Chen Kai left the Astronomical Observatory with Miraidon, picking some more berries as he went.
Number 7980, however, found it quite boring and repeatedly urged Chen Kai to leave Area Zero.
In his haste, Chen Kai wanted to grab a Poké Ball for Number 7980, but it held onto Chen Kai, insisting it couldn't return to the Astronomical Observatory.
This Number 7980 was completely different from Iron Bundle; it felt like it had taken over as the host, being overly assertive.
Chen Kai had no choice but to pick a few berries and then left Area Zero with Number 7980.
When Chen Kai led Number 7980 out of the small mountain cave, Chen Kai was already used to it and felt nothing, but Number 7980 stood still, dumbfounded.
It only felt that the sky above its head was bluer and deeper than that of its homeland, like a vast blue silk ribbon, without a trace of impurity.
White clouds drifted freely like cotton wool, in various shapes—some like galloping steeds, others like lazy sheep—emitting a soft glow under the sunlight.
“Oh oh oh!”
Its perception module told it that the world had opened up, so it let out a cry of amazement.
Chen Kai was a little surprised: “Have you never been out of Area Zero before?”
Number 7980 nodded: “I was manufactured not long ago and have been working inside Area Zero ever since.
I’ve long forgotten what the outside world feels like.”
Chen Kai somewhat understood why it was so eager to come out, but the next issue was a headache: Number 7980 didn't have a Poké Ball, so Chen Ba and Chen Ma would inevitably see it.
However, Tieban Ye Daren hadn't given him a special Poké Ball for Number 7980. Chen Kai guessed Tieban Ye Daren thought it was fine for his parents to see Number 7980?
Meanwhile, back in Area Zero, Tieban Ye Daren, still reeling from the shock of the Iron Bundle incident, had lectured Iron Bundle for a long time before remembering that Chen Kai hadn't taken Number 7980's Poké Ball!
He wanted to quickly give it to Chen Kai, but found that Chen Kai had already left Area Zero with Number 7980.
This frustrated Him, but there was nothing He could do. He couldn't contact Chen Kai now and could only hope for Chen Kai and Number 7980's self-awareness.
He glared at Iron Bundle again, took out some tea called 'Longjing,' and prepared to drink some new tea to change His mood.
He brewed a cup of West Lake Longjing. The dry tea resembled a sparrow's tongue, its color tender green and lustrous, carrying the spiritual charm from the shores of West Lake.
The moment the boiling water met the tea leaves, the tea aroma instantly permeated the air—a natural scent, a precipitation of time.
Gently lifting the teacup to the light, the tea soup was yellowish-green, bright and clear, like a warm, jade-green gemstone.
Taking a shallow sip, the tea soup flowed in his mouth, its taste fresh, mellow, and sweet, as if a gentle breeze swept across the surface of West Lake, bringing the freshness and vitality of the lake and mountains.
Unlike Da Hong Pao, which has a rich, full-bodied taste and a strong, uplifting aroma, Longjing's brewed tea soup is tender green and bright, clear and transparent, with a fresh, sweet, and mellow taste that is relatively light, and its aroma is subtle, fresh, and elegant.
It suited Tieban Ye Daren's preferences even more, and His frustration vanished instantly.
“Good! What good tea! Upon tasting, one can clearly feel the freshness of the tea soup, with a faint sweetness, and a quick, refreshing aftertaste.
Next time, I'll have Chen Kai bring more of this!”
On the other side, Chen Kai was asking Miraidon and Number 7980 about some things: “Is tea not very popular in your world?
I see Tieban Ye Daren seems to really like the tea I sent.”
Miraidon nodded: “It’s not unpopular; it’s that no one bothers with tea at all.
Didn't I say before that in my world, efficiency is prioritized, so it’s basically just about supplementing basic energy; there's no such thing as gourmet food.”
Number 7980 also said: “Yes, Tieban Ye Daren's previous tea was all concocted by Him.
Regarding the tea you sent, Chen Kai Daren, He seems to like it very much, even calling Iron Boulder Daren and Iron Crown Daren to taste tea together.”
Chen Kai was overjoyed; Iron Bundle would never have actively revealed information like this before, and sometimes, Iron Bundle wouldn't even say a word to Chen Kai.
No wonder Chen Kai wasn't sure if the tea he sent was good or bad, yet Tieban Ye Daren liked it so much. It must be better than the tea He concocted Himself, no matter what.
Chen Kai decided to go buy more tea right away and also call Chen Dafu to help him choose and inspect the quality of the tea, solidifying his relationship with Tieban Ye Daren.
So he asked again: “Then do they like it?”
Number 7980 thought for a moment and said: “Iron Boulder Daren doesn't like it much; He said He'd rather drink alcohol. Iron Crown Daren thinks it's alright, so Tieban Ye Daren shared some with Iron Crown Daren, which resulted in Tieban Ye Daren not having much tea left.”
“Huh! You have alcohol there?” Chen Kai asked in surprise.
Miraidon, standing nearby, also asked in surprise: “Huh! You have alcohol there?”
Number 7980 nodded: “Alcohol is the same; it was concocted by Iron Boulder Daren Himself.
I heard! I just heard that Iron Boulder Daren used to battle many masters, taking on a hundred at once, and even made His opponents retreat repeatedly, looking very impressive.
It’s just a pity that He suffered a slight injury at the time, and the part of His body that breaks down ethanol was a bit damaged, making the time it takes to break down ethanol longer. Since then, He seems to have really enjoyed drinking alcohol.”
“Excellent, excellent!” Chen Kai happily put his arm around Number 7980’s shoulder.
Although Number 7980 was a bit wide, it didn't dampen Chen Kai's happiness.
If he had the chance to send alcohol a few more times and prepare some snacks to go with it, wouldn't he be able to build a good relationship with Iron Boulder!
Chen Kai was starting to like Number 7980 now:
“Thank you so much, Number 7980.”
Number 7980 also gently put its arm around Chen Kai’s shoulder; it didn't dare to use force.
“Chen Kai Daren. Don’t you think ‘Number 7980’ sounds a bit awkward when it’s always called that?”
Chen Kai pointed at Number 7980 with his finger and said with a smile: “You rascal!”
Number 7980’s somewhat stiff, fierce face also tried its best to form a smile: “Hehe.”
“How about you call yourself Iron Hands?” Since it was already called that in the game, Chen Kai might as well take credit for it.
Iron Hands was very happy: “Great! This name sounds much more powerful than ‘Number 7981’!
Thank you, Chen Kai Daren, for bestowing this name!”
Chen Kai continued: “Hey! That’s nothing, there are still many delicious things and fun things waiting for you in the future!”
“Oh! That’s truly something to look forward to!”
What Iron Hands didn't know, however, was that Chen Kai hadn't returned Iron Bundle's Poké Ball, and Tieban Ye Daren could see Chen Kai's surroundings.
For a name, it had spilled all the secrets of Tieban Ye Daren, Iron Boulder Daren, and Iron Crown Daren. When it returned to the Astronomical Observatory next time, it would be in for a rough time.
