chsdbacks Chapter 271 White Boat! Cough cough... Dr. White Boat!
Chapter 271 White Boat! Cough cough... Dr. White Boat!
Chapter 271 White Boat! Cough cough... Dr. White Boat!
Manjin Airport.
On a private helipad, the door of a private jet painted with the Pokémon League logo slowly opened.
Bai Zhou wiped a slightly damp spot on his shoulder with a tissue with a look of disgust, and slowly walked down the gangway first.
Crimson, Green, Little Silver, Akin, and others followed behind him in turn.
Only Xiao Lan lingered at the back, her head bowed, her long hair almost covering her cheeks.
If someone looked closely, they would notice that her ears and neck were flushed, and her whole face was so hot it could fry an egg on it.
Back on the ground.
According to staff from the Pokémon All-Round Tournament organizing committee, a private plane carrying four Johto region Gym Leaders was about to arrive.
They followed the staff to a luxuriously decorated private reception area inside the airport.
Once everyone has arrived, we will board a special bus and head to the Pokémon All-Round Championship Dome to attend the opening ceremony later.
Bai Zhou found the most comfortable single sofa, practically "throwing" himself into it, and let out a big yawn.
Then she glared at Xiao Lan, who had just sat down and whose eyes were still wandering, with a hint of annoyance.
The person who most wanted to catch up on sleep couldn't fall asleep, while the most restless one was sleeping soundly.
That's not all; this person's sleeping posture is also terrible. Drooling is bad enough, but several times it almost slid from their shoulder to their thigh! What if it actually got on their pants?!
His lifelong reputation was completely ruined!
The waiting time was a bit boring, and Crimson, Blue, and even Gold and Silver all took out their Pokédexs.
They started playing Pokémon games as if no one else was around—but they were all playing their respective versions.
"Hmph, as expected, the gameplay design and Pokémon ecosystem of Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen are still the most appealing."
Qinglu didn't even look up, her tone carrying her usual arrogance.
"Indeed, the Kanto region is the most classic."
Red rarely expressed his agreement, his fingers flying across the encyclopedia.
Akin originally wanted to stubbornly retort and demonstrate the "independence" of the Johto region.
But after glancing at the green and crimson, he swallowed his words and muttered to himself, "—Okay, I also think fiery red and green leaves are nice—"
The main concern is being afraid of being caught in a mixed doubles match.
Bai Zhou looked at these guys who were particularly "childish" in some ways with amusement, silently took out his phone, and skillfully unlocked it.
I opened the largest online video platform and went to my following list.
"Wow, it's been updated already?"
His eyes lit up slightly.
"Karuni's latest movie behind-the-scenes makeup and styling footage — Xiaoju'er's backstage photos from the United Fashion Week — Lulina's water sports-themed summer photoshoot —"
He nodded in satisfaction and muttered to himself.
"Yes, this is the proper thing a mature man should be focusing on—cultivating his character and improving his aesthetic sense—"
Just as his finger hovered over the screen, hesitating over which "teacher" to favor first.
A video marked "Trending" with a cover featuring Chibana's arrogant, laughing face caught his attention.
"Huh? Chibana? When did I start following him?"
He raised an eyebrow, just about to click in to see what new tricks this Dragon-type Gym Leader from the Galar region had up his sleeve, when a sudden phone call instantly filled the entire screen.
Caller ID: Dr. Oak.
Bai Zhou immediately answered the phone, but before he could even speak, Professor Oak's urgent and even trembling voice came through the receiver.
"Shirazuki! That magical candy! The one you had The Pokémon Company send out as a prize in a Pokémon event! Is it true?! The kind from the games where you eat it and it instantly raises your Pokémon's level without any side effects!?"
"Miracle Candy?"
Bai Zhou was taken aback by the sudden question, but quickly realized what the doctor was referring to.
"Ah, you mean those special energy cubes I casually made a few days ago?"
He explained in a relaxed tone.
"It's called a magic candy, but it's just a marketing gimmick. The packaging has a picture of a candy wrapper on it, but it's essentially still an energy cube."
"You made the energy cube yourself? It was just a gimmick after all —"
Professor Oak's voice instantly carried a deep sense of loss, but also seemed to show a hint of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
"Alright—I guess I was overthinking it, old man. It's alright then—"
"--The effect is roughly the same as the magic candy in the game, so I gave it out as a prize."
Following his own train of thought, Bai Zhou naturally continued the second half of the sentence, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
"What's wrong, Doctor? Is there a problem with this thing?"
"W-what?! The effects are almost the same?!"
Professor Oak's voice suddenly rose like a Doduri being choked, and his emotions, which had just subsided, soared again like a rocket!
"Shirazuki! You're not kidding me, are you?! The effect is almost the same as Rare Candy?! Is it the Rare Candy I know that can directly raise a Pokémon's level without any side effects?!"
"Uh, Doctor, please calm down, don't get agitated—"
Bai Zhou was a little confused by the doctor's overreaction and quickly tried to calm him down.
This was the first and second time he had ever heard Professor Oak speak in such an almost out-of-control tone.
"The energy cubes I make work by slowly nourishing the Pokémon's primordial energy, promoting its natural growth."
"Aside from the fact that the effects aren't immediately apparent and require some time to process, the final form should—probably—"
"Maybe it's similar to the magical candies in games?"
As he spoke, his tone unconsciously softened, tinged with self-doubt.
"Could it be that—because of my gimmick of 'miracle candy,' the energy cubes I sent out didn't actually work as expected, and someone complained that I was engaging in deception and false advertising?"
"This shouldn't be happening—I definitely tested it—"
He muttered to himself, a slight wavering in his confidence in his skills.
After he finished speaking, there was a long silence on the other end of the phone, with only Professor Oak's heavy breathing audible.
Just as Bai Zhou thought there was a problem with the signal and was about to ask a question, Professor Oak's slightly trembling voice came through again.
"Shirafune! Cough cough—Dr. Shirafune!"
Professor Oak even used honorifics.
"Please, please! You absolutely must make one of those energy cubes for me to study! No! Please make several! Materials, equipment, funding! Just tell me what you need!"
Professor Oak never doubted Shiraishu's words!
He's currently in a state of extreme excitement due to the scientific discovery!
An energy cube with effects comparable to "Miracle Candy"!
This is simply a miracle that overturns the existing Pokémon breeding and growth system!
This thing is nothing special in a game, but once it's proven in real life—its significance is immeasurable!
Even a well-informed doctor like him lost his composure like this; he couldn't even imagine how crazy the trainers outside would be!
Researchers who can resist the urge to delve deeper into this kind of thing are saints! (Thumbs up)
Anyway, Ooki Yukinari absolutely cannot resist!
"You're being too formal, I can't possibly accept such an honor—"
Bai Zhou was somewhat flattered by Professor Oak's sudden formal request and quickly responded.
"Such a small thing is no problem at all. If you're interested, I'll make a few pieces myself and send them to you after I'm done here and return to Zhenxin Town."
He paused, his doubts deepening.
"But Doctor, what exactly happened? I have a feeling—things seem to have gotten a bit out of hand?"
"Hahaha—it's nothing serious, nothing serious—"
Professor Oak chuckled, trying to downplay it, but the excitement in his voice was impossible to hide.
"The main thing is that the energy cube you made has such an amazing effect that it has caused a sensation on the internet. That's why I called to confirm with you."
He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious and concerned.
"However, you need to pay special attention to your safety. The influence of your Power Cube is too great, and it has already put The Pokémon Company in the spotlight. I'm worried that some unscrupulous people might target you or try to steal the formula."
"The Alliance headquarters has also taken note of this matter and is somewhat concerned about your personal safety. They are considering whether to send additional personnel—"
Is the energy cube I made really that awesome?
How come I didn't know?
Bai Zhou was completely stunned, holding the phone.
He noticed the last piece of information Professor Oak revealed in his words—the League was worried about his safety.
Are you worried about my safety?
He glanced up and looked at the crimson, green, gold, and silver figures around him.
Then he nodded thoughtfully.
It is indeed a bit dangerous.
Especially with that energetic young man, Ah Jin, around, he might just pull a fast one on him at any moment.
Oh, and we should also add the clever little blue one.
"Don't worry, Doctor. Since I dared to offer this energy cube as a prize, I'm not afraid of the trouble it might cause."
Bai Zhou smiled and declined Professor Oak's and the League's offer, his tone relaxed yet confident.
"To put the League headquarters at ease, I know what I'm doing. The worst outcome of this is that the identity of the founder of The Pokémon Company will be exposed, and he will be bombarded with death threats or love letters from his fanatical fans every day. It's a minor incident."
"You—sigh, it's good that you know what's going on, I won't nag you too much."
Professor Oak knew Shiraishu's temperament, sighed, and gave up.
Just when Bai Zhou thought the call was about to end, Professor Oak squeezed out another sentence, somewhat embarrassed.
"Um—Shirazuki, when are you expected to return to Pallet Town? I'd like to arrange a time to pick you up!"
"Of course! Definitely not for those special energy cubes you made yourself!"
"I mainly want to have a good chat with you about those stories about legendary Pokémon you mentioned before!"
Hearing the doctor's blatant attempt to cover up his misunderstanding, Bai Zhou chuckled and, after reiterating that he would return as soon as possible, finally hung up the information-packed call.
He shook his head and re-clicked on the video posted by Chibana.
After quickly browsing through the video and the explosive comment section below, he finally understood why things had escalated.
It turns out that the energy cubes he made were so effective that Chibana posted them online, and combined with the gimmick of "magic candy," they caused shock and discussion across the entire internet.
To put it bluntly, the explosion of this online public opinion was largely due to the use of the name of "magic candy," a prop that does not exist in reality.
The sheer scale of the event was amplified by the celebrity influence of figures like Chibana and Dante.
In fact, there are foods and berries that can gently boost a Pokémon's energy, and many top Pokémon nutritionists and breeders specialize in this area.
"Eating" is a crucial part of Pokémon training and growth.
It's just that the energy cubes he makes have an energy conversion efficiency and a boost that are "just a little bit" more outrageous than the top-tier products known on the market.
"Looks like I can't just give this away casually anymore —"
Bai Zhou stroked his chin, having made up his mind.
He wasn't worried about the formula being leaked; the core of that thing was his "super-resistance power" tempering, something that others couldn't imitate.
The main reason is to avoid trouble.
Just as he was about to continue watching the "art appreciation" video he hadn't finished watching earlier, there was a polite knock on the door of the reception area, which was then pushed open.
The four gym leaders from the Johto region have arrived.
Asu, the academy's resident instructor with short blue hair and a sleek, upright figure, walked at the very front.
He was about to greet his old acquaintance, Ah Jin, but when he caught a glimpse of Bai Zhou on the sofa out of the corner of his eye, a look of surprise instantly appeared on his face.
He immediately changed direction, bypassed Ajin who was opening his arms to welcome him, and quickly walked to Bai Zhou and stood still.
Then, with perfect decorum and utmost respect, he performed a junior's salute.
"Senior Shirafune! It's been a long time!"
Following closely behind was a handsome boy with delicate features, carrying a huge insect-catching net—the Bug-type Gym Leader, Abi.
He deftly squeezed past Asu, his eyes practically sparkling as he looked at Bai Zhou, his tone filled with adoration.
"Professor Shirafusa! Are you here for the Pokémon All-Around Competition too? That's great! It's so nice to see you again!"
"Ah Su, Ah Bi, long time no see."
Bai Zhou stood up with a smile and calmly greeted them.
"I was indeed invited to participate in the Pokémon All-Around Competition —"
His gaze passed over the two enthusiastic people and fell on the other two uniquely charismatic owners behind them.
One of them is Matsuha, the Ghost-type Gym Leader, who wears a dark scarf and has a slightly gloomy and mysterious aura.
The other is Ami, the Steel-type Pavilion Master, who is dressed in an elegant dress and has a gentle and slightly shy expression.
Bai Zhou also nodded to them in greeting.
"Matsuha, Ami, it's been a long time, too."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bai Zhou's expression became slightly more serious.
He looked at the four guild masters from the Johto region and brought up another important purpose of his trip.