Elf: Seriously? You only get a cheat code when you're about to die?

Chapter 118 Doubanjiang with Braised Fish

The reward that the system just gave is most worthwhile if used on the Pokémon with the lowest Individual Value (IV), which Ange has already received once before.

He reviewed the data of his apprentice and several Pokémon one by one. He didn't mention Komamura and Metagross, as he couldn't see their IVs. Diancie's IVs were already at their maximum.

The remaining Pokémon are Snorlax, Lizard, Haunter, and Brutus.

Of these four Pokémon, except for Munchlax, all three have IVs above 20, meaning that using this reward is completely not worthwhile.

Munchlax has the lowest Special Defense IV at only 10, so using the reward on it is the most worthwhile.

Without much thought, Anjie opened Munchlax's panel and used the reward on its Special Defense.

The current stats for Munchlax are as follows.

Snorlax (Evolution Stone)

[Attribute] General

【Characteristics】Thick fat

[Gender] Male

[Level] 46

【Skills】 Impact, Lick, Round, Recycle, Craving, Bite, Charge, Swallow, Mount Tai Press, Throw, Instant Amnesia, Slam, Act Cute, Seed Bomb, Break Tiles, Double Payback, Freeze Fist, Lightning Fist, Flame Fist.

Individual Value

Blood volume: 31

Attack: 29

Physical defense: 20

Special Attack: 31

Special Defense: 31

Speed: 31

Looking at Munchlax's current stats, Ange was extremely satisfied; perfect IVs were just around the corner!

With a delighted expression, An Jie put a jar of fermented soybean paste into her system inventory, then hummed a little tune as she left the warehouse.

On his way back, he encountered a foam squirrel and an electric frilled lizard cleaning the house.

That's right, it's the Electric Frill. A month ago, after obtaining the Sun Stone, Ange discussed its evolution with the Electric Frill. The Electric Frill was very willing to evolve, so Ange gave it the Sun Stone.

With the help of the Sun Stone, it successfully evolved into the Electric Frill.

Anjac greeted the two Pokémon, "Good afternoon, Foam Squirrel and Electric Frill."

"Rami~ Rami~"

"Aili~ Aili~"

Both Pokémon greeted Ange at the same time.

After Anjie left, the photoelectric frilled lizard asked the foam squirrel, "Hey~ hey~" Anjie seems to be in a good mood. Did something good happen today?

"Rami~ Rami~"

The foam squirrel shook its head.

"Well, it's good that Ange is in a good mood!" both Pokémon thought at the same time.

Immediately, the two Pokémon imitated Ange, singing and cleaning at the same time, filling the first floor of the secret fortress with cheerful sounds.

When Anjie returned home, the little Munchlax and the others had almost finished their lunch, and a fragrant aroma wafted from the kitchen.

Anjie went into the kitchen, took out the large jar of fermented soybean paste, and then took out several small jars, which she then divided the fermented soybean paste into the small jars.

After dividing it into smaller portions, he put some into his system inventory, stored the other portion in the kitchen refrigerator, and finally placed one can on the stove, saying to the little Snorlax who was cooking:

"Little Snorlax, let's use this fermented soybean paste to make your favorite braised fish again. We'll have braised fish for lunch!"

"Gang~ Gang~" loves braised fish!

Upon hearing this, the little Snorlax's eyes immediately lit up.

"Gauss~ Gauss~"

Upon hearing this, Gastly immediately took a prepared grass carp from the refrigerator and flew over.

This grass carp was a wild fish that Mosquito Coil Guy caught in Lake Nibel.

After handing the fish to Munchlax, Gastly took over the dish that Munchlax had half-cooked and continued cooking it, freeing Munchlax's hands to make braised fish.

"Gang~ Gang~"

The little Snorlax squinted and patted its junior sister to express its gratitude. Then it carried the fish to the cutting board and deftly made a few cuts on both sides of the grass carp to make it easier to braise and absorb the flavor.

After setting the prepared fish aside, it brought out the seasonings needed for braised fish: ginger, garlic, scallions, cooking wine, rock salt, sugar, oyster sauce, starch, and so on.

Next, marinate the fish with cooking wine and rock salt.

After marinating the fish, Snorlax chopped ginger, scallions, and garlic, then poured oil into a pan and heated it up before frying the marinated fish over low heat.

Flip the pancakes gently during frying to ensure both sides are cooked through, until they turn golden brown.

Next, add the chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic to the pot, along with cooking wine, rock salt, sugar, oyster sauce, and the fermented bean paste that the chef just gave me.

The sizzling sound, accompanied by a rich aroma, spread throughout the kitchen.

Finally, add water, then cover the pot and simmer over low heat to allow the fish to fully absorb the broth.

Glug glug~~~

The fish soup in the pot was boiling, and a rich aroma wafted out with the steam, causing the little Snorlax to sniff incessantly.

Why does the braised fish smell so good today?

Anjie stood quietly at the kitchen door, watching with a smile as Snorlax skillfully prepared a pot of braised fish, a sense of pride welling up inside her.

These are the students I've trained!

At this moment, the lizard and Haunter also looked over because of the aroma emanating from the braised fish.

"Chirp~ Chirp~" Something seems different about today's braised fish.

The lizard couldn't help but say.

"Gauss~ Gauss~"

Gastly nodded in agreement.

Anjie smiled and pointed to the fermented soybean paste on the stove, "The difference in braised fish is all because of this jar of fermented soybean paste."

All three apprentices looked at Doubanjiang in surprise.

Anjie continued, "You'll experience its benefits once you try it."

Hearing Ange say this, the three Pokémon couldn't help but show their anticipation.

Just then, Bubo appeared at the kitchen doorway, hugged Anjie's leg, and looked into the kitchen.

"Bu~ Bu~" What are we eating today? It smells so good!

Diancie, carrying two silken spiders in her pocket and a half-finished pillowcase in her hand, came over. "Lunch today tastes especially delicious! Am I in for a treat?"

Two small round silk spiders poked their heads out of the backpack and waved their little yellow claws in agreement with Diancie's words.

"We're really in for a treat today!" Anjie said with a smile.

Soon, all the broth from the braised fish was absorbed by the fish meat. Snorlax deftly took it out of the pot, thickened it with cornstarch, and poured it onto the plate, making the aroma even more intense.

Bubbles stared intently at the plate in Munchlax's hand, swallowing hard.

After the braised fish was cooked, lunch was almost ready. Angie and Tianxi helped bring the food to the table, and then the family of eight (plus Tianxi's two round spiders) sat around the table to eat.

Hmph~~

Bu Bo stretched out his head and sniffed intensely, then eagerly reached for his chopsticks, only to have them slapped away by An Jie.

He said sternly, "Brother Bu, how many times have I told you? When we eat together, we need to pay attention to table manners."

Angel doesn't have many rules about how other Pokémon eat, but she always reminds Bulbasaur because it's too impatient and often steals food.

Bubo held his chopsticks, pouting, looking aggrieved.

"Okay!"

Anjie withdrew her gaze from it, then smiled and said, "Lunch today was made by Snorlax, Lizard, and Gastly. Thank you for your hard work."

Diancie: "Thank you for your hard work!"

Metagross: "Meta~" Good job!

Diancie and Metagross also spoke in unison to the three Pokémon.

"Gah~" The little Snorlax scratched its head sheepishly.

"Chirp~" You're welcome, I'm the best!

The lizard winked at everyone and gave itself a thumbs-up.

"Gauss~ Gauss~" Gastly looked shy, but its eyes revealed joy. Every time it ate with everyone like this, it could deeply feel that it was a member of this family.

"Then let's get started!"

As soon as Anjie finished speaking, everyone eagerly started eating.

Surprisingly, everyone's (Pokémon's) chopsticks immediately reached for the plate of braised fish.

Everyone looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Anjie said, "It seems we're on the same wavelength."

Bubo finally got to eat braised fish as he wished. The moment the fish entered his mouth, its delicate and tender texture and the rich and savory sauce blended together, creating a flavor that was like a symphony playing in his mouth.

Forgive this little foodie, Bubo, for simply being unable to describe the deliciousness in words.

too delicious!

And after the braised fish entered its stomach, it could feel a strange power slowly flowing through its body, a feeling like... after a morning run, Anjie would massage its sore body.

Comfortable!

Other Pokémon, including Ange, also showed expressions of enjoyment, just like Bupport.

"Is it delicious?" Anjie asked everyone with a smile.

The Pokémon all nodded.

Anjie: "It's delicious, that's all that matters. It was worth waiting more than a month to make this fermented bean paste."

In the end, the braised fish was completely devoured, and even the broth was eaten by the little Munchlax soaking its rice.

After lunch, Tianxi sat in front of her house, basking in the sun while continuing to weave the pillowcase she hadn't finished, with two round spiders quietly lying beside her.

Metagross went back to its room to prepare lessons for its students. Even so, it could still distract itself and control Robert 2 to do housework, such as washing dishes, wiping tables, and sweeping the floor. It was capable of everything.

With Robert 2 around, Tianxi is much more relaxed than usual.

The tree-pillow koala went out right after finishing its meal, and nobody knows where it went.

The playful Bubo ran off to the grasslands and ran wild.

Meanwhile, Anjax arrived at the lakeside with its three apprentices: Munchlax, Ember Spirit, and Gastly. Munchlax and Ember Spirit each carried a bamboo basket on their backs.

They came to pick herbs from the water's edge to make fish food.

So much time has passed, and the waterside herb seeds that Diancie and the lizard had scattered earlier have long since grown lush and green by the lake, looking quite pleasing.

Today is their first time coming to collect samples.

After placing the bamboo basket on the ground, the Snorlax and the Ember Spirit immediately reached out and began picking.

Anjie reminded him, "Just pick the tender leaves, don't pick the old ones." As he spoke, he bent down and started picking.

The roots of water hyacinths grow in water and are covered with white roots, which they use to draw nutrients from the water.

The newly sprouted tips at the top of the plant are very tender, and that's what Anjie and his team are going to pick.

"Gang~"

"Chirp~"

Snorlax and Lizard responded to Ange as they picked the fruit.

Gastly flew above the lake, its eyes gleaming with a ghostly blue light. In an instant, it plucked the tip of a waterside herb with incredible efficiency.

Seeing this, Anjie praised it, saying, "Ghost, amazing!"

"Chirp~ Chirp~" Junior sister, so cool!

The lizard looked up and gave Gastly a thumbs-up in praise.

"Gauss~ Gauss~"

Gastly smiled shyly and picked the fruit even faster.

"Upo~ Upo~"

As the four of them were picking herbs, two little heads suddenly popped out from the grassy bushes by the water, rolling around in the grass and greeting Anjie and the others.

"Oh, it's Woopoo!" Angela replied with a smile to the two Pokémon. "Thanks for taking care of Water Vanilla!"

Water hyacinths need very high-quality water to grow. Although Lake Nibel's water quality was already very good, Angel asked Upo to take care of them just in case.

Sure enough, after the Ubos took care of it for a while, the waterside herbs grew even more vigorously.

Woop and their evolved form, Swamp King, have the ability to purify water. The water they inhabit becomes very clear, and some of it is even drinkable.

"Upo~"

"Upo~"

Two black wolves lay on the waterside herbs, their tails slapping the water's surface rapidly. Then, each carrying a tender tip of a waterside herb, they quickly ran to Anjie's side and placed the tender tip in Anjie's palm.

"Would you like to help with the picking too?" Anjie asked with a smile.

"Upo~"

"Upo~"

The two black wolves nodded with smiling faces, then turned and ran to a place a little further away from the lake shore to continue picking. They were small and light, so they could freely step on the waterside herbs to reach further places.

As time went by, the parts near the shore were harvested, and the lizards jumped into the water and swam to pick more in more distant places, with two black lizards following closely behind.

Gastly can fly, so it can go wherever it wants to gather resources without any restrictions, while only Angel and Munchlax stand on the shore, staring blankly.

Seeing how hard the Mudlizard and Upo were picking, the little Snorlax was about to jump into the water, but Anja quickly pulled it back.

"Don't!"

"Just?"

The little Snorlax looked puzzled.

Anjie laughed and said, "Let them pick them. We can just wait. There aren't many left anyway. You got soaked after jumping into the water, and it won't be easy for you to dry off."

"Gang~"

The little Snorlax grinned sheepishly, scratched its head, and nodded in agreement.

The master and apprentice no longer needed to pick the herbs; they simply arranged the waterside herbs that Gastly and the others had gathered on the shore and put them into their baskets.

As time passed and evening gradually approached, Anjie saw that she had picked enough, so she called out into the distance:

"Alright, Gastly, Wooper, and Slime, let's go home!"

"Gauss~"

"Upo~"

"Upo~"

"Chirp~"

The four Pokémon responded to Ange's call. Gastly flashed back to the shore in the blink of an eye, Lizard plunged into the water and swam quickly from underwater to the shore, while the two Woops nimbly trotted across the water's edge, stepping on the herbs along the shore to reach the land.

Anjax and Munchlax each carried a basket on their backs, and then led their Pokémon home as the sun set.

The Pokémon, having worked all day, were now finishing up for the day.

The butterflies flew out from the orchard, heading home towards the setting sun. Below, Bricaron, along with Fatty Harley, Carnivora, and Dumbbell, chatted and laughed, seemingly discussing something amusing. The Dumbbells waved their vine whips and laughed heartily.

Meanwhile, at the fishing grounds, Mosquito King, along with Mosquito Tadpole, Mosquito Guy, Mosquito Swimmer, Marill, and Lulili, jumped into the water one after another, and then entered the water inlet pipes on the fifth floor of the secret fortress from underwater.

Sliding downstream with the current, they squealed as they splashed into the fifth-level pool. Then, from the fifth level came the cheerful chatter of the mosquito tadpoles as they laughed and scurried ashore, gently shaking off the water droplets.

On the lakeshore, the blue crocodile herded several large, white, fat pigs out of the water, squealing loudly as it followed them back to their pen.

The fat pigs, used to being wild, weren't so obedient. When the blue crocodile told them to go east, they insisted on going west. An angry blue crocodile opened its mouth and spat out a jet of water next to the fat pigs, creating a crater in the ground. This finally made the fat pigs behave and obediently let the blue crocodile put them into the pigpen.

The Four Seasons Deer and the Digger Rabbit were in front and behind, respectively, with their flock of chickens in the middle.

Unlike the fluffy chicks when they were first raised, the chickens now have full plumage and have learned to flap their wings and jump around. At the slightest noise, they run around in all directions.

These chickens used to cause a lot of trouble for the Four Seasons Deer and the Digging Rabbit, but after dealing with them for a long time, the Four Seasons Deer developed its own methods for dealing with them.

Sure enough, a few chickens started acting up again, their eyes darting around, probably plotting something wicked.

Just then, the flower on the Four Seasons Deer's head suddenly emitted a fragrant aroma. Upon smelling the fragrance, the chickens, as if drunk, followed the Four Seasons Deer obediently.

The Four Seasons Deer has recently learned aromatherapy as a technique.

One of the little hens following behind the flock was so engrossed in the fragrance of the flowers that it forgot to walk. At that moment, Digger Rabbit walked up and slapped it, and it finally caught up with the group in a daze.

Attracted by the aromatherapy, the chickens entered the coop without any trouble.

Just as the chickens returned, Patch Liz and Curly Ears followed one after the other.

Patchlitz stood atop a sheep's head, head held high, its large tail swaying back and forth, like a victorious general. The sheep were incredibly obedient in its presence.

I've been shocked too many times.

"Liz~"

It waved forward and gave a command, and several sheep obediently entered the sheepfold.

After the sheep entered the pen, Patchlitz leaped from the sheep's head onto the fence, striking a cool pose, looking incredibly dashing.

"Hobi~"

Digging Rabbit immediately clapped enthusiastically.

"Yo"

The four-season deer also jumped and cheered for it.

Pachlitz became even more smug, puffing out his chest and strutting back and forth on the railing, showing off his style.

Unfortunately, it suddenly lost its footing and fell off the railing, landing face-first on the ground.

The clapping of the jujube rabbit stopped abruptly.

The cheers of the Four Seasons Deer suddenly ceased.

Bunny and Deerclops looked at Pachirisu, who, with mud in its mouth, looked up at Bunny and Deerclops. All three Pokémon looked embarrassed.

Just then, Curly-eared returned riding on the back of a cow, looking at the three Pokémon with a puzzled expression.

"Miru~" What are you doing?

Patchlitz scrambled to his feet and dashed away.

"Liz~" Didn't do anything!!

Its sound came from afar.

Curly Ears didn't ask any more questions and drove the two cows, which had grown much bigger, into the cowshed.

It eventually learned electric skills from Patchlitz, and now the two bulls are incredibly obedient in front of it.

(End of this chapter)