Elf: I have a secret realm of emerald green.

Xia Shen asked curiously, "What's wrong? Who did you lose to?"

Zhou Yuanyuan didn't really want to talk, and Lin Weiyu said helplessly, "We were matched with Zhang Ziheng and his Scyther, but we couldn't beat them."

Xia Shen comforted him, "What's the big deal? How can a pure Ground-type fight a Scyther? We won't laugh at you. Don't worry, I didn't take your previous statement, 'I'm evenly matched with him,' seriously at all."

Zhou Yuanyuan: "......"

Yan Yan rolled her eyes at Xia Shen. Who comforts people like that?

So she comforted him, saying, "It's okay, we're not too surprised that you lost to him."

Zhou Yuanyuan: "......"

You two are truly the best of the best in the world of comforting others!

Yan Yan pondered her words and realized there seemed to be something odd about them, so she shut up.

Zhou Yuanyuan was numb after being betrayed by her best friend.

Lin Weiyu patted Zhou Yuanyuan on the shoulder, "Alright, we only need to win one game tomorrow to advance to the main competition, so cheer up!"

While it's not exactly inspiring, compared to the previous two, this is practically a bowl of delicious chicken soup for the soul.

Zhou Yuanyuan nodded, forcing a smile; at least she wasn't frowning anymore.

"Come on, Yu-ge, I'll treat you to dinner!" Standing up, Zhou Yuanyuan took back the Poké Ball, grabbed Lin Weiyu, and left.

He glanced back at Xia Shen and Yan Yan, then said, "As for you two, go find somewhere cool to stay!"

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Xia Shen curled her lip. "It's only a little past two o'clock, what's the point of eating? If you want to be alone with Lin Weiyu, just say so. Why make up such a lame excuse?"

Turning to the silent girl beside him, Xia Shen asked, "What should we say?"

"Training..." was still as concise as ever.

So, the two, who had just finished their match, went to the Dragon Dance Training Hall.

It highlights the principle that hard work pays off.

…………

They were still using Yan Yan's luxurious training room, where Xia Shen's Gible was practicing Meteor Shower and Flame Fang with his junior.

Xia Shen and Yan Yan chatted about the afternoon's match.

"You watched my last match, right? Can you help me analyze it?" Yan Yan wanted Xia Shen to help her review the match.

Xia Shen thought for a moment, organized his thoughts, and praised, "I watched it. The command was excellent, the tactics were ingenious, and the fighting style was sharp. My assessment is that he has the potential to be a king!"

Yan Yan stared at Xia Shen expressionlessly, making him feel a little uneasy.

"Okay, okay, I'll explain properly." Xia Shen coughed twice and said, "Actually, I was just exaggerating a bit. You played really well! I couldn't have done any better."

Yan Yan nodded with a hint of doubt, seemingly unsure whether it was the truth or encouragement.

……

Xia Shen suddenly thought of her older sister, the genius trainer who always exuded confidence and shone brightly on the battlefield.

Perhaps the phrases a young girl hears most often from childhood are things like "Yan Yu's younger sister" or "she has a genius older sister"...

Thinking of this, he whispered again, "Be confident, Yan Yan. You are not anyone's shadow..."

Not far away, Gible was training hard with its senior, and after successfully using Fire Fang, it excitedly gnawed on Xia Shen's Gible's head.

Yan Yan stared blankly at that spot, lost in thought.

After a long silence, she whispered, "Thank you..."

Xia Shen pretended not to hear, "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly."

Yan Yan took a deep breath, leaned close to Xia Shen's ear, and shouted, "I said, Xia Shen, thank you!"

The sudden noise startled him, and he quickly moved away. "Why are you yelling so loudly? Are you some kind of vocal freak?!"

Yan Yan suddenly smiled, her delicate but expressionless face blossoming into a smile, like a plum blossom blooming in the snow.

Xia Shen smiled silently. Sure enough, this is how a young girl should be.

(Thank you so much for the generous donation from Dreamy Musician! It's too much of a waste of your money. I'm so grateful!)

I tried writing a little bit of the romance between the male and female leads, just as a spice.

If you don't like it, please let me know here. If there are too many people who don't like it, I won't write it anymore!

## Chapter Thirty-Four: The Academic Clique in the World of Elf Research (Please Read On)

Since Zhou Yuanyuan only had one match the next day, Xia Shen and the others didn't go to watch it.

Today, Xia Shen will take a crucial step since entering the Xicui Secret Realm: crossing Tianguan Mountain!

He didn't know how long it would take to climb the mountain, but collecting illustrations along the way would also strengthen his body, so it wasn't a waste of time.

Before them lay towering mountains, and behind them, a vast expanse of snow. Xia took a deep breath and said to the Gible and Zoroa beside him, "Let's go, it's time to leave your homeland!"

Wait a minute, Xia Shen suddenly remembered that he seemed to have told Leader Zoroark that he wanted to bring Zoroark back to him for a look...

Forget it, I'll wait until Gible evolves into Garchomp before flying back.

I'm not Ash, that heartless man who made Pidgeot wait anxiously in the forest for twenty-three years, and then made Greninja chop down trees in Kalos for seven years.

In two years at most, Gible should evolve into Garchomp.

Thinking of this, Xia Shen patted the little shark's head and sighed, "Keep it up, Gible! Don't keep Zoroa's father waiting too long!"

The gible tilted its head and stared blankly at Xia Shen, "Huh?"

…………

As the saying goes, Wangshan runs to death.

Xia Shen had thought he could cross Tianguan Mountain in a few days before setting off, but by the end of his exploration, he had barely reached the foot of the northern slope of Tianguan Mountain...

All the Pokémon I encountered on the way were ones that I had collected in my Pokédex.

In other words, today was purely for physical exercise.

With a helpless sigh, Xia Shen packed up and prepared to take Gible and Zoroa out.

Sunday was the day Xia Shen and Zhou Keke had agreed upon; as usual, they were going to take the little ones to have a check-up with the pretty lady.

Xia Shen arrived at Zhou Keke's door with practiced ease and rang the doorbell.

Unexpectedly, it wasn't Absolute who opened the door, but the aloof Gardevoir.

Zhou Keke's Gardevoir was larger than the average Gardevoir, and even slightly taller than Xia Shen, who was 1.8 meters tall.

She was tall and slender, as if she were wearing an elegant white evening gown.

"Good morning." Xia Shen greeted her with a smile. "Can I come in now?" Gardevoir then withdrew her... look of disdain and made way for her to enter.

After changing into slippers, Xia Shen found Zhou Keke at the computer desk in the living room.

She seemed to have just gotten up, sitting in a chair wearing loose pajamas, looking unkempt.

"You're here? Please make yourself at home." Zhou Keke greeted the guests as they entered, then focused her attention back on the computer in front of her.

He muttered to himself, "This shouldn't be... how can this data be so abnormal?"

Is she just awake or still asleep...? Xia Shen didn't dare to disturb her and quietly sat on the sofa, but woke up Sylveon, who was sleeping next to her.

She nimbly jumped a few times, then lay down on Zhou Keke's lap and continued sleeping.

Xia Shen: "......"

Am I really that annoying...?

At this moment, the attendant brought a plate of tea and pastries to the living room, offering the two guests the most attentive service.

Before leaving, she bowed slightly to Xia Shen, perfectly embodying the etiquette of a maid.

I still prefer the servants; the other two, although they look cute, have such terrible personalities.

Seeing that Zhou Keke showed no signs of stopping, Xia Shen had no choice but to pet Zoroa to relieve his boredom.

After many days of practice, his massage techniques are now very skilled, and the little fox purrs comfortably.

Gible looked at Xia Shen with resentment, as if he were a heartless man.

Xia Shen looked at him speechlessly, "Don't look at me like that. If I were to stroke you like that, my hands would probably peel off a layer of skin..."

After all, rough skin is no joke.

…………

When the black tea had cooled slightly, Zhou Keke finally lifted her head from behind the computer.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long." Zhou Keke smiled apologetically and sat down next to Xia Shen with Sylveon in her arms.

Xia Shen shook her head. "It's nothing. But you, did you just wake up or not sleep at all?"

Zhou Keke complained, "I just woke up and haven't even had breakfast. I need to quickly process the data from a project I did last night. My supervisor is pressuring me for it, it's so annoying!"

Xia Shen remained silent. Could undergraduate students in the Pokémon Breeding Department really enjoy the same treatment as graduate students in his previous life?

I wonder if there are any academic cliques, academic fraud, or low-quality papers in the Pokémon research community...

……

Seeing that his master had finished his work, the servant promptly brought breakfast to the table.

Gardevoir and Sylveon were sitting upright in their chairs, waiting for their owner to come and start the meal.

"Have you had breakfast? Would you like to grab something together?" Zhou Keke asked as she walked over, yawning.

Just as Xia Shen was about to refuse, he saw Gible looking up at him expectantly.

He shook his head helplessly, "...Alright, go eat some more."

So the little shark happily ran over with its short legs and joined the rice-eating team.

------

"Height 1.12m, weight 32.5kg..."

After the meal, Zhou Keke was giving the gible a check-up. "Come on, open your mouth and let me see your teeth."