Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

Although he wasn't single anymore, Gary still felt as if he'd taken a thousand emotional hits.

He swore to himself that next time he saw Luo Yuan, he'd be sure to bring his own girlfriends along.

Luo Yuan, noticing Gary's expression, gave a small smile.

No point in being envious.

Given Gary's number of girlfriends, even evolving Eevee wouldn't cover his bases for couple Pokémon—unless he went to Galar and caught an Alcremie.

At that moment, the roar of an engine grew louder as a vehicle approached.

Ranger Caesar stepped out, looking down at the bound Pokémon hunters on the ground, an expression of guilt crossing his face.

As a ranger, it was his responsibility to patrol the area, and the fact that so many Pokémon hunters had infiltrated the reserve without him noticing was a clear failure on his part.

Fortunately, Luo Yuan and Gary had stepped in; otherwise...

After thanking them both, Caesar was about to give the Pokémon hunters a stern talking-to when two men dressed as League officers approached from behind him.

They addressed Sabrina.

"Gym Leader Sabrina. Thank you for your bravery. Leave them with us—we'll escort them to the station."

"I'm not the one you should be thanking," Sabrina replied, nodding toward Luo Yuan.

The two "League officers" followed Sabrina's gaze to Luo Yuan.

Luo Yuan took a moment to scrutinize them. The two "League officers" had an air about them—one that seemed unmistakably familiar, almost as if they were Team Rocket operatives in disguise.

It was clear they were allies.

Earlier, he'd asked Sabrina to contact Matori, and it looked like these two were the people she'd sent.

However, even knowing they were on his side, Luo Yuan kept his tone formal, wearing a look of righteous indignation as he said:

"Cracking down on crime is the duty of every young Trainer in our society. Please ensure these Pokémon hunters are punished severely!"

If you're going to act, commit fully.

Luo Yuan's performance left the undercover Team Rocket officers momentarily stunned.

Gary, standing nearby, was practically pumped with patriotic pride.

Even Caesar couldn't help but feel moved, lamenting that, in these days of declining morals, there was still a Trainer like Luo Yuan with such noble character.

Watching the scene unfold, Sabrina finally understood why Giovanni had chosen Luo Yuan for this undercover role.

His talent for blending in was truly something to behold.

After loading the Pokémon hunters onto the truck and watching it drive away, Caesar turned to Gary and Luo Yuan. "I'll handle calming down the Kangaskhan. You two keep searching for Pokémon."

Gary also bid them farewell, leaving for a different reason entirely.

It wasn't just that he didn't want to play third wheel here.

With plenty of daylight left, he figured he shouldn't slack off and decided to hunt for even stronger Pokémon.

"What should we do?" Sabrina asked as she followed Luo Yuan to a quiet spot by the river, where she offered Eevee an energy cube.

"Let me check on Slowpoke first."

Luo Yuan handed his own Eevee an energy cube, letting it entertain itself while he focused on Slowpoke, who was staring off into space nearby.

Luo Yuan was certain his telepathic sense hadn't been wrong earlier; this Slowpoke possessed far stronger psychic energy than others of its kind. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Yet, it behaved so sluggishly. Something wasn't adding up.

So, Luo Yuan tried using his telepathy to connect with Slowpoke, employing his Viridian Force to turn Slowpoke's foggy thoughts into coherent words.

And he sensed Slowpoke's thoughts:

"Put me back in the Poké Ball already, so I don't have to walk, you jerk!"

Luo Yuan: "..."

Staring at the Slowpoke, which looked as blank-faced as ever with no visible expression, Luo Yuan was convinced that, in some odd way, this particular Slowpoke was indeed "gifted"—far more intelligent than others of its kind.

But at the same time, he felt it was only right to teach it a little lesson about respect for one's Trainer.

---

Today was turning out to be Ryuji's unluckiest day yet.

He'd just come here to catch a few Kangaskhan with his team, only to run into these meddling kids.

Now, not only had all their vehicles and equipment been destroyed, but they were all in League custody as well.

He had no idea how much bail it would take to get them out.

"Damn those meddling punks!" he muttered, swearing that the moment he got out, he'd hunt down that guy named Luo Yuan and teach him a lesson about minding his own business.

Just as he was contemplating revenge, one of his lackeys piped up with a concerned question. "Officer, where are we going? I'm from Fuchsia City, and this doesn't look like the way to the station."

Looking out the window, he saw the trees around them thickening, leading deeper into the Fuchsia Forest rather than toward the city.

"This isn't the way to Fuchsia," one of the "officers" replied calmly.

"Wait...are we being taken to the League headquarters? But for a Kanto crime like ours...that's not really warranted, is it?" Ryuji frowned.

One of the basic requirements for a competent Pokémon hunter was knowing the law. Under Kanto law, the worst they'd done was illegally using explosives to catch wild Pokémon.

It wasn't exactly a major crime.

"League headquarters? Hah..."

The two "League officers" up front both sneered at his suggestion.

One of them even turned around, casting a look that made Ryuji's gut drop.

"You think you can mess around on Team Rocket's turf and just walk away unscathed?"

"T-Team Rocket?!"

The name sent shivers through all the Pokémon hunters.

But...weren't they captured by League officers? How did they end up with Team Rocket?

Seeing the "officers" smirking, it suddenly dawned on them how bad their situation was.

"You...you're with Team Rocket?" one of the hunters asked.

"Take a wild guess," one "officer" shot back, as if the answer were obvious.

This was essentially an admission.

Instantly, the Pokémon hunters, who had been behaving until now, began to struggle frantically.

"Please, let us go! We'll never do it again!"

"Damn you, Team Rocket!"

"Stop the car! Let me out!"

Some begged, some cursed, and others cried out for help.

The sheer terror in their voices spoke volumes about their fear of Team Rocket.

If they ended up in League custody, they'd serve a few months, pay a fine, and be done with it.

But if they fell into Team Rocket's hands...

These Pokémon hunters, who lived in the underground world, knew better than anyone what awaited them if they crossed Team Rocket.

The Team Rocket member driving gave a cold chuckle. "Oh, you want to get out? The doors are locked tight. No one's leaving until we reach the base!"

With that, he stepped on the gas.

The van, loaded with terrified Pokémon hunters, sped toward the Team Rocket base, their cries growing faint as the forest swallowed the sound.

---

If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.

Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?

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