In the gloomy underground conference room, the air was so heavy it felt as though water could be wrung from it.
At the head of the long table, a powerfully built man rested his chin on his interlaced fingers, shadows carving his face into sharp angles.
Giovanni.
Team Rocket's current leader.
His low voice echoed through the enclosed space, carrying an unquestionable air of intimidation.
"The League has a shipment of supplies passing through Route 15 in three days. Our people are already in position."
"The objective is simple: seize the goods, turn them into cash, and fund the organization's operations for the next quarter."
In a corner, a young man wearing the most ordinary uniform had his head down, scribbling furiously.
Ye Li.
His head hurt as though it would split, and the world before him still had a faint, unreal double image.
Just hours ago, he had been waiting at a crossroads for the light to change. The next second, an out-of-control truck had sent him to this godforsaken place.
A bottom-rung Team Rocket clerk, specifically responsible for taking meeting minutes.
Cannon fodder among cannon fodder. And Team Rocket, as it stood now, was not yet the terrifying ruler of Kanto's underworld it would later become. It merely had a little name recognition.
Listening to Giovanni's crude, straightforward plan, Ye Li rolled his eyes hard inwardly.
[It's the twenty-first century... no, the Pokémon era, and we're still pulling mountain-bandit robberies? Where's the vision? Boss, where's your vision?]
[Isn't this just handing the League an easy win? High risk, low returns, all that work for no reward. So damn lame.]
Giovanni's voice stopped abruptly.
A terrifying, oppressive aura burst outward from him, sweeping through the entire conference room.
He suddenly raised his hawklike eyes, his gaze scraping across every face present like a tangible blade.
"Who?"
"Who was speaking just now?"
The bone-chilling questions made every Team Rocket member freeze.
They exchanged looks, their expressions shifting from fawning attentiveness to pure terror. One by one, they lowered their heads further, afraid that gaze would settle on them.
The conference room was so quiet that a falling pin could have been heard.
Ye Li was startled too, his pen hand coming to a halt.
Had someone spoken just now?
No.
He looked up blankly, meeting Giovanni's sweeping gaze. The killing intent in those eyes sent a chill down his neck, and he quickly ducked his head again, pretending to diligently organize his notes.
Giovanni's piercing gaze lingered over the group for a full half minute.
He found nothing.
Was it his imagination?
He frowned, suppressed his anger, and cleared his throat, preparing to continue.
"For this operation, we..."
He was interrupted again.
Lin Mo stared at the words "robbery and plunder" in his notebook. The longer he looked, the more absurd they seemed, and he could not stop the snide remarks running through his head.
[Ugh, you really can't make something of a hopeless case.]
[Can't you use your brains? There are so many ways to make money, and you just have to pick the stupidest one.]
[Open a huge game corner in Saffron City or Celadon City, offer Dratini and Porygon as grand prizes, and won't the money come flooding in? That's legitimate business. Even the League can't touch it.]
[Then secretly run some underground fights and a Pokémon black market, build out the whole chain of businesses-that's a real commercial empire. Right now, we're nothing more than a somewhat powerful gang of thugs. Nothing fit to be seen in public.]
Giovanni's pupils contracted sharply.
This time, he heard it perfectly clearly.
That voice rang directly inside his head, carrying a disdain born of exasperation at his failure to do better.
A game corner?
Dratini?
A commercial empire?
Those words struck like bolts of lightning, breaking through his established way of thinking.
The anger that had risen at being interrupted was replaced by unprecedented shock.
This idea...
This idea was pure genius!
The others in the conference room hardly dared breathe. All they saw was their boss's expression shifting unpredictably, and they thought someone had angered him again. Every one of them trembled like a leaf in the wind.
"Boss?" a bolder minor leader ventured.
Giovanni ignored him.
He abruptly stood, planted both hands on the table, and leaned forward, radiating an intense sense of intimidation.
"I was just thinking..."
He spoke, but his voice was no longer cold. Instead, it carried an excitement he could not suppress.
"Robbery is no long-term solution, after all. The vision is far too narrow!"
He had practically borrowed Ye Li's inner wording wholesale.
Ye Li jerked his head up in the corner, his face full of astonishment.
[Holy shit?]
[No wonder he's the future ruler of Kanto's underworld. We're already thinking alike?]
[His horizons just opened right up!]
Giovanni's abrupt change of direction left everyone unable to react.
"Starting today, the organization's development strategy will change! We'll move from underground to a semipublic presence, disguising ourselves through business and arming ourselves with money!"
"A game corner! Right in Celadon City, we'll open the largest game corner in all of Kanto!"
Hearing this, Ye Li grew thoroughly excited.
Great minds really did think alike!
His thoughts began to branch out uncontrollably.
[Yes, yes, yes! Celadon City! The people there have more money than sense, and there's a Grass-type Gym Leader who can provide protection! It's the perfect location!]
[Make Dratini the top prize. I've even got the slogan ready-"The ultimate dream of every dragon slayer!" It'll take the market by storm!]
[Porygon for second prize, Scyther or Pinsir for third, and throw in some rare Technical Machines. Those gamblers are bound to take the bait!]
[We need to get the token exchange rate right. Make them feel like there's hope, but always leave them just a little short... I know this playbook!]
Giovanni stood there with his eyes closed, as though listening to heavenly music.
That voice continued in his head.
From location analysis to prize selection, then promotional strategies based on scarcity marketing, it laid everything out clearly, even the mathematical model for token exchanges.
A complete, meticulous, practically perfect business plan appeared in his mind, word for word.
Giovanni's breathing grew somewhat rapid.
What a terrifying mind for business!
He opened his eyes, the shock in them having turned into a burning desire to possess.
"Everyone, listen up!"
His booming voice made the entire conference room hum.
"The planned operation on Route 15 is canceled!"
"Matori! Take a team to Celadon City immediately and find a location. I want to see the beginnings of a game corner within a week!"
"Apollo! Contact the black market. Whatever it costs, get me a young Dratini!"
He rapidly issued one order after another, every one aligning precisely with the ideas Ye Li had just conceived.
After all his subordinates had left to carry out their orders and the conference room had emptied.
Giovanni stood alone where he was.
His gaze began to roam through the entire underground base, as though it could penetrate the walls. That vast torrent of ideas from moments earlier still seemed to linger in his ears.
Regardless of how he had heard that voice, judging by the speaker's meticulous thinking and grand vision, this was definitely no ordinary person.
"Does Team Rocket have someone this talented?"
"Just who is he?"
Before you continue