The basement was dim, the faint hum of machinery filling the air. Latina sat before a wide desk, her slender fingers tapping a rapid, almost frantic rhythm on the keyboard. The glow from the surveillance screens flickered across her face, reflecting in her eyes like twin shards of blue ice.
"What are you doing?" Lin Shou's voice broke the quiet.
Latina startled, immediately shutting down the display. Her tone was oddly stiff. "Boss… I have something to tell you. Please don't be afraid."
"Alright," Lin Shou replied cautiously. "Say it. I'm prepared."
"Well… here's the thing," she began, drawing out each word as if hoping he'd interrupt. "Because of… some location issues, I've already spent one thousand yuan on electricity this month. But don't worry, boss. I promise I'll find the cause within two days."
Lin Shou's heart skipped. "You're sure the modified equipment isn't pulling over the standard load?"
"I'm sure it's not." Latina's gaze hardened, full of professional pride. "Please respect my craft."
"Fine," Lin Shou said, though he felt he'd missed something obvious. Then a thought struck him. "Wait, today's the third… Are you talking about last month's thousand-yuan bill?"
"No," she said flatly. "I mean a thousand… in three days."
Lin Shou's eyes rolled back, the world tilting. Darkness closed in and his knees buckled.
"Boss!" Latina caught him before he hit the floor. "You promised you wouldn't be scared, no matter how big the situation."
Lin Shou, trembling, pointed at the dormant screens. "Check it—fast! Time is money!"
"Understood." Latina laid him gently on the ground, spun back to her chair, and reignited the wall of monitors. Her fingers flew, the clatter of keystrokes echoing like rain on a tin roof.
So much for inviting her to dinner, Lin Shou thought grimly. Guess I'm eating alone tonight.
——
"Boss Lin, here alone? Where's that pretty young employee of yours?" Zhou Ze called as Lin Shou stepped into the quiet, upscale restaurant.
Lin Shou slid into a chair with a sigh. "I'm saving you money. If my employee came along, one meal could bankrupt you."
"Then I insist you call her," Zhou Ze grinned. "I want to see what kind of appetite could do that."
"Not happening," Lin Shou said, flipping through the menu. "Someone's stealing electricity back at the hall, and we're still investigating. And you—inviting me out suddenly? A celebrity inviting an ordinary guy… sounds like a Hongmen Banquet to me. Where are the three hundred assassins hiding?"
He exaggeratedly peered around the serene dining room, as if expecting a small army to leap from behind the wine racks.
Zhou Ze smirked, tapping the menu. "Let's eat first. Then, we'll go to your training hall and talk."
Lin Shou froze mid-page. That's bad news if I've ever heard it. "Fine, but I'm packing some for my employee afterwards."
"One portion? No way. Their desserts are great too—why not pack tomorrow's breakfast while you're at it?" Zhou Ze chuckled.
Lin Shou snapped the menu shut and studied him, searching for the telltale twitch of an ulterior motive. A meal here easily cost a thousand Alliance Coins. Zhou Ze wouldn't drop that much unless he expected to get it back somehow.
"Boss Lin, order already," Zhou Ze urged. "Think of it as making friends first."
"Fine," Lin Shou said at last. "Friends, then."
They ate in relative silence. Zhou Ze revealed nothing of his purpose, so Lin Shou decided not to ask—better to just enjoy the food.
——
Back at the training hall, Lin Shou set down a takeaway box by the counter. "If you're still not talking, I'm closing shop and going home. Consider dinner a friendship investment."
Zhou Ze only smiled and brushed past him, stepping into the arena space. From his belt, he produced a dark blue Poké Ball with four golden accents—the Ultra Ball.
Lin Shou's pupils narrowed.
"You recognize it," Zhou Ze said, catching the micro-expression instantly.
"Slander! I know nothing," Lin Shou blurted, looking away. "Don't bring that here. Next time I see it, you're out."
Without a word, Zhou Ze released the Pokémon inside.
A burst of light revealed a towering red-and-black figure, its body sculpted with impossible muscle, each movement radiating raw power.
Buzzwole — Bug/Fighting type, Level 25.HP: 96/96Weaknesses: Flying ×4, Psychic ×2, Fairy ×2, Fire ×2Ability: Beast Boost — Increases highest stat after a KOHeld Item: Assault VestMoves: Bounce, Close Combat, Drain Punch, Earthquake…
"What, planning to kill me?" Lin Shou said dryly, walking around Buzzwole to size it up. "You're a Normal-type Gym Leader, aren't you? Bit much, training this thing."
"Who says Normal-type leaders must only use Normal-types?" Zhou Ze countered. "By that logic, Dragon-type leaders could never have a Flying type."
"What's next, a Flying-type Dragon leader?" Lin Shou snorted. "Also, what's with the Assault Vest obsession? You wholesaling them or something?"
"Uh—" Zhou Ze faltered.
The vest meant Buzzwole's moveset was pure offense, no status skills. Honestly, Lin Shou half-wanted one for himself.
"How about a match?" Zhou Ze asked, gesturing to the empty battle stage.
Lin Shou's eyes gleamed. If he could copy one of Buzzwole's abilities, his own strength would spike.
"Fine. Pick an elite-level Pokémon. Let's see if you're here to start trouble." Lin Shou leapt onto the stage and waved Buzzwole forward.
With a low, thrumming buzz, Buzzwole launched itself into the air, riding the gust from its wings, and landed with bone-shaking force in the arena's center.
Lin Shou unclipped a Poké Ball and released Blaziken in a blaze of red light. Facing a Bug/Fighting type with a ten-level advantage was suicide unless you had Fire on your side.
"Two Flamethrowers should finish this," Lin Shou said.
"Master," Blaziken's voice entered his mind, sly, "do you want an epic comeback or a total wipeout for the drama?"
"This is a real fight," Lin Shou muttered. "No script. Freestyle."
"Got it~"
Buzzwole's wings hummed. In a heartbeat, it was airborne again, angling down toward Lin Shou himself.
He dodged instinctively—then cursed. It can change direction midair.
Just as Buzzwole's shadow fell over him, a sharp, ringing clap echoed through the hall.
[Fake Out] had landed clean, cutting off Buzzwole's Bounce before it could strike.