The children at the orphanage were buzzing with excitement as they stared at Su Yu's newly captured Shiny Pidgeot. Eyes wide, mouths half open, they looked like they'd just seen a legendary treasure come to life. A golden Pidgeot—no matter how many times you heard about Shiny Pokémon, seeing one up close was still an overwhelming experience.
Chen Xier herself couldn't hide her envy.
"Senior Su Yu, your luck is unreal," she said sincerely. "To actually run into a Shiny Pidgeot… that's something money can't even buy."
She wasn't exaggerating. Shiny Pokémon were rarer than pseudo-legendaries—true "price without market" existences. You could have all the money in the world and still never encounter one in your lifetime. And beyond rarity, Shinies often symbolized mutation in a specific aspect of a Pokémon's body or attributes. No matter which attribute changed, it almost always translated into exceptional potential.
Hearing this, Su Yu chuckled lightly.
"Just good timing," he replied casually. "If I hadn't shown up when I did, I might not have been able to take it at all. When I arrived at the Pidgey tribe, it was already fighting their leader. I gave a few commands, helped it turn the tide, and it decided to follow me."
The golden Pidgeot immediately turned its head away with a displeased snort.
"Bi~!"
Coerced and bribed, more like.And now you're rewriting history right in front of me?
Chen Xier, however, was too busy being jealous to notice its protest.
She quickly shifted back to business. "Senior Su Yu, I've already contacted the construction team. They'll be here shortly and will try to finish everything as quickly as possible."
Su Yu nodded. "Sorry for troubling you with all this. I've already talked things through with the Pokémon in the back mountain—their leaders will cooperate fully. The professionals can handle the transformation. There won't be any trouble."
Leave professional work to professionals. All Su Yu needed were the core structures completed first; the orchard itself could be expanded gradually. At most, a few days would be enough to establish the framework he wanted.
Sure enough, just over an hour later, the construction team arrived in force, complete with machinery and assisting Pokémon. The sudden activity drew the attention of nearby residents, and whispers quickly spread. Soon, everyone understood—the orphanage area was about to undergo a major transformation.
The entire back mountain now belonged to Su Yu.
People talked, of course, but none of that mattered to him.
After staying a little longer, Chen Xier prepared to leave. Before going, she hesitated, then spoke seriously.
"Senior Su Yu… if you ever plan to sell or authorize advanced energy cube formulas, please consider us first. The price won't disappoint you."
Su Yu nodded after a moment of thought. "Alright. I'll整理 them when I have time and let you know."
That was effectively a promise.
Chen Xier's eyes lit up instantly. Given Su Yu's senior breeder certification, it wasn't surprising that he possessed advanced formulas—but hearing it confirmed still made her excited. After saying goodbye, she climbed onto Garchomp's shoulders, and the dragon Pokémon took off smoothly into the sky.
Su Yu, meanwhile, didn't rest. He led the children into the back mountain orchard to collect ripe fruits, drafting Pikachu and the Shiny Pidgeot as aerial labor. He even made a special hanging basket for Pidgeot—one trip through the canopy brought back piles of fruit. If something was too hard to reach, Pikachu scampered up the tree with practiced ease.
Tree-climbing expert, officially certified.
Once a large batch of fruit was collected, Su Yu began producing energy cubes—this time in bulk, specifically to keep the Beedrill and other wild Pokémon well-fed. He gathered the aunties from the orphanage and patiently taught them the process. These cubes would later be distributed regularly to the Pokémon in the back mountain.
Su Yu paid them generously, and none of them refused. Not only was the pay good, but learning breeder-related skills was valuable in itself. Many of these women had watched Su Yu grow up—trust wasn't an issue in the slightest.
By nightfall, a massive stockpile of energy cubes had been completed.
Su Yu also made special, high-grade cubes exclusively for Pikachu and Pidgeot.
Pidgeot's cubes were top-tier blends crafted from a combination of Pinap Berry, Wepear Berry, Liechi Berry, Salac Berry, Coba Berry, supplemented with Figy Berry, Moomoo Milk, and other Flying-type-compatible nutrients. These cubes were designed to steadily enhance speed and Flying-type damage—long-term consumption would bring visible improvements.
Pikachu's cubes, on the other hand, focused heavily on boosting Electric-type move power, with an added stamina-enhancing mix. Flavor-wise, Su Yu leaned fully into Pikachu's preferences—rich tomato flavor, with plenty of cherry tomatoes mixed in.
The two Pokémon nearly vibrated with excitement while eating.
Su Yu didn't assign them additional training. Between orchard labor and daily activity, their bodies were already being tempered naturally. This kind of workload was training in itself.
By the end of the day, nearly all the fruit in the small orchard had been harvested and processed. If more energy cubes were needed before the next harvest, Su Yu would have to purchase berries from outside sources—something he'd already anticipated. Fruit trees needed time, after all, usually one to two months.
Speeding that up would require Grass-type Pokémon.
And honestly?
Su Yu couldn't afford that yet.
For now, he'd rely on Chen Xier's connections if necessary. Her family's energy cube business could supply raw materials when needed—though that favor would be a big one.
Standing under the night sky, Su Yu rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Looks like it's time to decide…Which advanced energy cube formula should I give her?