Bottom-tier trainers in the Pokémon world

A simple dinner will suffice.

Xia Yan put away his Pokémon and returned to the "Challenger Bar" once again.

The bartender recognized him immediately and gestured towards VIP room number one, indicating that he should go in by himself.

Xia Yan was very curious about the bartender and what role he played in organizing such a party.

"Young man, you've finally arrived."

As soon as he entered the private room, Old Bill greeted him warmly.

Xia Yan moved aside, avoiding Old Bill's seemingly friendly embrace.

Old Bill, being a shrewd man, naturally wouldn't show any embarrassment. He continued with a smile, "If you hadn't come soon, the person who entrusted you with this task would have been getting impatient."

"I've been talking about it for a week, and now there are only a few hours left."

After standing still, Xia Yan said something indifferently.

He always maintained a high level of vigilance towards Old Bill, who seemed like a friendly old man next door but was actually spying on his surroundings with Gastly.

"Yes." Old Bill seemed oblivious to Xia Yan's wariness. He took a few steps, supporting his back. "This man is old, and his legs aren't very nimble. Young man, you go ahead yourself. I'll continue waiting here for others."

Xia Yan nodded, took out the Ditto Mask, and walked alone into the dimly lit passage.

Watching Xia Yan gradually disappear into the darkness, Old Bill smacked his lips.

"It looks like he really got his hands on the Dragonfire Fruit. It's extremely rare in Golden City right now."

He was well-informed and knew very well the current market price of dragon fruit in the entire Golden City.

That's truly a case of "high price but no market," not because it's expensive, but because you can't buy it.

Xia Yan came to the wooden door again and knocked on it with the same rhythm that Old Bill had used to knock on it last time.

The same Night Patrol Spirit opened the door, checked Xia Yan, and then let him in.

It's the same familiar room.

The “trainer” sat upright on his single sofa, while many others were already there quietly waiting for the party to begin.

The number of people was slightly larger than last time, and quite a few people who did not attend the last gathering also showed up.

After glancing around, Xia Yan silently leaned back in his usual spot.

"That wine-drinking little monk doesn't seem to be here today?"

Chapter Twenty: More Money Required

After a few minutes, and confirming that no one else would be joining anytime soon, the "mentor" who was hosting the gathering spoke up:

"There should be no one left, let's begin."

After a brief silence following his words, one of them spoke up rather impatiently:

"Has the person I mentioned last time who could find the Dragonfire Fruit arrived yet? Today is the last day of the week."

Because everyone at the party was wearing a mask and a black robe, he didn't know if Xia Yan was there.

"Ha—Dragon fruit? Do you know how scarce dragon fruit is in Golden City right now?"

Some people couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks.

“Indeed, and because the wild Pokémon around Goldenrod City have become too restless, it’s not easy to go out and loot now,” someone else chimed in.

The recent changes in Goldenrod City have significantly reduced the income of many ordinary trainers who rely on exploring the wild to find valuable items or catching Pokémon to sell.

Furthermore, the price of elves on the black market is also rising continuously, while the prices of all goods are rising uncontrollably.

Upon hearing their words, the gaunt man who needed the Dragonfire Fruit looked extremely unpleasant, his face hidden behind his mask.

It wasn't that he cared about the 30,000 Alliance Coins deposit he had given Xia Yan in advance; it was just that Dragonfire Fruit was a material he desperately needed right now.

At this time.

Xia Yan, leaning against the wall, spoke up, "I brought the Dragonfire Fruit; its quality is definitely top-tier."

As soon as he spoke, everyone in the room turned their attention to him.

Has someone actually managed to get their hands on dragon fruit?

Upon hearing this, the gaunt man suddenly stood up.

Before he could speak, Xia Yan said, "But you know the current market price of Dragonfire Fruit and the situation in Golden City. I almost couldn't come back because of this, so... I have to pay more."

This is tantamount to demanding a higher price on the spot.

But he didn't care. He had a general understanding of the market price of dragon fruit in Golden City, and it was known that it would be snapped up as soon as it appeared.

He wasn't worried about not being able to sell them.

“You.” The gaunt man’s eyes widened.

Xia Yan's calm demeanor with his arms crossed made him unable to muster any anger.

Last-minute price increases are all too common at parties like this.

Since they don't know each other and have no friendly relationship, prices will fluctuate, and they will be whatever prices are.

Xia Yan, who was short of money, was not one to suffer losses.

"Hey bro, if he doesn't want it, you can sell me the Dragonfire Fruit, and you set the price."

"I also want!"

The assists from the others illustrated what it truly means to have something that is valuable but unavailable.

The gaunt man gritted his teeth and quickly said, "Okay! How much more?"

“Fifty thousand,” Xia Yan said slowly.

"Okay, let's trade immediately!" The gaunt man secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it was only 50,000. He was really afraid that Xia Yan would ask for an exorbitant amount, in which case he would have to think it over carefully. 50,000 was just within his acceptable range.

Xia Yan shrugged, took out two Dragonfire Fruits and handed them to the "breeder," and at the same time received Master Suzuki's notes, plus 70,000 Alliance Coins.

He knew his limits; the price was roughly what he had calculated the skinny man's expected price.

After all, money is important, but the most important thing is Master Suzuki's training manual.

After receiving the notes, I flipped through a few pages.

"No need to check anymore. The 'cultivator' has verified that this is Master Suzuki's notebook." The gaunt man, who had received two Dragonfire Fruits, felt much less resentful and couldn't help but say.

"it is true."

The "trainer" nodded in response.

Xia Yan didn't say anything, but still flipped through a few pages.

What others say is ultimately just what they say; only what you yourself confirm is true.

After confirming it, Xia Yan quietly put it away.

He systematically studied the knowledge of breeders, and Master Suzuki was one of the people he had always followed. He also had a certain ability to judge whether something was made by Master Suzuki.

His actions did not offend the "breeders"; on the contrary, they nodded slightly in appreciation.

Such a gathering is practically without any guarantee of safety, so caution is essential.

Xia Yan's behavior demonstrates his high level of vigilance, a necessary quality for an excellent trainer.

A commission has been completed.

Those who did not receive the Dragonfire Fruit felt a little regretful.

These kinds of things can be easily sold for a lot of money in the gold market right now. If you find something in high demand, it's not a dream to raise the price on the spot.

Xia Yan still had dragon fruit, but after learning about the overall market situation of dragon fruit in Golden City, he became less willing to sell it openly and did not want others to know that he still had stock.

Although such gatherings are relatively private, there are still people who know his identity. It's too dangerous and unreliable.

He chose a slow and steady approach.

The party continued.

Intermittently, several more transactions were completed by various individuals, witnessed by the "mentors".

At that moment, a man wearing a clown mask stepped forward.

"I have something here. I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely not ordinary. Anyone or any elf who comes into direct contact with it will be poisoned."

As he spoke, the person wearing rubber gloves presented a palm-sized, dark, muddy object that shimmered with tiny crystals.

Xia Yan narrowed his eyes upon seeing this item.

The "trainer" sitting on the single sofa sat up straight without making a sound.

As the item appeared, a strong, foul stench slowly filled the room.

"What is this? It stinks!" someone complained.

"Poisoning? Could this be black sludge?" Of course, some people speculated.

Unconsciously, everyone's eyes fell on the "trainer".

The "trainer" smiled faintly. "The appraisal fee is five thousand. Do you need it?"

Five thousand? For the appraisal fee?

Is this the profit that "trainers" gain from it?

"This money is so easy to make..." Xia Yan thought to himself.

However, identifying this thing is not something that can be done with just a few words; it requires a lot of knowledge.

The fact that this "trainer" can hold such gatherings for an extended period of time undoubtedly demonstrates his extensive knowledge and the reliability of his assessment results.

The clown hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Okay."

If it really is black silt, then the 5,000 yuan appraisal fee is well worth it.

After accepting the 5,000 Alliance Coins in cash, the "breeder" chuckled and said, "This isn't black sludge."

Upon hearing this, most of the people in the room immediately lost interest.