Chapter 5: Look At It! No One Knows Pokémon Better Than You!
“Mom, all good-looking Pokémon look the same, but there’s only one interesting Pokémon Trainer. You can’t trick your son like this, right?”
Li Wei spread his hands, expressing his helplessness.
As a muscle fanatic, his father, Li Wei no longer expected him to give any good advice. He really hoped that he would stop having more ideas about things like Machamp.
“To be serious, I recommend you pick some Pokémon with strong growth potential. After all, you’re going with a recommendation spot. Whether you participate in the match or not is just gilding the lily; there’s no need to chase so-called rankings.”
Seeing Li Wei’s expression as if he was about to cry, Mrs. Li put away her playful thoughts and seriously answered her silly son’s question.
“Recommendation?”
Li Wei was stunned, not expecting that everything he had just been thinking about was nonsense.
Was this the fragrance of power?
He smelled it, felt it; it was really too fragrant.
“Then… Mom, what kind of Pokémon do you think is better?” As he spoke, Li Wei slid out the shopping cart interface he had just filtered and placed the tablet between his mother and himself to ask.
For this kind of thing, he still had to ask his mom; his dad was too unreliable. Li Wei was sure that if he dared to ask, his dad would dare to answer, ‘Buy whatever is most expensive.’
It was the same before. He wanted a computer, and his father said, ‘Buy whatever is most expensive!’ But when asked about the budget, it was only three thousand bucks. His words were as useless as farting after drinking water; at critical moments, it was still his mom who had the resolve.
After all, his mom was also a spendthrift woman, and on spending money, the mother and son had a lot in common.
“Considering that it still needs to be able to battle, Torchic is very good. In two months, with good nurturing, it can evolve into Combusken without issue, and the subsequent potential is also high. It’s a top-tier Pokémon.”
To be fair, although his mom’s previous Spritzee was unreliable, this Blaziken hit right in his wheelhouse.
Reserved, strength, burst power, speed, high looks—these keywords made Li Wei very satisfied with this choice.
Very tempted, really want to buy…
But, he still had to say but!
As someone with Aura who was going to dominate the League, was it really okay for his first Pokémon to be an ordinary Starter Pokémon?
There’s nothing wrong with Blaziken, but for his first one, he wanted something more stimulating…
“Mom, wouldn’t my Aura be wasted then?” The puffed-up Li Wei continued to ask.
“Aura? You think you can research anything with Aura in these two months?” His mom raised her eyebrows with a look of disdain.
“That’s not necessarily true. After all, training together with a Pokémon that shares the same ability source would still have an auxiliary effect.”
At this moment, his father, who was agonizing over whether Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan was better, suddenly interjected.
“You know again?” His mom asked.
“Of course.” As if not understanding the subtext, his father confidently nodded. “Besides, what if my son takes after me and is a once-in-a-millennium genius?”
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The mother and son tacitly ignored their father, who had started reminiscing about his past glorious days on the side, and silently began searching for Pokémon in their impression that could cultivate and use Aura.
The evolution form of Timburr that Mr. Li had strongly recommended earlier, as well as Hitmonchan—although their appearances were hard to compliment, they did have a chance to study Aura and master skills like Aura Sphere.
Besides that, there were ones like Togepi.
To be fair, Li Wei was quite optimistic about Togepi as a Pokémon.
Whether it was the ability ‘Serene Grace’ that doubled additional effect chances, or ‘Super Luck’ that made it easy to hit vital points, in reality, wasn’t this a surefire lucky bastard?
Li Wei just liked lucky bastards, as long as the lucky side was his own, he liked it.
But as his finger swiped past the name of a Pokémon Egg, his gaze never left that egg’s Pokédex interface again.
Riolu, Pokémon Egg, price 3,200,000, requires Aura appraisal qualification and recommendation letter from Elite Four level Trainer or above/relative proof/Trainer License.
In this world, buying eggs was also graded.
Just like the movies in some country, divided into G-12, R15+, R18+.
Egg grading was simple: rarity and popularity.
Easy to catch, easy to nurture, like Rattata, Caterpie—these were absolutely at the bottom of the purchase chain.
Freely purchasable, prices mostly between 10,000 to 50,000, basically a great pick for Trainers who wanted an easy-to-nurture Pokémon to get exam qualifications.
While ones like Eevee, a Normal-type that’s easy to raise with good reproduction ability and some looks, had higher prices.
Similar types like Purrloin, Skitty, etc., as pets snatched up by fancy ladies, naturally had egg prices that rose with demand, around 50,000 to 100,000, with occasional ‘prestigious bloodlines’ sold up to 200,000.
The various Starter Pokémon in the original work, with three-stage growth and great potential, had prices very different from these mostly ornamental Pokémon. Standard Starter Pokémon prices started at 500,000, and even required a recommendation letter from a fellow Pokémon League ‘Professional Trainer’ or to be a ‘Professional Trainer’ yourself to purchase.
The Pokémon League, to ensure Trainers could maximize Pokémon potential without wasting resources, regulated Pokémon Egg sales. For ordinary private Pokémon Day Cares, unless specially authorized with certificates, selling the first two levels of Pokémon was their operating limit.
A recommendation letter from Professional level or above Trainers was equivalent to a guarantee.
If in the future this Pokémon became disabled, mentally damaged, died, etc., due to the Trainer’s mistake in serious incidents, the Pokémon League would hold the Trainer and guarantor accountable.
After all, those who had channels to know Professional level Trainers, or whose parents were Professional Trainers, definitely had more abundant resources and funds compared to so-called ‘commoner Trainers.’
In other words, this regulation was the League’s way of confirming if you could ‘afford’ this level of Pokémon.
Above Starter Pokémon were the so-called ‘rare’ Pokémon, mostly ‘pseudo-legendary’ in games.
Rare species, powerful abilities, most had strict purchase requirements, and even if you met the requirements, you might not afford the high price. Reality was that tragic; unlike games where you just needed time.
An ordinary little Pokémon Egg sold for one or two million was considered merciful pricing, and officials still cared about face.
Just like that string of Dragon-type ones.
Especially in the Zhonghua Family, Dragon-type Pokémon status naturally rose, even Magikarp that could evolve into Gyarados had its sales price raised to 200,000 once due to the ‘carp leaping over the dragon gate’ connotation!
That so many people were willing to spend 200,000 on a Magikarp that might only know Splash if not nurtured well—that obsession as descendants of dragons made Dragon-type Pokémon sales… top the rare section.
After all, for contemporary Zhonghua Family Trainers, owning a Dragon-type Pokémon wasn’t just a symbol of status; it was a label, an honor label as a Zhonghua Family Trainer.
And certain Dragon-type specialist Trainers…
Either they had mines at home or were fools, since few Dragon-type Trainers didn’t fear those revenge-against-society Ice and Fairy-type dragon slayers; getting smashed would be interesting.
Pseudo-legendaries like Metagross were also in the rare range, since it ate ore; without some mines at home, you really might not afford it.
Little Diancie that sounded valuable was worth its weight in gold. It might not eat ore, but producing diamonds, it didn’t eat less than Snorlax, and with its group-living ability, buying one might not even get approved.
After all, according to the Pokémon Protection Law introduced the year before last, ‘Trainers may not force Pokémon to do things harmful to their own health or oppressive to their spirit; Trainers may not physically or mentally abuse Pokémon under the guise of training.’
And among them, forcibly isolating group-living Pokémon, single-raising without sufficient funds but faking assets, etc., would all be deemed illegal by the League, the kind with serious punishment once discovered.
If you substitute pet-raising psychology like raising cats and dogs into ‘nurturing’ Pokémon, those laws were indeed hard to accept, even causing a bunch of Weibo keyboard warriors to rant.
But this world’s worldview and history were built on humans and Pokémon developing together, so such ‘harsh’ regulations instead dissatisfied some ‘Pokémon lovers,’ and now they were actively working for ‘Pokémon liberation.’
The Riolu that Li Wei couldn’t look away from upon seeing belonged to this ‘rare’ category.
The mascot Pokémon of Aura, loyal, recognizes masters, humanoid Pokémon, good looks, strong power—these labels, each worth 300,000, combined with this species’ rarity, this price…
Five zeros plus two digits, a seven-figure number, really not outrageous—just like a less-than-60-square-meter house in Magic City once.
After seeing the so-called ‘qualification requirements,’ the pragmatic Li Wei didn’t fantasize about outrageous things anymore, like Groudon not being worthy of him.
After all, he knew that with his current status, he couldn’t even ride the three legendary birds.
With his current ‘Temporary Trainer’ badge, even carrying shoes for Suicune was tough, let alone messing with Rayquaza.
Li Wei shook his head regretfully while browsing the shop’s link on Pokémon level purchase restrictions.
‘League ah~ You’ll eventually pay the price for your stubbornness~’
Do you know how much you lost by not giving me a legendary beast for my first Pokémon? You lost a genius Trainer, okay!
Sigh~
If heaven had not borne Li Wei, the Pokémon League would be in eternal darkness~
Of course, it sounded great in his mind, but everything still depended on the thickness of his wallet.
He definitely couldn’t buy it himself, and Li Wei had no concrete concept of his family’s conditions after transmigration. The home looked rich and lavish, but would they allow him to buy an egg worth as much as a small Magic City house?
To be discussed, but he could ask.
Using the tone he once tested for a new mobile phone, Li Wei asked his mom, “Mom, what do you think of this?”
Slightly teasing, holding back his excitement, with a casual and playful face, he pushed the tablet in front of his mom.
This way, even if rejected, he could say without awkwardness or rudeness, ‘Heh, I was joking~ I know it’s outrageous; I think that Togepi is pretty good.’
‘Sigh, all old bitter tears.’
But the situation seemed to exceed the script development in Li Wei’s expectations.
“Mm, speaking of Aura, it’s indeed Riolu.”
His mom nodded readily and tapped his father, who was still staring blankly at the Timburr Pokémon Egg nearby. “Hey! Son wants to buy Riolu, what do you say?”
“Hm?? Riolu?” Mr. Li was stunned for a moment, then his mind frantically searched for info on this Pokémon.
Fighting-type, good reviews, extremely good reviews.
Evolves into dual-type, Fighting and Steel, mm! Very nice.
Humanoid appearance, dog-like ears, loyal personality; with a bit of training and guidance, it masters Aura.
Powerful! Strength! Diligent!
“Good! Riolu it is!”
Then, as if afraid Li Wei and his wife would change their minds, Mr. Li quickly called over the nearby staff and had them pull up the inventory for the Riolu egg.
The process of buying eggs in this world was also quite wondrous, like buying pedigree cats from a cattery in his previous life.
With proofs of both parents’ qualifications, nurturing room numbers, nurturer lists and qualifications, etc., it was so formal that Li Wei felt like he was buying a luxury brand bag or watch.
But thinking about it, it was an order worth as much as real estate, so seeing such a formal process, he was relieved.
Because Riolu really wasn’t some common street species. The staff checking the warehouse inventory said they only had one Riolu egg locally; if unsatisfied with this egg’s quality, they could apply to transfer resources.
So, Li Wei happily smacked his lips and sidled up to his dad, who had just been disdainful, and eagerly looked over.
This Riolu egg’s father was a Gym Leader level Hitmonchan, mother a Elite Four level Lucario.
Seeing this, Li Wei roughly understood why this egg’s price was so exaggerated.
These two levels of Pokémon were a full seven levels above him.
Temporary, novice, elite, professional low/mid/high, Gym Leader, Elite Four, Champion, Title Champion.
Including temporary, ten levels total.
Reaching different Trainer levels required corresponding titles, and Pokémon strength was divided from 0 to 9 accordingly.
So, Gym Leader level Pokémon could also be called level 6 Pokémon, and Elite Four level as level 7 Pokémon.
The reason the impressive-sounding Title Champion was named with 9 was explainable; theoretically, starting from 1 would be more logical.
It was said that when the Pokémon League was founded, various rights were won through battles.
Why the so-called Title Champion level was 0-9 instead of 1-10 started from that year when a grandpa invented hybrid rice, Zhonghua Family won a large 6v6 match…
Nine levels of palace halls, supreme ruler, three bows nine kowtows, nine provinces square, ninety-nine returns to one…
The number most favored by Zhonghua Family was definitely ‘nine.’ To be fair, if not for discovering the ‘Trainer written exam must-know’ tag earlier when checking data, he wouldn’t glance at this convoluted history.
Why put this stuff in textbooks! Not everything can go in textbooks, hey!!! Consider the students! Don’t all learn Lu Xun, Zhu Ziqing!!
Back to the topic.
Li Wei, an original game fan, was extremely satisfied with this egg.
Although he didn’t know how much this world followed game settings, just from this Hitmonchan and Lucario combo, this egg had a bright future!
What if it inherited Vacuum Wave? Then this Riolu was bound for greatness?
Spiral to the heavens, instant takeoff!
In this world without skill discs, why bother learning skills that could be inherited in the bloodline DNA?
So, with the intent to deeply study this world’s Pokémon knowledge, Li Wei bought a few more books.
After the purchase, Li Wei had Mime Jr. help carry the books, while he held the egg just bought and placed in the incubator, happily leaving the Pokémon Center.
《100 Essential Questions You Need to Know for Nurturing Pokémon》
《Read it! No one knows Pokémon better than you!》
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Li Wei’s mood was far more excited than he imagined. Even after returning to the car and sitting down, his hands holding the egg were still slightly trembling.
Excited.
This was excitement.
(><)
On getting the first Pokémon, happiness comes too suddenly like a tornado—how to rate the mood.
Answer: Abandon thinking, do as desired.
Strictly speaking, for Li Wei, this wasn’t simple happiness; it was the happiness of a chuunibyou being fulfilled, equivalent to a Magic City house—far more than ordinary happiness.
All the way, Li Wei took deep breaths as much as possible, holding back the urge to frantically fiddle with the incubator. Holding the incubator, he was afraid of squeezing the instruments too tight and breaking them; on his lap, afraid a sudden brake would shatter it.
And just as Li Wei was neurotically caring for the precious egg in his arms, the accident happened.
Mime Jr. suddenly shouted urgently, “Bari!!!!”
Followed by a sharp brake, and almost simultaneously, blue and red lights shot up from the ground!
Boom!
Like an explosion, flames soared into the sky, instantly engulfing everything in Li Wei’s field of vision.
Without any breathing room, several deafening explosions followed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
For a moment, shouts, explosions, collapsing nearby buildings, flames crackling—filled the area.
At this time, Li Wei was isolated in a blue space like a pure land, dazedly covering his ears, looking at the surroundings engulfed in flames, mouth agape, showing an incredulous expression.
Asking for votes~ Pear paste~ This is really important to me~
Also, tomorrow roll for face change status~ No change means Monday! Those without investment hurry! Earn money early!
Oh right, friendly communication group, 1062746091, password: Dang Wu
