Lin Hao stood on the rooftop, watching the dazzling red pillar of light in the distant night sky as shrill alarms rang across the entire Indigo Plateau.
"We're doomed, doomed, doomed!" May paced frantically.
"Doomed how?" Lin Hao yawned.
"If the League Center gets blown up, tomorrow's final will definitely be canceled!" May shouted.
"Canceled?!" Lin Hao's dead-fish eyes instantly widened.
"Yes! How can they hold the match without a venue?" May was almost in tears.
"Then what happens to my five-million prize?!" Lin Hao grabbed May by the shoulders.
"You're still worrying about prize money at a time like this?!" May angrily shook off his hands. "This is a terrorist attack! People could die!"
"I entered this tournament for the money!" Lin Hao gritted his teeth. "Anyone who touches my five million is going bankrupt." He turned and headed straight for the stairs.
"Where are you going?!" May shouted.
"To defend my five million." Lin Hao didn't look back.
The Indigo Plateau had descended into utter chaos that night, with large numbers of League Security Personnel lying defeated by the roadside.
With both hands in his pockets, Lin Hao strode toward the Main Stadium.
May reluctantly followed him. "Lin Hao, we should wait for Champion Lance to handle this!" Her voice trembled.
"By the time he gets here, it'll be too late," Lin Hao said.
They reached the entrance to the Main Stadium, where a huge hole had been blasted through the imposing gates.
The stadium was brightly lit, and a group of people in black and gray uniforms were planting bombs inside.
They were a Combined Assault Squad from Team Rocket and Team Galactic, led by Team Rocket Executive Apollo and Team Galactic Executive Jupiter.
"Move faster!" Apollo sneered.
"Raze this symbol of the League's authority to the ground." Jupiter's face was expressionless.
Just then, Lin Hao's utterly languid voice rang through the cavernous stadium. "Hey, excuse me."
Everyone stopped what they were doing. "Who are you?" Apollo frowned.
"Just an ordinary tournament contestant." Lin Hao sighed.
"What do you want?" Jupiter asked coldly.
"I don't care if you blow up somewhere else." Lin Hao pointed at the field beneath his feet. "But tomorrow's final is being held here. If you blow up the field, who's going to pay me my five million?"
Apollo was so furious that he laughed. "Five million? You came all the way here for five million?"
"Is that a problem?" Lin Hao asked.
"You're asking to die!" Jupiter shouted. "Go! Skuntank! Toxicroak!"
"Houndoom! Golbat! Tear him apart!" Apollo threw out his Poké Balls too.
In an instant, more than a dozen vicious Pokémon occupied half the field.
May was so frightened that she immediately pulled out a Poké Ball. "Lin Hao! There are too many of them!"
Lin Hao didn't even lift his eyelids. "Pikachu, Greninja."
"Pika!" "Gren!" Two figures instantly took their places in front of Lin Hao.
Inside the system space, Groudon stamped furiously. Master! Let me out! I'm going to crush these ants!
Mewtwo's gaze was icy. I only need one second to crush their hearts.
Ho-Oh preened with supreme arrogance. Burn them all to ash. Leave nothing behind.
Lin Hao inwardly rolled his eyes. All of you, shut up. If you wreck the stadium, the League will dock my pay.
Back in the real world, Apollo roared, "Attack!" More than a dozen Pokémon lunged at them with savage killing intent.
"Make it quick." Lin Hao sounded utterly bored. "Pika!"
Pikachu pushed off with those stubby legs, turning straight into a yellow bolt of lightning and charging into the enemy ranks.
Bang! One simple Mega Punch dislocated the jaw of the Houndoom leading the charge. Houndoom flew backward like a battered punching bag and knocked out the Golbat behind.
"What kind of monstrous strength is that?!" Apollo's eyes widened.
Meanwhile, Greninja pressed one hand against the ground. Whoosh! Only a rippling afterimage remained.
Aerial Ace! Greninja instantly appeared behind Skuntank and chopped the back of Skuntank's neck. Thud! Skuntank's eyes rolled back, and Skuntank passed out on the spot.
"Toxicroak! Use Poison Jab!" Jupiter shouted.
Toxicroak thrust purple claws at Greninja. Without even turning around, Greninja formed a Water Shuriken behind his back.
Whoosh! The shuriken slammed straight into Toxicroak's face. Toxicroak spun three times before crashing to the ground.
The entire battle took less than thirty seconds, and the stadium fell utterly silent. More than a dozen elite members of Team Rocket and Team Galactic, along with their two Executives, were completely dumbfounded.
"How is this possible..." Apollo's voice trembled.
"You're too weak." Lin Hao picked at his ear.
"Retreat!" Jupiter made the call immediately.
"Trying to leave?" Lin Hao sneered. "Pikachu, use Thunder. Keep the area under control, and don't damage the roof."
"Pika-chu!" A concentrated pillar of golden lightning descended from the sky.
Boom! It struck the group squarely on their heads. Every one of them convulsed, spewed black smoke, and toppled over stiffly-an absurd, instant wipeout that disabled the entire group.
Standing behind him, May's jaw nearly hit the floor.
Lin Hao slowly walked forward. "May."
"Huh? Yes!"
"Get some rope and tie them all up," Lin Hao said.
"Tie... why tie them up?"
"To cash them in, obviously." Lin Hao sounded perfectly justified. "Two Executives, five hundred thousand each. Fifty thousand for each elite."
Ten minutes later, Champion Lance rushed into the stadium with a large contingent of League Elites. "Quick! Protect the central field!"
But when Lance charged onto the field, he froze. A row of villains, trussed up like tightly wrapped dumplings, lay neatly arranged on the ground.
Lin Hao sat off to one side, tapping away at his phone's calculator. "Champion Lance, perfect timing."
"Did... did you do this?" Lance swallowed.
"Settle the bill." Lin Hao held out his hand.
"One and a half million in bounties. Cash or transfer?"
Lance took a deep breath. Looking at the unconscious Executives lying on the ground, he felt his entire worldview being shaken.
President Charles Goodshow arrived too. At the sight, even his mustache bristled. "Contestant Lin Hao, you've done us a tremendous service!"
"I don't care about that." Lin Hao looked at him. "Tomorrow's match is still on, right?"
Charles Goodshow swallowed. "Y-yes, as scheduled."
"Who's my opponent?" Lin Hao asked.
"A lunatic with an entire team of Pseudo-Legendaries," Lance said gravely.
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