Zhao Xinran was in no hurry now. She sat calmly across from Ye Qing, her slender fingers tapping the table.
"Ding."
Hearing a message arrive on his phone, Ye Qing quickly opened it.
Ye Mom: "Your aunt wants you to give the article straight to her. She says Zhao Xinran has some serious connections, and being on good terms with her can only help you."
After reading it, Ye Qing finally understood where Zhao Xinran's confidence came from. So she was one of those children of the political elite sent down to pad their résumés.
Zhao Xinran leaned her pretty face close to his, her red lips parting as she said smugly, "Well? You trust me now, don't you?"
"Yes, yes."
Ye Qing had finally admitted defeat against this homeroom teacher who was barely older than him.
As the night deepened, fewer and fewer people remained in the library. With his mother's assurance, Ye Qing felt more confident and quickly began organizing the information about the Tao Trio on paper.
Afraid of interrupting his train of thought, Zhao Xinran silenced her phone and sat across from him, quietly leafing through a book.
Naturally, Ye Qing couldn't give a truthful account of the legends surrounding the Tao Trio, so he made up a roughly similar version to introduce them briefly.
Reshiram represented truth, while Zekrom represented ideals...
Reshiram was a Pokémon that believed in truth and guided the world toward goodness. It would help those brave enough to pursue truth, but if they scorned truth and indulged their desires, it would unleash fierce flames and burn everything to ashes.
Zekrom could create an antigravity field to float and fly, unaffected by air resistance or Earth's gravity. Its appearances were also often accompanied by thunderstorms.
After introducing these two Pokémon, Ye Qing began explaining their Overdrive modes.
He didn't mention fusion or the DNA Splicers at all, planning to hold those back for later. That would also make him more valuable down the line.
The article ran on at considerable length. Although Ye Qing had glossed over the most important details, it was already enough for the Pokémon League, which knew very little about these three Legendary Pokémon.
As far as Ye Qing knew, a country was already doing well if it had one or two Level 2 Legendary Pokémon as guardians. As for Level 1 Legendary Pokémon, that was out of the question. At least according to the published information, not a single one had publicly declared its support for any country.
Ye Qing handed the finished article to Zhao Xinran and shook out his aching hand.
"Overdrive mode?"
Zhao Xinran looked puzzled by that key term, then immediately raised her voice. "You mean the Reshiram and Zekrom we've known about all this time aren't even in their strongest forms?"
Ye Qing nodded. "You could put it that way. You know about Mega Evolution, right?"
Zhao Xinran puffed out her chest and replied with feigned composure, "Of course!"
Ye Qing spread his hands. "Then what are you asking for? Overdrive mode is like the huge boost in strength a Pokémon gets after Mega Evolution. Just think of it that way for now."
"Hmph. Who are you looking down on?"
Zhao Xinran muttered and pursed her lips. Although she knew the term, she knew very little about it. Every time she asked her family, they refused to tell her anything.
But judging by this brat's attitude, he seemed to know more about Mega Evolution than she did.
What kind of freak was he? Was that member of his family planning to groom him into a senior researcher?
Zhao Xinran shook her head and decided to put those thoughts aside for now. She glanced at her watch, stood up, and smiled at Ye Qing. "All right, it's getting late. I should get back to you around Friday. You might even receive an unexpected reward."
Ye Qing nodded, having no objections. In any case, he was perfectly safe at the academy.
Back in his dorm, Ye Qing changed into his pajamas and deliberately left Chimchar in his Poké Ball. He intended to straighten out his temper this time. Otherwise, wouldn't Chimchar start giving him attitude after evolving?
The night passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, Ye Qing deliberately intensified Chimchar's training, working him until he was nearly exhausted each time. Over the course of the week, Chimchar lost almost two jin of weight.
Wang Yao threw a branch for Treecko to retrieve with Quick Attack. Watching Ye Qing's training, he sighed. "A bleak life for a monkey."
On Friday afternoon, just before classes ended, Ye Qing finally received a message from Zhao Xinran telling him to come to the meeting room.
"Knock, knock, knock."
After knocking three times, Ye Qing took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The scene inside was more or less what Ye Qing had expected. Aside from the principal, vice principal, and Zhao Xinran, there was a middle-aged man wearing glasses.
Principal Jiang set down his teacup and stood to introduce them. "This is Ye Qing, one of our students. Ye Qing, this is Professor Qian, a researcher with the Pokémon League."
Looking at the man, who appeared to be in his forties or fifties, Ye Qing thought he wasn't particularly old.
Professor Qian looked Ye Qing in the eye and said solemnly, "Hello, Ye Qing. I'm from the Capital Pokémon Association. I read your article, and frankly, it has been a great help to us. I have just one question now, and I wonder if you could answer it."
As he finished speaking, Ye Qing clearly felt the atmosphere grow tense, as though an invisible pressure were bearing down on him.
"Ahem."
Seeing him treat her student like this, Zhao Xinran coughed a few times to signal her displeasure.
Principal Jiang took a sip of tea and signaled with his eyes for Zhao Xinran to remain quiet.
"Go ahead."
Ye Qing met the man's gaze without flinching. Seriously, I've even met Mewtwo. Why would I be scared of your little show of authority?
Professor Qian asked gravely, "All right. I want to know how you know all this. Where did you obtain this information? As far as I know, you were an ignorant, idle student until recently, weren't you?"
Ye Qing smiled faintly. "That's right, but let me correct one thing. I wasn't ignorant or idle before. I simply had no intention of taking classes or exams seriously, because I already knew everything they were teaching.
"As for how I learned this, I can tell you that too. I met a Legendary Pokémon, and we hit it off right away. We became sworn brothers on the spot, and he told me all of this."
Having said that, Ye Qing leaned back in his chair, not expecting them to believe him anyway.
"Pfft! Sorry, sorry!"
Principal Jiang couldn't hold it in and sprayed out a mouthful of tea.
"Absurd! We aren't here to play make-believe with you. Watch what you say!"
The vice principal snorted coldly. He thought Ye Qing was simply running his mouth and spouting nonsense.
Even Zhao Xinran felt a little creeped out. Sworn brothers with a Legendary Pokémon? Did he have any idea what kind of being that was? How had he even come up with that?
Professor Qian remained expressionless, staring straight at Ye Qing. "Can you convince me?"
At those words, everyone in the room sat up straight. Now they really wanted to see how Ye Qing could convince them.
Ye Qing shrugged and glanced at the vice principal. "There are a few too many people in the room."
Noticing Professor Qian's gaze, Principal Jiang immediately understood and asked Vice Principal Zhang to step outside for a moment.
"Very well!"
Vice Principal Zhang was no fool. Knowing that this was also Professor Qian's wish, he simply stood up and left.
After watching the vice principal leave, Professor Qian turned his impassive face back toward Ye Qing. "Who else needs to leave? Feel free to say so."
Ye Qing smiled. The man was a vice principal, after all. Having asserted himself, Ye Qing naturally needed to win a little goodwill too. "No one else. These two are elders I can trust."
Sure enough, Principal Jiang smiled at that, feeling increasingly pleased with Ye Qing. He thought his efforts had truly been worthwhile.
Zhao Xinran rolled her eyes. Although Ye Qing's words pleased her a little too, she wasn't that old. How could she possibly count as his elder?!
Professor Qian nodded. "Then please go ahead."
Ye Qing raised his right arm and looked at them. "There's a trace of that Legendary Pokémon's aura here. If you don't believe me, you can have a Psychic-type Pokémon sense it. But I won't take responsibility if anything bad happens."
Since Ye Qing was wearing long sleeves, no one present knew exactly what lay underneath.
"All right."
Without another word, Professor Qian took out a Poké Ball and released an Alakazam.
Ye Qing's eyes lit up at the sight of Alakazam floating in midair. Psychic-type Pokémon were rare enough as it was, yet this man actually owned one of the best among them.
Pokémon: Alakazam (Level 50) Potential: C- Status: Healthy Sex: Male Type: Psychic Ability: Inner Focus Held item: Twisted Spoon Egg moves: Power Trick, Barrier, Guard Swap Basic moves: Teleport, Kinesis, Confusion, Disable, Psybeam, Miracle Eye, Psycho Cut, Recover, Psychic Tutored moves: Telekinesis, Ice Punch TMs: Psyshock, Light Screen, Double Team, Shadow Ball Notes: Alakazam has little physical strength. Although he dislikes using violence, he can use psychic power to attack and defend.
A level-fifty Alakazam! Wasn't that on par with a Gym Leader's main Pokémon? Was this professor really that strong?
Ye Qing was a little stunned. He hadn't expected this man to be so powerful. It seemed the Pokémon League was taking him quite seriously.
But then Ye Qing noticed another issue: no matter how strong these Pokémon were, very few knew weather moves. Could it be that only Pokémon with extraordinary talent could begin to grasp moves that affected the weather?
Professor Qian pointed at Ye Qing's wrist. "Alakazam, take a look there for me."
"Ala~"
Alakazam formed two silver-white spoons in his hands and slowly extended his psychic power toward it.
"Alakazam!"
The instant his psychic power touched the mark Mewtwo had left, Alakazam suddenly screamed, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot!
At the sight, Principal Jiang sprayed out another mouthful of tea. Professor Qian was a friend of his, and he knew very well how strong this Alakazam was. Even if he wasn't quite a match for his own Salamence, the gap wasn't large. He was a troublesome opponent in a fight.
Of course, no one was more shocked than Professor Qian. No one knew his Pokémon better than he did. What kind of being could leave behind such a terrifying trace of its aura?
A mere brush against it had instantly knocked out an Alakazam with exceptionally refined psychic abilities!
This time, Zhao Xinran looked at Ye Qing differently. She had originally thought he was merely a knowledgeable talent, but now the mysteries surrounding him only kept multiplying. He was a genuine prodigy!
Seeing Alakazam faint on the spot, Ye Qing was stunned too. He hurriedly explained, "Don't make me pay for this! I warned you beforehand."
Before you continue