"Finding joy in bitterness, huh..."
Seeing the description, Lin Feng couldn't help but chuckle. He shook his head, picked the bitter melon, and stored it inside a Poké Ball.
The discovery of two mutant crops lifted his spirits, and he pressed onward.
Before long, another small patch of farmland caught his eye.
Or rather, a certain plant within that patch all but forced itself into his sight.
It was a bed of spinach his last vegetable crop still growing here.
But in the middle of the lush green field, two or three stalks were stark white, almost as if they had been struck by some strange albinism.
Lin Feng immediately cast Inspect on them.
[Dream Spinach — A mutant strain nurtured by the influence of a Grass-type Pokémon. Possesses hypnotic properties. When consumed, it induces sleep within one minute in anyone who is emotionally unguarded, granting them a sweet and restful nap.]
"No dream effects?"
Lin Feng blinked, momentarily confused by the discrepancy between its name and description.
But then he realized.
It wasn't dream-inducing because of its pale coloration. Yet if combined with other foods, perhaps it would change color and actually produce dream effects.
Maybe it could be paired with that "Joy in Bitterness" bitter melon?
Unfortunately, there were only three stalks.
Plucking the spinach, Lin Feng turned to Serperior, who was patrolling the garden.
"Serperior?"
"Serperior, ser?"
Raising the pale spinach in his hand, Lin Feng said, "Next time you notice unusual plants like these, let me know right away."
"Ser..." (Alright.)
Serperior gave a slight nod before resuming its work, spreading Grassy Terrain across the garden beds.
In truth, it had been wanting to tell its Trainer earlier, but Lin Feng had been so busy lately…
Without wasting more time, Lin Feng carried the vegetables into the kitchen.
Tomorrow was the fifteenth.
He needed to be ready.
Inside the kitchen, he laid out the three mutant vegetables, several Berries, and the Sacred Feather of Ho-Oh.
After a moment's thought, he retrieved a tiny vial from his storage inside was a glittering, radiant powder.
Ho-Oh's Sacred Ash.
Honestly, Lin Feng wasn't confident he could use the Sacred Feather to craft food that extended life.
The feather's description stated it greatly boosted strength and potential when absorbed by a pure-hearted Pokémon.
Strength and potential... not lifespan.
Likewise, he didn't dare tamper with the Sacred Ash.
After all, its power was to resurrect the dead.
That had nothing to do with prolonging life.
At best, it could bring back a fallen Pokémon. But for an old Beedrill already at the end of its natural lifespan, even resurrection might not grant much time.
What it lacked wasn't breath, but vitality itself.
"Let's start with these mutant vegetables first."
Summoning his team of Alcremie, Lin Feng began another round of cake-making experiments.
September 15th, Afternoon.
Although the Daycare's shelves had already been cleared, Lin Feng didn't close up right away. Instead, he quietly waited for a particular guest.
Around five o'clock, a familiar yet refreshed figure appeared at the end of the path.
It was Liam.
Today, he was clean-shaven, his hair freshly cut. He wore loose casual pants and a crisp white long-sleeve shirt layered under another light shirt.
He looked far brighter than before.
Lin Feng recalled that when Liam first debuted as a Trainer, he had been just twenty-three or twenty-four. Now, a decade later, he was in his thirties the prime of his life.
Compared to his previous disheveled state, he now carried an air of calm relief.
"Hello, Lin. I picked this afternoon on purpose I hope I'm not disturbing you?" Liam asked carefully.
Last time, Lin Feng had given him some Pokéblocks to feed Beedrill.
To his astonishment, the Beedrill who usually spent every night in agony had, for the first time, slept in peace.
And in the days that followed, as it consumed more of the blocks, its wounds began to heal.
Liam was overjoyed, yet also incredulous.
He had tried everything under the sun to ease Beedrill's suffering.
If only he had found Lin sooner…
But then he chuckled at himself.
Lin was still so young. Even if they had met years earlier, would it really have made a difference?
Lin Feng shook his head with a small smile. "Not at all. The shop's empty now anyway. Come in, your custom cake is ready."
"Alright."
Following Lin inside, Liam noticed no cakes displayed at the counter.
He didn't ask.
Instead, he trailed Lin through the fields, past the vegetable plots, and into the quiet flower garden.
The only sound there was the gentle buzzing of Combee gathering nectar.
At the familiar spot where they usually held barbecues, a table was already set.
Lin Feng opened a Poké Ball, placing it on the table as he spoke:
"I've prepared three cakes, each with a different effect."
"The first one will let your Beedrill recover from any injury perfectly and completely. It even carries a faint life-extending property."
As he spoke, he revealed a small cake, identical in size to the ones he usually sold at the Daycare.
"If Beedrill's wounds heal, its emotional burdens should lift as well. But… its life is nearing the end. At most, three months remain."
"The second cake also heals it completely, but it tastes bitter. That might clash with Beedrill's preference for sweetness. However, this one will let it sleep peacefully and dream. A dream of exactly what it wishes most."
He unveiled another cake, this one tinted pale green, clearly blended with vegetable essence. Its size was noticeably larger.
"As for the third, it too can heal Beedrill entirely, and—"
Before Lin Feng could finish, Liam cut in. "I'll take the second. Beedrill's never once told me what it truly wants. I want to see for myself."
"Hm?" Lin Feng blinked in surprise. "You don't even want to hear about the third option?"
"No. The second one," Liam said firmly, eyes shining with anticipation.
He had raised Beedrill from a tiny Weedle. Yet not once had it ever expressed a desire of its own.
Besides...
He knew well that cakes of such quality demanded rare ingredients. Judging from the escalating effects, the third option was surely the most precious.
He stopped Lin Feng before he could present it, and instead pulled out Beedrill's Poké Ball, pressing the button with quiet resolve.
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