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Chapter 42: Preventive Measures
🕑 Added 2025-01-27 14:35:49 +0000 UTCChapter 42: Preventive Measures
“I just recruited an informant for the International Police,” Asahi said, skipping any pleasantries.
“An informant?”
Lance was caught off guard. After a brief pause, he blurted out, “There’s still someone willing to join the Kanto Division in its current state?”
“...”
Asahi’s face darkened.
Sure, Lance wasn’t wrong, but did he have to phrase it like that? It made Asahi, the first recruit of the division, sound like a complete sucker.
“Ahem…” Realizing his faux pas, Lance coughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject. “Send me the details, and I’ll handle the paperwork for their onboarding.”
With the Kanto Division being little more than an empty shell, it desperately needed manpower. Even one more person would be a welcome addition to their fight against Team Rocket.
Still, Lance couldn’t help but be curious about who would agree to join at such a time.
Opening the file Asahi sent over, Lance scanned the information.
“Green… She’s a girl? And a rookie Trainer? Are you sure about this?”
From the data, Green didn’t seem like someone suited for the high-stakes world of the International Police.
However, Lance knew Asahi wasn’t the type to recruit someone just to fill numbers. There had to be a good reason for his choice.
“I’ve already assessed her abilities,” Asahi explained. “While she might appear to be just a rookie, she’s more than capable of handling a few Rocket Grunts. She excels at disguises and intelligence gathering, which makes her perfect for an informant role. She’ll work behind the scenes and won’t be involved in direct combat.”
Hearing this, Lance relaxed.
The report from the Mt. Moon mission had shown Asahi’s professionalism, so Lance trusted his judgment.
“Alright, I’ll approve it. I’ll bring her ID to the upcoming exchange conference. Also, the rewards for your last mission have been finalized.”
Hearing this, Asahi perked up. “How much is the bonus?”
The supply of berries he used for crafting Pokéblocks had nearly run out, and replenishing his stock would cost a significant amount of money.
“About 2 million.”
“Phew…”
The number exceeded Asahi’s expectations.
“Team Rocket’s worth that much?”
He recalled how the rewards for catching poachers had been nowhere near this high.
“The bonus isn’t just for capturing Rocket Grunts. The intel you provided about their plans to capture Mew is of immense value,” Lance explained. “The League’s intelligence department is using it to analyze Team Rocket’s recent activities, and they’re already making progress.”
Asahi nodded in understanding but remained skeptical about the intelligence department’s capabilities.
After all, Team Rocket had infiltrated the League so deeply that it resembled Swiss cheese. Who knew how many actual League members were left in that department?
“Either way, be careful,” Lance warned. “Team Rocket has been unusually active lately. After you disrupted their operation, they might target you next.”
The warning made Asahi tense up.
Given the fates of his predecessors, Lance’s caution wasn’t unfounded. It was entirely possible that Team Rocket would come after him.
Asahi pondered the situation and came to a conclusion.
Highly likely.
If someone had sabotaged his plans to capture a Legendary Pokémon, he wouldn’t let it slide either.
Asahi had no illusions about Giovanni or Team Rocket being reasonable people.
His expression turned serious as he mulled over his options.
Seeing that his warning had sunk in, Lance ended the call, saying they could discuss the rest during the conference.
The room fell silent, save for the soft rustling of pages as Gardevoir flipped through a book.
Asahi frowned in thought. He couldn’t afford to leave his safety to chance or hope Team Rocket would show mercy.
He despised being reactive.
So instead of waiting for Team Rocket to act, he would take the initiative.
“Why wait for them to come after me when I can strike first?”
The best defense was always a strong offense.
With that resolve, Asahi’s gaze fell on the tourist guidebook for Celadon City lying on the table.
His eyes locked onto a particular listing that was highlighted and heavily recommended.
“Looks like I’ll have to pay them a visit!”
---
The Celadon Game Corner, located in the heart of Celadon City, was one of the city’s most famous attractions.
Standing outside the bustling game corner, Asahi adjusted his appearance with a disguise mask, giving himself a completely new look.
He reviewed the information he had found in the League’s database.
Despite its reputation as a gambling hotspot, the game corner paid significant taxes to the League each year. This financial contribution had shielded it from being shut down, even amidst public controversy.
“Come on, honey! Let’s go have some fun!”
Green, dressed in a white sundress and carrying a single-strap bag, clung to Asahi’s arm, shaking it playfully.
Asahi tried to pull his arm free but failed. He turned to look at Green, whose makeup made her almost unrecognizable. “Was it really necessary to pose as a couple?”
Originally, Asahi had planned for them to split up, with him investigating while Green gathered intel. But Green had insisted that pretending to be a couple would attract less suspicion.
“Of course! Disguises are my specialty! This is my first mission, and I want you around to back me up. I don’t want to mess it up because of me,” Green whispered, her breath tickling Asahi’s ear.
The sensation made Asahi’s ear twitch.
Before he could say anything, Green changed the subject, glancing at the game corner with its constant flow of patrons.
“Do you really think this place has ties to Team Rocket?”
Of course! Asahi thought but gave a more cautious response.
“I have my sources. There’s reason to suspect it…”
Sometimes, suspicion alone was enough when dealing with Team Rocket.
Hearing his answer, Green beamed. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
With that, she pulled Asahi into the game corner.
