Lin Shou squinted, pretending to inspect Riolu like a seasoned trainer sizing up his partner. In truth, his eyes weren't just seeing the Pokémon in front of him—they were catching the system's familiar golden frame hovering faintly in his vision.
Riolu (♂) (Fighting-type) — Level 8Health: 100% / 100%Weaknesses: Flying ×2, Psychic ×2, Fairy ×2Ability: Inner Focus — If frightened, speed increases by one stage.Held Item: NoneMoves: Metal Claw, Ice Punch, Feint, Quick Attack…
"Got all your moves down already?" Lin Shou asked casually, feigning the tone of someone not reading from a system window.
Long Yichen grinned. "My parents said a Silk Scarf's not easy to make. They're saving it for my birthday when I come of age." He shrugged. "Not like I've got any big-hitting moves yet. Can't really put it to use right now."
"Alright then," Lin Shou said. "Let's rent a training field for some drills."
The three of them headed toward the treadmill area, none of them bringing up yesterday's rather… immersive hands-on lesson.
Lin Shou was already plotting how to sneak in some quality loafing time when the system decided to ruin his day.
[Task]: Gain More Combat ExperienceRequirement: Battle 200 Pokémon (0 / 200)Reward: Random Purple Perk ×1, Random Ancient Device ×1
Two hundred?! He let out a mental groan. Running a training ground suddenly felt like a terrible business model—he'd worked hard to reel in three new customers, and the Alliance Coins he'd earned still didn't cover the hospital bill from the last time he got smacked around.
"Two hundred battles… Guess I'll have to hit the wilds."
Just then, he noticed a few guests lingering nearby. Might as well fish for intel.
"A place with a lot of wild Pokémon?" one high schooler repeated his question, rubbing his chin. "There's a nature reserve about thirty kilometers from here. The mountain's full of Pokémon clans. Even got a themed hotel."
Perfect. Well… almost perfect. A 30km trip meant there was no way he'd be back the same day. Better give Latina a heads-up.
When he opened the basement door, Lin Shou froze.
Ten minutes ago, the place had been in one state. Now… it looked like he'd stepped into a different century. Tools, parts, and unfamiliar machines cluttered every surface.
He shut the door. Took a breath. Opened it again. Nope—still a disaster.
"I was only gone for ten minutes… Why does it feel like I've time-traveled?" he muttered.
Latina barely glanced at him, busy tightening bolts while Squirtle worked beside her with a wrench nearly bigger than his shell.
"I'll be away for three days," Lin Shou announced. "Squirtle, want to come?"
Squirtle immediately abandoned his wrench and dove into his shell like he was avoiding a debt collector.
Lin Shou smirked. "Fine. Just hold down the fort. Open the door for guests. Try not to burn the place down."
Latina's eyes lit up. "So… we can keep renovating?"
"Do what you want, as long as the house is still standing when I get back," he said without a second thought—utterly unaware of how questionable her "design vision" actually was.
With six empty Poké Balls clipped to his belt for appearances' sake, he set off. As soon as the door shut behind him, Latina rubbed her hands together.
"Since Boss Lin said yes… let's get to work!"
"Squirtle!"
The little turtle leapt back into action, piloting the MK-II rig with gusto.
Latina began plotting out loud. "Waveguide resonance device here… Energy resonance device there… Maybe call it Mega Evolution…"
The taxi ride to the reserve cost nearly a hundred Alliance Coins. Thirty kilometers later, Lin Shou stepped out, only to be greeted by the looming sight of a castle-like hotel. His wallet whimpered in his pocket.
The lobby sparkled under a massive crystal chandelier, light splintering across polished floors. Trainers from all over bustled in and out, many with suitcases and gear clearly meant for catching wild Pokémon.
"Welcome," said the receptionist, her pearl earrings swaying. "Do you have a reservation?"
"Uh… no."
"That's fine, we have some offline rooms. Please take a look at the price list."
After a painful minute of mental math, he booked the cheapest option.
The receptionist leaned in with a practiced smile. "We also have rooms with private balconies—only 500 Alliance Coins more. Very good value."
Lin Shou shook his head immediately. "No thanks. Just the one night."
"Alright. That will be 1,500 Alliance Coins, plus a 100-coin deposit." Clearly used to penny-pinching trainers like him, she didn't even blink.
Then came the kicker. "How many empty Poké Balls do you need?"
"What Poké Balls?" he asked blankly.
She explained patiently, "Our resort's specialty is living with Pokémon. Any Pokémon caught here must be captured with our exclusive hotel Poké Balls."
Lin Shou's gaze slid to the display case—rows of Poké Balls, prices ranging from 120 to 1,000 Alliance Coins each. The cheapest was a standard ball stamped with the hotel's logo.
He sighed. This trip was about to get even more expensive.