Liu Le's Request

"Eevee... you..."

Training was a very tedious thing, but even amid the tedium, there could be little surprises.

After Fang Yuan and Eevee had maintained this three-point routine of special training for about a week, Eevee suddenly underwent a special change.

"Vee!"

Eevee ran happily, and a blurry afterimage formed into another Eevee. Looking at the two nearly identical Eevee, Fang Yuan more or less understood what had happened to it.

"After speed training, the effects of the Sand Scale Fruit have begun to be tapped into..."

"Eevee, congratulations. You've learned the move Double Team!"

This was a completely unexpected delight for Fang Yuan and Eevee, just like when it had first comprehended Sand Attack.

Double Team was a move that created clones through rapid movement to disrupt opponents. It was said that once mastered to a highly proficient level, Pokémon could even create energy clones, producing an even stronger interference effect.

The simpler form of Double Team was just afterimages. They could not move and were easily seen through, but more complex shadow clones could release moves in sync with the original, making it impossible for enemies to tell which one was the real body.

The Double Team Eevee had mastered so far was still very crude. It was a move it had comprehended during speed training with the help of the Sand Scale Fruit's effects, and it could only create one or two afterimages.

Even so, it was still an excellent gain.

"I won't give you any Chicken Soup. Let's have something practical instead. To reward you for all your hard work these days, I'll take you out for a real feast on top of your usual meals."

Fang Yuan spoke generously. The club salary might not have been enough to support the cost of a feast for the two of them, but... yesterday, his Mental Damage Compensation had arrived.

A representative from the Trainer Association had delivered a sum of money as consolation for Fang Yuan and Eevee's tragic experience of accidentally entering a Secret Realm. Fang Yuan and Eevee had accepted the money with tears nearly in their eyes.

It had come at exactly the right time. With their pockets fuller, even walking felt more confident.

"Vee."

Hearing about the feast, Eevee nodded in satisfaction. It seemed Fang Yuan still loved it after all.

That afternoon, at the Pokémon Center.

Having completed their special training for the day, Fang Yuan and Eevee were fully prepared to head for the Dolek Pokémon Theme Buffet Restaurant, a place they had long wanted to visit but never had the chance to.

However, just as they stepped outside, Fang Yuan's phone suddenly rang.

A new friend request...

The other person's profile picture was a Snorlax. Why did it look so familiar?

After accepting the request, Fang Yuan sent a message.

Fang Yuan: Are you Liu Le?

Member of the Slightly Chubby Community: It's me. Fang Yuan?

Fang Yuan: Yeah, let me change your contact name first...

Liu Le: Hehe, okay. By the way, where are you now?

Fang Yuan: Just left the Pokémon Center. I'm about to get something to eat. What's up?

Liu Le: Food? Where are you going?

Fang Yuan: Taking Eevee to Dolek for the buffet...

Liu Le: Perfect, I'm nearby. Wait for me, okay? I have something important to discuss with you two. Don't leave.

Fang Yuan: ???

What was this fat guy up to now?

Looking at the blazing sun overhead, Fang Yuan wiped away his sweat. It was nearly evening already—why wasn't it getting any cooler?

Little Eevee was suffering from the heat too. If this kept up, it might get heatstroke...

"Let's buy some ice cream first, Eevee. Want some?"

"Vee!!" Eevee said it had no objections.

While waiting for Liu Le, Fang Yuan and Eevee bought two ice cream cones from the supermarket beside the Pokémon Center and greedily started eating.

Eevee wore an expression of pure enjoyment and ate even faster than Fang Yuan. In the end, unable to resist, it even snatched Fang Yuan's cone and finished it, leaving Fang Yuan deeply dissatisfied.

The soul of an ice cream cone was in those last few bites...

Damn Eevee.

"Finally found you two."

Before long, Liu Le appeared before Fang Yuan and Eevee, fully armed with a sun hat and sunglasses.

Liu Le panted as he held his stomach. "Dolek buffet? Come on, my treat."

"Vee?" Eevee froze for a moment.

Fang Yuan froze too.

No one offered favors for no reason. This guy definitely had something up his sleeve. Had this fat guy still not given up?

In the eyes of someone as upright as him, bribery did not exist. There was absolutely no way he would throw a match and deliberately lose!

"What was this important thing you wanted to talk about?"

"No rush, no rush. We can talk while we eat later." Liu Le smiled. "You two haven't eaten yet either, right?"

"Tell me what it is first," Fang Yuan said.

"It's... it's just a small favor I want to ask of you." Liu Le pulled a long face. "It definitely won't put you in a difficult position, and it's not about the club. I promise."

Fang Yuan and Eevee exchanged a glance. Only fools turned down a free meal. They might as well mooch off him first and see what Liu Le was really up to.

"Let's go."

A few minutes later, they arrived beneath a building.

Dolek Pokémon Theme Buffet Restaurant...

Fang Yuan and Eevee looked up at the sign, their anticipation rising. The Dolek Pokémon Theme Buffet Restaurant specialized in dining for both humans and Pokémon. Its clean environment, abundant meals, and balanced nutrition made it a well-known local business in Flat City, with several chain locations that had now expanded into other cities...

Naturally, eating here was not cheap.

Rumor had it that the average cost per person was close to four figures, and some Pokémon Food came with additional charges. One meal started at a thousand.

And Liu Le, a student, was actually treating them. He really was loaded.

Fang Yuan silently praised the boss's generosity. He and Eevee should be able to eat something good this time, right?

"This way," Liu Le said.

It was Fang Yuan and Eevee's first time here, so they were unfamiliar with the place. Liu Le, however, seemed completely at home. He walked straight to the front desk and said to the receptionist, "Aunt Huang, my classmate and I are here for a meal. Please find us somewhere quiet."

"..."

After a while, Fang Yuan asked, "Do you come here often?"

"No," Liu Le said. "My family owns it."

"Sorry for bothering you."

No wonder you could afford to raise a Snorlax...

After the two of them sat down in a quiet spot, Liu Le finally began explaining his real purpose.

"Brother Fang, it's like this. I heard you're entering the Little Phoenix King Cup, right...?"

"Yeah," Fang Yuan said.

"With your strength, you'll definitely make the Top Sixteen, right?" Liu Le took a gulp of cola, as though trying to get himself drunk. "Well, this little brother has something he wants to ask of you..."

During their previous battles, Liu Le had always acted as if he and Fang Yuan were mortal enemies. Now that he was suddenly calling him brother, Fang Yuan could not help feeling curious.

"Well, it's a long story..."

"Look at my weight. Doesn't it seem obvious that no girl would ever like me?" Liu Le asked with a serious expression.

Fang Yuan was speechless. Eevee was speechless too. The two of them each took a sip of cola before asking, "So?"

Liu Le said, "So I've come to realize a profound truth. People need self-discipline. You can't always be thinking about dating—it affects your appetite."

That made so much damn sense.

They were actually left speechless.

"So what exactly are you asking me to do?" Fang Yuan asked.