September 28th.
Today, Wutong Town was unusually lively.
Three different "groups" of people had arrived.
The first was the roadwork team.
A massive force, more than a hundred workers in uniform, poured into the little town with their tools and equipment. After surveying the area yesterday, they wasted no time. The very next morning, the ground was already shaking with the sound of shovels, machines, and Pokémon.
They weren't working alone either. Over a dozen Fighting-type Pokémon had been brought in to help with the heavy labor, their powerful arms and strong physiques perfect for construction.
And when you added in a handful of local townsfolk who volunteered to help, the total workforce was nearly two hundred.
Of course, Lin Feng wasn't about to stand idly by.
He, too, contributed "manpower."
Except what he contributed wasn't a man.
It was his Dragonite.
Originally, he had even considered letting Mewtwo help out, but the thought of asking Mewtwo to dig roads while also keeping an eye on Salamence felt… well, a little much. So he dropped the idea.
The first step of road construction was widening the existing path, which meant cutting into both sides of the road and carving out channels.
For ordinary workers, this was grueling work that took time.
For Pokémon, though…
Lin Feng strolled over to check on Dragonite, and what he saw made him chuckle.
The big orange dragon was working harder than anyone else. It jumped into the trench, claws gleaming with draconic energy, and tore through the packed soil and stone like it was soft clay. With every swipe of its Dragon Claw, chunks of earth and rock flew out.
Behind it, a line of workers and Pokémon quickly hauled away the debris.
The efficiency was astonishing.
Compared to the excavators rumbling across the site, Dragonite was practically a natural disaster. When the machines hit a boulder, they had to carefully extract and load it, which wasted time. Dragonite, however, simply slashed once and shattered the rock into small chunks that could be carried away with ease.
The Fighting-type Pokémon behind it stared, jaws slack.
Wait a second.
Wasn't it supposed to be their job to do the heavy lifting?
Which one of them was the construction worker here, them or this so-called "dragon"?
The second group to arrive was the Hoopa Construction Team.
Lin Feng had contacted them two days earlier. Originally, he had just planned to hire them to build a larger kitchen by the garden.
But plans had a way of growing bigger.
Now, not only did he want a kitchen, he wanted an entirely new building next to the nursery. A big one. Something closer to a villa, with spacious rooms and, ideally, direct access to the garden.
The truth was simple: the arrival of three Dragon-type Pokémon had forced his hand. His living space was shrinking rapidly.
He even wanted to prepare a proper room for Mewtwo.
After all, how could he let a legendary Psychic-type live in a Poké Ball every day? That would be downright insulting.
And, if he was honest, Lin Feng was also tempted by the idea of living in a brand-new house himself.
Before, he didn't have the money. Every coin had to be stretched, every decision carefully weighed. But now? Now he could afford to spend without worrying.
After all, what was money for if not to make life more enjoyable?
After hearing Lin Feng's requirements, the Hoopa Construction captain grinned broadly and sketched out a plan.
A two-story house, covering nearly 300 square meters, wide in the front, longer in the back. The backyard would connect to the garden by a cobblestone path, leading directly to the orchard and flowerbeds.
The captain even offered to fence the surrounding land free of charge if Lin Feng could secure the property deed. That would enlarge his orchard considerably.
The only obstacle was an old, abandoned shack sitting on the edge of the property.
Lin Feng had never once seen anyone live there in his entire life.
If he wanted to expand, he'd either have to demolish it or take ownership of it.
It was a huge project, and Lin Feng couldn't deny he was tempted.
His orchard already felt cramped.
He had more and more Pokémon under his care, more and more customers showing up at the nursery, and with the new delivery service, the daily supply of berries couldn't keep up with demand.
Some days, by mid-afternoon, the energy cubes were completely sold out.
Now that he had even more Dragon-types joining the family, expansion wasn't just a want. It was a need.
So, without wasting time, Lin Feng went straight to the mayor to ask about renting the land.
The mayor, an old man everyone in town called Grandpa Han, readily agreed.
But when Lin Feng mentioned the abandoned house, the mayor gave him a strange look.
"You mean that little house near your place?"
"Yes," Lin Feng nodded.
"That's your family's house," the mayor said with a laugh. "Your parents weren't from here originally. When they first came to Wutong Town, they lived there. Later, when your mother complained that your father had too much free time, he started a berry orchard instead. That's how you came along."
Lin Feng blinked. "Wait… what? How did I never know that?"
"You can use it if you want. Just come by when you have time and sign the paperwork." The mayor waved him away impatiently. "Don't bother me with small matters. I'm busy making sure this road gets finished. That's real work for the town."
Lin Feng left with an incredulous look.
So that rundown shack was his parents' old home? He had grown up never once setting foot inside.
Still, it solved the problem neatly.
After securing the details, he returned to the construction captain and gave the green light.
The new villa would cost around 1.3 million.
The roadwork share he owed was another 200,000.
Ironically, the roadwork was "cheaper."
But in truth, these sums were nothing to him anymore. Two or three days of nursery income could cover it all.
Money was like Squirtle eggs. Spend one, earn another.
The third visitor of the day wasn't a group, but a single person.
Charles Chen.
He arrived in the afternoon with two Eevee in tow.
But unlike before, his expression was complicated. His eyes, when they fell on Lin Feng, held confusion, disbelief, even a trace of envy.
And no wonder.
On the way over, Charles had seen something that scrambled his brain.
A Dragonite.
Digging roads.
The sight alone made no sense. Dragonite and roadwork were words that had no business being together.
Yet there it was, casually tearing through stone and soil faster than an excavator.
And those Dragon Claws… that power… at the very least, it was a Champion-level Dragonite.
Unable to help himself, Charles had asked around.
And what he learned stunned him even more.
That Dragonite? It belonged to the nursery. To Lin Feng.
The townsfolk had been eager to sing his praises.
"Our Lin is amazing. Every Pokémon he's raised is stronger than the last. He doesn't just have Dragonite. He has plenty of powerful ones."
They pointed back at the road.
"Just look at that. Dragonite's faster than any machine. A real treasure of a Pokémon."
Charles, still reeling, asked, "What other Pokémon does he have?"
The old man he questioned scratched his head.
"Well, I've seen two big snakes. One was called Milotic, the other… not sure. And then there's more, plenty more. I can't remember them all. Oh right, Lin has a video account online. Something like 'Brother Lin' or 'Little Lin'?"
Charles immediately pulled out his phone and searched.
And what he found left him even more dazed.
Videos of Milotic. Serperior. Dragonite. Primarina. Blaziken. Pidgeot.
And just yesterday, a Gardevoir.
His mind spun.
Just half a year ago, during New Year's, Lin Feng didn't even have a single Pokémon.
Now? In six months, he had gathered a team of rare, powerful partners that most trainers couldn't even dream of.
Meanwhile, Charles had spent years traveling, capturing Pokémon, training them, and all he had to show for it was a Fire-type Eevee that had finally reached Champion rank.
Lin Feng… was making him feel small without even trying.
Standing at the doorway, Charles froze until Lin Feng waved him in.
"You're already here. Why stand outside?"
Charles shook himself from his daze and walked in.
Lin Feng noticed the two Eevee and smiled. "You've brought them over? How much do I owe you?"
Charles hesitated. His expression flickered before he finally spoke.
"My father said, if it's for you, then it's a gift."
Lin Feng raised his brows. "That… doesn't feel right."
"It's fine. A-Jiu already likes you." Charles shook his head. His mood was complicated, tangled.
After a long pause, he finally asked, "Lin… what exactly is your trainer rank right now?"
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