Ye Feng continued his journey.
He was heading in the direction of Vermilion City.
Three days later.
"What is that?"
Ye Feng found himself in the depths of a mountain, where a surprisingly luxurious building stood.
If this wasn't the world of Pokémon, he'd have thought it was a tale from *Liaozhai*, given the opulent structure deep within the wilderness.
He half-expected a female ghost or a fox spirit in disguise, alluring him like those in the stories.
But alas, this was not the case.
This was a Pokémon school.
A school for the wealthy and the elite.
Graduates from this institution could directly participate in the Indigo League without needing to collect eight badges.
It was essentially a backdoor for the children of the rich and noble.
This wasn't entirely surprising.
The world, and the Pokémon world alike, had always been unfair.
Consider, for instance, the starter Pokémon given to new trainers.
Did anyone truly believe that all ten-year-olds embarking on their journey could choose from the Kanto starters: Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle?
Naive!
Those were reserved for the aristocratic children of Kanto and privileged individuals like Gary.
As for Ash, well, he got lucky due to his good relationship with Professor Oak. The only downside was that he was late and ended up with Pikachu.
For children from ordinary families,
their first Pokémon were typically Rattata, Spearow, Pidgey, Caterpie, and the like.
Furthermore, raising even one Pokémon required significant financial resources for a common family, and the more Pokémon one caught, the more expenses accumulated.
In essence, Pokémon was a simple game for the wealthy and a difficult one for the poor.
As for the students at this particular school,
their theoretical knowledge was excellent, but their practical skills were lacking due to prolonged focus on theory.
In other words: these individuals would likely excel at Pokémon games.
In reality, however, they would need considerable honing.
Ye Feng felt no particular affinity for them.
He himself was impoverished and couldn't empathize with these children of privilege.
Just as he was preparing to move on, he spotted a girl.
She was roughly his age.
Around nineteen or twenty, wearing a distinctive British-style pleated skirt.
None of this was particularly unusual.
What was striking was the aristocratic demeanor and pride that emanated from her with every movement.
The girl, with a backpack slung over her shoulder, seemed to be embarking on a long journey.
A crowd of students and teachers had gathered at the school entrance to bid her farewell.
"Elder Sister Jiaozi, are you sure you're ready to challenge the gym leaders and participate in the Indigo League like everyone else, instead of entering directly after graduation?"
A boy addressed the beautiful girl.
The pretty girl, You Deng Jiaozi, tossed her hair. "No, a few months ago, Ash from Pallet Town and his Pikachu taught us through action that 'What is learned in books can only be shallow; to know it, one must act.'"
"I've pondered this for months. I believe I've learned enough about Pokémon knowledge. I need to go out and gain some real experience."
"But what if you don't collect all eight badges, and you graduate from here? You won't be able to participate in this year's Indigo League!"
One of her classmates expressed concern.
You Deng Jiaozi smiled, saying nothing.
She wasn't worried about that at all.
Even if her skills were insufficient and she failed to collect all eight badges, she wouldn't have to worry about graduating from her own family's school.
Let alone graduation, she could even buy her way to a good standing in the Indigo League by bribing opponents.
However, she wanted to experience the life of a true Pokémon trainer.
That's why she was determined to strive for it herself.
Indeed, the lives of the wealthy were often this simple and unpretentious.
"Then! Goodbye!"
"See you at the Indigo League!"
You Deng Jiaozi bid farewell to her classmates.
And then,
as she turned around,
in a fleeting moment,
your eyes met.
This heart-fluttering feeling of happiness,
you must remember it too, right?!
Ye Feng and You Deng Jiaozi's proud eyes locked.
They looked at each other, then quickly averted their gazes.
Ye Feng: "She's certainly a beauty, but that air of superiority is a bit off-putting. However, conquering her might be even more rewarding."
You Deng Jiaozi: "Judging by his attire, he seems to be a commoner. To think such a handsome man could come from the common folk! It's remarkable, but a shame about his clothes. This entire outfit is probably worth less than a pair of my socks."
Indeed.
You Deng Jiaozi's pair of socks cost 5,000 yuan.
Ye Feng's entire ensemble, including his underwear worth about twenty yuan, barely reached six to seven hundred.
Despite their differing thoughts, their destinations were the same.
Their next stop was Vermilion City.
Thus, though they had been far apart, the narrowing path brought them closer and closer.
"Hmm? A Pikachu with a red tattoo?"
You Deng Jiaozi noticed the Pikachu in front of Ye Feng.
"As expected. My choice was right. As soon as I stepped out, I encountered something not found in textbooks."
You Deng Jiaozi's gaze remained fixed on the Pikachu.
Suddenly, she looked up and spoke to Ye Feng, who was several meters away.
"You're quite lucky to have caught a shiny Pikachu."
Why call it shiny instead of alternatively colored?
A shiny Pikachu would have a darker body color.
Imagine a fair-skinned person getting tanned.
A regular Pikachu is golden yellow, while a shiny one is a deep orange-yellow.
However, in the world of Pokémon, both alternatively colored and shiny Pokémon are extremely rare.
Moreover, alternatively colored and shiny Pokémon are generally superior in individual and base stats compared to their regular counterparts.
Those who encounter and capture them are truly exceptional.
Ye Feng nodded, remaining silent.
You Deng Jiaozi then said, "Hey, my name is You Deng Jiaozi. What's yours?"
"Ye Feng,"
Ye Feng replied faintly.
Though his tone was subdued, he was somewhat taken aback.
This person was You Deng Jiaozi?!
If his memory served him correctly, in the anime, You Deng Jiaozi was only ten years old! How was she around his age here?
But then he thought, forget it, it didn't matter.
"Ye Feng?"
"Alright, Ye Feng, would you like to have a Pokémon battle?!"
This was You Deng Jiaozi's first time leaving the school, and seeing a trainer with an alternatively colored Pikachu who was also so handsome, she naturally wanted to battle.
But Ye Feng shook his head:
"I have two conditions for a battle."
"First, the loser pays 500."
"Second, if you can't afford to pay, you forfeit a Pokémon as collateral."
Upon hearing this, You Deng Jiaozi burst into laughter.
"500? Do you look down on this young lady? Forget 500, if you win against me, I'll give you 5,000 directly!!!"
"5,000?"
Upon hearing the prospect of a wealthy opponent, Ye Feng stopped in his tracks.
"Then you must keep your word, or else."
"Of course, I'll keep my word."
"Alright, now let me see your strength! Ye Feng!!!"
"Come out!! Graveler!!!!"
You Deng Jiaozi immediately sent out a Graveler.
"Graveler!"
The Graveler emerged, flexing its fists, seemingly very excited.
"In that case, Pikachu, go have some fun with it."
Ye Feng ruffled Pikachu's head and said with a smile.