Chapter Twenty-Six: A New Life Begins in Amethyst City

“Ding, now issuing tasks:
Task One: In order for the host to become a top-tier Pokémon breeder, you are required to attend Pokémon School for study, and pass the examination to become a junior Pokémon breeder. Upon completion, you will receive 1,000 achievement points.
Task Two: Nurture your Pokémon. As a breeder, you should diligently raise your own Pokémon. The system will now record your Pokémon’s data, and within three months, you must nurture them. After three months, the system will record the data again and reward achievement points based on their growth.”

Both tasks were of great importance to Cheng Cheng, and he was naturally willing to undertake them. Still, he had only just returned, and hadn’t expected to be thrust into missions so soon, especially ones requiring him to study. His academic performance in the past had been lackluster, and he wondered if changing subjects might improve things.

Cheng Cheng immediately went online to research Pokémon breeder schools. The best school was located in Mauville City, so he chose Mauville’s premier Pokémon breeding academy. Upon logging onto their website, he discovered that there was still a month before the term began. The school would conduct an assessment for applicants ten days prior, which meant he had twenty days of free time.

He registered for the school, then began pondering how to spend the next twenty days.

With a twenty-day holiday, Cheng Cheng decided to rest well. He didn’t choose to play outside; in fact, there weren’t many entertainment options in the Dream World, and almost all amusements involved Pokémon. The place he planned to go was somewhere Pokémon were scarce—the civilian district.

The so-called civilian district was where grassroots workers lived. The people here seldom owned Pokémon, and if they did, they were ordinary city Pokémon.

In the Pokémon world, not everyone qualified to own a Pokémon. Only a small number could truly raise them, while many at the grassroots level spent their entire lives unable to obtain even one. Even if they managed to acquire a Pokémon, the high cost of raising it was prohibitive.

Cheng Cheng was immensely grateful that his father had left him a breeding house. If he had come to this world alone, reaching his current state would have required many times more effort.

His aim this time was to live among people with little contact with Pokémon for twenty days. Though not a long span, it was time enough.

He chose Mauville City. As one of the top three most populous cities in the Hoenn region, it naturally had a sizable grassroots population. Moreover, the Pokémon breeding school was in Mauville, saving him travel time.

Cheng Cheng entrusted the breeding house to Ah Li and Xiao Li, and set off.

The fastest way to Mauville was by plane. During his last journey, Cheng Cheng had earned over three million Alliance coins, so flying was no burden.

He booked an afternoon flight, and after three hours, arrived in Mauville.

Mauville was not only a city of people, but also a hub of industry and technology. Its electric industry was outstanding, and Mauville boasted the most advanced technology in Hoenn. Most things here were powered by electricity, and the local gym specialized in Electric-types. In short, Mauville was a city brimming with humanity and technology.

After arriving, Cheng Cheng first went to the Pokémon Center. He requested a room, explaining to Nurse Joy that he would be staying for thirty days. To fully immerse himself in grassroots life, he decided not to bring anything with him, except two Pokémon for self-defense—since the area could be unsafe.

By the time Cheng Cheng reached Mauville, the sun was nearly set. He should have spent the night at the Pokémon Center, but instead chose to enter the civilian district immediately, as blending in was easier at night than during the day.

He changed into ordinary clothes, placed two Poké Balls in his pocket, and set off in a chosen direction.

He reached a rather remote area, where he saw a person in tattered clothing enter an old, dilapidated house that looked long abandoned. Cheng Cheng decided to make this his destination.

Upon entering, he was confronted by four youths about his age, who blocked his path.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” they asked, wary.

“I’m a wanderer from out of town, and I have nowhere to stay. I saw this house and thought it was empty, so I hoped to spend the night here.”

“Sorry, this place is already occupied. Please leave,” one of the boys replied.

A girl nearby tugged at his sleeve, but he ignored her.

“Could you let me stay just one night? That’s all I need—I really have nowhere else to go!” Cheng Cheng tried to look as pitiful as possible.

“Xiao Si, maybe we should let him stay for the night. He looks rather unfortunate,” the girl spoke up.

“No, Xiao Yu, we don’t know who he is. We can’t let strangers stay here,” Xiao Si replied.

“But he has nowhere to go, just like we once did.”

“Well…” Xiao Si glanced at Cheng Cheng’s harmless demeanor and finally relented.

“You can stay just one night. Leave at dawn, and stay over there—don’t wander around.”

“Thank you,” Cheng Cheng replied sincerely.

After that, the group returned to their seats, settling on a worn-out sofa. Cheng Cheng followed, sitting by the chair designated for him.

It was dinner time; the four were eating food they had just bought. Cheng Cheng, who had only brought two Poké Balls and identification, was left hungry.

He patted his flat stomach and looked at them.

They noticed, but merely glanced before turning away. Their food was hard-won, and they were reluctant to share.

“Here, you can have this,” the girl handed him a piece of bread.

“Xiao Yu, you—”

“It’s fine, Xiao Si. One piece is enough for me.”

“You… sigh,” Xiao Si sighed.

He then took two more pieces of bread from the bag, giving one to Xiao Yu and one to Cheng Cheng.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“By the way, what’s your name? Where are you from?”

“I’m Cheng Cheng, from Verdanturf Town,” he answered honestly.

“I’m Xiao Si, she’s Xiao Yu, and those two are Xiao Lin and Xiao Mi.”

Cheng Cheng greeted the other two.

“Thank you all. Otherwise, I’d have nowhere to sleep tonight—and would go hungry.”

“No need. As long as you leave tomorrow, it’s fine,” Xiao Si replied, still a little distant. It was understandable; children like them had grown up wandering and wary, cultivating a strong sense of insecurity.

After that, they stopped talking to Cheng Cheng, and he didn’t mind. He was thinking about how to stay another day.

After they fell asleep, Cheng Cheng slipped outside, sitting on the steps and gazing at the stars. He sensed someone approaching.

“Can’t sleep, Cheng Cheng?” It was Xiao Yu.

“Yes, I’m wondering where I’ll go tomorrow.”

“Do you have nowhere to go?”

He shook his head.

Both were silent for a while.

“Why don’t you stay and live with us?” she suggested.

“Stay?” Cheng Cheng hadn’t expected Xiao Yu to invite him.

“You have nowhere else to go. Stay here—our life isn’t great, but at least we survive.”

The phrase “survive” tugged at his heart. Even in this seemingly beautiful Pokémon world, many struggled daily just to secure their next meal.

“But will your friends agree?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll persuade them.”

“Thank you.” Cheng Cheng uttered the words, heartfelt and sincere.

They exchanged a smile.