"Welcome!"
Su Bai jumped to his feet the moment a customer stepped through the door, treating his modest pet shop like it was his lifelong calling.
"Interested in Pokémon companions? Perfect helpers for Awakened ones, and the best personal bodyguards for the non-Awakened!"
"They're cute, powerful, and the perfect choice whether you're staying home or out exploring the wild!"
A string of smooth, rapid-fire sales pitches rolled off his tongue with practiced ease.
Beside him, Meloetta chimed in cheerfully, singing in her melodious voice: "Melo~ Melo~!"
The sight left Murong Nan, Liu Yunlan, Wang Tao, and their Pokémon utterly speechless.
"Su Bai, when did you learn to do that?" Liu Yunlan asked, stunned.
"That actually sounded… professional?"
Su Bai shot her a tired look.
Life was hard, and Su Bai had become a salesman out of necessity.
In times like these, few people were willing to spend large sums just for a pet.
Much of humanity's territory was overrun by Death Beasts. The average citizen had little to spare, and even most Awakened preferred spending money on gear or leveling up rather than companions.
_____________________________________
"Heh… Put on a hat and suddenly you can't recognize me, Yunlan?"
The woman chuckled softly as she removed her wide-brimmed hat with a graceful motion.
Her face was flawless.
Liu Yunlan's eyes widened.
"S-Sis?!"
"What are you doing here?! Don't you have a concert in a few days?!"
The others were equally stunned.
This tall, elegant woman was none other than Liu Yunlan's older sister—
The number one pop diva of the entire Eastern Divine Federation: Liu Yunshuang.
Liu Yunshuang reached out and gently pinched Yunlan's slightly chubby cheeks, smiling.
"You've been so excited lately, constantly going on about your new Pokémon."
"Said there's one that sings even better than me—how could I just ignore that?"
Her eyes curiously drifted from the Chimchar in Yunlan's arms to the enchanting Meloetta perched on Su Bai's shoulder.
"What a stunning little creature!"
"And that voice earlier… it was beautiful."
"So this is the Meloetta Yunlan kept talking about? Hello there!"
She extended her hand.
Meloetta floated over curiously and placed her tiny hands on Liu Yunshuang's palm in greeting.
The gentle and adorable gesture earned a chorus of gasps from the room.
"Ugh, I'm getting heart palpitations…" Wang Tao clutched his chest.
"That's what a heart attack feels like! She's too cute—it's lethal!"
"Kyaa~ She's so precious!" Liu Yunshuang giggled.
Then, her tone turned slightly serious.
"I already know the answer, but I still have to ask."
"Shopkeeper… is this little one really not for sale? I'm willing to offer ten million Federation credits."
Ten million credits. A huge amount by any measure.
But Su Bai shook his head firmly.
"Meloetta is not for sale. Didn't Yunlan already tell you that?"
Truthfully, Su Bai didn't care much about money.
Even if he didn't make another sale, the worst that would happen was a slower rate of filling his Pokédex.
And the 2 million credits he already had could last him a good while.
"I figured as much," Liu Yunshuang sighed in mock defeat.
"Yunlan did say you'd never sell her… but I had to try."
Then she turned toward the uniquely shaped Pokédex device resting on the counter.
"In that case, I'll just have to rely on luck, won't I?"
"How does it work, Shopkeeper Su?"
Her words made it clear—she was ready to draw from the Pokédex herself!
A real customer! A big one, too!
Su Bai's spirits lifted instantly.
He straightened the device and slid it toward her.
"It's simple. Choose first, pay after!"
"Place your hand on the device, and the Pokédex will select a Pokémon for you."
"Once selected, it can't be changed—unless you purchase it. Otherwise, that Pokémon will remain locked for your account."
"Each one has its own traits. I promise you won't be disappointed."
This was a VIP client.
Liu Yunshuang wasn't just the Eastern Federation's top idol—she was an A-Rank Awakened, and with her fame came unimaginable wealth.
No matter what Pokémon she drew, she could afford it.
She nodded, intrigued, and placed her hand on the device.
The screen flickered.
A massive question mark appeared, flashing and cycling rapidly through a series of shadows and silhouettes.
Then, the screen stopped.
A round, pink Pokémon appeared in the projection above the device.
Murong Nan, Liu Yunlan, and Wang Tao had all received their commemorative Pokémon directly from Poké Balls and had never experienced a Pokédex draw.
So now, they craned their necks with excitement.
The moment they saw the round pink figure…
"Aaaahhh! It's adorable!!"
"That's not fair—how can something be this cute?!"
"Look at those eyes!"
"Pink! It's pink! The sacred color of every girl's heart!"
If she could, Liu Yunlan would've pulled out her wallet on the spot.
Unfortunately… her wallet was empty.
And refilling that wallet meant relying on her rich older sister.
Offending that "wallet" was not an option.
Liu Yunshuang's own gaze sparkled with admiration.
Without hesitation, she reached into her purse and pulled out a crystal payment card.
"Perfect. I'll take it."
Su Bai almost reached out to swipe it immediately—but professionalism stopped him.
"Let me introduce it first," he said with a smile. "It's only proper."
"This Pokémon is called Jigglypuff."
"It's a Normal and Fairy-type Pokémon."
"This particular Jigglypuff has the Cute Charm ability."
"That means it has a chance of infatuating an opponent on contact, rendering them unable to attack."
"Its singing voice is also famous. With over 12 octaves of vocal range, its lullabies can lull even the most hyperactive children to sleep in seconds."
"It's quite a rare find, priced at 600,000 Federation credits."
The moment Su Bai finished—
Liu Yunshuang, who had been surprisingly patient until now, thrust her payment card directly into his face.
"Enough talk! Take my money and release my Jigglypuff!!"