r18novel Page 8
Page 8
All the words I wanted to say ultimately boiled down to one equally heartfelt thank you.
After hanging up the phone, Lin Che remained unsettled for a long time. He knew that this 100,000 yuan was not only start-up capital, but also the continuation of his father's unspoken dream.
Just then, the door to the treatment room was pushed open.
The nurse came out carrying a tiny figure, a professional smile on her face: "Little one, your Growlithe is fine now. It's just a little malnourished and has some minor skin injuries. With proper care, it will be fine in a while."
When the Growlithe, which had regained some of its energy, was handed to him, Lin Che carefully took it.
The little guy's fur had been cleaned, revealing its original beautiful stripes of fiery red and black. It was still very thin, but the fear in its eyes had mostly dissipated, replaced by a hint of confusion and unease about the unfamiliar environment.
It shifted in Lin Che's arms, finding a comfortable position, its warm body temperature seeping through the thin clothing and reaching Lin Che's chest.
Lin Che looked down at the little life in his arms, a life whose fate had intersected with his own.
He knew that from this moment on, his life would be inextricably linked with this little guy.
Chapter 9 Family Meeting, Arcanine Training Plan!
At nine o'clock in the evening, the lights in the Lin family restaurant were bright.
A table full of delicious dishes was steaming hot, and the aroma filled the air, but it couldn't dispel the invisible heaviness.
Zhou Ya's chopsticks barely stopped, constantly piling braised pork and vegetables into Lin Che's bowl, which was already teetering on the verge of collapse.
"Going to Shanghai, that's such a far place."
Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes were a little red.
"You're in an unfamiliar place, what if you run into bad guys? Those secret realms sound terrifying, especially for someone all alone..."
Her words were trivial and repetitive, each sentence wrapped in heavy worry.
Lin Che silently ate his rice, carefully consuming every piece of food his mother placed on his plate. He could feel the anxiety behind her love; it was the first mountain weighing on his heart, the first obstacle he had to face.
Sitting opposite him, his father, Lin Jianguo, appeared much more silent.
He put down his chopsticks and spread out a huge national map on the other half of the table. His rough knuckles moved slowly across the map, finally landing on the bustling area of Shanghai.
"There are three recorded beginner-level secret realms around Shanghai Elf University."
Lin Jianguo's voice was deep and steady. He didn't look at his wife; his gaze was fixed on Lin Che's face.
"The Volcanic Ash Secret Realm, the Misty Forest, and the Shallow Cave. These are all rated the lowest safety level, 'Open,' but the association's casualty reports still show new trainers getting into trouble there every year. How much do you know about these three places?"
This is not a questioning, but a test.
Lin Che swallowed the rice in his mouth and gently put down the bowl and chopsticks.
He knew that the real "meeting" was only just beginning.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry."
Instead of making empty promises, he turned around and took a thick folder from the study, placing it next to the map.
On the cover of the folder, four large characters were written in black marker: "The Path of a Trainer".
He turned to the first page.
It was a printed brochure of the departments of Shanghai Elf University, with "Trainer Department" highlighted in red.
"My first choice is Shanghai Pokémon University, the top-tier program for trainers."
Lin Che's voice was clear and firm, each word resounding, dispelling the last trace of hesitation hovering over the dining table.
"There are the nation's top-notch Fire-type Pokémon breeding resources there, including the honorary professor 'Emperor Yan Zongzheng' and the nation's only 'high-intensity volcanic environment simulation training ground.' My goal is to qualify for entry there in my first year of school."
He turned to the second page, which contained detailed information about Growlithe, with dense handwritten notes attached to the side.
"I have already developed a preliminary breeding plan for Growlithe."
"Its personality is 'Adamant' and its ability is 'Flash Fire'. This configuration dictates that it should follow a high-speed physical attack route, and it would be foolish to waste any resources on special attack."
Lin Che tapped his finger on the paper, his tone as calm as that of a seasoned breeder who had been in the industry for many years.
"In the early stages, before the start of the school year, the core of training will be the same—the basics. I will focus on training its basic physical fitness, cardiopulmonary function, and explosive power. In terms of skills, I will only refine [Bite] and [Spark]. One provides stable physical output, while the other can use the 'Ignite' property to unleash excessive damage at specific times."
"Once its body develops to the point where it can withstand higher energy impacts, that is, after it evolves into Arcanine, I will immediately apply to learn two core inherited skills - [Extreme Speed] and [Flame Charge]."
His words were full of undeniable professionalism, paving a clear, feasible, and ambitious path for his parents.
The worry in Zhou Ya's eyes had unknowingly dissipated, replaced by a strange yet familiar... pride.
She looked at her son's profile, its features clearly defined by the lamplight, and at the light shining in his eyes. It wasn't a momentary impulse of youth, but absolute confidence born from careful consideration of the future.
She and her husband beside her exchanged a glance.
Lin Jianguo slowly put away the map, picked up the heavy folder in his hand, and flipped through it page by page.
After a long silence, he spoke in a deep voice.
"I'll give you 50,000 as start-up capital. If that's not enough, just let me know."
Zhou Ya opened her mouth, but in the end, she only managed to utter one sentence.
"When you're out, remember to eat on time."
Lin Che's nose felt a little sore, and he nodded heavily.
The family meeting ended in his complete victory.
……
After dinner, Lin Che returned to his room.
The walls are covered with posters of League Champion "Red" and his legendary Charizard, and the bookshelves are filled with various professional books such as "The Theory of Type Matchups in Pokémon", "Elementary Pokémon Breeding", and "Wilderness Survival Manual".
He locked the door and released the tiny figure from the Poké Ball at his waist.
A flash of light, and Growlithe appeared on the carpet.
After an afternoon of rest and treatment, it had recovered considerably, but its eyes were still timid as it huddled in the corner of the room, warily surveying the unfamiliar surroundings.
The memory of being abandoned is a scar etched into the bones.
Lin Che didn't rush to get closer; he simply walked to the desk and turned on the computer.
Instead of immediately starting to look up information, he first opened a music player and played a piece of soothing light music.
The gentle melody flowed through the room, easing the tense atmosphere.
Then, he took out a brand-new pet brush with extremely soft bristles from the drawer, walked slowly to the Growlithe, and sat down a step away from it.
He didn't speak, but simply placed the brush beside him and quietly looked at it.
The Growlithe let out a soft whimper, its body tense.
Lin Che remained motionless, simply meeting its gaze with the gentlest of eyes.
One minute.
five minutes.
ten minutes.
Finally, Growlithe seemed to realize he meant no harm, and its tense body slowly relaxed.
Lin Che then reached out and, extremely slowly, handed the brush to it.
The little guy sniffed warily but didn't move away.
Lin Che's movements were extremely gentle; he lightly touched the slightly messy orange fur on its back with the end of the brush.
The Growlithe's body trembled slightly, but it did not run away.
Once, twice...
Lin Che maintained a steady pace, gently combing its fur from its back to its tail and then to its neck.
The little guy comfortably squinted his eyes, made a satisfied gurgling sound in his throat, and completely slumped down, resting his head on Lin Che's lap.
A smile finally appeared on Lin Che's face.
While maintaining what he was doing with one hand, he used his other hand to swipe across the laptop's touchpad.
The browser was opened, and one after another, professional Pokémon breeding forums and information websites were accessed.
Thirty-one skill combinations for the Adamant-type Arcanine.
On the compatibility and stamina allocation of 'Divine Speed' and 'Flash Charge'
Fire-type Pokémon Nutrition: Fine-tuning the Energy Cube Ratio at Different Stages
A massive influx of information flooded his vision, which he quickly filtered, absorbed, and integrated.
He didn't even use pen and paper; instead, he created a new document titled "Growlithe Breeding Project - Ver1.0".
[Phase 1: Early Childhood (LV.1-LV.15)]
[Objective: To solidify the foundation and build strong bonds.]
[Diet: Fresh Moo Moo milk + high-protein baby elf food (three meals a day, at regular times and in measured amounts). Monitor weight and record every three days.]
[Training: Daily 3km jog, agility obstacle course (plum blossom stakes), bite force strengthening (specially made teething sticks).]
[Skill: [Spark] Precision Training, Goal: 95% or higher accuracy within 10 meters.]
[Second Stage: Growth Stage (LV.16 - Pre-Evolution)]
[Objective: To enhance practical combat capabilities and accumulate energy for evolution.]
[Diet: Gradually reduce the proportion of milk and add energy cubes (70% fire attribute energy, 30% stamina recovery).]
[Props: Purchase charcoal using 12800 yuan of New Year's money and 50000 yuan of start-up capital from father. Budget: 8000-10000 yuan.]
[Skill: Begin learning [Charged Flame Strike] to lay the foundation for [Flash Charge].]
……
Detailed plans were quickly typed out in the document.
From skill combinations to tactical positioning, from diet and nutrition to every financial plan, everything is clear, well-defined, and logically sound.
The night outside the window grew deeper and deeper, and the hustle and bustle of the city gradually subsided.
The lights in the room remained bright.