Good tis never last long.
After a pleasant night at the hotel with Sabrina, Luo Yuan received a call from Giovanni the next day.
"Boss Giovanni!"
On the other end of the screen, Giovanni was in his usual attire, stroking his Persian's fur, which seed to never bore of the attention.
Honestly, Luo Yuan felt that if it wasn't for Giovanni's persona, a Glaow or even a Delcatty would've been a lot softer and nicer to pet than his Persian.
"Luo Yuan, are you on Cinnabar Island now?" Giovanni asked.
Hearing Giovanni's question, Luo Yuan smiled slightly. "I already earned the Volcano Badge yesterday."
Giovanni's hand paused mid-stroke.
He quickly resud, though his expression remained unreadable.
Originally, Giovanni had assud Luo Yuan hadn't yet arrived on Cinnabar, and his plan was to have him use the Gym Challenge as a cover to locate Blaine.
But Luo Yuan had already challenged the Cinnabar Gym and located the elusive Gym Leader without issue—a testant to why Giovanni had his eye on him as a trusted executive.
With Luo Yuan having found Blaine, there was no need for Giovanni to provide further intel. He quietly closed the file on his desk, looking up at Luo Yuan.
"Well, since you've located Blaine, I have a critical task for you," he said. "You know Blaine's involvent in the wtwo Project. The project is nearing its final stages, but there's a complication. I need a certain set of data he has."
"I need you to recover that data."
Giovanni's tone was calm, but Luo Yuan could sense the weight of what he was saying.
A lot was implied in those words.
First, it ant Rocket Team's wtwo Project, which Giovanni was personally overseeing, had encountered an obstacle.
And the solution? Apparently, it lay in Blaine's hands.
Luo Yuan doubted Blaine had expected to attract Giovanni's attention because of this. Of course, it was also possible that Blaine had set things up this way on purpose.
It was hard to tell at this point.
"So, I'm assuming you need to retrieve that data?" Luo Yuan asked.
"Yes. The file number is W-743. Exercise caution—the League seems to have picked up on sothing and is keeping an eye on us." Giovanni paused. "If possible, bring Blaine along. I need him to keep his mouth shut until wtwo is completed."
Clearly, Giovanni understood that Blaine knew too much, and letting him wander around free was a liability. At least until wtwo was created, he wanted Blaine under Rocket Team's control.
As for the League's suspicions...
Luo Yuan wasn't too surprised.
The wtwo Project was an enormous undertaking that Rocket Team had been quietly advancing for over a decade. And with so many people involved, it was only a matter of ti before information slipped.
To be honest, it was impressive that Giovanni had managed to keep the entire project hidden for this long. No other dark organization in the region could pull off such a feat.
"But if we capture Blaine, what about the Cinnabar Gym? If there's no one there to take Gym Challenges, it could draw the League's attention, which would be a problem for us," Luo Yuan pointed out.
In fact, Blaine's prolonged absence had already raised suspicions within the League.
Giovanni recognized this issue and thought for a mont. "I'll have soone pose as Blaine to handle any challengers."
"In that case, no problem. I'll bring Blaine in," Luo Yuan replied.
Since Luo Yuan saw Rocket Team's cause as his own, Giovanni's problems were his as well.
Besides, he wasn't breaking his promise to Blaine. After all, he hadn't disclosed Blaine's hideout to anyone... right?
He ended the call.
Sabrina, wrapped in her bathrobe, ca over, leaning close.
"New mission?"
Luo Yuan held her and kissed her on the cheek, enjoying the blush that spread across her face. "Just a small task. You know Blaine, right? I'm off to have a little chat with him."
"Should I prepare an interrogation room for Blaine on the airship?"
"Mm, go ahead."
For the smooth birth of wtwo, it looked like Blaine would have to endure a bit of discomfort.
---
Sitting behind the front desk of a new hotel and dressed in yet another disguise, Blaine sipped his tea as he read the newspaper.
Though Luo Yuan had promised not to reveal his location, Blaine remained cautious. In his experience, rookie Trainers were often impulsive, reckless, and quick to make mistakes. Luo Yuan might have appeared composed, but Blaine wasn't about to risk his life on the hope that "Luo Yuan is a reliable Trainer."
And so, Blaine changed his appearance, abandoned the original hot spring inn, and bought another small hotel a short distance away.
He even installed caras at his old inn. That way, if any strangers showed up, he'd be the first to know sothing was amiss.
"With this setup, everything should be safe."
It was a double layer of security.
If Luo Yuan hadn't leaked his whereabouts, then Blaine was only out a bit of money and effort.
But if Luo Yuan had leaked his location, the change of hideout would give Blaine a safe exit strategy.
The fact that Blaine was taking such extre asures showed just how much Rocket Team had driven him to the brink of paranoia.
Still, Blaine didn't see this as cowardly.
Rocket Team was a vast organization that spanned multiple regions. anwhile, he was just a humble Gym Leader, a scientist at best. There was no way he could go toe-to-toe with Rocket Team.
"When this all blows over, I'll reach out to the League," Blaine thought, feeling more resolved than ever.
At this point, switching sides was his only option.
Though the Kanto League had often seed powerless in the face of Rocket Team, that was only on the surface.
The League couldn't take down Rocket Team, but Rocket Team hadn't managed to crush the League either.
Once he allied with the League, under their protection, he'd be able to shake off Rocket Team's relentless pursuit.
And maybe, with the League's research resources, he'd finally be able to solve the wtwo cell contamination issue.
The thought filled Blaine with relief, his anxiety vanishing.
He reached for the teapot to pour himself another cup when—
Bang!
A sudden, loud noise shattered the calm.
Blaine's hand jerked, and the teapot smashed against the table.
Instinctively, he looked up.
The hotel's door had been kicked open.
Footsteps echoed as a figure in a Rocket Team executive uniform, face obscured in shadow by the sunlight behind him, stepped inside.
Though he couldn't make out the man's face, the voice was unmistakable as it rang through the room.
"Blaine, co with . You've been exposed!"
---
Hello! Thank you so much for reading this Chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this mont together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.
If you'd like to support WiseTL, you can visit [/WiseTL]. Even a small gesture is like sunlight and rain to a growing flower—it helps the garden of stories flourish and bloom!
-With love, Nahida 🌱
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