Apollo asked for advice

The Strategic Development Department made its name in a single battle.

"Captured Team Magma's elite alive with zero casualties" and "a new interrogation method without bloodshed"-these two stunning achievements sent the newly established department's reputation soaring within Team Rocket.

In the past, members had fought tooth and nail to join Apollo's combat forces.

Now, the Strategic Development Department had become a holy land in the eyes of every technical specialist.

Every day, applications flooded into Ye Li's office like snowflakes.

Mechanics, programmers, and biological researchers whose talents had gone unrecognized within the organization all hoped to join this "technical paradise," where only technical ability mattered, not combat strength.

Ye Li welcomed the development and turned no one away, and the department rapidly expanded.

With personnel and resources in place, the plan Giovanni had placed such high hopes in officially began.

-the "Flash Crobat Legion" project.

Dr. Anya led her biotechnology team in working around the clock to conduct genetic screening and data analysis on the thousands of high-quality Zubat eggs the organization had collected.

With the help of Lin Feng's programs and Engineer Wang's custom incubators, a miracle happened once again.

Half a month later, the first batch of experimental specimens successfully hatched.

Thirty Flash Zubat, emerald green all over like pieces of jade, broke out of their shells.

Tests showed that the innate energy activity of these Flash Zubat far exceeded that of their ordinary counterparts.

They were like nobles born with silver spoons in their mouths, already ahead at the starting line.

Watching the lively little green creatures in their rearing enclosures, Ye Li had already mapped out their future development.

Drawing on his gaming experience from his previous life, he designed a specialized training course tailored to this unusual batch of Zubat.

There was only one core principle: push their speed advantage to the absolute limit.

The "Extreme Speed and Stealth Sucker Punch" training course.

This course discarded all training in flashy attack moves, focusing solely on improving flight speed, evasive ability, and techniques for hiding in the darkness.

Ye Li's goal was to turn them into a unit of nocturnal phantoms that came and went without a trace.

They did not need tremendous destructive power; they only needed to use moves such as "Confuse Ray" or "Poison Fang" to leave enemies confused and incapacitated before they could react.

They were scalpels on the battlefield, green lightning that reaped lives.

The plan sent a chill down the spine of every combatant who saw the training outline.

During this time, Apollo's attitude toward Ye Li also underwent a complete transformation.

He no longer saw Ye Li as a clerk who knew nothing but cheap tricks, but as someone whose prowess in another field was enough to place him on equal footing with himself.

That day, he actually took the initiative to knock on Ye Li's office door.

"Sir Ye Li."

Apollo had gone from calling him directly by name to addressing him with respect.

His expression was somewhat awkward, as though he was struggling over something.

"I... there's something I'd like to ask your advice on."

Looking at the battle fanatic before him, whose attitude had done a complete about-face, Ye Li felt rather overwhelmed by the unexpected respect.

"Executive Apollo, you're being far too polite. Just tell me what's on your mind."

Apollo hesitated, but spoke up anyway.

"It's about my Houndoom."

"Watching you command Eevee in that battle last time gave me a lot of inspiration."

"I realized that although my Houndoom has very strong attacks, its tactical options are still too limited."

"That... 'Nasty Plot' move you mentioned last time-how exactly should I train it to master it?"

After hearing him out, Ye Li began furiously ranting inwardly.

Holy crap, you really came to ask me?

What do I know about training Pokémon? Last time was just armchair strategy. I got lucky, like a blind cat stumbling onto a dead mouse.

How do you learn Nasty Plot? In the games, don't you just use a Technical Machine? How would I know how it works in real life!

Am I supposed to tell you to have your Houndoom practice looking more sinister in front of a mirror every day?

Countless thoughts raced through Ye Li's mind, but outwardly, he feigned profundity and pondered for a moment.

He cleared his throat and said in an expert's tone:

"The core of the move 'Nasty Plot' lies not in strength, but in the 'mind.'"

"You need to teach your Houndoom to think, to deceive its opponents in battle."

"I suggest trying some 'scenario simulation training.'"

"For example, put a portion of its favorite food in front of it, but don't let it eat it. Use that to train its patience and mental concentration."

"Once its mental power is strong enough, it will naturally grasp the essence of 'Nasty Plot.'"

Apollo listened in bewilderment. Although something felt strange, it also seemed to make a great deal of sense.

As though he had obtained a priceless treasure, he thanked Ye Li profusely, then eagerly ran back to torment his Houndoom.

Watching him leave, Ye Li wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Being a strategist really was far too difficult.