At that moment, outside the forest

Zhou Yu, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt stained with dirt and yellowish streaks, carrying a spacious backpack and sporting a travel hat, suddenly spotted a wooden cabin on the other side of the river.

Beside the cabin sat an old fisherman. Zhou Yu's eyes lit up instantly.

"Sir, did you happen to see a Milotic swim through this river just now?"

"Milotic? Never heard of it. Didn't see a thing. This river's only ten meters wide be lucky to catch a few Magikarp in here."

The old man, naturally, was Uncle Liang.

He wore glasses, held a fishing rod, and exuded the relaxed air of someone thoroughly enjoying retirement. Despite the question, he didn't even bother turning his head.

"You really didn't see it? I swear I just saw a Milotic swim by!" Zhou Yu protested, refusing to give up.

He pointed emphatically at the river. "It came swimming through right here!"

Just then, a gracefully twisting, dazzling silhouette began gliding through the water before his eyes.

"Look! In the water… there it is that Milotic! Holy crap, it's way too beautiful…"

As he stared at the slender, elegant figure swirling in the river, Zhou Yu felt his heart pound faster.

He was a recent high school graduate, having finished the college entrance exams a month and a half earlier. He'd set out on a journey before heading off to university, hoping to train and grow as a Pokémon Trainer.

But he hadn't expected to get lost in this wilderness area, wandering aimlessly. He'd run out of food days ago and had been starving for an entire day.

Thankfully, he'd spotted a river. Remembering his teacher's lesson that "where there's a river, there's bound to be people," he'd decided to follow it.

But in one breathtaking glimpse across the water, he'd seen a flash of color as a Milotic emerged briefly from the river and gazed toward the forest.

In the sunlight, Milotic's skin gleamed like the world's most precious gemstones. For a young trainer still fresh on his journey, there was no question a Milotic was irresistibly alluring.

Zhou Yu had been utterly entranced by Milotic's stunning beauty, so much so that he'd completely forgotten to send out a Pokémon to battle and try capturing it.

In just a few moments, Milotic had vanished again.

Ever since, Zhou Yu had been tormented by regret. It felt like having a million dollars blow past his nose on a gust of wind, forever out of reach.

Now that he'd spotted Milotic again, his face flushed crimson. Without a second thought, he pulled out a Poké Ball.

"Milotic! Battle me! Let's have a Pokémon battle!"

But Milotic seemed completely oblivious to Zhou Yu's challenge. Instead, it turned its head and gazed fondly at a young man emerging from the forest, its expression glowing with joy.

"Huh? You want to battle my Pokémon?"

Lin Feng, having just stepped out of the forest, looked curiously at the rather bedraggled Zhou Yu, then down at Milotic, who was nuzzling up to him with obvious affection.

"Ah? That's your Pokémon?"

Seeing the youth accompanied by a Snivy and so familiar with Milotic, Zhou Yu suddenly felt like the sky was crashing down around him.

What the hell was this?

Giving him hope, then taking it away, and finally leaving him in utter despair?

Lin Feng rested a hand on Milotic's elegant body. Together with Snivy, he stepped onto Milotic's back, allowing it to ferry them smoothly across the river.

"Yeah, it's my Milotic. But if you'd like a Pokémon battle, how about battling Snivy instead?"

"Snivy~?"

Snivy tilted its head in curiosity, peering at Zhou Yu.

It was definitely itching for some action right now.

"Ugh… forget it…" Zhou Yu sighed, his excitement draining away. The flush left his cheeks, replaced by the sallow pallor of someone who hadn't eaten in a day, making him look even more gaunt.

He cast Lin Feng a slightly resentful look. "Hey… do you know where there's a restaurant around here?"

"Uh… come with me."

Seeing Zhou Yu looking so pitiful, Lin Feng's expression turned a bit awkward.

How many days had this kid been starving?

He called over his shoulder to Uncle Liang, then began leading Zhou Yu toward the nearby town.

Behind them, Uncle Liang muttered to himself, "I told him there's no Milotic around here… I don't know what these young Trainers are thinking these days."

Suddenly, his fishing rod gave a twitch. Uncle Liang's eyes lit up, and he yanked back hard.

With a splash, a red, vacant-eyed Magikarp broke the water's surface.

The excitement on Uncle Liang's face immediately collapsed.

"Not you again… back you go!"

With a disgusted sigh, he booted the Magikarp back into the river.

He heaved a long, weary breath and murmured wistfully, "Why can't I ever fish up a Feebas instead? That Milotic was so beautiful… I've never seen such a stunning Milotic in my life. Makes me want to raise one myself, even at my age…"

He gathered himself and prepared to cast his line once more. But right then, the river exploded in a brilliant surge of white light. Waves crashed as the previously calm surface churned violently.

When the glow faded, a Gyarados emerged, its face twisted in a ferocious snarl, jaws gaping wide and blood-red.

It glared furiously at Uncle Liang, bellowing as if venting its rage over that earlier kick.

"ROARRRR!"

Uncle Liang: ???

"Lucario, Bone Rush…"

…

Inside the Breeding House

"You're really a good guy…"

Having eaten a meal courtesy of Lin Feng, Zhou Yu seemed to have let go of his earlier resentment over not being able to catch Milotic.

"What happened to you anyway?" Lin Feng asked curiously.

"Ugh… don't even talk about it. I was lost in the forest for four or five days. Ran out of food. Thought I was gonna starve to death in there." Zhou Yu spoke with the air of someone who wanted to forget the whole ordeal.

"Uh…"

Lin Feng didn't pry further, but he found it a bit baffling.

A trainer already out on his journey… and still getting lost like that? Wasn't that a bit careless?

Zhou Yu suddenly thought of the people coming and going outside. "Hey is this place a Breeding House? The kind that sells Pokéblocks?"

Lin Feng nodded. "Yep."

Zhou Yu's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait you make the Pokéblocks yourself? You're a Breeder?"

Lin Feng nodded again.

"That's awesome! I'm actually a Breeder too. I'm on my way to Changsha City to study at the Pokémon Breeding University. I'm enrolling in the Pokéblock Production Program. Looks like I'll have to buy some of your Pokéblocks to study them."

Hearing Lin Feng's admission, Zhou Yu couldn't help showing a glimmer of competitive spirit.

After all, from just looking at Milotic and Snivy, with their sleek, glossy scales and bright, alert eyes, anyone could tell they'd been exceptionally well-raised.

Lin Feng merely smiled, then led Zhou Yu into the Breeding House to show him around the products inside.

"These are three kinds of Stamina Pokéblocks. They're priced at 500, 1000, and 5000 each. They're good for simple stamina recovery, with stronger effects at higher tiers. If you keep getting lost, you might want to stock up on these. They're edible for both humans and Pokémon. Over here are Pokéblocks that boost your Pokémon's defense stats…"

Perhaps because he'd lost so much time wandering in the forest, Zhou Yu was clearly a bit anxious. He bought one of each kind of Pokéblock in the shop, plus several extra packs of the Stamina Pokéblocks, before hurrying off on his way.

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