Chapter Sixty-Six: There Are Always Those Who Bear the Burden and Move Forward

In Heath’s opinion, nothing could be more appropriate or suitable for a patient than a bowl of porridge. This time, he intended to cook a pot of porridge for Charizard, and he happened to have some ingredients at hand.

When it came to porridge, the first thing Heath thought of was preserved egg and lean pork congee, a dish famously beloved in Huaxia cuisine. Unfortunately, there were no preserved eggs in this world; if Heath wanted any, he’d have to make them himself. But there wasn’t enough time for that now, so he decided to settle for second best—preparing a vegetable and lean pork congee for Charizard. Its gentle texture would be perfect for the aging Pokémon.

Many people thought porridge was simple to make, but it actually required some skill. The key lay in its consistency: too thin and it became nothing more than rice in soup; too thick and it was just boiled rice. A proper porridge had strict requirements.

Of course, if one was only making it casually at home, these rules could be relaxed.

Heath handed the vegetables and lean pork to Scallion Duck to chop while he turned his attention to adjusting the rice-to-water ratio. Once the vegetables and meat were prepared, he added them to the pot and began simmering everything together. Now, all that was left was to wait.

Fortunately, Mr. Ma Zhida had plenty of time, so there was no need to rush. Heath thought that, in the future, he might need to see if he could acquire any time-saving items—otherwise, some dishes simply couldn’t be prepared on the spot.

But anything that could manipulate time was surely a closely guarded secret in any world—except, of course, in that certain blue robot cat’s universe, where he could casually pull out world-changing gadgets at will.

“Grandpa Ma Zhida, now that you’re retired, do you have any hobbies?” Heath asked as he watched over the simmering porridge.

“No real hobbies to speak of,” the old man replied. “If I had to say, maybe exercising and catching the occasional wrongdoer. But Evergreen City’s security is excellent. This old body of mine isn’t much needed anymore.” He thumped his back and sighed.

Heath couldn’t help but smile. The reason the League had stationed Mr. Ma Zhida in this city was precisely so this man, who had given everything for the League, could enjoy his twilight years in peace.

“But whenever I see everyone living happily, I feel my life has been worthwhile. The injuries Ah Charizard and I have suffered are nothing in comparison.” Mr. Ma Zhida let out a hearty laugh, his voice full of vigor.

Heath nodded as he watched the old man. Mr. Ma Zhida had indeed endured much, but here in this city, perhaps he could finally enjoy life a little.

“Grandpa Ma Zhida, I was wondering—do you know any martial arts?” Heath recalled his recent encounter with Azura. If he had known some self-defense, perhaps he could have apprehended that fellow.

Although Pokémon battles were the main focus in this world, trainers weren’t always safe. The notion that trainers could never be attacked only held true in official League matches.

“Hmm? Of course I do! I’m League Investigator Ma Zhida, after all. Why do you ask, Heath? Are you thinking of becoming an investigator?” The old man eyed Heath with interest.

Ma Zhida was well aware of Heath’s strength. In his eyes, Heath had the potential to be an excellent investigator. If he mastered a few fighting techniques, he could probably even wrestle a Snorlax.

“No, I just want to learn some self-defense. After I finish my driver’s license exam, I plan to travel, collect culinary delights, and hone my cooking skills.” Heath waved his hand with a smile—he had no intention of becoming an investigator.

Ma Zhida looked at him in surprise but said nothing more. Instead, he invited Heath outside and began teaching him the basics of martial arts.

“If you really want to learn proper combat techniques, I can introduce you to an old friend,” Ma Zhida offered with a twinkle in his eye after a while.

Heath was intrigued. He already thought Ma Zhida’s fighting skills were impressive—could there be someone even stronger?

Suddenly, a name came to mind: Bruno, one of the Four Elites of the Quartz League, a master who could communicate with Machamp through pure physical prowess. If trainers fought each other without Pokémon, Bruno would surely be champion-level.

Though Heath was quite interested in learning martial arts, he remembered his main occupation as a chef and decided to decline Ma Zhida’s offer. According to the old man, true mastery required years of dedicated practice.

“Grandpa Ma Zhida, this is a vegetable and lean pork congee—perfect for someone recovering from illness. Have Charizard eat it slowly,” Heath said as he handed over the freshly made porridge.

Ma Zhida accepted it with a hearty laugh, paid, and left with his meal.

Heath watched the old man’s retreating figure, sincerely hoping that Charizard would recover. To boost the porridge’s nutrition, he’d even added an egg, which improved its flavor as well.

“If only I could just learn a martial arts skill instantly…” Heath thought, but considering the quirks of his golden finger, he shook his head. Last time, he’d received a tracking technique, but had to teach himself. Now he felt like he was back in his last year of high school, juggling business with studying for his driver’s license and tracking skills whenever he had a free moment.

He glanced at the three-day sword in his cupboard—it had been a while since he drew it, but he’d never used it. It was probably just a collector’s item. He couldn’t imagine wielding a three-day sword and wandering the Pokémon world like an adventurer. That seemed unlikely.

As the morning rush hour began, Heath busied himself once more. Customer after customer arrived at his food cart—some ordered Braised Beef Noodles, others opted for savory pancakes.

With the addition of tables and chairs, more customers chose the beef noodles. Having seats allowed people to eat comfortably—this was a dish best enjoyed sitting down, not standing.

Scallion Duck was quick with his hands, helping Heath at his side. While Scallion Duck couldn’t make the noodles, he could handle the pancakes just fine. With his assistance, Heath wasn’t as overwhelmed anymore, and could serve customers much faster.

“Hehe, money rolling in!” Heath beamed as he watched the steady stream of customers.