Chapter Fifteen: What Is the Evolved Form of a Dead Fish?

Tang Yi spent some more time idly searching the internet, finding a dizzying array of opinions and theories. The web itself was an amplifier: for every trainer who shared their success story with a particular method, there were doubtless many more who had failed—only, they hadn’t posted about it. After browsing for quite a while, he still found no clear answer.

He gave up and tossed his overheating phone onto the bed. Walking over to his desk, he called, “Ralts, shall we go out for a walk?”

Ever since he’d taught Ralts to use the internet, the computer at home no longer belonged to him. Tang Yi often grumbled to himself that, when he had the chance to earn some money, the first thing he would do was buy another computer. He simply couldn’t compete with Ralts; every time the little girl put on that soft, adorable expression, he was utterly defenseless.

“What are you looking at?” he asked.

“Nothing!” Ralts’ fingers had grown nimble—she quickly closed the browser before he could get near. In a fleeting glance, Tang Yi thought he saw something about university rankings. Goodness, was little Ralts picking out colleges for herself?

He shook his head in amusement. The internet in this world was much the same—a chaotic jumble of all sorts of strange content. He made a mental note to check, one day when Ralts wasn’t home, exactly what she spent her time browsing.

“It’s the weekend—don’t just stay indoors. You can’t become a shut-in; it’s not good for your health,” he said.

“Mm, alright,” Ralts replied, a bit reluctant, but she generally listened to Tang Yi.

The weather was fine today; spring sunlight poured over them, warm without being hot, and the roadside greenery was growing richer by the day. Since it was just a stroll, Tang Yi didn’t bother with public transport and left his Pokéball at home.

Little Ralts had been born nearly two months ago; almost unconsciously, she had become a girl of about fifteen. She spoke more now than before, yet to outsiders she remained reserved and shy.

Having rarely been inside a Pokéball since birth, Ralts now had a natural aversion to it. Some Pokémon girls truly disliked Pokéballs, but for most trainers in this world, it was just a childhood habit that could be corrected with proper guidance. Tang Yi had never tried to correct it; now that Ralts was older, it was a bit late, and honestly, he’d never intended to change her ways.

They walked along the wide road for a while. Suddenly Tang Yi stopped and looked to his right, where Ralts followed half a meter behind, frowning. “Why do you always walk behind me?”

Ralts lowered her head and said softly, “This way, whenever I look up, I can see you.”

Tang Yi was taken aback, a wave of emotion stirring in his heart. To little Ralts, her trainer was still her greatest reliance.

He smiled. “But then I have to turn to see you.”

“Then… what should I do?” Ralts tilted her head, both shy and troubled.

Tang Yi stepped back two paces, lining up beside her, and took her smooth, delicate hand. “Let’s walk like this. Now we only have to turn our heads to see each other.”

“But… but…” Ralts felt something was off.

“Alright, it’s settled,” Tang Yi said cheerfully, refusing to let her protest as he led her onward.

On days when spring blossoms flourished, many people took their Pokémon girls for walks. Some passersby glanced curiously at Tang Yi and Ralts; the pair seemed somewhat different from other trainer partnerships, though it was hard to say exactly how.

“Ralts, which university do you think I could get into?” Tang Yi asked, searching for a topic.

The girl turned, her bright eyes blinking. “I think the top universities might be a bit difficult.”

With her mind developing rapidly, Ralts was no longer the little girl she had been at birth. Her innate intelligence had given her a growing understanding of human society.

Tang Yi laughed. “That’s why I need you to help me with the college entrance tournament! If there are bonus points, the exam will be much easier.”

“But… but I probably can’t win first place, can I?” Worry and self-reproach flickered in Ralts’ clear eyes; she felt like a burden.

“I don’t expect first place. Besides, everyone needs a dream—otherwise, what’s the difference between us and a dead fish?”

“But that older sister said you already are a dead fish,” Ralts replied with pure innocence, simply stating the facts.

Tang Yi coughed, a little embarrassed. So Ralts had been eavesdropping on his chats with Gu Qingyue all along.

“Even if you’re a dead fish, as long as you have dreams, you can still evolve!” Tang Yi declared earnestly.

“What’s a dead fish’s evolved form?” Ralts asked with genuine curiosity—she’d never seen this knowledge online.

“It’s a rotten dead fish.”

“……”

Ralts was finally learning what a joke was. She puffed her cheeks and ignored her trainer, even pulling her little hand away.

Tang Yi, suffering the consequences, led the way ahead with a sheepish expression.

An hour later, noticing that Ralts seemed tired, Tang Yi brought her to a nearby park. Living in the outskirts of Qingjiang City, his neighborhood park wasn’t crowded, and the scenery was excellent.

Tang Yi knew Ralts disliked busy places. The quiet, sparsely populated park was perfect for their rest.

Sitting on a stone bench beside the path, Tang Yi suddenly smiled and asked, “Ralts, do you feel the urge to use your psychic power now?”

He’d gradually noticed that whenever Ralts experienced strong emotions, her success rate with psychic abilities improved.

Ralts, still a bit annoyed, didn’t reply. After a moment’s silence, she raised her right arm.

Tang Yi knew she was concentrating and didn’t disturb her.

A few seconds later, a small pebble at the roadside began to slowly rise, hovering over a meter above the ground.

Tang Yi clicked his tongue in admiration, wanting to applaud but afraid to interrupt. He was eager to see how long her psychic power would last.

Ralts moved her hand, and the pebble followed, finally stopping above Tang Yi’s head. The girl let out a breath of relief.

Pop!

The pebble, losing control, dropped onto Tang Yi’s head. It was tiny, hardly big enough to cause any harm, but for Ralts’ sake, Tang Yi made the most exaggerated pained expression he could muster.

Ralts, delighted by her successful prank, let out a silvery, clear laugh—so pleasant to hear. Her annoyance finally dissipated.

But seeing Tang Yi’s convincingly pained face, she suddenly panicked. “Are you… are you alright? Should we go to the hospital?”