Lovy saw this slightly ridiculous name pop up on the screen, and suddenly, the lost memories came flooding back.
Wasn't this the guy with the overpowered Machop who got beat up in the gym?
Come to think of it, the last time this "big buddy" connected during a stream, he said he was heading to the hospital—and then completely vanished. Lovy thought that was the end of it.
Curious, Lovy decided to answer the call.
[Connection successful.]
With the system prompt, the camera revealed a buff man, his body wrapped in bandages, bruises covering him in various shades of blue and purple, one eye blackened like a panda. His smile was a bit bitter:
"Streamer, I'm back."
[Who is this guy? Streamer knows him?]
@MsCarrot: [Must be a new fan—this guy was the very first viewer the streamer ever connected with!]
[Yikes, how did he get beaten up this badly? Did he mess with the streamer?]
[Wait… the streamer got a dark side? Playing both the good and the bad? That's intense!]
"Hey hey hey, that's enough. What dark side? I'm just a regular law-abiding citizen!"
Lovy figured if he didn't clarify now, the chat was going to go completely off the rails.
[Streamer speaking up? That's rare! Investigate immediately!]
Great, now Lovy didn't dare say anything more. The more he tried to explain, the more suspicious it sounded!
[Oh no, now the streamer went silent! Is there really something shady going on?]
Lovy's silence was deafening, so he focused on the call instead:
"Hey, big buddy. How's your Machop doing? The streamer's been worried about you."
"Yeah, I went to the Pokémon Hospital. Turns out it really is a genetic defect. They said my Machop has Super Male Syndrome. The doctors even want to keep him for research, and they're offering me compensation money."
[Wait what? A Machop with Super Male Syndrome? No wonder you're covered in bruises!]
[First recorded case of domestic abuse… by a Pokémon.]
[If there's compensation money, that's already a win. That Machop needs to go!]
"So did you agree to it?" Lovy asked.
Like the chat said, a super-strong Machop was a liability. Handing it over to professionals—and getting compensated—was already a decent outcome.
"I've been struggling with it these past few days. My family says I should do it before the hospital changes its mind. But I've raised this Machop for so long… there's an emotional bond. You get it, right? It's like sending away your own kid."
[Fair. In that case, ask for more money.]
[Bro, you got beat into a pulp. What's left to be sentimental about?]
[Muscle man with a soft heart!]
"How much are they offering?" Lovy asked—a question many viewers were also itching to know.
"50,000 yuan. It covers all the cost I put into raising it."
"And what do you want to do? Make sure you don't regret it. Keeping this Machop around is a risk—to you and everyone else."
Lovy usually didn't support abandoning Pokémon, but this case was definitely special.
[50,000? I'd sell the streamer for that much!]
[Bro, you can buy a premium Machop with that money!]
[Hesitation leads to defeat!]
[He's already made up his mind to sell, just came online for some moral support.]
"Some people… don't assume everyone's as selfish as you."
Lovy admitted, it wasn't impossible the chat was right.
But he could sense this guy wasn't that kind of person.
"Yeah, honestly, they're not wrong. I do feel guilty. I used to look down on people who sold their Pokémon for cash. Never thought I'd be tempted myself…"
[Instant self-own.]
[Hey, making money isn't shameful.]
[They just offered too much, man!]
"Look, brother. There's no shame here. If your Pokémon ends up seriously hurting or even killing someone, you know what the consequences are. It's not just about your Machop anymore—it could destroy families. And neither of you are truly at fault."
"You're right, streamer."
The muscular guy took a deep breath, clearly making a decision.
[Finally dropping the act. That was exhausting to watch.]
[Bet he's grinning at that 50k offer.]
"That Machop's not evil. I'm just worried the hospital will treat him like a lab rat—drug tests, electric shocks, maybe even dissection…"
[Bro you know how to pick the worst-case scenarios.]
[Honestly, you never know what kind of research they'll do.]
Lovy wasn't surprised.
Whichever choice this muscle man made, Lovy could understand.
"So, you're here to ask for my help?"
Lovy hadn't forgotten his promise from the last stream.
"You better be sure. It might take triple the effort—and still fail."
On-screen, the big guy turned his camera to the side—
Inside a reinforced Pokémon cage, a bruised and battered Machop clutched the bars, its face filled with guilt and sadness.
If not for the visible injuries on the man himself, people might think he was abusing the Machop!
"At first I was angry. I wanted to just send it away. But seeing it like this… I couldn't do it. It's not its fault—it was born this way. I want to try again, streamer. I've made up my mind."
[You're too soft, bro!]
[You'll regret this forever!]
[Poor Machop too, though.]
[Don't rush—ask the streamer. He always has bizarre ideas!]
"Alright. I'll teach you what to do. But let me say this—I'm no expert. I'm just sharing my understanding of Pokémon. You should also listen to the hospital and Pokémon Center staff."
Lovy's tone was sincere.
(Please keep supporting the new chapters and voting!
[Classic "I'm not an expert" moment.]
[First time seeing the streamer so humble. Must really be unsure about this one.]
[No worries. Big guy looks tough. He's tanky enough to survive a few more hits.]
Lovy almost burst out laughing at the ridiculous chat, but managed to hold back using the classic Nicolas Cage face-cover move.
[Look, streamer's already trying not to laugh at his own nonsense.]
[Nah, he's just happy his neighbor had a baby.]
"Alright, some of these chat messages are too much."
Lovy held back his laughter with great difficulty and said,
"Big buddy, your first priority is to go register your Machop at the Pokémon Center and prepare a Pokéball. Ordinary ones can be a bit uncomfortable, possibly making him more irritable. If you can afford it, go for a better-quality Pokéball."
In the Pokémon world, once a Pokémon reaches a certain size or danger level, it must be registered with the Pokémon Center.
Some Pokémon are even required to be kept in Pokéballs at all times and not summoned in public without good reason.
Failing to register such a Pokémon is illegal. If discovered, it could lead to warnings, fines, or even confiscation.
Here are the basic registration standards:
Size and weight threshold: For example, if Lovy's Snorlax reaches 200 pounds, it must be registered.
On the Pokémon Watchlist: Some Pokémon, like Charmeleon or Tauros, are on the danger list and must be registered even if their pre-evolutions aren't.
Other potential threats: Pokémon with genetic mutations (like this super-male Machop), unstable temperaments, or those who have learned high-powered moves may be considered living weapons.
"Got it! I'll go register voluntarily!"
The camera showed the big guy sitting upright, nodding seriously—quite a contrast to his musclebound appearance.
[Wait—what does 'low-quality Pokéball' even mean?]
Lovy noticed this question and realized some viewers didn't know anything about Pokéballs.
"Pokéballs don't just catch Pokémon—they're also like a Pokémon's house. And just like houses, there are nicer ones and worse ones. The interior affects the Pokémon's mood."
[No wonder Pokéballs are expensive. Even the cheapest is over a thousand! That's more than some Pokémon!]
[But how do big Pokémon fit inside a ball?]
Lovy had done his homework, so he understood the general tech behind Pokéballs in this world.
Unlike the games, Pokémon here weren't digitized or transmitted like files—technology hadn't reached that level.
Pokéballs weren't mini dimension pockets or data converters. They just had a little space inside. Simple as that.
Think about it—if a Pokéball only costs 1,000 yuan, there's no way it's hiding any super-advanced pocket-dimension tech.