Jubilife Breeding Center.
The small boost in reputation rewarded by the [I really never meant to become an UP Creator] quest might already have begun to take effect.
Besides Lily and Nami, Leon and Comrade Wen Hui had taken four orders that morning.
Three were boarding orders that included teaching new moves, and one also required raising the Pokémon until it evolved.
All three were big orders, as well as great opportunities to build the breeding center's reputation.
"We'll be off, then."
After they all had lunch together, Lily left with Nami.
Comrade Wen Hui waved them goodbye. "Drive safely!"
After leaving the breeding center, Nami couldn't help remarking:
"He's handsome enough already, but he knows Pokémon Breeding and can cook, too?"
After lunch, Lucario and the others went out to run wild again.
Li Wei had tested Lucario's speed that morning.
After taking the Speed Enhancer (Powerful Version), Lucario had become noticeably faster, even when using Extreme Speed.
Metang had eaten the Metal Coat.
Li Wei figured that once Metang fully digested its energy, Metang would evolve into Metagross.
Li Wei hadn't gone to see Lily and Nami off. He was editing his second video while working on a breeding plan.
The first of the four orders was already complete.
It had involved creating food to make a Butterfree look more beautiful for the Jubilife Pokémon Contest the next day.
With a request that specific, Li Wei figured anyone with working hands could do it.
After asking about its taste preferences, Li Wei had simply supplied a portion of Wiki Berry Pokéblocks that increased Beauty.
The customer had left completely satisfied, earning him his first positive review from a stranger and bringing his quest progress to (6/100).
That left a Feebas that needed to evolve, a Cubone that needed to learn Dig, and a Crobat that needed to learn Aerial Ace.
Comrade Leon was in charge of teaching the moves.
Li Wei was responsible for evolving Feebas.
Li Wei titled his edited tutorial video, which switched between two camera angles, [Trainer career guidance 02: Pokémon fur care].
"Glameow is only used as an example here, but many of these methods apply more generally."
Li Wei had added some voice-over commentary throughout.
"If you really can't manage it, I recommend taking your Pokémon to a Pokémon Day Care and paying to have the problem solved. You're always welcome at Jubilife Breeding Center."
He happily slipped in that final advertisement, and the video was done.
Once the video went into review, Li Wei switched to his desktop and created a new folder called "Feebas breeding plan."
Feebas had two methods of evolution.
One was trade evolution while holding a Prism Scale.
The other was evolution after its Beauty reached a certain level.
Feebas's Trainer had requested evolution through Beauty.
That meant feeding it Prism Scales or food that increased Beauty.
Raising Feebas and helping it evolve would provide the material for Li Wei's third video.
Once Feebas evolved, it would transform into Milotic, supposedly the most beautiful Pokémon.
Li Wei had his reservations about that claim.
Gardevoir and Diancie would have something to say about it.
The Feebas Li Wei needed to raise had some serious issues. It lacked confidence and was terrified of people.
That morning, Li Wei had merely glanced at it, and Feebas had immediately hidden inside the pond's artificial rock formation.
Li Wei had already told Lucario and the others not to disturb it for now, giving Feebas time to settle in.
Li Wei was one hundred percent certain that Feebas had suffered psychological trauma, most likely at human hands.
Besides feeding it food that increased Beauty, he would also have to help it gain confidence.
Otherwise, Feebas would never evolve.
Li Wei would have to treat this Feebas like a priceless piece of porcelain, handling it with the utmost care.
While Li Wei studied ways to restore Feebas's confidence, recruitment had already begun.
Knock, knock-someone knocked on the office door.
"Come in."
"Hello, both of you. I'm Mizuki, and I'm here for an interview."
Mizuki had neat, short, warm-brown hair and wore a fitted trench coat with shorts, choosing style over warmth.
As soon as Mizuki gave her name, Leon and Comrade Wen Hui knew who she was.
Mizuki had sent in her résumé before coming.
Comrade Wen Hui set the printed résumé aside.
"Please tell us a little about yourself, and explain why you left your previous Pokémon Day Care."
They had already read about Mizuki's circumstances. What they really wanted to hear was her answer to the second question.
"I took the Intermediate Breeder exam in the same cohort as your son, Li Wei. I passed with a combined score of eighty across the two rounds."
"My reason for leaving was simple: workplace harassment, along with plenty of improper and even illegal practices."
Recklessly prescribing medicine, overusing low-quality Berries, forcing Pokémon to breed without regard for their physical condition...
Mizuki listed the offenses committed by her previous Pokémon Day Care.
Those were indeed illegal practices.
"I'm sure you both know that Pokémon can't keep reproducing indefinitely. They aren't breeding machines.
"Normally, they should have no more than two litters a year, and stop breeding after about five or six years. That's how you ensure the next generation's health.
"Beyond that, the Pokémon born will either be sickly or have very poor potential."
Wen Hui nodded. "You're right."
Such things did happen, because they drastically cut costs.
The Pokémon world was generally a bright place, but there were always people willing to take dangerous risks for profit.
Next, Mizuki vividly described how she had secretly collected evidence and anonymously reported the Pokémon Day Care.
Oh, sweetheart... You're in an interview, telling us you anonymously reported a Pokémon Day Care.
Comrade Wen Hui truly didn't know what to say.
She sounds less like a breeder and more like someone working in espionage.
Comrade Leon's thoughts were wandering further and further off track.
Any other Pokémon Day Care would never dare hire Mizuki after hearing how formidable she was.
After all, there was no telling when she might report them.
She clearly kept a little black book of grudges.
But Leon and Wen Hui needed exactly this kind of person: capable, responsible, and someone who loved Pokémon.
The old man had always emphasized one thing: "If this is how you earn your living, you must never help others do evil."
Li Wei's whole family kept those words firmly in mind.
That was also why they had opened their Pokémon Day Care in the first place.
Wen Hui stood and sincerely offered Mizuki her hand.
"Welcome to Jubilife Breeding Center. I hope we can work together to build the kind of breeding center we've always dreamed of."
Mizuki quickly reached out and shook Wen Hui's hand.
"I believe we can. I looked into this place thoroughly before sending my résumé, and I can see it in your son, too."
Leon took all the credit, patting his chest with a proud expression. "That's because he takes after me!"
Wen Hui briefly introduced Mizuki to the Pokémon Day Care's facilities and living arrangements.
Besides the building where Li Wei and his family lived, the breeding grounds also had a staff dormitory.
"I'll go home and pack my things, then come in tomorrow to start work."
After Mizuki, a towering, burly man walked in, accidentally bumping his head on the way through the door.
Comrade Leon couldn't help exclaiming, "A human Machamp!"
Comrade Wen Hui rolled her eyes at him, no longer willing to waste her breath.
"Ah, no, we're not hiring bodyguards."
Dayou smiled faintly.
"No, I'm here to apply for the breeder position."
Before you continue