Chapter 186: I'll Remember This Grudge!
Lu Ye was momentarily stunned. Damn you, Bill—so even Professor Oak's granddaughter got roped into being your assistant?!
Speaking of Daisy, she wasn't just an assistant—she was also a Coordinator who had once won the Kanto Grand Festival. If Green were here, he'd probably say: "I treated you as a friend, and you want to be my brother-in-law?!"
"A-Anyway," Bill coughed into his fist, his expression easing. "The principle of trade evolution is simulating a special magnetic field," he explained. "All you need to do is swap Poké Balls through a trade system, and the Pokémon will evolve!"
Lu Ye nodded and exchanged a glance with Haunter. "Gengarrr! (๑`▽´๑)۶" He could tell that Haunter really wanted to grow stronger. It was about time he helped with that.
"Can we trade now?" Lu Ye asked, feeling a bit reluctant.
"Unfortunately… the Pokémon Center in Sootopolis City doesn't have a trading system," Bill scratched his head. "But if you come to Goldenrod City, I'll set it up for you!"
"Wait, isn't your lab at the lighthouse in Kanto?" Lu Ye asked curiously.
"Goldenrod is Bill's hometown," Daisy Oak said with a warm smile. "He has a lab there, too."
Lu Ye suddenly understood. Coincidentally, he was planning to visit Johto soon. If he could meet up with Silver, the so-called 'Master of Pokémon Trades,' and have Bill's help as well… that would make it absolutely foolproof. "Then I'll be counting on you!"
After thanking Bill, Lu Ye also grabbed a "Trade Evolution Guide" from him. It contained detailed explanations of the process, along with pages of dense data analysis. Lu Ye skimmed through a few pages and immediately felt a headache coming on.
"Gengarrr!" (So that's how it works!)
Lu Ye glanced to his side. Haunter was rapidly flipping through the pages, nodding in understanding every now and then. His expression turned complicated. Damn, you're even trying to handle your own evolution? What a self-sufficient Pokémon!
With Bill's help secured, Lu Ye had completed one of his objectives. Before he knew it, night had fallen. He sat in the conference hall, waiting for Cynthia—his demeanor was… unexpectedly well-behaved.
Soon, a graceful figure approached, golden hair cascading down her back, exuding an air of elegance. "Did you meet Bill?" Cynthia asked.
"Yeah, I think we've got Haunter's evolution covered," Lu Ye nodded.
"Evolution is a delicate process. It's good to be cautious," Cynthia mused.
Outside, the sun was setting, and Starly soared across the sky. "The summit still has one more day to go." Cynthia stretched her arms above her head, letting out a soft sigh. "Let's head home for now."
Lu Ye's face heated up slightly.
The second day of the Research Summit, Lu Ye spent the day attending Oleana's presentation. Although the audience was sparse and Oleana's demeanor was reserved, when she spoke about the Gigantamax phenomenon, she came alive, delivering an exceptional lecture that earned rounds of applause.
Finally… it was over! Oleana relaxed her shoulders as she walked through the back hallway, dazed from exhaustion. Then, she spotted a familiar figure.
"Teacher Lu!" Oleana clutched her documents and hurried after him.
"Oh, Oleana," Lu Ye nodded with a smile. "That was a great presentation!"
Oleana nervously adjusted her glasses. She thought about the research she had done on him the previous night. Her face grew hot as she hesitated before whispering, "I heard… you… have a studio… D-Do you… still need people?"
Lu Ye blinked in surprise. His studio… Well, honestly, it only had Dayou and Mallow at the moment. Even though he had the Devon Corporation's tech support, he couldn't just rely on Dayou forever. Recruiting staff and officially setting up a company… That really should be on the agenda.
"We do need people, but it's not exactly research-related," Lu Ye mused.
"T-That's fine… I also studied accounting and economics…" Oleana stammered. She lowered her head, hugging her folder tightly, her nails digging into the cover. "If… if you still need… an administrative assistant… could you consider me?"
Lu Ye stroked his chin. A researcher switching to HR? That felt like a massive waste of talent. Then again, he couldn't just keep making Mallow handle all the miscellaneous work forever. He had no idea how capable Oleana was, but a test run wouldn't hurt.
"Maybe next time," Lu Ye nodded. "I haven't even finalized the office location yet. I'll contact you when it's settled."
"Okay!" Oleana suddenly bowed deeply and said in a loud voice, "Thank you… truly, thank you so much!"
Lu Ye simply waved it off with a smile.
Two days passed in a blink. The Research Summit officially came to an end. Lu Ye had managed to get Sonia's, Bill's, and others' contact information. Now, if he could just track down Silver, the 'Master of Trades', then Haunter's evolution would be within reach. The Dynamax Band was also an unexpected gain. The way it was just handed to him gave him serious déjà vu.
He couldn't help but sigh, "If only Professor Sycamore could just gift me a Mega Stone too!" A Mega Stone was worth at least eight figures, and even then, it was hard to come by. The thought of Mega Evolution's costs sent a shiver down Lu Ye's spine.
"Luckily… I don't have to worry about that just yet," he consoled himself. "First things first—pay off my debts!"
Back at Steven's villa, Lu Ye planned to say his goodbyes to Professor Rowan before leaving. But as he approached the entrance, he spotted a suspicious figure sneaking around. A man with wild, fiery red hair, looking around nervously. The moment he saw Lu Ye, his eyes lit up.
"Teacher Lu! It's me—Flint!"
"I know… What do you want?" Lu Ye instinctively went on guard.
Flint chuckled awkwardly and scratched his head. "A few days ago, Aaron and I might have been a little rude when we interrupted you… So, I came to apologize and bring you a small gift!"
"A gift?" Lu Ye's instincts screamed danger. "That's really not necessary."
Flint's expression turned serious. "Teacher Lu, I know I can't beat you, but I'm still a Fire-type specialist." Saying that, Flint pulled out a plain-looking notebook and handed it over solemnly. "I've been compiling this for a long time… It's a detailed breakdown of Flamethrower mechanics. If you find it too complicated, I can demonstrate it right now!"
Lu Ye chuckled helplessly. "This is way too valuable—please, keep it for yourself!"
"Heh." Flint glanced toward the Growlithe in the courtyard, which was eagerly watching them. "Your Growlithe has solid Fire-type talent. And with how well you've raised it, it could even become a dual-offense battler!"
Lu Ye's expression grew complicated. All Growlithe did was eat like crazy—how did that count as "well-raised"?!
"Forget it… Just come inside for a bit," Lu Ye sighed, opening the door.
"Arf!" Growlithe wagged its tail excitedly and pounced toward Lu Ye. He sidestepped and mercilessly ruffled its head in retaliation.
"Teacher Lu!" Flint flexed his arms. "Want me to demonstrate now?"
Lu Ye's expression immediately changed. "Relax, it'll be quick!"
Flint released his Houndoom and pointed at the sky. "Houndoom, Flamethrower!"
Houndoom narrowed its eyes, then howled before unleashing a towering pillar of flames, painting the sky red. Boom!!
"Arf!" Growlithe's eyes sparkled with admiration.
Flint smirked, recalling Houndoom. "Everything I just did is in this notebook." Then, without waiting for a response, he shoved the notebook into Lu Ye's hands. "Haha, I won't bother you any longer!"
With a casual wave, Flint strode off like a free spirit, thinking to himself—If I get on Teacher Lu's good side, maybe he'll hold back next time we battle… It hurts a little to part with my notes, but making this connection? Totally worth it!
Lu Ye watched Flint's retreating figure with a deep gaze. He then looked down at his clearly excited Growlithe and took a deep breath.
"This grudge… I, Lu, will remember it!"
[Inorin Note:
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