December 1st, the entertainment section of the official Minglong Kingdom news website featured a headline: Xia Huonao Unleashes His Might, National Idol Yi Mengbi Collapses on the Spot.
Xia Huonao was lying on the sofa reading this news. He felt the report wasn't detailed enough, failing to capture Yi Mengbi's aggressive stance and only stating that he had made Yi Mengbi faint, making himself sound like a complete scoundrel.
Xia Huonao opened his laptop and began editing his own press release: Regarding the incident this afternoon, I express my deepest apologies for Yi Mengbi's sudden collapse. I was unaware that classmate Yi Mengbi would become so agitated upon learning he could engage in a friendly match with me. Here, I sincerely hope classmate Yi Mengbi recovers soon. I will await him on the battlefield of the exhibition match.
Everyone who read Xia Huonao's official statement could decipher his underlying intentions. After posting his statement, Xia Huonao lay in bed, checking on everyone's progress.
[Omniscient and Almighty Xia Laoda]: How's it going, everyone? Your results should be pretty good, right? Has anyone been eliminated on the first day of the competition?
[Wei Chiting]: Yes, Feng Bing, the unlucky fellow, was eliminated in the second match. His Crustle just wouldn't let him get back up.
[Feng Bing]: Yeah, it was really bad luck. It was clearly an Ice-type against a Rock-type, but I still couldn't win.
[Omniscient and Almighty Xia Laoda]: Alright, alright, shut up. I know you're just trying to spite me. What about the others? Has anyone else lost badly?
[Zhang Hong]: Undefeated, though it was a bit of a struggle.
[Shen Yu]: It's going okay on my end. A bit of pressure, but not too much.
After Xia Huonao's inquiries, he confirmed that Feng Bing was the only unlucky one to lose on the first day. Fortunately, because the first round of qualifiers was a points system rather than an elimination format, as long as Feng Bing wasn't as unlucky in his subsequent battles, he would likely not be eliminated.
The next day, the competition continued. Xia Huonao arrived near the venue with his backpack. He saw a girl standing outside the arena, holding two thermos flasks. Xia Huonao waved at her and walked over. "Hey, why are you carrying two thermos flasks today?"
The girl handed one of the thermos flasks to Xia Huonao. "This is for you. The other one is for another friend of mine."
Xia Huonao frowned. He had another friend and his fans? While there was nothing wrong with that, Xia Huonao felt a subtle sense of unease until he heard Yu Longdu's voice: "Morning, Old Xia. Morning, Xiao Rui."
Xia Huonao turned his head and saw Yu Longdu walking over, a bun in his mouth. Xia Huonao pointed at Yu Longdu. "So, this is the friend you mentioned?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, this is the friend I told you about yesterday. You two know each other? That's great."
Xia Huonao offered a polite, awkward smile. "So that's how it is..."
Since the girl wasn't a participating trainer, she didn't have access to the main arena during the first stage of the competition and had to wait outside. However, as Xia Huonao's match was scheduled for the afternoon in the twenty-fifth group, he could chat with the girl outside for a while longer.
Seeing the look in Yu Longdu's eyes before entering the arena – the look that said "if you say anything bad about me, we're done" – Xia Huonao knew exactly what Yu Longdu was thinking. He had a crush on the girl, didn't he? I'll help him out.
Xia Huonao sat on a stone bench outside the arena with the girl. To assist A'Du, Xia Huonao initiated the conversation. "So, my little fan, can you tell me your name?"
"Hmm, my name is Yu Rui. My family runs a pastry shop, but I occasionally cook home-style meals for my friends. You can come over with him sometime; I'll treat you both."
Xia Huonao clapped his hands. "So you're the cute, pretty, and skilled little chef that A'Du mentioned! It's truly better to meet than to hear about you. Let me formally introduce myself: I'm Xia Huonao."
After shaking hands, they continued chatting. As they talked, they saw the ongoing competition. Xia Huonao asked, "So, classmate Yu Rui, why aren't you participating in this competition? You must have Pokémon too, right?"
Yu Rui opened her shoulder bag and revealed four Poké Balls. Xia Huonao looked at them. "One of them is the Natu you lent me yesterday, thank you. So, what are the other three?"
Yu Rui touched the Poké Balls in her bag. "One of them is a Combee. It can make a lot of honey every day. The water you drank yesterday was Combee's honey water."
Xia Huonao understood. "So that's why it was so sweet. What about the other two?"
As they were happily chatting, a man walked over. "Oh, isn't this the little girl from Yunlai Food House? Are you here on a date with a lover?"
Yu Rui stood up. "Liao Dongping, stop being so sarcastic. Do you really think I don't know what happened back then?"
"What if you do know? Do you have any evidence? Hurry up and hand over the treasure of your Yunlai Food House, or I won't be polite. My Quagsire isn't to be trifled with."
Xia Huonao stood up, about to intervene, when Yu Rui shook her head. "It's okay, I can handle this myself."
Yu Rui took out a green Poké Ball from her bag. "I may not be very good at battling, but when it comes to that item, I can't stand by idly. Go, my partner!"
A cute little Pokémon appeared on Yu Rui's head, gently pressing her head down slightly. Xia Huonao stared at the Pokémon, which was entirely white with a green back and a flower on its head. He was stunned. "She-She's a Shaymin? Is that possible?"
Shaymin, the Gratitude Pokémon, a mythical Grass-type Pokémon. Due to its migratory habits, its rarity was off the charts. He never expected Yu Rui to possess such a Pokémon. Furthermore, mythical Pokémon were typically level 100, though there were exceptions like Diancie and Magearna.
Xia Huonao looked at the system. "System, this Shaymin."
The system replied: "Shaymin, Level 100. Sp. Atk and HP EVs maxed, Attack EVs minimized. No item held. It can be easily defeated. As long as Seed Flare hits, it can be instantly knocked out. Just watch."
With the system's answer, Xia Huonao felt relieved. He had originally planned to help if the girl started struggling, but now he figured he'd let Shaymin have some fun.
"Shaymin, Seed Flare!"
Shaymin curled up and unleashed a colorful beam of light towards the Quagsire. The Quagsire, hit by Seed Flare, immediately rolled its eyes and fell down.
The man pointed at Yu Rui. "You, you just wait!"
Watching the "villainous faction" flee after making threats, Xia Huonao stroked his chin. "Should I find a time to have Yu Longdu take care of him? Just say it's to maintain the appearance of Linglong City or something."
After driving away the person who coveted the treasure of Yunlai Food House, Yu Rui picked up Shaymin again. "This is one of my remaining two Pokémon, Shaymin. Shaymin, this is my new friend."
Xia Huonao greeted Shaymin, and they continued their conversation. Although Xia Huonao was quite interested in the so-called treasure of Yunlai Food House, it was a private matter of Yu Rui's family, so he felt it best not to pry.
However, besides the treasure of Yunlai Food House, Xia Huonao had another question: how did Yu Rui encounter Shaymin, and why did she say she wasn't good at battling?
In response to this question, Yu Rui explained that she befriended Shaymin when she was a child visiting her grandmother in the countryside. As for not battling, it was because she preferred cooking to battling, and Shaymin also didn't particularly enjoy combat. Thus, these two together had no fighting power and didn't participate in the competition.
However, it didn't matter. Xia Huonao felt that it was fine if Yu Rui didn't like to battle; Yu Longdu would protect her, and nothing would go wrong. But, Xia Huonao still felt a sense of unease.
After all, Yu Rui's appearance, while not flawless, was as rare in the world as Shen Yu's. She had a good personality, could cook, and had a super mythical Pokémon by her side that was both cute and somewhat powerful. She looked like the template for a heroine. Any male protagonist who married her would have accumulated immense virtue over lifetimes.
Xia Huonao even felt that the first girl he should have encountered on his journey of training should have been her, and he should have invited her to travel with him. Even if it didn't lead to marriage, but just friendship, that would be the role of an important supporting female character. Why was this girl living like an eighteen-line extra? Was the "unconcerned with worldly affairs" buff that powerful?
Yu Rui became a bit embarrassed under Xia Huonao's gaze. "Um, that..."
Xia Huonao finally realized he had been staring at her while lost in thought, which was rather impolite. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something."
Xia Huonao discovered that if he didn't dwell on why this heroine-template character was living like an extra, he felt an unusual sense of calm around Yu Rui and Shaymin, a feeling he hadn't experienced around any other girl. Xia Huonao unconsciously envied Yu Longdu. "Truly, everyone has their own destiny. Yu Longdu managed to find such a wonderful girlfriend."
Xia Huonao didn't just think this; he actually said it out loud. Yu Rui, standing nearby, blushed. "What are you talking about? I'm not his girlfriend yet. We're just friends."
Xia Huonao looked at Yu Rui playfully. "Is that so? I dare you to say you don't have any other feelings for him in your heart."
Yu Rui was silent for a long moment, then nodded.