c34: Pokémon Space
After the matter in Shantou was resolved, Leng Xin and Leng Yue returned to the capital.
As the Champion of the Huaxia Region, Leng Xin's schedule was packed, and he was required to remain in the capital to oversee regional security and elite affairs. Free time for him was a rare luxury.
As for Leng Yue, being the daughter of the Champion meant her movements were watched closely. Her identity was sensitive, and Leng Xin could never rest easy unless she was accompanied by someone he trusted.
Although Chen Xiaoxiao had strong battle capabilities, she'd already encountered serious trouble on her very first solo mission.
Leng Xin had merely chuckled at that, but decided not to dwell on it.
After they departed, Chen Xiaoxiao booked a hotel room in Shantou City, took a long shower, and decided to rest early.
As for filing the detailed battle report afterward?
She scoffed at the thought.
Chen Xiaoxiao had no idea how to write a formal prosecutor's report. That kind of administrative work was clearly better handled by someone like Leng Xin's secretary—who probably already had a template ready.
The next morning, still nestled under soft white hotel sheets, Chen Xiaoxiao's Pokédex rang loudly, waking her from deep sleep. It was a call from Leng Yue.
"…What's going on? Leng Yue, it's so early… do you ever let people rest?"
Chen Xiaoxiao, her voice groggy and eyes half-lidded, answered the call in a daze.
"Still early? It's almost ten o'clock! You're still in bed? Didn't you go to sleep yesterday afternoon?"
Leng Yue's surprised voice rang through the call.
"Really? Ten already…? Ugh. What's going on?"
Chen Xiaoxiao finally rubbed her face, checked the time on her Pokédex, and started to shake off the sleep.
"My dad's already completed your identity verification. You can now log into the official Huaxia Pokémon League site on your Pokédex to update your trainer classification and Elite registration."
Leng Yue's tone shifted to business as she noticed Chen Xiaoxiao was finally awake.
"Okay, I got it. Please thank Uncle Leng for me."
Chen Xiaoxiao replied sincerely.
"Also, head over to the Pokémon Center later. Didn't you always want a Pokémon capable of safe, long-distance water travel? Dad picked out a Lapras for you. You're not allowed to say no."
Leng Yue's voice was playful but firm.
"…Alright, I understand. Thank him again for me."
Chen Xiaoxiao accepted after a moment of thought. She figured this was likely a follow-up gift after yesterday's incident with Ralts and Gardevoir—a kind gesture to balance the scales. Though Leng Xin had helped her greatly, she still felt she owed him.
"I'll have to treat his daughter even better from now on," she thought to herself.
"Great! Once you get to the Pokémon Center, call me. I'll initiate the Lapras transfer remotely."
Leng Yue was clearly pleased by the answer.
"Okay, will do."
After ending the call, Chen Xiaoxiao got up to freshen up. As she brushed her teeth and pulled on her coat, a thought occurred to her.
"I already have six Pokémon… if I accept Lapras, it'll get automatically transferred to Grandma's breeder facility through the Poké Ball transporter."
She paused at the door, frowning slightly.
That's when she remembered the Portable Pokémon Space feature available in the System Shopping Mall. She'd discovered it during her high school days but hadn't used it since she didn't have enough Pokémon to need extra space.
Back then, she'd snuck into the wild during vacation breaks, completing challenges to earn enough System Points for a purchase.
She opened her internal System menu immediately.
---
Chen Xiaoxiao
Gender: ♀
Age: 16
Special Ability: Advanced Psychic-Pokémon Communication (enables full understanding of Pokémon speech)
System Points: 112,823
Current Pokémon:
Solgaleo – Lv. 82 (Champion-Class)
Gardevoir – Lv. 76 (Elite Peak)
Espeon (Sun Pokémon) – Lv. 72 (Elite Advanced)
Metagross – Lv. 68 (Elite Intermediate)
Meowstic – Lv. 59 (Quasi-Elite Peak)
Togekiss – Lv. 59 (Quasi-Elite Peak)
Note: Espeon, Togekiss, and Meowstic had all leveled up by one after yesterday's prolonged battle. The other Pokémon remained unchanged due to requiring higher EXP thresholds.
---
After reviewing her stats, Chen Xiaoxiao navigated to the Restricted Purchase Mall and tapped Redeem under the "Portable Pokémon Space" option.
A surge of warm psychic energy resonated from her core. In a flash, knowledge about the space's interface and mechanics flowed into her mind—as if instinctively known.
She focused on the spatial anchor point sensed deep within her consciousness. In the next instant, Chen Xiaoxiao vanished from her hotel room, seamlessly entering the newly unlocked dimension.
---
"It's... incredible."
Chen Xiaoxiao whispered, stepping into the Portable Pokémon Space for the first time.
The environment mimicked real-world biomes with breathtaking precision—rolling mountains, gentle streams, lush forests, deserts with shifting dunes, icy peaks, and even a mini volcanic region.
It was an optimal environment tailored for training, rest, and bonding with all elemental types of Pokémon.
Though it lacked the vibrant energy of a real ecosystem, the serenity and harmony of the space were undeniable.
Her heart full of excitement, Chen Xiaoxiao released all six of her Pokémon.
"Look! Do you like it here? From now on, you don't have to stay cramped in Poké Balls. You can all live here freely, together!"
The light flared as Solgaleo, Gardevoir, Espeon, Metagross, Meowstic, and Togekiss materialized in front of her.
"(Here?)" Solgaleo asked, tilting his majestic head.
The others looked around in stunned silence, eyes wide with curiosity and wonder.
"Yes," Chen Xiaoxiao smiled, reaching out her hand. "This space is directly connected to my spiritual energy. Only I—and you—can enter. It's our shared sanctuary.
After entering the Portable Pokémon Space, I noticed something fascinating—just like when I was inside a Poké Ball, I could still sense the outside world. More impressively, I could exit the space through any of my existing Poké Balls at will.
But the most important aspect?
The environment here far surpassed that of a Poké Ball. The terrain was expansive, vibrant, and immersive—an open world compared to the sealed stasis inside a regular capsule. Best of all, everyone could stay here together, instead of being separated into individual Poké Balls.
"How is it? Isn't it amazing?" I turned to my team, eyes sparkling. "Look around! This is where you'll all be living from now on!"
Chen Xiaoxiao spoke with infectious excitement, her voice echoing slightly in the tranquil air of the artificial space.
Her Pokémon responded immediately with enthusiasm. Togekiss lifted off gracefully, looping through the artificial sky in joyful arcs. Meowstic and Espeon began playfully tumbling over each other in the grass, chasing and dodging as if they were in a real meadow. Solgaleo stood proudly on a nearby cliffside, surveying the terrain, while Metagross floated steadily behind, scanning the topography with a glint of curiosity in its red eyes.
"Sha~nai!"
Gardevoir turned to Chen Xiaoxiao with a delighted expression. (Xiaoxiao, you can build a house here! That way, when we're out traveling, you can rest properly here instead of squeezing into a tent!)
As expected of Gardevoir—her longtime companion, closest confidante, and essentially the team's Breeder-class "maid." She always thought three steps ahead.
"You're a genius, Gardevoir!"
Chen Xiaoxiao beamed and hugged her tightly, planting a kiss on her cheek in appreciation.
It hadn't occurred to Chen Xiaoxiao herself, but now that Gardevoir had mentioned it, the idea of living comfortably inside this space became extremely appealing.
As she held Gardevoir close, Chen Xiaoxiao silently formulated a plan.
"First, I'll need to contact a construction company and have them draw up an architectural plan. A proper base of operations. Later, I'll also need to capture an Electric-type Pokémon to generate internal power... maybe even a Grass-type to help cultivate food crops and plants here."
With her mind made up, Chen Xiaoxiao exited the Pocket Space and immediately contacted an architectural design firm she'd bookmarked before graduating Trainer School. She conveyed her general requirements: an off-grid sustainable shelter for seven large Pokémon and herself, with terrain-integrated building materials and Pokémon habitat compatibility.
After finalizing the first steps of that plan, she headed to the Pokémon Center. Fortunately, her hotel was just a few minutes' walk from it.
Inside the center, she went straight to the Pokémon Transfer Terminal. Taking out her Pokédex, she scanned it over the reader. Once her Elite Trainer credentials and personal data synced, the system unlocked special transmission privileges.
She picked up the adjacent video call receiver and rang Leng Yue.
"Leng Yue, I'm at the Shantou City Pokémon Center now. I'm connected to the regional Transfer Network. My terminal's transmission number is…"
As soon as the call connected, Chen Xiaoxiao relayed the specific transfer code displayed on her screen.
"Got it! Give me a second," Leng Yue responded quickly.
Back at her residence in the capital, Leng Yue walked over to their home Transfer Machine. Entering the code provided, the device confirmed that Chen Xiaoxiao was online and ready to receive.
"Recipient confirmed: Chen Xiaoxiao – Shantou Center."
Leng Yue then placed a Poké Ball into her terminal. It clicked into place, glowing briefly before vanishing into energy, transferred through the intercity digital highway of the Pokémon Network.
A second later, on Chen Xiaoxiao's end, the receiver console lit up and a Poké Ball re-materialized in the transfer cradle.
(The black tech in the Pokémon world never ceases to amaze!)
"Xiaoxiao, did it go through?"
"Got it. Thanks!"
Chen Xiaoxiao retrieved the Poké Ball and gently held it up, feeling the subtle energy of the Pokémon within.
"This Lapras was bred just recently," Leng Yue explained over the call. "Both its parents are high-ranking Elite-class Pokémon. It hasn't seen battle yet, so take your time with its training—and treat it well."
"Of course I will," Chen Xiaoxiao replied, smiling. "I'll take care of it like I take care of you, Leng Yue. Hehe."
---