Chapter 95: The Energy Cube

In the end, Hu Yang still bought a rice cooker and a refrigerator.

This was because several of his Pokémon could learn Thunderbolt.

Staring at the area selling rice cookers and various household appliances, Hu Yang fell into deep thought.

The power of a Pokémon’s moves can be precisely controlled. It’s easy to unleash their full strength, but controlling it within a certain range is quite difficult.

Perhaps they could practice energy control using the rice cooker.

That way, when he had to cook meals in the wild, he could have his Pokémon help with the task.

After a moment of consideration, Hu Yang took out the bank card that Da Wu had given him and purchased more than twenty rice cookers along with a refrigerator in one go.

When he summoned Gengar to load the goods, Gengar was stunned: “Why did you buy so many?”

Hu Yang replied, “They’re toys for you all to play with.”

A big question mark appeared above Gengar’s head.

Hu Yang didn’t explain further. After buying the travel supplies, he left Vermilion City.

For this journey, he planned his route as follows:

Vermilion City — Ancient Rose Town — Whitehaven Town — Kenna City.

In the game, the road connecting Ancient Rose Town and Vermilion City is Route 102.

That place is a jungle slightly smaller in scale than Vermilion Forest.

After leaving Vermilion City, Hu Yang, with his backpack, arrived there.

The wild Pokémon inhabiting this route differed from those in Vermilion Forest.

Perhaps due to the dense grass, many Ursaring, Houndour, and their evolutions—Ursaluna and Houndoom—lived here.

Evening fell.

Hu Yang found a riverside clearing that seemed relatively safe.

He planned to rest there for the night.

Since he hadn’t yet taught his Pokémon Thunderbolt, and without the rice cooker to practice energy control, he would have to prepare dinner himself.

Hu Yang released all his Pokémon.

He took from Gengar a large bucket of drinking water and a pot, surrounded the campfire with stones, and began cooking rice.

Gengar didn’t dare wander off, as all the supplies were with it; it stayed obediently by Hu Yang’s side, acting as an assistant.

Hu Yang instructed Gengar to watch the fire, then carrying his backpack, he went to the riverbank and released a group of Slowpokes and Slowbros.

Turning back, he said to Slowking, “Slowking, I’m leaving them in your care.”

“All right,” Slowking responded.

When he looked back again, several Slowpokes were already skillfully dipping their tails into the water, fishing for food.

The few Slowbros, due to their Shellder, couldn’t fish with their tails like Slowpoke; they reluctantly waded into the water to catch fish.

Soon, the Slowbros caught several fish using telekinesis. Sitting on the shore, they ate while the Shellder on their tails vigilantly watched the surroundings, guarding against danger.

Hu Yang witnessed this scene and suddenly realized that Slowbros could even serve as guards.

“Caw.”

At that moment, Noctowl noticed the scene too. It let out a dull call, flapped its wings, and dove into the river, returning to its old habit.

Soon, it came back to Hu Yang with a lively, flapping ordinary fish clutched in its beak, dropping the fish onto the ground.

“Caw!”

Hu Yang was speechless.

Nearby, Gengar, Rampardos, and Roserade were already thoroughly accustomed to such scenes.

They had witnessed even more extravagant displays.

The newcomer, Ralts, was full of curiosity about this Noctowl.

It tugged gently at Hu Yang’s sleeve and said, “Ralu?”

Though Hu Yang couldn’t understand, he guessed from Ralts’s curious expression and the fish on the ground and explained:

“It’s because it worries I’ll go hungry, so it often brings food back from outside.”

“Ralu...” Ralts showed a thoughtful expression.

After dinner, night had fully fallen.

In the dark forest, a warm campfire burned.

Around the fire lay a circle of rosy-pink Slowpokes and Slowbros.

Originally, Hu Yang had intended to find a safe place to release these Slowpokes.

But thinking that once released, they might be captured and bred for their tails, he abandoned the idea.

He planned to keep them at the house he had bought, to ease Slowking’s mind.

Moreover, these Slowpokes could hunt for themselves and didn’t require special feeding.

Speaking of food...

There are many types of Pokémon food.

Besides the basic categories of meat and vegetables, there are also emotional, life, mineral, electric, and spiritual foods.

Noctowl and Slowking mainly ate fish.

Magikarp fed on mud and microorganisms.

Rampardos ate large chunks of meat.

Roserade’s diet mainly consisted of sunlight and water, occasionally supplemented with eggs, milk, or meat to boost energy.

Gengar’s diet was much more complex.

It ate everything from life energy to berries—there was nothing it wouldn’t consume.

Ralts’s food was emotional happiness, but it also ate some berries, honey, and apples.

If there was one food all Pokémon accepted and liked, it was energy cubes.

Top-quality energy cubes are reputed as the perfect Pokémon food.

Because they enhance a Pokémon’s physical condition and overall state—making them more spirited, stronger, and giving their fur a glossy sheen.

But making energy cubes requires extensive knowledge.

One must understand the tastes of different Pokémon, skillfully blend various berries, and so on.

Only then can one create an energy cube suited to a particular Pokémon.

Since every Pokémon’s needs differ, so do their required energy cubes.

Moreover, producing energy cubes is a skill mastered only by breeders, which drives their price very high.

Only wealthy trainers seek breeders to commission custom energy cubes for their Pokémon.

Besides energy cubes, some Pokémon can produce their own food.

For example, Chansey, which can lay several eggs daily, shares highly nutritious eggs with injured Pokémon.

Because of this ability, Chansey usually works at Pokémon Centers as a caretaker.

Then there are the Gourgeists, whose fermented juice inside their bodies has special effects for both humans and Pokémon.

Tree sap juices and rare candies come from such sources.

Additionally, there are Pokémon that produce milk like Miltank, and the honey made by Combee and Vespiquen.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Hu Yang lay in his sleeping bag, surrounded by a group of Pokémon, and soon closed his eyes.

Before sleeping, he helped Gengar learn Thunderbolt, preparing to teach it to help cook the next day.