Chu Xin had never imagined that the government exercised such strict control over academies and dojos. He could understand a low-ranked institution like Jindu Academy worrying about funding, but he had never expected even the renowned Wudang Gym to have money troubles.
This was the world of Pokémon, after all. Even with the sanitized portrayal in the anime and games, a powerful Trainer was bound to enjoy certain privileges in society. Places like gyms and academies, which trained large numbers of outstanding Trainers, could pool those privileges into a terrifying force.
Overwhelming strength could crush many schemes. That was a lesson Chu Xin had learned in the Uninhabited Zone on the western plateau.
Take Li Xing, the outstanding reporter he had met in the Uninhabited Zone. If she had possessed Ai Xin's strength, perhaps none of the ordeals she had suffered there would ever have happened.
The privileges Ai Xin enjoyed as an Elite Four member allowed him to stand against the Dragon Tamer Family on Jade Dragon Island. Although Wu Yong, the Wudang Gym's Gym Leader, was not as strong as Ai Xin, the influence of the entire Wudang Gym far exceeded his. Even such a powerful gym remained subject to government restrictions. It seemed the government had keenly recognized the potential dangers posed by Pokémon Trainers and acted promptly to suppress any warning signs.
That thought lifted Chu Xin's spirits a little.
Government control over Pokémon Trainers had its advantages and disadvantages. At the very least, a criminal organization like Team Rocket in the anime, which wreaked havoc across entire regions, could never arise in China.
Having watched the Pokémon anime, Chu Xin was certainly familiar with Team Rocket. The criminal organization's establishment and growth owed much to the Pokémon League's tolerance. Although the League nominally controlled the