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Liam and the other two managed to evade several police checkpoints on their way back to a small warehouse district in Cinnabar City.
"Alright, that should take care of things for now. We may have let a few big fish slip away, but we still accomplished our goal. Let's part ways here. I'll continue my journey, and you guys can do whatever you want."
Removing his mask, Liam turned to Bruno and Lance as he spoke.
Bruno grinned at Liam's words, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth in the darkness.
"I'm not heading back to the Pokemon Center just yet. Liam, could you tell Nurse Joy that for me? I have a few other things to take care of. Don't worry about me."
Lance crossed his arms, his cold expression remaining unchanged as he spoke in his usual cool tone.
"I'm returning to headquarters to report everything to Boss Giovanni."
Liam nodded before addressing Lance.
"Be sure to let Giovanni know—this poacher headquarters we took down? It looks like it was only a branch of their hunting group. They must have a larger organization elsewhere. That said, Cinnabar Island should no longer be a viable base for them. But we need to be wary of their retaliation. Make sure Giovanni tightens security and hunts down any remaining stragglers before they cause more trouble. That's all I have to say. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. Farewell."
With that, Liam pulled his Black Vortex mask back over his face, flicked his cloak, and disappeared into the night.
"…Alright, I'm off too. If we get another chance, let's work together again. See ya."
Bruno patted himself down, realizing he didn't have a dramatic cloak to swish, so he settled for a casual farewell to Lance before turning to leave.
Lance: "…Hmph."
Without another word, he, too, departed.
Since Blaine had called the police, Cinnabar City was now under lockdown. Officers on motorcycles patrolled the streets, making it difficult for Liam to move around freely.
He carefully and stealthily made his way back to the Pokemon Center while checking his system rewards.
[Ding!]
[Mission: Rescue Blaine – Complete.]
[Rewards: 500 exchange points, 1 Fire Stone.]
Liam frowned. He had just done something that saved the entire population of Cinnabar Island, and yet the system was only giving him this measly reward? Stingy as ever…
Shaking his head in disdain, Liam slipped into a small alleyway. Just as he stepped out of the narrow passage, a shadow suddenly leaped out in front of him.
"!!! YOU—!!"
The unexpected encounter startled Liam so much that his eyes widened, and he instinctively pointed a trembling finger at the figure in front of him. His face flushed red, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Haha! What's wrong? Don't recognize me?"
The person before him beamed. "I never expected this—Liam, you actually have this kind of secret identity?! You're amazing! Like a real hero! Huh? Liam, why are you rolling your eyes? And—wait, why are you suddenly sweating so much? Are you hurt?!"
As soon as she noticed Liam drenched in sweat, her playful grin disappeared, replaced by a worried expression.
"Lo—Lorelei! You! You're standing! ON! MY! FOOT!"
Liam gritted his teeth, enunciating each word painfully.
"Ah! My bad, my bad! I just noticed! Sorry, sorry! Does it hurt a lot? No wonder I felt something weird when I landed!"
Only then did Lorelei realize what had happened. She quickly lifted her foot and took a step back, sticking out her tongue apologetically.
"…Forget it. What are you even doing here?"
Liam sighed, trying to keep his irritation in check. He subtly shifted his sore foot behind him and looked up at Lorelei in confusion. Why was she here? And how did she seem to know so much?
"Hehe! You think I'm dumb? I knew something was off with you since dinner! You were obviously hiding something from me. I figured it had to be related to that old man Blaine, so I kept an eye on your room. And sure enough! I saw you sneak out wearing that outfit. So I followed you the whole way! Wahaha! I saw everything you guys did! That was so cool!"
Lorelei's eyes sparkled like stars, her entire expression radiating pure excitement—she was practically fangirling.
"Cough… Let's not talk about this now. We should hurry back to the Pokemon Center before we attract any suspicion. I'll explain when I get the chance."
Liam, feeling embarrassed under Lorelei's intense gaze, coughed and quickly changed the subject. The two of them then snuck back to the Pokemon Center together.
As soon as Liam finished changing out of his outfit in his room, Lorelei's knocking came from outside.
Liam opened the door, and Lorelei practically shoved her way in, looking beyond excited.
"Come on, come on! Tell me everything! What exactly do you guys do? I'm dying to know! If you don't tell me, I won't be able to sleep tonight! And if I can't sleep, you can forget about sleeping too!"
Lorelei demanded impatiently, waving her arms like an excited child. It was clear that if Liam didn't satisfy her curiosity, she wouldn't let him off the hook.
Liam's face darkened. He glanced at Bruno's empty bed and cursed him internally—what perfect timing to disappear.
Now he and Lorelei were alone in the room, and if anyone walked in, it would be impossible to explain. He'd be guilty even if he jumped into a river to prove his innocence.
So, Liam decided—he'd keep this brief!
"Well… the thing is, I have another identity. I'm actually a member of Team Rocket."
Liam paused, gauging Lorelei's reaction before continuing.
"Have you heard of Team Rocket? We're a group of idealistic, ambitious, compassionate, and highly principled young people with a strong sense of justice. The group we fought tonight were a group of Pokemon hunters and poachers. They don't just catch Pokémon—they use all sorts of disgusting, underhanded methods to capture them, then sell them off. We simply couldn't stand by and let that continue! So we formed Team Rocket to stop them and fight against such evildoers! From that moment on, our struggle began!!"
Liam launched into a lengthy speech, completely forgetting his original intention to keep things short. He passionately extolled the virtues of Team Rocket, painting them as noble warriors of justice.
Lorelei, completely absorbed, kept nodding along.
"Wow… That's amazing!"
Liam exhaled, feeling parched after talking so much. He quickly poured himself a glass of water and gulped it down. Then, turning back to Lorelei, he asked, "So, did you get all that?"
"That's so cool! Liam, I have to ask—can I join Team Rocket too?! I want to fight against evil organizations just like you!"
Lorelei's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"…Yeah, no. I don't get to decide who joins. Team Rocket has strict recruitment rules. I don't think it's a good idea for you."
Internally, Liam was already screaming. If Lorelei joined, that would mean Team Rocket would have three future Elite Four members. That kind of power level was terrifying.
"Tch! Can't even recruit people? Guess your rank in Team Rocket isn't that high, huh? Whatever, I won't bother you. But mark my words—one day, I will join Team Rocket! With my skills, I'll rise to the top, and when that happens, I'll make sure to promote you! Ohohohoho!"
Lorelei shot Liam a smug look, patted him on the shoulder like she was already his superior, and laughed triumphantly.
"Hmph, whatever. Bruno's not here, and if anyone sees us alone in a room together, they might get the wrong idea. I don't want people gossiping. See you, good night!"
Lorelei smirked at Liam's exasperated expression, then turned and left his room.
Liam glanced at the slightly open door, sighing with a bitter smile.