What Is the Meaning of Life? Pidgey: Go to the Pavilion and Score a Whole Sandwich!

"A short-term mission had actually been activated?"

Mu Yun immediately looked away from his phone and focused on the newly activated short-term mission.

This short-term mission, called the School Opening Assessment, was somewhat similar to the long-term mission called the College Entrance Exam Training Camp.

The mission rewards were similarly unfixed, determined by the final rankings.

Perhaps because of the difference in time limits, the rewards for the School Opening Assessment were listed far more clearly.

Aside from the fixed Points reward, first place came with four whole rewards.

Energy Cube Making Skill, Energy Cube Recipe, Move Learning Memory, Storage Space Expansion Card.

Every one of them was an excellent reward.

As for the first two, unless someone applied for the Breeder major and studied hard, ordinary Trainers would have no access to the specific methods of making Energy Cubes.

But compared to Energy Cube Making, what Mu Yun cared about most was the third reward—

One Random-Type Move Learning Memory!

After all, no such thing as a move-learning machine existed in the real world. A Pokémon could not simply learn a new skill with a ding.

There were only three ways for Pokémon to learn a new move.

The first was growth. As their levels increased, they naturally learned moves hidden within their bloodline genes. This was the most common method and the main source of moves for most Pokémon.

The second was instruction, meaning active learning. They could seek instruction from others in person or buy teaching videos online and study on their own.

Compared with the former, the latter placed high demands on a Pokémon's comprehension. If it was not particularly bright, it might study for a long time without learning a new move.

As for the third method, it was called opportunity, a catch-all term for everything outside the first two methods.

There was no absolute explanation for this situation. A Pokémon might gain insight while evolving, realize something during battle, or even somehow learn a new move after seeing a natural landscape.

Since there was no unified conclusion and it depended entirely on luck, this method was not mainstream.

It was worth mentioning that gaining insight during evolution had a fairly high chance of happening. That was why the three-stage-evolution Starter Trio were so expensive and so sought after by beginners.

"Move Learning Memory... I wonder if it lets you learn something with a single ding..."

Mu Yun did not know how this so-called Learning Memory differed from the machines in the games from his past life. He could only wait until school started to find out.

Mu Yun was not asking for much. As long as it could display the move on the panel, that was enough. As for proficiency, he could always grind it out.

As for the final reward related to expanding storage space, Mu Yun did not react too strongly.

An expansion would be great, but it would be fine without one too.

After carefully reviewing all the rewards for his first short-term mission, Mu Yun's heart surged with excitement. He eagerly anticipated the battle assessment after school began.

Although Weedle was only level six right now, with the incredibly fast early evolution speed of Bug Type Pokémon, it would definitely evolve into Beedrill before school started.

With the advantage of flight, plus moves he had grinded to who knew what level of power, Mu Yun was confident he could take first place in the Little Cup.

"Wuooh!!"

Perhaps sensing Mu Yun's excitement and fighting spirit, Weedle, who had been watching television nearby, straightened up and gave a surprisingly imposing cry.

At that exact moment, the television showed the proud expression of a young Trainer who had just won a match.

With his weathered face and full beard, he looked rather mature.

If this had not been the Silver Conference, Mu Yun would have thought he was some uncle in his forties or fifties.

After calming down, Mu Yun turned off the television and carried Weedle back to the bedroom.

Outside the window, the night was pitch-black, broken only by crickets chirping loudly and completely off-beat.

An occasional dog bark could also be heard.

It was probably Old Liu downstairs' Herdier, annoyed by the crickets, barking at them a few times.

Whether Herdier's imposing presence had scared the crickets away or the poor crickets had simply died on the spot, the irritating chirping finally disappeared.

The quiet moonlit night brought Mu Yun a good night's sleep.

He slept dreamlessly through the night.

By the time he opened his eyes, it was already the next morning.

Just like yesterday, Weedle obediently fed itself. It had also successfully remembered Mu Yun's reminder and did not forget to close the refrigerator.

After that, Mu Yun followed the same routine as yesterday. He got up early to cook and prepared a simple lunch. Weedle continued its String Shot training, while he started with calisthenics before they headed out together for physical training.

After a 2.5-kilometer jog, they rested at the same old pavilion wrapped in vines.

"Pidgey~~!!"

The moment they arrived at the pavilion, a fluffy-feathered Pidgey flapped its wings and flew over.

It was the "unlucky fellow" Pidgey that Weedle had stuck to the ground with a String Shot yesterday.

After yesterday's misunderstanding, Mu Yun had left a sandwich for the pitiful Pidgey. He had not expected this little fellow to come back today.

Perhaps because it had faced its fear yesterday, Weedle no longer trembled in terror when it saw Pidgey flying over. Instead, it stood tall, lifted its little head proudly, and looked at Pidgey with fighting spirit blazing in its eyes.

"Pidgey! Pidgey!"

Pidgey stiffened upon noticing Weedle's burning gaze. It hurriedly stopped at a distance and chirped anxiously, seemingly trying to show that it meant no harm.

"It's okay, Xiao Du. The Pidgey in our neighborhood are very gentle." Mu Yun patted Weedle's little head and comforted it softly.

Hearing that, Weedle nodded. Its upright body lowered slightly, but its pair of dark little eyes remained fixed on Pidgey.

It was as if it were saying, I'll keep watching you. Always. Don't even think about trying anything.

"Pidgey~~~"

Seeing that most of Weedle's hostility had faded, Pidgey finally let out a sigh of relief. It flapped its wings and slowly flew toward Mu Yun.

It was a Pidgey born and raised in this old neighborhood. Its parents, as well as every member of its flock that had not evolved into Pidgeotto, had lived in this neighborhood for generations.

Since its birth, it had lived alongside humans and had always been fed by them.

In its mind, humans were as safe and dependable as its own flock. They were companions to play with, frolic around with, and beg food from.

But yesterday, when it followed the delicious scent in search of food, it had gotten a face full of String Shot and been left baking in the sun for more than ten minutes. It had been the most painful day of its twenty-something-day bird life...

Fortunately, fortune and misfortune went hand in hand.

That sandwich had been worth every second it spent in the sun. It had tasted absolutely amazing!!!

It felt that as long as it could eat that sandwich, even getting baked in the sun again would be worth it!

So, after thinking it over all night, it had come back.

Just as it had observed throughout its twenty-something days of bird life—every morning without rain, older humans would definitely appear in the park. By that logic, at noon in the pavilion, that tall and handsome human carrying delicious food, along with that nasty and terrifying Big Bug, would definitely appear as well.

It had endured its hunger all morning, and sure enough, they had appeared!

Next came the part Pidgey had been looking forward to most—begging for food!!