Chapter 112: The Four Great Doctors

Along the highway from Goldenrod City to Yuhong City, a clear lake reflected the midday sun.

Huo La was sitting leisurely under the shade, fishing; the rod he had bought at great expense in Goldenrod City stood out—its handcrafted shaft engraved with swirling dragon patterns, truly a limited edition.

When he spent over ten thousand League Coins, not only did Xiao Gang repeatedly urge him not to, but he himself clenched his wallet in pain; in the end he gritted his teeth and bought it, only because the Initial Task had been hanging on the system panel for a long time.

Bilan, as usual last night, vanished silently from before him and Xiao Gang.

But thinking of the Rocket Team base in Yuhong City she mentioned, Huo La wasn't worried; he figured the two would eventually meet again in Yuhong City.

His Pokemon were now gathered around Xiao Gang nearby, only that A Luo La Chou Ni, like a machine set with a program, silently stood at his feet.

Whenever the rod pulled up a Gyarados, it mechanically used Throw Mud, precisely slamming it back into the water, the action repeating without a ripple.

As for the Crabrawler, due to the hidden identity of "Lai Yi", it can only stay in the system space for now.

"Huo La, lunch is ready!" Xiao Gang's voice came with a whiff of cooking.

"Here I come!" Huo La replied, standing up, but his wrist suddenly felt a heavy weight; he instinctively frowned, "A big one is coming… Chou Ni, get ready."

"Chou Ni~" the limp figure wavered, poised to act.

Huo La abruptly reeled in, lifted the rod, and a dark silhouette burst from the water.

Almost simultaneously, Chou Ni's Throw Mud landed precisely, but the silhouette didn't plunge like the usual Gyarados or Poliwag; instead it hung on the hook, swaying, with two hands gripping its tail tightly.

"Whoa, it's Meow Meow!" Huo La stared, then shouted, "Bulbasaur, come! Use Vine Whip!"

The emerald Vine Whip quickly coiled around the dark silhouette, pulling the two vague figures behind it ashore—indeed the Rocket Team Trio.

"They're still breathing," Xiao Gang immediately stepped forward, checked the trio's breath, and said gravely.

Huo La stroked his chin, thought, then looked at the nearby Nidoqueen and raised his chin: "Nidoqueen, punch their abdomens, watch the force."

"Nido~" Nidoqueen nodded, and when her sturdy arm came down she held back most of the force.

After three punches, Musashi, Kojiro, and Meow Meow each spat a huge mouthful of water, then coughed violently.

"Your method is way too violent," Xiao Gang complained helplessly.

"At least they survived, didn't they?" Huo La raised an eyebrow, his tone a bit dismissive.

"Cough… where, where is this? Meow~" Meow Meow flicked his wet tail, asking dizzily.

Huo La deliberately lowered his voice, speaking ominously: "This is hell; you died long ago."

"Meow? Little Huo La, you also died?" Meow Meow leaned in with a bewildered face.

Musashi slapped Meow Meow's head, gritting his teeth: "Snap out of it! If we were dead, could we still cough?!"

Kojiro flicked the hair stuck on his forehead, trying to stay elegant: "Looks like Little Huo La saved us?"

At the table, the Rocket Team Trio were wolfing down rice, their mouths smeared with vegetable scraps they couldn't even wipe, looking as if they'd been starving for days.

Although Xiao Gang disapproved of the Rocket Team's behavior, these three always exuded a uniquely unlucky vibe, and since Huo La gave no objection, he tacitly allowed them to share lunch and even thoughtfully poured hot tea after the meal.

"Thanks, Little Huo La, you're a bother again, Meow~" Meow Meow cradled the teacup, ears drooping in gratitude.

Huo La sipped the hot tea, genuinely feeling that bringing Xiao Gang along was the wisest decision of the trip—at least he didn't have to worry about meals and cleanup, and Xiao Gang was already clearing the dishes.

He set down the teacup, looked at the three: "Tell me, how did it end up like this? Last time the League clearly gave a 300,000 prize; even if we couldn't cash it, it shouldn't have left us this destitute, right?"

Musashi, Kojiro, and Meow Meow exchanged glances, their faces full of bitterness.

In the end, Meow Meow, ears drooping, spoke: "The League's money was deposited straight into the account… but our account owed the organization a huge sum, Meow… so…"

"So it was automatically deducted as soon as it arrived," Kojiro continued, his tone full of despair.

Huo La: "..."

He silently rolled his eyes—Professor Oak was definitely doing it on purpose.

"Then you just now…"

"We encountered a blocking Snorlax upstream, wanted to catch it for the report, but…" Musashi said halfway, slamming the table in frustration.

"It got slapped by the Snorlax into the lake, Meow…" Meow Meow added, voice as thin as a mosquito.

Huo La rested his hand on his forehead, shook his head helplessly: "Sure enough, it's an unchangeable unlucky nature."

However, catching these three lively treasures while fishing seemed to show that his luck today wasn't any better.

Huo La quickly glanced at Xiao Gang, who had walked to the lake's edge to tidy up, then leaned forward, elbows on the table, voice hushed: "Since the three of you are here, I have something to ask."

Musashi, Kojiro, and Meow Meow instantly exchanged glances and nodded.

Huo La raised his hand, pointing at the nearby Chou Ni—the Shiny Chou Ni still lay motionless in place.

"This Chou Ni was given to me by the 'Secretary' Zhenniao. I want to know, who in the Rocket Team is responsible for modifying Pokemon?"

The three followed his fingertip's direction, and upon seeing Chou Ni's 'machine without commands' demeanor, their expressions turned subtle.

"'Secretary' Zhenniao?" Musashi was the first to react, his face instantly darkening, brows twisted enough to crush flies, "How did you get involved with that woman?"

"Who knows," Huo La spread his hands, his tone tinged with a casual self‑mockery, "Maybe luck was too good and we bumped into her, or maybe luck was too bad to avoid. So, from your tone, do you hold a grudge against her?"

"Grudge?" Musashi slammed the table hard, the teacup rattling, anger swirling in his eyes, "That woman, I could never forget her in this life!"

"Alright, alright, let's not bring up the past," Kojiro hurriedly deflected, his gaze showing obvious apprehension, as if unwilling to discuss Zhenniao further.

A gossip spark lit in Huo La's eyes, and as he was about to ask, Meow Meow spoke first: "Meow~ If we talk about who in the Rocket Team is best at modifying Pokemon, it's definitely Dr. Namba, no doubt."

"He's obsessed with using all sorts of methods, Sheer Force, to boost Pokemon's power; most of these mindless modified bodies are his work."

"Dr. Namba?" Kojiro furrowed his brows, somewhat uncertain, "I thought it was Jin Bo. Last time I heard someone in the group mention a doctor who newly researched a 'Strengthening Potion'."

"It's Namba!" Meow Meow rolled his eyes, tone very certain.

"Dr. Namba..." Huo La nodded slowly, fingertips lightly tapping the table edge. The name matched his earlier speculation.

He had already gone through the Rocket Team's notable research doctors:

Sai Ge is a full‑blown tech fanatic; Pokemon are merely materials and tools for creating ultimate weapons to him;

Doctor Fuji's mind is entirely on Mewtwo and genetic cloning, his ultimate goal being to resurrect his prematurely deceased daughter;

And Dr. Namba is the guy whose sole focus is 'Pokemon modification', attempting to forcefully create super‑strong combat power;

As for Dr. Zager, although he also researches weapons, he emphasizes 'Pokemon‑machine integration'; his own Chou Ni has no mechanical parts at all, clearly not his work.

It seems that to find Chou Ni's modification records, we first have to locate Dr. Namba.

"Where can we find Dr. Namba?"

The three of them all shook their heads.