Chapter 436: Light Rain

The place where Su Hao got off the train was an old-fashioned building complex in the Imperial Capital. Compared to the more modernized city center, the atmosphere of daily life here was much richer.

Li Hua had also run to the Dragon's Den in the Imperial Capital for trials before. Half a month had passed, and like Jiang Chengcheng, neither of them had contacted Su Hao, so he didn't know how they were doing.

Although Su Hao was wearing a rainproof jacket, considering that the backpack exposed outside was easily soaked, he could only look around and bought an umbrella from a little girl shouting to sell umbrellas at the station entrance.

Not far away, there was a small shop that looked clean.

After thinking about it, Su Hao, holding the mentality of just making do with a hot meal, ran into the shop with his umbrella.

"Welcome, the menu is on the side, all ingredients are available, please order as you like."

"Meow~"

The receptionist was a middle-aged woman wearing an apron. Beside her squatted a Meowth with brush-like eyelashes, lying on the ground, resting lazily.

Perhaps because it was past mealtime, there were no people in the shop. Su Hao casually found a table and sat down, directly saying: "Landlady, this is my first time in the Imperial Capital, any local snacks you recommend?"

"Oh my, is it the guest's first time? Then you must try Douzhi!"

"Douzhi?" Su Hao, a Sichuan native, tilted his head in confusion.

What is this, soy milk?

The landlady introduced enthusiastically: "A traditional Imperial Capital snack made from mung beans. The weather is cooler tonight, drinking a bowl of steaming Douzhi can also warm your stomach."

Su Hao was also curious about what Douzhi tasted like. He pointed at the menu one by one: "Then one bowl of Douzhi, ten Jiaoquan, and two meat-filled sesame cakes!"

"Okay, please wait a moment!"

The landlady nimbly ran into the open kitchen and started preparing food for Su Hao. Su Hao, bored, tried to strike up a conversation: "Landlady, when do you think this rain will stop?"

Although Su Hao didn't hate rain, this kind of weather did affect travel.

"Hmm... that's hard to say."

Even though the landlady was wearing a mask, Su Hao could see that her expression was a bit hesitant and troubled.

"Is there anything strange about this rain?" Su Hao asked curiously.

"It's not exactly strange, it's just that it's been raining a lot recently, and it rains for a day or two at a time. Many ingredients that need to be dried outdoors can't be processed."

The landlady didn't stop moving, and walked over with a bowl of milky white drink? and golden Jiaoquan, as well as two meat-filled sesame cakes.

"Try the taste. Some people might not be used to it. If you don't like it, I'll change it for something else for you."

Su Hao nodded and tentatively took a sip of the Douzhi.

The landlady sat at another table, stroking the Meowth's chin, and asked curiously: "How is it?"

"Hmm... the bean flavor isn't very obvious, but the sourness is a bit stronger. The taste is very mellow, I think it's okay."

Su Hao said while dipping a piece of Jiaoquan into the Douzhi and eating it.

This kind of food is a bit magical, as if it were another version of soy milk and fried dough sticks?

"That's good."

The landlady was opened up by Su Hao's previous conversation. After responding to Su Hao, she sighed: "This rain isn't too frequent, but compared to last year, this drizzling rain that comes from time to time is more depressing."

"The Alliance has also sent Pokémon that are said to be able to change weather moves, and they have successfully changed the weather."

"But this rain is quite stubborn. After it's dispersed, it will continue to rain after a while. However, because it hasn't caused any losses, and it's said that it's difficult to keep releasing large-scale weather moves, in the end, they just let it rain."

The landlady's complaining tone made Su Hao a little concerned. The environment in the Imperial Capital doesn't seem like a rainy climate, and there is still some time before the rainy season.

What exactly is going on?

Small talk is small talk after all. Su Hao finished his dinner in a few bites, said goodbye to the landlady, and hailed a taxi to find a hotel to stay in tonight.

Although certified Trainers can get discounts at Pokémon Centers, most of the rooms are shared. Su Hao thought about it and decided to spend some money to stay in a hotel.

The next morning, the drizzle was still falling. Su Hao, who had originally planned to go out for a walk and see the local customs of the Imperial Capital, could only take a car.

After leaving the hotel, Su Hao casually hailed a taxi pulled by a Pokémon.

"Master, please go to the Flying Wing Gym in the suburbs."

"Alright! The guest is so young, are you going to challenge the Gym?"

Su Hao shook his head and dived into the rain-shielded carriage: "No, I have other things to do."

Before entering the carriage, he curiously glanced at the Pokémon pulling the cart...

He could understand other Pokémon like Dodrio or Tauros pulling carts, but is using a Camerupt to pull a cart on a rainy day a bit...?

Camerupt usually lives near volcanoes or in deserts. There is a desert outside the Imperial Capital, so it's reasonable for this kind of Pokémon to appear here.

The Camerupt's speed wasn't too slow. Su Hao was in the old city area outside the Imperial Capital circle, and it only took about half an hour to successfully arrive at the Flying Wing Gym in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital.

The Flying Wing Gym is an open-style building. The dome is opened during the day to facilitate the entry and exit of Flying-type Pokémon. Outside the Gym is a green lawn, and many Trainers of similar or older age to Su Hao are training on the grass.

After paying and getting off the car, Su Hao looked at the Flying Wing Gym, which was about the size of a medium-sized shopping mall, and commented: "Hmm... the scale is so-so."

The several 18-attribute Gyms he had seen were all large-scale comprehensive building complexes funded by the Alliance.

The scale of the Flying Wing Gym is indeed so-so, but this can be considered normal.

After all, the former 18 Gyms have in a sense been abolished, and their duties have been divided among new-style Gyms like the Flying Wing Gym.

It looks like Su Hao's father, Su Xu, was fired by the Alliance, but Su Hao, who knows the inside story, knows that this is actually a disguised promotion.

Su Xu, who only handles high-end games in the future, doesn't need to waste time dealing with other challenges, and his time can be freed up, allowing him to take long leave to go into seclusion.

It can be considered a liberation of high-level combat power by the Alliance, allowing them to focus on improving themselves or teaching the younger generation.

The closer you get to the gate of the Flying Wing Gym, the more Flying-type Pokémon are flying overhead.

Pidgey, Rowlet, Braviary, Drifloon, Jumpluff, Caterpie, Magikarp, Gyarados...

It seems like some strange Pokémon have mixed in, but strictly speaking, their evolved forms or current forms do have the Flying-type attribute.

It feels like... not a very serious Gym...

————————————

2016, "Sun/Moon" ===== CHAPTER 437 =====