Chapter 5: Fishing for Pokémon

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Hearing the distant calls of birds from the sky, Qian Lin looked up and said, "The ones that just flew past should be Pidgey and a few Spearows, but they were too far away for me to see clearly. Both are bird Pokémon; Pidgey is gentle by nature, whereas Spearow is quite the opposite."

[“I know those two—they're called the Friendly Bird and the Aggressive Bird in the official guide.”]

[“Judging by the names, better not mess with them.”]

[“Pidgey? Friendly Bird? What kind of name is that? Spearow sounds better.”]

"You can understand it this way: most Pokémon names are based on their calls," Qian Lin explained.

Along the way, they didn't encounter many Pokémon—only a few Rattatas—although for over an hour, various Pokémon cries could be heard. However, every time Qian Lin approached, the sounds would disappear.

These Pokémon were quite wary.

After an hour's walk, Qian Lin arrived beside a small lake. "This should be an artificial lake, used by the mountain residents to irrigate crops. The ecology here is good; there should be fish inside."

The water was crystal clear, with swaying aquatic plants and small fish swimming visibly. Looking toward the center, the deep, unfathomable water gave a strange sense of confinement. The lake was surrounded by trees, with fallen leaves floating on the surface, like a painting.

It was peaceful, comfortable, and beautiful.

Qian Lin put down his backpack and stretched. "This will be the campsite. There should be many Pokémon near the lake. If I encounter any, I'll share some knowledge with you."

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he pulled a small tent from his backpack. The tent was tiny, just enough for one person—tall folks wouldn’t even be able to stretch their legs fully. But it was sufficient for Qian Lin.

The tent was thin, mainly serving to keep out mosquitoes. He had specially chosen this type for its portability.

While chatting with his live stream audience, he cleared the ground, then set up the tent. It was indeed small—probably only just big enough for a slightly larger dog.

Qian Lin glanced at the sky. "It will probably get dark in an hour or two. I'll go prepare dinner first."

What would he have for dinner? Instant noodles, of course!

Swiftly taking out a small kettle, Qian Lin gathered dry firewood, started a fire, boiled water, and made instant noodles.

While the water boiled, he also pulled out a fishing rod from his backpack—not very long—and dug up a few earthworms nearby as bait. Sitting by the lake, he started fishing, treating it like a blind box—if he caught something, it would be an extra meal; if not, then so be it.

Perhaps this was the time when people were finishing work, as his livestream suddenly gained viewers, surpassing a hundred audience members—a cause for celebration.

Naturally, more people meant more messages in the chat.

[“Streamer, what brand is your backpack?”]

[“Backpack? It’s a bottomless bag!”]

[“I’m speechless—it really can pull out anything.”]

[“Can you pull out a Pokémon?”]

[“Pokémon? What’s that?”]

Newcomers didn’t know what had happened earlier.

Leaning against a tree with his fishing rod in hand, Qian Lin smiled and looked at the lake. "I bet I’ll catch fish, but eighty percent will be Magikarp. Believe it or not."

[“What’s a Magikarp?”]

[“A Pokémon. You’re new here, aren’t you?”]

“Magikarp is a Pokémon with incredibly strong vitality. You’ll find it in lakes, ditches, even sewers, struggling fiercely to survive. Since Pokémon exist, Magikarp definitely won’t be absent,” Qian Lin said with certainty.

[“I don’t believe it. Streamer, I’ll bet you—if you lose, I’ll send you a plane.”]

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Qian Lin sighed helplessly. "Like I said before, no need to send such gifts. Free gifts are fine. I don’t stream to make money, just enough to buy outdoor gear."

That was exactly what he thought.

Suddenly, the bobber floating on the water twitched. Qian Lin quickly grabbed his rod, his face lighting up with excitement. "Here we go! Let’s see what’s on the hook!"

Facing the camera, he jerked the rod upward. A strong force tugged back—not weak at all. With such strength, it had to be either the lake’s king or a Pokémon. Qian Lin’s body was enhanced by the system, yet he still felt the weight—it definitely wasn’t an ordinary fish.

Fortunately, the fishing rod was of good quality. With his effort, the hooked fish was finally pulled from the water.

Under everyone’s gaze, an ugly, grotesque fish was dragged ashore. Bathed in splashing water and the sunset’s glow, it looked even more hideous in the light.

Qian Lin’s expression was strange—part disbelief, part confusion—as he stared at the fish he’d caught.

[“What is that? Are you serious about that color scheme?”]

[“Can you eat that fish?”]

[“I definitely can’t stomach it.”]

[“So ugly!!! How can there be such an ugly fish?!”]

[“Is that a Pokémon?”]

[“Streamer, don’t be silent! Tell me what this ugly thing is.”]

Qian Lin hesitated, watching the fish flail on the shore. He wasn’t sure whether to approach. "Am I really this lucky? Then why didn’t I encounter any Pokémon on the way?"

[“Say it in plain language, please.”]

[“Ugh, too ugly. I’m going to look at pretty girls for a change.”]

[“Some people already opened their browsers.”]

“I'm sure you’ve guessed it—this is a Feebas,” Qian Lin said as he picked up the fish and carefully removed the hook from its mouth. “It’s known as the ugliest Pokémon in the world. Like Magikarp, it has incredible vitality. It usually lives in water with abundant aquatic plants and tends to gather in groups.”

"Because it’s so ugly, no one bothers to catch it. It’s weak and not aggressive. Its only advantage is that it eats anything."

[“Streamer, do I look like I could tell that?”]

[“Throw it back, please. It’s too ugly. I wouldn’t eat it even if you gave it to me.”]

[“My eyes hurt, and I don’t know why.”]

The chat showed the audience’s disdain for Feebas. No wonder—it was truly unattractive, and its dead-eyed stare was as peculiar as Magikarp’s.

Who on earth thought it was a good idea to give Feebas such a color scheme?

[“Wait, if Feebas is so common, why do you say you’re lucky?”]

Someone caught the blind spot.

Qian Lin smiled. "Because while Feebas is the ugliest Pokémon, its evolution, Milotic, is known as the most beautiful Pokémon in the world. I say I’m lucky because this lake might be home to Milotic."

Milotic usually lives at the bottom of clear lakes, and this lake fit the criteria. However, the lake was small, so encountering Milotic was a matter of luck.

Since Feebas lived here, the chances of Milotic’s presence were quite high.

[“Most beautiful Pokémon? This?”]

[“I don’t believe it. How beautiful can it get? Red and blue colors?”]

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[“Or multicolored?”]

[“Radiant colors?”]

[“Bright and dazzling?”]

[“Fiv—damn, what other idioms start with five?”]

[“Five blessings upon the door!”]

Watching the chat’s topic spiral, Qian Lin shook his head helplessly. These silly viewers were just like this. "I’ve said it before: Pokémon evolution is a change in the level of life itself. Don’t think of Milotic in terms of Feebas’s appearance; you should—"

Suddenly, Qian Lin stopped mid-sentence, as if shocked by an electric shock. He leapt backward, holding Feebas with his left hand while drawing a dagger hidden inside his jacket with the right, positioning it defensively before him. His eyes fixed intensely on the lake.

It was a natural, instinctive warning—as if a hungry beast was staring at him, sending chills down his spine.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hand holding the knife trembled slightly. This was the first time Qian Lin felt this way—like being crushed beneath a mountain, unable to move. He completely ignored the teasing and puzzled comments in the chat.

“Something’s watching me,” Qian Lin was sure. Though he didn’t know why, an extremely dangerous gaze fixed on him.

What was it?

He didn’t know, but he had the feeling that if he relaxed even a little, he would be killed instantly.

[“Streamer, are you okay?”]

[“Not sure, suddenly like this.”]

[“But it looks kinda cool.”]

[“Enough, guys! It’s clear the streamer is in danger!”]

Unlike last time with Rattata—when Qian Lin knew it wouldn’t attack and only wanted an apple—this time the gaze was fully hostile and focused on him.

Water, hostility—could it be a Gyarados?

Unexpectedly, there was a Gyarados in the lake, which complicated things. When Magikarp evolves into Gyarados, its brain structure changes, causing extreme aggression, attacking almost anything it sees.

If it were a Gyarados—no, wait—Qian Lin dismissed this possibility. If it were Gyarados, it would have attacked immediately rather than lurking at the bottom watching him.

So… the target wasn’t him?

Qian Lin’s gaze shifted to Feebas in his left hand. Its eyes were still vacant, staring blankly ahead, but Qian Lin sensed it was looking toward the lake.

The malevolent gaze was growing stronger, and an attack would come soon.

Qian Lin looked at Feebas, then clenched his teeth and threw the dagger to the ground. "I’m just an ordinary camper, here to educate people about Pokémon. Fishing is for dinner. I didn’t mean to catch Feebas. After sharing, I’ll release it."

He was betting that the source of the hostility was interested in Feebas.

Sure enough, after he said this, the hostility lessened somewhat—still present, but no longer intensifying.

Qian Lin exhaled quietly, holding Feebas close as he stepped forward to the lake’s edge. "If I’ve disturbed you, I apologize."