Chapter 121: Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [121]
"Pokémon get daze~"
Humming to himself, Luo Yuan watched as the airship appeared against the night sky and slowly descended.
Sabrina stepped out from the cabin.
Luo Yuan had to admit, having his own airship made everything a lot easier. Things like picking Sabrina up were far more convenient now than they'd ever been before.
It just burned through a bit more fuel, but that wasn't an issue. Rocket Team's logistics department took care of all the expenses anyway.
He walked up and gave Sabrina a hug. "I've booked us a hot spring resort!"
Sabrina nodded and said, "While I was on board, I took the opportunity to interrogate Hunter J. She's expressed a willingness to join Rocket Team."
Luo Yuan blinked. "What did you do to her?"
Though he'd only interacted with Hunter J a few times, Luo Yuan knew well enough she was the type to hold her ground to the bitter end. Even he would have needed to slowly wear down her resolve, but somehow Sabrina had gotten her to surrender directly. It was… surprising.
Seeing Luo Yuan's reaction, Sabrina gave a faint smile.
"I used psychic power," she said simply.
She then explained how she'd managed to persuade Hunter J to surrender.
No threats, no coercion.
Sabrina had merely done one thing.
Simply put, Sabrina had used her psychic power to control Hunter J's body, but without putting her into a hypnotic state. Instead, she had implanted a subtle suggestion that made J feel the need to move.
This left Hunter J in a state of clarity yet total helplessness—like being pinned down by an unseen weight. The sensation lasted for an hour during their flight from Saffron City to Cinnabar Island.
In the end, Hunter J couldn't stand the feeling anymore and chose to surrender.
"In fact," Sabrina said, "from what I observed, it seems Hunter J already had the desire to surrender. I only… sped up the process."
As a psychic expert, Sabrina was able to sense subtle emotional shifts that even Hunter J herself hadn't noticed.
That was why she had chosen to handle the interrogation herself.
"Is that so…" Luo Yuan mused, realizing that leaving Hunter J to stew in her own thoughts had worked wonders.
After all, no matter how headstrong she was, Hunter J wouldn't want to spend the rest of her life in captivity.
Of course, although Hunter J had surrendered, she was still in an "untrusted" state. For now, she was kept in a basic holding cell, stripped of any serious restraints. Whether she would be given more freedom depended on further observation.
Setting aside the matter of Hunter J, Luo Yuan chatted with Sabrina about how things were going back in Saffron City.
Honestly, it was pretty amusing.
The reason Silph Corporation had chosen to sever ties with Rocket Team was because their president believed Rocket Team's influence was waning. He expected some retaliation for his "betrayal" but assumed it wouldn't be too severe, something Silph could weather.
Originally, the president believed Rocket Team's retribution would come swiftly. Once they'd endured this wave, Silph Corporation could then rebrand itself as a legitimate enterprise.
What he didn't know, however, was that because Luo Yuan had secured a seat on Silph's board, Giovanni had temporarily shelved his plans for retaliation against the company.
And so… since Rocket Team hadn't acted on Silph's "betrayal," the Silph president, who thought he had everything under control, found himself riddled with anxiety.
Now he was worrying that Rocket Team might be plotting an even greater revenge.
"..."
Luo Yuan wondered if he should contact Matori to arrange some small-scale action against Silph, just to put the president's mind at ease.
Otherwise, he feared the poor man's heart wouldn't be able to handle it.
---
The hot spring resort Luo Yuan had booked was the largest one on Cinnabar Island.
During peak tourist season, it would have been nearly impossible to reserve a spot without booking months in advance.
But as a board member of Silph Corporation, Luo Yuan was able to secure a room through Silph's channels.
"Ahh~"
Luo Yuan sighed, sinking into the hot spring, feeling his whole body relax as his fatigue melted away.
Across from him, Sabrina, dressed in a bathrobe, mirrored his expression of relief. There was something magical about the way a hot spring could ease one's weariness.
Watching Luo Yuan and Sabrina's relaxed faces…
"Eevee~!"
Sabrina's Eevee dipped its tail into the water experimentally. Immediately, it yanked its tail back as if it had been shocked, cradling its tail and blowing on it gingerly.
In contrast, Luo Yuan's Eevee was far braver.
With a determined expression, it stood at the edge of the spring, glanced at the water, and then took a running leap, diving in.
Splash!
A huge spray of water burst up, startling Sabrina's Eevee, which had been tentatively preparing to try the water again.
"Eevee! Eevee!"
Luo Yuan's Eevee dog-paddled around, buoyed by its fluffy neck fur and tail, calling out to its companion.
Sabrina's Eevee looked on enviously, its ears twitching. After a moment's hesitation, it steeled itself and leaped into the hot spring.
Sploosh.
Now, both Eevee were paddling around together in the spring.
In the adjacent pool, a few other Pokémon were enjoying the relaxing waters.
Not everyone joined, though. Charizard, who couldn't get its tail wet, and Aerodactyl, who hated water, were both snacking on treats nearby, watching the others enviously.
Gyarados had its massive body submerged, its aura imposing even with its eyes closed.
Dragonair's light blue scales took on a pinkish hue from the heat, as it coiled itself and drifted into a peaceful slumber.
Dragapult's Dreepy, perched atop its head, occasionally dived into the spring only to resurface, splashing playfully.
Gengar lay half-submerged, a wet towel balanced on its head, a mischievous grin spread across its face, plotting who knew what.
Porygon-Z's eyes flickered with streams of data, analyzing its experience with the strange new sensation.
Even Deoxys was tentatively trying the water. Having spent most of its life in space and just recently recovering from being thoroughly pummeled by Rayquaza, soaking in hot water was a totally alien experience.
But Slowpoke was the one who seemed to be enjoying it most of all.
Disliking the hot water, Shellder had released Slowpoke from its grasp for once, lying nearby on the shore.
This allowed Slowpoke to blissfully float on the water's surface, eyes shining with tears of happiness as it savored the precious moments of serene freedom.
The whole hot spring resort was enveloped in a calm, harmonious atmosphere.
"Would you like to try one?"
Luo Yuan handed Sabrina a Pecha Berry.
Sabrina took it, biting into the fruit as its sweet juice filled her mouth, and she swallowed with a contented smile.
---
Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? got locked by webnovel (probably reported...?) so I'll have it up on the sribble hub later today with the new updates :p same username on there btw ughh should i repost on here?
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