Everyone Else Awakened, But I Just Opened a Pokémon Pet Shop

On the beach…

Zhou Xiaofei and Liu Qiaoqiao had already taken off their shoes, standing at the edge of the sand, letting the ocean waves gently lap over their feet.

Neither of them cared that the sand was wet—they simply plopped down, laughing and soaking it all in.

If this had been Su Bai's world before his transmigration, any kid who did something like this would've gotten a scolding and a quick spanking.

But here in this world, those watching the live feed could only smile warmly, their hearts softening.

To them, the scene felt too perfect, too dreamlike to be real—yet there it was, right in front of their eyes.

Parents watching with their own children were even more moved, some more excited than the kids themselves.

Because in that moment, they realized…

Their children might finally get to experience a different kind of childhood.

More than seeing this beauty for themselves, they were overjoyed that the next generation might grow up with memories like these.

The surroundings of Haicheng City were no longer ruled by Death Beasts. If Zhou Xiaofei and Liu Qiaoqiao could be here, that meant others could too.

And that—that was the whole point of this exploration.

The main routes didn't always lead to places like this. That's why Trainers needed to scout new paths—testing the terrain, assessing danger levels, and paving the way for others.

Once the routes were mapped out, even Trainers of different ranks could lead non-combat civilians to witness these new, beautiful environments.

Who knows? If things went well, they could even turn it into a tourism trail, with Trainers as guides!

And even if danger remained, as long as they used enough of that expensive "Repel Spray"—the kind that kept wild Pokémon away—civilians could still visit safely.

Sure, the spray was pricey, but if it meant people could come play on the beach, who would mind paying a little more?

And hey—extra revenue for the Pokémon Center never hurts.

On screen…

Liu Qiaoqiao giggled as the gentle waves tickled her legs.

Zhou Xiaofei, watching his Gyarados play in the surf, caught a Magikarp that had flopped close to him.

"Look, Gyarados! This one looks just like how you used to be!"

"Hmm… Actually, you were a bit bigger than this."

He held the Magikarp up, making a size comparison with his hands. His own Gyarados had been almost half again as large back when it was still a Magikarp.

"Roooaaar!"

Gyarados raised its head proudly, snorting twin jets of air from its nostrils.

Su Bai chuckled to himself.

That's to be expected. Pokémon from the Center always had higher base stats.

Not that wild Pokémon couldn't be strong—but in general, the quality of Center-bred Pokémon was top-tier.

After all, his system was a fair supplier—never cutting corners.

Zhou Xiaofei gently returned the Magikarp to the water. The goofy fish blinked at him, then quickly paddled over to Gyarados and began swimming excitedly in circles around it.

Looking closer, they realized: all the Magikarp were doing the same thing.

Their silly, vacant eyes were filled with admiration and awe, orbiting Gyarados like fans surrounding a pop idol.

"You're a celebrity now, Gyarados," Zhou Xiaofei said with a laugh, patting the massive dragon's lowered head.

"Wow… So Magikarp can evolve into something as strong as Gyarados?" Liu Qiaoqiao beamed. "Big Brother Xiaofei, you're amazing!"

She never hesitated to praise him.

Sure, she'd seen Magikarp before—but right after that came Li Jian's arrival… and the dramatic evolution of Gyarados, followed by its epic battle against three S-rank Death Beasts.

So in her mind, Magikarp hadn't really made much of an impression.

But now, seeing so many of them, she finally began to grasp what an incredible transformation it really was.

With a determined effort, she walked into the swarm of Magikarp, reaching out to pet one, then another.

The Magikarp didn't resist—they were too busy fawning over Gyarados.

To them, Gyarados was the ultimate dream.

Suddenly, a crisp, melodic cry rang out in the distance.

"Muuyii"

Liu Qiaoqiao and Zhou Xiaofei looked up.

That blue Pokémon they'd seen earlier—drifting far out in the ocean—was now swimming slowly toward them.

Its large, clear eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Wow… What a beautiful Pokémon! And so big~~!"

Qiaoqiao's eyes practically turned into hearts.

They'd noticed it when they first arrived, but since it was so far out—and they were both poor swimmers—they didn't dare approach.

Not to mention, after the chaos with Snorlax, they'd been extra cautious around unfamiliar Pokémon.

But now it had come to them on its own!

And as it drew closer… they realized:

It was huge.

Its massive body reminded them of the dinosaurs they'd learned about in class.

Except… dinosaurs didn't have elegant shell-covered backs, or those soft, intelligent eyes.

Compared to this creature, dinosaurs seemed more like brutes.

This Pokémon, by contrast, was like an angel.

"Roooaaar!"

Sensing a stranger's approach, Gyarados immediately lowered itself into a defensive posture.

Corviknight took to the skies, circling overhead, ready to engage if necessary.

Zhou Xiaofei, still recovering from his use of Overdrive against Snorlax, didn't dare use that power again—not with the draining hunger it caused.

He also wasn't sure if using Overdrive would even work for communication.

So now, they were caught in a tense moment of indecision:

Should they fight? Or wait?

Then, Su Bai's calm voice came through the communicator, tinged with amusement:

"Relax. That Pokémon is Lapras. It's a very gentle species."

"And no, you don't need Overdrive. Lapras is highly intelligent—it can understand human speech, just like Corviknight."

Almost as if proving Su Bai's words, Lapras leaned down and gave a soft, melodic cry:

"Muuyii"

Its voice radiated warmth—a clear gesture of peace.

"Aww~~ Are you saying hello to us?"

"Hello, Lapras! That's your name, right?"

Liu Qiaoqiao walked right up to the creature's massive head, grinning widely.

"You're so big! But still not as big as Snorlax. That guy was ridiculous…"

"But your eyes are so pretty!"

Lapras clearly loved the praise.

Its eyes curved into happy crescents, and it gently nuzzled Qiaoqiao before lifting its head and letting out a series of melodic calls.

The tone rose and fell in waves—not random sounds, but a kind of song.

Qiaoqiao clapped with delight.

"You're singing?! It's so pretty! That's amazing, Lapras!"

Zhou Xiaofei approached as well, patting Lapras's neck in wonder.

"What a special Pokémon… It doesn't attack humans?"

Back in the Pokémon Center, the audience was nearly in tears.

A breathtaking beach…

A gentle sea breeze…

Friendly, dreamlike Pokémon who wanted to sing and play…

Where else could you find something like this?

Waves of envy and longing rippled through the viewers.

Su Bai laughed softly and said through the comms:

"I told you—Lapras is very friendly."

"And not just friendly… Lapras is incredibly powerful, too."