Chapter 16: Join
"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" shouted a determined young trainer, pointing fiercely at his target.
"Beedrill, use Double Team to dodge," Renjiro responded calmly, his voice steady despite the heated battle.
In truth, Renjiro could have ordered Beedrill to end the fight swiftly. Beedrill's strength and speed far outclassed its current opponent. However, Renjiro was cautious. After yesterday's intense battle with Salamence, he didn't want anyone connecting this Beedrill to that mysterious and powerful one. It was better to mask Beedrill's true capabilities and use strategy over brute force.
Beedrill moved like a blur, creating dozens of identical shadows. The Geodude across the field hesitated, unsure where to aim.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Each time Geodude hurled a rock, it punched a small crater into the ground where a Beedrill illusion had been. The force of the impact sent dust and pebbles flying.
"Damn it! All misses!" the opposing trainer cried out, beads of frustration forming on his forehead. His Geodude was powerful, but unable to land even a single hit against Renjiro's clever tactics.
Renjiro pushed up his glasses slightly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Your turn, Beedrill. Use Twineedle!"
With a sharp, buzzing sound, Beedrill shot forward like a bullet, twin needles glinting in the sunlight. The air hummed with the insect's speed as it closed the distance in an instant.
"Geodude, Defense Curl, now!" the trainer shouted, panic rising in his voice.
Geodude grunted, curling its rocky arms around itself, trying to harden its defense. But the force of Beedrill's twin strike was too great. The rock Pokémon was knocked backward, slamming into the dirt with a dull thud.
"Geodude! Get up!" the trainer urged, desperation in his voice.
With great effort, Geodude braced itself against the ground and lifted its battered body, earning a flicker of hope in its trainer's eyes.
"Good job, buddy! Just hang in—"
Before he could finish, Geodude's arms trembled. Its eyes rolled back in a dizzy swirl, and it collapsed in defeat, stirring up a cloud of dust.
For a moment, the young trainer stared, unable to comprehend what had happened. Then reality sank in. "I... I lost."
Renjiro gave a respectful nod. "Your Geodude fought well. Thank you for the battle."
The trainer sighed, returning Geodude to its Poké Ball. "Your Beedrill is incredible. I've never seen anything like it."
Renjiro recalled Beedrill and gave a modest smile. He'd deliberately toned down the ferocity of the fight, but even so, Beedrill's level had risen—now sitting at level 22. It was a small step closer to his goals.
"Time to find the next opponent," he murmured, turning away from the battle field.
Just then, his phone vibrated softly in his pocket. Curious, Renjiro pulled it out. A friend request notification appeared on his screen, and he recognized the number instantly—the special Penguin account he'd set up solely for this purpose.
"So, Zhang Xuewei finally made up his mind," Renjiro said quietly, a satisfied glint in his eyes.
Without hesitation, Renjiro tapped to accept the request. A moment later, he sent a message:
[Giovanni: Have you really thought it through? Once you join Team Rocket, there will be no room for regret.]
Meanwhile, across town, Zhang Xuewei sat on a park bench, his heart pounding as he stared at his phone. The weight of the decision gnawed at him. He'd spent the morning wrestling with doubt. Again and again, he'd almost convinced himself that the letter from "Giovanni" was a prank. But deep inside, the promise of support—the chance to become a true trainer, to help his sister—was too tempting to ignore.
When the friend request was accepted, his heart leapt. Quickly, he typed:
[Zhang Xuewei: I want to know if what you said in the letter is true. Will you really pay for my sister's tuition? Will you support me in becoming a trainer?]
He hesitated only briefly before hitting send. The stakes were too high. He needed the truth.
Renjiro's reply came almost instantly:
[Giovanni: Of course. I can do what I promised.]
Zhang Xuewei's fingers hovered over the keyboard. How can I trust this? he wondered. Finally, he asked:
[Zhang Xuewei: How can I prove what you said?]
[Giovanni: Send me your payment account number.]
Renjiro's lips curved into a knowing smile. If money can solve a problem, then it's not really a problem at all. He'd chosen Zhang Xuewei because he knew the man's heart. There was no risk.
Zhang Xuewei stared at the message, his mind racing. Is this some kind of scam? But what do I have to lose? My account's empty.
Heart pounding, he sent his account information.
Within two minutes, his phone buzzed again. A payment notification popped up on the screen:
[Your account received 100,000.00 Alliance coins...]
Zhang Xuewei's eyes widened in disbelief. He counted the digits again—tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands. It was real.
He rubbed his eyes, sure he was imagining things. "Is this… is this real?"
Another message appeared:
[Giovanni: Now I can prove it. Have you understood?]
Zhang Xuewei took a shaky breath. His respect for this mysterious "Giovanni" grew tenfold. Why would someone transfer that kind of money without hesitation? Isn't he afraid I'll just take it and vanish?
He typed:
[Zhang Xuewei: Aren't you afraid I'll take the money and run?]
[Giovanni: I know you very well.]
That simple reply sent a chill down Zhang Xuewei's spine. He knows me? How much does he know? His earlier thoughts of disappearing with the money dissolved into guilt and awe.
[Zhang Xuewei: I agree to join Team Rocket!]
Renjiro's smile deepened as he saw the message.
[Giovanni: Welcome. You won't regret this decision.]
At that moment, a system prompt echoed in Renjiro's mind:
Ding! Mission update: Team Rocket creation in progress. Members recruited: 1/10.
One down. Nine to go, Renjiro thought, already planning his next move.
Back at the park, Zhang Xuewei felt as if a huge weight had been lifted. He had a path now, a future, a cause. He straightened his shoulders, ready for whatever came next.
[Zhang Xuewei: Boss Giovanni, what do you want me to do now?]
[Giovanni: I'll send you more funds over time. For now, I want you to focus on recruiting nine more reliable members for Team Rocket. When you succeed, I'll give you further instructions.]
[Zhang Xuewei: Understood! I promise I won't let you down.]
A final system message popped up on Zhang Xuewei's phone:
[Notice: The other party's account has been cancelled.]
Zhang Xuewei blinked. Cancelled already? What kind of man is this Giovanni? So cautious… so prepared…
He put his phone away, resolve hardening within him. He would prove himself worthy of this chance.
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