Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Choosing Rocket Team rookies unfamiliar with Luo Yuan and Sabrina was essential to making the operation look authentic. Selecting new recruits also helped reduce the risk of Rocket Team secrets leaking if they were captured.

But Luo Yuan's plan wasn't just about quelling Silph's president's suspicions.

It was also a chance for him to showcase his strength and play the role of Silph's "savior." He planned to use this attack as the key moment to gain the Silph president's trust, as well as a stepping stone for his infiltration into the League.

Luo Yuan wanted to be thorough—no room for error.

With the time, location, and attack strategy set, he was ready. With him and Sabrina as the primary combatants, dealing with thirty fresh Rocket Team recruits wouldn't be a problem.

As for what happened to those Rocket members afterward… that wasn't a concern.

According to Rocket Team's internal code, any members captured on a mission would have their bail covered by the organization, and since this was a special mission, each participating Rocket Team member would also receive additional compensation.

After ending the call, Luo Yuan turned to Sabrina. "Sabrina, get ready to head to Silph Co.… Huh?"

Crack.

The clear sound of an eggshell breaking echoed through the room.

The crackling noise drew everyone's attention, including the two curious Eevee nearby.

"Eevee?" one of them tilted its head, watching Sabrina's hands in fascination.

All eyes were on the egg as its shell began to crack, revealing a small, delicate Ralts with twin red crests atop its head and a soft green body.

The two Eevee jumped back in surprise but quickly recovered, moving closer to get a better look at the newly hatched Ralts.

"Did it hatch?" Luo Yuan leaned in.

Ralts was already an adorable Pokémon, but as a newborn, it looked even more endearing.

"Raa~" came a soft, timid sound from Ralts. Overwhelmed by the sudden attention, it burrowed back into Sabrina's arms, shy and a bit scared.

Seeing this, Sabrina used her psychic powers to emit a gentle aura and stroked Ralts on the head.

Sensing her kindness, Ralts's head crest twitched, and a warm glow enveloped it as it relaxed, a smile spreading across its face.

Luo Yuan, amused, also channeled his own Viridian power.

Ralts seemed even more drawn to him, glancing between Luo Yuan and Sabrina in a dilemma.

Sabrina laughed softly at the sight, pulling Luo Yuan into an embrace with Ralts in between, helping it avoid the need to choose.

---

Saffron City

After more than a month away, returning to Saffron City felt like stepping back into a bustling world.

The moment Luo Yuan and Sabrina arrived in Saffron after leaving Cinnabar Island, they headed straight for Silph Co. headquarters.

Silph Co. President's Office

Seated across from the Silph president, with Sabrina by his side, Luo Yuan accepted the newspaper the president handed him.

"The Poké Ball factory in Dark City has begun construction," the president explained.

Luo Yuan skimmed the paper, which praised Silph Co. for its efforts in Dark City, highlighting its goal of lifting the area out of poverty. Several paragraphs mentioned Luo Yuan's role in Dark City as well, and as he glanced at the header, he wasn't surprised to see it was from The Saffron Daily, a Silph-owned paper.

"Nowadays, if you don't control the media, you're not a proper capitalist," Luo Yuan mused.

He checked his watch and was about to start speaking when—

Boom!

A loud explosion rocked the building.

The entire Silph Co. skyscraper shook.

"!?" The Silph president froze, startled by the sudden blast.

What happened? Could it be… an explosion?

Luo Yuan and Sabrina put on expressions of shock and alarm.

The phone on the desk rang, jolting the president from his stunned silence. Glancing at Luo Yuan and Sabrina's "concerned" faces, he quickly picked up the receiver.

"What happened downstairs?" he demanded.

A bad feeling was brewing in his gut.

"Sir, it's Rocket Team! They've attacked headquarters—the first floor has fallen, and they're advancing up the building!"

From the other end, he could faintly hear Pokémon moves being called out and explosions resounding.

"Rocket Team!?"

The president's expression became a remarkable mix of shock, tension, fear, and—oddly enough—a touch of relief.

Luo Yuan couldn't help but marvel at the sight.

He'd never seen anyone display such a complex range of emotions at once.

The president only hesitated for a moment before regaining his composure. For his age, he displayed an impressive resolve.

"Lock down all elevators. Evacuate everyone on the first through eighth floors to higher levels, and have the security team hold off Rocket Team! Ensure everyone's safety, but don't let them past the eighth floor!"

As an ex-associate of Rocket Team, he understood well that this attack was payback for his decision to side with the League.

Rocket Team would likely have sent significant forces.

Property was secondary now; the safety of his employees came first.

After giving his instructions, he turned to Sabrina.

"Gym Leader Sabrina, I need the help of Saffron Gym!"

He'd gone to great lengths to cultivate his relationships with Luo Yuan and Sabrina, precisely to prevent situations like this.

Sabrina, however, was prepared.

As one of the few in the know about this attack, she was as aware as Luo Yuan of the exact time it would occur.

"I've already called in backup from the gym, but Saffron Gym is quite a distance from Silph Co… Perhaps Luo Yuan and I should go down and assess the situation ourselves?"

The president was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to say that. The situation downstairs was unknown; no one knew how many Rocket Team members had been deployed. By going down now, Sabrina and Luo Yuan were taking a huge risk.

They might end up trapped themselves.

Seeing the president's stunned look, Luo Yuan gave a slight smile. "I'm a Silph Co. shareholder. I can't just sit by while Rocket Team runs amok."

"As a part of Silph Co., it's only right that I do my part."

His words sounded noble enough, though Sabrina, who knew him all too well, couldn't help but feel slightly exasperated.

Hearing that from someone Giovanni called his "right-hand man" just felt… contradictory.

---

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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-With love, Nahida 🌱