Chapter 149: Even Splitting a Tree Can Become a Competition Now?

"Boss! It's gone viral!" Zoroark shouted excitedly, practically bouncing as it burst into the room. Edward rubbed his forehead with a wry expression.

"Mm, I know." Edward put down the phone in his hand. He was already aware that the trailer for his latest project had exploded in popularity—though the way it had gone viral left him both amused and speechless.

True enough, the name Sherlock Holmes had appeared on trending searches all over the internet… but it had gotten there thanks to the now-infamous "Three Gods Problem."

The idea to include the Three Gods Problem in the trailer had been a spur-of-the-moment decision by Edward. He had instructed the editors to splice that segment into the ending of the trailer but left out the resolution to the puzzle, specifically to pique viewer curiosity.

His intention was for audiences to become intrigued by the unsolved mystery and be drawn in to watch Sherlock Holmes in order to find the answer—thus boosting traffic to the show.

What he hadn't expected was for this impromptu idea to snowball and become the reason for the trailer's explosive popularity.

"Professor of Logic at Pokémon University Explains the 'Sherlock Holmes Problem' Live! (Must Watch)"

Edward stared at the trending headlines, half-laughing, half-crying.

Good news: Sherlock Holmes was already a hit before it even aired.

Bad news: what audiences were really obsessed with was the Three Gods Problem.

"Now even a bunch of Psychic-type Pokémon are apparently deep in thought trying to solve the problem. Boss, several TV stations and newspapers are requesting interviews with you. Do you have time?" Zoroark said, holding up three official interview request letters as he continued his multitasking routine.

Edward took the papers and scanned them briefly.

One was from the largest television station in the Hoenn region. Another was from the official Pokémon League Television Network. And the third… was from The Sun Daily.

"The first two are fine. Skip the last one." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose.

The first two were reputable, institutional platforms. Hoenn's main station was the regional equivalent of a provincial broadcaster—basically mandatory. The Pokémon League Television Network was on the same level as a national news outlet or even a central broadcaster.

These were the kinds of interviews that would help expand his influence and raise public awareness of the show.

But The Sun Daily? That was a no-go.

It was infamous—very much like that unscrupulous tabloid back in his previous life's England. The Sun Daily in this world also had a reputation for exaggerating, sensationalizing, and gossip-mongering. When One Missed Call had released, Edward had seen a headline from The Sun Daily that read:

"Famous Director Caught Proposing Casting Couch Conditions? Exclusive Footage: Director Suggests Role-Playing as a Female Ghost!"

They'd practically framed him for sexual misconduct. But when he clicked into the article, it turned out to be about a horror film funded by a mining magnate—not even his movie. Yet the headline had deliberately made it look like One Missed Call was the culprit.

That incident alone was proof of just how much The Sun Daily enjoyed twisting facts and spreading gossip. Even now, they were the only media outlet that consistently featured a "Cover Girl of the Week" on their newspaper's front page. Because of their provocative style, The Sun Daily had grown significantly in popularity and even had rumors circulating that they planned to launch a television station.

If Edward agreed to their interview, being misquoted or taken out of context was practically guaranteed. Better to avoid them altogether. Sure, they'd probably still write stories about him, but that was better than giving them ammunition through a direct interview. Edward was well aware of their skill in selectively editing quotes—they were true masters of the art.

"Got it, boss," Zoroark replied. He had already expected this answer and dutifully noted it down. Now it was just a matter of coordinating the schedules with the other networks—obviously, the interviews couldn't all be squeezed into the same timeslot.

"When handling this, remember to keep a humble attitude. We don't want people thinking we're acting like divas. Also, remind the actors to be careful about this too," Edward added, as another thought came to mind.

Zoroark nodded again in acknowledgment.

These matters needed to be handled with care. Edward didn't want any rumors spreading about them being arrogant or difficult to work with. While a director didn't face as much public backlash for "acting like a diva" compared to a celebrity, it was still something worth avoiding.

When fame rises, so does controversy.

Even though the Pokémon world was generally more friendly and wholesome, there would always be people who were jealous or envious. A bit of caution never hurt.

"Boss, one more thing," Zoroark said, pausing in his retreat and circling back to Edward's desk. He pulled out a folder and handed it over, then sent Edward a video clip.

Edward opened the video and took a look.

What he saw was a fairly clear battle scene between Pokémon. On screen, a Pikachu was using Thunderbolt—and actually knocked out a Geodude with it?

Knocked it out?

Edward blinked in confusion at the footage. Every soul in the Pokémon world knew that Ground-type Pokémon were immune to Electric-type moves. Was this Pikachu hacked or something?

But then he saw the Pikachu's trainer, and suddenly, everything made sense.

It was Ash.

Well, that explained it.

"As expected… Ash has set off on his journey after all," Edward muttered, his thoughts churning as he watched the clip that could make Pokémon professors around the world tear their hair out in confusion.

He then glanced at the folder Zoroark had handed him—inside was Ash's Trainer ID profile.

Pallet Town.

Age: 10.

Everything checked out.

"This world is about to get a whole lot more fantastical," Edward murmured as he set the file down.

Ash had indeed embarked on his journey and officially become a Pokémon Trainer. But there was one very strange question that nagged at him.

Ash had been traveling for years in the series he remembered. When he finally achieved the title of Pokémon Master, what was his age again?

Ten.

Still ten.

Absolutely absurd.

Of course, this was the real world—things couldn't possibly be that ridiculous. Edward could only watch and observe as changes unfolded. After all, his own arrival in this world had already altered the course of the Pokémon universe in countless small ways.

Take, for example, the scene from Tom and Jerry that had gone viral: Tom splitting a tree in half with his crotch. The moment had originally been a comedic gag in the second episode that Edward had instructed Ada to film. But due to delays, it had only reached the other regional leagues two weeks after airing locally.

This led to a bizarre trend: trees with strange splits down their trunks began popping up in other leagues as well.

Edward had no idea why this happened. Maybe it was because the scene resonated a little too much. It wasn't until that second episode finally aired—where Tom ascends to heaven and God tells him he must atone for the "splitting trees with his crotch" sin—that the phenomenon started to die down.

But by then, the bar had already been raised, and the "competition" had gotten even more intense.

Because while most Pokémon were indeed innocent and kind-hearted, there were still plenty who loved a good prank.

"SHOCKING! Giant Tree Split Open in Resident's Backyard at Midnight—If You See This, You Know a Certain Cat's Been Here!"

That was the headline Edward had seen that very morning.

And the perpetrator?

A Golurk.

(End of Chapter)