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After Jett's death, only his three subordinates remained standing on the mountainside.
The brutal violence displayed by the poachers and the horrific dismemberment of Jett caused Amelia's face to turn deathly pale, and she fought desperately against the overwhelming urge to vomit. Only through tremendous willpower did she manage to suppress the nausea churning in her stomach.
Compared to Amelia's obvious distress, Caleb handled the gruesome scene considerably better. He had spent several years training in harsh wilderness conditions, accumulating far more field experience than Amelia, and had unfortunately witnessed death on multiple occasions.
Even Jacob felt a wave of discomfort wash over him, though he forced himself to maintain his composure while studying the three remaining individuals before him, paying particular attention to the young man called Albert.
Following Jett's violent death, the atmosphere among the three survivors became noticeably tense and suspicious. Each person desperately wanted to survive, regarding the other two with complete wariness and trusting absolutely no one.
However, they all clearly understood that their fate rested entirely in Jacob's hands. As long as Jacob chose to interfere with someone's Pokemon—just as he had done with Jett's Gengar moments earlier—that person would surely meet the same brutal end.
"Amelia. Caleb." Jacob's voice suddenly cut through the mountain air, delivering what amounted to a death sentence. "You two will each handle one of them. Leave only the one called Albert alive."
"No, please don't!"
"I'm begging you, let me live! Please!"
The desperate pleas for mercy echoed across the mountainside, but Jacob's expression remained cold and unmoved, his heart hardened against their suffering.
Upon hearing Jacob's command, Caleb's expression shifted slightly, but he showed no hesitation whatsoever. Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he immediately ordered his Infernape to attack one of the condemned poachers.
Amelia gritted her teeth, looked directly at Jacob with conflicted emotions, but ultimately commanded her Frosmoth to assault the remaining target.
Jacob certainly possessed the capability to handle the executions himself, but he deliberately chose to involve Caleb and Amelia instead. This decision served dual purposes: first, to strengthen their psychological resilience through harsh experience, and second, to ensure their absolute loyalty through shared complicity.
Even though Jacob was inclined to trust them, he recognized the necessity of extreme caution in such matters. Only by having Amelia and Caleb also violate official regulations and participate in these killings could the three of them be considered true allies bound together by shared secrets.
As Amelia and Caleb carried out their grim tasks, the other two poachers died amid horrific screams of agony. Now, from the original four-person poaching team, only "Albert" remained breathing.
"You're Albert, correct?" Jacob addressed the survivor, his tone surprisingly gentle, as if discussing mundane everyday matters.
"Did you bring proper identification? I'd like to examine it." Jacob maintained his characteristic caution, clearly harboring doubts about the man's honesty. "I'm aware that people in your profession always carry multiple documents, and quite a few of them tend to be forgeries."
Albert hesitated for a long moment before retrieving his identification from his bag. True to Jacob's prediction, there was indeed a thick stack of bank cards, driver's licenses, identity cards, and various other documents—many of which were obviously counterfeit.
Jacob examined the name "Albert" on one of the documents, but he remained unconvinced that this represented Albert's true identity.
For those involved in Pokemon poaching operations, carrying identification documents at all times was standard practice. They typically possessed several sets, partly to handle various security inspections, and partly because having these items close at hand provided a sense of security and preparedness.
"I'm offering you one final opportunity. I want to see your genuine identification." Jacob fixed his gaze on Albert with unwavering intensity. "Stop playing these elaborate games. If you prefer to join your three companions in death, feel free to continue testing my patience."
After another moment of tense silence, Albert reached into a concealed pocket within his inner clothing and produced his authentic identification documents.
Jacob examined the name on the real documentation. The actual name was not Albert as previously claimed, but rather Davis, with his registered residence listed as Silkridge City in West Province.
"Much better. There's no need to be so nervous—try to relax. I made a promise to Jett that one person would be allowed to leave, and I intend to honor that commitment." Jacob studied Davis carefully before continuing his questioning. "Are you originally from Silkridge City? I heard Jett mention that you still have a younger sister and mother living at home?"
Upon hearing Jacob's words, Davis's expression darkened considerably, though he dared not openly display his anger. He looked at Jacob's deceptively pleasant smile and nodded stiffly in confirmation. "That's correct."
"I'm not killing you because there's a specific task I want you to accomplish." Jacob's mention of Davis's sister and mother served as both a subtle warning and a test of the man's emotional vulnerabilities.
It wasn't difficult to determine from Jett's earlier words that Davis indeed had family members depending on him, but Jacob couldn't be entirely certain about the nature of his relationship with them. After all, Davis and Jett had just performed an elaborate display of false mentor-student affection.
"I want you to serve as an undercover agent. After you return this time, use every possible method to advance through the ranks and reach the upper levels of the Mike Group's hierarchy." Jacob paused deliberately for emphasis. "Don't worry—I will not only provide you with substantial assistance, but I will also ensure your family receives proper care so you can focus without any concerns."
Davis naturally understood the implicit meaning behind Jacob's carefully chosen words. If he cooperated fully, his family would indeed be well-protected and cared for. If he chose not to cooperate, the consequences for his loved ones would be severe and obvious.
Faced with Jacob's thinly veiled threat, Davis found himself with absolutely no viable alternatives. He could only accept the terms being offered.
"Alright, I agree to your proposal," Davis responded, his voice heavy with reluctant acceptance.
"Caleb, I want you to become acquainted with Davis here. From this point forward, you two will be responsible for maintaining regular contact. Amelia and I will be leaving the Patrol Team after this month concludes, and the responsibility for this region will fall entirely on your shoulders." Jacob addressed Caleb with clear instructions.
"Understood," Caleb replied with a firm nod.
"Starting immediately, you two will establish secure communication methods and contact each other at predetermined intervals to exchange valuable information. Caleb, if any critically important intelligence emerges, remember to notify me immediately."
After finishing his instructions, Jacob turned his attention back to Davis. "When you return to your organization, you'll need to devise your own explanation for what happened here. Handle the disposal of the bodies and eliminate any traces of our encounter. We'll be taking the captured Pokemon and other spoils from this operation—otherwise, it would be impossible for you to explain their absence when you report back."
Thanks to the existence of Pokemon in this world, disposing of human remains was a significantly simpler process than it might otherwise be.
After observing Davis complete the grim task of body disposal, Jacob collected the captured Pokemon and departed the scene with his two companions, leaving only Davis behind to contemplate his situation.
Watching the retreating figures of Jacob and his team, Davis's expression grew deeply troubled. For him, this encounter with Jacob represented both an enormous risk and a potentially life-changing opportunity. If he could successfully establish a genuine connection with Jacob and prove his worth, he might be able to use this relationship to completely clear his criminal record and start fresh.
After all, if given a real choice, who would willingly choose to live as a criminal?
But then there was the matter of his sister and mother...
As soon as these thoughts entered his mind, Davis's facial expression became increasingly complex and unreadable.
...
Riding through the sky on her Flying-type Pokemon, Amelia maintained complete silence throughout their journey. She had long understood that Jacob harbored great ambitions—his desire to reform and ultimately control the entire Pokemon poaching industry—so his recent actions hadn't come as a complete surprise to her.
Caleb, on the other hand, found himself somewhat puzzled by Jacob's motivations and methods, but his reserved personality prevented him from actively questioning his leader's decisions.
If Jacob wanted to share his reasoning, he would naturally do so when he felt ready. If Jacob preferred to keep his thoughts private, no amount of questioning would be productive. Speaking less and accomplishing more had always been Caleb's guiding principle.
"Caleb," Jacob's voice finally broke the prolonged silence as he rode atop his Charizard. "Aren't you curious about why I chose to spare Davis's life?"
"I am curious."
"Then why haven't you asked me about it?"
"Why did you decide to let Davis live?"