"Director."
After hurrying back to the police station, Zhong Ling made his way directly to the conference room. The tension in the air was palpable as he found his seat and sat down, his mind already racing through the possibilities of why this emergency meeting had been called.
"Good. Now that everyone is here, let's begin."
The director of the Shuangyang City Investigation Bureau gave a small nod of acknowledgment to Zhong Ling before signaling to the meeting host, Xiao Liu, to proceed with the briefing.
Xiao Liu stood and adjusted his glasses, his expression grim. "At approximately 3 AM last night, a theft occurred at the Heshan City Museum in the neighboring Henan Province."
He clicked a button on the projector remote, and an image appeared on the screen—a surveillance snapshot of a young woman with sharp features and determined eyes.
"According to information shared by our colleagues in Heshan City, the suspect has been identified as Jiang Xiaoyue, the assistant of Liu Shuyun who, as you all know, disappeared from our city not long ago."
Gasps and murmurs filled the room as Zhong Ling narrowed his eyes at the familiar face on the screen.
"Jiang Xiaoyue… So she fled to Henan Province after all." Zhong Ling leaned forward, his suspicion finally confirmed. No wonder their extensive searches in Shuangyang City had yielded no trace of her. She had slipped across province lines right under their noses.
"Correct," Xiao Liu affirmed. "And that's not all."
He clicked the remote again. The image on the screen shifted to display a symbol—a brilliant blue flame set against a dark background.
The room fell completely silent for a moment before Zhong Ling, unable to contain his shock, slapped the table and stood up abruptly. His voice echoed through the conference room.
"Qingyan Sect!"
The blue flame emblem was unmistakable. It was the chilling insignia of the Qingyan Sect—a dark organization thought to have been eradicated decades ago. Zhong Ling had just been explaining its history to Renjiro earlier that day. He had never imagined their reach extended so close to home, or that Jiang Xiaoyue herself would be connected to them.
"Indeed," Xiao Liu confirmed, his tone heavy. "It appears that Jiang Xiaoyue was a plant—an agent of the Qingyan Sect embedded beside Liu Shuyun to carry out their designs. Because this matter involves the Qingyan Sect, and given the potential for mass panic, the Alliance has kept the news under tight wraps."
Zhong Ling clenched his fists. His mind whirled. What is the Qingyan Sect truly after? What could they possibly have stolen from the Heshan City Museum that is worth the risk of exposure?
"What was taken from the museum?" he demanded, wanting desperately to piece the puzzle together.
Xiao Liu shook his head. "Heshan City's investigation team is still compiling a complete inventory. They've yet to determine precisely what was stolen. For now, our orders from the Alliance are clear: we are to conduct a thorough sweep of Shuangyang City for any traces of Jiang Xiaoyue or other Qingyan Sect operatives. Our goal is to identify and neutralize any threat before it grows."
He paused, letting the gravity of the task sink in. "That said, discretion is paramount. We must not alarm the public or disrupt students preparing for their exams."
The director of the bureau rose from his chair, his voice firm as he gave the final directives. "You all know what's at stake. I expect diligence and discipline. Xiao Ling, I want you to reach out to Renjiro. He's the only individual in our city known to have had direct contact with Jiang Xiaoyue. See what insights he can offer."
"Understood, Director," Zhong Ling replied without hesitation.
"And the Demon City Investigation Bureau will handle questioning Liu Shuyun," the director added. With the plan set, the meeting was adjourned, and the room buzzed with focused energy as everyone set about their tasks.
---
Meanwhile, back at home, Renjiro sat in front of his laptop, frustration creeping in as he scoured the internet for any scrap of recent information on the Qingyan Sect.
Nothing. Not a single article or rumor. It was as if any mention of the sect had been scrubbed from existence. The Pokémon Alliance's control over information was airtight.
Renjiro sighed, rubbing his temples. This will have to wait. There are more immediate priorities.
Switching gears, he opened his phone, registered a new QQ account under a fresh alias, and sent a friend request to Zhang Xuewei.
---
Elsewhere, on a Pokémon battlefield, Zhang Xuewei was locked in fierce competition. His Dodrio—each of its three heads fierce and wild—stood ready.
"Dodrio, use Tri Attack!" he commanded.
Dodrio sprang into motion, the unique powers of ice, fire, and electricity bursting forth simultaneously from its three heads. The attacks sped toward its opponent—a nimble Oricorio.
"Oricorio, dodge it!" Oricorio's trainer cried out in desperation, but the triple attack was overwhelming. Confused and panicked, Oricorio zigzagged frantically before being struck head-on by the powerful Tri Attack. The poor bird Pokémon collapsed, fainted, its eyes spinning like pinwheels.
"Excellent work, Dodrio!" Zhang Xuewei praised, and Dodrio, delighted, bounded over to its trainer, nuzzling him with all three heads at once.
"Alright, alright, settle down." Zhang Xuewei laughed, petting each head equally. It was crucial to maintain balance—favoring one head even slightly could stir jealousy in the other two.
As the excitement of victory faded, his phone buzzed.
A notification appeared: Giovanni wants to add you as a friend.
Zhang Xuewei's brow furrowed. Didn't Giovanni just add me this morning? Why is he reaching out again so soon?
Still, he accepted the request, knowing better than to ignore an order from Team Rocket's mysterious leader.
Zhang Xuewei: Boss, do you have further instructions?
Giovanni (Renjiro's alias): How much do you know about the Qingyan Sect?
The unexpected question caught Zhang Xuewei off-guard.
Zhang Xuewei: Qingyan Sect? I thought they were destroyed decades ago.
His curiosity piqued, Zhang Xuewei wondered why the boss was suddenly interested in ancient organizations.
Giovanni: Just gathering information. No need for concern.
Renjiro leaned back in his chair. Our Team Rocket isn't yet powerful enough to contend with the likes of the Qingyan Sect. Better to focus on what we can control.
Giovanni: There's someone I want you to look into. His name is Zhang Tianyu. Learn everything you can about him. Then, extend an invitation. Tell him Team Rocket can make him stronger.
Zhang Xuewei: Understood, Boss.
If Shu Wan had been present, she would've immediately recognized the significance of this target. Zhang Tianyu—the same youth Renjiro had humiliated during the exam—was now in his sights. Renjiro's earlier mockery wasn't random; it was a calculated move to breed resentment, making Zhang Tianyu more susceptible to Team Rocket's lure.
Prince Bo, Zhang Tianyu's starter Pokémon, was no ordinary companion. As one of Sinnoh's iconic trio of starters, its potential far surpassed most Pokémon in the region. And Zhang Tianyu himself? A diamond in the rough, with raw talent Renjiro intended to shape into a powerful ally.
Renjiro wasn't concerned about any possible grudge Zhang Tianyu might hold. He was confident in his own meteoric rise. No one would surpass him—not now, not ever.
With instructions given, Renjiro logged out of the dummy QQ account, deleted it, and turned his attention back to his studies. The exams were coming, and even someone destined for greatness needed to ace them.
---.