Seeing the stunned expressions on the two boys' faces, Lin Feng couldn't help but smile.
"The nursery has plenty of energy cubes to restore stamina, as well as healing potions for injuries. If your Pokémon ever run out of strength or get hurt, you can always come buy them here. Once you finally clear the challenge, come and let me know."
The two teenagers, about fifteen or sixteen, were at just the right age to be brimming with spirit and ambition. Instead of feeling discouraged, their eyes lit up. The idea of such a test only seemed exciting to them.
Lin Feng glanced at his Pidgeot, giving a subtle gesture. "Keep an eye out, but don't let them carry the battle too close to the villa."
With that, he left the grounds, unconcerned. He didn't think the boys stood much of a chance at success anyway. After all, while their Pokémon were indeed improving, his Pidgey and Pidgeotto were growing stronger by the day as well.
Still, the point wasn't victory or defeat. In every challenge, there were lessons worth keeping. Even failure could bring rewards.
Perhaps he could even establish a rule: after multiple failed attempts, participants would still receive a small consolation prize. That way, every challenger walked away with something.
Back inside the nursery, Lin Feng saw that his loyal Gallade was manning the register with growing ease. The sight brought him a rare sense of relaxation. With everything running smoothly, he suddenly felt a little… bored.
"Maybe it's time to develop some new challenges," he thought.
The idea sparked and quickly began to take shape in his mind.
Take the Sky Challenge he had just set up: for trainers like Luke and Michael, their Pokémon would inevitably burn through a huge amount of stamina. Without outside help, natural recovery would take time. But if they relied on the nursery's energy cubes, that downtime could be shortened drastically.
And if these challenges grew popular? Then more and more trainers would naturally come seeking his cubes, medicines, and services.
He chuckled to himself. "Why does this feel like designing boss fights in a video game?"
Shaking off the thought, Lin Feng turned his attention to something more practical: the road construction.
The details were fuzzy, and it wasn't something he could manage alone. He'd need to speak to the town mayor about it.
"Come on, Rotom. Let's head out."
The little device-possessing Pokémon buzzed cheerfully in response. Ever since the nursery had expanded, Rotom's workload had actually lightened. These days, it barely had to mow the lawns at all.
"Roto-roto!"
The phone-shaped Rotom zipped to his side, faithfully following along.
Just then, Eevee and little Alolan Vulpix padded out of the bedroom, both stretching as if they'd just woken up.
Worth noting: since Lin Feng hadn't set up a separate room for Eevee, both it and Vulpix had been sharing his bed. Not that he minded; sleeping close only strengthened their bond.
He'd even secretly taught Eevee the move Baby-Doll Eyes with a TM, a quiet little plan of his own. If Eevee grew attached enough, maybe just maybe it would one day evolve into a Sylveon. Lin Feng couldn't deny he had a soft spot for that elegant form, especially the flowing ribbon-like feelers.
He had even "accidentally" steered the conversation that way the other night, showing Eevee a picture book of all eight possible evolutions. His eyes had lingered, a little too long, on Sylveon's page.
And of course, Gardevoir had called him out immediately.
That night, after they'd finished making energy cubes together, she'd followed him to his room and struck up casual conversation. Talk drifted to Alolan Vulpix's potential evolution.
Lin Feng had asked Vulpix directly: did it want to evolve? The little fox had hesitated, torn between staying cute and fluffy as it was, or becoming stronger to help Lin Feng even more. He hadn't pushed it. Evolution would happen when it was ready, not before.
When he turned to ask Eevee, carefully explaining each of its possible evolutions, his gaze kept betraying him, sliding back toward Sylveon.
"Gardevoir," she had said sweetly, pointing with a slender hand, "don't you think this one looks beautiful?"
Eevee had blinked, glanced at the picture, and shyly nodded. And just like that, half-convinced, half-encouraged, it had leaned toward Sylveon as well.
Lin Feng had been stunned at her interference. But in his heart, he was secretly grateful for her "assist."
Back in the present, little Vulpix tugged at his pant leg with big shining eyes.
"Veeehh?" (Take me too! Take me too!)
The look was devastatingly effective.
"Alright, alright, you can come," Lin Feng said, scooping the fox into his arms. He turned to Eevee. "What about you? Want to join us?"
"Eevee!" (Of course!)
Eevee nodded firmly, though deep down it was also quietly noting Vulpix's tactic. Lately, it had realized that whenever Vulpix made that pitiful face, Lin Feng always gave in.
"Fascinating," Eevee thought. "That looks just like one of my own moves."
So the three of them set out together, the fox Pokémon trotting at Lin Feng's sides like loyal dogs on a walk. It struck him then that both Vulpix and Eevee belonged to the fox family, close cousins of canines. Maybe what they needed wasn't just training, but regular walks just like pets back in the old world.
He smiled, remembering how Vulpix used to run laps around the garden whenever it grew restless, even stopping to watch Serperior practice Grassy Terrain just for lack of anything else to do. Yes, walks would do them good.
The mayor's house was near the edge of town, a modest but newly built home.
When Lin Feng arrived, Mayor Henry was inside. After listening carefully to Lin Feng's idea, the man's eyes lit up.
"You mean to tell me you want to repave the entire road?"
"More or less. Everyone keeps complaining about how inconvenient the route is, and with the money I've made recently… well, I thought it was time." Lin Feng rubbed his neck with a sheepish grin.
"That's wonderful! Leave all the arrangements to me." Henry clapped his chest with pride, his face glowing with approval. "You're already doing better than your father ever did. He was a brilliant breeder, but goodness, he was lazy."
Lin Feng chuckled. "He really was."
The memory of his father drifted through his mind: a man whose Pokémon were powerful, whose breeding knowledge was unrivaled, who always had an answer ready, no matter how tricky the question. Yet despite all that brilliance, he lived by one principle if he could lie down, he wouldn't sit; if he could sit, he wouldn't stand.
As for his mother, Lin Feng remembered her beauty and youthful spirit, her endless teasing with his father, their playful banter filling the home with warmth. Whenever they got too lovey-dovey, young Lin Feng had always been shooed away, told not to play third wheel.
Those memories made him smile with nostalgia.
After parting ways with the mayor, Lin Feng started back toward the nursery.
It was then that Rotom suddenly chimed in with a mechanical buzz.
"Roto-roto! Master, there seems to be some unusual news out of Haikou City today. Do you want to hear it?"
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