Pokémon: Did you play Pokémon today?

Chapter 285 Finally! They've finally taken the bait!

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, ruffled Bai Zhou's slightly disheveled hair, but it couldn't dispel the increasingly obvious melancholy between his brows.

"Gardedor, you know—"

He couldn't help but mutter a complaint to the Gardevoir beside him, his tone filled with resentment.

"This isn't a problem with my fishing skills at all! It's definitely a problem with the feng shui of that spot!"

Gardevoir covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a hint of mischief in her telepathic connection.

"Master, perhaps—it's just that the berry you carefully selected simply doesn't suit the tastes of the Pokémon in this sea?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Bai Zhou categorically denied it, his tone resolute.

"The quality of that grapefruit, I wouldn't say it's the best in the world, but it's definitely top-notch! The aroma, energy, and taste are all perfectly balanced! It's—well, anyway, it's absolutely superb!"

This confidence comes from Little Ah! How could there be a problem!

While Bai Zhou was chatting with Gardevoir about shifting blame, he was also using his discerning eye to look for a sea area that looked like it had good "feng shui".

With his extraordinary perception, he suddenly caught a very subtle life fluctuation!

This ripple—it's coming from underwater!

Bai Zhou's gaze sharpened, instantly turning towards the direction from which the fluctuations originated.

The seemingly calm depths of the sea he had just left.

His lips twitched slightly as an absurd thought popped into his head.

No way————

Could it be that the repeated failures just now were neither a feng shui issue nor a problem with the trees and fruit?

Instead—they were being "ambushed"?!

at the same time.

As the photographers rode their dragons across the sky, the host, Kurumi, sang along with her energetic voice.

sound.

The sound was amplified and broadcast throughout the entire deep-sea fishing area.

"Great news! The first player to reach ten initial points has been chosen! Let's give a round of applause and cheers—congratulations to player Xiao Huang!"

"She's the first to qualify for the next leg of the race! Good luck to the other competitors!"

Such an announcement, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred ripples in the hearts of every competitor.

For leading competitors, this is undoubtedly a shot in the arm, instantly igniting their fighting spirit, and their movements become noticeably faster and more efficient.

For competitors who haven't started yet or are lagging behind, this news is like a heavy blow.

"No way—"

Bai Zhou looked at his still empty fish basket, his face darkening even more.

"I haven't even scored a single point yet, and Little Huang has already cleared the game?"

He took a deep breath and signaled Gardevoir to stop the boat from drifting.

We can't waste any more time on "feng shui consultations".

He understood the principle that if you are slow at one step, you will be slow at every step; he understood it better than anyone else.

"If you don't bring the fish soon—"

Bai Zhou gritted his teeth and uttered some harsh words.

"I'm really going to let Gengar go underwater!"

Just do it!

He stood firm and used his waist and hips to generate power!

With a standard and powerful motion, cast the fishing line, now with fresh bait, out to sea a little further out!

The fishing hook traced a graceful arc before silently disappearing into the azure sea.

Gengar, who didn't understand the "good or bad words" but only the "go to sea" part, immediately popped its head out of the shadows excitedly.

They were eager to try their hand at it.

"Gengga! (Always be prepared!)"

Under the sea.

In the dark, deep water, Feebas floated silently in place, exuding a domineering aura that kept the surrounding Pokémon at bay.

Those deep gazes pierced through layers of seawater, firmly locking onto that "perfect" figure sitting in the small boat, gradually disappearing into the distance.

"~7

It let out a long, confused cry, and turned into a string of slowly rising bubbles in the water.

Why did he leave?

Or perhaps he discovered that I was secretly protecting him and thought I was meddling?

Upon considering this possibility, its massive body stiffened almost imperceptibly, causing even the surrounding water to pause slightly.

This won't do!

It had finally encountered a creature that met its "perfect" standards, so how could it let him leave because of this misunderstanding?

Something has to be done!

But—what should we do?

Should I just swing my tail fin and chase after him, appearing right in front of him? Wouldn't that be too abrupt? What if I scare him?

Just as it was falling into an unprecedented state of "social anxiety," it keenly sensed it.

That "perfect" figure, after moving a distance away, actually stopped again.

He took out the long stick again and threw a hook with fresh fruit hanging from it into the sea.

opportunity!

It perked up!

This time, we must seize the opportunity!

We can no longer proactively "maintain order" as we did before.

You need to make him notice your "help" and "recognition" in a way that is both natural and unforced!

It carefully concealed most of its aura, leaving only a barely perceptible sense of pressure.

It's enough to drive away those "food snatchers" without being too domineering.

Then, it began to slowly and gracefully cruise around the fishhook.

It even tried to adjust its swimming posture, attempting to display the most beautiful arc.

It was as if I were just a passerby who happened to be passing by and was only slightly interested in this place.

Above the sea.

Time passed by second by second, and each second seemed exceptionally long.

Little Walnut's successive announcements of advancements were like tiny hammer blows, relentlessly striking Bai Zhou's increasingly anxious heart.

"Following in the footsteps of Xiao Huang, the two legends from Division A, Crimson and Azure, have simultaneously caught a Sea Dragon! Both have earned enough points to successfully advance to the next course! What amazing teamwork and skill!"

"The battle in Zone B is fierce! Chris has come from behind to become the first competitor in this zone to enter the course! Akin and Silver are not to be outdone, following closely behind and completing the challenge almost simultaneously!"

"An amazing scene has unfolded in Division C! Under the—well, I mean, active command of player Azure—all the competitors in this division seem to have been ignited with a strong competitive spirit, and they have all reached the required points ahead of schedule! Congratulations to them!"

"Region D is not to be underestimated either! Gym Leaders like Xiaoqian, Xiaochun, and Asi have performed steadily, with the number of participants second only to Region C! The remaining competitors need to step up their game! Time is running out!"

No, I need to calm down!

Bai Zhou forced himself to block out these "interference messages," held his breath, and focused all his attention on the slightest vibration coming from the fishing rod in his hand.

coming!

The super-power clearly indicated that several Pokémon of considerable size, seemingly attracted by the scent of the berries, were approaching his fishing hook from different directions!

He was overjoyed, his muscles tensed slightly, and he prepared to raise the rod.

However, just as those Pokémon were about to touch the berries...

A faint, almost imperceptible aura silently spread across the water.

The Pokémon froze in mid-air!

Forgetting even the food that was in its mouth, it thrashed wildly with its tail and fled in all directions at several times the speed it had come from, without looking back!

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the deep blue sea!

Bai Zhou:

—

The anticipation on his face froze instantly, and his hand holding the fishing rod stood still in mid-air.

A moment later, Bai Zhou slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the seemingly empty seabed below!

This time, he captured it perfectly!

The source of that subtle life force is right there!

And—it seems to be moving? Circling around his fishing hook?!

"Gardevoir! Can you feel it?"

Bai Zhou lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of unbelievable absurdity.

"Is there some big, bored guy down there? Not only is he not taking my bait, but he's also deliberately causing trouble, scaring away all the other fish so I can't catch anything?!"

Gardevoir also stopped smiling, nodded seriously, and her telepathic connection revealed a hint of confusion.

"Yes, Master, there is a very powerful life energy actively repelling Pokémon that approach the bait. Its behavior is strange and contradictory; it neither competes for the bait nor allows others to get close."

"You won't eat it yourself, but you won't allow other Pokémon to eat it either?"

Bai Zhou looked at the still sea and then at the glaring "Fishing Lv.3" on his personal panel, and a nameless anger surged in his heart.

"Outrageous! This is utterly contrary to the natural order!"

He was going to see today which bored big shot was messing with him, the "fisherman"!

He took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.

Conventional methods seem to be out of the question —

Since that's the case, then don't blame him for resorting to "unconventional" methods!

Bai Zhou gritted his teeth and pulled out an "Absolutely Perfect" energy cube from his system space, quickly replacing the "innocent" pomelo on the fishing hook.

The reason he hadn't used this treasured item before was because he was afraid its energy and attraction were too outrageous, too "powerful".

It can easily trigger spying and fighting among all Pokémon on the seabed, causing an uncontrollable chaotic scene.

But now—

If you can't even catch a single fish, why bother with this and that!

He wanted to see if the big guy below could resist the temptation when faced with this "perfect" bait!

Or rather—does it dare to single-handedly stop all the ocean Pokémon attracted by this bait?

With a flick of his wrist, Bai Zhou sent the fishing line, carrying the energy cube that resembled a small sun, back into the sea.

Under the sea.

The purple behemoth, which was making an effort to conduct an extremely casual parade, trying to show off its "guardian" demeanor and "understated" aesthetics, suddenly stopped!

An unprecedented light burst forth from its deep eyes!

Here it comes! He's put out food again!

This time, the ordinary tree fruit on the fishing hook was replaced with a transparent little cube that was indescribably mysterious!

Even though it was separated by a distance and seawater, the pure energy fluctuations and extreme affinity emanating from that small cube made it cheer with joy!

More importantly, this energy is completely from the same source as the aura emanating from that "perfect human"!

Is this... is this the power possessed by that "perfect human"?! It's so alluring! Even it feels an urge to get closer and touch it!

No! Stay calm! Maintain composure!

It used its strong willpower to suppress the instinctive throbbing deep within its heart.

Especially at such crucial moments, it's essential to maintain composure!

The more you do so, the more you should showcase your uniqueness and noble character!

He must be testing me in this way!

It tests whether I will be dominated by pure desire, and whether I possess the self-control and protective heart to match its "perfection"!

Yes, that must be it!

So, after the initial shock, the ugly fish, far from being tempted to lose its mind and pounce, actually—

Parade with even greater effort and elegance!

It releases its carefully regulated pressure to what it considers "just right".

It can physically ensure that no Pokémon in the vicinity dares to disturb this "perfect" gift of tranquility, without appearing too domineering and disturbing his refined enjoyment.

It even felt that its own figure at that moment must be full of profound beauty in the eyes of the other party!

Above the sea.

Bai Zhou's lips began to twitch uncontrollably.

A bead of cold sweat even broke out on his forehead.

The reaction of the big guy below was completely unexpected!

Instead of being lured over by the terrifying allure of the "Absolutely Perfect" energy cube, that guy—

Even more enthusiastic now?!

That guy is now practically a dedicated "underwater security guard," drawing a huge "safe zone" with his fishing hook as the center!

Any Pokémon that dares to show even the slightest curiosity or glance in this direction, regardless of its strength, will be intimidated by its "gentle" aura!

He could even "see" that the guy's swimming trajectory was almost drawing a perfect circle!

Bai Zhou held his forehead, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.

What terrible things did he do to encounter such a strangely intelligent and possessive "food-loving" tyrant while fishing?!

It seems that peaceful fishing is no longer an option.

Bai Zhou sighed, but his eyes gradually sharpened.

It was as if they had made up their minds.

Okay, since you insist on being this "roadblock fish," then don't blame me for not adhering to "fishing ethics."

You forced me to do this!

He calmly gazed at the sea, the super-resistance power within him no longer used for perception, but suddenly transformed its nature.

Like an invisible bridge and catalyst, it extends instantly along the fishing rod and line, and finally silently pours into that "absolutely perfect" energy cube!

The internal structure of the Buzz Energy Cube was subtly activated, and the life fluctuations and allure it emitted instantly rose to an unimaginable level!

This time, it's no longer about "attracting," but rather about "summoning" and "resonating"!

At that very moment!

The fishing float suddenly sank downwards!

It wasn't a test, but a clean and decisive cut!

An unimaginable, terrifying force suddenly surged through the fishing line!

Squeak!

The powerful fishing rod in Bai Zhou's hand was pulled by this tremendous force, and instantly bent into an arc that was almost a full moon!

The rod even groaned under the strain!

"Finally! Finally, they've taken the bait!"

Bai Zhou almost burst into tears of joy. His arm muscles bulged, and the veins stood out like dragons. His ten fingers gripped the fishing rod tightly, which was about to fly away!

His core strength exploded instantly, causing the small boat beneath his feet to tilt!

With a loud shout, he was about to use his skill and technique to pull the deep-sea "giant" that had been tormenting him for so long out of the water and see what kind of creature it was!

but----

His confident tug didn't budge at all!

Instead, an even more ruthless reverse force pulled him forward, nearly causing him to fall headfirst into the sea!

The fishing line on the reel was pulled out wildly, so fast that it created a wisp of pungent white smoke from the friction against the spool!

It looks like the spool is about to be emptied out!