Monday, November 2nd.
The work week had begun, but Teacher Lu's daily life remained as peaceful as ever.
Thanks to his championship win in the divisional tournament, Lu Ye had automatically completed all his Trainer Department credits at Modu University.
Technically speaking, he was now free to decide whether to stay enrolled or not.
A message from the academic office arrived. Lu Ye glanced at it and let out an "Oh." Only then did it hit him.
"Wait… I'm in the Finance Department, aren't I?"
He scratched his head, utterly confused, then rolled out of bed.
Pulling open the curtains, the gentle autumn sunlight streamed in.
"Veeon~~"
Sylveon curled up in its cat bed, using its ribbon to block the sunlight.
"Still jealous of Togepi, huh…"
Lu Ye sighed. It hadn't even crawled into his bed last night.
Looking around, Togepi was curled up like an egg, leaning against a drooling Growlithe.
Squirtle had retreated into its shell, floating in the water tank, looking as if it were in a deep meditation.
The occasional bubbles surfacing from the tank were the only proof that Squirtle was still breathing.
Lu Ye twitched at the sight.
It's just move training… does it really need to be this dramatic?!
Come to think of it, what if it fails the breakthrough?
Should I… prepare some extra Mystic Water for it?
Lu Ye froze.
Crap… Squirtle's overly cautious nature is rubbing off on me!
---
Morning routines were in full swing.
In the living room, Gengar had already started cleaning.
Seeing his trainer awake, Gengar greeted him and floated into the bedroom to check on Togepi.
The little guy had just hatched, so it definitely needed more care.
Lu Ye made himself a cup of black coffee and yawned lazily.
Last night, after clearing his debt, he'd spent another two hours battling Cynthia.
Pokémon: Battle Online was fun, sure, but it was also exhausting.
"I need to hurry up and get the card game out," Lu Ye muttered, looking up at the ceiling.
"Playing cards is way easier than battling…"
According to the weekly report from Oleana, the mechanics and stats for the Pokémon Trading Card Game had been finalized.
Mina had also submitted her illustrations—though, as expected, every single one came in at the last second.
Lu Ye reviewed the final artworks and called Mina.
"The artwork is approved. No need for revisions."
On the other end of the line, Mina's pen clattered to the floor.
She almost cried.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
"…Forget it. I won't dock your pay this time."
Lu Ye coughed and changed the subject.
"By the way, when your Granbull gets angry, how do you calm it down?"
Sylveon had just gotten a new exercise wheel, but that trick wouldn't work this time.
Though in a day or two, it would probably get over it, Lu Ye figured he should still make an effort.
Mina thought for a moment.
"For me… I either use Alolan Honey or White Herb."
"That actually works?"
"White Herb gives off a scent that Pokémon really like," Mina explained. "If you're camping, playing with your Pokémon while using it helps build stronger bonds."
"Hold on, I'll send you a picture…"
Lu Ye looked at the image and froze.
This is just… a cat toy stick.
Adding it to the list along with catnip, cat wheels, and massagers—Yep, Sylveon's premium collection was complete.
Wasting no time, he placed an order through Rocket Logistics.
---
Same-city delivery, arrival in two hours.
During the wait, Togepi sat on the couch, happily swinging its little feet while playing Plants vs. Zombies.
In front of it were a giant bottle of cola and assorted potato chips—
all courtesy of Gengar, who had brought them back from the club.
Could this be considered corporate theft?
Well, as the general manager, Gengar had the authority for minor employee benefits.
"As long as it's not slacking on move training, it's fine," Lu Ye nodded in satisfaction.
Gengar grinned too.
Using Plants vs. Zombies to teach type advantages had been Lu Ye's idea, after all.
It seemed Master was quite pleased with this edutainment approach!
---
Two hours later, the White Herb arrived.
Lu Ye tied it to a stick and dangled it in front of Sylveon.
"V-Veeon!" Sylveon huffed, swatting at it angrily.
Don't underestimate me!
Yet, even as it turned its back in a show of defiance, one of its ribbons quietly reached out…
"Veeon! o(≧▽≦)ツ"*
After playing with Sylveon for a while, the little one was back to full energy, happily dashing onto its exercise wheel again.
Togepi still required high friendship to evolve, and the Soothe Bell was the perfect item for that.
But Lu Ye had already given his Soothe Bell to Sylveon.
"If needed… I'll just buy another one for Togepi later."
He smirked.
Being debt-free really did make a man more confident.
---
Afternoon.
Lu Ye swung by the company and picked up the first set of Pokémon TCG decks.
Oleana, ever the professional, reported in a calm tone:
"We've built three starter decks based on Kanto's Fire, Grass, and Water types—easy for beginners to learn."
"As for market pricing, we settled on 1 yuan per booster pack and 5 yuan per starter deck."
Lu Ye paused, experiencing a nostalgic flashback.
Back in elementary school, he had an entire box of random trading cards.
Some came from snack packs, some were actual Pokémon cards, and some were… bootleg Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.
Of course, his parents eventually threw them all out, calling them junk.
"Have the review copies been sent out?" he asked.
"Yes," Oleana replied. "They've been shipped to unboxing YouTubers, gaming influencers… and the Trainers' Academy professors, including the Professor Oak you mentioned."
"However, the academy teachers didn't seem interested in our paid reviews."
"That's fine," Lu Ye chuckled. "I happen to know a few people there…"
"Overall, excellent work, Oleana!"
For the first time, Oleana's normally stoic expression wavered.
Her pupils dilated, and her heart pounded.
D-Did he just… compliment me?!
No… Stay calm.
Taking a deep breath, she pressed her clipboard against her chest and cleared her throat.
"It's my honor."
Lu Ye waved a hand dismissively.
"Once this project wraps up, let's give everyone a few days off…"
It wasn't just Brother Dayou—every employee in the company seemed to be getting stronger.
Wait a second…
Lu Ye's expression darkened.
Is baldness contagious?!
Holding the newly arrived card deck, Lu Ye played around with it at home and soon found himself getting hooked.
Unfortunately, the rules weren't widely known yet.
Losing interest, he set the cards down.
At that moment, Togepi picked up one of the scattered cards from the floor, its eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Tchugki-brie~~(๑＞ڡ＜)☆"
Looking at the type matchups on the card and recalling Gengar's morning lesson,
"Brie~~"
Togepi giggled, slowly piecing everything together.
So… battles are all about type advantages!
I think I'm starting to get it~~!
---
Kanto, Pallet Town.
"Aaaah, Muk, you're too heavy! Don't hug me!"
"Muuuuk~~ヾ(o´∀｀o)ﾉ"
Professor Oak, wearing a gas mask, was trying to clean up Ash's Muk—only to be swallowed whole once again.
Fortunately, Oak had once been a Champion-level trainer. His aging Kangaskhan yanked him out with all its might.
"Ah… saved."
After taking a shower, Oak changed into the exact same white lab coat and resumed his work.
"Professor Oak!"
His assistant, Crystal, who was recording data, called out,
"You have a package today. It's from a gaming company!"
"A gaming company?"
Oak scratched his head and shook the package in his hand.
"This one?"
"Yes, from Donghuang. The company that made Angry Dodrio."
Crystal added, "It's from Teacher Lu's company."
Oak nodded. He had some impression of the name and chuckled.
"That handsome young man also makes games?"
"You know him?"
"Ah, I heard about him from Professor Rowan at a research summit."
Oak opened the package and found a handwritten letter from Lu Ye.
After reading it carefully, he couldn't help but laugh.
"What did Teacher Lu write?" Crystal asked curiously.
"He wants me to help promote this card game."
Oak scratched his head. "Well, I try to keep up with trends, but gaming isn't really my field…"
"I heard that Teacher Lu's games all help teach Pokémon knowledge~~"
"Hmm?"
"Ah, that's what Gold told me," Crystal blushed. "I don't really know much about games myself…"
Gold often called Crystal the Class Representative because she was so serious and by-the-book.
After all, she was a children's teacher—accuracy was a must.
Still, to keep up with Gold's conversations, she had recently started buying gaming magazines…
"Teaching Pokémon knowledge through a game?"
Oak stroked his chin. "Hmm! That sounds pretty good!"
The reason he hosted lectures and recorded radio programs was to help more people understand and appreciate Pokémon.
But could a game really teach that?
"Games are considered the ninth art form, after all," Crystal smiled. "Even trainer academies now use battle simulations to spark kids' curiosity."
Oak nodded and unpacked the three card decks.
Fire, Grass, and Water.
Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle—Kanto's starter Pokémon.
Type advantages and weaknesses—the foundation of all Pokémon battles.
Oak paused for a moment.
Picking up a Pikachu card, he burst into laughter.
"So that's how he dares to claim this game teaches Pokémon knowledge—"
"He literally printed Pokédex entries onto the cards!"
Crystal cautiously asked, "You… aren't mad about that?"
Oak shook his head and laughed.
"Pokédex descriptions are public knowledge anyway."
"The special Pokédexes we distribute are just for gathering more precise data."
"Using these cards to spread Pokémon knowledge… that's exactly what I want to do."
Things like Ekans isn't venomous and Arbok is highly toxic—
more people learning these facts was a rare and valuable thing.
And who knows?
Maybe these cards would even help nurture the next generation of great trainers.
If it's just for promotion… why not?
Crystal looked at Professor Oak with admiration.
He had dedicated his life to Pokémon research.
The Pokédex was his life's work.
And now, Pokémon cards were expanding its reach even further.
Teacher Lu… really knows how to appeal to Professor Oak's heart.
The phone rang.
"Professor Oak, you have a call!"
---
Meanwhile, across the world, Lu Ye had managed to get Professor Oak's contact information through Professor Elm.
With a prepared script in hand, he was ready to invite Oak to promote the game.
But before he could even finish introducing himself—
"Lu Ye, is it?"
Oak interrupted, "I read your letter and checked out your cards… Very nice."
"I can't officially endorse a game in public, but on my personal accounts, I'll do what I can."
"Personal accounts…?" Lu Ye was momentarily confused.
"My video channel."
Oak laughed heartily.
"Or as you kids call it—sponsored content. I can feature it on Professor Oak's Backyard!"
Lu Ye blinked and looked up at the ceiling.
Holy crap… is this what they call a dream collaboration?!
"If that's fine with you, I can promote it in the next episode."
Oak smiled.
"I hope more young trainers can benefit from this—learn about Pokémon and embark on their own journeys!"
Even after hanging up, Lu Ye was still stunned.
I had a whole script planned out… and he just agreed right away?!
I barely said anything, and he already accepted…
Suddenly, Lu Ye understood.
This is what it means to be self-recruiting!
With Professor Oak backing the project, its credibility was secured.
Beyond just making money, the game had to be fun and educational.
As a kid, Lu Ye loved reading the descriptions on trading cards.
Before smartphones, every little detail on a card would be scrutinized to death.
---
That night, Professor Oak's Backyard and Teacher Lu's Midnight Diner launched a dream collaboration.
The sight of a Tauros herd galloping across a sunset, followed by juicy steak sizzling on a grill, left viewers completely baffled.
"Tauros, run!"
"Two-fandom fusion hype!"
"Wait, neither of these shows take sponsorships… so why are they suddenly advertising?"
"It's a Pokémon Studio game! Let him take the money!"
Thanks to three successful single-player titles, Pokémon Studio had an excellent reputation.
With Professor Oak's endorsement, Pokémon cards officially launched in schools around Modu.
Day 1: Only a few Bilibili fans showed up to buy them.
Day 2: Word spread, and more people discovered the game.
Day 3: Stores ran out of stock—every new shipment sold out instantly.
For international distribution, Devon Corporation took the reins.
Soon, a Pokémon TCG craze swept through Rustboro City in Hoenn.
"Let's have a Pokémon battle!"
"Hmph, beat me in cards first!"
On their way to and from school, kids sat on sidewalks, dueling with their decks.
And in the gaming industry, one name once again sparked heated discussions—The genius game designer, Teacher Lu.