Inferno Plains was a vast, open expanse. Due to the dense Fire-type energy, the plain was barren, devoid of grass, and the ground radiated heat underfoot. The environment was ideal for Pokémon adept at running, like Rapidash and Arcanine.
Xia Luo led Xia Yu through Inferno Plains, visiting some Pokémon activity areas before heading straight to the incubation room. Their primary goal was to select Pokémon eggs, with sightseeing as a side activity.
The incubation room in Inferno Plains was one of only two in the Flame Secret Realm. The other, located in Fire Mountain, specialized in hatching eggs of heat-tolerant Pokémon like Torkoal, Magmortar, and Numel. It held far fewer eggs—roughly a tenth of those in Inferno Plains.
Most Pokémon eggs were housed in Inferno Plains' incubation room. As Xia Luo and Xia Yu approached the entrance, a young, radiant woman greeted them.
"Welcome, esteemed guests, to the incubation room."
The room was staffed by several young, attractive women, all appearing to be in their twenties or early thirties—the prime of their beauty. Each stood at least 1.68 meters tall, and their uniform attire made them a striking sight.
"I'm Jiang Qinglan, your guide for selecting Pokémon eggs. Gym Leader Xia Luo, it's an honor to serve you. I'm a fan." Jiang Qinglan introduced herself with a sweet smile, then turned to lead the brothers, her graceful figure a captivating sight.
Jiang Qinglan had been specially assigned by the Flame Secret Realm's officials to guide Xia Luo. She'd been waiting since 9 a.m., which allowed her to recognize him immediately.
She was in high spirits. A third-year student at Xishu University, she'd be a senior come September and was facing job prospects. To bolster her résumé, she'd applied for an internship at the Flame Secret Realm before the holidays.
Given her ordinary background, securing an internship here was nearly impossible. The realm was filled with connected individuals, and outsiders rarely got a chance. Yet, her stellar academic record in Pokémon Breeding at Xishu University, combined with her striking appearance, had miraculously earned her a spot. She was assigned to Inferno Plains' incubation room as a guide, tasked with introducing VIPs to the facility and promoting premium egg-hatching services.
Egg hatching was a core revenue stream for the Flame Secret Realm. Wealthy clients paid to have their Fire-type Pokémon eggs incubated here, benefiting from the realm's rich Fire-type energy, which slightly boosted Pokémon potential, and the care of expert Breeders, ensuring no mishaps. The cost, however, was steep—far beyond the means of average families.
"Every egg in the incubation room is housed in its own incubator," Jiang Qinglan explained as they walked, her smile professional. "These are the latest high-end incubators from the international brand Devon, equipped for 24-hour temperature control, humidity regulation, light adjustment, heart rate monitoring, and eggshell condition tracking."
Xia Yu's gaze fell on rows of incubators. Many contained nutrient solutions, some even infused with rare Fire-type energy nutrients. He couldn't help but marvel at the wealth on display—million-yuan nutrient solutions used without a second thought.
"Mr. Xia Luo, eggs with blue labels are being incubated for clients and cannot be selected," Jiang Qinglan said with a charming smile. "Eggs with red labels are from the Flame Secret Realm. You can only choose from those. This area contains eggs for sale, which can be purchased with money. Your egg selection quota is extremely valuable, so I don't recommend using it here. If you like something, you can buy it. Save your quota for the treasure room, where eggs are not for sale and are reserved for rewards."
"Got it. I'll take a look first. It's a rare trip to the Flame Secret Realm, so I'll see if there are any good eggs to buy," Xia Luo replied with a smile. Having lost two ace Pokémon, he needed to rebuild his team, and browsing wouldn't hurt.
Xia Luo headed straight for the Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed eggs, carefully assessing their potential.
Xia Yu began swiftly searching for a Pokémon for his brother. He glanced at the three Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed eggs and moved on. Their potential was lackluster—two were Elite-tier, and one was Lord-tier, subpar for a starter Pokémon.
This wasn't the Flame Secret Realm's fault. Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed were imported, and exported Pokémon typically had lower potential. As first-generation eggs, their quality was naturally limited.
Skipping the Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed eggs, Xia Yu used his system's appraisal ability, scanning the eggs like a bargain hunter at a market.
"Gym Leader-tier Houndoom? No good. It needs to be at least near-Heavenly King," he muttered.
"How is this Growlithe's potential so low? Elite-tier, and they dare display it?"
"The Pokémon Association has some gems. This Fire-type's potential isn't bad."
…
After scanning just a fifth of the area, Xia Yu spotted three Gym Leader-tier Pokémon and one near-Heavenly King-tier—a find unthinkable elsewhere. The Flame Secret Realm was truly a haven for Fire-types, its ability to slightly boost their potential enough to make trainers open their wallets.
"Shame there aren't any Heavenly King-tier or higher Pokémon. No matter where you go, Heavenly King-tier potential is just too rare."
Meanwhile, Jiang Qinglan was introducing the three Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed eggs to Xia Luo.
"These are the first batch of eggs from the imported Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed. Normally, we don't sell them. First, their potential isn't ideal for starter Pokémon. Second, the realm wants to hatch them to expand the population. But if you want them, Gym Leader Xia Luo, that's certainly possible."
"Such a pity," Xia Luo sighed, recognizing their low potential. He genuinely liked Paldean Tauros Blaze Breed, but their quality was too poor. The Pokémon Association's egg selection quota was too valuable to waste on these.
"Where's Xia Yu?" Xia Luo suddenly noticed his brother had wandered off. "Miss Jiang, you don't need to stick with me. I'm fine on my own. Go keep my brother company."
"Of course, Gym Leader Xia Luo."
Xia Yu continued his search when a pleasant fragrance wafted over. Turning, he saw Jiang Qinglan approaching gracefully.
"Mr. Xia Yu, are you helping your brother pick an egg? The treasure room has a few eggs from near-Heavenly King-tier Pokémon bred this year. Their potential is excellent. You should take a look."
"No rush. I'll check these eggs first. You don't need to follow me—I'm just browsing. Go stay with my brother." Though Jiang Qinglan was pleasant to look at, Xia Yu was too focused on the eggs to pay her much attention.
"…"
Jiang Qinglan was speechless, doubting her own charm. She was Xishu University's campus beauty—how could both brothers brush her off like this?
...