Pokémon: Starting as a Farmer Instead of a Trainer

Chapter 144 A Powerful Debt Payment, and the Sweet Scent of Peaches (4000 words)

On the afternoon of the third day after leaving Binhai City, a golden desert landscape appeared on the sea as the cargo ship slowly approached a dock in Miaoyuan Village.

This is a village located in the southeastern part of the Armia region, situated on an oasis in the desert. Due to its unique scenery, it is considered a relatively famous tourist destination.

Beishang Township is located southeast of Miaoyuan Village, about 150 kilometers away. There is no direct road to it; one has to travel through mountains and forests.

"Let's disembark here!"

After thanking the captain for taking the detour and stopping, Mingyou told the Pokémon on the ship that Umbreon and Umbreon would take them through the jungle and head directly to Kitakami Township.

This task was originally assigned to Moonbear, but when we stopped at Pebble Island yesterday, Moonbear heard about the Circlebears' situation and decided without hesitation to work with Moonbear.

"Then please be careful on your journey. We should be able to get there in about two days."

Mingyou was quite confident in Xiongda and Xionger, and Heyuexiong had been there once before, so there was nothing to worry about, unless a Groudon suddenly appeared, but that was clearly unlikely.

"Awooo~"

The Moon Bear nodded, indicating that it would be fine to leave it to them, and then left with the Ursaring and Arcanine. Riolu followed, still a little worried, wanting to travel with everyone.

In this group, there were also a few more Turtwigs and Electivires. This was because yesterday, Mingyou promised Torterra and Electivire to help look after their companions, and after a Rotom video call on her phone, these few agreed to go to Kitakami Township to find them.

Seeing them leave, Mingyou mounted Latias and flew directly back to Beishang Township with Ponpo. He needed to go home to tidy up and also had to go to Emerald Town to do some important things...

Meanwhile, at the manor in Beishang Township.

As winter approaches, fallen leaves are scattered throughout the orchard, making it noticeably quieter. Even with ample food, the changing seasons still have a significant impact on the wild Pokémon living here.

It wasn't until the horned deer told everyone that Mingyou and the others were coming back that they finally regained some energy, and everyone began to prepare to welcome them.

Greedy Squirrel and Long-Nosed Leaf ran around, sweeping up the fallen leaves and dust so that when Mingyou came back, she could rest well without having to worry about these things.

"Waaah~"

Latias transformed into a streak of red light, streaking across the sky. Eager to return home, he landed precisely in the front yard of the villa, finally arriving home.

"...Don't fly so fast! Ponpo and I are about to be thrown off. It wouldn't be good if we hit some meteorite or a caterpillar on the way."

Mingyou, whose legs were still trembling, gave Latias a gentle reprimand, but it would be a miracle if the other party listened. He immediately ran to the orchard, wanting to tell everyone about his experiences outside these days.

When Mingyou returned, all the Pokémon living in the manor gathered around. There were also a few more Pokémon like Sweetie, Volcarona, and Bug-Baby, who had probably come looking for food. Seeing that no one was chasing them away, they simply decided to stay.

"Haha, long time no see. You can stay here in peace. No one will kick you out, but don't let any conflicts arise between you."

Meiyu spoke softly to the new Pokémon, and although it was their first time meeting Meiyu, they had heard some things about her from other Pokémon. Now that they had met her and confirmed that she was as gentle as the rumors said, they all felt a sense of goodwill towards her.

After accepting the cards, Mingyou didn't check their effects immediately. Instead, she shivered and said, "It's still a bit cold... If you feel cold tonight, come inside the villa to rest. I'll go online and buy a few air conditioners tomorrow. I'm also planning to replace all the appliances in the house."

"Woo~"

"Oh, by the way, some new companions will be arriving in a couple of days. Let's all get along well then, and throw a feast to welcome them when they arrive. Everyone can help out then."

"Gambit~"

Upon hearing about the banquet, Snorlax raised its hands and immediately became excited.

Eat! Eat as much as you can! Try to eat your way to becoming a Snorlax!

Seeing their happy faces, Mingyou suddenly thought of something very important: with more and more Pokémon and the addition of planting and breeding, the manor seemed to be running out of space.

"Looks like we need to hurry!"

Mingyou's eyes instantly turned serious. She then looked at Pengpeng and said, "I'll be right back. You guys wait for me at home."

"Mmm~"

Let's go!

Mingyou rode the horned deer, and even though she had just arrived home, she set off again without stopping, after all, this concerned the future development of the entire manor...

With the end of the Covered Face Festival and the arrival of autumn, Green Town seemed much quieter. The withered yellow leaves swayed in the wind, as if the whole world was enveloped in loneliness.

This is what happens to places that rely solely on tourism. After those few days each year, it's basically deserted like this, with only a few residents working in the fields bringing a little life to the place.

"Anyone who didn't know better would think it was cold."

Mingyou looked around, then jumped off the horned deer and headed towards the community center. He could now pay off all the debts his grandfather had owed.

In front of the community center, administrator Yao Qian was feeding a small meat jerky to a local wolfhound while chatting with other residents. He looked worried and it was unclear what he was talking about.

"Uncle Administrator!"

Mingyou waved and greeted him.

Hearing the voice, Yao Qian snapped out of his reverie, forced a smile, and slowly stood up, replying, "It's you. It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen you. What have you been up to?"

"I made my fortune in the Sinnoh region, and I came here to pay off the debts my grandfather left behind."

Mingyou didn't beat around the bush and spoke directly. Upon hearing this, Yao Qian's face clearly showed a hint of panic, which he noticed.

"Um... let's talk inside."

"no problem."

Seeing him turn and walk into the community center, Mingyou knew there might be problems, but she wasn't worried about anything, since she had prepared everything on her side.

Upon entering the community center, they found themselves at the same table where they had sat and talked on their first day.

But Yao Qian didn't produce the contract. Instead, he lowered his head and said with a helpless expression, "I'll tell you the truth about the contract..."

"Um?"

"actually……"

Yao Qian stopped hiding anything. He had recently heard online that special fruits that could teach Pokémon moves by eating them were being sold in the Sinnoh region.

He roughly guessed that it might be Mingyou, who had found a sales channel in the Sinnoh region.

He was outside discussing this matter with others, seeking a solution, but he didn't expect the other party to make money so quickly and even return so soon.

Now we have no choice but to tell the truth...

That is, before his contract with Grandpa Mingyou expired, he had already sold the land of the manor to Miss Fuhao of Padia Real Estate, who wanted to build a mountain resort on that land.

The contract was signed a year later... but now, there are only six months left.

"..."

After hearing what the other party had to say, Mingyou's face darkened. She hadn't expected the other party to pull off such a stunt. The contract on this side hadn't even expired yet, and they were already signing a contract with the other side. Were they in such a hurry to get buried?

"There's nothing we can do... The tourism industry is getting harder and harder to run these days. We're always relying on the Hidden Face Festival and the few legends and stories of Kitakami Village for promotion. Sooner or later, people will get tired of it. Besides, this year's visitor numbers are only 70% of last year's..."

Yao Qian continued speaking in a victim's tone, but was interrupted the next second.

"Isn't all this just talking about your Beishang Township? I don't care if you make money or not. The contract is written in black and white, aren't you going to give me an explanation? Are you crazy for money?!"

Mingyou actually swore. He always thought he was able to keep his temper in check and rarely cursed, but this time he really couldn't hold back again.

After all, there was nothing wrong with my side. It was their business that they signed the contract against their will. Now they either have to pay the Padiya Real Estate penalty or give me an explanation!

Give me an explanation!

Mingyou crossed her arms and spoke in a deep voice.

His and the administrator's positions are now almost completely reversed from when they first arrived.

Seeing that the other party still seemed hesitant, he added, "My current fruit and vegetable business has already established a cooperative relationship with the Pokémon League in the Sinnoh region, so have you thought it through!"

"Regarding the contract, if you're planning something shady, I'm sure they'll send either Ren X Tang's legal department or Disney's legal department to help me win this lawsuit, right? (laughs)"

Because of Ponpo's incident and the Ghost Face Group's previous theft of things from the manor, he already had little goodwill towards the old men from the north who came to Green Town. Now, with the contract issue added to the mix, what else is there to say?

So what if we break off relations? Who's afraid of a bunch of troublemakers from a small place like Beishang Township!

"..."

Yao Qian was so intimidated by his imposing presence that he didn't dare to speak. How could a kid who couldn't even do business back then suddenly have such a powerful backer as the Sinnoh League? Who could compare to that!

Finally, Yao Qian gave in.

It's better to pay the exorbitant penalty for breach of contract than to offend both parties when Ms. Fuhao comes along and finds out the truth. It's obviously better to offend only one party now.

He now desperately wanted to slap himself in the face. Why did he suddenly make such a decision in the first place? It can only be said that he is indeed the old man's grandson... surpassing his master. His ability to support an entire manor on his own is too strong.

"Wouldn't it have been better to do this sooner!"

Mingyou chuckled softly as Yao Qian brought out the contract he had signed with his grandfather years ago. This time, he was paying off all his debts and, instead of making an appointment, he planned to buy the land of the manor directly.

"Is this alright?"

"no problem……"

Yao Qian had nothing more to say. Although the other party didn't have enough funds to buy the land, he believed that the other party could make a profit... If only Beishang Township could make money like the other party.

After signing the new contract, Mingyou pressed her fingerprint on it, even though she knew that everything the other party had done was not for her, but for the development of Beishang Township.

However, he wasn't from Beishang Township, so naturally he wouldn't express gratitude like the people of Beishang Township would. But if it came to helping Beishang Township develop... that was certainly an option!

As Mingyou finished signing the contract, a new idea suddenly popped into her mind: to help Beishang Township develop!

If the local economy can be improved, more outsiders will come to travel here, and the railway can be built... then in the future, if he wants to sell fruit, he won't need to go through so much trouble; he can just transport it by train.

And there's the most crucial point!

That is, he wanted to reveal the truth about the story of Kitakami Village and tell everyone that Ponpo is not a ghost, but just a harmless and cute Pokémon, and that the three companions are the real ones!

He might not be able to do it alone, but what if he adds money to it?

Ultimately, that's a story from hundreds of years ago. The people of Beishang Township are simply using this story as a gimmick to make money from tourism.

If he can drive the economic development of Beishang Township, then whatever he says will definitely be law!

Thinking of all this, he looked at Yao Qian, who had a worried expression, stood up, picked up his backpack, and before leaving the community center, turned to the side and said with a smile, "When you get older, it's better to live happily every day. Maybe we'll have a chance to cooperate again!"

"Um?!"

Upon hearing this, Yao Qian snapped back to reality, stood up, and wanted to ask the other person what they meant, but by then Mingyou had already left the community center...

Once outside, Mingyou stretched and gazed at the rosy clouds rising in the evening sky. Debt-free, she felt incredibly relaxed and at ease.

"Finally, there's less pressure. I'll cook them a good meal tonight. They're so tired of eating in the ship's mess hall after a few days."

With a smile on her face, Mingyou called out to Guijiaolu and they went together to the nearby Taoze Shop.

Today, Grandma Momozawa is sitting at the door embroidering a cross-stitch pattern. It's a picture of Eevee sleeping around a tree, and it looks very cute.

"Grandma, it's been so long!"

"Oh? It's you, young man. I haven't seen you come to buy anything for many days."

"Haha, I went on vacation for a while and just got back today. I came here to buy some groceries."

After saying hello, Mingyou walked into the store alone.

Once the Moon Bears return, we'll hold a banquet, so we need to buy a lot of things to take back today. Anyway, we're not short of money right now.

"Hmm... I also need to buy some snacks, potato chips, fries, and cola are a must, as well as fried chicken seasoning. They seem to want McDonald's too, but I can make those myself..."

Mingyou muttered to herself as she picked out items from the shelves, and she was almost done moving them.

This surprised Granny Momozawa, who witnessed the scene from outside. Where had this young man gone to strike it rich? He used to spend ages choosing and checking prices before buying even a few scallions, but now he just grabbed them...

A moment later, Mingyou carried a bunch of things to the cashier. Seeing Granny Momozawa walk in, she smiled and said, "That's all. Thank you."

"I'm overjoyed that you're doing business with me, please wait a little while."

"Okay."

Mingyou nodded slightly, but in that instant, he vaguely felt a gaze flash over him. Because of his strong mental power, he managed to catch the gaze.

So he subconsciously looked at a shelf to the side and saw a purple doll covered in dust. He had seen this thing the first time he came to Momozawa Store.

"It's still here! How long has it been sitting here?"

Curious, he walked over and gently poked the doll, but to his surprise, it was hard, like a plastic toy, and it gave off a faint, sweet smell...

"It tastes a bit like a peach..."

Just as Mingyou was wondering about this, Granny Momozawa had already packed everything for him, so he pulled himself out of his thoughts and stopped paying attention to the peach.

After paying and leaving the Momozawa store, he glanced at the sky, smiled, and then rode the monstrous deer, having the other party use their mental power to control and hang all the items he bought on his body.

"Let's go home!"

"Yo yo~"

……

(End of this chapter)