Chapter 80: Chen Si

Huo La lifted his hand and pressed the Kamen Bilan gave onto his face, the icy feel clinging to his skin.

Bilan squinted, also took off the Kamen at his waist and deftly put it on; the two faces instantly hid beneath the Masks.

He pushed open the door and stepped into the Captain's Cabin; two silhouettes lying on the floor immediately caught his eye.

One was a middle‑aged fat man in a white uniform, lying prone on the wheel; fortunately the Rocket Team had set the ship to auto‑pilot for "work", otherwise the vessel would likely have been wrecked and the crew dead by now.

The other wore a deep‑blue combat outfit, a massive build, back against the wall with his head down and hands hanging; the conspicuous "R" tattoo on his chest showed he was Chen Si.

"Quick, find it; the Pokemon Egg must be nearby," Bilan's voice came through the Kamen, edged with unmistakable anxiety.

Huo La's eyes swept the cabin's corners in an instant, finally landing behind Chen Si—where a corner of a leather Suitcase was exposed. He pointed, "It should be there."

Bilan followed his direction, stepped toward Chen Si. Just as his fingertip was about to touch the Suitcase, a hand shot out from the side, yanking him backward so hard the Kamen on his face nearly slipped off.

"What are you doing!" Bilan shouted, startled and angry, lowering his voice in fury.

Huo La ignored her question, merely leaning forward slightly, his gaze blazing as he locked onto the silhouette by the wall, his voice cold as ice, "Captain Chen Si, if you keep pretending, is there any point?"

This utterance made Bilan shudder all over, his face under the Kamen turning instantly pallid, the hand hidden behind him already gripping the Pokeball tightly.

The air seemed to solidify, leaving only the faint creak of the ship's slight sway.

Bilan stared at the motionless Chen Si, suppressing his inner panic, and whispered, "Impossible… Pikachu's lullaby combined with Ivysaur's Sleep Powder, even a large Pokemon couldn't endure it, how could it…"

Huo La still gave no reply, only deepened his tone, each word clear: "Captain Chen Si, if you persist in pretending, don't blame me for being ruthless. Ivysaur!"

"Ivysaur—" the Ivysaur beside him let out a Cry.

"Heh…," a laugh rang out, the previously down‑cast Chen Si slowly lifted his head, his neck producing a "click‑click" of vertebrae, a teasing smile curling his lips: "I actually think I'm pretty convincing. Tell me, how did you discover it?"

Seeing Chen Si suddenly "come back to life," Bilan's heart clenched, the Pokeball containing Squirtle already clenched in his palm, ready to be thrown at any moment.

"I guessed," Huo La's voice remained steady, showing no ripple of emotion.

"Guessed?" Chen Si slowly rose, his towering silhouette casting a shadow across the cabin, he watched Huo La with keen interest.

"Yes." Huo La met his gaze, his tone calm, "I just never felt secure, so I added a few safeguards. I didn't expect to get an unexpected gain."

"Interesting, so you were trying to trick me." Chen Si spread his hands, a hint of cold in his smile, "I have to admit, you're cautious enough. But just the two of you, still wet‑behind‑the‑ears, daring to snatch a Pokemon Egg—aren't you underestimating me, the Rocket Team's senior Captain?"

"The Masked Child never fears anything; a mere Rocket Team is just a stepping stone for us!" Huo La's voice came through the Kamen, bearing the sharp resolve of a youth.

Bilan behind him startled, his fingertips swiftly hooked Huo La's hem and gave a gentle tug.

Chen Si raised an eyebrow at the remark, the smile at his mouth chilling a bit, his tone's sarcasm unmasked: "Masked Child? Never heard of it. What's with these cats and dogs now, daring to wear a shabby Kamen and cause trouble for the Rocket Team?"

Before the words finished, he already drew a Pokeball and tossed it into the air: "Go, Chatot! Show these two clueless brats a splash of color; I want to see what kind of 'hero' hides beneath that Kamen."

A flash of white light, and a near‑two‑meter‑wingspan Chatot materialized, its sharp beak glinting coldly, powerful wings beating a gust of wind, it steadied on the open ground before them, its keen eyes locked onto Huo La and Bilan.

Huo La gave the Chatot a casual glance, and its detailed stats instantly flashed in his mind.

Pokemon: Chatot

Gender: Female

Level: Lv48

Su Xing: C-Grade

Status: Healthy

Nature: Adamant

Type: Normal/Flying

Ability: Sniper (damage is 1.5× normal when hitting a critical spot).

Height: 1.3 m

Weight: 38 kg

Carried Item: None

Moves: Drill Peck (71% mastery), Air Slash (65% mastery), Fury Attack (83% mastery), Quick Attack (60% mastery), Destruction Beam (31% mastery)

Improvement Count: 0

Sure enough, it's the Rocket Team Nine Captains' Pokemon.

He thought to himself, though its Su Xing is only C-Grade, its level and move set, plus the hidden Sniper trait, can easily crush over 70% of Trainers on the market.

More crucially, it's just a Chatot; it could never be Chen Si's real trump card.

Seeing this, Bilan's Pokeball in his palm was about to be crushed, just as he was about to release Squirtle, his wrist was firmly held down by Huo La.

"Use Pikachu." Huo La's voice was pressed extremely low, bearing unquestionable resolve.

Bilan was startled, then quickly recovered.

The cabin already housed Ivysaur; releasing a Squirtle with such distinctive type and appearance would, even if Chen Si were foolish, instantly link them to Pallet Town.

With the Rocket Team's intel network, it would take less than a day to uncover their identities; then that Kamen on their faces would become a complete joke.

Huo La also sighed inwardly, wishing he'd swapped the Giant Claw Crab into a traveling Pokeball before departure, knowing Ivysaur would be exposed.

But at this point, thinking further was useless—his Trainer data had already been entered into the Rocket Team's database; whether Ivysaur or any other common Pokemon, appearing would be tantamount to self‑surrender.

Red Light flashed, Pikachu landed steadily beside Ivysaur, its round body stretched upright, its once‑soft eyes now sharp as blades, locked onto the opposing Chatot.

"It's impossible to succeed now; according to the prior plan, retreat!" Huo La said.

"Think you can leave? Not that easy!" Chen Si's cold laugh rang especially harsh in the shaking cabin; he thrust his hand up, "Chatot, use Fury Attack! Block every escape route!"

The sturdy raptor's wings beat, its form turning into a gray blur; sharp talons wrapped in gusts surged toward Huo La and Bilan, the sweep of its wings causing the very air to tremble—this strike nearly sealed every angle for them to dodge left or right.

"Pikachu, use Reflect!" Bilan's command slipped out, his fingertips whitening from the strain.

Pikachu instantly lifted its head, emitting a clear cry, a pale‑blue translucent Light Shield spreading around it, like a solid barrier.

Almost as the Light Shield formed, Chatot's talons slammed into it, a muffled "Bang" resonating, the Reflect rippled in circles yet stubbornly withstood the hit.

"Ivysaur, Leech Seed!" Huo La's voice rang in sync, calm without a hint of tremor.

Ivysaur's bud behind it quivered slightly, three glowing seeds darted out, racing toward the still‑unsteady Chatot.

But Chen Si's reaction was astonishingly swift: "Chatot, Quick Attack, dodge!"

Gray Shadow flashed again, and the Chatot's body drifted sideways half a meter as if teleporting; Leech Seed brushed its tail feather and fell to the ground, leaving only a few damp spots on the floor.

"Such fast speed, plus level suppression—direct head‑on fighting is hopeless."

Chen Si's battle experience far exceeds theirs; every command precisely matches the Chatot's attack rhythm, bringing this C Su Xing Pokemon's power to the utmost, which is completely different from Ash's novice battles that rely solely on hot‑blooded enthusiasm.