The Strategic Development Department's first live exercise ended in an almost absurd fashion.
Zero casualties.
Zero exchanges of fire.
Not even a single bullet had been spent.
Just like that, Ye Li's department had captured an entire elite Team Magma squad without shedding a drop of blood.
When Apollo and the other combat executives rushed over after hearing the news, ready to lend support in a fierce battle, they instead witnessed a scene they would never forget.
Inside the abandoned warehouse, a dozen or so enemies in Team Magma uniforms lay sprawled every which way.
Every one of them was sound asleep. Some were even snoring, drool trailing from the corners of their mouths.
A faint floral fragrance hung in the air.
Apollo rubbed his eyes, then gave his own thigh a hard pinch.
He could not comprehend what had happened before him.
Where was the fierce fighting? Where was the flying flesh and blood?
This looked more like a group nap party.
"Wh... what's going on here?"
Apollo looked at Ye Li, who stood nearby directing several robots to put restraints on the prisoners, his expression shocked and his voice strained.
"Oh, they got tired and fell asleep."
Ye Li answered casually, as though he were talking about something utterly trivial.
Yet that casual answer struck like a sledgehammer, slamming into the hearts of Apollo and all the other old-guard executives who revered martial might.
What they had always believed in was fists and flames.
In their eyes, battle ought to mean fierce clashes between Pokémon moves, a head-on contest of strength against strength.
But today, Ye Li had taught them a lesson in a way they had never imagined.
So battle could be fought like this, too.
There was no need to roar, no need to bleed, not even any need to appear in person.
All it took was tapping a keyboard and pressing a few buttons from the rear to render an elite enemy squad utterly incapable of resistance, without a sound.
This tactic of "subduing the enemy without fighting" dealt an enormous shock to their way of thinking.
For the first time, they felt how feeble and helpless the muscles and strength they took such pride in were before an absolute technological barrier.
Giovanni came to the scene in person.
He looked at the Team Magma members sleeping unconscious all over the floor, then at his new department, which had emerged entirely unscathed, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.
In front of all the executives, he gave the Strategic Development Department's achievements the highest level of public commendation.
"The Strategic Development Department has dealt with this invasion crisis flawlessly, with zero casualties."
"Their performance proves that technological innovation is the core direction of the organization's future development."
"I hereby announce that the Strategic Development Department's clearance level will be raised to S-rank. Its budget will be doubled."
Giovanni's words once again raised the Strategic Development Department's standing within Team Rocket to unprecedented heights.
Ye Li stood there, receiving everyone's awed gazes, but his mind was on another troublesome matter.
[We've caught them, sure, but interrogating them won't be easy.]
[These Team Magma people are all fanatical idealists with one-track minds. Getting anything out of them will be harder than climbing to heaven.]
[Torture? Too inefficient, and too likely to produce false intelligence. It doesn't suit our department's tech-driven style.]
[Better to... use a few little psychological tricks and let them break down and talk on their own.]
A flicker of approval passed through Giovanni's eyes as he heard Ye Li's thoughts.
He found that Ye Li's thinking was always one step ahead of everyone else's.
While others were still reeling from the victory, he had already begun considering how to maximize its gains.
"Ye Li."
Giovanni's voice rang out.
"You will have full responsibility for the interrogations this time."
His tone brooked no argument.
"I hear you have some unique insights into 'new interrogation methods.'"
"I hope you can introduce this set of methods throughout the organization."
At those words, Ye Li nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
I was only grumbling to myself!
How did that turn into me being responsible for it, and having to introduce it everywhere, too?
Looking into Giovanni's eyes, which seemed able to see through everything, he could only steel himself, stand at attention, and salute.
"Yes! I'll complete the mission without fail!"
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