"Tell that former Investigator not to investigate the Northern District Base Station. She'll get Morty killed."
May stared at the text. The call button was already lit up, but her finger hovered above the screen without touching it.
Lin Hao doubled back from the foot of the stairs, took her phone, quickly captured a screenshot, and deleted the message. Then he reopened the call screen and handed it back.
"He's trying to force you to stop."
"I know."
"Then call. Pluto doesn't want you contacting Morty, which means Morty's still safe."
May tapped the call button. The moment the call connected, she spoke first. "Morty, keep investigating the Northern District Base Station. Leak a fake Port Closure List and send the real one through your inside contacts."
Footsteps came from the other end. Morty's breathing was badly ragged. "You got a text too?"
Lin Hao took the phone and tapped the table with his other hand, signaling May to open the map.
"We did. He's not in the North District. He's using you to scare us."
"Then where is he?"
In System Space, Mewtwo's perception swept past the waters off Cianwood City, marking several fading energy trails separately. The teleportation residue to the northeast was the clearest, with a transmission signal still trailing from its end.
"Master, the target has left Cianwood City. The trail veers northeast, with teleportation residue around its outer edge."
Lin Hao turned the map toward May. "Northeast. He's already gone."
Morty swore over the phone. "Do we chase him?"
"No. Even if we caught up, we'd only find an empty shell. They've already taken what they wanted."
May zoomed in on the map, resting her fingertip between Cliff Cave and the open sea. "Pluto succeeded?"
"He thinks he did." Lin Hao set the phone on