Chapter 189: The Johto Way of Saying Hello
October 2nd, Wednesday.
It had been three days since Angry Tranquill launched, and its popularity remained sky-high. A casual game with no aggressive microtransactions—a rare gem in the industry. With three high-quality titles under its belt, Pokémon Studio had quickly become the most talked-about new game studio.
Even Dayou was once again in awe of Lu Ye's business mindset. "Making hundreds of thousands a day, yet acting like it's nothing!"
Despite the revenue-sharing agreement with the Devon Corporation, the mobile version's profits still far exceeded the PC version. Of course, it was still far from financial freedom. But after doing the math, Lu Ye smirked confidently. "I can at least pay off my debt to Cynthia now!"
Despite his massive livestream audience, Lu Ye somehow turned his game streams into cooking shows.
"How did you miss with a Pidgeotto?!"
"Is the streamer out of his mind?!"
"New viewer? Don't worry—he's actually a Sylveon in disguise."
Meanwhile, social media was flooded with free publicity. One particularly enthusiastic fan was a Flying-type Gym Leader from Unova—Skyla, the Mistralton Gym Leader. Holding the Jet Badge, she also worked as a cargo plane pilot. But for the past three days, she had completely skipped work—staying home just to play Angry Tranquill. If it weren't for the fact that she literally owned the entire Mistralton Cargo Airport, she would have been fired already.
Over on the gaming forums, the game was still receiving rave reviews.
[Weekly Game Review]: "With its relaxing, level-based gameplay and signature Pokémon Studio Pokédex collection feature, this is another five-star hit."
[Trap Master]: "I've already cracked the game's physics engine. DM me if you need cheats."
[Skyla's #1 Fan]: "Ahhh! Swanna is so cute! So adorable I could die!"
The only small regret Lu Ye had was that Steven hadn't played enough to top the rankings. Still, the game's overwhelming success further strengthened Lu Ye's resolve to continue his entrepreneurial journey.
"Maybe I can slow down on game development for a bit…" Lu Ye rubbed his chin. "If people love the collection aspect, maybe I should expand into the toy market too." After all, the most profitable entertainment industries included tokusatsu (special effects shows) paired with toy sales—a time-tested formula. Just look at Bandai, the undisputed king of that model.
Of course, this was still just an early idea. Once his company was fully established, he could branch into new markets.
Afternoon – A Rare Break
For once, Lu Ye had some free time. He slumped onto the couch for a well-earned nap. Sylveon curled up in his lap, shifting to a comfier position before letting out a lazy yawn. Haunter had already left for work.
Wartortle was in the yard, training Growlithe in the art of digging. "Wartortle~~"
Wartortle watched Growlithe struggle, reminiscing about when its own training had begun. Back then, its mentor had been Haunter. Now… it was finally Wartortle's turn to pass on the legacy! Its eyes sharpened, and it adjusted its sunglasses.
Crack! The ground split open as Growlithe broke through the surface. It lifted its head, wagging its tail proudly.
Wartortle gave a cold smirk. "If that's all you've got… it's nowhere near the master's standards."
Taking a deep breath, Wartortle placed one hand on the ground.
"Arf?" Growlithe tilted its head, watching curiously.
"Wartortle!" Wartortle exhaled forcefully, its arm muscles tightening—Crack! Crack! Crack! The entire yard shook. BOOM! The ground collapsed, leaving a five-meter-wide crater.
Growlithe's eyes sparkled with excitement. Wartortle frowned slightly, dissatisfied.
On the balcony, Lu Ye watched the scene unfold with a complex expression. "You call that digging?! That was a literal earthquake!" So those one-arm push-ups from the past few days… they weren't just for show?!
He glanced up at the ceiling, where a few bits of plaster had crumbled down. Lu Ye's mouth twitched, and he sighed. "At least… it's better than destroying the house from the inside…"
October 3rd, Thursday
Using the contact information Gold had provided, Lu Ye finally got in touch with Silver in Johto. Despite his usual cold demeanor, Silver was surprisingly friendly when dealing with friends—especially one introduced by Gold.
"I understand," Silver said. "I'll meet you at the Goldenrod Pokémon Center." According to Lance, Silver was currently on the run from Interpol, so this trip was a huge risk for him. This only made Lu Ye feel a bit touched. "I have to say, the Johto Gold-Silver dynamic really makes Crystal feel like a third wheel…"
Before heading off, Lu Ye opened his stream and pinned a message: "Going AFK for three days—will return with new battle strategies. Love you all! - Teacher Lu"
His viewers, long accustomed to his disappearing acts, still reacted with outrage.
"Teacher Lu, just go die!"
"Are you saying your fans don't matter?!"
"Okay, okay, Tranquill is cute… but you're not, Teacher Lu."
On October 3rd, Lu Ye boarded a plane to Johto. Johto and Kanto were connected, separated only by the vast Mt. Silver range. One Trainer had conquered both regions' Pokémon Leagues—a silent testament to Red's unrivaled strength.
After landing at Goldenrod City Airport, Lu Ye was greeted by two familiar figures. One was Whitney, the pink-haired Goldenrod Gym Leader. The other was Crystal, wearing her signature white cap.
The moment Lu Ye saw Whitney, he blurted out instinctively—"Miltank!"
"Huh?" Whitney blinked in confusion. "Is that… how people say hello in the Donghuang Region?"
"Ahem—nothing." Lu Ye coughed awkwardly. Damn childhood trauma! I blurted that out on instinct! "Where's Gold?"
"He was going to skip work to meet you," Crystal chuckled. "But then the Old Lady at the Pokémon Day Care caught him." She extended a hand. "Teacher Lu, nice to finally meet you!"
"Likewise." Lu Ye shook her hand before suddenly realizing something. "Wait… You're not in the Master Chat Group yet, are you?"
"Huh?" Crystal looked completely stunned.
[System Notification]
[Group Owner "Teacher Lu" has invited "Crystal" to join the Master Chat Group!]
After Whitney left to handle Gym Leader duties, Lu Ye and Crystal headed to the Pokémon Day Care. Goldenrod City was a bustling metropolis, but its outskirts were lush with greenery. From a distance, they could see the white fences of the Pokémon Day Care.
Lu Ye took a deep breath of the fresh countryside air. "This place… would be a great retirement spot!"
Crystal nodded but suddenly glanced up at the treetops. The leaves rustled faintly. At the same time—for the first time in a long while, Lu Ye's system gave a warning.
[Alert: Suspicious target detected within 100 meters. Stay alert.]
Crystal sighed. "I swear, Gold better not be planning to…"
Lu Ye narrowed his eyes, looking into the forest. A purple-furred Ambipom grinned at him from the tree branches, gripping a pool cue in its tail. Using the pool cue as a vaulting pole, it flipped mid-air and vanished behind Lu Ye. The forest remained restless, filled with movement.
Lu Ye's expression stiffened. "So this is how Johto Trainers say hello… a straight-up sneak attack?!"
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [patreon.com/InorinTL]. Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]