Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

His gaze lingered on Xiaoxia for a moment.

The girl stood behind Ash, holding an empty Poké Ball in her hand.

The expression on his face was hard to tell whether it was disappointment or relief, but it didn't look like he had caught a Pokémon at all.

The old man didn't ask anything.

He's seen far too many trainers like that.

They came full of enthusiasm, but left empty-handed.

Some cried, some made a scene, and some swore they would never come back, but a few days later they came running back eagerly.

"You can't rush things when it comes to fate."

Caesar only said this one sentence.

"Alright, alright, let's go."

The old man waved his hand and turned to walk into the hunting area.

"Come visit again when you have time; maybe we'll meet again next time."

The hunting area fell silent again.

Caesar planned to take this opportunity to check on the progress of the surveillance system installation.

He glanced around and, as was his habit, walked toward the meadow where Kentaro often roamed.

They're all old and frail.

Of course, one needs a means of transportation.

Although Tauros has a bad temper, after spending so much time with them and being knocked away countless times, they've developed a mutual respect for each other.

Getting a ride...that's still an option.

After walking for about ten minutes, we arrived at our destination.

The grassland is still there. The wind blows, the grass blades rustle, and the sunlight shines on them, making them a lush green that is pleasing to the eye.

but--

The old man stood at the edge of the meadow, his hand on his forehead, squinting as he looked for a long time.

No.

There wasn't a single Tauros.

He took a few more steps forward, stood on tiptoe, and craned his neck to look further into the distance.

still none.

"Ok?"

Old Master Caesar frowned, sensing that something was amiss.

He walked a little further, bypassed the meadow, and went to the creek where Kentaro usually drank water.

No.

Then we went to the shady spot where Kentaro liked to relax.

still none.

There isn't even a recent trace.

The old man stood still, turned around, and his gaze swept across the entire grassland.

The wind is still blowing, the grass is still swaying, and the sun is still shining brightly.

But there's no Tauros.

Not a single one.

Caesar was dumbfounded.

No?

Where is my Kentauro?

Where are all those Tauros I have?

157. Buhou! My identity as a strongman!

After leaving the hunting area, the three were finally able to rest and recuperate at the Pokémon Center in peace.

A hot shower washes away the dust and sweat, and after changing into dry clothes, I feel several pounds lighter.

After resting for a night, we went to the street to buy a lot of supplies, and our supplies were fully replenished.

The three then resumed their journey.

As for the thirty Tauros, Ash sent them all to Professor Oak.

Upon receiving the message, the doctor did not find it troublesome as he had with Xiao Mao; instead, he readily agreed, his tone revealing indescribable relief.

Take a look!

See that!

When Ash encounters difficulties, the first person he thinks of is him!

It wasn't Masaki, it wasn't Rika, it wasn't Hanako, but him, Yukinari Ōki!

What does this mean?

This shows her status in his heart!

The more Pokémon Ash sends, the more it shows that he cares about him.

Once Ash gets tired of being a trainer, he'll definitely join Professor Oak's lab because of all the Pokémon he has!

A mere thirty Tauros...

Even if you could get three hundred or three thousand Ash, it would still be a huge profit!

Just as happy as the professor was the Gengar in the research institute.

It not only stimulated the Charizard remotely through communication, but also cast an illusion.

It's been living a very comfortable life lately.

Ever since Ash sent back that whole family of Muk and Mt. Dust, Gengar's life has taken a leap forward.

Not only did they improve their poison-type moves significantly during the exchange and learning process, but they also doubled the amount of "emotional rations" provided by the researchers.

Negative emotions kept pouring in, pushing Gengar's food budget to an unprecedented peak.

of course.

It's not because it smells bad... at least not entirely.

The main reason is that an unprecedented era of intense competition and involution has unexpectedly begun within the research institute.

It's worth noting that Ash's Muk and Mt. Dust, despite their unpleasant odors, are actually quite mild-mannered as Poison-type Pokémon.

Just give them some trash.

Even if it's just torn-up scraps of paper or a few empty cans.

They can lie there quietly, allowing researchers to collect samples, record data, and conduct various experiments.

It doesn't cause trouble, doesn't resist, and doesn't complain; it truly is a Pokémon that embodies the essence of goodness.

The problem lies precisely in the fact that it is "too easy to study".

At first, only a few bold researchers with a poor sense of smell tried to sneak up and collect samples.

Thinking, "These kinds of Pokémon that can cooperate with experiments are rare, so I need to quickly gather some data."

Once the data is available, the paper is submitted, and the peer review comments are received.

Minor revisions, accepted. Published within a week.

The entire research institute erupted in chaos.

It's important to understand that in normal research, Pokémon may not cooperate, sample sizes may be insufficient, experiments may require waiting for the right conditions, and data may depend on luck. It's common for a paper to take several months or even a year to develop.

Now, these mountains of stinky mud and dust are like a living, breathing academic paper production line growing on a lab bench.

They'll lie down as long as you have trash, and they'll cooperate as long as you dare to test them.

Thus began an academic competition where no one wanted to fall behind.

You take samples at 8 a.m., and I'll arrive at 7 a.m. to grab the Pokémon in the best condition first.

You measured the basic toxicological indicators, and I designed a metabolic pathway analysis overnight, which directly doubled the data dimensions.

You just submitted one article, and I'm already writing the discussion section for the second one.

The most ruthless thing was that on the third day, researchers started living and eating with the researchers—literally.

Bring your own food and share a corner with a group of Poison-type Pokémon.

Anyway, I can handle the garbage, so I just need to bring enough food.

In this atmosphere, no one dared to stop.

If you hesitate for a few days, someone else will have one more first draft.

You went back to take a shower because you thought it smelled bad, and when you came back you found that the Pokémon that cooperated the most had already been reserved for a whole week of experimental testing by someone else.

Watching my colleagues publish papers one after another while I haven't even sorted out my own thoughts, the anxiety is more suffocating than any smell.

Negative emotions were swelling like fermentation in the research institute.

Anxiety, jealousy, self-doubt, breakdowns from working late into the night... and these are precisely the delicacies that Gengar loves most.

It floats around the research institute every day, like a gourmet.

They leisurely selected the researchers whose emotions were most intense, eating until their bellies were round and full.

Just don't get too comfortable.

......