Construction of the Rainbow Game Corner progressed at lightning speed under Matori's decisive direction.
In just half a month, a massive building brimming with technology and entertainment rose in Celadon City's busiest commercial district.
With opening day approaching, security became the top priority.
This place would become Team Rocket's largest source of funding, holding enormous amounts of cash and valuable prize Pokémon. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong.
In Giovanni's office, a preliminary proposal submitted by the security department lay quietly on his desk.
Without even looking at it, he tossed it straight into the shredder.
Then he personally drafted a new proposal.
A proposal... riddled with holes.
In this proposal, the patrol routes had obvious blind spots, the surveillance cameras avoided several key areas, and the vault's guards were laughably inadequate.
Any security professional with even a little experience could spot the problems.
"Let this proposal 'accidentally' leak."
Giovanni handed the fake security proposal to a trusted aide. "Make sure Ye Li sees it."
This was his final test.
He wanted to see how that "strategist" would react to a security issue that concerned the lifeblood of the entire organization.
Ye Li had been living on edge lately.
Ever since he had met Giovanni's gaze last time, he had constantly felt a pair of eyes watching him from the shadows, leaving him uncomfortable no matter what he did.
He became even more cautious, doing his best to play the part of an ordinary clerk and not daring to let his thoughts wander again.
That day, he was sent to deliver a document to the security department.
In the security department's office, he happened to glimpse a security plan spread out on a desk.
Its title stood out clearly: "Rainbow Game Corner Final Security Plan."
After delivering the document, he should have left immediately.
But the contents of that plan drew his eyes like a magnet.
Just one glance sent his blood pressure soaring.
What genius designed this security plan? Were they afraid people wouldn't know how easy it was to rob us?
The patrol makes a circuit every five minutes, with a thirty-second gap in between. Isn't that practically telling thieves, "Come on in, nobody's here"?
The surveillance in sectors A and B actually has overlapping blind spots. A thief coming in through here would practically be strolling through their own backyard.
And the vault! They only put two Machop at the entrance? Were they afraid the thieves wouldn't be strong enough to carry the money, so they specifically sent help?
Ye Li mentally tore the plan's designer to shreds.
To him, this proposal was practically an invitation saying, "Welcome!"
How could real security rely on manpower and cameras alone?
They should make full use of Pokémon Abilities!
They could station a few Drowzee or Hypno in the main passages to create an illusory maze and leave intruders running in circles.
Ventilation ducts are natural defensive channels. Put a few Koffing inside, and anyone who dares crawl in would be guaranteed to learn what "pain with every breath" means.
As for the vault, having Machop guard the door is a joke. They should put a sleeping Snorlax inside the vault! Who could steal money from underneath a Snorlax?
Combine that with traps made by Ground-type Pokémon, such as Onix or Golem, normally disguised as walls or statues. The moment an intruder appears, they could immediately seal off every escape route...
One security idea after another, using Pokémon Abilities to create a virtually inescapable net, rapidly took shape in Ye Li's mind.
The more he thought about it, the more sound it seemed, and he even felt a little pleased with himself.
But he quickly caught himself, hurriedly cut off his thoughts, and left the security department as though nothing had happened.
He told himself this had nothing to do with him. He was just a lowly clerk; worrying about the organization's safety wasn't his place.
The next day.
An urgent notice was issued to the security department.
[The original "Rainbow Game Corner Final Security Plan" is hereby void. Effective immediately, implement the new S-Class Security Plan.]
When the head of the security department received the new plan, he was utterly stunned.
This new plan was completely different from the hole-riddled one he had "accidentally" left on his desk for Ye Li to see yesterday.
Drowzee's illusory maze.
Koffing's duct defenses.
Snorlax as the ultimate vault guard.
And hidden traps created using Ground-type Pokémon...
Every detail was exactly the same as the "secret instructions" relayed by Boss Giovanni's trusted aide yesterday!
And in the field for the plan's final approver, Giovanni's name was clearly signed.
The news soon spread among a small circle within the base.
When Ye Li heard the specifics of the new security plan through his coworkers' idle chatter, the cup in his hand fell to the floor with a clatter.
Water splashed onto his trouser legs, but he didn't notice at all.
A bone-deep chill shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, making the blood throughout his body seem to freeze.
Exactly the same.
The new security plan was exactly the same as what he had imagined yesterday!
Once was a coincidence, twice was luck.
Then what about this third time?
Ye Li felt his hair stand on end.
He finally understood that his feeling of being watched had not been his imagination.
There was a mole in Team Rocket.
No, rather, there was a second "transmigrator" at Giovanni's side!
A "transmigrator" who, just like him, knew the future course of the Pokémon world and how to use Pokémon Abilities!
This "transmigrator" had been observing him in secret, stealing his ideas, then reporting them to Giovanni to claim credit!
Other than this explanation, Ye Li could think of no other possibility.
He felt like someone stripped naked and thrown into the snow, all his secrets and thoughts laid bare before another person.
This feeling was a hundred times more terrifying than facing Giovanni's oppressive presence directly.
Inside Giovanni's office.
His trusted aide gave a detailed report of all Ye Li's reactions that day.
"...After hearing about the new security plan, he reacted very strongly. He broke his cup, his face went deathly pale, and he seemed to have suffered a tremendous fright."
Giovanni listened quietly, a victor's smile appearing on his face.
All the tests were over.
All the evidence pointed to the same answer.
Ye Li was the owner of that voice.
He wasn't being watched by some "fellow transmigrator." Instead, his boss, who could eavesdrop on his thoughts, had seen right through him from beginning to end.
Now it was time to draw in the net.
This perfect piece he had so carefully selected needed to be placed on the board, in the position closest to him.
He began considering what reason he could use to give an unremarkable clerical worker an exceptional promotion to his side without arousing anyone else's suspicions or Ye Li's own panic.
A perfect plan quietly took shape in his mind.
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