At this moment, the genius Laic had mentioned was encountering a bit of trouble.
Jiang Han's Trainer clothes were covered in mud. Having just passed through the forest, he looked travel-worn. Right now, he only wanted to have Black Eyes treated at the Pokémon Center.
After all, he had just gone through a fierce battle with Pirates. Although most of its injuries had been healed upon leveling up, Jiang Han still wanted to get some treatment to restore Sandile to its peak condition.
While he was at it, he would check in and carefully study the location on the Treasure Map.
Pokémon Center.
A bright hall, soothing music, and Miss Joy behind the counter with a smile as standard as a textbook; everything seemed so orderly, completely out of place with the forest he had just traversed.
"I can't check in?"
Jiang Han placed his identification and pokédex on the counter, but in return, he received a polite yet firm refusal.
The expression on his face didn't change, but his fingers resting on the counter tapped unconsciously.
"Yes, I am very sorry."
Miss Joy's smile didn't change in the slightest, her voice sweet.
"Since you are an Ordinary Trainer of the League, staying at this establishment requires a reservation at least one week in advance."
"Oh?"
Jiang Han's eyebrows twitched slightly. He remembered that the textbooks in the training camp didn't say that.
He curled his lips into a smirk that didn't reach his eyes.
"How come I remember that in the League's regulations, Ordinary Trainers only need to pay the full amount of league coins to check in at any time?"
"Well, the requirements for each city are different."
Miss Joy blinked. Her perfect professionalism left no openings even when faced with questioning.
"Dewford Town is a popular spot for tourism and training, so resources are quite tight. Therefore, the regulations are a bit special."
She paused, and as she changed the subject, there seemed to be a trace of imperceptible superiority in her professional smile.
"Of course, if you are a Direct-line Trainer of the League, you can stay at all our Pokémon Center facilities for free without a reservation."
Direct-line Trainer.
Jiang Han certainly knew what that was.
It was an invisible ruler used within the League to divide classes.
The so-called direct-line was someone who had paid a high "security deposit" for ten years since childhood, and one of their parents must hold a position in an industry under the League.
Either someone in the family held a high position in the League, or an ancestor had performed great service for the League.
To put it bluntly, they were a group of "Second-generation officials" and "Second-generation rich" born with silver spoons in their mouths.
The League shouted about fairness, but behind the scenes, they kept resources firmly in the hands of their own people.
These so-called public facilities were essentially back gardens serving them.
Ordinary Trainers were merely decorations responsible for adding popularity to the garden.
Jiang Han's fingertips stopped tapping. The slight irritation that had arisen from being turned away was quickly replaced by a deeper level of indifference.
Getting angry at a system, or rather, a part within a system, was the most inefficient behavior.
"I see, I was mistaken."
He took back his pokédex, the smile on his face becoming a bit more genuine, as if the person with the slightly pressuring attitude just now wasn't him.
"Thank you for the explanation."
"You're welcome. I wish you a pleasant journey in Dewford Town."
Miss Joy offered a perfect smile once again and then lowered her head to attend to her own business.
He looked back at the bright sign, with only one thought in his mind.
"Direct-line status... I wonder if Team Rockets can help me get one."
This thing was like a master key. Although its origin was contemptible, it was indeed useful.
With it, moving around in the League's territory in the future would undoubtedly be much more convenient.
He stopped thinking about it, took out his pokédex, and opened the internal communication exclusive to Team Rockets.
The screen lit up, and an encrypted map interface popped up, with an inconspicuous red dot marking a certain coordinate in Dewford Town.
Black Market.
He needed to go there.
The few Pokémon he had seized from those Pirates also needed a suitable channel to be disposed of.
The origins of these Pokémon weren't exactly clean. The League strictly forbade individuals from capturing and selling Pokémon. Once discovered, it would be a big trouble.
"Tsk, it's still too inconvenient."
Jiang Han muttered to himself, put away the device, and quickly merged into the flow of people on the street.
Currently, Team Rockets' penetration into the Hoenn region was still in its early stages, without even a decent stronghold.
Otherwise, whether it was treating Pokémon or selling stolen goods, it would just be a matter of a single word. Why would he need to run errands himself?
The streets of Dewford Town weren't wide, lined with wooden buildings full of island flair. Tourists and local residents mixed together, the sounds of hawking and waves intertwining, making it exceptionally lively.
Following the guidance of the device, Jiang Han twisted and turned, gradually deviating from the bustling main street.
The light dimmed bit by bit, and the salty smell of the sea in the air was replaced by the stench of rotting fish and the dampness of gutters.
The stone path under his feet became slippery, and the buildings on both sides became increasingly dilapidated, the walls covered in moss.
This was the other side of Dewford Town, a corner where sunlight couldn't reach.
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