Chapter 46

Can't explode anymore, only three updates today, I have to work later, restoring to two updates, will explode again on National Day.

——————

Early the next morning, the restaurant of the Pokémon Center was filled with the aroma of toast and milk.

After Huo La and Brock had a simple breakfast, they got up and went to the front desk to pick up the deposited Poké Balls.

Just as he tucked the Poké Balls back into his belt one by one, Huo La suddenly felt his pant leg being pulled gently.

He looked down and saw a "boy" wearing oversized children's clothes looking up at him, his cuffs rolled up slightly, revealing a small tuft of snow-white fur.

"Meowth?" Huo La instantly recognized the other party, his gaze sweeping over the rest area, and sure enough, he saw Jessie and James sitting at the window, waving at him unnaturally.

He frowned, hesitated for a moment, but still walked straight over and sat down naturally in the empty seat.

Meowth immediately shifted its butt, squeezed him to the side close to the window, and its small claws were still restlessly scratching the edge of the table.

"Are you guys planning to cause trouble at the Pokémon Center?" Huo La asked directly, his tone carrying a bit of vigilance.

Jessie and James looked at each other and hurriedly lowered their voices: "Don't misunderstand! We've thought it through, as long as it's where you are, we try our best not to cause trouble."

"Then why look for me?" Huo La raised an eyebrow, his fingertips subconsciously tapping the table.

"We just wanted to confirm, was it you who sent the four brothers of Team Rocket to the police station? Meow~" Meowth grabbed the lead before the two, and its claws made a "handcuff" gesture.

"So what if it was? So what if it wasn't?" Huo La's tone was flat, but his eyes carried a bit more scrutiny.

The three exchanged glances again, Jessie leaned forward, her voice lowered even more: "If it was you, hurry up and hide your identity—Team Rocket doesn't forbid internal fighting, but they are extremely strict about 'betraying teammates.' If the higher-ups find out, you won't have a good end."

"Why? Do you want to report me?" Huo La's tone turned cold instantly.

"Hey! What do you take us for?" Jessie glared at him immediately, rarely putting away her usual arrogance. "Although we are Team Rocket, we have a bottom line! Besides, you helped us vent our anger this time, how could we bite back?"

"Vent anger?" Huo La was stunned, obviously not understanding the reason.

Meowth scratched the edge of the table with its claws and complained in a low voice: "Those four idiots rely on being the boss's people and are arrogant in the team! Some executives don't even put them in their eyes. Last time we finally found an energy ore, and it was snatched away by them! If it weren't for the fact that we couldn't beat their Pokémon, we would have fallen out with them long ago! Meow!"

James also nodded, his tone full of resentment: "That's right! They always use seniority to suppress people and always mock us as trash. This time you sent them in, we just want to applaud!"

Huo La stared at the three for a few seconds, not seeing half a falsehood in their expressions, and the vigilance in his heart finally relaxed. He suddenly remembered the Team Rocket reputation on the system panel and asked: "How are you sure it was me?"

"Those four idiots sent a distress signal before being caught, and we happened to be nearby." Jessie curled her lips. "Besides you, we can't think of anyone else who dares to take action against Team Rocket in this area."

"And we squatted near the police station for half a day yesterday and saw you and that kid go over with Officer Jenny with our own eyes." James added, not forgetting to emphasize, "Don't worry, we hid very secretly and didn't let anyone else see."

Meowth also followed: "Just want to remind you, don't be too flashy recently. They will definitely be bailed out by the boss. If they know you are also a member of Team Rocket, even if they don't pursue 'internal fighting' for the sake of Dr. Zager, they will definitely make things difficult for you! Meow~"

Huo La was silent for a moment. He didn't expect that solving the four brothers casually would have such an accident. However, this reminder was indeed useful. It seemed that if he took action against Team Rocket in the future, it was necessary to hide his identity.

"Got it." Huo La responded flatly and stood up. "Nothing else, I still have to challenge the Cerulean Gym."

"Cerulean Gym?" Jessie's eyes lit up, and she immediately leaned over and lowered her voice, "The Water-type Pokémon of those three women look powerful, but their weaknesses are very obvious."

"We've been there to scout!" James also hurriedly took over the conversation, "Their tactics rely on 'Water Cannon + Agility' to consume. You just need to use control skills to break their speed advantage, and you can basically win steadily!"

Huo La was stunned, not expecting these three to take the initiative to provide information.

Looking at their serious appearance, he suddenly felt that these three guys who always messed up tasks had a bit more "human touch" than those Team Rocket members who bullied the weak.

"Thanks." He left a sentence and turned to leave, but his pant leg was pulled by Meowth again.

"Wait!" Meowth suddenly took out a black fragment the size of a fingernail from its pocket, stood on tiptoe and stuffed it into Huo La's hand, "This is a 'Dark Ball fragment' we picked up in the cave last time. Although it's useless, but... just treat it as... thank you for cleaning up those four annoying ghosts! Meow~"

Huo La pinched the fragment, his fingertips feeling the cold metal touch, his heart feeling a bit surprised.

Although Poké Balls are made of high-hardness alloy, they ultimately belong to consumables—long-term throwing, retrieval, collision, and friction will inevitably lead to wear and even fragmentation, so seeing Dark Ball fragments is not strange. What really surprised him was that the Team Rocket trio would give this thing to himself.

With their usual "poor" degree of careful calculation, being able to take the initiative to take out such things could really be considered giving enough sincerity.

Huo La didn't say anything more, casually tucked the fragment into his pocket, and turned to walk toward the door.

In the rest area, James looked at his back, scratched the back of his head, his tone carrying a bit of worry: "We helped him like this, if it's discovered, will we be deducted task points again?"

"What are you afraid of?" Jessie rolled her eyes at him, hugging her arms and raising her chin. "Anyway, we were already pulled into the 'Key Observation (Bad Review) List' by the captain, how much worse can it be? Besides, that brat has more ability than us, maybe he can really help us in the future!"

Meowth licked its claws, a rare honest smile appearing on its face: "And that brat, although he had conflicts with us, never seemed to really treat us as enemies... This feeling of not having to sneakily pit each other, seems quite good? Meow~"

The three looked at each other and suddenly couldn't help but laugh, like children who had unloaded their defenses, rarely relaxed.

No one noticed that behind the chair Huo La had just sat on, the girl in the black long shirt sat up quietly. Her fingertips gently stroked the pattern on the cover of the notebook, a subtle smile curling at the corners of her mouth, her gaze following Huo La's back, lost in thought.

And at the entrance of the Pokémon Center, Huo La had just pushed open the glass door when he was stopped by an urgent voice.

Only to see Brock running over holding a bulging cloth bag, sweat beads on his forehead, and the cloth bag also emitting a faint fragrance of berries: "Huo La! Why did you just come out? I've been waiting for you for almost ten minutes! Are the things ready? Let's hurry up and challenge the Cerulean Gym!"

Huo La weighed the Poké Balls on his waist, the collision of the balls making a crisp sound. He nodded to Brock, a firm smile curling at the corners of his mouth: "Everything is ready. Let's go, go get my Cascade Badge."