Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game.

Chapter 90: The controversial video

Yup!

What is the key item for Feebas to evolve into Milotic? Beautiful Scale.

As we all know, some Pokémon in this world need Pokémon items to evolve.

The more common evolution paths have evolution stones of various attributes, or slightly more special ones like light stones and dark stones.

These evolution stones are born in nature. Although they are rare, the production is still relatively sufficient, so the price of ordinary quality stones is at most tens or hundreds of thousands.

It is said that several tech giants are still researching artificial evolution stones. If the experiment is successful, the cost of evolving these Pokémon will only be lower.

However, some evolution items are different; their extreme scarcity and lack of substitutes keep their prices high.

For example, the evolution item for Kingdra is [Dragon Scale], the evolution item for Dusknoir is [Spirit Cloth], and the evolution item for Milotic is [Beautiful Scale]!

Especially the Beautiful Scales, Milotic's extraordinary appearance and outstanding potential make the price of Beautiful Scales extremely high.

With a price tag of nearly ten million, it's enough to deter countless trainers who love this beautiful creature.

Returning to this video, Xia Chen, this Uglyfish, actually evolved without using Beautiful Scales?!

Once this detail was discovered, the live chat was flooded with discussions about it.

…………

"Am I seeing things? Did you see the beautiful scales?"

"No, the beautiful scales are quite eye-catching, with a pink and blue gradient, and they're also very large. How could they be overlooked?"

"Was it eaten by the Ugly Fish beforehand? Or are only smart people able to see the Emperor's scales? Or was it photoshopped out by Master Pigeon?"

"Wait a minute, aren't you all overlooking something? How did Master Pigeon, this penniless wretch, manage to afford the beautiful scales?!"

"Although Master Ge is a scoundrel, he is indeed one of the best-looking men. It's not impossible that he's being kept by a rich woman. I just don't know which rich woman is so generous."

"This should be a tag for 'I will always love Ralts [Psyduck laughing.jpg]'"

"I am a doctoral student in the Pokémon Evolution Department of Yuhong University. When Feebas evolves, the Beautiful Scale must be inserted under the fin, but it is clear from the video that there is no trace of this at all! There are only two possibilities: either Master Pigeon's Photoshop skills are superb, or he has mastered a method to make Feebas evolve without the Beautiful Scale!"

"Master Pigeon is just a lousy cook (doge emoji for protection), and he knows about evolutionary research? I think it's photoshopped!"

"A person who has been professionally editing photos of pretty girls for eighteen years has something to say: This video doesn't show even the slightest trace of Photoshop! Videos are inherently harder to edit than photos, and the Ugly Fish was constantly moving, so the possibility of it being edited out is almost zero!"

"What's going on? It can't be that they've actually figured it out, can it?"

……

The experts in the live chat had a variety of opinions, analyzing the possibilities of this bizarre scene from multiple professional perspectives.

In the first place, Xia Chen could have just come forward and explained the situation in the video. Whether people believed it or not, at least the person involved would have had an explanation.

What's most infuriating is that, at the very end of the video, Xia Chen didn't mention a single thing about how the Ugly Fish evolved.

However, the more this happens, the more it sparks discussion among the audience.

After dinner, looking at the arguing comments section and the soaring video views, Xia Chen gave a bored smile.

I'm such a master of hype.

The release of this video naturally caused Xia Chen's Pixiv account to be flooded with private messages, as well as Bogaman's contact list.

After briefly replying to messages from Mingyi and a few other important people, Xia Chen continued with his own tasks.

This video is just the appetizer; the real feast is yet to come.

------

The next day, at Xia Chen's home.

Professor Oak stood in front of the aquarium, stared at it for a long time, and then exclaimed, "Hmm, what a beautiful little guy!"

Xia Chen was embarrassed, wondering what Professor Oak was thinking, that he could say "little guy" to a five-meter-long Milotic.

Before lunchtime, Xia Chen received news that Professor Oak had arrived in Zhijiang, apparently having taken the earliest flight.

Xia Chen hurriedly invited this great deity to his home.

Xiao Gang, who said he would come with us yesterday, probably won't be able to come to Zhijiang because he has some dojo business to deal with.

"Phew~"

In the aquarium, Milotic, having received praise from Professor Oak, showed signs of joy.

Although he no longer needs others to praise his appearance to build his confidence, he would still be very happy if someone whom Xia Chen respects praised him.

After a cursory observation of Milotic, Professor Oak turned to Xia Chen and said seriously, "Xia Chen, would you mind if I took Milotic to the research institute for a full medical check-up?"

He did not disbelieve that Milotic evolved based on the increase in beauty from power cubes.

On the contrary, Dr. Oki and Xiaogang, who had the deepest communication with Xia Chen and even conducted experimental research together, are perhaps the people in the world who believe most in the beauty theory.

Professor Oak wanted to compare whether there were any differences between Milotic that evolved in two different directions.

Xia Chen asked hesitantly, "Are we going to the research institute in Zhenxin Town?"

Dr. Oak laughed and said, "Wouldn't that be too much trouble? I have many friends in Donghuang who do academic research, and there's a research institute in Nandu not far away that's no less impressive than mine. How about we go there?"

Without the hassle of flying to Kanto, Xia Chen had fewer doubts.

He nodded. "Okay, when do we set off?"

Professor Oak took out two Poké Balls. "Now."

…………

Xia Chen left home a little before 11 a.m. and arrived at the research institute, located in the suburbs of Nandu, at 11:35 a.m.

The two cities are nearly two hundred miles apart.

Xia Chen jumped off the body of a large, orange dragon and crouched down, taking a while to recover from the dizziness that had caused the world to spin.

"Woo~"

The Dragonite, which was even larger than its kind, glanced disdainfully at Xia Chen, who was squatting on the ground, and let out a snort of contempt.

Can't even keep up with this speed?

Nearby, Professor Oak jumped off Pidgeot, patted Xia Chen on the shoulder, and said apologetically, "Sorry, Xia Chen, I forgot to tell Dragonite to slow down. My bad."

Xia Chen, who had just recovered, looked slightly bitter. "It's okay, I should exercise more too."

In its previous life, Dragonite's speed was always a joke. Despite having a base stat total of 80, the Pokédex stated that it could circle the Earth in 16 hours.

It now seems that Professor Oak used his own Pokémon as a reference when compiling the Pokédex for Dragonite.

Two red lights flashed, and Professor Oak caught Dragonite and Pidgeot in his Poké Ball.

He turned to look at the research institute standing in the tranquil natural environment, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

"Let's go, there are already people waiting inside."

Chapter 91 Master Pigeon, I'm your fan!

Nandu is the largest city in the southern part of the Donghuang region, and this research institute is naturally the premier research base in the entire Donghuang region.

The fact that the Nandu Research Institute has become a deep partner of two tech giants, Silver and Devon, speaks volumes about its research capabilities.

Nevertheless, the Southern Metropolis Research Institute does not have many buildings.

Although the area covers thousands of acres, most of it is designed to simulate suitable habitats for various elves.

Forests, snowfields, deserts, lakes

A collection of strikingly different man-made landscapes gathered in a research institute made Xia Chen exclaim that it was incredibly wealthy.

He subconsciously squeezed Ibu in his arms, "When we have money in the future, we'll make this too."

Ibrahimovic: "?"

If you're going to talk properly, why are you pinching my stomach?

……

Professor Oak led Xia Chen into a house located on the edge of an artificial forest.

The antique architectural style and the ivy-covered exterior walls make the house blend perfectly with the surrounding scenery.

But once you step inside, the scene is completely different.

There are no separate rooms; the entire lobby occupies the whole first floor.

The items that come into view are mostly white or gray, and are extremely simple.

Machines of all sizes, some Xia Chen could understand and some he couldn't, were neatly arranged in the lobby.

A dozen or so researchers in white coats were busy in twos and threes around various instruments.

Professor Oak and Xia Chen's arrival didn't cause much of a stir; the two of them simply stopped what they were doing and came over to greet them.

The visitors were two women, one older and one younger, who looked quite alike, like a grandmother and granddaughter.

The old lady looked to be in very good spirits and greeted us with a cheerful smile, "Professor Oak's presence is truly an honor to my humble abode."

Xia Chen could tell from the tone that the two had a good relationship. If they were strangers or not close friends, a person with normal emotional intelligence would not be so sarcastic.

Professor Oak's expression was somewhat complicated. "Professor Lu, it's been a long time."

Teacher? This old lady is Professor Oak's teacher?

Xia Chen looked at the old lady with considerable surprise, her hair almost as white as the white coat she was wearing.

Xia Chen is going to have a good look at this gossip that has absolutely nothing to do with any of the games, anime, or comics from his past life.

Upon hearing Professor Oak's address, the elderly woman surnamed Lu fell silent for a moment before walking towards the door.

Professor Oak followed behind and waved back, signaling Xia Chen to follow.

Being unfamiliar with the place, Xia Chen naturally followed closely behind. Before he had taken two steps, the young woman who had been with Old Madam Lu approached him.

…………

"Master Pigeon, I'm your fan!"

The girl, who appeared to be Grandma Lu's granddaughter, spoke excitedly and quietly.