Task

Even Xia Yan was surprised.

Weedle's body had changed tremendously. It had once been so frail, yet now it could run so many laps.

Looking at Weedle standing before him and panting heavily, Xia Yan's heart was filled with surprise, followed by intense delight.

"Very good. Next is recovery training for the moves you originally mastered, starting with basic target practice. Can you still remember how it felt when you struck the gap in Pinsir's shell during that Run Away?"

Xia Yan reminded it.

Weedle panted, but it did not complain.

This was how they usually trained.

However, Lance, standing nearby, was deeply impressed by the amount of training they were doing.

"No wonder this Weedle is so outstanding. You're truly an excellent Trainer. We can't fall behind either, Charizard."

"Roar!!"

Charizard flapped its wings, and the flame on its tail blazed even more fiercely as it grew visibly excited.

The atmosphere of training was contagious. Influenced by Weedle and Xia Yan, Lance and Charizard also displayed greater enthusiasm and diligence than usual.

Time flew by during training.

Training ended.

Lance and Xia Yan sat on chairs at the Pokémon Center, waiting for their Pokémon's recovery and treatment to be completed.

"Lance, you're not from Goldenrod City, are you? Why did you come to Goldenrod City?" Xia Yan suddenly asked.

"How did you know I wasn't from Goldenrod City?"

"You don't seem like it."

Lance laughed at that. "All right, I'm indeed not from Goldenrod City. I came here to challenge the Psychic-type Gym in Goldenrod City. I heard that Sabrina, the new Gym Leader of Goldenrod City Gym, is young but very strong."

Challenge Sabrina?

Xia Yan understood.

But Sabrina was not someone easy to get along with. Not only was she a powerful Psychic-type Pokémon Trainer, she was also a powerful Psychic herself, capable of further drawing out the formidable Psychic-type powers of her Pokémon.

It was said that Sabrina had a peculiar hobby: she liked turning people into dolls for her collection.

But with Lance's status and the Dragon Clan behind him, no matter how recklessly Sabrina acted, Team Rocket behind her would not allow her to make an enemy of the Dragon Clan, would they?

"Then you'd better do your best. Sabrina is very strong."

"I know."

After their chance meeting at the bookstore and their training together, the two had become much closer.

Xia Yan admired Lance's strength and valued the Dragon Clan behind him, while Lance admired Xia Yan's diligence and focus. He was willing to choose Weedle as his starter Pokémon and train it with unwavering determination.

While they chatted, the Pokémon Center notified them that their Pokémon had finished treatment, and they each retrieved their own Pokémon.

Lance's treatment was free, but Xia Yan had to pay out of pocket.

That surprised Lance somewhat.

Xia Yan was not a registered Pokémon League Trainer?

But he did not ask further. After all, it was someone else's private matter. Maybe Xia Yan simply did not want to become a Pokémon League Trainer yet?

Besides, judging from his clothes, Xia Yan did not seem like someone short on money.

If Lance learned that Xia Yan's expensive outfit had not been bought by Xia Yan himself, who knew what he would think.

"I should head back." At the entrance of the Pokémon Center.

"Okay. I'll be staying here tonight, and I'll probably remain in Goldenrod City for a while. If you need anything, you can come find me," Lance said with a smile.

"Okay."

After exchanging contact information, Xia Yan left with Weedle.

Watching his departing back, Lance's expression suddenly became somewhat complicated.

His gaze carried a meaningful look.

It was already late. The Energy Cubes Xia Yan had planned to buy would probably have to wait until tomorrow.

Fortunately, he still had enough Energy Cubes on him for Weedle to eat one meal.

He spent a hefty sum on a taxi and returned to the club.

For once.

The club, which was usually brightly lit at night, had not turned on its lights today, and a "Closed" sign hung on the door.

"Closed?"

Xia Yan gave it a push, and the glass door opened without resistance.

It was not locked?

With a trace of confusion, he walked inside.

Tap, tap, tap—

His leather shoes struck the tiled floor with crisp sounds that echoed through the empty, desolate club lobby.

As he passed the counter where Anna was usually stationed, the sound of a chair turning suddenly rang out.

"Hm?"

Xia Yan and Weedle immediately spun around, staring warily toward the source of the sound.

In the dimness, they could vaguely make out a figure sitting in a chair, its gaze falling on Xia Yan from the shadows.

"Supervisor?"

Looking at the blurry outline, Xia Yan asked tentatively.

"It's me."

The voice came.

The figure slowly rose to its feet and stepped out of the darkness. Under the faint moonlight, Xia Yan could barely make out the man's appearance.

It was Loto, the club's supervisor.

He was suspected of being a Team Rocket member, but he was also one of the club's upper management.

"You saw it during the day?"

The supervisor suddenly asked.

Xia Yan's heart abruptly tightened at those words, and the red "R" embroidered on the supervisor's cuff flashed through his mind.

Outwardly, he remained calm and asked in return,

"Saw it? Saw what?"

They would not shut down the entire club just because of him alone, would they?

Although Team Rocket was very secretive in Goldenrod City, anyone with a little influence could see how deeply rooted Team Rocket's connections were in the city. Their shadow could faintly be seen in every corner.

Knowing that Loto was a Team Rocket member should not be enough to warrant such a big reaction, right?

"Heh—" Hearing Xia Yan play dumb, Loto did not expose him. He merely chuckled and said, "You need money?"

Need money?

It was far more serious than merely needing money.

Xia Yan nodded imperceptibly. "I do."

He did not hide it, nor did he need to. He had come to this club to make money. He believed that over ninety percent of the sparring partners here were also here for money.

"That was my guess."

Loto stepped closer, his cold expression carrying a hint of killing intent.

He stared at Xia Yan for several seconds, lingering especially on the Weedle on Xia Yan's shoulder for a few moments before returning to his chair and disappearing into the shadows again.

"Once a club sparring partner has been promoted to intermediate sparring partner, they can receive special missions from me. Every mission pays very well."

Xia Yan froze.

An intermediate sparring partner could receive special missions from Loto?

Were these Team Rocket missions, or club missions?

Wait.

Did that mean this seemingly ordinary club was, to some extent, actually selecting members for Team Rocket?

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Xia Yan said in a low voice, "Very well? That depends on how well."

Loto handed him a document. "There's a mission here. The reward is thirty thousand Poké Dollars. Do you want to take it?"

Thirty thousand!

Xia Yan's heart jolted.

Even though he was now an intermediate sparring partner, with a decent base salary and commission, there was still quite a gap between that and fifty thousand Poké Dollars. At minimum, it would take him more than half a month to earn those thirty thousand Poké Dollars.

And that was assuming everything went smoothly.

Even though Weedle had now uncovered more of its potential, whether it had a full month left before evolving was still uncertain.

If he could earn more Poké Dollars during this month and use more resources to turn Weedle's potential into strength, striving to realize as much of that potential as possible before it evolved, it would bring countless benefits to its future growth.

He took the document and gave it a quick glance, his eyes slowing slightly.

"I'll take it."

"What? Aren't you going to ask how dangerous it is?" Loto asked teasingly.

Xia Yan put away the document. "Whether it's dangerous or not, as long as the money is right, everything is negotiable."

"Heh—I like that attitude." Loto smiled and clapped his hands.

"If there's nothing else, I'll head back first," Xia Yan said.

"Go on." Loto waved casually.

"Oh, Supervisor Loto, one question. Why did the club close so early today?" Xia Yan could not help asking just as he lifted his foot.

"Power outage."

Xia Yan: "."

That outage was seriously creepy.

But then again, how could a city as large as Goldenrod City have a power outage?