Urban Pokémon

On the outskirts of Shanghai.

As soon as Leng Yue returned home, she immediately sought out her grandfather to find out what had made him so urgently summon her.

"Grandpa, why did you call me back in such a hurry?"

Seeing his granddaughter arrive, Bing Dehai greeted her with a warm smile.

"You're back, Little Yue! Come, come—I have fantastic news!"

Leng Yue moved closer, puzzled. "Fantastic news? What is—"

She abruptly stopped, eyes widening as she noticed the video playing on her grandfather's computer screen.

"Wait... is that a Sandshrew? And... it's an Ice-type?!"

The Pokémon in the video resembled a Sandshrew closely, except its original sandy-yellow hide was now replaced by icy, white-blue plates, as if dressed entirely in snow.

"Yes, precisely—an Ice-type Sandshrew!" Bing Dehai replied, barely hiding his excitement.

As a specialist Ice-type trainer, nothing pleased him more than discovering new Ice-type Pokémon.

An Ice-type Sandshrew... then was everything that man said actually true?

Leng Yue's expression shifted as Guo Yi's words flashed through her mind.

Ice-type Vulpix... Ice-type Sandshrew...

Earlier, she'd assumed Guo Yi was merely speaking nonsense without proof. Never did she imagine the proof would literally arrive at her doorstep so quickly.

Noticing her silence, Bing Dehai asked with a puzzled look, "Little Yue, what's wrong? You don't seem particularly happy about this news."

Leng Yue sighed softly and answered truthfully, "Grandpa, to be honest, I'd already heard from someone today that Sandshrew had an Ice-type form."

"What? You already knew?" Bing Dehai frowned deeply. "That's impossible! This discovery was just made by the official Dragon Country exploration team in the Himalaya Secret Realm. It hasn't even been publicly announced yet! If the expedition leader wasn't an old friend of mine, even I wouldn't have heard about it. How could an outsider possibly know?"

Leng Yue shook her head with a wry smile. While she had no idea how Guo Yi knew, he certainly hadn't been wrong. And not only Sandshrew—even Vulpix supposedly had an Ice-type variant.

Had someone previously told her about an Ice-type Vulpix, she would have dismissed it outright. Now, however, disbelief seemed impossible.

Leng Yue proceeded to recount her encounter with Guo Yi to her grandfather in great detail.

"A Vulpix born at Excellence-Tier?" Bing Dehai's expression turned serious, intrigue flashing in his eyes. "How fascinating. It seems this Guo Yi is far from ordinary."

Though birth didn't dictate everything, a Pokémon hatching directly at Excellence-Tier wasn't a feat even Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon could achieve. Such a Pokémon's potential was undoubtedly at least Elite Four-Tier.

Yet this remarkable person was merely a newly appointed assistant instructor at Shanghai Pokémon University. Was he intentionally hiding his true abilities, or did he have some other purpose?

"Little Yue, since this Guo Yi is a teacher at your school, keep an eye on him from now on," Bing Dehai instructed calmly.

Though Guo Yi had piqued his interest, Bing Dehai wasn't so concerned as to overreact about an emerging young talent just yet.

"Understood, Grandpa," Leng Yue nodded obediently.

She had already been curious about Guo Yi; now, with even her grandfather's instruction, she was determined to uncover precisely where she might encounter this elusive Ice-type Vulpix. Compared to Sandshrew, Vulpix was far more appealing to her aesthetics.

Sensing his granddaughter's thoughts, Bing Dehai gently reminded her, "Little Yue, don't make your interest too obvious. Regarding the Ice-type Vulpix, I'll ask some of my old friends to pay extra attention."

"Yes, Grandpa!" Leng Yue replied respectfully.

---

Three days later, at the entrance gate of Shanghai Pokémon University, a sleek Aston Martin rolled to a smooth stop.

A moment later, a handsome young man stepped out confidently.

Naturally, this was Guo Yi, arriving to officially take up his position.

As expected of Shanghai's top university, Guo Yi admired inwardly, gazing up at the imposing, classical-style gate. Even the entrance looks impressive.

But before he could appreciate the scenery further, two security guards swiftly approached him.

"Hey, you! Parking isn't allowed at the gate! Move along quickly!"

Holding security batons and accompanied by a Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee, the guards moved toward Guo Yi like vigilant gatekeepers. Their Pokémon, too, projected a clear aura of deterrence.

[Hitmonchan: Lv.50 (Ace)]

[Hitmonlee: Lv.50 (Ace)]

Truly worthy of being Shanghai's number-one institution. Even gate security have Ace-tier Pokémon! Guo Yi marveled inwardly.

He'd thought Tangchen Yipin's Veteran guards were impressive enough, yet here, they paled in comparison.

Seeing the security guards approaching, Guo Yi quickly retrieved his appointment letter from his bag.

"Hello there! I'm a newly appointed instructor reporting today," he explained politely, showing his credentials.

Before arriving, he'd already contacted Tang Rong's uncle, who'd arranged everything for him.

The guard carefully examined Guo Yi's appointment letter, comparing the attached photo to his face.

"Alright," he nodded approvingly. "Identity confirmed."

With his identity verified, the guard's previously stern demeanor softened noticeably.

"Teacher Guo, Director Tang already informed us you'd be coming. I'll take you in to complete the formalities shortly."

Then, casually approaching the sports car, the guard asked familiarly, "Teacher Guo, are you driving, or should I?"

"You drive," Guo Yi replied immediately, tossing over the keys and climbing smoothly into the passenger seat.

He wasn't about to turn down the chance to have someone else chauffeur him around campus. Walking wasn't even an option. Shanghai Pokémon University was enormous—covering it on foot could easily take a whole day, if not longer.

"So, Teacher Guo, you pulled some strings to get this job, right?" the guard asked conversationally, clearly not one for subtlety.

Guo Yi blinked, caught slightly off-guard.

Is this how straightforward the guards at Shanghai Pokémon University always are?

Noticing his surprise, the guard chuckled, waving away any embarrassment. "No need to be shy. Let me tell you, ninety percent of assistant teachers at this school got in through connections. And the remaining ten percent… well, they couldn't afford a car like this one."

Guo Yi suddenly understood. "Ah, so that's how it is."

Since it seemed to be an open secret, there was no point hiding it.

"You're right, I did get this position through connections. Say, how many assistant teachers does Shanghai Pokémon University have?"

The guard casually navigated the car through campus as he explained, "Around thirty or so. Most of them are young rich kids like yourself. As for their motivations…"

The guard raised an eyebrow, giving him a knowing smirk, the universal signal for you know exactly what I mean.

Guo Yi adjusted his collar seriously, shaking his head. "Don't misunderstand me! I'm here strictly to mislead—I mean, to educate students and nurture future talent."

"Tsk!" The guard scoffed dismissively. "Brother, I hate to burst your bubble, but assistants like you usually teach empty classrooms—aside from your own people."

"Own people?" Guo Yi frowned. "What do you mean?"

Was the guard implying students actually skipped classes assigned by the school? Wouldn't they fear failing?

The guard clarified patiently, "It's not skipping class exactly; students here are completely free to choose which classes they attend. The university employs a fully open approach. As long as students pass their end-of-term assessments, attending classes is optional. Of course, while slacking off in school is easy, actually graduating isn't. Graduation requires at least Ace Pokémon strength, after all. So, classes taught by famous instructors tend to fill up quickly—students even fight over spots."

"Oh, right, here's my card." He suddenly pulled out a small business card, barely bigger than a child's palm, handing it to Guo Yi.

"This is…?" Guo Yi stared, incredulous. Had even security guards become this professional now, carrying business cards?

The guard laughed knowingly, "Brother, if you need some students to boost attendance in your class, call the number. Our rates are fair and reasonable."

Guo Yi burst out laughing at the absurdity. "Your business covers a pretty wide range, huh? Tell me the truth—you get a commission, don't you?"

The guard coughed lightly. "Well… just a bit. We can't advertise for free, can we? And don't underestimate the power of a little fake popularity—you might even go viral."

Guo Yi shook his head, amused, and slipped the card into his pocket. "Then I'll borrow your auspicious words."

Truthfully, he rather liked Shanghai Pokémon University's teaching methods. He could tailor lessons according to his students' individual needs, sparing himself unnecessary lesson preparation.

"We're here," the guard announced, stopping in front of a massive stadium. "Director Tang's inside. Just head in and ask around—you'll find him easily."

Sounds of Pokémon battles echoed from within the stadium.

Guo Yi asked curiously, "Brother, hasn't the semester not started yet? Why is the stadium so lively?"

Closing the car door, the guard explained briefly, "These are students here for the independent admissions test."

"Alright, here's your key back," he said casually. "I'll be heading back now."

Guo Yi paused, suddenly realizing a problem.

Heading back? Without a car? Was he going to take the bus?

"Big brother, wait a moment. I'll be quick; I can drop you off after I finish," Guo Yi offered sincerely.

The guard waved dismissively. "No need, returning is easy enough."

"Come on out, Rapidash!"

A burst of red light flashed, revealing a tall, muscular Rapidash standing majestically before them. With practiced ease, the guard swung himself gracefully onto Rapidash's back.

"Brother, good luck with your new job! I'll be off—hyah!"

With a shout, the Rapidash reared and broke into a full gallop, quickly disappearing into the distance.

Watching the guard ride off confidently, Guo Yi turned back to glance at his expensive sports car, suddenly feeling less enthusiastic about it.

"Looks like I'll need to find some time to get my Pokémon riding license," he muttered to himself, sighing quietly as he locked the car.

Outside the city, riding a Pokémon without a license wasn't much of an issue. But if Pokémon traffic police caught someone riding unlicensed within city limits, penalties could be severe. As a law-abiding citizen, Guo Yi had no intention of risking it.

Shaking his head, he strode into the stadium.

...

Inside, the voices of trainers directing their Pokémon rang loudly:

"Venusaur, [Razor Leaf]!"

"Sandslash, [Earthquake]!"

"Typhlosion, [Flamethrower]!"

Across the expansive arena, examinees earnestly commanded their Pokémon against the examiners' teams. Passing these battles determined their eligibility for enrollment, so each candidate was giving it their all.

A supervising teacher quickly approached upon noticing Guo Yi standing around.

"Excuse me, student, could I see your exam ID?"

"Oh, I'm not an examinee," Guo Yi replied politely. "I'm a new assistant teacher looking for Director Tang. Could you tell me where he is?"

"Assistant teacher?"

The supervising teacher's gaze immediately shifted, turning noticeably colder. Clearly, he too understood the implication—that Guo Yi had gotten his job through connections. But professionalism prevailed; he nodded stiffly. "Follow me."

Guo Yi quietly followed the teacher, who led him to a nearby room.

Knock Knock!

"Director Tang, someone's here to see you," the teacher announced respectfully.

After a brief pause, a male voice answered from within, "Come in."

The teacher gestured Guo Yi forward. "You can enter. I still have duties elsewhere."

With that, he turned and walked briskly away.

Guo Yi stepped into the office, gently closing the door behind him. At the desk sat a neatly dressed, middle-aged man with short-cropped hair, scribbling notes. Hearing footsteps, he set down his pen and glanced up calmly.

"You must be Guo Yi, the one that girl Rong mentioned?"

"Yes, Director Tang. Nice to meet you," Guo Yi greeted politely.

Tang Ming regarded him carefully, observing in silence for several long moments before finally speaking:

"Although Rong recommended you, don't expect special treatment. And don't even think about using my name to cause trouble—if you do, don't blame me for being harsh."

Guo Yi responded with a firm nod. "Please rest assured, Director Tang. I'm here to teach, not to cause trouble."

Tang Ming nodded once more before retrieving a transparent plastic folder from his drawer, tossing it onto the table.

"Inside is your staff ID and login information for the school network. Go home, log into the account, and fill out your teaching information. All the procedures are available online—figure it out yourself. I won't babysit you through it."

Guo Yi picked up the folder, nodding respectfully. "Thank you, Director Tang."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can leave. I still have work to do," Tang Ming dismissed curtly, already turning back to his notes.

Clearly, Tang Ming was merely going through the motions with the candidate recommended by his niece.

Guo Yi wisely chose not to linger.

"Then I'll be taking my leave, Director Tang."

Once outside, Guo Yi didn't immediately depart. Instead, he lingered near the testing area, casually watching the ongoing battles while quietly activating his [Data Eye] to appraise the students:

[Wang Hu]

[Age: 19]

[Background: Son of Wang Li, from Xiguan Village]

[Template Compatibility: Magma Team Elite Captain]

[Niu Ji]

[Age: 19]

[Template Compatibility: Aqua Team Squad Leader]

Most examinees appeared average, despite their eagerness. Guo Yi's interest waned quickly, and he was about to leave until one student's template suddenly caught his attention.