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

As a fellow chef, Xia Chen watched the middle-aged man's cooking process with great interest for a while.

The stall was set up in a typical food cart, and besides the uncle, the only helper was a super-strong dog.

Shred carrots, cabbage, and bell peppers; dice shiitake mushrooms; process some kind of squid-like seafood; steam noodles... Her powerful four hands are basically never idle.

Xia Chen strongly suspected that the stall owner chose Guai Li as his kitchen helper because he valued its four arms.

If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to choose an octopus-wielding martial artist? They'd have four extra arms...

Well, it's also possible that some of the ingredients in the fried noodles are similar to those of the octopus warriors, and the kind stall owner didn't want the octopuses to kill each other.

The middle-aged man cooked the fried noodles very quickly. While Xia Chen was still lost in thought, the line had already reached Serena and Xijiana.

Se-mei looked at the dishes on the food cart, hesitated for a moment, and then started ordering, "Boss, one seafood dish and one vegetarian dish."

"okay!"

The boss agreed and wielded the spatula with lightning speed. In less than five minutes, two steaming hot fried noodles were ready.

"Here, take this carefully, be careful it's hot."

With the boss's helpful suggestion, Serena took two servings of fried noodles and three pairs of chopsticks from the strong man's hands.

…………

The three sat down at the table next to the food cart, opened the lid, and were greeted by a fragrant aroma of cooking.

"Mmm...it smells so good!"

Serena sniffed, then eagerly picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and swallowed it whole in a very unladylike manner.

"Mmm...delicious! Senior...you should try some too."

Serena, who hadn't taken the stall owner's words to heart, was scalded and had a lisp, making it difficult for her to speak. The fiery red fox quickly handed her the blackberry juice.

Xia Chen smiled and also tried the renowned [Purple Violet Mixed Fried Noodles]. From a professional chef's perspective, the first bite was indeed amazing.

The noodles were chewy, the ingredients were fresh, and the cooking time was just right. It also seemed to have some kind of secret sauce added. Overall, it completely lived up to its reputation.

"Gardedoll, you should try some too."

Xia Chen picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and handed it to her. Gardevoir keenly noticed the glistening liquid on the chopsticks, blushed, and ate it in small bites.

However, no matter how delicious the fried noodles were, they couldn't win over their stomachs. Each person ate a few bites, and the rest of the fried noodles ended up in Guleton's stomach.

The three of them strolled and ate until after nine o'clock. In the end, it was not Serena or Xiaoxi who suggested ending the meal, but Guleton, who had been eating for almost three hours straight.

"I'm really... full, burp—"

So Leighton threw his head back and let out a long burp that sounded like a dragon's roar, and the three of them reluctantly stopped.

For Zijin City, a city that never sleeps, the nightlife is just beginning.

Following local customs, Xia Chen did not immediately return to the hotel, but instead took a walk with the two girls to the nearby Central Park.

In the night sky, the corner tower standing in the center of Central Park emits a bright and soft gradient light, attracting countless bird spirits to rest on it.

Looking up from below, the tower, which is only a little over a hundred meters tall, seems to stretch infinitely upwards like the Tower of Babel, beckoning people to climb.

"I heard this tower is the largest Battle Tower in the Hoenn region. If you're lucky, you might even encounter a Gym Leader-level opponent on the higher floors. Would you like to give it a try, senior?"

Girls always like to do research before traveling, Serena, who knows a lot about the Diagonal Tower, explained.

Before Xia Chen could answer, Xi Jiana raised her little hand excitedly and said, "I want to go! I want to go!"

"Forget it, everyone else is having 3v3 matches. You only have two Pokémon, what's the point of going?"

Xia Chen retorted.

He knew everything about Higanbana, except for an elite Salamence that had grown up with her and a Nombat that he had just captured.

Xijiana retorted defiantly, "Then I'll just take on all three of them!"

Xia Chen chuckled and patted the adorably arrogant Xijiana, saying, "Alright, alright, we're going to Liuli City tomorrow, so you can fight all you want there."

Only after receiving the promise did Xiaoxi give up.

After strolling around Central Park, the three returned to their hotel to rest.

It's a bit of a shame I didn't have time to visit the most famous arcade in town; I'll have to make up for it next time I pass through Zijin City.

…………

Qianli was carried back by Wang, who was on leave, in the middle of the night, reeking of alcohol.

It's obvious that this guy is usually quite lazy, but he's reliable when it really matters.

With Lucky Egg's help, Qianli didn't need Xia Chen's assistance. After drinking a bowl of hangover soup, he barely sobered up.

His first words upon waking were, "That old guy... when he comes to Orange City, I'll get him drunk sooner or later..."

Xia Chen was speechless. What, does changing the place reverse your drinking capacity?

"Xiao Chen, you're here too..."

Although a little confused, Qianli could still recognize people.

"Don't worry...it's all taken care of! I've borrowed that old man's private jet."

The drunken Qianli lost his usual composure and started rambling incoherently after saying that.

Fearing he might do something even more shocking, Xia Chen quickly said goodbye and returned to her room.

Silent all night.

The following day, in the hotel's buffet restaurant, Qianli greeted Xia Chen in his usual calm tone.

"Good morning, everything's settled. I borrowed a private jet from Uncle Tiexuan."

Xia Chen chuckled inwardly. Last night, when he was drunk, he called the man "old man," but now he's calling him "uncle." This honest man doesn't seem so honest after all.

He thought to himself, "I know, you said that yesterday."

"Oh, did I say that?"

Qianli was taken aback, then frowned, leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Then I didn't say anything else yesterday, did I?"

Xia Chen replied earnestly, "Yes, you treated me like Ruby, saying things like 'I've always been proud of you,' and even said you supported me in pursuing my dreams."

He wanted to take this opportunity to ease the tension between the father and son.

Qianli stared at Xia Chen with suspicion for a long time, but in the end, she didn't say anything.

After breakfast, the four of them went to Zijin Airport. Although there were no more public flights, there was Tie Xuan's private plane.

Many people's personalities can be gleaned from other aspects, such as the iron-spiraled airplane in front of us.

It's covered with nearly ten Electric-type Pokémon, including Raichu, Electrode, Ampharos, and Magneton, which are most likely Iron Whirl's beloved Pokémon. The front of the machine even features a graffiti of him grinning and making a peace sign with one hand, making it a quintessential "itasha" (decorated machine).

However, it was already very kind of them to lend it to him, so Xia Chen had no right to be picky and boarded the plane with Tie Xuan's private crew.

Private jets are different from regular planes; they don't need as much space for passenger seats. The remaining space is naturally for Tie Xuan's comfort... Of course, today it's Xia Chen and his three companions who are enjoying this service.

Bars, restaurants, bedrooms, and media entertainment rooms—aside from large facilities like the Elf Battlegrounds, this place has most entertainment options.

I spent two hours in the cabin, which was decorated much like a luxury hotel room, before the plane slowly descended through the clouds.

We've arrived in Liuli City.

Chapter 318 Who can't fly these days? (8k)

Xia Chen and his group arrived at the perfect time, just as a torrential downpour began.

The rain washed away all the unpleasantness left in their hearts by the previous sweltering weather. Looking at the streams of rain on the airplane window, Xia Chen felt that he should have flown directly from Kanaz City to Liuli City a long time ago.

But this would mean she wouldn't be able to meet Qianli and Serena, and Xiaoxi would also miss out on meeting her Buzzbat...

From a fatalistic perspective, it's no wonder that so many people believe in the idea that "everything happens for a reason."

The location of Liuli City is quite unique, and its formation is supported by two major schools of thought.

The first theory is that long ago, an underwater volcano erupted, and the lava solidified into an island. The crater in the center of the island then formed a lake due to the accumulation of rainwater.

Subsequently, people discovered that the climate here was very warm and suitable for living, so they built the City of Glass in this crater.

The second explanation is simpler and more direct: a meteorite crashed here a thousand years ago, and the crater became the present-day Liuli City.

Both claims are supported by evidence. For example, there is indeed an extinct volcano beneath Liuli City, and this place is indeed the location where a meteorite struck a thousand years ago.

Therefore, both viewpoints have their supporters.

But Xia Chen felt that why not be bolder, since both things had happened before...

Two thousand years ago, Groudon awoke from this island, and lava spread to form the island.

A thousand years ago, a meteorite fell from the sky and shattered the ground of Sootopolis. It not only awakened Groudon and Kyogre, but the natural energy gushing from the ground also allowed the two ancient legendary Pokémon to complete their Primal Reversion, which led to the legend of the Meteor Dwellers.

This is a reasonable guess made by Xia Chen based on the game's plot.

Groudon and Kyogre slumber beneath the Awakening Shrine in Sootopolis.

I just hope those two idiots don't wake up right now when Liuli City is at its busiest...

Xia Chen prayed silently in his heart.

…………

Of course, after entering the modern era, Ruri City could no longer be just a small city located in a volcano crater.

The entire Liuli Island has become its expanded new urban area. It is technologically advanced and full of buildings. Apart from being more beautiful, it is no different from other ordinary tourist cities.

The old town located inside the crater has become a famous tourist attraction.

The Temple of Awakening, the Ancient Tree of Life, the Volcanic Lake, and the Glass Dojo—these architectural landmarks, full of ancient and mysterious charm, have become popular spots for internet celebrities to take photos, receiving a constant stream of tourists every day.

The Iron Spinner landed in the more modern new district. To help them to the end, after dropping off Xia Chen and the others, the plane did not fly back directly, but parked at the airport and waited until the grand celebration was over before taking them back to Violet City.

Due to the grand festival and the weather, Ruri City has been packed with tourists lately. Following the sell-out of airfares, a second problem has arisen: hotel rooms are also fully booked...

Although Xia Chen was a special guest and Serena was a contestant, and the organizers prepared rooms for them, Xijiana and Qianli did not.

After thinking it over, Xia Chen decided to stop being coy and ask Kuroda for help.

President Zvoich was very generous, lending Xia Chen his luxurious seaside villa in Sootopolis. The villa comfortably housed four people and a dozen Pokémon, with room to spare.

The villa is located on the north side of Liuli Island, with the crater where the old town is located behind it. It only takes half an hour to get there by cable car.