MTL NOVEL Chapter 49: 49
In the Pokémon world, while different species of Pokémon eggs have their own distinct traits—such as unique patterns or special shapes, particularly for certain Pokémon with more pronounced characteristics—there is still a significant degree of randomness and even mutation.
Even for Pokémon of different species, the patterns and shapes of their eggs can overlap or completely defy known rules.
This means that when it comes to Pokémon eggs, you can never be absolutely sure what species will hatch from one.
Not to mention, the Pokémon that do hatch will have variations in individual values, nature, abilities, and even hidden skills, talent for moves, and elemental affinity—all factors that remain completely unpredictable.
And then there are potential defects—physical disabilities, genetic issues, even neurological abnormalities.
This is exactly why purchasing Pokémon eggs is known as "egg gambling."
Because no one can ever fully guarantee what kind of Pokémon will emerge from a given egg.
Pokémon eggs are essentially the most distinctive blind boxes of the Pokémon world.
And where there's gambling, there's the potential for both soaring profits and devastating losses.
A seemingly ordinary Pokémon egg will fetch an ordinary price.
But an egg that appears to be of "high quality and full of potential" can be driven up to an exorbitant price, sometimes selling for astronomical sums.
However, due to the sheer unpredictability of the process, even the most unassuming egg could hatch into a rare species with exceptional stats, while a wildly expensive egg might produce nothing more than a Weedle with dismal individual values.
Of course, there is a safer option.
That would be purchasing "certified species eggs," where the species is at least guaranteed. If the hatched Pokémon doesn't match the stated species, a refund is guaranteed.
Naturally, certified species eggs cost more than regular ones.
Taking things a step further, there are eggs that have been evaluated by Pokémon breeding experts, with certain traits confirmed in advance. These eggs are even pricier but come with a "guaranteed match" clause.
There was an overwhelming amount of knowledge regarding Pokémon eggs. Even Ye Yinchuan could only recall some details from memory while cross-referencing additional information online.
But one thing was undeniable—his Appraisal Eye could see the exact details of a Pokémon egg.
This meant that when it came to egg gambling, Ye Yinchuan had a god-tier advantage.
His appraisal accuracy was a perfect 100%, making him an unparalleled grandmaster!
Or to put it simply—
He was the undisputed best!
This was a case of reaching the pinnacle the moment he started.
It was his first time handling a Pokémon egg, but no one understood Pokémon eggs better than him!
Ye Yinchuan almost wanted to smugly proclaim those very words.
Inflated ego.jpg
Even though the egg's details had already been revealed to him, he had to keep up the act.
The business of Pokémon eggs involved immense profits, and the scene was full of hidden dangers. As a relatively unknown streamer, it was best to keep a low profile for now.
The egg in question was a standard oval shape, smooth and well-formed, aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Its base color was a light orange-red, with some additional patches of different hues.
This type of egg was the most generic in appearance—not featuring any striking characteristics or unusual shapes—making it the hardest to assess just by looking at it.
["That color… pretty sure it's a Charmander egg."]
["Not necessarily, but it does seem like a Fire-type egg."]
["It's already hard enough to identify Pokémon through a screen. But eggs…?"]
["Egg gambling is a deep, deep pit. Streamer, this might be out of your league."]
"Streamer, what do you think?"
Seeing Ye Yinchuan's contemplative expression, with subtle shifts in his face, the viewer known as "Ah Zu" was growing restless.
"First, let's use the process of elimination…"
Hearing Ye Yinchuan finally speak, Ah Zu's face lit up with anticipation.
"…It's not a Moltres egg."
The excitement on Ah Zu's face instantly dropped into an unimpressed expression.
["LMAO, as if anyone actually thought it was a Moltres egg."]
["No lies detected, though. While Moltres eggs are also orange, we can rule that out for sure."]
["Streamer, if you don't have the skill, don't force it. Just refund the guy's money and move on."]
["Moltres.jpg"]
In the chat, someone even posted a blurry image of Moltres—a magnificent bird Pokémon with flaming wings, its embers sparkling beautifully against the sky.
The image, captured hastily from high-altitude cloud cover, was blurry yet still awe-inspiring, fueling the audience's admiration for legendary Pokémon.
As a passionate Pokémon fan himself, Ye Yinchuan's eyes lit up momentarily.
"Will I ever have a chance to catch a Legendary Pokémon?"
Though the idea of a mere livestreamer capturing a Legendary Pokémon seemed far-fetched, the value and rarity of Legendary Pokémon in this world were leagues beyond anything in the games.
Still—wasn't it said that one should always have dreams?
"Bro, I obviously know this isn't a Moltres egg. If it were, forget one Master Ball—I'd send you a hundred. Can you actually tell what this egg is or not? If not, let's not waste time, and you don't have to refund my gift."
Clearly, Ah Zu was losing patience.
He had seen clips of Ye Yinchuan's previous streams and thought the guy might be a real expert, which was why he came to get an egg appraised.
But now, it was starting to look like a scam.
["Damn, big bro is throwing money around like it's nothing."]
["If you don't have the skills, don't take the job. Kabigon, this money isn't for you to take!"]
["Y'all are being too hasty. I trust the streamer's skills."]
Seeing both the wealthy patron and the chat growing skeptical, Ye Yinchuan knew it was time to show off.
"Bro, don't rush. Tell me first, where did you get this egg?"
"Where else? The egg market, of course. I figured it might be a Charmander egg, so I bought it for a thousand yuan. If I'm lucky and get a high-quality Charmander, I could make four to five times that amount, right?"
["Egg market? That place is full of scams."]
["Big bro, buying an egg for a thousand is understandable, but why did you tip the streamer so much?"]
["No tips, no appraisal, simple as that."]
["Looking at his shiny bald head, I can tell this guy's a veteran egg gambler."]
"No problem, no problem."
Ye Yinchuan's expression became subtly amused as he examined the egg's details.
"If it really were a Charmander egg, then your logic makes sense. Unfortunately…"
Hearing this, Ah Zu's heart sank.
"Unfortunately what?"
"Unfortunately… this isn't a Charmander egg. It's a Bellsprout egg."
["Bellsprout?! Bro spent a thousand bucks on a Bellsprout egg?!"]
["Could still be decent if it has good stats."]
["And if it doesn't? Not even worth giving away for free."]
"What the… How could it be a Bellsprout egg?! Aren't Bellsprout eggs supposed to be yellow-green?"
Ah Zu rubbed his bald head vigorously.
Going from Charmander to Bellsprout was such a jarring drop that he was struggling to accept it.
"Hmm…"
Ye Yinchuan had already figured out the reason from the appraisal panel.
"I have a theory. Not sure if I should say it, though…"
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