I caught a Pokémon

Xia Youcai was too lazy to participate in such a competition.

With his strength, he could easily dominate the League Tournament, so why would he participate in a baby cup like this? As for those newcomers competing, only the World Championship can pique his interest even slightly now.

"Has it already started? Right here?"

Adek shook his head: "It's still in the planning stage, and there's still some time before the start of the competition. We're also short two guests for the main event, the open demonstration match, and the venue isn't here; it's in Kagome Town in the Eastern Union."

“Eastern Union is indeed very far.” Xia You nodded, then asked with some confusion, “If that’s the case, why are you here?”

“Of course, we got there very slowly.” Adek shook the hot drink in his hand. “I’m a retired old man now, and my legs aren’t as nimble as they used to be.”

Am I old?

Aldak isn't actually that old.

But as I said before, the passing of his partner has indeed robbed him of the sharp edge he had in his youth.

After chatting with Adek for a few more minutes, seeing that the food was getting cold, he and the women returned to their seats.

However, although Xia You didn't think much of the Youth Cup, Xiao Guang was very interested in it.

She stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth and mumbled, "Do you think I can win if I participate?"

Makomo pushed up her glasses: "Based on your performance during the battle review, you do have a good chance. However, there are still big differences between Coordinators and Trainers, which will be an obstacle for you."

Yami laughed and said, "I don't think so. Compared to trainers, coordinators are more skill-based, which might be the key to Xiaoguang's victory!"

“It’s indeed too early to talk about victory or defeat,” Xia You said, taking a sip of soup. Her tone was gentle but carried her usual calm. “After all, the competition isn’t ready yet, and there are still some days before it starts, and…”

At this point, he put down his spoon and looked at Xiaoguang with a meaningful smile: "...Besides you, it's obvious that there's someone else who, after learning about this competition, will be interested in it, will definitely participate, and will become your strongest opponent on the road to victory!"

Xiao Guang was taken aback at first, but he immediately realized who Xia You was talking about.

"Is that Ash?"

"Who else could it be but him?" Xia You smiled. "That guy is currently traveling in Donghezhong, so he'll definitely have ways to find out about this. And given his personality, how could he possibly miss such an opportunity? You'll definitely be competing against each other then."

"Tch, so what if that guy participates?" Xiao Guang showed no fear whatsoever, but rather exuded confidence. "I won't lose to him!"

It's really hard to say who will win in a battle between Ash and Dawn.

Both sides have a chance and a possibility of winning anyway.

However, none of this concerned Xia You, since it was indeed too early to discuss this now.

What he was curious about was who the two guests for the main event of the conference, the public demonstration match, would be, as Adek had just mentioned.

Since Adek is the final guest, the important guests should at least be on par with him, or only slightly inferior.

After all, as long as the title includes the word "world," the level and prestige of the event will not be too low.

Who else does Unova have?

The Four Heavenly Kings, and all the museum owners...

It seems there are still many candidates.

but……

He thought hard and vaguely remembered that in the anime, this guest was indeed Cattleya.

And the other person seems to be... Zhu Lan?

What a coincidence! Aren't these two people together right now?

Is that why they were invited together?

---

"Ah—Achoo!!"

At the same time, off the coast of Liyong City, Zhu Lan stood on the deck of a ship, watching the city getting closer and closer, and suddenly sneezed.

Caldelia, who was standing nearby, immediately cast a concerned glance at her.

"You've been out in the sea breeze for too long. You should go back to your cabin, or you'll get sick."

"I'm fine, this sea breeze doesn't bother me at all." Zhu Lan shook her head, her golden hair swaying with her movements, shimmering like a golden light in the sea breeze. "I guess some annoying guy was talking about me just now."

Cattleya: ...

You're practically saying Xia You's name outright.

But speaking of Xia You...

Upon receiving the news, they rushed here as quickly as possible. Fortunately, they were not far away, and after sailing for nearly a day, they finally saw the outline of Liyong City.

But more than a day has already passed, would Xia You still be here?

and……

What kind of person is that international star, Karuno, in private?

-

Four million words achieved!

Next goal—five million words!

Chapter 1326 Clash between Orianna and Karuno

That evening, after disembarking, Zhu Lan and Jia Deliya did not visit Karuno immediately, but instead stayed at a luxury hotel near the port of Liyong City.

For these two super-rich women, who are so generous, they naturally wouldn't skimp on themselves by living in a 'simple' place like the Pokémon Center.

Especially given their current status.

As for why they didn't just go directly to Karuno...

Zhu Lan really didn't want to look travel-worn and in such a bad state.

After all, the other party is that beautiful and charming superstar!

The sound of waves could be faintly heard, but neither of them was in the mood to appreciate the night view.

In the brightly lit room, Cynthia stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing thoughtfully at Pokémon Hollywood, its lights twinkling in the night.

Cattleya leaned lazily against the sofa, playing with a strand of blonde hair, her azure eyes gleaming with anticipation for a good show.

"How do you plan to start tomorrow?" she asked with interest. "Will you just ask 'What's going on between you and Xia You?'"

Zhu Lan turned around, her long golden hair shimmering under the indoor lights, but her expression revealed nothing.

“No.” She shook her head gently, a thoughtful look in her eyes. “That would be too direct and too presumptuous. So I plan to treat this meeting as a chance encounter and then act accordingly.”

Cattleya nodded: "That's perfect. Before coming here, I was worried that you two would have a conflict as soon as you met, but now it seems that you have calmed down."

"So, in your eyes, I was impulsive before?" Zhu Lan looked out the window again, her voice steady. "Different people require different methods. Karuno is clearly not an opponent who can be defeated by a straight shot."

Cattleya was slightly speechless.

What is that?

They still say they're not impulsive.

So you already considered Karuno a rival all along...

……

The next morning, the sun shone brightly.

Zhu Lan changed into a well-tailored off-white trench coat that exuded both champion's aura and a more approachable vibe, while Jia Deliya wore her usual elegant dress.

The two did not attract much attention; they simply used internal alliance channels to quietly arrive at the perimeter of the studio where the Karuno film crew was located.

After introducing themselves, they were politely led to Karuno's private lounge.

After waiting for only a short while, the door to the lounge was pushed open, and Karuno walked in from outside.

She seemed to have just finished filming a scene, with a trace of makeup still on her face. She was dressed in comfortable casual clothes. When she saw Zhu Lan and Jia Deliya, a hint of genuine surprise flashed in her eyes, but it was immediately covered up by a perfectly appropriate smile.

“Miss Zhulan, Miss Cattleya? What a rare treat.” Karunai stepped forward and shook hands with the two, her tone friendly yet respectful. “I never expected to see you in Hollywood. Please have a seat.”

It's not surprising that Karuno knows about Rin, since they are both champions of their respective regions and have crossed paths with each other more than once in many international competitions.

Before this, Zhu Lan had a good impression of her; they appreciated each other but hadn't become close friends yet.

As for now...

Similarly, as one of the Elite Four of the Unova region, although Diantha did not know Cattleya beforehand, she knew of her and had heard some things about her, so she had been familiar with her for a long time.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Karuno." Cattleya gave a very proper bow. "I am Cattleya."

Everything is normal now.

Karuno never dreamed that they would come to her for any reason. She simply thought that, just like she had just received the news, the two of them were just passing through Liyong City and knew that she was filming here, so they made a special trip to see her.

What other reasons could there be?

It's no wonder that Karuno couldn't guess; who could have imagined that these two people in front of her, one a champion and the other a member of the Heavenly Kings, both had such deep connections with the man she had just been rumored to be dating!

The three sat down, and the atmosphere seemed harmonious and relaxed.

Calderia obediently played the role of companion, smiling silently, just like before, handing over the reins to Orchid.

Anyway, just as she said before she came, her purpose was only to see Xia You and Karuno. Other things were none of her business, so she didn't need to get involved.

"I also came to Unova to vacation with Cattleya. I just arrived in Liyong City yesterday." Zhu Lan picked up the black tea her assistant served, her posture elegant, her tone carrying just the right amount of concern. "I overheard some... rumors about you. It seems to be quite a big deal. Since I haven't seen you in a long time, I thought I'd come and see if you're alright and if there's anything I can help you with?"

Her wording was impeccable, perfectly befitting a well-intentioned visit from a champion colleague.

They say three women make a drama, let alone women as privileged as them.

Since Zhu Lan didn't reveal anything, Karuno naturally couldn't guess her true purpose and really thought that, as Zhu Lan said, she was just stopping by to visit her.

But only Gadriya understood that Zhulan's words were full of probing!

"Thank you for your trouble. It's just a common tactic used by the media. It is indeed a bit noisy, but it's still under control. My team is already handling it. It's not a big deal."

This answer was somewhat dismissive; it neither completely denied nor admitted anything.

This was clearly not the answer Zhulan wanted.

"That's good. That's just how this industry is; it always takes a lot of effort." She paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and said in a slightly nostalgic tone, pretending to be casual, "Speaking of which, the other protagonist in the scandal, that trainer named Xia You... I've met him a few times in Sinnoh. He's a very powerful man. How... did you two meet?"

Karuno gave her a strange look.

Such a big champion, yet so curious about gossip?

I never noticed that before.

Not paying any attention to it, Karuno took a sip of her tea: "We've known each other for a long time, probably before he set off on his trip."

That's all?

Go on, tell me more!

Zhu Lan was anxious, and even Jia Deliya perked up her ears, but Karuno remained silent at this moment, which made the two of them very worried.

There was nothing else Zhu Lan could do but continue to explore this topic herself.

"So that's how it is. You two seem like a good match. Could it be that you're actually together, like the rumors suggest?"

Zhu Lan herself probably didn't realize that there was a hint of bitterness in her tone when she said those words.

Karuno naturally noticed this change.

But she remained calm and did not answer the question directly. She simply smiled and said, "There's nothing I can do about it. After all, in this kind of circle, some things will inevitably be photographed."

Seeing that Cynthia was about to ask something more, Diantha smiled faintly and changed the subject. Instead, she asked Cynthia what she had seen and heard since arriving in Unova, as well as some things about the Pokémon League. She even took the initiative to talk about some interesting things that happened while she was filming a movie.

Zhu Lan was anxious, but she could only bite the bullet and answer. She tried several times to steer the conversation back, but Karuno stopped her in time.

Cattleya, who was standing nearby, saw and heard everything clearly.

Although it seemed like everyone was having a good time, in this war between women, which was fought without bloodshed or sparks, it appeared that Karuno had the upper hand.

……

Stepping out of Pokémon Hollywood, the afternoon sun was somewhat scorching, but Cynthia's mood was shrouded in a thin mist, making her feel gloomy.

The seemingly harmonious but actually turbulent meeting with Karuno felt like punching a cotton ball.

“She’s really…a remarkable woman.” Gadriya walked beside Zhu Lan, her voice soft and gentle, tinged with a hint of emotion. “Every word she says seems carefully considered. It sounds like she’s answering, but upon closer inspection, she’s saying nothing at all. We’ve talked for so long, going around in circles, but we still have no idea what her relationship with Xia You really is.”

She turned her head to look at Zhu Lan's tense profile: "Do you think she already realized we had ulterior motives?"