A Trap?

"Actually, you can eat a little more. I'm a full Team Rocket member now, so I get most of the food for free."

Heiduo told Ekans that when he had still been a provisional member, his three daily meals had been fixed. After becoming a full member, he had gained some freedom of choice—even Pokémon food could be specially made.

And there was no limit, as long as he did not take any away.

Ekans responded with a firm shake of its head.

"Fine, then let's go." Heiduo placed Ekans's food bowl and his noodle bowl onto a tray.

At that moment, a group of people approached from outside the cafeteria.

They were female full members who had joined at the same time as Heiduo. Most had Pokémon beside them, and they wore the standard black fitted tops and skirts, with a large R emblazoned across their chests.

The person they surrounded was Serea, who had contributed greatly while Heiduo had been persuading Ekans.

Heiduo proactively stepped aside and gave Serea a nod.

Serea spotted Heiduo as well, but she did not speak to him. She merely returned his gesture with an almost imperceptible nod.

The two passed each other with unchanged expressions.

At the cafeteria entrance.

Heiduo had barely taken two steps before someone blocked his way.

It was Guifu, the person Heiduo had beaten up. He pointed at Heiduo, his face full of malicious intent.

"Cousin! That's him!"

He shouted, and a short young man with a sinister grin stepped out from behind him.

The short young man looked at Heiduo arrogantly. "So you're the one!"

He glanced sideways at Ekans, clicking his tongue with obvious disdain.

"This thing is way too weak." The short young man patted Guifu's back. "Cousin, you got taken down by this weakling?"

Guifu sneered. "Cousin, don't let his harmless appearance fool you. He's actually incredibly underhanded!"

The short young man did not take Heiduo seriously at all. "No matter how underhanded someone is, before power they cannot possibly match, they're trash!"

The two of them traded lines back and forth, treating Heiduo as if he were invisible.

Yet Heiduo was not worried in the slightest.

As a mature evil organization, Team Rocket had a complete set of rules and punishments. Internally, it always promoted unity and strictly prohibited infighting.

Otherwise, how could an evil organization that could not even handle its own affairs possibly fight against the Pokémon League, which ruled countless regions?

As Team Rocket's leader and the spiritual pillar of everyone in Team Rocket, Giovanni could not possibly fail to understand that.

If Guifu reported Heiduo for beating him up, Heiduo might face some trouble if the chief person in charge of the special training camp investigated.

But Guifu, that arrogant idiot, had chosen to bring someone to block his path. What did Heiduo have to worry about now?

Besides, Guifu had been the one to attack a trainer first. At worst, they would be made examples of, then subjected to corporal punishment.

"Kid, you bullied my cousin?" The short young man walked toward Heiduo with a sinister smile. "How do you want to settle this?"

Heiduo remained perfectly calm and smiled faintly. "May I ask which squad leader you are, senior?"

Team Rocket's rank structure was:

Provisional member—full member—squad leader—company commander—executive.

Team Rocket's promotion path might look short, but any squad leader would start at the level of an Elite Trainer within the Pokémon League.

According to the Pokémon League's rating system, the basic requirement for becoming an Elite Trainer was owning a Pokémon with an Energy Level above level 40.

And at Team Rocket's special training camp in Johto, company commander was already the highest position. The top executives were still in Kanto, keeping the company stable.

The remaining executives in charge of the Johto region were even busier than ever.

So long as the short young man was not a squad leader, Heiduo did not even need to worry about being sabotaged.

They were both full members. What could he do to him?

The short young man's expression stiffened. He barely maintained his previous look as he said, "Don't worry about which squad leader I am. Weaklings like you don't deserve to mention them. I'm just asking you: you bullied my cousin, so what are you going to do about it?"

He threw out a Poké Ball. With a flash of white light, a Pokémon with a rather powerful aura leaped out.

It was a giant goose with a red fleshy crest atop its head. Its beak was long, and its eyes were full of brutality.

Heiduo's eyes widened. For a long while, he could not remember what this Pokémon was called. If only he had a Pokédex.

[Loading detection system... Loading complete]

[Pokémon: Fearow / Gender: Male / Level: 28]

[Ability: Keen Eye / Type: Flying + Normal / Trainer: Quan You]

[Moves: Pursuit lv2 / Fury Attack lv2]

[Drill Run lv2 / Peck lv2]

Heiduo's mouth twitched. Had this system arrived a little too perfectly?

He examined it carefully. Honestly, without knowing the strength of moves in this world, if higher move levels meant greater damage as the system claimed, then this Fearow, which had put considerable pressure on him, was not actually all that impressive.

"What are you trying to do? The company commander said that forcing or threatening members of the organization was strictly forbidden!" Heiduo took several steps back. If this short young man named Quan You suddenly attacked him, he would have nowhere to cry.

At Heiduo's side, Ekans raised its head high and hissed threateningly at Fearow.

To his surprise, the short young man's expression turned serious upon hearing Heiduo's words. "What are you talking about? I'm not threatening or forcing you! I just want to have a one-on-one Pokémon battle with you!"

Heiduo was not naïve enough to believe Quan You so easily. There had to be something nearby that Quan You feared. He raised his head and, sure enough, spotted a camera aimed in their direction from a corner of the wall. So he said, "No, I don't want to have a Pokémon battle with you."

Level fifteen against level twenty-eight—did Quan You think he had a fried brain or something?

"No, you do." Quan You pulled out a stack of thousand-value bills from his pocket and coaxed him temptingly. "As long as you beat me, these 20,000 will be yours! All of it!"

A monetary temptation!

Were full members really this rich?

Heiduo's expression did not change. Team Rocket full members should have a base salary of 2,000 a month. If Quan You neither ate nor drank, it should take him a year and a half to save this much money...

Do not underestimate those 2,000. Pokémon World was not like his previous life, a society where capitalists controlled the market economy, prices soared, and money was worthless.

Here, 2,000 was enough for one person and three low-level Pokémon to live comfortably for a month.

So do not wonder why Team Rocket had so many diehard loyalists. They were willing to spend money.

Back to the point.

The stronger a Pokémon was, the more expensive its resources and treatment needed to be. Judging by Quan You's Fearow and the several Poké Balls at his waist, he must have needed a long time to save those 20,000.

It seemed he was determined to get Heiduo?

But how could Heiduo fall for it? "I don't need it. You should put it away. I'm not interested in your money."

Naturally, that was a lie. Heiduo needed money more than anything right now. The knowledge he wanted to learn all required large sums to purchase.

"Hey, don't say that so absolutely. Your chances of winning are actually pretty high..." Quan You did not become anxious because of Heiduo's rejection. "Oh~ is it because of my Fearow? Sorry, sorry. Of course I won't use it to battle you. That would just be blatant bullying—"

Quan You recalled Fearow, took out another Poké Ball, and threw it to the ground.

White light flashed.

A green spider with vacant eyes and a stupid-looking expression appeared before Heiduo.

"It's a Pokémon I just caught. I've only had it for two days. How about I use it to battle you?" Quan You revealed a strange smile.

"You're not scared of even this thing, are you? Then you're really useless!" Quan You pouted, looking exceptionally punchable.

Heiduo looked at him, suddenly understanding.

This Quan You was setting a trap for him!

This guy had deliberately called him useless to provoke his Competitive spirit. Then he had intentionally brought out the money and Fearow. The former was to tempt Heiduo, while the latter was groundwork for the Pokémon that would appear afterward.

Finally, he did not forget to provoke Heiduo once more, and he had not mentioned a single word about what Heiduo would have to pay if he lost.

So Heiduo glanced at Quan You and asked, "If I lose, what will I have to pay?"

"Ah! So that's what you're worried about! Don't worry! Didn't you kick my cousin once? If you lose, let him kick you once in return! How about it?" Quan You said openly.

Still setting a trap!

Heiduo's expression darkened. Quan You was treating him like a complete idiot.

Under Team Rocket's rules, internal members were encouraged to exchange friendly battles. If they wanted to wager something as a little bonus, both sides' stakes had to be equal.

If the losing party failed to pay afterward, designated personnel would force them to do so.

Heiduo stared intently at the green spider.

[Pokémon: Spinarak / Gender: Male / Level: 19]

[Ability: Insomnia / Type: Poison + Bug / Trainer: Quan You]

[Moves: Poison Sting lv2 / Infestation lv2]

[Shadow Sneak lv1 / String Shot lv2]

A Poison and Bug type Pokémon! Heiduo lowered his head in thought, while Quan You and Guifu wore sly smiles across from him.

It was not as though he had no chance of winning. Heiduo recalled the type chart he had crammed earlier. A Pokémon with the Poison and Bug dual type should be weak to Flying, Rock, Fire, and Psychic.

Heiduo opened Ekans's attribute panel and looked through the moves it could learn.

Among them were Rock Tomb and Rock Slide!

Heiduo was tempted. He lacked both two skill points and 20,000, but 20,000 represented endless knowledge.

Knowledge was power!

He gritted his teeth and decided to take the gamble. He believed Ekans could win those 20,000 back for him!

Even though he knew absolutely nothing about his opponent's true strength.

"I agree!"

Heiduo coldly accepted Quan You's battle invitation, then lowered his head to look at the somewhat confused Ekans.

He said solemnly, "Partner, although today is our first time meeting, I have to ask you to fight for me again!"

He only hoped this battle would not hurt it too badly.

"Good, good, good!"

Quan You was overjoyed. The idiot had taken the bait!