Chapter 62

Qing Wu narrowed his eyes at the Black Robes who could explode, thoughtfully realizing, "Team Rocket's Humanoid Robots... I didn't expect this research to actually be completed." Qing Wu muttered.

Humanoid Robots were controlled through brain waves, which could reduce the sacrifices of Trainers.

Trainers observed their surroundings through cameras and used microphones to command their Pokémon to attack.

This had been introduced in the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl anime. Mars had used a machine to remotely control Pokémon and make them attack, but Team Rocket's research was more specific. They used Humanoid Robots, which could greatly reduce the losses of experienced Trainers.

"I remember Lan Ling was very skilled at using this technology in my previous life." The Humanoid Robot had ultimately exposed the attackers' identities as well.

"Kecleon, take out these robots." A huge boulder descended from the sky. Kecleon, who had been hiding underground, had launched the attack.

The drawback of these Humanoid Robots was that they were insensitive to their surroundings. They could easily fail to detect the real environment and be assassinated.

Qing Wu felt that this thing was completely useless. A Trainer had to be on-site to make the most accurate judgment.

As the smoke cleared, a Humanoid Robot with extensive damage all over its body crawled out bit by bit, electric arcs flickering across it. Its lower half had been almost completely crushed.

"Kill him. Kill him." After the robot finished speaking, it crackled loudly, then exploded with a bang.

All the Pokémon attacked Qing Wu frenziedly, as if they were fighting for their lives.

The two Grimers rapidly swelled up, glowing and radiating heat as they charged over, completely disregarding their own safety.

"Golbat." Qing Wu called out calmly. Golbat appeared behind him and extended its powerful wings.

Under the effect of Tailwind, it controlled the airflow. Since the two Grimers were gaseous Pokémon to begin with, the fierce wind blew them farther and farther from their target of explosion, bringing them closer instead to their own companions.

"No!" The two Grimers watched helplessly as they drifted to within arm's reach of their companions, while those companions widened their eyes as well.

With a boom, the forest was blasted into a deep pit by the two Grimers.

The other Pokémon that had attacked Qing Wu all lay in the pit, reduced to lumps of charred flesh. Only their feeble breathing revealed that they were still alive.

"Why bother? You staged a suicide bombing and ended up hurting both others and yourselves." Qing Wu walked over and found the Pokémon's Poké Balls.

Fortunately, the Poké Balls were extremely sturdy. Otherwise, the Pokémon would have had to remain here and fend for themselves.

Qing Wu recalled the Pokémon into their Poké Balls and locked the Poké Balls' switches.

The Pokémon appeared to be seriously injured, but given their physiques, they would recover in only a few days.

If humans suffered injuries that severe, they would basically be finished.

Just then, Qing Wu noticed that the Poké Balls were flashing with light. He suddenly found himself unable to move.

"Not good! Kecleon, Golbat, grab me!" Qing Wu realized that he had been tricked. The real trump card had been hidden here.

It was the Teleport of a Psychic Pokémon. Golbat and Kecleon narrowly managed to grab Qing Wu's clothes and disappeared from the spot together with him.

After Qing Wu disappeared, a Black Robe slowly emerged from the forest behind them.

"Didn't expect that, Qing Wu? This is the feast I prepared for you. Just stay obediently in the Ghost Mountain we discovered until the trial is over. Although wasting four Humanoid Robots and Pokémon was a bit much, I think it was worth it." The Black Robe laughed and vanished from the spot.

Drip, drip, drip. Qing Wu, who had fallen asleep because of Teleport, was awakened by the sound of dripping water.

Qing Wu slowly opened his eyes and saw only darkness all around him. He could not see his hand even when he stretched it out.

Qing Wu took out a flashlight hidden inside his Black Robe and found Kecleon and Golbat, who were sleeping next to him.

However, they were not in good condition. A purple Pokémon with a round body and a pair of hands detached from its body was continuously draining the Life Energy from Kecleon and Golbat.

This Pokémon had triangular white eyes with black pupils inside, and several sharp purple teeth in its mouth.

"Not good. This Haunter is using Dream Eater to drain Kecleon and Golbat's Life Energy." Qing Wu immediately sent out Deino.

"Deino, use Bite." After emerging from its Poké Ball, Deino cautiously surveyed everything around it. It quickly gathered Dark-type energy around its teeth and bit down viciously on Haunter...

A howl of agony rang out. Haunter gave Qing Wu a resentful look before turning invisible and vanishing into the air.

"Kecleon, Golbat, are you all right?" Qing Wu shook the two Pokémon awake, only to see them open their exhausted eyes, as if they had not slept for several days.

"It seems Haunter's Dream Eater drained a great deal of your strength. Fortunately, I noticed in time." Qing Wu took out Poffin that could replenish their energy from his backpack and stuffed it into the mouths of the two Pokémon.

"If I had been any later, once your strength had been completely drained, it would have started absorbing your souls." Qing Wu had not expected Lan Ling's team to be so ruthless. They had sent him directly to the Spirit World.

The Spirit World was where Ghost-type Pokémon lived. The living were forbidden from entering.

Once a Pokémon of another type entered the Spirit World, it meant that its soul would be completely sent into the Spirit World, unable to escape.

All it could do was helplessly watch as the passage of time allowed the Spirit World's aura to corrode its soul, before transforming it into an entirely new Ghost-type Pokémon.

"No, this isn't the Spirit World. It only resembles it." Qing Wu had entered the Spirit World before, so he naturally knew what it looked like. After all, there was no sound of dripping water in the Spirit World.

Moreover, Lan Ling's team did not have the ability to send him directly to the Spirit World. That was a feat only a top-tier Psychic could accomplish.

"So that's how it is." Looking at the surrounding rock walls, Qing Wu finally understood Lan Ling's team's plan. They wanted to trap him here so that he would miss the final assembly.

According to Team Rocket's rules, anyone who missed the assembly, no matter the reason, would be expelled from Team Rocket and immediately executed.

"This should be Ghost Mountain. What a pity—you gave me a ride here. I had originally planned to come here anyway." To come here, Qing Wu had made many preparations, including making Poffin that Ghost-type Pokémon loved to eat.

"In the end, you even helped me. Thank you so much." Qing Wu sneered, his eyes filled with killing intent. If they had targeted an ordinary person, they might have succeeded, but Qing Wu could come and go freely in Ghost Mountain...