Chapter 216: Pokémon Trading Card Game
October 20th, Tuesday.
Modu – Pokémon Company Office.
Oleana finished processing the last of her documents and tucked a loose strand of chestnut hair behind her ear. Stretching her sore shoulders, she sighed, exhausted. From her drawer, she pulled out a small picture frame, gazing at it intently as a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Just as she reached out to touch the frame—Knock, knock.
"Pl-Please come in!" Flustered, Oleana hastily shoved the frame back into the drawer.
Lu Ye pushed open the door, Gengar floating beside him, and greeted her with a casual smile. "Good morning."
Oleana froze for a moment, visibly nervous. "You… didn't you go to the tournament?"
"The drawing isn't until this afternoon. I figured I'd drop by," Lu Ye chuckled. "You've been working hard these days."
"N-No, not at all! Serving you is my greatest honor!" Oleana said, a bit too enthusiastically. Then, realizing her outburst, she quickly lowered her head, instinctively reaching up to adjust her glasses—only to realize they weren't there.
…Damn, is she one of those people who believe in the 996 work culture? Lu Ye blinked, clearing his throat. "Anyway, how's the revenue from the last few games?"
At the mention of work, Oleana immediately regained her composure. "After deducting all expenses, our monthly net profit is around 2 million. Right now, the company's total balance is…"
Hearing the number, Lu Ye raised an eyebrow. Most of the revenue came from Plants vs. Zombies and Angry Tranquill. With that kind of cash flow, he could probably pay off Cynthia's debt in full! But as a limited liability company, personal and business assets were separate. …Not that I was expecting to regain my financial freedom anytime soon. Might as well expand the company—that way, Cynthia could become the CEO in the future…
Lu Ye shook his head, stopping himself from daydreaming. He handed Oleana a USB drive. "This is the proposal for our next project. No rush, take your time."
Oleana looked at him in surprise. In just six months, he had developed three hit games, and now he had another project ready? Calling him a game development genius felt like an understatement. Curious, she plugged in the USB and opened the file.
Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG) A tabletop game focused on collecting, trading, and battling, designed to allow children who cannot participate in real battles to still experience the joy of Pokémon.
Oleana's eyes widened. Lu Ye leaned against the desk and explained, "The barrier to entry for Pokémon battles is high. Even if a child catches a Pokémon, not every family can afford the costs of becoming a Trainer. But studies show that 'Trainer' is still the #1 dream career for kids."
"This card game is designed for children—it teaches them about type matchups, evolution, and abilities in a fun way." Lu Ye smiled. "Adults might not care much for it, but for kids, this could be their first step into Pokémon battles."
Oleana's pupils shrank slightly as she repeatedly nodded. From a market perspective… the toy industry aimed at children was a vast, untapped ocean. If they could integrate actual Pokémon knowledge into the game, teachers and parents would love it. And this encyclopedia-like format… wasn't this exactly what his company excelled at?
She looked up at Lu Ye, her eyes burning with excitement. "But… wouldn't developing a card game like this be a big project?"
"I'll reach out to Professor Oak in Kanto for assistance," Lu Ye smiled. "If this game can really spread Pokémon knowledge, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to help."
"Three key elements," Lu Ye raised three fingers. "First, include Pokémon knowledge on every card. Second, develop a balanced game system that simulates Pokémon battles. Third, target the right audience—kids in Trainer Academies." He smiled. "I believe this Pokémon Card Game will be their first step toward becoming a Trainer."
Oleana stared at Lu Ye, eyes glowing, before murmuring, "Helping more people experience the beauty of Pokémon… That's exactly what the Pokémon Company stands for…"
Lu Ye snapped his fingers. "Exactly!"
He imagined adapting different gameplay styles: the traditional PTCG, Yu-Gi-Oh! mechanics, or even Hearthstone. A single tabletop game could lead to animated adaptations and merch sales—double the revenue, double the fun!
"I already contacted Mallow to start working on the illustrations," Lu Ye continued. "Once the artwork is ready, we'll print a sample deck—I'll bring it to Professor Oak."
Oleana hesitated. "But… isn't this project too ambitious? And we don't have an official Pokédex…"
"We'll start with Kanto's 150 Pokémon, then release expansion packs later," Lu Ye waved a hand dismissively. "If you have any questions, ask me. I've memorized all 150 Pokémon in Kanto!"
Oleana's eyes widened in disbelief. After a long pause, she pouted slightly. "I was a researcher before this—I can look up data, you know!"
The gameplay mechanics were a mix of Yu-Gi-Oh! and the PTCG. Knocking out six of the opponent's Pokémon to claim six prize cards was the win condition. Lu Ye had high hopes. And with so many top-tier Trainers in the chat group… if Red himself endorsed the game, there was zero doubt it would become a massive hit.
Lu Ye grinned. "All thanks to weak competition!"
The project continued smoothly. Mallow, however, was struggling to complete 149 unique card illustrations alone. Luckily, she had a Smeargle to help. After all, a Pokémon company should have Pokémon employees, right? Even Lt. Surge once used Electric-type Pokémon to power his Gym.
Lu Ye chuckled. Using Pokémon for public utilities… Lt. Surge really is a true Electric-type Master.
Meanwhile, Oleana had already secured a printing company. Once the designs were finalized, they could immediately begin production. Lu Ye smiled. One step closer to financial freedom. He donned an apron and headed to the kitchen. Dinner was on him tonight. Even the Pokémon Egg was given a plate of Pokéblocks—for aesthetics.
He locked eyes with his Pokémon. And then—a feeding frenzy.
"Buii… Urp!" Sylveon hopped down from its chair, letting out a sweet-smelling burp. A vein popped on its forehead. Gengar and Wartortle pretended not to see anything. "Awwooo~~" Growlithe grinned goofily.
Gengar and Wartortle took half a step back, inhaling sharply. Bro, what the hell?!
"BUII!ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ"
CRASH! BANG! THUD! Lu Ye glanced up from his tea, watching Growlithe frantically dodge Sylveon's wrath. He took a sip, unfazed. Yep… Just another day at Lu Ye's house.
Meanwhile, as if sensing Lu Ye's emotions, the Pokémon Egg, resting on its cushion, let out a tiny crack. A thin fracture appeared on the surface.
Lu Ye scrolled through his chat group. A certain dragon-type Gym Leader, known for her blue ponytail and intense pride, hesitated before posting a message.
Clair: "@Lance, are you coming back to the clan for New Year's?"
Erika: "Wow… 'The Clan' sounds so high-class."
Brock squinted and explained, "The Dragon Clan holds an annual gathering. Supposedly, they also use it to select a new Elder…"
Lorelei adjusted her glasses. "Oh, it's true. But the newest Elder seems a little afraid of me."
Lance: "@Clair, I'm not coming back."
Lance: "@Lorelei, that's because I wasn't at the clan at the time."
In the Champion League, trainers who conquered Victory Road could challenge the Elite Four. Unfortunately, the Dragon Clan's prodigies had always fallen to Lorelei. Dragon vs. Ice was a one-sided massacre.
Clair: "Why aren't you coming back?"
Lance: "I'm currently investigating Team Rocket." He frowned. "Lately, Team Rocket has become more restrained… Last time I encountered them, they were fighting against a criminal syndicate."
Silver: "A turf war?"
Lance: "No… According to local elders, the Pokémon they lost were actually returned to them by Team Rocket members."
The chat fell silent. That didn't make any sense. Silver narrowed his eyes. "…I'll continue investigating from Johto's side. Don't worry."
Lance: "I appreciate it."
Lu Ye stared at the chat in disbelief. It's only been two weeks, and Team Rocket is already pivoting their business model. Giovanni's efficiency is honestly impressive.
Sabrina, busy with filming, glanced at her phone.
Sabrina: "Maybe Team Rocket's ideology has changed?"
Green: "Coming from a former Team Rocket Executive, that's not exactly convincing."
Sabrina smirked. "People change. As long as you have emotions, you're not an exception."
The chat fell silent again. Silver furrowed his brows, staring at Sabrina's message.
Lu Ye: "Aggressively ruffles hair of person above."
Sabrina: "?"
Lu Ye: "Oops, slipped."
The mood was getting way too heavy. As the group admin, it was his duty to bring back the chaos.
Gold followed up immediately: "Aggressively ruffles hair of person above."
[Group member 'Gold' has been muted by Admin 'Lu Ye' for 5 minutes.]
Gold: "???" So the admin can dish it out but not take it.
With Gold muted, the group burst into laughter. Silver, however, remained deep in thought. People change. What about a man who abandoned his wife and child for power? Could he change, too?
After logging off, Lu Ye privately messaged Ariana for an update.
Ariana: "There are still quite a few traitors within the organization." She spoke with disdain. "These vermin only tarnish Team Rocket's name and Giovanni's pure vision."
Lu Ye froze. If she had said Red's vision was pure, I would've understood. But Giovanni's? Oh, right. He's looking for his son. That makes sense, then.
He casually reminded Ariana to take care of herself. She turned red. "You keep participating in low-level tournaments—isn't that beneath you?"
Lu Ye blinked. "Low-level?"
"Regional tournaments."
Lu Ye suddenly understood. "…Because I'm actually bad at this?"
Ariana nearly choked. "…You're even speaking in sarcasm now?!" She realized she had misspoken and quickly added, "I'm sorry! I know you're doing it for the prize money—please forgive me!"
Lu Ye: "???" You understand nothing.
Now that he'd reached the Top 4, backing out would be a waste. What truly mattered was letting his Pokémon battle freely without injuries. Hanging up, he patted Sylveon. "Do your best tomorrow," he smiled.
Sylveon's gaze instantly sharpened. "Sylveon."
[Inorin Note:
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