Hearing him say this, Tracey asked in surprise, "Mr. Quackenpoker, does the evolution of Magikarp have something to do with their numbers?"
Dr. Quackenpoker nodded. "It certainly has a lot to do with it. This lake has a magical power, and the more Magikarp that gather, the more it triggers this power, causing them to evolve en masse. Conversely, if there are fewer of them, we might have to wait a long time, possibly even until tomorrow, for the evolution to be triggered."
"I see."
Just then, the sun began to set.
Since it was confirmed they would be camping out in the wild, they all split up to make preparations before it got completely dark.
Dr. Quackenpoker continued to operate his equipment and observe the Magikarp. Misty and Ash went to gather some firewood and start a campfire. Tracey took out his cooking utensils and took charge of dinner. As for Natsui and Sabrina, they set up their own tent as well as Dr. Quackenpoker's.
Dinner tonight was curry rice with fruit salad. Except for the fruit, which the Pokémon had gathered from the nearby forest, everything else—the curry, potatoes, rice, and other ingredients—had been brought by Ash and his friends.
Compared to Natsui, who often stayed in hotels or ate at restaurants, Ash and his group were more accustomed to roughing it and were therefore much more prepared for travel, having to carry various ingredients for emergencies.
"Mmm, this tastes pretty good!" When the fragrant curry rice was served to everyone, Dr. Quackenpoker took a bite. The slightly spicy flavor made his eyes light up, and he couldn't help but praise, "This is so lucky! I had already prepared instant noodles to just get by, but I never expected to eat such a delicious meal on an uninhabited island!"
Hearing him, Natsui, who was sitting on the other side of the simple folding table, also scooped up a large spoonful of rice drenched in curry sauce and put it in his mouth.
Delicious!
It had to be said, the curry rice was indeed very tasty, a feast for the senses. However… compared to Ash's number one caretaker, Brock, Tracey's cooking skills were still a bit lacking.
The group chatted while they ate. The atmosphere was harmonious, and they spent over an hour enjoying the simple meal. By the time dinner was over, the moon was already high in the sky.
Misty took out some tea leaves and brewed a pot of steaming hot tea for everyone.
They all sat around the campfire. Dr. Quackenpoker, holding his warm teacup, looked at Tracey and asked with a chuckle, "Young man, you're also a Pokémon Watcher, aren't you?"
"Huh?" Tracey was taken aback. "How did you know?"
"Hehehe, never underestimate the eyes of an experienced watcher," Dr. Quackenpoker said, blowing on the tea leaves floating in his cup with a smug look. "I saw your sketchbook and binoculars back at the river. And the way you look at things is exactly the same as us watchers!"
"Oh, so that's how!" Tracey understood. But he had never intended to hide his identity as a Pokémon Watcher, so he didn't mind being found out.
After spending some time together, the old man's attitude towards them had already changed. No matter who he looked at, he had a kind and gentle expression.
He extended a hand towards Tracey. "Could you let me see your observation notes?"
"Of course, no problem," Tracey nodded, handing his sketchbook and notes to Dr. Quackenpoker.
"Hmm…" Dr. Quackenpoker carefully flipped through them. After a while, he nodded in approval. "Not bad, not bad. You have all sorts of Pokémon, and your observations are very detailed. You're an excellent young man. Keep up the good work. I believe that one day, you'll become a truly outstanding Pokémon Watcher!"
The two exchanged their knowledge and experiences, and with such a senior guiding him, Tracey benefited greatly.
Of course, Dr. Quackenpoker didn't ignore Natsui and the others. After taking a sip of tea, he began to tell them stories of the wondrous events he had encountered over the years.
His experiences were incredibly rich; he had basically traveled to every region in the world. Ash and the others were completely mesmerized by his incredible travel stories, things they couldn't even have imagined.
During this time, another hundred or so Magikarp had swum into the lake, but it was still not enough to trigger the mass evolution.
It was now past ten o'clock at night. Full and satisfied, Ash and the others were getting sleepy. Natsui was about to discuss the night watch with Tracey, but Dr. Quackenpoker immediately refused.
"I'll take the night watch by myself," Dr. Quackenpoker said seriously. "To be honest, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you monitor the Magikarp."
Although Dr. Quackenpoker was very blunt, it was an indisputable fact.
He had been observing this school of Magikarp for three years, and he had been waiting for this day. The Magikarp could evolve at any moment during the night and needed constant observation. How could he entrust such an important task to others?
At first, Tracey tried to persuade Dr. Quackenpoker to rest for health reasons, but the old man was firm, and no one could convince him otherwise.
Seeing his insistence, Natsui and the others couldn't say any more and could only let the elderly man sit by the campfire until dawn.
But putting himself in his shoes, if Natsui were in such a critical situation, he would also have to do it himself to truly feel at ease.
Natsui and Sabrina washed up by the river and then went into their tent.
On the other side, Ash and Tracey laid out their sleeping bags in a comfortable spot near the campfire and crawled in.
Only Misty remained standing, not sleeping with Ash and the others as she usually did.
She looked at Natsui and Sabrina's tent, her eyes glinting, as if she were plotting something.
What's going on?
Why are those two sleeping in the same tent?
Misty had a very bad feeling.
She didn't know what their relationship was, but since they were staying in the same tent without any hesitation, it was clear that their relationship was already quite close.
Could it be that Natsui and Sabrina are already a couple?
With this thought, she no longer hesitated. She lifted the tent flap and ducked inside.
Inside the tent, Natsui was spreading a blanket on the ground.
Camping in the wild was not like being indoors. In the middle of the night, if you didn't keep warm, you could wake up freezing.
However, he was a bit taken aback when he saw Misty come in. Sabrina, who was beside him, also frowned but didn't say anything.
"Natsui…" Misty looked at him, her face blooming into a smile.
"What's wrong?" Natsui asked.
"Well…" Misty was a bit shy at first, but seeing that Sabrina was only wearing pajamas, she immediately plucked up her courage and asked tentatively, "Natsui, it's a bit windy outside. Can I sleep in your tent tonight?"
Natsui sighed inwardly.
You're already in. What can I say? Am I supposed to kick you out?
Besides, he couldn't bear to leave such a cute girl like Misty outside.
Ignoring Sabrina's meaningful gaze, Natsui smiled. "Of course, you can. This tent is big enough. It can even sleep four people, no problem!"
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