Wen Qi finished up his trivial tasks and looked up to find it was already noon. Sunlight poured down, and the streets were bustling with activity. He found a small eatery and ordered a few home-style dishes. The aroma of food filled the air, and the dishes were perfect in color, smell, and taste. He savored each bite, feeling utterly content in that moment.
After the meal, he left satisfied, ready to continue his afternoon plans. Riding his mount, a Gogoat, he followed the navigation to a general goods market. Wen Qi planned to browse here first, since the black market wouldn’t open until nightfall.
This was Wen Qi’s first time at this market. Seeing the crowds, he realized that while his Gogoat wasn’t large, riding it through the streets was still inconvenient, so he dismounted and walked. Leading the Gogoat by its reins, he stepped into this legendary market for the first time.
The market entrance was surrounded by a row of antique wooden archways, carved with intricate patterns that seemed to tell the long history of this land. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the arches, casting dappled light that added warmth and vitality to the busy market.
As soon as he entered, a wave of noise crashed over him. The sounds of vendors hawking, haggling, and laughter intertwined, like a symphony of everyday life. Wen Qi couldn’t help but be captivated by the scene. The stalls were filled with a dazzling array of goods.
Some stalls displayed exquisite Pokémon accessories—necklaces, bracelets, earrings—some adorned with sparkling gems, others carved with lifelike Pokémon figures, drawing crowds to stop and admire. Other stalls were piled high with various Pokémon toys and models, some small and delicate, others grand and imposing, tempting people to take a closer look.
Beyond Pokémon-related items, the market also had plenty of other odds and ends and antiques. There were ancient pottery and porcelain pieces painted with beautiful patterns, weathered bronze mirrors and jade artifacts that, despite the deep marks of time, still hinted at their former glory.
Wen Qi admired these items while soaking in the market’s lively atmosphere. He chatted with vendors now and then, asking about prices and origins. Though he wasn’t very knowledgeable about these antiques and trinkets, the thrill of exploring the unknown excited him. Even his Gogoat seemed infected by the market’s energy, occasionally letting out a “baa” as if expressing curiosity and excitement about this new world. Wen Qi gently stroked its fur, feeling its warmth and strength.
Deeper into the market, Wen Qi found a section dedicated to Pokémon food and supplies. There were various flavors of Pokémon feed, healing potions, cleaning products, and more—a complete selection. He couldn’t resist picking out a few things for his Gogoat and other Pokémon that he thought they might like.
After wandering for a while, Wen Qi unexpectedly discovered that he could check item information through the system. This revelation made him realize that not only could he find bargains with Pokémon, but he could do the same with items. Using the system to scan the market, he found that while there were many items, most were either fakes or worthless, not worth buying. Some were genuine and good, but their prices were higher than what the system shop offered, so there was no point in getting them.
Then Wen Qi spotted a stall selling Evolution Stones. Remembering his promise to give a Water Stone to Poliwrath, he spent 300,000 to buy three Water Stones, planning to take them back as a gift.
Just then, he noticed a crowd up ahead, bustling with excitement. Curious, Wen Qi went closer and saw it was a gambling stone area. This world also had stone gambling—Fire Stones, for instance, were mined from ore veins. The Pokémon world’s technology was advanced enough to detect whether a stone contained gems, but it couldn’t determine the gem’s grade.
Generally, a basic Fire Stone cost around 20,000 to 30,000, a mid-grade one about 100,000. High-grade Fire Stones were around 1,000,000, and top-grade ones ranged from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000, though top-grade gems were essentially priceless and rarely traded. Because the price gap between grades was huge, the stone gambling business thrived. Sometimes, these ore veins also yielded other treasures or Pokémon items, like Electric Orbs, Mystic Water, or Magnets.
Items that boosted a Pokémon’s power were usually expensive, as they could enhance move strength or, if absorbed all at once, raise a Pokémon’s level. However, using items to level up was best done sparingly—overuse could affect a Pokémon’s potential. Typically, trainers used such items long-term. High-potential Pokémon were trained gradually, rarely relying on items to boost strength, unless for emergency use like training expendable soldiers, which dark organizations often did.
Wen Qi used the system to check the gambling stones. Though each stone seemed full of energy, the system showed most were fakes. Many were empty inside or contained only low-grade gems. Yet each stone cost 100,000, meaning only mid-grade gems would break even, and high-grade ones would turn a profit. Wen Qi saw one empty, another with a low-grade Water Stone, low-grade Fire Stone, low-grade Thunder Stone, mid-grade Ice Stone, mid-grade Dark Stone—nothing top-tier in sight.
But with so many stones, Wen Qi still found a few good ones: one contained a Key Stone, another a Float Stone, and several had high-grade Fire Stones, high-grade Leaf Stones, and high-grade Water Stones. There were also some items he felt he wouldn’t need.
Wen Qi directly spent 500,000 to buy all five stones, drawing no attention—after all, spending hundreds of thousands on stones was common here, so he didn’t stand out. After buying them, he didn’t open them on the spot. Knowing there were treasures inside, cracking them open here would invite envy, which wasn’t wise.
Leading his Gogoat away, Wen Qi found a secluded corner. He quietly sent the stones into his small world and used its power to open all five. He obtained the Key Stone, the Float Stone, and three high-grade gems. The Key Stone and Float Stone pleased him most.
The Key Stone was crucial for Mega Evolution, the most important item. Getting it now saved him from spending points to buy it later. As for the Float Stone, Wen Qi planned to give it to Scizor. Scizor was already a fast attacker, quick on its feet. With the Float Stone, its speed would increase even more, making it even stronger in the future.