Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!-Chapter 406: Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! []

Chapter 406 - Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [406] frёewebnoѵēl.com

Because Lillie had previously spent some time living with him in Alola, she didn't feel out of place even in the unfamiliar surroundings of Kanto.

"Your mother is currently handling matters in Hoenn. She might come to Kanto to visit you in a while," Luo Yuan said.

"Mm..." Lillie nodded.

She didn't ask how Luo Yuan knew her mother was in Hoenn. She had grown used to him and her mother frequently discussing things together during her time at Aether Paradise.

"For the time being, I may be tied up with some matters, so I've asked Sabrina to show you around Johto and Kanto. I've also spoken with Professor Oak; Sabrina will take you to visit his lab at some point," Luo Yuan added.

Previously, Luo Yuan had lent the Nihilego he captured to Professor Oak for research. For minor requests like this, he naturally didn't mind complying—especially since Lillie was a student of his cousin, Samson Oak.

After arranging for Lillie's studies and activities in Kanto and Johto, Luo Yuan took a short rest at home. The next day, he headed to Koga's office.

---

Although the Johto League had split from the Indigo League not long ago, Koga, as a Johto Elite Four member, already had his own office.

Set in an ancient-style compound, Koga knelt in meditation before a scroll bearing the character for "Ninja."

When he heard footsteps approaching, his eyes snapped open. Without turning his head, he waved his hand, sending a Poké Ball flying behind him.

Bang!

The ball opened midair, releasing a Zubat that shot out of the white light.

Luo Yuan's lips twitched at the sight. With a resigned expression, he activated his psychic powers, a faint blue glow flashing in his pupils as he grabbed the Zubat mid-flight. From its mouth, he retrieved a scroll.

Unrolling the scroll, Luo Yuan couldn't help but comment, "Koga, do you really need to pass things to me this way?"

The scroll contained a detailed summary of major events in Johto during Luo Yuan's absence, as well as updates on Team Rocket's internal affairs.

It was something Luo Yuan had asked Koga to compile before returning to Kanto. To his surprise, Koga's efficiency wasn't half bad.

Hearing Luo Yuan's remark, Koga showed no intention of changing his ways. "Life needs a sense of ritual, and this is part of my ninja training!"

"Fine..." Luo Yuan sighed, shaking his head. Though his critique could have gone on, he decided to let it slide—it was Koga's personal choice, after all.

As Luo Yuan reviewed the files, he asked curiously, "When I saw Lance in Hoenn, he mentioned offloading all his work onto you. Did you use the method I taught you?"

It was clear that Koga had, as he now had time to meditate despite taking on tasks that even Lance found burdensome.

Hearing this, Koga's face lit up.

"Honestly, if it weren't for you, Luo Yuan, I wouldn't have thought of such a great solution!"

Although Koga had spent years as a Gym Leader, building his gym deep in the mountains was a clear sign of his aversion to administrative duties. Before, dealing with paperwork had been his greatest headache. But now, it was no longer an issue.

He delegated Alliance matters to Team Rocket, and under his Elite Four protection, their operations—armed with intelligence—ran smoothly without Alliance interference.

Koga's current position as an Elite Four member was far easier than his days as the Fuchsia City Gym Leader.

"I'm glad it worked. Just don't push it too far. When I was in Hoenn, Lance seemed genuinely convinced that you'd learned the Shadow Clone technique," Luo Yuan said with a grin, recounting his conversation with Lance.

Koga: "..."

The smile on his face froze instantly.

If what Luo Yuan said was true, Koga dreaded the possibility of Lance demanding a live demonstration one day. His heart sank at the thought.

Meanwhile, Luo Yuan had finished reviewing the files Koga had given him.

Nothing significant had occurred in Johto during his absence. If there had been any major incidents, Giovanni would have called him directly.

Still, a couple of minor events caught Luo Yuan's attention.

The first involved the Johto branch of Team Rocket. Led by Executive Archer, they had captured several Galactic spies sent to Johto. Under interrogation via Hypnosis, it was revealed that the spies were investigating Sird's disappearance.

Unable to gather any intel in the Sevii Islands or Kanto—where security had been tightened since Sird's betrayal—they had come to Johto, hoping for better luck.

Whether their luck was good or bad was debatable. Though they managed to infiltrate Team Rocket, things ended poorly for them.

Luo Yuan had established an internal affairs division within Team Rocket under Giovanni's orders to handle internal security. As part of routine inspections, the division easily caught the spies, whose information was outdated—likely from Sird's stash.

Luo Yuan could only smirk. Giovanni hadn't even settled the score with Team Galactic over Sird's betrayal, yet they were already knocking on the door. What were they trying to do, remind Team Rocket not to forget about them?

The second matter concerned the Pokémon League.

Recently, Pokémon near Mount Silver had become unusually aggressive. As of now, over 20 trainers had been attacked by wild Pokémon while attempting to capture them in the area.

The frequency of these attacks far exceeded the norm.

In response, the League had dispatched an investigation team led by Officer Jenny. However, all they had concluded was that the wild Pokémon were increasingly agitated. The cause remained unknown.

"What about our Team Rocket investigation?" Luo Yuan asked.

Typically, Team Rocket's intelligence network outpaced that of the League.

Koga shook his head. "We were preoccupied with tracking down Galactic spies, so we didn't investigate initially. Our recent probes haven't uncovered much, except that some kind of change is occurring within Mount Silver."

"Still no clear answers..." Luo Yuan murmured, stroking his chin.

Mount Silver, Johto's largest mountain range, was usually calm. Its sudden unrest signaled trouble, but what kind of trouble remained a mystery.