I opened a restaurant in the Pokémon world.

But it's clear that no Pokémon here knows what's wrong with Zoroark.

Seeing that her companion still lacked motivation, Zoroark's eyes lit up. She suddenly had a good idea. Although Farfetch'd wasn't interested, Zoroark knew some of Charmeleon's interests and hobbies. So, in Zoroark's opinion, Charmeleon was the most suitable to tease.

"Fire, you didn't do very well today. If it were me, I could have handled it much more easily~" Zoroark used a provocation!

"Really?" Charmeleon put down the dumbbell in its hand and looked at Zoroark. It didn't quite understand why Zoroark was holding an umbrella here.

"I'll show you what the boss's strength is!" Zoroark dropped the umbrella in his hand, then stroked the fur on his head with his paws before charging forward.

In the midst of the chaos, Farfetch'd was accidentally punched, and then Farfetch'd angrily charged into the battlefield, while Snorlax was also awakened, and so a chaotic battle began.

……

"...So, in order to dominate Kanto and stand at the top of Kanto, you all ended up fighting each other?" Heath pinched his brow, looking at the Pokémon sitting obediently in front of him, and felt a little tired.

"To be precise, Zoroark, you got all hot-blooded again?" Hiss looked at Zoroark with a wry smile. Fortunately, these little guys only sparred with each other a few times and didn't go too far. Moreover, according to them, after fighting for five minutes, they decided to decide the winner by using Pokémon Iron Fist. As a result, they ended up fighting all night long.

This relieved Heath. If he had really gone all out, Heath would definitely have punished Zoroark, but since it turned into him staying up all night playing games...

“Zoroark, our team doesn’t need any leader. We’re all comrades, so this time I’m deducting a month’s salary from your pay. I hope you can change your personality.” Hiss glared at Zoroark, who, after waking up in the morning, realized how foolish he had been yesterday, obediently nodded, not daring to contradict Hiss.

Hiss looked at Zoroark and shook his head helplessly. This little guy was like a child who hadn't grown up. But it seems that all Pokémon are like that. Only Pokémon that live a long time and Psychic-type Pokémon are relatively mature. Other Pokémon are like children. No wonder they said when they were learning Pokémon school that it is best to start training with children, because children do have a lot of room to communicate with each other.

However, the penalty of deducting wages was quite severe for Zoroark, so Hiss patted Zoroark's head, hoping that the little guy could mature soon. Otherwise, it was really a headache to see him so childish even after evolving.

"You guys go to sleep. I'll take care of the guests today." Heath looked at the little ones who had played until after 5 a.m. and smiled helplessly. It seemed that he would have to take care of the guests himself today.

"Looks like I'll have to be more careful when buying novels for Zoroark in the future." Heath stretched and then drove his food truck toward the market. But as he drove, Heath suddenly noticed something: he didn't see Mew today.

Heath scratched his head. Heath had gotten used to Dream appearing at his place early every morning and waiting to brush his teeth and wash his face with him, but now that Dream was suddenly not coming, Heath was really not used to it.

"That little guy has probably run off to play again." Heath yawned. Pokémon like Mew do often roam around the world, so it's not surprising that it hasn't appeared here.

Heath scratched his head. He planned to cook some ordinary home-style dishes today, but he needed to buy some pork and some beef. When he thought of beef, he thought of a very famous beef product from his previous life.

"Peeing beef balls," a beef product that Stephen Chow brought back to life in "The God of Cookery," still tastes quite good. Moreover, there are many kinds of beef balls in China, such as the beef balls from the Chaoshan region, which are also very famous.

Moreover, beef balls can be eaten not only as a side dish, but also as a snack.

Chapter 481 Beef Tendon Balls

After buying the ingredients he needed for the day, Heath returned to his food cart. There are several ways to make beef balls. One of the simpler methods is to grind the beef into minced meat using a meatball maker and then use the minced beef to make the meatballs. However, Heath was also interested in the method used in the movie "The God of Cookery," so he decided to give it a try.

This job would be perfect for Farfetch'd or Charmeleon. Farfetch'd could get some arm strength training and learn about the mechanical aspects of a chef's job, which is important because every job has its fun and tedium. For example, many people might think playing games every day is fun, but for those who treat gaming as a job, it's not fun at all, but rather quite boring and tedious.

The same applies to chefs; some of their work is procedural and repetitive, but chefs have no choice but to do it.

As for giving it to Charmeleon, it's simply because Charmeleon likes to exercise, and it certainly wouldn't mind training itself by beating beef.

But now these little rascals are playing games all night to decide who's boss. Heath is so eager to find a guy like Jack to show them just how brave they are, but looking at the tired Pokémon, Heath sighed and decided he had to do it himself.

There are many ways to make beef balls, and "pissing beef balls" are one type. However, Heath is not planning to make "pissing beef balls" this time, but rather Chaoshan-style beef tendon balls.

The preparation methods for Chaoshan beef balls and beef tendon balls are actually quite similar. The only difference is that beef tendon balls require the addition of some beef tendon, which makes them more chewy and springy. However, Chaoshan beef balls are actually divided into two categories: one is purely handmade beef balls, and the other is machine-made beef balls. These two may seem to have little difference, but in reality, the differences are quite significant.

Chaoshan beef balls are characterized by their ability to bounce high when dropped on the ground, just like in Stephen Chow's movies—they are incredibly bouncy. However, these beef balls usually need to be hand-beaten. If they aren't hand-beaten, they're not quite the same. While machine-beaten beef balls are faster and save on labor, they can't achieve the same special effect as hand-beaten ones. Although Heath didn't quite understand why, it didn't stop him from making these special beef balls himself.

Beef balls require beef leg meat, as this cut is the best for making beef balls. Other parts can be used, but they are not quite as good. This subtle difference can determine the final quality of a dish.

"But making beef balls seems pretty easy." Heath looked at the beef he had just flattened with a stick and fell into deep thought. When he traveled to Chaoshan before, he had seen others demonstrate how to make beef balls by hand. It wasn't that difficult, but it was only slightly easier than making "Sanbuzhan" (a type of beef ball). To turn a cut of beef leg into something like Heath's, it would take at least dozens of poundings, but Heath flattened it in one go.

"Forget it, I guess it's just that people in the Pokémon world have different constitutions." Heath shook his head, picked up a stick with both hands, and began to vigorously pound the beef leg in front of him. After pounding for only five minutes, Heath felt that it was basically done, since it really couldn't be any more delicate.

However, the speed of the hammering was a good thing. Heath began to make this unique beef tendon ball according to the standard procedure. However, because there was no fish sauce, Heath did not add this seasoning. However, the taste was definitely not as good as the authentic Chaoshan beef tendon ball, but it was not a big problem to eat in this world.

"Looks like I'll have to make some fish sauce next time, but fish sauce... it's a bit too picky about who you're going to make." Heath stared at the beef tendon balls in the pot, lost in thought. Heath didn't really like fish sauce; its taste was unique, but it was an essential condiment in many dishes. However, fish sauce didn't exist in this world, so if Heath wanted to make it, he would have to do it himself.

However, Heath also plans to buy some ingredients and make a shrimp paste, which tastes quite good.

Beef tendon balls shouldn't be cooked for too long. It's best to take them out shortly after they boil. Otherwise, they won't be smooth and delicious. Heath scooped some out, took a bite, and nodded in satisfaction. These beef tendon balls tasted great, even though they were a bit hot. But they would definitely taste even better with some dipping sauce later.

Heath's food truck had arrived at the place where Heath sets up his stall every day, but because he wasn't making breakfast today, there was still more than an hour before the students were supposed to start school.

Historia yawned, stroking her chin. The leaves in Dark Grey City were beginning to turn yellow in autumn, and the cool autumn breeze made Historia shiver. Although she had only been in Dark Grey City for a few days, Hertoria felt it was about time to leave. Shetoria planned to leave Dark Grey City after closing for the day and head straight to Lavender Town.

Just as Heath was contemplating his future path, he saw a familiar face, or rather, three familiar faces.

"Sister Feng!" Heath waved happily, but his mood immediately turned heavy. He knew what Sister Feng was going to do. She was definitely going to Kuye City to take up a post as the head of Officer Jenny there. Kuye City was not as peaceful as Evergreen City.

"Heath, I'm in a hurry to catch my flight, so I'll skip breakfast." Sister Feng said to Heath with a smile, while Sister Ling also smiled. Only Officer Jenny, who is usually carefree, looked melancholy.

"Sister Feng, try my beef balls! You can take them with you now." Heath didn't give up. It was so cold in the morning, and Sister Feng hadn't had breakfast. A bowl of steaming hot beef balls would help Sister Feng warm up before she went to her job in Kuye City.

In the end, Sister Feng couldn't change Heath's stubbornness, so she quickly walked over, took three servings of beef tendon balls, and then hurriedly left with Officer Jenny and Officer Jenny.

Heath watched in silence as Maple and the others left, then let out a long sigh. Heath planned to go to Lavender Town and then to Fallen Leaf City. Anyway, he didn't necessarily have to go through the cities in order; skipping around was part of the fun.

Chapter 482 Parting and Gifts

"Boss Heath, you don't seem to be in a good mood today?" Miss Lenna asked Heath curiously. Heath smiled and then shook his head.

"It's nothing, it's just that parting in this world is really sad." Heath smiled, then handed the chicken soup rice and a bowl of beef tendon balls to Miss Lenna. Miss Lenna arrived very early today, shortly after Sister Feng and the others left. As usual, she ordered a bowl of chicken soup rice, but on Heath's recommendation, she also bought a bowl of beef tendon balls.

Miss Renai nodded. It was indeed a sad thing, and everyone would experience such a thing. However, the separation between friends was relatively easy. If it was a separation of life and death, then it was possible that they would never see each other again in their entire lives.

"Mr. Heath, you know I'm an archaeologist, right?" Miss Lenna took a bite of the beef tendon ball, which tasted quite good. However, looking at the sweet and spicy dipping sauce that Heath had made, Miss Lenna forked another beef ball and put it in her mouth to chew. It also tasted good.

“Hmm.” Heath nodded. He knew from Cynthia that Miss Lenna was an archaeologist, and supposedly a very famous one at that. However, Heath didn’t quite understand why Miss Lenna would bring this up now.

“Actually, sometimes when I’m doing archaeology, I think about how people in the past recorded their lives in these ways. So how will our lives be recorded? Will future generations be able to trace our era through archaeology? When I was excavating an ancient site before, I saw a mural depicting a strangely shaped Pokémon leaving with its child.” Miss Lenna’s eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if she was lost in memories. Heath listened patiently without interrupting.

"Back then, I was wondering why they were recording a Pokémon's image. Later, I learned that it seemed to be the king of that time, a very powerful Pokémon." Hearing this, Hiss paused for a moment. He recalled some of the settings in the Green Region. Indeed, there was a king, and the king was a very strong Pokémon leader, similar to a Totem Pokémon. But thinking about it now, it's still quite unique.

Arceus sent a modern human to the Greenland region, thus averting a threat to the Pokémon and humans there. But what would have happened if Arceus hadn't sent the protagonist? Would a fierce conflict have erupted between the affected kings and humans? Would the history of the Greenland region have changed?

This is a chilling question that shouldn't be pondered too deeply. The player-controlled protagonist becomes the savior of the Xicui region, helping the king restore peace and saving that chaotic era. But what if the protagonist didn't exist? How would history have unfolded? And what has happened in the world where Hiss is now, in that distant Xicui region? Was someone truly sent to Xicui to save that world?

"...Pokémon also experience life and death, just like our families will eventually leave us, leaving us alone in this world. In the past, every time I thought about this, I would feel tears streaming down my face. But now, I think the most important thing is to be with my family, to spend more time with them, so that when that moment comes, I will have fewer regrets in my heart, and be able to live bravely without regrets." After Miss Lenna finished speaking, Heath listened, and of course, Heath understood what Miss Lenna meant.

"Actually, I'm alright. I've thought about these questions too. According to Professor Oak, only when a person realizes that they will eventually die and their consciousness will eventually dissipate can they truly experience the reality of this world." Heath smiled and shrugged. Heath was quite happy back then, but later he started thinking about where humans go after they die and what happens to their consciousness. Every time he thought about this, he felt a strong sense of fear, which is probably a fear that no one can escape.

Fear of death.

Miss Lenna chuckled. Since Hiss had already thought about these issues, it was probably just sadness at parting, which was nothing to worry about. Sadness always heals after a while.

"Mr. Heath, I'm taking a plane after dinner today." Miss Lenna smiled. Upon hearing this, Heath quickly wished Miss Lenna a safe journey. It's not something you can just say casually, as it sounds a bit like cursing someone.

"Hey, hey, hey, I've already explained it to you this much, and you still don't understand?" Miss Lenna looked at Hiss helplessly. Hiss looked completely bewildered. Miss Lenna was going back to Sinnoh, so what did that have to do with him?

"Do you have a gift for Cynthia?" Miss Lenna looked at Heath with a helpless expression. It was rare for Cynthia to introduce a friend to her, and Miss Lenna still remembered how bright the smile on Cynthia's face was when she spoke. This made Miss Lenna a little gossipy. She was very curious about what kind of person Heath was, that he could get Cynthia to give him a gift, and it seemed to be a carefully selected gift.

When they first met, Miss Rena saw a warmth on Hiss's face, and Hiss's expression softened when Cynthia was mentioned, which gave Miss Rena a sudden realization.

Could it be that these two people...

But now that she sees that Hiss is completely clueless and doesn't understand her meaning at all, Miss Lenna is also having a headache. Cynthia is a very thoughtful girl, and she never expected to encounter such a blockhead.

"Eh? A...gift?" Heath was stunned for a few seconds before he realized what Rena had said. But then Heath became conflicted. He had no problem giving Cynthia a gift, but the question was what to give her.

Heath's food cart has a lot of things, but most of them are ingredients. You can't exactly make a bowl of beef noodles and beef tendon balls and send it over, right? It'll be cold by then, and the taste will be much worse. And if someone isn't afraid of the cold, and it has some special meaning...

Heath inexplicably thought of a magical item he had obtained before, a thing called the Animation Hammer. Heath hadn't used it since he got it, but now it seemed like it was time to put it to use.

"Please wait a moment!" Heath ran into his lounge.

Chapter 483 What Do Stars Taste Like?

[Animated Hammer: Strike any living or inanimate object, and it will shoot out some stars, which can be used as food (See that Tom cat? Go hit its head!)]

This is a strange item that Heath obtained before, but Heath has not tried it yet, so he doesn't know what it is used for. However, the things given by the cheat system always fluctuate between being useful and not useful, so Heath himself is not sure whether this thing is useful or not.

However, when he thought about the description of this thing, Heath's expression became a little strange. When he used to watch anime, stars would be drawn to show how a character was being hit. Heath thought that the stars that the anime hammer was talking about must be those stars that burst out when the character was hit.

This is truly... a prop full of whimsy. Heath never imagined that those stars, used as a means of expression, would one day be placed on his dining table and become his ingredients.

But what flavor is the star?

The animation hammer was very easy to use, not particularly complicated. After all, it was just a hammer, not anything else. So Heath quickly picked up the animation hammer and looked at the table next to him. He remembered that it was said that it could be used on inanimate objects, but Heath didn't know what the star produced would taste like if it was used on inanimate objects. So after thinking for a second, Heath decided where to use it.

"Sigh, if I don't go to hell, who will?" Heath sighed. He had considered whether to hit Zoroark on the head, but looking at Zoroark and the others sleeping soundly, Heath decided to be human for once.

After picking up the animated hammer and hitting himself hard on the head, Heath clutched his head in pain. The feeling of being hit by this thing was like when he was in college, sleeping on the lower bunk and accidentally bumping his head on the iron railing or the wooden plank of the upper bunk when he got up at night. It was extremely uncomfortable.

The good news is that Heath really did get quite a few stars, all different colors, mostly yellow, but also some white, black, pink, and blue stars. There weren't many, though; Heath counted them, and there were thirteen in total.

To taste these things, Heath took out a kitchen knife and tried cutting them. They were very easy to cut, just like cutting meat. The inside of the stars was the same color, without any texture, just like a piece of gummy candy. However, after Heath took a bite, his expression became strange, because the taste of these stars was very peculiar.

The yellow stars taste like pineapple, with a hint of mango, while the white stars are sweet like dragon fruit. The black stars are surprisingly watermelon-flavored, and the other stars taste like various fruits. However, compared to the fruits, these stars have a richer flavor with a unique sweetness, making them very delicious.

"This texture... is perfect for making a cake." Looking at the stars in front of her, each missing a small corner, Heath instantly thought of what dishes these ingredients could be used for. They had a rich fruity flavor with a unique sweetness, so what could be more suitable for them than a cake? Heath felt there was nothing.

Heath quickly took the stars out, cut them in half, and set them aside. Next, she made the cake base. During the process, she used milk from Sanji Farm's large milk jug, which made the cake taste even better. After baking the cake, she spread cream on it and added some small edible decorations. Finally, she inserted the halved stars into the cake, and the gift that looked like a cake full of stars was finished.

"Miss Lenna, could you please give this to Cynthia?" Hiss asked, looking at Miss Lenna. Making the cake had taken quite a bit of time, and now some children were already coming in to buy food.

"Of course, no problem. Remember to make me one next time you come to Sinnoh~" Miss Rena said with a smile. The cake looked beautiful and smelled very rich. If it weren't a gift from Hiss to Cynthia, Rena felt that she would want to take a bite herself.

Heath quickly thanked Miss Lenna and then hurriedly began to serve the morning guests. Since today's breakfast was beef tendon balls, Heath's service was not slow at all; in fact, it could be described as fast. After all, once the beef tendon balls were made, all that was needed was to take them out. The only slightly troublesome part was making the dipping sauce. Each little guest had different tastes, and Heath had to put in a lot of effort to make sure the little guests enjoyed their meal.

However, his hard work paid off. The beef tendon balls were a hit with the children. Of course, Heath felt that the Three Kingdoms cards he included were also a reason for their popularity. But in any case, at least Heath was making a lot of money now, and business was doing very well. He had recouped all his costs and even made a profit. After lunch and dinner, Heath's wallet would be a little fuller again.

"Boss, your business is booming!" A somewhat familiar voice said. Heath looked up and saw a woman he recognized. Heath remembered her name.

Airo? Yes, that seems to be the name. Heath remembers this guest well because the reward he received was very special: a pair of glasses that could turn someone into a germaphobe. However, Heath hasn't used them yet, since he's already very particular about the cleanliness of the food truck, and becoming a germaphobe wouldn't be good for him.

"Oh, ma'am. Would you like something to eat?" Heath asked with a smile, without calling her by name, since normally Heath wouldn't know her name.

"My name is Airo. I'm here to ask you, boss, if you would like to become the restaurant owner of Dark Grey City's No. 1 Middle School?" Airo said with a smile, but her tone was very certain, as if Heath would definitely agree if she asked.

Heath was stunned for a moment. Become the owner of the school cafeteria? This was quite lucrative, even extremely lucrative. School cafeterias and convenience stores were the easiest businesses to run, and you could even say that these places often required connections to get.

No wonder Airo seemed so certain that Heath would agree.

“Sorry, I don’t want to be one.” Heath smiled.

Chapter 484 Disturbance Issues

Although being a school cafeteria owner is a very lucrative profession, and although school cafeterias can make a lot of money, and although Heath already has a customer base in Dark Grey City and the promotion of Three Kingdoms cards is going very smoothly, Heath still has no interest in staying in Dark Grey City, so he has never considered becoming a school cafeteria owner.

"Huh?" Clearly, Hiss's answer surprised Ai Luo. She hadn't expected that the boss in front of her would refuse such a position. Ai Luo knew beforehand that the Three Kingdoms cards that the boss offered were very popular, even booming. So Ai Luo originally thought that if she made such a request, Hiss would definitely choose to stay without hesitation. After all, Hiss's business was very successful, with many people coming to eat every day. Moreover, Hiss had expanded into the student market, and the printing of those cards looked very exquisite.