.
Lu Ye, meanwhile, was completely immersed in the rich texture of the beef. A herd of Tauros, galloping through a river of red wine, sending dark crimson splashes into the air… If sushi was a delicate maiden, then beef cuisine was undoubtedly a voluptuous, mature woman.
"Next time, I should try a combo platter," Lu Ye muttered.
Crunch!
Lu Ye flinched and turned toward Growlithe. Its sharp teeth gleamed as it chomped down on the plate—biting it clean in half!
"Arf?" With sauce still on its face, Growlithe lifted its head, eyes shining with intelligence.
Lu Ye's expression turned complicated. It was just supposed to be a midnight snack… and you already learned Bite?!
Glancing at the camera still rolling beside him, Lu Ye muttered, "…Looks like I just got new content material."
[Inorin Note:
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