c11: Who Is the "Old Driver"?
"What? A Metagross? So the clan your family inherited is tied to the Metagross lineage and it's based in western Guangdong? But why did you go there without telling Grandma? Isn't that dangerous? And what about Alakazam? What happened to your Mr. Mime or, as your old family records still call it, the 'Breathing Disc Golem'?"
Leng Yue bombarded her with questions, astonished.
"…Xiao Nizi, has no one told you that men don't like women who are too sharp?" Chen Xiaoxiao hadn't expected Leng Yue to infer so much from just a few offhand remarks.
"Alright, alright, I won't spill it. I mean, everyone kind of knows about your inherited family estate anyway. It's not like it's a mystery just like how you know about ours."
Leng Yue shrugged.
Indeed, just as Chen Xiaoxiao was aware that Leng Yue's lineage had long inherited Pokémon like Lapras and Alolan Ninetales (still called Ice Ninetales in ancient texts), Leng Yue knew about hers.
In fact, Chen Xiaoxiao's family, which has maintained a long-standing heritage in China, had records in their family tomes identifying Pokémon lineages their bloodline has bonded with. Over generations, their legacy Pokémon have included Metagross, Alakazam, and Mr. Mime. Two family members were even recognized as Elite Trainers in official League history, and the family's psychic aptitude had been passed down through single heirs always male until now.
"Disgusting! Anyway, didn't you always want a Psychic-type that could use Teleport? I need a strong Water-type, and I've always admired your Lapras. I can catch a wild Abra only for you though, not for anyone else."
Having recovered her composure, Chen Xiaoxiao answered Leng Yue's last question and casually offered a trade.
"Hahaha! So it's true! Dozens of generations, and always male heirs. Before you were born, I bet half the region thought your bloodline couldn't produce daughters. You're a true anomaly even your inherited Pokémon are all rough and hideous! Hahaha!"
Leng Yue couldn't help but laugh, poking fun with exaggerated flair.
"…!" Chen Xiaoxiao's face fell.
"Haha, alright, I'm just kidding. I don't think you're ugly, do I? I just don't want to get grilled by Grandpa for teasing you. But if you're open to trading with someone else in my family, I bet my dad would be interested. He's really keen on Psychic-types that can teleport. In emergencies, that kind of power can literally save lives. You should give it some thought."
Leng Yue said earnestly.
(Author's note: In this universe, Teleport cannot be taught using a TM unlike in the games. Only Pokémon born with the ability or those from certain evolutionary families can use it naturally. While in the games it's used just to escape or return to a Pokémon Center, in a real-world setting it becomes an incredibly powerful technique capable of personal transport, escape from danger, or even tactical advantage in combat. Besides rare Phantom Beasts, only four known Pokémon lineages can naturally learn Teleport: the Gardevoir line, the Alakazam line, the Xatu line, and the Claydol line.)
"Forget it, I was just talking nonsense."
Chen Xiaoxiao replied with disinterest.
Leng Yue picked up on the underlying message it was a tactful refusal and didn't press further.
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———Boundary Line———
Qianda Plaza
Qianda Plaza is China's most iconic mega shopping center a hub for leisure, entertainment, shopping, and most famously, Pokémon trading.
Besides its luxury boutiques and established retail outlets, the plaza also houses a sprawling open-air Free Trade Zone dedicated to trainers.
Ask any local trainer where the largest gathering of Pokémon enthusiasts is and they'll point you here. Veteran trainers, drifters, and newcomers alike flock to Qianda Plaza to trade Pokémon, sell items acquired during their travels, or hunt for rare gear.
It's the perfect place for deals prices for standard goods are often cheaper than in regulated stores. And some newbie trainers unknowingly sell high-value items like evolutionary stones or rare berries at bargain-bin rates.
Naturally, there are also shady vendors who try to pass off ordinary rocks as evolutionary stones. But as long as it's not outright fraud, mall security usually won't intervene.
That's why keen-eyed street vendors and freelance appraisers have set up shop here too. If you're unsure about an item's authenticity, you can pay them to evaluate it.
Contracts are handled via Pokédex registration, and any verified fraud can be legally challenged. Every trade has its risks if your instincts aren't sharp, you won't last long here.
Chen Xiaoxiao and Leng Yue had spent the morning browsing the clothing section. After grabbing a TM from the Skill Disc shop and enjoying lunch, Leng Yue suggested they explore the Trainer Free Trade Plaza. She'd never had a chance to visit it before and with Chen Xiaoxiao as a guide, it felt like the perfect opportunity.
Chen Xiaoxiao carried herself with the casual confidence of someone used to doing as they pleased. Curious to see what unique and exotic items might be traded in the capital's exchange square, she naturally agreed without hesitation.
As soon as they stepped through the arched gateway of Free Trade Square, a few hawkers clearly regulars hustling to make a living immediately approached them.
"Ladies, new to the road, right? Looking to buy or trade? Just a tiny commission and I'll help you find the best stalls. I know practically everything on the floor rare Poké Balls, technical manuals, hidden evolution items you name it. You'll save a ton of time," the man offered, grinning enthusiastically.
Though Chen Xiaoxiao and Leng Yue were only 12 years old, they each stood over 1.5 meters tall and dressed fashionably enough to blend in with older teens.
Chen Xiaoxiao, seasoned by frequent field battles and extended wilderness treks, had already shed the wide-eyed innocence common in girls her age. Her features held a faint trace of maturity and quiet calculation.
Leng Yue, while cheerful and teasing around Chen Xiaoxiao, reverted to a calm, aloof demeanor in front of strangers. After years of close contact with Ice-type Pokémon like Glaceon and Alolan Ninetales, her aura carried an unmistakable chill cold, unreadable, and commanding a quiet respect.
Chen Xiaoxiao didn't speak immediately. She narrowed her eyes.
She knew full well that these hawkers often had under-the-table deals with select stall owners. In exchange for steering customers their way, they got kickbacks often leading buyers to overpriced or low-quality goods.
Most stalls that needed these hawkers to pull in traffic didn't have anything worth a second look. Chen Xiaoxiao had no intention of being suckered into that kind of mess, even if it would've saved some time.
After all, I'm just here to browse, she thought. With the system on hand, I don't lack for items or gear.
Leng Yue, being the daughter of one of the Huaxia Region's Elite Four, had no shortage of resources either. Her father i an Ice-type specialist known in the League as "Frost Tyrant He" made sure she was well-equipped at all times.
Chen Xiaoxiao tugged Leng Yue's arm, pulling her a step back to bypass the hawkers entirely. She intended to simply ignore them and enter the plaza, but underestimated their persistence. The moment she stepped aside, three more hawkers swarmed over, trying to sell everything from Berries to counterfeit Mega Stones.
It instantly reminded Chen Xiaoxiao of the black car touts at train stations in her past life shameless and relentless.
But this wasn't her old world, and she definitely wasn't just another ordinary girl here.
Just as Chen Xiaoxiao considered teleporting herself and Leng Yue out of the cluster, she felt Leng Yue lightly tug her back.
Then she saw him.
A tall, middle-aged man in a sharply tailored black suit and dark sunglasses approached from the crowd. Without saying a word, he stepped between the girls and the hawkers, raising a hand to signal them to back off.
Only then did Chen Xiaoxiao remember Leng Yue wasn't ordinary either.
Though he hadn't appeared earlier that day when they arrived at Qianda Plaza, Uncle Li the discreet driver who'd been following them from afar stepped forward now. His presence alone exuded a restrained, professional menace, and in this moment, he fully embraced the role of bodyguard.
The lead hawker, initially frustrated, glanced up and froze.
Uncle Li's black suit wasn't the intimidating part it was the silver Elite Trainer Badge pinned to his chest.
The hawker's face went pale. He immediately stepped back, bowing slightly, and moved off without another word. The other hawkers scattered just as fast, not daring to provoke someone wearing that badge.
Chen Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise.
It was only now that she realized Uncle Li wasn't just a professional chauffeur he was a certified Elite-level Trainer.
In Huaxia, Trainer Badges come in three ranks: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
For Elite-level badges:
Bronze Elite Badge: Requires at least one confirmed Elite-tier Pokémon and five quasi-Elite Pokémon.
Silver Elite Badge: Requires at least three Elite-tier and three quasi-Elite Pokémon, often making the holder eligible to challenge for gyms in second-tier cities.
Gold Elite Badge: The most prestigious. The trainer must command a full team of six Elite-level Pokémon. Holders are eligible to become gym leaders in the "Four Old First-Tier Cities," the power base of Huaxia's Regional League.
For example, He Yong the father of Chen Xiaoxiao's classmate He Xiaowen is a recognized Gold Elite and even shortlisted to become a Region Elite in the future.
Meanwhile, Uncle Li held a Silver Elite Badge, meaning he was strong enough to challenge for gym control in one of the fifteen "New First-Tier" cities.
And yet here he was driving and protecting Leng Yue as her bodyguard.
Unexpected indeed, thought Chen Xiaoxiao.
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