NOVEL WEB Chapter 214 – Vivichoke Whereabouts. Longdong!
As the meeting dispersed, Floyd's gaze followed Chen Yu, Chen Xin, and Xin Yuexin, who were moving away. Eager to catch up, he dashed towards them, calling out, "Brother Chen, wait a moment, please!"
Chen Yu, hearing Floyd's voice trailing behind him, turned around. With a slight raise of his eyebrows, he inquired curiously, "What's on your mind, Youngest?"
Floyd was greeted with a beaming smile from Chen Xin. "Floyd," she exclaimed with evident joy, "Guess what? I've successfully crafted four distinct types of novice-grade Pokéblocks!"
Floyd's eyes widened in surprise. He stammered, "Really? You did that? How did you manage it so quickly?" The feat of making four types of Pokéblocks was a clear indicator of reaching novice-grade skills. Floyd was almost in disbelief at the speed of Chen's accomplishment, but considering his Snorlax's rapid improvement, he found himself slightly believing it.
Chen Xin, unable to contain her excitement, presented her creations. "Look! They're Normal, Fire, Grass, and Water types," she said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for being praise.
Floyd scrutinized the Pokéblocks in Chen Xin's hands. While they lacked the refinement of his own, there was no doubt in his mind that Chen Xin had crafted them. After all, he knew of only four people capable of such a feat: himself, Chen Xin, Kanraku, and Snorlax.
He carefully sampled each one of the four types, his taste buds analyzing their composition. Then, with a nod of appreciation, he looked at Chen Xin and offered his feedback, "While there are flaws and few areas for improvement, reaching the Novice Grade in just a month is truly impressive. My advice for you is to Get to know the other types. Start experimenting with different flavors and combine some of them. Once you've got that down, try crafting with three different flavors of poke blocks. Though it's challenging and the success rate is low, it's a great way to enhance your skills and speed up your blending proficiency."
Initially, Chen Xin's spirits dipped slightly upon hearing about the flaws. But as Floyd continued with his praise, her smile grew, and a blush crept over her cheeks. "Thank you so much for the guidance. Don't worry, I'll keep pushing myself," she responded, her determination renewed.
"That's the spirit. Give it your best shot! I support you!" Floyd encouraged her, giving a thumbs-up.
However, Floyd's words led to a slight misunderstanding among Chen Xin, Chen Yu, and Xin Yuexin. Xin Yuexin couldn't help but snicker, Chen Xin's blush deepened, while Chen Yu, already in a foul mood and protective over his 'cub', misread the situation.
Hoping to redirect the conversation, he interjected, "Youngest, wasn't there something you wanted to discuss with me?"
Upon hearing Chen Yu's reminder, Floyd was jolted back to the reason for calling him. "Ah, yes, there's an important matter I need to clarify with you," he said with a sudden recollection.
"Alright, let's find a more private place to talk. Chen Xin, you should head back first; we have some business to discuss," Chen Yu suggested, more as a directive than a suggestion. Without waiting for her response, he gestured for Floyd to follow him, leaving no room for further discussion.
"But I..." Chen Xin opened her mouth, intending to interject, but Chen Yu had already walked away quickly, with Floyd following in his steps, and they disappeared into the distance.
"Hmph," With a frustrated huff, Chen Xin couldn't help but snort, as she stomped her feet, feeling a mix of annoyance and anger towards her brother.
She felt cut off mid-conversation, her words left hanging unfinished.
"Kukuku," Xin Yuexin, on the other hand, couldn't help but snicker, laughing before saying, "Seems they have something they need to do. Come on, let's go."
"Uhm," Chen Xin nodded, clearly disappointed.
…
Meanwhile, Chen Yu and Floyd had found a quiet spot and were seated across from each other at a table. Chen Yu, with his arms crossed, waited expectantly. Floyd, feeling a bit nervous, took out a sketchbook and presented it to Chen Yu.
Chen Yu eyed the sketch with a puzzled frown. "What's this?" he asked, scrutinizing the amateurish drawing.
"Did you draw this? It's so ugly. I could draw better than this with just one hand. By the way, what is this? A steamed rice cake? Is this the reason why you wanted to talk to me?" He couldn't fathom why Floyd would show him a seemingly random and poorly executed sketch.
Floyd's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and indignation at Chen Yu's barrage of criticisms. "Look, it doesn't matter who drew it, and no, it's not a steamed rice cake," he retorted defensively.
Chen Yu, noticing Floyd's flustered state, couldn't help but wear a sly smile. He sensed that Floyd was indeed the artist behind the sketch, his inability to admit it only adding amusement to the situation. "Oh, apologies, I really thought it was a steamed rice cake. To be fair, it does bear a resemblance," he teased.
"Enough about the steamed rice cake, this is not a steamed rice cake! Remember the Vivichoke I was asking you about before? You said it seemed familiar, so I sketched it for you to see if it actually looks like this," His tone conveyed a mix of frustration trying to steer the conversation back to the main topic.
"But it does resemble a steamed rice cake…" Chen Yu persisted, a playful glint in his eye.
"Brother Chen…"
"Okay, okay, I'll stop now, hahaha," Chen Yu couldn't contain himself and burst into laughter., finding amusement in Floyd's rare display of irritation and embarrassment. Regaining his composure, he then focused intently on the sketch, examining it with a serious demeanor.
Floyd waited with high expectations for Chen Yu's answer.
A few seconds later...
"Pu! Hahaha," Chen Yu burst into laughter, then quickly covered his mouth.
Seeing Floyd's growing annoyance, he raised his hand in a gesture of peace. "Okay, stop, stop, don't get angry. I'm serious this time."
"Then please, do hurry up!" Floyd's voice carried an edge of impatience and urgency.
Chen Yu, now fully serious, began to describe his recollection. "Yeah, It looked somewhat like this. The leaves at the front resembled white fish scales or perhaps white feathers, and there were two light green leaves on the back. The most distinct feature was the yellow bud at the center, almost like a cauliflower. If I remember correctly, it was about the size of a watermelon, maybe smaller," he detailed from memory.
Floyd, electrified by this confirmation, stood up abruptly, his excitement palpable. "Really? Where did you see this?"
"Longdong," Chen Yu answered directly.
"Longdong?" Floyd repeated, his excitement tempering into a contemplative calm. He sat back down, a bitter smile crossing his face as he remembered something. "It seems I'm really going to Longdong." he muttered, somewhat resignedly.
Chen Yu, surprised by Floyd's determination, looked at him quizzically. "You're going to Longdong just for this random flower?" Then, a realization dawned on him, and he asked, "Wait, youngest. Is there something special about this flower?"
"Yes, it's extraordinary. This flower has the ability to awaken anyone who is unconscious, be it people or Pokémon," Floyd explained openly, seeing no reason to conceal its importance.
"No wonder you were excited. This flower is not ordinary," Chen Yu remarked, not particularly shocked. He had already encountered unknown berries and herbs with healing properties, so the effects of the Vivichoke didn't surprise him.
"Where exactly in Longdong did you find it?" Floyd inquired, eager for more details.
"It was in Tien Bei City, near Yanjing, the capital of Longdong," Chen Yu provided the location.
"Tien Bei City? Do you live there?" Floyd asked, curious about Chen Yu's connection to the place.
"No, Xianqiao is quite a distance from there. It's a long journey, several hours at least. My sister, Xin Yuexin, Chu Weihao, and I are originally from Xianqiao. I only encountered that flower in Tien Bei City during a visit we made about three years ago," Chen Yu clarified.
"I see," Floyd responded, letting out a small sigh. Then, curious about another location, he asked, "By the way, Brother Chen, how far is Gongcheng City from Xianqiao?"
Hearing the mention of Gongcheng City, Chen Yu looked surprised and a bit puzzled. "Gongcheng City?" he echoed, turning his attention back to Floyd. "Why do you ask about Gongcheng City? Are you seriously considering a trip to Longdong?"
Chen Yu had initially thought Floyd's mention of traveling to Longdong might have been in jest, but now it seemed increasingly apparent that Floyd was genuinely planning such a journey.
"Yes, I'm thinking of heading there after finishing the reclamation here on the island" Floyd confirmed with a nod.
"I see. But why Gongcheng City? That place is quite far from Xianqiao; it would take several days to reach. Besides, it's a risky area. Gongcheng City is on the edge of the Gongcheng Desert, known for its harsh environment and the presence of many dangerous Pokémon," Chen Yu explained, his tone laced with concern.
Chen Yu then added as he expressed his confusion, "Are you planning to capture Pokémon there? But why go all the way to Gongcheng City for that? There are plenty of Pokémon around our own city."