Chapter 54: The Secret Exposed

Facing the aggressive Team Rocket trio, Xia You gently waved his hand. The very next instant, all of his Pokémon poured their full strength into a sudden barrage of chaotic moves, flying straight toward the Meowth mecha.

"Eh!?"

Continuous onslaughts caused the cockpit's warning lights to flash frantically. The steel exterior could no longer hold out. Following a violent explosion, Jessie, James, and Meowth collapsed amidst the ruins before they even had a chance to escape.

Blinking in bewilderment, the trio found themselves surrounded by hostile stares. They offered sheepishly awkward smiles, completely devoid of their previous arrogance.

How could reality be so cruel when their aspirations were so grand?

Why had the tables turned so dramatically right after such a grandiose declaration?

Before they could even utter a word, a sudden gust of strange wind swept them up into the sky, where they gradually shrank until they vanished entirely amidst the clouds.

It's finally over...

Xia You let out a long sigh of relief, then surveyed his surroundings. The scene was utterly devastated, littered with smashed cargo containers and ruined structures. The tragic carnage looked as though it had been ravaged by a hurricane.

His Pokémon had also sustained varying degrees of injury. Xia You recalled Zapdos first, and just as he was about to call back his other Pokémon, a bright white light suddenly erupted from Squirtle's body.

As it turned out, having accumulated sufficient battle experience during the recent skirmish, it had begun to evolve!

A few breaths later, Squirtle emerged before Xia You in a brand-new form.

Compared to before, its appearance hadn't changed drastically, save for the fangs protruding from its mouth, a pair of fluffy, wing-like ears, and a tail shaped like a crest of ocean waves.

Xia You pulled out his Pokémon Pokédex.

Pokédex: "Ding. Wartortle, the Turtle Pokémon. Water type. The evolved form of Squirtle. Possessing greater capabilities than its pre-evolution, Wartortle is not only fiercely loyal but is also said to live for ten thousand years. The thick, lush white fur on its tail serves as a symbol of its longevity."

Ten thousand years?

Good grief, if he were to raise one of these, wouldn't it outlive generation after generation of his descendants to see them all off?

At that moment, security guards could be seen running over from a distance. Deciding not to linger, Xia You checked to ensure his mask was intact, recalled his Pokémon, and departed without looking back.

***

By evening, Xia You arrived at the Pokémon Center, handed his Pokémon over to Nurse Joy to restore their vitality, and then sat down in a quiet corner to take out his phone.

There was a message from Looker sent half an hour ago.

Looker: "I have arrived in Saffron City. How is the situation on your end?"

Xia You: "I've also safely returned to the Pokémon Center. Those Team Rocket members were temporarily beaten back, though I'm not sure if they'll come looking for trouble again later."

Looker: "That is truly amazing! To take on a crowd single-handedly—you certainly live up to the man I hold in high regard. How about it? Have you truly not considered joining us in the International Police?"

Xia You: "Forget it. I have no desire to go through experiences like this too many times. How is your injury?"

Looker: "I'm currently lying in a hospital ward. Thanks to the doctor's treatment, the wound has been stitched up and I'm basically in the clear. I just need to rest for a while now. I really can't thank you enough this time! The doctor just said that if not for the prompt treatment, I might have actually lost my life right there!"

Xia You's fingers paused for a moment. After brief consideration, he decided to inform Looker that the Team Rocket base was hidden underground beneath the Game Corner.

Since Team Rocket had already made a move against him, turning around and exposing one of their bases would serve as a fitting return gift.

Those executives probably never dreamed that a secret base operated for years would be leaked in such a manner.

Before the message even finished sending, Looker's call came straight through.

The moment he answered, Xia You was met with Looker's deafening cry of astonishment.

"Are you certain the Team Rocket base is actually hidden there!? Is the intelligence accurate!?"

Even without seeing Looker's expression, Xia You could easily imagine the sheer shock he was experiencing just from his tone of voice.

Aside from Looker's voice, a female nurse could be heard in the background repeatedly trying to calm him down.

"Sir, please do not get so excited, or your wound might tear open again..."

Once Looker had digested the information, Xia You continued, "It's a safe bet. However, as for the exact method to enter the underground base, you'll have to send your own people to investigate."

Through their prolonged interactions, Looker knew that Xia You wouldn't joke around about such a critical matter.

Calming down slightly, Looker sighed, "We've poured countless efforts and hardships into this case, yet you managed to uncover it in a mere half day... Very well, I'm reporting this to my superiors immediately!"

Xia You dared not take the credit for this; after all, it was merely the result of foreknowledge granted by playing the games.

"Don't be in such a rush," Xia You stopped him. "Actually, there is an even more important matter I haven't told you yet. But you must promise not to be too shocked after hearing it."

"Rest assured," Looker laughed with absolute confidence. "Nothing could shock me more than the discovery of the Team Rocket base right now!"

Seeing how composed Looker was, Xia You dropped the revelation that Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket.

"What!!?????"

Looker's near-shattering scream echoed right through the phone and across the entire Pokémon Center, causing even Nurse Joy in the distance to cast a curious glance over.

Xia You suffered a brief ringing in his ears, momentarily wondering if he had gone deaf.

Following a brief silence, he heard the frantic cries of the nurse: "Oh dear, sir! Your wound has completely torn open! Hang on, I'm going to fetch the doctor right now!!"

That was followed by a flurry of chaotic movements and the hurried sound of footsteps rushing away.

After calming himself down for a moment, Looker took a ragged breath and incredulously asked, "Giovanni is the leader of Team Rocket!? Are you certain you're talking about the Viridian Gym Leader—the man known as Giovanni of the Earth!?"

Xia You softly murmured an affirmation.

Looker gasped for breath. After confirming it with Xia You repeatedly, his mind felt like a tangled mess. Though the notion seemed somewhat absurd, it was also strangely plausible.

Given that man's temperament and personality, would it really be that strange if he truly were the boss of Team Rocket?

"This matter is of monumental importance! I must immediately report this to my superiors—no, I will contact headquarters directly right this instant!"

***

Hanging up the phone, Xia You rested for the night at the Pokémon Center.

He had originally expected Team Rocket to dispatch more operatives to deal with him, but the entire night passed without a single disturbance.

By the next morning, after finishing breakfast and preparing to head out to challenge the Celadon Gym, he received another call back from Looker.

This time, Looker's tone was far more formal and grave than the night before.

"Following last night's deliberations at headquarters, we've decided to launch an investigation and raid on the Team Rocket base. As for Giovanni's identity, because it's far too sensitive, we need to verify it further before taking action. All of this will require a significant amount of time to prepare. To avoid alerting the enemy, you should leave that city as soon as possible."