Chapter 44

Ten minutes after Teacher Luke's video was uploaded, the comments section erupted with activity.

"Grandfather, the Content Uploader you're following has a new update!"

"A series of Content Uploader videos?"

"Damn it, late-night poison!"

"Posting a food video so late at night, just be yourself!"

"Wow, is this dish really going to shine?!"

Dedicated Bilibili fans who had purchased houses immediately noticed Teacher Luke's new video. Initially thinking it might be a sly tactic, everyone clicked on the video with a sense of reverence, hoping that Teacher Luke was doing well.

However, they definitely didn't anticipate that Teacher Luke would change his career to become a food blogger!

Changing careers was one thing, but why release the video at one o'clock in the morning? And most importantly, the cooking seemed eerily reminiscent of something.

Combining Saffron's Roasted meat with rich soup, applying filters, and using warm background music...

"Damn, I can't resist this!"

"Why did I start watching this video at night?"

"Teacher Luke, you're robbing me of my sleep currency!"

Apart from the mouthwatering Roasted meat, Gastly's indulgent feasting and broadcasting stole the spotlight.

The spectacle of Gastly greedily devouring the food made viewers salivate. The heat practically emanated through the screen.

Gastly had nearly finished consuming the Roasted meat. The five-minute ordeal was about to conclude when Teacher Luke returned with a fresh serving and began eating alongside...

"I've never seen someone so audaciously shameless!"

"Recommend changing the title to: 'Late Night Munchies Revisited.'"

"Don't say it, but Teacher Luke's culinary skills seem to be really impressive."

From a professional standpoint, even experts couldn't find fault with Teacher Luke's cooking techniques. The fact that a Game Streamer could exhibit this level of culinary skill exceeded fans' expectations.

Furthermore, this marked the first time Teacher Luke appeared in his own video. His slender fingers, profile as he cooked, and the warm, unpretentious background music...

"Why am I suddenly getting emotional?"

"What's so special about Teacher Luke?"

"Guys, hurry up and bring back the host!"

From cooking instructions to shooting and editing techniques, the food video was virtually flawless. Following the style of the parallel world's "Late Night Canteen," Teacher Luke kept it simple, relying on a slightly magnetic narration.

It was easy to predict that this editing style would likely ignite a wave of food bloggers in the living quarters who would eagerly emulate it.

But what surprised the audience even more was the final segment of the video.

As Gastly licked the plate, its expression of dissatisfaction escalated, leading to an unexpected evolution right before their eyes!

Could cooking really trigger a Pokémon's evolution? Was this a new evolutionary phenomenon?

"Wow, people can be so foolish, accepting this form of evolution!"

"Could it be that Teacher Luke is actually a Breeder?!"

In the realm of Breeder, there was a sub-category known as chefs who utilized cooking with Pokémon. Examples included Sinnoh's Poffin and Galar's Max Soup & Curry on Rice.

Cooking could indeed influence Pokémon breeding, an undeniable fact. But...

Wasn't Teacher Luke known for his tactical mastery? Why did he suddenly transition to being a Breeder?!

"Is this the power hierarchy?"

"Who cares if you're handsome? Can you cook?"

"Luke, you've won my heart!"

...

Pewter City, Pewter Gym.

After consoling his younger brother and sister and tucking them into bed, it was already late at night. The tough-faced man stretched and yawned, squinting at his younger brother behind him as he offered a faint smile.

"Thanks for your hard work, Forrest. Make sure you get some rest early too."

Forrest, whose features bore a striking resemblance to Brock, nodded in response. He walked to the door, turned back, and spoke earnestly, "Big brother, you've worked hard too!"

"Don't say silly things," Brock smiled, patting Forrest's head affectionately. "This is all part of my duty."

While Pewter Gym maintained a strong position in the Kanto Alliance, the salary of the Gym Leader only covered the expenses for Brock and his nine younger siblings. Life for his younger sister was still quite challenging.

Hence, aside from his role as Gym Leader, Brock also served as a guardian at the Pewter City Museum. His Kabutops had been acquired during that period.

Apart from being a Trainer, Brock was also an accomplished Breeder. Whenever he sat at the computer, he'd dedicate some time to learning about breeding techniques. However, his attention was suddenly captured by a rapidly rising video's popularity.

"Late Night Canteen?" Brock squinted and murmured, "Is it a cooking video?"

Brock possessed solid cooking skills himself. However, this particular video was labeled with a "Breeder" tag, which piqued his curiosity.

"Breeding through cooking?"

The term "Breeder" encompassed various roles and specialties. Incubating eggs, beautification, cooking—these were all facets of being a Breeder. Strictly speaking, Gold and Blue are also considered Pokémon Breeders.

This includes the aforementioned Red, the talented Diamond from the Sinnoh Region, who excels in Pokémon breeding through Poffins.

Clicking on the video, Brock watched the cooking process attentively, his expression stern. Although the technique was still in its early stages, there was nothing to criticize.

Towards the end of the video, the scene depicting Gastly's evolution caught Brock's attention, causing him to slightly widen his eyes.

"Interesting..."

"Perhaps Gastly evolved due to the emotions infused in the cooking," Brock mused, rubbing his chin.

"Or maybe it's due to other breeding techniques?"

In the world of Pokémon, emotional energy was an enigmatic and profound force, yet it was tangibly real. The Viridian Forest allowed Pokémon to briefly exceed their limits, and and even the legendary bond power which drew from emotional energy.

Given Gastly's high level of intimacy with its owner, the dishes created with the owner's emotions likely played a pivotal role in Gastly's evolution.

"Hmm, quite the accomplished Breeder," Brock said with a faint smile.

The most essential quality of a Breeder was a genuine love and care for Pokémon. Merely from watching the video, Brock felt a sense of resonance with Teacher Luke.

Determined, Brock clenched his fists and his expression turned more serious.

This was a connection between two men, two Breeders!

In order to initiate an exchange of experiences, Brock finally sent a private message to Teacher Luke after some contemplation.

Rock-Solid: Hello.

Half an hour passed before any response came.

In the meantime, Luke had finished his instant noodles, only to discover that he had lost over 30,000 fans during his absence.

"Seriously?!" Luke raised an eyebrow. "I thought my video was quite appealing!"

Thankfully, the number of fans began to rise again, and Luke remained unfazed. He opened the private messages section on the platform.

After clearing the notifications one by one, a particular ID caught his attention: "Rock-Solid." The ID's profile picture was a badge pattern—a gray equilateral octagon—representing the Pewter Gym of Rock Type.

Luke couldn't help but twitch a corner of his mouth. He clicked on the user's profile and was greeted by the stern yet squinting face of a muscular man.

"You don't find someone like you very often," Luke muttered to himself before composing a reply.

Teacher Luke: Yes? What's up? Join the group!?