Chapter 195: Infernal Affairs
Lu Ye instantly recognized the veteran Interpol officer. Codename: Looker. In reality, he was a weathered, no-nonsense middle-aged man.
Across multiple generations, this officer had left his mark—he had led operations against Team Galactic remnants, helped capture the Seven Sages of Team Plasma, and much more. However, due to his independent nature and disinterest in office politics, his career had stalled despite his achievements. Not that he cared—he fought crime because he wanted to, not for a promotion. If Saitama from One-Punch Man had met him, he'd probably call him "a hero for fun."
All in all, Lu Ye had a favorable impression of him. But now wasn't the time for casual conversation. Lu Ye instinctively glanced at Silver, who stood behind him. Right now… I'm probably being mistaken as an accomplice.
Looker was clearly expecting to find Silver alone. The unexpected presence of another familiar-looking young man had caught him off guard. Still, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I mean no harm," he said to Lu Ye. "I just need to ask the boy behind you a few questions."
Silver's voice was cold. "Before you interrogate my hostage, shouldn't you talk to me first?"
Looker frowned. "Hostage?"
Silver leaned closer to Lu Ye, lowering his voice. "Attack me. Now." This was the cleanest way out. Silver didn't want Lu Ye getting dragged into his mess. Sure, he might get injured, but he was confident he could escape in the chaos.
However—Lu Ye didn't move. For a moment, the alley fell into silence. Then—Lu Ye coughed, breaking the tension.
"Officer Looker, can you do me a favor? How about we sit down and talk?"
Both Silver and Looker froze. Despite meeting for the first time, Lu Ye had correctly addressed him by his codename. That startled Looker. Interpol only shared their agents' codenames with local law enforcement involved in ongoing investigations. How did this kid know?
Meanwhile, Silver—normally unfazed—showed a rare hint of surprise. Teacher Lu… even has connections in Interpol?!
Lu Ye's words seemed to have worked. The high tension in the alley suddenly eased. Both sides silently withdrew their hands from their Poké Balls. To lighten the mood, Looker scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
"I know a nice coffee shop nearby… we could chat there. In fact, let me take you there. My treat!"
Silver studied Looker silently before turning to Lu Ye. Lu Ye smiled and nodded. He trusted Looker's character. After all, this was the same Interpol officer who had once teamed up with Team Rocket's comedy trio—Jessie, James, and Meowth—to take down Team Galactic's admins. If he could work with those three, he couldn't be that bad.
Goldenrod City — A Coffee Shop
Seated in a private booth, Looker took a sip of coffee and turned to Lu Ye, curiosity flashing across his face. "Sir… may I ask how you knew my codename?"
Silver also turned his poker face toward Lu Ye. Ever since they met, this man had been full of mysteries—and now, his background seemed even deeper than before.
"Oh… I overheard the Officer Jennys talking about you," Lu Ye smiled. "A trench-coated man, active in multiple regions—you've got quite a few admirers among the police force."
This wasn't just nonsense—in the games, NPCs had mentioned Looker's exploits. For the Officer Jennys, learning about Interpol wasn't difficult at all.
"Is… is that so?" For the first time in years, Looker blushed slightly, scratching his cheek. For an Interpol agent, fame was usually a burden—but being well-regarded among the Officer Jennys? That was fine. Still… why does this guy know so much about the police?
Looker raised an eyebrow and asked, "And may I ask for your name, sir?"
Lu Ye saw him extend a hand and smiled, shaking it. "Just call me Lu Ye."
Looker didn't seem hostile. And aside from some petty theft, Silver hadn't committed any serious crimes. Not to mention—the group chat included legends like Red, Lance, and Green. Honestly, if anything, Interpol should be trying to recruit Silver to infiltrate Team Rocket, not treating him like a criminal.
…Wait a minute. If we're talking about shady pasts—Shouldn't I, a former Team Rocket Executive, be the one freaking out right now?! Lu Ye blinked. A delayed realization hit him.
Meanwhile, across the table, Looker looked genuinely surprised. He rested his chin in his palm, deep in thought. "Lu Ye… that name sounds familiar…" Pulling out his phone, Looker checked his notes. A moment later—his expression shifted to one of realization.
Not long ago, there had been a major restructuring within various regional police departments, something even Interpol had taken notice of. At the time, Looker had specifically researched the case. It involved a young strategist who had developed an advanced siege tactic, which was later recommended by Lance and eventually adopted by the Pokémon Leagues. And now—seeing the man in person, Looker finally connected the dots.
Could it be…? He hesitated before testing the waters. "Are you… Teacher Lu?"
Silver's eyes subtly widened as he glanced at Looker. Was Lu Ye's name really that well-known now? This small reaction didn't escape Looker's sharp gaze.
"…Cough. It's just a title," Lu Ye said with a small cough, effectively confirming it.
Immediately, a hint of respect appeared on Looker's weathered face. To develop a tactical strategy recognized across multiple regions—and at such a young age—this Trainer's potential was limitless. Unlike battle specialists who peaked early, tactical Trainers only became more terrifying with age. No wonder Red saw him as a worthy rival.
Looker scratched his head awkwardly. "Teacher Lu… I apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to offend you."
"That's fine," Lu Ye replied. "But let's not get sidetracked—why are you really here, Officer Looker?"
Looker nodded. "It's like this…" He carefully chose his words before looking at Silver, hands folded. "I need to know your father's whereabouts. Of course… this is entirely voluntary—whether you answer or not is up to you." His clouded eyes carried a hint of hope, his attitude genuinely respectful.
Lu Ye wasn't surprised. This was exactly what he had expected. Beside him, Silver's expression darkened slightly. The word "father" was one he had never fully accepted. After a long pause—perhaps out of respect for Lu Ye—Silver finally spoke.
"The last time I saw him… was in Ilex Forest." He left out certain details, but Lu Ye quickly pieced it together. Back then, with Celebi's help, Giovanni had fully recovered.
"'If you can't accept failure, you'll never become stronger.'" Silver continued, "That's what he said. In order to grow stronger, he needed more time, more elites… That's why he chose to act alone. It's been two years since I last saw him."
Looker was an excellent listener. He quietly took in every word, analyzing the information carefully. "And what about you?" Looker asked.
Silver lowered his gaze to the Poké Ball in his hand, gripping it tightly. "I'll destroy Team Rocket and make him atone for his crimes… but before that—I need to become stronger."
Lu Ye crossed his arms, barely stopping himself from commenting aloud. "Why not just overthrow Team Rocket and let Giovanni retire peacefully?" That old man is literally waiting for you to 'overthrow the boss.' Giovanni would be thrilled.
Of course, Lu Ye didn't say this out loud. As a former Team Rocket Executive, he still had plans to recruit Jessie, James, and Meowth into his own company for long-term employment…
"I see," Looker murmured. The weathered Interpol officer gave a faint smile. "That must have been tough on you, kid."
Silver visibly tensed. For a brief moment, something stirred in his chest. Glancing at Looker's gentle expression, Silver fell silent.
"Well then—that concludes my investigation!" Looker stretched, letting out a relaxed sigh. "Chasing down kids isn't my style… If I want to capture Giovanni, I'll need to rely on my own strength—along with my partner's!" Beside him, a Toxicroak chuckled lowly, the Interpol badge on its hat gleaming under the light.
Silver stood up. "Then… I'll be leaving first."
The Interpol investigation was over. Lu Ye was about to follow Silver out—but Looker suddenly called out, "Teacher Lu, could I trouble you to stay a little longer?"
Silver glanced at Lu Ye before turning away, walking out without a word. Lu Ye sighed and sat back down on the couch. "What else, Officer Looker?"
Looker hesitated for a moment, then rubbed his hands together. "Actually… Interpol is currently recruiting elite Trainers from various Pokémon Leagues. We've compiled a whitelist based on intelligence reports. And this list includes two notable figures—"
"One, the creator of modern siege tactics."
"And two, the leader of Pokémon healthcare reform."
Lu Ye's expression turned complicated. Looker locked eyes with him, his gaze sincere. "Teacher Lu… have you ever considered—joining Interpol?"
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