Another Victim

It was difficult for a third-tier city to develop. As local talent kept flowing to other cities, Qingfeng City's leaders had once made efforts as well.

The dozens of kilometers of wasteland in Qingfeng City were proof of those efforts.

About forty years ago, quite a few factories had been built there, including chemical plants that posed tremendous harm to the environment.

With official support, those factories developed rapidly. If everything had proceeded according to plan, Qingfeng City would have become an industrial city—a second-tier, perhaps even first-tier city.

But as expected, something unexpected happened.

The industrial park at its peak was overrun by Pokémon...

After the local ecosystem was affected and the damage spread to the nearby Qingyun Mountains, the Pokémon of nature were the first to act. The Overlord of the Qingyun Mountains, a Near Elite Four-level Rhydon, launched a Pokémon Tide.

The unrest was eventually brought to an end through the mediation of a Regional Elite Four member, but Qingfeng City's industrial future collapsed along with the industrial park.

Thus, the Suburb near the Qingyun Mountains gained another stretch of flatland, one unsuitable for human habitation and equally unsuitable for ordinary Pokémon.

This flatland became a paradise for Poison-type Pokémon—and a taboo of Qingfeng City.

What Lu Li had not expected was to run into Lian Sheyi here.

Lian Sheyi has actually been living in an environment like this? Lu Li thought with a touch of pity.

If Lian Sheyi had grown up in such an environment and failed to become a Pokémon Trainer, then his chances of living to sixty were practically zero.

Why does Lian Sheyi live here? Lu Li wondered, frowning as he rode Tropius.

"Tropius, let's land first."

Tropius still had some impression of Lian Sheyi.

Lian Sheyi on the ground also noticed Lu Li in the sky.

Looking up at Lu Li, Lian Sheyi said in an exceptionally calm tone, "If I remember correctly, you haven't gotten your Flight License yet, have you?"

As he said this, a flicker of envy passed through Lian Sheyi's eyes.

Riding a Pokémon and flying freely through the skies was the dream of countless boys, and the reason countless boys became Pokémon Trainers.

Lu Li recalled Tropius, then teased with a smile, "As long as it's not in the City, the traffic police won't know. You're not going to report me, are you?"

"I'm not that bored." Lian Sheyi rolled his eyes at Lu Li.

Seeing the small bag on Lian Sheyi's back, Lu Li asked, "So, are you heading back?"

"I just went to Arbok's nest—to this kid's mother." Lian Sheyi pointed at the Ekans beside him.

"Ekans is actually a Pokémon from the ruins?" Lu Li looked at Ekans in surprise.

Judging from Ekans's inherited moves, it clearly did not seem like a Wild Pokémon. It seemed more like a Pokémon born in a Secret Realm.

The difference between Wild Pokémon and Secret Realm Pokémon was like the difference between commoners and great clans. The gap between them was anything but small.

"What's so strange about that?" Lian Sheyi said. "The ruins are a paradise for Poison-type Pokémon. Isn't it perfectly normal for there to be Ekans here?"

Though that was true, Ekans's aptitude really did not seem like that of a Wild Pokémon.

"So, were you collecting snake venom, or training your Ekans?" Lu Li asked curiously.

Lian Sheyi did not hide it and admitted directly, "Both. My Ekans knows too few moves, so I asked Arbok to guide it."

After explaining, Lian Sheyi asked, "By the way, do you still need a Pokémon Egg?"

Lu Li asked in return, "What? Did you find another source?"

"My grandfather recently joined an organization called Hope for the Future. They say it has certain connections with the authorities, and you can get a Pokémon Egg there for just one hundred thousand." Lian Sheyi explained.

Lu Li frowned deeply at those words. He was far too familiar with this routine.

Lu Li asked speechlessly, "You know about Qingfeng City's Bright Future Project too?"

Lian Sheyi gave Lu Li a surprised look. "You know about it too? Great, that saves me from having to explain."

Lu Li said sincerely, "It's a Pyramid Scheme Organization. If your grandfather gets drawn in, you'd better Call the Police immediately."

Lu Li had no intention of going up against that Pyramid Scheme Organization. He was just a high school student, an utterly ordinary Rookie Trainer.

It would be fine if the leader of the Pyramid Scheme Organization was an ordinary person, but if he was a Trainer—and a powerful one at that—then things would get interesting.

Still in the poor stage of his life, Lu Li chose to mind his own business.

Lian Sheyi, who had been fairly calm, instantly changed expression upon hearing this.

Gritting his teeth, Lian Sheyi asked, "Are you sure it's a Pyramid Scheme Organization? When my grandfather came back, he described it so vividly. It didn't seem like one."

Lu Li nodded with absolute certainty. "The moment the police come to investigate, they'll know."

"Hah!"

After letting out a heavy breath, Lian Sheyi said with complete sincerity, "I'll Call the Police. If this turns out to be true, I'll definitely thank you properly."

After saying that, Lian Sheyi hurried toward Home.

The Bank Card at Home had always been in his grandfather's hands. That morning, his grandfather had planned to pay the sixty thousand. In his grandfather's mind, the sooner he made up the sixty thousand, the sooner he could get the Pokémon Egg.

Those tens of thousands were savings his grandfather had accumulated over an entire lifetime. If that money was taken by scammers, Lian Sheyi did not dare imagine how heartbroken his grandfather would be.

Watching Lian Sheyi's retreating back, Lu Li shook his head helplessly, then climbed back onto Tropius's back.

I hope Lian Sheyi makes it in time. Lu Li sighed inwardly. "Tropius, let's go Home."

Inside an office in the western district of Qingfeng City.

Sitting in his office chair, Qiu Yide looked at the additional sixty thousand League Credits that had just arrived and grinned happily. "The people here are really easy to fool. But when you think about it, it makes sense. When people living in despair see that false light, they'll surely do everything they can to Scratch at that sliver of hope."

People were always willing to believe in the things they hoped for.

As a habitual fraudster wanted by the League, the reason Qiu Yide dared to keep committing crimes under pressure was that he knew how to pick his locations.

Qingfeng City was merely a third-tier city. The strongest Trainer on the surface was only Elite-level, and most importantly, Qingfeng City was not particularly poor.

At the very least, the commoners here still had some money to squeeze out. Although each person only had a few tens of thousands of League Credits, a little added up to a lot.

Qiu Yide set himself a small goal: he did not need too many people. Once he reached one thousand, he would immediately leave the city.

There were already more than six hundred, so the small goal was not far off.

One thousand people could yield at least more than thirty million. Thirty million! After this job, he could retire.

The Drowzee beside him looked at the numbers on the computer screen and wore the same fox-like smile.

According to its Trainer, this was the safest way to make money. There was no need to risk its life in a Secret Realm, nor did it need to fight.

It liked this way of making money too. If one could make money lying down, who would be willing to risk their life for it?