“Are they okay?”
As Xiao Zhi ran out of Viridian Forest carrying Xia, Xia looked back at the depths of the forest with some worry. The screams of Team Rocket and the young martial artist were still echoing in her ears.
Xiao Zhi, after allowing his Pokémon to rest, said, “It’s okay. That young martial artist is a Bug-type trainer, so he definitely has countermeasures. As for Team Rocket, they seem to be very durable and should be fine. What about you, Meowth? Have you figured out our current location?”
Meowth looked at his device and said, “Boss, we’re out now, meow. We’ll reach Pewter City soon, meow.”
“Pewter means grey, the color of stone. Pewter City has been known for its stones since ancient times. You two, I know young people like to show off their love, but please don’t do it on my merchandise.”
An old man sat below the two, looking at Xiao Zhi carrying Xia in a princess carry with a speechless expression.
Xia, only then realizing that she was still being held by Xiao Zhi, quickly stepped down and said, “No, we were just avoiding Beedrill. By the way, Xiao Zhi, thank you.”
“No problem. Girls don’t have the same stamina as boys, so it’s only right to take care of you. But, Da Shu, are these stones your merchandise?” Xiao Zhi said while touching a stone. “I don’t see many mineral stones here.”
The old man looked at Xiao Zhi with surprise and said, “That’s unexpected. You seem to have some knowledge about stones. My name is Wu Neng. I specialize in selling stones, but seeing you like this, you don’t plan to buy stones to make kimchi, do you?”
Xiao Zhi shook his head as he continued to touch Wu Neng’s stones. “I don’t like making kimchi, I have my own pickled vegetables.”
Xiao Zhi took out a jar from his backpack, opened it, and handed a piece of pickled vegetable to Wu Neng. “Try some?”
“Oh, alright, I’ll try it. Hmm? It’s quite good. It’s even better than the pickled vegetables at the Chinese Restaurant in Pewter City.”
Xiao Zhi smiled and didn’t say anything. Should he tell Wu Neng that the Chinese Restaurant is his property? No need.
“Since you are from Pewter City, Da Shu, then it’s simple. Could you please take us to Pewter City? We’ll pay you. And if it’s convenient, take us to the Chinese Restaurant. I think everyone’s hungry.”
Wu Neng, seeing that there wasn’t any business at the moment, nodded and said, “Sure, let’s go.”
After Xiao Zhi withdrew Charmeleon and Metal, he and Xia followed Wu Neng to Pewter City. Along the way, Xia remained silent with a red face. Meowth, after looking at Xia and then Xiao Zhi, didn’t say anything either. Pikachu kept asking Xiao Zhi for ketchup. Ralts was obediently holding Xiao Zhi’s hand, and Jigglypuff held his other hand.
“We’re here.”
Under Wu Neng’s guidance, Xiao Zhi and Xia soon arrived at the Chinese Restaurant. Looking at the huge and luxurious Chinese Restaurant, Xia couldn’t help but say, “Does the Chinese Restaurant in every city look this big and luxurious?”
Wu Neng shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s like this in Pewter City anyway.”
“Well, the Chinese Restaurants are all the same size, but it’s not time to talk about this now. Let’s eat first.”
With Xiao Zhi leading the way, Xia and Wu Neng entered the Chinese Restaurant.
“Welcome… Old… Boss?!”
The two young ladies at the entrance were originally smiling and welcoming customers, but when they saw Xiao Zhi, they immediately froze. You see, everyone working at the Continental Hotel and the Chinese Restaurant knows Xiao Zhi’s appearance. As for whether he would be exploited by someone with ill intentions? Xiao Zhi wasn’t afraid of that. The Pokémon League alone is a massive protective umbrella, not to mention the Joy family and the Officer Jenny family, two world-class families. And the defense capabilities of Xiao Zhi’s own family are even scarier.
On Xiao Zhi’s side, he didn’t blame the two young ladies for being surprised. After all, he usually goes to the Continental Hotel.
“Yeah, a luxury room.”
“Yes!”
Xia looked at Xiao Zhi curiously and asked, “Xiao Zhi, what do they mean by Boss?”
Xiao Zhi said calmly, “The literal meaning, I am the owner of the Chinese Restaurant.”
“You’re not kidding?!” Xia seriously doubted she had misheard. Wu Neng was even more incredulous, as he knew some things. The Chinese Restaurant is an affiliate of the Continental Hotel, and these two companies have only one owner. If what Xiao Zhi said is true, then this young fellow who just started traveling is actually a super rich man who can buy the entire city?!
Just as Wu Neng was questioning this, Xiao Zhi said to him with a smile, “By the way, Da Shu, since it’s dinner time, let’s eat together. This is on me.”
“Uh, okay, thank you.”
Led by a manager, Xiao Zhi, Xia, and Wu Neng arrived at the luxury room. What they called a luxury room was an eye-opener for Xia and Wu Neng. It’s luxurious in itself, but there is also a swimming pool for Water-type Pokémon! Xiao Zhi naturally let his Pokémon out.
“Everyone, rest for now. Charmeleon and Growlithe, you two are not allowed to spit fire, okay?”
“Ri!”
“Woof!”
Looking at the two little guys nodding, Xiao Zhi smiled and said, “I’ll have them prepare a Fire-type meal for you two later. You can just wait. Meowth, what meal would you like?”
Meowth looked at the menu and said, “Boss, I want a roasted turkey, meow!”
“Alright, one turkey. And Pikachu, what about you?”
Pikachu pointed to the apple pie on the menu.
Under Wu Neng’s gaze, as if looking at a god, Xiao Zhi ordered a meal for all his Pokémon. He then looked at Xia and said, “Xia, you should also let your Pokémon rest for a bit. The pool in the luxury room is safe for your Pokémon. Then order them a Water-type meal. Da Shu, what about you? What Pokémon do you have?”
“Um, is it okay to bring my Pokémon in?”
“It’s fine.”
“Alright, I have Rock-types. Come out, Geodude, Graveler, Golem.”
Seeing Wu Neng’s Pokémon, Xiao Zhi looked at him unexpectedly, because he had already realized that Wu Neng’s Pokémon had high-level strength.
In the Pokémon world that Xiao Zhi is in, strength levels are divided into: Beginner, Normal, High, Elite, Champion Candidate, Champion, Master, and the legendary Pokémon above Masters.
Now, Wu Neng’s three Pokémon all have high-level strength, which means that he is qualified to become a Gym Leader.
“Da Shu, you aren’t a Gym Leader, are you?” Xia also noticed this and asked involuntarily. But Wu Neng shook his head in denial. “No, the Gym Leader here is called Brock. His Pokémon are also high-level strength.”
“High-level? I was saying, ordinary trainers wouldn’t be like that young martial artist who clearly had beginner-level strength. It should be like Xia, high-level, right?”
Xia didn’t know how to answer Xiao Zhi, because she is actually a Gym Leader, and that young martial artist was indeed at the level of an ordinary person. Instead, Xia felt that Xiao Zhi seemed to be too strong, even relying on Metal to easily defeat others.
What Xia didn’t know was that because Xiao Zhi had always been nurturing Meowth and the others, he didn’t know the true strength of ordinary people. After all, Xiao Zhi’s contacts were all masters. Misty is the Electric Gym Leader, Kanto Champion is Lance, even Professor Oak himself is a Champion-level strength.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Xiao Zhi is weak. You see, Xiao Zhi’s Pokémon have been with him for many years. Under Xiao Zhi’s nutritious meals and training, Pikachu and the others are no longer ordinary Pokémon. And the guys who always go to Xiao Zhi’s house to freeload aren’t simple either. There is a type of wild Pokémon that exists between Champion Candidate and Champion, even Master. These are the Dominant Pokémon, those who can dominate their area. The guys that Xiao Zhi has captured because they always went to his house for free meals are Dominants.
So, Xiao Zhi thought everyone’s strength was generally high because the people around him were all monsters.