“I’d like you to assist as a translator for the specialized course this afternoon,” Professor Yamana said.
Lu Ye glanced at the Japanese translator beside Professor Yamana, who happened to be his advisor.
Isn’t there already a translator here?
His advisor mouthed, “What are you waiting for? Accept it already!”
Guidance from any Pokémon Professor is incredibly valuable, and Lu Ye’s advisor genuinely wanted him to have more opportunities to showcase his abilities.
“Here’s the thing...” Professor Yamana cleared his throat. “It’s not that Teacher Zheng’s Japanese is lacking, but some technical terms could benefit from careful discussion.”
During the earlier class, Lu Ye had made a significant impression on Professor Yamana, who was now eager to get to know this young man better.
With that said, Lu Ye nodded and joined Professor Yamana for the next class.
“Think you can help me get a few extra credits?” Lu Ye whispered to his advisor.
Lu Ye scoffed. “Tokyo University’s fine, I guess. If I really wanted a research position, I’d have switched to economics long ago.”
His advisor could only shake his head, momentarily lost for words.
Over the course of the afternoon, the entire grade started buzzing with rumors about Lu Ye.
“The guy translating for Professor Yamana is hot!”
“Are you kidding? That’s the finance genius, Lu Ye!”
“You don’t know? When Professor Yamana made a slip-up this afternoon, Lu Ye was the one who corrected the translation!”
“I heard Professor Yamana offered Lu Ye a spot as his grad student, and he actually turned it down!”
“Wow, does Lu Ye have that much sway? He even declined a guaranteed grad school position!”
“And that was at the Pokémon Academy—the top program!”
“Isn’t that a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become a Trainer?!”
The rumors spread quickly, but Professor Yamana’s offer was more than idle talk.
When he wrapped up his visit, he still couldn’t help but admire the knowledge and poise of Modu University’s students. Among them, he was particularly impressed by the intelligent and well-mannered young man.
“Lu Ye...” Professor Yamana muttered, recalling Lu Ye’s reason for turning down the offer. For the first time, a smile tugged at his usually serious face.
“Not interested in becoming a Trainer? Well, he’d make an excellent addition to my research lab!”
Professor Yamana murmured, “Aside from Cynthia, I haven’t met another young scholar so well-versed in history.”
Cynthia, Champion of the Sinnoh Region, was not only renowned for her battling prowess but also an accomplished historian who once served as an assistant in Professor Yamana’s lab.
Recalling Lu Ye’s confidence when discussing Sinnoh legends, Professor Yamana whispered to himself, “Those two would probably have a lot to talk about.”
Calming his thoughts, Professor Yamana penned a personal recommendation letter and handed it to the translator beside him.
“Teacher Zheng, please give this letter to Lu Ye.”
Professor Yamana nodded approvingly. “If he’s not interested in Tokyo University... I can recommend him to Yuhong University for further studies.”
The advisor looked at the recommendation letter in astonishment, a sense of awe filling his heart.
Yuhong University is revered worldwide by aspiring Trainers! Especially its Pokémon Academy and Business School, which have produced figures like Professor Oak and Devon Corporation’s CEO, Zinnia Tzukihara.
In global university rankings, Yuhong University is on par with the Ivy Leagues, often surpassing them in Pokémon studies.
The advisor couldn’t hide his excitement for Lu Ye. “I’ll make sure he gets it!”
“Also, let him know,” Professor Yamana said with a smile, “that if he wants to pursue academia, my research lab is open to him anytime.”
In just one afternoon, Lu Ye had made a lasting impression on Professor Yamana.
Lu Ye’s knowledge and insights into Pokémon evolution had astonished the professor, and word of his prowess was still spreading through Modu University.
Back in his dorm, Liang Dayou nudged Lu Ye excitedly.
“Hey, what did the professor ask you about?”
“Milotic’s evolution,” Lu Ye replied, unfazed, “and my thoughts on the phenomenon of red Gyarados.”
“Wow, you even know the answer to such tough questions?!”
Lu Ye shot back, “You can’t answer something this simple?!”
Lu Ye wondered, aren’t these questions common knowledge?
Here, they’re apparently still considered cutting-edge research topics!
At that moment, his advisor knocked on the dorm door and asked Lu Ye to step out.
“This is a recommendation letter from Professor Yamana,” he said, swallowing hard.
“Take a good look—this isn’t some ordinary school like Tokyo University!”
“This is Yuhong University, the holy land for Trainers worldwide!”
Hearing the word “Trainer,” Lu Ye’s hand froze mid-reach and then lowered.
“It’s not that I don’t want to go to Yuhong University; it’s just that I love Modu University.”
“Oh, come on!” his advisor snapped in frustration. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become a Trainer!”
“I’m serious.” Lu Ye’s face turned earnest, even squeezing out a few fake tears. “I love Modu University deeply.”
His advisor shoved the letter into his hands, practically fuming. “Do whatever you want!”
Lu Ye sighed, stuffing the neatly penned letter into his pocket.
Back in the dorm, Liang Dayou was studying “Criminal Law,” his receding hairline giving off a melancholy air.
“By the way, why did you turn down Professor Yamana’s grad school offer?” he asked.
Lu Ye glanced at the book. “Because I value my life!”
Aside from becoming a Trainer, being a researcher was Lu Ye’s second least favorite job.
Think about it—even Professor Oak nearly got smothered by a Grimer; and Professor Bill, a telecommunications pioneer, swapped bodies with a Rattata in a real-life “Your Name” scenario; and Professor Birch from the Hoenn Region was constantly chased around by Zigzagoon…
This isn’t some cartoon—getting hit with a Thunderbolt will kill you!
The bloody examples are right there.
So, Trainers are out of the question, and researchers even more so!
In the dorm, his wealthy roommate Tian Youwei, who was determined to be a Trainer, was flipping through a printed Pokémon Encyclopedia.
“Lu Ye, there’s a ‘Piplup Cup’ Trainer Tournament hosted by Piplup Inc. in the Pudong District. Interested in joining?”
“What, so he can go embarrass himself in front of the Pokémon Academy students?”
Liang Dayou scoffed. “Besides, he doesn’t even have a Pokémon to compete with!”
“I actually have a starter Pokémon,” Lu Ye said.
“What? When did you catch one?!”
Lu Ye pulled out a Poké Ball, a red light flashed, and the room temperature dropped by 5°C.
Tian Youwei was busy registering for the tournament on his phone when he glanced up and was startled by a grinning ghost face.
“Jeez! That scared the crap out of me!”
Liang Dayou rolled around laughing on his bed. “Seriously? You’re scared of a Gastly?!”
As he spoke, Gastly turned its head slowly, its mouth stretching back to reveal a red, long tongue, greeting Dayou with a wicked grin.
“Damn, Lu Ye, this Gastly of yours is pretty awesome!”
Tian Youwei inspected Gastly excitedly. “Looks stronger than the one the Battle Department uses!”
Gastly beamed with pride, giving Tian Youwei an approving nod.
You’re a sharp one, kid!
Lu Ye recalled Gastly and said, “Alright, enough of this. I’ve got to get back to my apartment to stream.”
“What, you’re not entering the tournament?” Tian Youwei asked, astonished.
“I’ve told you, I’m not interested in being a Trainer!”