Under the cover of night on Route 103, continuous streams of water fell from the waterfall, washing repeatedly over the rugged reefs and stirring up bursts of white foam.
The figures of several Team Aqua members were stretched long by the moonlight. They hurried along the rugged path, rushing toward the distant waterfall.
The leading member tightly clutched a specially made metal box, which emitted a faint blue light—the energy fluctuation of the heart of the tides.
"Hurry up, Lord A Quan is still waiting for our news!"
A member urged in a low voice, his excitement palpable.
"Hehe, this operation was perfect. With the heart of the tides in hand, that old man Namu must be green in the face."
Another followed with a snicker, his steps becoming lighter.
"Once Lord A Quan's reward comes through, I can also trade up for a stronger pokémon."
Immersed in the joy of their successful mission, the group failed to notice a figure silently emerging from the shadow of the cliff face behind them.
The person wore a well-tailored black suit, completely out of place on this wild beach. Not a speck of sand or dust stained his leather shoes.
He leisurely clapped his hands, the crisp sound standing out sharply against the roar of the waves.
"Yo ho, you've all worked hard." Laic's voice held a hint of lazy amusement. "Where are you planning to take this big treasure?"
The Team Aqua members were startled and whipped their heads around.
"Who's there?"
What they saw was not just Laic's smiling face, but also a dozen or so people in identical black uniforms emerging from the darkness behind him.
The bright red 'R' on their chests branded itself into their eyes like a searing hot iron.
"Team Rockets?!" the leading member exclaimed in shock. "What are you doing here!"
Laic did not reply; he simply snapped his fingers.
A purple afterimage shot out from behind him, fast as lightning.
The Team Aqua member's vision blurred, and his arms instantly felt empty—the heavy metal box was gone.
A huge Crobat hung upside down in the air behind Laic, gripping the box tightly with its sharp claws, its crimson eyes staring at them indifferently.
"Move out. Finish this quickly." Laic's voice turned cold.
The Team Aqua members finally reacted, roaring as they released their pokémon. Several Carvanha and one Sharpedo rushed forward, howling.
However, it was too late.
Team Rockets had been waiting here for a long time. The pokémon they released completely overwhelmed this small Team Aqua squad in both level and aura.
Cunning Ekans, chilling Haunter... the offensive surged like a tide.
In just a few breaths, accompanied by several cries of despair, the battle was over.
The Team Aqua members and their pokémon all lay on the ground, having lost the ability to fight.
Laic walked up to the leading member, took the communicator from him, glanced at the flashing caller ID, A Quan, and then, under the man's despairing gaze, clenched his fingers and crushed the device into pieces.
"Hoenn is a piece of cake that not only Team Aqua wants a bite of."
Having said that, he turned, waved his hand, and, along with the Team Rockets members and the heart of the tides, quickly vanished into the night, as if he had never been there... Meanwhile, Slateport City's Celebration Plaza was devoid of any festive atmosphere.
Broken fairy lights and food scraps were mixed on the scorched ground. The air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder smoke and a faint hint of blood.
The sirens of the Jennys traveled from far to near, and then from near to far, moving through the ravaged streets, maintaining order after the disaster.
Jiang Han stood before the ruins of the Ocean Science Museum, watching staff members moving in and out, displaying an appropriate look of solemnity and regret on his face.
Yet, his mind was perfectly clear.
He quietly felt the gritty rock lying peacefully in his space ring—it was smooth to the touch, and its energy was contained.
This was the most valuable resource he had acquired so far, a treasure that money couldn't buy.
This operation was perfect.
Team Aqua was responsible for drawing all the League's attention, while he appeared as a righteous Trainer, not only establishing his presence before Fujiki and Curator Nan Mu but also conveniently snatching the item he needed most.
And the biggest prize, the heart of the tides, was precisely intercepted by Team Rockets, led by Laic.
A perfect double-cross, and he, Jiang Han, was one of the chief directors of this play.
He refused to be a pawn manipulated by others.
He wanted to be the hand that held the pieces!
"Jiang Han, thank you so much for this time."
Fujiki walked over with his younger sister, Teng Zhai, interrupting Jiang Han's thoughts.
The Dewford Town Gym Leader's face was filled with sincere gratitude.
"I truly admire your sense of justice and your ability to rally people. Next time you come to Dewford Town, I'll make sure you experience the best Surf!"
Teng Zhai was clearly still shaken, hiding behind her brother and quietly saying to Jiang Han, "Thank you, Big Brother."
Jiang Han immediately composed himself and put on a humble smile:
"Gym Leader Fujiki, you flatter me. As a member of the League, fighting evil organizations is my bounden duty."
Looking at Fujiki's trusting face, Jiang Han felt no emotional ripple.
If this righteous Gym Leader knew that the person he was praising had just stolen a precious item amidst the chaos, what would he think?
After seeing off Fujiki and his sister, Curator Nan Mu also walked over, dragging his weary body.
This celebrity of Slateport City looked much older now; the museum's losses caused him immense distress.
"Young friend Jiang Han."
Curator Nan Mu handed over a business card, the gilded font highlighting the owner's identity.
"Words cannot express my gratitude. If you hadn't promptly rallied the Trainers to intercept them, those bastards would have likely emptied the entire museum!"
Curator Nan Mu's voice was a little hoarse:
"I owe you this favor. In the future, anywhere in the Hoenn region, if you ever need Namu's help, just call this number. As long as I can do it, I won't refuse."
Jiang Han solemnly accepted the business card. The weight of this thin card far surpassed the ordinary.
The boss of Namu Shipyard, a partner of Devon Corporation—the significance of this favor was extraordinary.
"Curator Nan Mu, you are too kind. Protecting Slateport City's property is the responsibility of every citizen."
While Jiang Han spoke grandly, he was already calculating when this favor card could be played for maximum future value.
As Curator Nan Mu also turned to dedicate himself to the museum's cleanup work, Jiang Han gradually became the only one left in the noisy area.
He looked at the devastated city behind him, the red and blue lights of the police sirens flickering on and off across his face.
The curtain had fallen on the Slateport City script, and he had profited greatly.
It was time to head to the next stage.
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