"Ditto, transform into me."
The Ditto rippled, its jelly-like body wrapping around the discarded shackles. In seconds, it became a perfect double of Feng Che, complete with the jagged facial scar and heavy "Drained-Iron" restraints.
"Stay here, Ditto. When the riot begins, slip out quietly and wait for my signal," Feng Che instructed. The double gave a silent thumbs-up before curling up under the rank blanket on the cot, perfectly mimicking a dejected prisoner.
Mewtwo, if we use Teleport to leave this cell, will the fluctuations trigger the alarms? Feng Che asked, cautious of any hidden "tripwires" in the local energy field.
[Mewtwo: Relax. I have already saturated the surrounding sensors with a psychic static loop. Whatever we do within these walls is invisible to their instruments.]
With a faint shimmer, Mewtwo teleported Feng Che out of the cell block. They materialized in the high-security corridor, where guards patrolled with rhythmic precision. To Feng Che's surprise, the guards walked right past him, their eyes gliding over his position as if he were part of the stone wall.
[Mewtwo: I've extended a psychic veil over you. We are ghosts in this machine.]
Feng Che looked up. Swarms of Golbat were circling the vaulted ceilings, emitting constant ultrasonic pulses to detect movement.
Golbat are large, blue bat-like Pokémon with maws that take up nearly their entire bodies. Their four sharp fangs can pierce almost any hide to siphon blood. They patrolled in tactical groups of five, their sonar blanketing every inch of the hall.
At the main bulkhead, four Magnezone hovered, their electromagic fields acting as a secondary security perimeter. Suddenly, the heavy doors groaned open as five Machamp carried in crates of refined ingots. Feng Che recognized the signature sheen of high-purity Drained-Iron and Dark-Iron.
This must be the central vault for the refined ores, Feng Che sent a telepathic message. The density of these rare metals is insane. I suspect there's a Heart of Steel hidden somewhere in this complex.
[Mewtwo: A Heart of Steel? What's that?]
It's a Legendary-grade Steel resource. It acts as a focal point, siphoning ambient energy to generate and grow metal veins. If I can get it for Corviknight, its potential will skyrocket. Even if it's not here, this place is a Steel-type sanctuary. Corviknight could train here and reach the Elite tier in days.
Feng Che's gaze turned serious. But we must be careful. Surge mentioned a 'Shadow Elite' guarding the depths. I don't want you exposed yet. If Team Rocket or the League finds out I have you, we won't have a single safe place left in this world.
[Mewtwo: Understood.]
They spent the next few hours scouting the massive facility. It was divided into five main sectors: the Cell Blocks, the Canteen, the Mining Zone, the High-Security Ward, and the Guard Quarters.
The common prisoners were a pitiable sight—gaunt, hollow-eyed shells of men toiling with iron pickaxes. The League didn't use Pokémon for the mining; prisoners were free, while Pokémon food was an expense. The canteen was worse—vats of unwashed berries and wilted greens boiled into a grey sludge, seasoned with the occasional spiteful spit from a guard cook.
The High-Security Ward was another story entirely. It was built further down into the earth, accessible by a single, heavily fortified lift. Here, the guards were paired with Magmortar and Electivire.
Inside the ward, the security was suffocating. Crobat lined the ceilings, while Darmanitan in Zen Mode sat like blue stone statues along the corridors, capable of remaining motionless for years to guard a location. The lighting was provided by Chandelure and Litwick, their eerie purple flames doing more than just illuminating—they were slowly siphoning the soul energy of the high-profile inmates.
I'll map the perimeter first, then we'll infiltrate the high-security ward, Feng Che thought. He hadn't found Augustus in the common blocks; the man had to be in the depths.
High-Security Ward: Deep Cells
Deep within the ward, Augustus was suspended by heavy Drained-Iron chains that bit into his skin. He struggled, the metal clinking rhythmically in the dim, purple light.
"Augustus... stop it. It's useless. I've been struggling against those for over a decade," a raspy voice echoed from the adjacent cell.
"Feng Lu? You old dog... you're still alive?" Augustus gasped. "The clan thought you were dead years ago when you vanished near the plateau."
"I found a trace of the Heart of Steel here... and I got greedy. The League caught me before I could secure it," the voice replied with a weary sigh. "Sorry I dragged you into this, Augustus. You came to find me, and now we're both rotting in the Hive."
"My muscles have atrophied... I'm not sure I can even walk, let alone escape," Feng Lu lamented.
"Don't talk like that. We're Draconids," Augustus grunted. "Wait... the Heart of Steel is actually here? That explains the Drained-Iron mine. It's a sub-product of the Heart's energy. If not for these cursed chains, my Dragon Power would have leveled this floor by now."
"Did you... did you ever find word of Aiko or Li?" Feng Lu asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Augustus's face darkened with guilt. "Aiko vanished. Not even Rocket's internal Intel could find her. As for little Li... I heard he was left at an orphanage. But by the time I got there, he had run away. He's gone, Feng Lu. I'm sorry. I failed your family."
"Don't apologize," Feng Lu said softly. "It was my own hubris that brought us here. Li has the Dragon Blood; the Viridian Power flows in him. He is a child of the thorns. He will survive. That is our fate."
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