Chapter 309: A Way Out for Young People
Professor Oak fell into deep thought after hearing what Xiu said.
To be honest, he really hadn't paid much attention to these issues. It had been too long since he had last truly immersed himself in the everyday world outside of Pallet Town and away from his research…
"So," Professor Oak mused, looking at Xiu with newfound understanding, "even though you are not short of money now, and you could easily find a good Breeder to design food formulas and training plans for your Pokémon, you still take on all matters related to your Pokémon yourself.
You're constantly researching materials, meticulously arranging training for your Pokémon, and diligently cultivating your relationships with them…"
Professor Oak looked up at Xiu, gaze direct and appraising, and said calmly, "You seem to look down on these two established professions—Trainer and Breeder.
So, even though you have passed the Breeder qualification exam with flying colors, and your Pokémon are outstandingly well-raised and powerful, I have never once heard you proudly admit that you are a Breeder or a Trainer."
"I can't say I look down on them, exactly," Xiu clarified. "But Director Bao Ba taught me the fundamental importance of understanding Pokémon biology and materials.
And you, Professor, enlightened me about the true essence of effective training, beyond just battles. I know that if I want to gain real strength, true autonomy, I can't do without a deep understanding of either of these two aspects.
Otherwise, if someone else holds the keys to my Pokémon's development, their health, their potential, I'll be no different from those ordinary Trainers, always dependent, always restricted."
He continued, "You, the older generation of truly accomplished Pokémon experts, have a balanced, holistic understanding of these two aspects.
Although Director Bao Ba is primarily a Breeder, he is also proficient in the training and fighting capabilities of Pokémon; his own Pokémon are very strong.
And you, Professor, despite being a researcher and former champion, also possess profound knowledge of Pokémon materials and their effects. Looking at the current generation of aspiring Trainers and Breeders now, I have to say, the Alliance's deliberate division of these roles has been overwhelmingly successful in limiting most of them."
Speaking of this, Xiu had to mentally thank Professor Oak for those words, those casual remarks and deeper discussions, whether intentional or unintentional, which had made him react and rethink his approach early on.
Otherwise, if he had really trained his Pokémon solely according to conventional battle-focused ideas, it would have been far less effective, and he would have remained dependent on others for crucial knowledge.
"How do you understand these complex dynamics at such a young age?" Professor Oak asked, genuinely surprised for a moment.
Originally, he thought Xiu was just venting his personal resentment and frustrations— but the more they talked, the more surprised he became.
Xiu's gaze seemed to penetrate directly into the depths of this society, seeing its underlying structures and flaws. Hearing this, Xiu closed his eyes and slowly exhaled.
He said with a touch of weariness, "These are all very common situations, Professor. As long as one is willing to go down to truly look and listen, they will inevitably make more discoveries and gain more insights into the true state of things than I have."
Xiu had psychically read through the memories of many people, most of whom were from the lower, often struggling, classes of society.
So, he was very familiar with the "dirty" underbelly of this world, and had also witnessed many ordinary people being forced by circumstance or systemic pressures into becoming criminals or outcasts.
Recalling those people, Xiu was filled with a complex emotion for a moment and couldn't help but talk to himself, his voice softer now. "The Alliance, in essence, is nothing more than a group of people who have positioned themselves as superior to others, primarily in order to maintain their own interests and control.
They created the 'Trainer' class, a group that is ostensibly superior to ordinary people, and they use various means to continuously exploit people's aspirations and value."
"I am where I am today purely because of incredible luck," Xiu admitted, "having met Director Bao Ba and you, Professor— but how many other young people, who want to challenge this path, to better their lives, have fallen into this trap?
They thought they had jumped into a new, elevated class, but in fact, they were just living in a carefully constructed lie, a gilded cage, created by the Alliance."
He elaborated, "Trainers work very hard to complete the League's sanctioned missions and earn money— but in the next second, various expenses – such as overpriced books, essential Pokémon materials, customized food recipes, specialized breeding consultations, and high Pokémon Center fees – can consume most, if not all, of their hard-earned money.
In the end, both their time and their money are consumed, but they are still just ordinary Trainers, struggling to get by, never truly advancing." Xiu's words revealed the harsh, often unspoken, true nature of the Alliance's system.
Even Professor Oak was speechless for a moment, a troubled look on his face. This was the reality for many…
"I just don't want to be like that," Xiu continued, his voice firm again. "That's why I study so hard, to escape from their control, from their system.
Once you step into this trap, you effectively become a puppet of the Alliance, dependent on their structure. If you want to escape, you often have to give up the fame and the perceived status, of being a 'Trainer.'
But how many people can see clearly through the dream the Alliance sells?"
After saying this, Xiu's expression showed a trace of profound fatigue. The hand that was originally reaching for his teacup relaxed again, leaning back heavily against the chair.
He was, at heart, a lazy dog who would never get up if he could lie down— but now, he felt forced into this proactive, almost rebellious stance because he had seen the true, often ugly, nature of this society.
"According to what you're saying, then," Professor Oak said slowly, "is there no way out for young people now? No genuine path to a better life through Pokémon?"
"Haha~" Xiu couldn't help but laugh, a dry, humorless sound. He sat up a little and joked, though there was a bitter undertone, "Let me be frank, Professor.
For many disillusioned young people nowadays, the best, most direct way to gain power and resources quickly is to join Team Rocket.
There were times, when I felt I couldn't make it, that I also briefly considered going to Team Rocket just to make a living, to survive."
Professor Oak looked at Xiu's laughing face, but his heart sank a little because he knew, with a chilling certainty, that Xiu might actually be telling the truth— but he was also immensely glad that this hadn't happened.
Otherwise, based on his understanding of Xiu's intellect, ruthlessness, and capabilities, this young man would be far more dangerous in the hands of Team Rocket.
Bao Ba did a good thing by guiding him here, Oak thought with a silent prayer of thanks.
"Okay, no more jokes," Xiu said, his expression becoming serious again as he calmed down. "Let's talk about something else. It is impossible to overthrow the Alliance now…"
"What do you want to do!" Before Xiu could finish his sentence, Professor Oak immediately reacted, interrupting him, a genuine fear in his eyes that Xiu was about to say something truly earth-shattering and treasonous.
"Didn't you ask me, Professor, how to solve this problem of public ignorance and fear?" Xiu curled his lips, his face looking innocent, but there was a hint of sarcasm in his words.
"You'd better know whether you can say some things or not, Xiu,"
Professor Oak warned, his voice stern. His words were actually to remind Xiu not to do anything stupid. After all, if they said something overtly seditious, and someone with ulterior motives happened to overhear it, they would both be in serious trouble— but Xiu didn't seem to care about the Alliance's potential reaction at all.
"Don't worry, Professor," Xiu reassured him. "I don't have any direct, irreconcilable conflict of interest with the Alliance at this moment.
I am too lazy to provoke them unnecessarily, nor do I currently have the overwhelming ability to truly challenge them. What we are going to explore today is simply how to make the lives of ordinary people, and aspiring Trainers, better."
Professor Oak vaguely felt that something was still not quite right with Xiu's casual dismissal of these risks. He looked at Xiu with mixed emotions.
"When you were penniless and a fugitive orphan, you dared to take on the entire Kanto publishing establishment by pirating their books. What you say now about not wanting to provoke the Alliance is not entirely convincing."
"You say that so easily, Professor," Xiu acknowledged with a slight smile.
Professor Oak had already noticed that Xiu had once again taken the initiative in the topic, guiding the conversation. But he didn't particularly care. Although Xiu's ideas were often weird, bold, and even dangerous, they usually made a strange kind of sense when you thought about them carefully. So, he wanted to listen.
"The first step, of course," Xiu began, "is to enlighten the people. We need to educate ordinary people and low-level Trainers on the basic, correct, and unbiased concepts of Pokémon – their behavior, their needs, and their true natures."
"The schools and official bookstores are largely in the hands of the Alliance, or influenced by them," Professor Oak pointed out. "How can you effectively educate people outside of those channels?"
"Professor, you may have forgotten where I came from, my first business venture," Xiu said with a smirk. "I have so many printing presses and contacts throughout the Kanto region that I have honestly forgotten how many. I can publish affordable magazines and books with just a word from me."
"Huh. So, after all that, you are still planning on doing business," Dr. Oak laughed when he heard what Xiu said. It was hard to tell whether his expression was one of disappointment or something else.
"What if I keep the price of these educational materials under one hundred Poké Dollars per volume?" Xiu grinned and said casually.
"Aren't you afraid that the Alliance, and the established publishers, will cause serious trouble for you with a price point like that?" Professor Oak asked, genuinely curious and a little concerned.