Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: The Legend of Chaoge City

"What!""Qingyan Sect?"Hearing these three words, Zhong Ling couldn't help but exclaim in shock.Renjiro had actually encountered someone from the Qingyan Sect!"What's going on? How did you provoke them?"Her expression darkened, and her voice turned serious.The Qingyan Sect—also known as the Blue Flame Cult—was a notorious organization that had long been a thorn in the side of the Pokémon Alliance. Why would Renjiro get involved with them for no apparent reason?Renjiro, lying on the hospital bed, shrugged casually and said, "I can't help it. When you're as handsome as I am, you tend to attract attention.""Bah! You shameless guy."Zhong Ling rolled her eyes at him and added in a half-angry, half-playful tone, "Tell me the truth. How did you really get involved with them?""I swear, this time it really wasn't my fault."Renjiro raised his hands in mock surrender, feigning innocence."They came to me first. Some of their members tried to recruit me. I refused, and things escalated into a fight."He sighed and sank back into his pillow, clearly exhausted."So they saw your potential, huh?" Zhong Ling murmured thoughtfully.She was familiar with the Qingyan Sect's aggressive talent acquisition strategy, often referred to as the "007 teaching model"—a system that pushed members to grow rapidly through high-pressure missions and extreme loyalty tests. Renjiro, with his rare skills and combat talent, was exactly the type of person the Qingyan Sect would want to absorb."I'm not surprised they tried to pull you in," she said softly.Renjiro grinned. "I have another piece of news. Want to hear it?"Raising an eyebrow, Zhong Ling's interest was piqued. "Go on. What is it?""You remember Jiang Xiaoyue? She used to work as an assistant to Liu Shuyun."Zhong Ling nodded."Well," Renjiro continued, "She's also a member of the Qingyan Sect."He thought this revelation would shock Zhong Ling. But instead of reacting dramatically, she simply scoffed."Tsk, and here I thought you had something groundbreaking to share.""What? You already knew?!"Renjiro sat up too fast, his movement tugging painfully at the wound on his back. He winced but stared at Zhong Ling in disbelief."Of course we knew," she said. "Our Investigation Bureau has had her on the watch list for a while.""Then why didn't you tell me?"Renjiro sounded genuinely hurt."You're not part of the Investigation Bureau," Zhong Ling replied matter-of-factly. "Why would I tell you confidential information?"He pouted and crossed his arms. "Lao Zhong, that's just mean. I share all my findings with you, but you hide things from me."Before he could complain further, Zhong Ling thumped him lightly on the head."Ow! That hurt!"Zhong Ling pouted mockingly. "'Lao Zhong'? What kind of nickname is that? It sounds terrible.""I thought it sounded friendly…" Renjiro said sheepishly."Ugh. Whatever." Zhong Ling waved her hand dismissively. "Besides Jiang Xiaoyue, do you have any other useful information?""Maybe I do," Renjiro replied with a sly smile. "But why should I share it with you now?"Zhong Ling narrowed her eyes. "You—!"This guy hadn't changed a bit. Always playing games."I'll tell you anyway," she relented with a sigh. "During the National College Entrance Examination, there was a theft case in Hebi City, Henan Province."Renjiro's eyes narrowed."And?" he asked, sensing something important."The culprit was Jiang Xiaoyue. She left behind the symbol of the Qingyan Sect at the scene. So we're fairly certain she's deeply involved with them.""Hebi City?!"Renjiro's tone changed immediately. He ignored the pain from his injuries and sat upright, his expression serious."Why do you look so shaken?" Zhong Ling asked, taken aback by his reaction."Do you know what Hebi City used to be called in ancient times?" Renjiro asked slowly.Zhong Ling tilted her head. "Yes, I know. It was Chaoge City during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. So what?""Chaoge City…"Renjiro's eyes gleamed with intensity."Legend has it that Ho-Oh and Lugia once fought there," he said solemnly. "It's said that their battle caused great destruction, weakening the Shang Dynasty and paving the way for the rise of the Zhou."Zhong Ling's jaw dropped slightly, unsure whether to take him seriously."Come on, Renjiro. Ho-Oh and Lugia are legendary Pokémon—myths passed down over generations. They don't actually exist.""But think about it," Renjiro insisted. "The Qingyan Sect wouldn't make such a bold move without a reason. They targeted Hebi City. They must be after something important—maybe something connected to those ancient legends."Zhong Ling frowned.She couldn't deny that the Qingyan Sect always acted with purpose. They wouldn't risk exposing themselves just to steal an old relic."So what exactly did they steal?"Renjiro's voice was barely above a whisper."A mural," Zhong Ling answered. "It was from the Shang and Zhou era. The image is too faded to decipher, though."Renjiro leaned back, deep in thought.A mural connected to ancient legends… in Chaoge City… involving the Qingyan Sect?Everything was starting to line up."It looks like the Mewtwo Project needs to be initiated soon," he muttered to himself. "If they're aiming to awaken or harness a legendary Pokémon, I need power that can match theirs."Zhong Ling noticed the shift in his demeanor."What are you thinking?" she asked curiously.Renjiro hesitated but finally said, "One of the people who attacked me was named Zhu Qiaolan. He was a hall master in the Qingyan Sect."Zhong Ling's eyes widened. "A hall master?! You've got to be kidding."Renjiro nodded calmly. "He's dead.""You're seriously something else." Zhong Ling looked at him in disbelief. "Was it luck, or was he just unlucky to cross you?"Hall masters in the Qingyan Sect were top-tier fighters. Defeating one was no small feat.Zhong Ling didn't press further, even though she was curious about how he managed it. Everyone had secrets, and she respected that."Blame them for attacking me first," Renjiro said, shrugging again. "I was going to leave them alone for now. But they made the first move."There was a brief silence before Zhong Ling spoke again."By the way, I'm heading to the North Daxia War Zone the day after tomorrow. What about you?"Renjiro was surprised. "That soon? The break isn't even over.""Yeah, our official training is about to begin."She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stood up."You go ahead. I plan to train at the Battle Tower in Magic City for a while. I'll join the War Zone after school starts," Renjiro said after thinking for a moment."Got it."Zhong Ling gave a light nod. "Then rest well. Let me know if you need anything before I leave."With that, she turned and left the room.After she was gone, Renjiro picked up his phone and sent a message to Zhang Xuewei, asking her to contact Sabrina.