Chapter 87: Assistance from the Modu Association
It's only a little over 3 million. Once Plants vs. Zombies is released, it'll be easy to recover.
Compared to these external things, there's no way I can let my Pokémon down! If you capture a Pokémon, you have to be responsible for it, dmn it!*
Even though his inner chuunibyou spirit was blazing, Lu Ye couldn't help wanting to slap himself. Teacher Lu vividly demonstrated what it meant to put on a brave face.
Who would've thought… the inside agent turned out to be Cynthia! Training his Pokémon was one thing, but she even planned out borrowing money…
Was this part of your plan, too?!
Lu Ye rubbed his temples, clenching his teeth internally. Absolutely no next time! I, Teacher Lu, will never be a Trainer in this lifetime!
"Hauunter! o(*≧▽≦)ツ"
Haunter, brimming with joy, floated around the room, eagerly massaging Cynthia's shoulders.
Lu Ye felt an overwhelming sense of betrayal. I'm the one who paid for it, I'm the one who bought you the Dusk Stone, so why…
"Oh, there's still Eevee…" Cynthia glanced at the peacefully sleeping Eevee, who wore a serene expression. "I recommend you order custom training equipment."
"With Eevee's size, the cost shouldn't exceed 1 million." Cynthia tucked her golden hair behind her ear and sighed softly, "It's been training so hard…"
"Custom equipment can adjust its strength training methods, preventing any skeletal issues."
The promise that Teacher Lu had just made faltered. He stared blankly at Eevee rolling in its sleep.
"Buy it…" Lu Ye's heart bled.
"The total comes to about 5 million." Cynthia smiled. "That's still quite cheap."
Lu Ye's expression grew complicated. Do we even have the same definition of 'cheap'? Oh right, for Cynthia, this was probably just a 6v6 match's worth of spending… Her Pokémon expenses are likely well into the billions.
Cynthia tossed a card to Lu Ye, and he hurriedly caught it.
Although 5 million was nothing to Cynthia and she didn't expect an IOU, borrowed money was different. Lu Ye still planned to pay her back gradually.
Not even a Trainer yet, and I'm already in 5 million debt… Lu Ye sighed, feeling drained. It was all a scheme!
"Don't worry, I'll pay you back as soon as possible," he said, confident that Plants vs. Zombies would be a hit. This was just an early investment.
"No rush." Cynthia smiled. "Training your Pokémon is more important."
Cynthia wasn't worried about the 5 million. With such advanced Pokéblock crafting skills and masterful tactics, would Teacher Lu really lack money? It was just temporary. Helping Teacher Lu made Cynthia feel a bit happy, her lips curving into a smile.
"Repayment date?" Lu Ye asked.
"Whenever you want." Cynthia yawned. "Just write whatever."
Lu Ye's mouth twitched. Why does it feel like you're looking down on this 5 million? I feel insulted!
Despite his complaints, Lu Ye seriously wrote the IOU in duplicate and handed one to Cynthia. She accepted it with a knowing smile.
Judging from Haunter's excitement, the most charming moment for a Trainer was clearly when they spent money. Eevee might not know it yet, but for its health, specialized equipment was necessary.
Spending over 3 million for Haunter's happiness and 1 million to reduce Eevee's injury risk… Gripping the 5-million-IOU, Lu Ye took a deep breath, his heart aching.
"This is worth it!"
Nightfall crept in. As city lights began to shine, a groggy Eevee opened its eyes from its nap. In front of it was a bowl of freshly made Oran Berry Pokéblocks.
In the distance, Haunter was frowning thoughtfully at the Shadow Ball Training Method that Lu Ye had printed out.
Lu Ye lounged on the sofa, watching TV, while a golden-haired beauty focused intently on her game.
The little one shook its head and let out a soft cry. 1 month felt like a lifetime. If this is a dream, let me stay asleep forever…
Eevee smiled sweetly, shifted to a more comfortable position, and snuggled into the Silk Scarf.
Lu Ye suddenly pulled out a DSLR camera.
"Wait, seriously?" Cynthia blinked in surprise.
"Just say a line for the ad."
"What line?"
"'Plants vs. Zombies is super fun.' That's it."
"That feels kind of embarrassing." Cynthia's face reddened slightly.
"Then next time, I'll ask you to be the game's ambassador." Relieved, Cynthia smiled and nodded.
After the Master League matches and unexpectedly falling into 5 million in debt, Lu Ye felt utterly exhausted. Yawning, he waved his hand. "Get some rest."
He picked up Eevee, cuddling it as he curled up on the sofa under a blanket.
Cynthia nodded, then asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
Lu Ye poked his head out of the blanket. "Go out?"
"The flight's at 10 PM."
"That works." Lu Ye smiled. "I know this area pretty well."
"Won't it attract too much attention?"
"Then we'll go somewhere quiet." Lu Ye teased, "Or you could just buy out the whole street."
Cynthia nodded seriously. "I'll call and check."
Lu Ye's expression turned weird. Is this how rich people think? Could she really buy out Modu's shopping district?!
At the Modu Pokémon Association, inviting Lu Ye as Cynthia's guest had already stunned President Song Pengcheng. Seeing from the arena's records that Lu Ye had tied in a friendly match with Lance was even more astonishing.
Song Pengcheng rubbed his temples, increasingly aware of Lu Ye's deep potential. No wonder he'd shown masterful command in the Piplup Tournament…
"And yet someone like him still joins rookie competitions," Song Pengcheng chuckled. "The world truly is full of surprises."
Just then, a call from his secretary made Song Pengcheng frown slightly. "Cynthia? Out shopping with someone?"
Hearing Lu Ye's name, Song paused and quickly understood. Even if they were just acquaintances, Cynthia being close with someone from Donghuang was definitely beneficial.
"This kid is quite handsome." Song Pengcheng stroked his chin. "I wonder… could he win Cynthia over?" He'd never heard of Cynthia being this close to any man before.
Tapping his finger on the desk, Song dialed a number. "Clear the roads for their outing. And if possible, make them a little… closer!"