NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: 4
Ye Yinchuan smirked as he leaned forward, looking directly into the camera.
"It's because your profile bio says: 'Surrounded by green, dreaming in the fields!'"
"Your room decorations have floral elements, and there's a potted plant by your window..."
"Clearly, you have a strong affinity for grass or plants."
"Also, judging by your clear, work-free eyes and the lack of luxury items in your room, I can infer that your financial situation isn't particularly well-off..."
"With that in mind, affordable and reliable Grass-type Pokémon choices are mostly limited to Oddish or Bellsprout!"
"As for Bulbasaur, well, it resembles a toad, and most girls don't prefer that design. Plus, it's more expensive, making it a less likely choice!"
Ye Yinchuan explained his deduction with confidence.
The chat exploded with amazement.
[CarrotLady: "Streamer, you're incredible! How did you even figure that out?"]
But before Ye Yinchuan could bask in the praise, a new username appeared in the chat, stirring up trouble.
[Contrarian: "Pfft, what's so impressive about that? You're just playing mind games on some naive girl!"]
Seeing this, Ye Yinchuan wasn't exactly pleased, but he wasn't a saint either.
Still, these kinds of comments were actually beneficial to the stream's engagement.
After all, a heated debate in the chat boosted visibility and engagement metrics.
A truly viral stream always had its fair share of critics.
"Hey, friend with the 'Contrarian' username, if you're doubting my skills—no problem at all! Why don't you bring your Pokémon on stream for an appraisal? I guarantee you'll be convinced!"
Ye Yinchuan called him out directly, turning his irritation into an opportunity to create content.
"Now, CarrotLady, bring out the Oddish you've been hiding behind you! Let's continue the appraisal!"
The viewers were hooked by the energy.
Of course, Ye Yinchuan already knew CarrotLady had an Oddish—he had used Treasure Appraisal Eye earlier to confirm it.
Predicting answers when you already know them? Easy.
"Hey! Did you see that, Contrarian? The streamer even knew exactly where I was hiding my Oddish! Still think this is fake?"
CarrotLady adjusted the tissue stuffed up her nose, fully siding with Ye Yinchuan now.
Her skepticism had completely vanished, replaced with admiration.
[Contrarian: "Oh please, if you aren't a paid actor, I'll eat my keyboard on stream!"]
[NutritionThread: "Friend, please don't eat random objects in public."]
"Pfft!"
CarrotLady burst out laughing. "This NutritionThread person is too funny… Sorry, streamer, continue! I believe you can figure out my Pokémon's issue!"
Ye Yinchuan smiled, but before he started, he made sure to keep Contrarian engaged.
"Contrarian, don't go anywhere! Stick around and prepare your Pokémon. Soon, I'll prove you wrong."
[Contrarian: "I'm staying. No way I'm letting you scam more people today!"]
[SpringBloom: "I'm with Contrarian! Too many streamers are just running scams these days."]
Ye Yinchuan chuckled. Another new viewer.
More doubters meant more engagement. Perfect.
But first, time to handle CarrotLady's Oddish.
Oddish, as its name suggests, was a walking plant.
It had a large round head, resembling a plant bulb, with a pair of stubby legs that were also its roots.
Its tiny red eyes and small mouth gave it an innocent, harmless look.
On its head, it had five large green leaves, resembling a head of hair.
This Oddish stood about half a meter tall, small enough to be cradled in one's arms.
The leaves were vibrant and healthy, and its body looked well-nourished—proof that CarrotLady had taken good care of it.
As Treasure Appraisal Eye activated, its stats popped up again.
[Weed Pokémon: Oddish]
[Level: 21]
[Type: Grass/Poison]
[Gender: Female]
[Base Stats: C-rank (320)]
[Individual Value: S-rank (190)]
[Ability: Chlorophyll]
[Nature: Calm]
[Moves: Mega Drain, Growth, Acid]
[Status: On the verge of evolution]
[Evolution Path: Gloom → Bellossom/Vileplume]
[Special Trait: Highly Developed Odor Glands]
"Whoa! This is an amazing Pokémon!"
Ye Yinchuan's eyes lit up.
"Wait… what do you mean by that?" CarrotLady was intrigued but confused.
In antique appraisal, 'amazing' or 'open-gate' was a term used when an object's value was clearly authentic and high.
"It means it's really good."
This Oddish was the best Pokémon he had seen so far, with an S-rank individual value of 190—an incredibly high score.
It had an ideal Nature, Ability, and Moveset, too.
A 21-level Oddish knowing Mega Drain? Unbelievable.
The chat started buzzing again.
[Contrarian: "Pfft, anybody can just say good things."]
[NutritionThread: "Streamer, explain why this Oddish is so great!"]
[SpringBloom: "I mean, it does look like it's been well taken care of. Maybe CarrotLady used a lot of fertilizer?"]
CarrotLady hesitated before speaking.
"Uh… Streamer, are you done with the appraisal?"
She sounded disappointed.
She had been hoping he'd catch the real issue.
If he didn't, she would lose faith in him.
"Alright, let me break it down."
"First, this Oddish has a great Nature—it's calm and obedient, perfect for battling, right?"
CarrotLady nodded. But this still wasn't what she wanted to hear.
[Contrarian: "Oh wow, a random guess at Nature. So impressive."]
"Second, its individual value is outstanding. If I had to guess… it's S-rank, right?"
CarrotLady's eyes widened. "Yes! My school did a free evaluation, and its IV was exactly S-rank!"
The chat exploded.
[Contrarian: "Fake! How can you tell IVs without a machine?"]
[SpringBloom: "This does seem a little sketchy…"]
Ye Yinchuan ignored them and continued.
"Third, this Oddish already knows Mega Drain at level 21, which is incredibly rare!"
Most Oddish only learned basic Absorb.
Mega Drain was a huge power upgrade.
[Contrarian: "Oh come on, now you're claiming to guess moves too?"]
[SpringBloom: "Sounds fake."]
CarrotLady was surprised—but still, he hadn't pointed out the real issue.
"Streamer… are you done?"
She sighed, trying to convince herself not to expect too much.
But if this guy figured out the real problem, she'd be truly impressed.
Ye Yinchuan smirked, sensing her doubt.
"Let me guess…"
"Your Oddish absolutely reeks, doesn't it? Worse than normal?"
CarrotLady's eyes widened in shock.
"YES! YES! Oh my god, how did you know?!"
Her face turned red as she finally let out all her pent-up frustration.
"It's not just normal stink—it's so bad, I had to move out of my dorm because my roommates couldn't stand it!"
"I'm paying 1,500 more per month for an apartment just because of this!"
"My room, clothes, hair, everything smells horrible! I've gotten so used to it that I don't even notice anymore, but everyone else avoids me like the plague!"
"Some of my classmates even joked that I must be feeding it poop to make it this bad!"
"The school's breeders said they've never seen anything like it. Even Glooms don't smell this bad! I was seriously thinking of just getting rid of it!"
Ye Yinchuan watched as Oddish looked sad and hurt in her arms.
Pokémon were intelligent—they could feel their trainers' emotions.
He took a deep breath and smiled.
"Don't throw it away. Congratulations! Your Oddish is about to evolve, and when it does, it'll be one of the strongest Pokémon you'll ever have!"