Chapter 33: A New Connection! Pichu? Pikachu? A Strange Incident Involving Pokémon?!
[I've heard of novelists abandoning stories, but abandoning a Pokémon appraisal mid-way?]
[Come on, streamer! If you miss one appraisal, you can always do another!]
"Guys, try to understand, okay? We need to respect privacy a little. You wouldn't want me to appraise a rare Pokémon on stream, only for it to get stolen the next day, right?"
Seeing the chat grumble about not getting the full appraisal of the Meowth, Ye Yinchuan casually explained himself.
Some chat messages, however, had taken a different turn:
[This streamer is the thoroughbred of Pokémon appraisals! I hope you continue discovering hidden potential in Pokémon! Clap clap clap.jpg]
[Did you say that on purpose, or was it accidental?]
[I learn something new every time I watch this stream. I'm starting to suspect the streamer is the son of some major Pokémon researcher!]
Ye Yinchuan nearly spat out his drink when he saw the last comment.
Because the username of the person who posted it was literally "Some Major Pokémon Researcher."
"Man, some of you in chat are just too much! One day, you're gonna steal all of Pancham's bamboo!"
Though he playfully called out his viewers, he genuinely enjoyed the lively atmosphere of his stream.
The way they spoke might not always be pleasant, but it was always entertaining.
"Alright, I'm home now. Time to pick someone from chat for a live call-in."
With his growing reputation from recent appraisals, more viewers were eager for a chance to connect with him.
One message caught his attention:
Husband's Not Home: [Streamer, I've been experiencing something really weird lately. I'm all alone at night, and I'm terrified. Please, can you connect with me?]
It stood out from the usual appraisal requests.
"A weird event?"
Ye Yinchuan's curiosity piqued. "Alright, you're up!"
If something genuinely unusual was happening, it would make for great content.
As a streamer, he didn't just appraise Pokémon—he needed to maintain audience engagement, too. Competition among streamers was fierce, after all.
[You have sent a connection request to 'Husband's Not Home.']
[Connection successful!]
As the call connected, chat exploded:
[This username is legendary!]
[??? Streamer, did you pick her just because her husband isn't home?]
Ye Yinchuan ignored the teasing messages and chuckled.
What were they thinking? Even if he were that kind of person, wouldn't he at least DM her privately first?
"Hello, streamer."
The screen showed a young woman in her pajamas, her expression uneasy. Her hair was slightly messy, and she seemed genuinely unsettled.
[Whoa, pretty lady alert!]
[Times are changing—girls love older women now!]
[She looks amazing even without makeup. Imagine if she had some on!]
[Streamer, I see what you did there.]
Ye Yinchuan raised an eyebrow. The caller was indeed attractive, but he was here for the mystery.
"Hello, Miss. You mentioned something strange happening? Is it related to a Pokémon? This is, after all, a Pokémon appraisal stream."
He got straight to the point, maintaining control of the stream's pacing while also observing her surroundings.
The internet was full of all sorts of scams, and he had learned to be cautious.
From what he could see, she was in her bedroom. It was a fairly spacious room, though dimly lit. The furniture had an old-fashioned feel.
"Yes, it's about a Pokémon. I didn't think much of it at first, but things have been getting creepier, and now I'm really scared."
Ye Yinchuan noticed that she was clutching a small Pokémon tightly in her arms.
"Pichu..."
The little Pokémon curled up in her embrace, looking just as frightened as its trainer.
Ye Yinchuan's eyes narrowed. People could lie, but Pokémon couldn't fake fear.
Well, except for one particularly talkative Meowth he knew of.
[Miss, can you lower the camera a bit? I want a better look at your adorable Pokémon.]
[Bro, we all know what you're really asking for.]
[Wow! A Pichu! It looks so squishy and cute!]
[Yeah, I just wanna hug it!]
Ye Yinchuan had a feeling chat was talking about two very different things, but he had no proof.
Typically, including its long, diamond-shaped ears, a Pichu was only about 0.3 meters tall. This one seemed even smaller, likely still very young.
It had a round head, almost like a tiny yellow ball. Its body was pale yellow, with black outlining its ears, collar, and tail.
Its limbs were stubby, with two toes on each front paw. Its rounded feet resembled those of a cat, but slightly flatter.
With its glossy black eyes and red electric sacs on its cheeks, it was undoubtedly an adorable baby.
Ye Yinchuan activated his appraisal ability, and the Pichu's details appeared before him:
[Tiny Mouse Pokémon: Pichu]
Level: 2 Type: Electric Gender: Female Base Stats: D (205) IVs: D (29) Ability: Static Nature: Timid Moves: Tail Whip, Thunder Shock, Play Nice Status: Afraid Evolution Line: Pichu → Pikachu → Raichu Special Trait: None
Ye Yinchuan skimmed the stats.
Both its base stats and IVs were low, and it had a Timid nature—hardly suited for battle.
Still, it made for a perfect companion Pokémon. That was likely why the young woman had bought it.
[Streamer's already started appraising?]
[Appraising? More like appreciating!]
[So, streamer, what's the rating? B or C? I can't tell from here.]
Ye Yinchuan glanced at chat, shaking his head.
"Miss, pull your pajama top up a bit. Don't want any accidents. Now, tell us what's going on. You're being too vague."
[Wow, streamer, you're heartless!]
[Guys, stop trying to control her fashion choices!]
[She does need to be clearer, though...]
"So, I took some vacation days from work and moved back to my family's old countryside house to relax. I found this little Pichu at a street stall and bought it."
She gently stroked Pichu's head. "Everything was fine at first, and I quickly adapted to rural life. But a few days ago, my Pichu started acting terrified, shaking nonstop. I had no idea why. Then I noticed another Pokémon lurking near my house."
"At first, I thought it was just a random Pikachu and figured my Pichu was just nervous. But then, I saw it again. This time, I got a clear look at it. That Pikachu... wasn't right. It was strange—terrifying!"
Her eyes widened in fear, arms tightening around her trembling Pichu.
Something about her tone made even Ye Yinchuan feel a chill.
(End of Chapter)