The fluorescent lights hummed quietly inside the strategy room of the newly christened National Pokémon Response Task Force. Contrary to the panic gripping the streets outside, the atmosphere within these soundproofed walls was surprisingly controlled.
This was the inaugural meeting of the Task Force, yet the air wasn't filled with dread. Instead, there was a palpable tension of professionals preparing to do what they did best.
Everyone, that is, except for Adrian Yates.
Adrian sat back in his ergonomic chair, a picture of calm resignation. He wasn't afraid. In fact, his mind was racing with possibilities, dissecting the situation with the precision of a game developer debugging code.
The long mahogany table in the center of the room was buried under a blizzard of documents, satellite maps, and feasibility reports. On the far wall, a massive projection screen displayed a heat map of the city, marked with pulsing red dots indicating recent "biological anomalies."
Director Zhang stood at the head of the table. He rolled his shoulders, adjusting his posture to project an air of relaxed confidence—a leader unfazed by the impossible.
He scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on Adrian.
"Mr. Yates, let me make the introductions," Director Zhang said warmly, walking over to Adrian's side.
He gestured to a mountain of a man standing to his left. The man had a buzz cut and eyes like flint. "This is Captain Cai, transferred from Special Operations. He will be in charge of all field exploration and tactical missions."
Next, Zhang pointed to a woman in a pristine police uniform on his right. She had a sharp, analytical look, holding a tablet as if it were a weapon. "And this is Officer Mei, from the Intelligence Division. She is responsible for information collection, analysis, and threat assessment."
"I've heard great things about both of you." Adrian stood up and shook their hands firmly. Their grips were calloused and strong.
Internally, Adrian nodded in approval. Good. The government wasn't playing games. These weren't nepotism hires or political appointees sent to pad a resume. These were the aces—the people you sent in when you needed the job done yesterday. The bureaucracy hadn't had time to rot this task force yet.
"Director Zhang," Adrian asked, deciding to cut to the chase. "Have we determined how the Pokémon are entering our reality?"
Adrian already had his suspicions. In the novels he used to read, it was always either random spawns or dimensional rifts.
Director Zhang's expression tightened. He clearly didn't share Adrian's casual familiarity with the concept. He took a deep breath. "We have confirmed that these creatures are entering through what we are calling 'Luminous Gateways.'"
"These Gateways appear to be stable spatial rifts connecting our world to theirs. However, the physics behind them... we know very little about their operational mechanism."
Adrian nodded slowly. "And the world behind the Gateways? What intel do we have on the other side?"
Director Zhang walked to the control console and tapped a key. The projection screen flickered, replacing the map with a grainy, high-contrast photograph.
It showed a dense, ancient forest. The trees were massive, towering into the clouds like skyscrapers of bark and leaf. In the shadows, faint, blurry silhouettes of creatures could be seen moving through the underbrush.
"This is from our preliminary drone reconnaissance of 'Gateway No. 7'," Zhang explained. "It's a massive ecosystem. We found traces of structures—abandoned buildings, rusted tools—that suggest human habitation, but so far... not a single living human soul."
Zhang paused, his face grave. "There is another complication. Electronic equipment suffers catastrophic interference once it crosses the threshold. GPS, high-frequency comms, digital sensors—they all scramble. It's a dead zone."
"That is... problematic," Adrian frowned. "Have you tried analog methods? Older tech?"
"We've tried everything short of carrier pigeons," Captain Cai interjected, his voice a deep rumble. "If we go any older, we're basically just shouting from a hilltop."
"Exactly," Director Zhang sighed. "This communication blackout is our biggest tactical hurdle."
"However," Zhang continued, his voice firming up, "we cannot let that stop us. Isolationism is what got us into trouble in the past. We must explore the world behind the Gateways."
"Agreed," Adrian said. "So, what's the play?"
"We have received clearance and resources from the Central Military District," Captain Cai explained, stepping forward to the map. "Tomorrow, at 0800 hours, we will launch a manned expedition into the world behind Gateway No. 7."
"I will be leading the vanguard personally. The team consists of elite scouts drawn from various theater commands. Best of the best."
Adrian tapped his finger on the table, thinking. "Captain, if I may offer a suggestion."
Cai looked at him. "Go ahead."
"When selecting your team," Adrian said seriously, "don't just look for marksmanship or combat drills. Try to choose members who have a high 'biological affinity'—people whom small animals naturally like. You know the type. The guy stray dogs follow home."
Adrian leaned in. "Even if their combat stats are slightly lower, it's worth it. And more importantly: discipline. Absolute discipline. They must not touch anything recklessly."
"Don't worry," Captain Cai nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "The soldiers selected have undergone rigorous psychological profiling. They are professionals."
"It's better to be paranoid," Adrian urged, his eyes locking with the Captain's. "When people see something that looks harmless—a cute flower, a sleeping turtle—curiosity can kill. In that world, a flower might release paralysis spores, and that turtle might shoot water jets capable of punching through steel."
"Understood," Captain Cai said, his respect for the consultant growing. "I'll brief the team personally on containment protocols."
The meeting adjourned an hour later.
Given the gravity of the situation, Adrian was informed that returning to his luxury penthouse was a security risk. The Security Bureau had prepared a secure accommodation for him on-site.
A young aide led him to the staff dormitory. It was a stark contrast to his previous life of wealth. The room was a standard single-occupancy unit: a twin bed with military corners, a small wooden desk, and a wardrobe.
Adrian didn't complain. He checked the toiletries, confirmed the shower had hot water, and did a quick wash-up.
He lay down on the firm mattress, staring at the sterile white ceiling. The silence of the secure facility was heavy, but for the first time all day, he smiled.
The game had begun. And he held the strategy guide.