There's Something Off About My Pokémon [116]
Beside him, Lu Ning let out a soft "Ah!" as she seemed to recall something. "She's the female commentator for our U20 tournament!"
"Really?" Lu Cheng only remembered the loud male commentator who had been a bit annoying during the matches; he hadn't paid much attention to anyone else.
The woman adjusted her short, neatly-cut hair and smiled. "I'm An Tongxin. I was the one who commentated for your final match, Champion Lu!"
"Pleasure to meet you," Lu Cheng said, scratching his cheek awkwardly.
"So, what brings you two here?"
"He wanted to see how Pokéblocks are made, so I came along to keep him company," Lu Ning explained with a smile.
An Tongxin glanced at them with mild surprise. She vaguely remembered that Lu Ning was the third-place winner of the U20 tournament in Zhejiang Province. Could it be that…?
Meanwhile, Lu Cheng was staring intently at the Pokéblock blender in silence. The process of making Pokéblocks mainly revolved around timing. The more precisely one controlled the timing of each step, the higher quality the Pokéblock would be. However, the needle on the blender moved incredibly fast—even at medium speed, it was difficult for the naked eye to keep up. So, producing high-quality Pokéblocks usually relied on a combination of skill and experience.
But Lu Cheng was different! He could clearly see the needle's movement, tracking it even as it entered the narrow "Perfect Zone" on each cycle. The speed felt manageable, not fast at all.
"Is it because of my dynamic vision?" Lu Cheng muttered to himself.
"You should try it yourself," An Tongxin suggested with a smile, noticing Lu Cheng's focused expression. "It's a simple process—just place the berries inside and press the button at the right moment."
Lu Cheng, intrigued, nodded and stepped up in front of her.
"Do you want to try as well?" An Tongxin asked, turning to Lu Ning with a gentle smile.
"I'm not very experienced with this," Lu Ning admitted nervously, "I might mess up."
"No worries." An Tongxin encouraged her. "We'll start with the slowest speed."
The Pokéblock blender could accommodate up to four people at once. The quality of the final Pokéblock was determined by the average number of mistakes made. Having more people could speed up the process, but it also increased the chances of failure.
"Let me show you how it's done," An Tongxin said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "And if anyone makes a mistake, I'll help fix it."
"Making a Pokéblock yourself is a pretty rewarding experience!" she added enthusiastically. "Let's start by using four Pecha Berries!"
The quality and flavor of a Pokéblock depended on the type of berries used; rarer berries resulted in higher-quality Pokéblocks. Pecha Berries were among the most basic berries, serving as essential ingredients for beginner Pokéblocks.
As the Pecha Berries were placed in, the blender began to spin slowly. For beginners, timing was often the most challenging part. The needle's movement was erratic, and a moment's distraction could mean missing the button.
However, both Lu Ning and Lu Cheng kept up with the rhythm without any errors. An Tongxin nodded approvingly as she observed their focused expressions. Lu Ning, clearly, had practiced before, showing a certain level of skill. As for Lu Cheng, though he seemed to be a complete beginner, he had an exceptional sense of timing—a rare trait, indeed.
Could it be… a natural talent? An Tongxin thought with a slight smile. But making a Pokéblock isn't that simple!
As the berries began to mix, the blender suddenly paused, and after a moment, the needle started spinning much faster. The speed shot up unexpectedly, catching Lu Ning off-guard and causing her to fumble as the needle suddenly reversed direction, resulting in her first mistake.
"Sorry!" Lu Ning's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
"No problem, stay focused!" An Tongxin reassured her. She had half-expected Lu Ning to slip up, but she kept her gaze on Lu Cheng. Her eyes widened in surprise.
For a beginner, the blender's increasingly unpredictable pace and rhythm would almost certainly lead to mistakes. Yet, Lu Cheng remained unfazed, casually resting one hand over the button. From time to time, he'd press it with a soft click, always landing perfectly in the "Perfect Zone." He even stifled a yawn!
An Tongxin, momentarily distracted, missed the needle herself, adding one more mistake to her tally.
Under normal circumstances, making only three or four mistakes at the lowest speed would indicate a competent level of skill. Lu Ning, though, struggled visibly, her face turning an even deeper shade of red with each misstep. She'd already made eight mistakes in a matter of moments. More than ten mistakes would cause the Pokéblock to fail.
"Stay focused!" An Tongxin reminded Lu Ning gently.
But Lu Cheng, frowning slightly, interjected, "Why don't you step back and let me handle your button?"
Lu Ning hesitated, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but eventually stepped aside.
Lu Cheng studied the mixture, noticing the impurities accumulating. What's with her? So many mistakes, and not a single one in the "Perfect Zone." Can't I even have a decent first experience making Pokéblocks?
With a quiet sigh, he began managing two buttons on his own.
An Tongxin almost missed another turn as she watched him. Is he actually operating two buttons at once? Not only was he handling both, but he was also making almost no mistakes.
An Tongxin, still astonished, noticed her own mistakes were starting to increase. What's with these people? Can't anyone just let me have a peaceful Pokéblock-making session?
"An-senpai!" Lu Cheng spoke up, sounding mildly impatient, "Focus!"
An Tongxin was taken aback. Did a junior just call me out? Her competitive streak flared, and she felt her ears flush a faint pink as she concentrated anew. This is just the beginning; the hardest part of making Pokéblocks is yet to come!
Five minutes later…
"This Pokéblock's quality is incredible!" Lu Ning exclaimed in delight, examining the Pokéblock as it dropped into the tray. She hadn't been much help in the process, but she knew enough to recognize high quality when she saw it.
An Tongxin looked deflated. At the end, Lu Cheng had only made three mistakes, while she had six. And that was with him managing two buttons! There's no way he's just a beginner. He must've done this before! she thought, grinding her teeth.
Meanwhile, Lu Cheng inspected the Pokéblock thoughtfully. Compared to the ones he usually fed his Pokémon, the quality was noticeably lower. Maybe the rotation speed is to blame. With my dynamic vision, I should be able to handle an even faster pace.
He glanced at An Tongxin, who seemed lost in her thoughts, and gave a small smile.
"An-senpai, I'd like to try it at medium speed!"
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Translator's NoteHi, trainers! I'm so excited to finally bring you Team Rocket's Second-in-Command! After translating over 300 chapters of this absolute gem, I can tell you it's everything—action, drama, and just the right amount of chaos. Luo Yuan isn't just a trainer; he's the trainer, slaying battles, running the underworld, and making us all swoon with his brilliance.
This is the last story I'll be posting this month, so let's go out with a bang! Thank you so much for all your love and support—you've made this journey so much fun to share. Now, let's dive in and cheer for our boy as he takes the Pokémon world by storm!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]