The interior of the underground air-raid shelter was filled with cold metal surfaces and the pungent smell of disinfectant.
Ye Li led the Ghost Unit swiftly through the tangled ventilation ducts like silent shadows. The miniature terminal in his hand displayed a detailed layout of the shelter's interior and the guards' patrol routes, transmitted in real time by Lin Feng.
They evaded one squad of fully armed Pokémon League guards after another, finally reaching a concealed observation opening above the testing ground.
Looking down through the opening, they saw an enormous circular space resembling an underground fighting arena. In its center, a colossal creature was secured to a massive metal restraint frame.
It was a Pokémon.
Or rather, it had once been a Pokémon.
It was several times larger than an ordinary Ursaring, its bulging muscles brimming with explosive power. Yet heavy armor gleaming with a cold metallic sheen covered large portions of its body.
Thick mechanical arms and energy chains held its limbs firmly in place. Its head was completely encased in a massive metal helmet that left only its two eyes exposed.
Its eyes were hollow and numb, devoid of any emotion belonging to a living being. There was only pure, abyssal deadness.
"So that's the Pokémon League's new weapon..." Apollo watched the monster below from another observation opening, a trace of gravity in his voice.
Just then, the testing ground's doors opened. A group of Pokémon League scientists in white lab coats entered, clustered around a man wearing the uniform of a senior Pokémon League officer.
"All units, attention. The final performance test of the Rampage model begins now!" the officer ordered through his Communicator in an emotionless voice.
A Researcher stepped forward and entered a series of complex commands into the console.
"Pain nerve suppression system,