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

Enduring evolution is an extremely painful process, especially for those who are stronger. However, there is one item that can help you: the Everstone.

This thing isn't expensive, I can find a reason to ask Xia Chen to get one for me later.

In addition to improving its own attributes, the antlers can also enhance Ralts' fairy attributes.

But there's no rush. We can find an opportunity to coax that naive girl later.

------

January 20th.

Xia Chen left Fragrant City before the seven-day mourning period for the Divine Tree was over, and continued his travels in Carlos.

He imparted all his ideas about the Grand Contest to Ma Xiu without reservation, so there was little point in keeping them in Aroma City.

Although Ma Xiu was reluctant to part with him, she did not try to persuade him to stay.

She understood that although Xia Chen seemed lazy, his goals were clearer than anyone else's, and no one could keep him in one place forever.

They also had many things to do. Besides their jobs at the dojo and in costume design, they were now preparing for the first Grand Contest. Neither of them had much time to waste on romance.

Besides, Xia Chen is only sixteen years old... I feel a little guilty about starting to embroider now.

At least... wait until seventeen, right?

Anyway, she wasn't that much older than him. According to the Donghuang proverb, "A woman three years older than her husband is like holding a gold brick," he could hold almost three gold bricks.

As for competition... I won't boast, but in terms of appearance, she is beautiful and charming; in terms of personality, she is gentle and generous; and in terms of assets, she is approachable with hundreds of millions.

In terms of status, she's a gym leader, a world-renowned fashion designer, and perhaps in the future, she'll also be the mother of many grand fashion contests...

Besides growing up with Xia Chen, what does that little girl have to compete with me?

Besides, there's a saying in her hometown that even a green plum can't withstand a gift from heaven.

Moreover, this unexpected arrival is also a crucial partner for Xia Chen in creating the future of the Grand Contest. The two of them might even be written into history books together in future generations.

With all the advantages of timing, location, and people, Miss Maxiu was not in a hurry at all.

Right now, the priority is to make this crucial inaugural glamour pageant a success.

This can be considered the fruit of my and Xia Chen's love...

Thinking of this, Ma Xiu felt even more motivated.

…………

Xia Chen originally wanted to catch a Flying-type Pokémon that could carry people before setting off, but according to Ma Xiu, there were no suitable Pokémon around Xiangxun City, so he could only ride his bicycle and set off again.

Fortunately, we haven't entered any particularly rugged mountain roads yet, and the bicycle that Vladali gave him is easy to ride.

His next destination was Windsor Town, a rural town quite different from the international metropolis of Miaret.

Because he was staying in Xiangxun City for a few more days than expected, Xia Chen rode much faster on this section of the road than before.

He left Fragrance City in the morning and arrived at the famous hotel in the Carlos region, located between Fragrance City and Windblown Town, in the evening.

Abandoned hotel.

It wasn't that the hotel owner chose such a name because it looked like no one would visit; rather, the hotel, as the name suggests, was an abandoned hotel.

Due to the passage of time, the hotel's original name has long been forgotten.

Since that horrific incident thirty years ago, the abandoned hotel, though not destroyed, has been abandoned and no one has dared to take over or renovate it.

The eerie atmosphere made it a paradise for Ghost-type Pokémon, and over time, it gradually became a veritable "ghost shop".

However, since the advent of the Internet age, this naturally haunted house has naturally attracted the attention of a group of young people who like to seek thrills.

Especially now that live streaming is so popular, almost every day streamers tie a camera to their heads and barge in, only to be scared out of their wits by a bunch of ghost-type Pokémon.

These people naively believe that as long as they blame all the terrible things on Ghost-type Pokémon, they will not feel afraid.

But if that's the case, those Ghost-type Pokémon that feed on fear would have been starving long ago.

Just like those horror novels, movies, and games, who doesn't know that they're fake when they watch or play them? They're still afraid, aren't they?

Sometimes, when the atmosphere is right, people lose their rationality in distinguishing between truth and falsehood.

…………

Xia Chen stroked his chin and looked at the abandoned hotel in his field of vision, feeling somewhat unsure of what to do.

He used to curse the male and female protagonists for their reckless behavior out of curiosity when watching horror movies, but when it was his turn, he was a little tempted.

The abandoned hotel is considered an important location in the game, so how could we miss it if we decided to travel around Carlos?

However, according to the information he just found, this place is quite different from the one in the game; it's practically a haunted house in an elf world.

Based on the game's descriptions and the anime's portrayal, Ghost-type Pokémon are quite terrifying.

For example, there's the Night Demon that can take people to the spirit world, and the Sword Sheath and Candlelight Spirit that feed on people's life force.

Although the descriptions in the encyclopedia are often nonsense, what if they are true?

Xia Chen didn't dare to gamble with his own life and Yi Bu's, so after thinking about it, he decided to ride to the next rest area to spend the night.

Riding his bicycle, Xia Chen set off again.

……

Meanwhile, inside the abandoned hotel.

A group of ghost-type Pokémon drifted around the lobby in twos and threes, idly playing a game of scaring each other.

Perhaps bored, one of the Dream Fairies suddenly stopped, a displeased expression on its face.

"How boring! No human has come here for a whole day. They're such cowards!"

A candle spirit beside her chimed in, "That's exactly right, I have nothing to eat if humans don't come, and the flame on my head is almost going out..."

The two elves' complaints drew criticism from the other elves, and amidst the noise, a little wood spirit suddenly floated down from upstairs.

"Stop arguing, stop arguing, the Gengar boss is here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a fat, purple-haired man with bared teeth and red eyes floated down the stairs.

It chuckled wickedly, "Hehehe, my little ones, a new toy has arrived!"

These words immediately drew cheers and laughter from a group of Ghost-type Pokémon below, their eerie laughter echoing through the hotel lobby.

"Alright, get ready. Dream Demon, you and I will go out for a bit. In case this coward is too scared to come in, we'll lure him in. Chandelure Spirit, you assign tasks!"

All the Ghost-type Pokémon replied in unison, "Understood, boss!"

Gengar nodded in satisfaction, then floated away with Mismagius.

The Crystal Chandelier, who held a higher position in the team, took over the command and assigned tasks to each of the Ghost-type Pokémon.

The elves received their mission and happily departed, leaving only a small, gray figure behind.

……

"Lamp...Lamplight Spirit Second Brother, what about me?"

She received no answer, but instead a ball of cold, purple will-o'-the-wisp. The sudden attack caught her completely off guard, and she was struck by the will-o'-the-wisp.

The burning and icy sensations seeped into her body. Although it wasn't the first time, the pain still made her cry out in pain.

The chandelier spirit's cold voice rang out, "I told you, when the others aren't around, you have to call me boss! This is just a punishment; if there's a next time, I'll burn you to death!"

The skinny elf trembled and stammered, "Boss, what...what should I do later?"

The chandelier spirit looked her up and down, then snorted disdainfully, "You piece of trash, trying to scare people? Get lost, don't ruin our fun."

The skinny little elf said weakly, "But... Boss Gengar said if we don't work, we won't get anything to eat..."

Another will-o'-the-wisp flew over, attached itself to her body, and began to burn.

"Say it again, who's the boss?"

The skinny elf clenched his teeth in agony, "Lamp... Lamplight Spirit Boss."

"Hmph, that's more like it!"

The chandelier spirit nodded in satisfaction. "You're quite clever. Here's a job for you. If that human has an elf with him, you transform into his elf form and then attack him when he's off guard. Let him experience the despair of being betrayed. How about that? Pretty interesting, huh? Hehehe!"

The skinny elf remained silent, still unable to utter the words, "Gengar said that unless humans initiate the attack, they cannot attack humans."

She knew that if she spoke out, she would definitely be beaten again.

Seeing the tiny sprite before it completely submit, Chandelure once again imitated Gengar, letting out a "hehehe" laugh.

"Useless trash! You're lucky that Gengar took you in. If you dare disobey me, I'll burn you to death!"

Having said that, the crystal chandelier floated away.

The skinny elf collapsed to the ground with a sigh of relief, then tremblingly licked the wounds on his body.

Beside those two new wounds, a series of old wounds of the same style were shocking to behold.

------

Xia Chen stared at the eerie building that reappeared in the dimly lit road ahead, his expression gradually becoming serious.

I just rode this route, so why am I riding back here?

The road was straight. I pinched the Eevee in the basket and it slapped me with its paw. It hurt a little, so it wasn't a hallucination.

So this is... being trapped in a maze?

As everyone knows, all the supernatural events in this world are caused by ghost-type spirits, and the culprit for most of them is a fat purple creature with red eyes.

This "ghost wall" incident is probably caused by one or more ghost-type Pokémon.

Xia Chen didn't waste his energy riding forward; instead, he stopped his bike and started calling for backup.

A Ghost-type Pokémon with this level of power is beyond my ability to handle.

Although it's a bit embarrassing, but...

Miss Ma Xiu, I really need you!

However, the glaring "You are not in the service area" message on his phone made him completely despair.

Numbly putting away the phone, Xia Chen looked at Ibu, whose expression was equally grave, in the bicycle basket. "Ibu, what should we do now?"

"Buyi!" Ibu gazed firmly in the direction of the hotel.