Liu Yongming’s ranch was located in the suburbs of Shuangqing City. It covered a considerable area and had several buildings, so there were more than enough rooms to spare for guests.
On the first night of his visit to Uncle Liu’s ranch, in the guest room, Zhou Yuan had just finished tidying his belongings and was about to go to Sleep when he remembered that more than 24 hours had passed since his video was uploaded.
So, he took out his phone and opened A-station, intending to check his video data.
As soon as Zhou Yuan opened A-station, he found his inbox overflowing. Upon opening it, he saw that almost all the messages were private chats, mostly along the lines of 'worshiping the great one,' 'requesting a friend slot from the great one,' and some even wanted to pay tuition to become his disciple.
Seeing this, Zhou Yuan was a little stunned. Realizing why so many people were messaging him privately, Zhou Yuan guessed that his video's popularity must have soared.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yuan opened his submission management area. It clearly showed that the video he uploaded yesterday had already reached 310,000 views, with over 2,000 bullet comments and replies, and the number of followers for "A Yuan Teaches You How to Play Pokémon" had exceeded 40,000.
At this moment, the system's notifications also appeared.
"Congratulations, Host, for completing Video Mission 1. Video views exceed 10,000 Energy Points +100."
"Congratulations, Host, for completing Video Mission 2. Video views exceed 50,000 Energy Points +150."
"Congratulations, Host, for completing Video Mission 3. Video views exceed 100,000 Energy Points +200."
"Congratulations, Host, for completing Video Mission 4. Video views exceed 200,000 Energy Points +300."
"The requirement for the next level mission is: video views exceed 500,000."
"Congratulations, Host, followers exceed 10,000 Energy Points +300."
"Host's current Energy Points: 1450."
Seeing this series of system prompts, even Zhou Yuan, who had undergone professional training, couldn't help but let his lips curve upwards.
"Hoo, this is a big haul. After this, I won't be short on initial cultivation materials for Little Ka Growlithe for a while." Although he said this, Zhou Yuan did not open the shop to spend immediately. Instead, he planned to save the Energy Points until Little Ka Growlithe had finished hatching before making any purchases.
Zhou Yuan then turned his attention to the comment section and found that the previous top comments had been pushed down, but under that impressive ID, new viewers were still continuously joining the denunciation.
The new top comment was as follows:
"Many thanks to the blogger for bringing us such a wonderful battle. I personally also thank the blogger for being able to bring new tactics to the weaker Bug-type Pokémon.
Most Bug-type Pokémon are inherently weaker. Although they mature quickly, they inevitably find themselves at a disadvantage when battling Trainers of the same level.
To be honest, we didn't have a good enough solution for this situation before, but the blogger's video has given us new ideas and inspiration.
Thank you, blogger, for your contribution to Bug-type Trainers.
Also, please check your private messages, blogger. I would like to explore some cooperation with you."
Below this comment, there was a uniform chorus of "Holy cow, a great one!" and "Great one, when are you going to draw a Bug King?"
Then, turning his attention to the ID, it read "Meng Boguang."
"Who's this?"
Zhou Yuan clicked on his homepage and saw the A-station certification below his avatar: Yun Dian City Bug-type Gym Leader of the Yan Huang Region.
"Oh, oh, so it's a Gym Leader… Hmm? A Gym Leader?! ∑(っ°Д°;)っ"
Zhou Yuan remembered the last sentence of the comment and quickly went to check his private messages. Among hundreds of messages, he finally found the message Meng Boguang sent him:
"Hello, blogger. Do you have any other tactics based on Bug-type Pokémon? I would like to invite you to make another video on this theme. It would be a custom video, and the price is negotiable. Below is my contact number: …"
DNMD, I'm falling apart.
Zhou Yuan was dumbfounded. He had originally intended to just create some content and gain some Energy Points, but instead, he ended up attracting a Gym Leader who wanted him to make custom videos. For a moment, Zhou Yuan couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
With a state of mind that was hard to describe, Zhou Yuan sent a friend request to this Gym Leader.
After waiting a few minutes and the friend request still hadn't been accepted, Zhou Yuan knew there wouldn't be a result anytime soon, so he simply put down his phone, flopped onto the bed, and prepared to Sleep. Perhaps he had slept too late the previous night, for Zhou Yuan fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
Early the next morning, before Zhou Yuan had even woken up, there was a knocking sound at the door, accompanied by Liu Yongming's rough voice:
"Xiao Yuan, are you awake? Do you want to come out and experience milking Miltank?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yuan, who was still groggy, sprang up from the bed with a carp jump. After all, milking Miltank was a first for Zhou Yuan.
Under Liu Yongming's guidance, Zhou Yuan tried milking Miltank, shearing Wooloo, and even experienced the feeling of riding on Big Red to herd sheep.
It was through this day of ranch life that Zhou Yuan realized that ordinary animals did exist in this world; it was just that their survival environment in the wild was too harsh, so their wild populations were not large. More often, people's daily needs were met through artificial breeding.
And Zhou Yuan had to admit, this day was really exhausting ＿|￣|●
After dinner, Zhou Yuan dragged his tired body back to his room, opened his phone, and saw that the friend request had been accepted ten minutes ago. Meng Boguang had also sent him a few messages.
"Hello, blogger. I am Meng Boguang. May I ask what you prefer to be called?"
"Your video, blogger, has somewhat amazed me. For many years, Bug-type Gym Leaders, including myself, have mostly pursued forming teams with Pokémon of high species strength."
"We rarely considered the role of weaker Bug-type Pokémon, but the blogger's video is very innovative, like a beam of light in the darkness, broadening my thinking."
"I personally would like to invite the blogger to record related videos again, focusing on other Bug-type Pokémon. This would both attract more Trainers to develop an interest in Bug-type Pokémon, and I could also gain more inspiration from it."
"Blogger, you can name the price for the custom video. If you don't need money, Pokémon resources are also an option. I will try my best to meet the blogger's needs."
After reading the messages, Zhou Yuan thought about it and felt that this was a good opportunity. He could earn money and befriend a Gym Leader, so it was worth pursuing.
However, Zhou Yuan also knew that even though the other party said the compensation was up to him, he still needed to have a sense of proportion and not be too greedy.
After all, making any tactical video was still making a video. Following this Gym Leader's request was simply going with the flow. Moreover, he had the system with him, allowing him to exchange Energy Points for resources, so he might as well just make a token gesture.
But this token gesture couldn't be too token, otherwise it would be meaningless. It still had to make the Gym Leader feel that it was somewhat meaningful.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yuan began to reply to the message.
"Hello, Gym Leader Meng, just call me A Yuan."
The other side replied instantly.
"Hello, A Yuan. You don't need to call me Gym Leader. I see your profile's certification says you're younger than me, so just call me Meng Ge. I wonder if you currently have similar ideas to create such videos?"
"Yes, I currently have some tactical ideas that can all be made into videos."
Gym Leader Meng of Yun Dian City was overjoyed. "I knew this blogger was extraordinary. Given time, he will surely have the demeanor of a Gym Leader."
Gym Leader Meng thought this to himself, and his fingers typed quickly.
"Since you say you still have ideas, A Yuan, then I'll look forward to them. Also, what would you like as compensation?"
"Talking about money is so vulgar, Meng Ge. Our meeting is fated. Let's talk about fate, eighteen thousand… (deleted here), there's no need for compensation. I'm just trying to clear the name of Bug-type Pokémon." Zhou Yuan began to play hard to get, choosing to retreat as a way to advance.
Gym Leader Meng on the other end of the phone was almost moved to tears. What a good young man, working so hard for the future of Bug-type Pokémon.
"A Yuan, that's not how it works. You making videos is something you do for Bug-type Pokémon. And what I need to do is just give you some support. I can't just let you keep working for love, can I? That would only continuously wear down your enthusiasm, and this can be considered what I do for Bug-type Pokémon."
Zhou Yuan was about to say more when another message arrived.
"No need to refuse further. My mind is made up. Give me your address, and I'll send you some good things."
This was the first time Zhou Yuan had encountered such a person. How was it that he was fishing, and before the hook even moved, the fish jumped onto the shore by itself?
But it also had to be said that Zhou Yuan genuinely felt the other party's heart for Bug-type Pokémon. In this materialistic era, such people were already rare.
Although he was Simple to the point of being a little cute, Zhou Yuan believed that such a person was quite good. One in a hundred, if there were too many, it wouldn't work, but if there wasn't even one such person, it also wouldn't work.
Thinking of this, Zhou Yuan sent a message to Gym Leader Meng.
"Meng Ge, there's no need to rush to talk about support. Wait until the new video is released. If you feel that the quality of the video and the quality of the tactics still meet your requirements, then we can talk about material support. For now, I'm already very happy if Meng Ge can support me spiritually."
"It's getting late, Meng Ge. Get some rest early. Good night."
Zhou Yuan carefully chose his words before replying to Gym Leader Meng, but after sending the message, he wondered if it was a bit hypocritical, like a tea art master reborn.
But the Simple Gym Leader had never seen such a trick. He was instantly and completely won over, still sighing in admiration until he went to Sleep.
"What a good young man! Knowledgeable, polite, cultivated, unpretentious, and capable. Gym Leader? I underestimated him. This child has the potential to become an Elite."
Zhou Yuan, on his end, also stopped talking after receiving Gym Leader Meng's goodnight. He was truly disgusted by his own 'tea-like' words. While lamenting in his heart that he must never bully honest people like this again, he lay on the bed, watching Pokémon like Pikachu and Eevee eating to help him Sleep.
"AWLS, this is too cute! Who can resist this...? (。-ω-)zzz"