"Each person will receive a Houndour and a Zubat!"
Zhang Tianyu stood tall beside Persian, his voice echoing through the warehouse. Dust swirled in the morning light as he gestured to the line of Poké Balls laid out on a long table.
The words had been scratched onto the ground by Persian's sharp claws—a simple but clear message.
The nineteen Rocket trainees, who had only recently awoken from their forced slumber, shuffled into line. Their bodies still ached from the brutal test by Nidoking and Nidoqueen, but the fire in their eyes had been reignited. They had learned the truth from Zhang Tianyu: the attack had been a test, a trial set by Renjiro himself.
Now they were being rewarded.
Zhang Xuewei watched silently as his comrades filed forward to collect their new partners. A frown creased his brow, though he tried to hide it behind a mask of calm.
"So proud of himself…" Zhang Weiliang muttered, nudging Xuewei with his elbow and nodding at Zhang Tianyu's confident stance. "Just because he woke up first and got on Persian's good side."
Zhang Xuewei clenched his jaw but forced a smile. "Let him enjoy it. In the end, only strength matters. I'll show them who deserves Renjiro's trust."
Inwardly, though, he couldn't deny the sting of jealousy. He resolved then and there to prove himself in the coming training.
As the line moved, chatter rippled through the group.
"These Houndours and Zubats… I can't believe we're getting them for free!"
"I heard a single Houndour can go for six million on the market!"
"Six million?! There are fifteen Houndours here and twenty Zubats… that's over a hundred million in value!"
"Boss Renjiro is incredibly generous. But then again, he's not someone who's short on cash."
"Right. We're lucky to have him as our leader."
The enthusiasm was contagious. Doubts and suspicions about Team Rocket's intentions, born during the chaos of the Nidoking attack, melted away. No one could question Renjiro's commitment after seeing this generosity.
When the last of the nineteen trainees had received their Pokémon, Zhang Tianyu surveyed the group with satisfaction.
Originally, Renjiro had prepared twenty Houndours and twenty Zubats. But when Persian had counted the number of survivors, it was clear one person was missing—the one who'd abandoned them before the trial even began. Renjiro had reclaimed the extra pair, unwilling to waste resources on a deserter.
These Pokémon were no ordinary creatures. Strengthened through Renjiro's mastery of the Evergreen Power, they brimmed with potential far beyond that of their wild kin.
"Meow!"
Persian's sharp call drew their attention once more. It scratched another message onto the ground, the characters crisp and clear despite the worn concrete:
"Renjiro declares: whoever excels in this training will earn the right to become the trainer of Charmeleon and Honchkrow."
Zhang Tianyu read the words aloud, his voice loud and proud.
The effect was immediate. All eyes turned toward the imposing Charmeleon and sleek Honchkrow resting nearby. The Charmeleon's crimson scales gleamed in the light, its fiery tail casting dancing shadows on the walls. Honchkrow, perched on a beam, regarded the group with a calculating gaze.
"A level 37 Charmeleon… and a level 33 Honchkrow!" someone whispered.
"With those Pokémon, you'd be a junior trainer in an instant…"
Desire burned in their eyes.
This is my chance, Zhang Xuewei thought, fists clenched. I will claim them. I will rise above the rest.
Zhang Tianyu's thoughts mirrored his rival's. Both Fire and Flying types. Perfect to counter Renjiro's Beedrill. With them at my side, I can finally stand a chance.
Persian issued a final command to the group's new instructors.
"Nido!"
Nidoking and Nidoqueen rose to their feet, their massive forms casting long shadows as they strode forward. Charmeleon and Honchkrow flanked them, their gazes sharp and unyielding. The special training had begun.
Meanwhile, far away…
In a hidden basement somewhere in Henan Province, a gathering of masked figures cloaked in black robes convened beneath flickering lights. Blue flames, the symbol of their order, adorned their garments.
They were members of the Qingyan Cult—a shadowy group long sought by the Henan Provincial Investigation Bureau. And among them knelt Jiang Xiaoyue, silent and still, her loyalty unquestionable.
"You did well, Xiaoyue," said the leader, their voice distorted and androgynous. "The stone tablet reached headquarters safely. You have done the Qingyan Cult a great service."
Jiang Xiaoyue lowered her head further, voice low and reverent. "It was my duty, nothing more. All for the rise of the Qingyan Cult."
The leader nodded, pleased. "With comrades like you, our rise is inevitable."
They paused, then continued, "But now we face a new task. The headquarters commands us: raise funds for the Cult's operations. We need suggestions."
Silence fell. The cultists shifted uncomfortably. Battle came naturally to them, but money? That was another matter.
One member broke the quiet. "Didn't Xiaoyue hide out at Liu Shuyun's estate? Surely she learned something useful from those merchants."
All eyes turned to Jiang Xiaoyue.
Jiang Xiaoyue hesitated. She had indeed spent time among the Liu family, but… "Without capital or connections, all their methods are meaningless to us," she admitted, shaking her head.
Disappointment flickered in the leader's eyes.
Then, like a lightning bolt, an idea struck Jiang Xiaoyue. Her eyes gleamed.
"Chief—I thought of someone!"
The leader's interest returned. "Who?"
"Renjiro of Shuangyang City!" she declared.
Gasps echoed around the room.
"Renjiro…?"
"He possesses the method to evolve Feebas into Milotic!"
The room grew still.
"You're certain of this?"
Jiang Xiaoyue nodded. "Liu Shuyun herself went to Shuangyang City to seek him out, hoping to learn his secret. A Feebas costs mere thousands; a Milotic fetches twenty million or more. If we can secure his method…"
The profit potential was staggering.
The leader's masked face turned toward the horizon. "True or not, this is worth investigating. Prepare yourselves. We set our sights on Shuangyang City—and Renjiro."
Their decision made, the Qingyan Cult began preparations, unaware that Renjiro's plans for his Rocket recruits were already well underway.
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