Chapter 165: As Long As I Still Stand Here, I

Huo La clenched his teeth, lowered his voice and shouted, "Old Ghost!"

"Heh, finally you're asking me for help?" Gastly's voice carried a teasing tone.

"No nonsense, check whether Marshadow is still in Xiao Gang's Shadow." Huo La's tone was urgent, his eyes fixed on the footsteps drawing nearer behind him.

"It's there, hasn't moved." Gastly shook his head. "You really plan to split forces? That Black Windcoat Man and Arbok aren't easy to handle."

"No time to hesitate, we have to go all out!" Huo La inhaled deeply, turned to Xiao Gang and said, "Xiao Gang Ge, ahead is the campsite we used before, and a few hundred meters left there is a cliff. As you just said, we'll split there! Find a way to hold back the Black Windcoat Man behind us, I'll take a detour to drag the Chakra, buying time until Officer Jenny arrives!"

"Alright!" Xiao Gang showed no hesitation, nor did he ask Huo La how to drag, but he nodded heavily. "Watch your safety; if it gets too tough, run first, don't force it!"

Seeing Xiao Gang agree, Huo La reached into his waist and pulled out a Pokeball, gave it a gentle press—Houndour immediately leapt into his arms, its small eyes watching the rear warily.

"Houndour, use Poison Gas, expand the area as much as possible, block their sight!"

"Cyndaquil!" Houndour opened its mouth and spewed a dense violet Poison Gas; the gas flowed like a tide toward the two of them, instantly enveloping the whole mountain path, making the air sharply acrid.

"Hmph, trying to block the road with Poison Gas? Naïve!" The Black Windcoat Man's cold laugh came from behind the gas.

But when the Black Windcoat Man and Arbok burst out of the Poison Gas, the scene changed—at the edge of the cliff at the end of the mountain path stood a Xiao Gang, a silver Mask covering his face.

"Heh, you're the only one left?" The Black Windcoat Man scanned the cliff, his eyes cold. "Did the other one fall out of fear, or hide?"

"One of me is enough! I'll defeat you, send all you Rocket Team members to prison, and I will never let you take a Wild Pokemon!" Xiao Gang squeezed his throat and spoke.

"Just because of you?" The Black Windcoat Man sneered, ordering Arbok, "Arbok, first use Poison Needle to poison‑stun him, then use Binding to tie him up—I'll keep him alive as bait!"

"Sss—" Arbok suddenly lifted its body, its serpentine tail flashing purple, a rain of Poison Needles rained toward Xiao Gang.

"Great Rock Snake, block the Poison Needles with your body!" Xiao Gang immediately tossed a Pokeball, Red Light flashed, and the massive Great Rock Snake instantly positioned itself before him, like a Stone Wall blocking all the Poison Needles— the needles struck its scales, leaving only shallow white marks, causing no damage.

"Zubat, you too! Use Supersonic Interference to disrupt Arbok's judgment!" Xiao Gang tossed another Pokeball, and as the Zubat appeared, Supersonic Interference rang across the cliff.

Arbok's body writhed violently; although the Zubat's Supersonic Interference caused no real damage, it scrambled its perception, reducing its attack accuracy considerably.

"Arbok, don't be disrupted! Charge forward and use Thunder Fang to finish the Zubat!" The Black Windcoat Man's voice was impatient; he didn't want to waste time on such a minor opponent.

Arbok suddenly flicked its head, enduring the Supersonic Interference's discomfort, its serpentine body darted like an arrow, its teeth instantly cloaked in blinding Thunder Light, lunging straight at the Zubat in the air.

The Zubat couldn't even dodge; a "crack—" sounded, the Thunder Light exploded, the Zubat let out a mournful wail, its wings drooping helplessly, falling like a leaf to the ground, completely losing its fighting ability.

"Zubat!" Xiao Gang shouted urgently, his voice full of worry, but he could only watch the Zubat crash to the ground, quickly pulling out a Pokeball to recall it—given the situation, he didn't even have time to check the Zubat's injuries.

"Heh, the Great Rock Snake's defense is indeed hard to deal with, but if they're all at Zubat's level, it's just a matter of spending a bit more time." The Black Windcoat Man sneered, his eyes full of contempt. "Arbok, use Acid Bomb!"

Arbok opened its mouth, a highly corrosive green acid coalesced, and it sprayed it toward the Great Rock Snake's body.

"Graveler, block it quickly!" Xiao Gang tossed another Pokeball without hesitation, Red Light flashed, and the round Graveler rolled instantly in front of the Great Rock Snake, taking the Acid Bomb head‑on.

"Zila—" the acid hit Graveler's shell, instantly spewing white smoke, leaving a charred mark; Graveler let out a low "rumble" of pain, clearly badly hurt.

"Heh, useless." The Black Windcoat Man shook his head, his tone even more contemptuous. "Arbok, don't waste time, launch a barrage of Acid Bombs! I want to see how long your Pokemon can hold out!"

Arbok immediately complied, its belly heaving as it spat green Acid Bombs mouth after mouth, the dense spray flying toward Graveler and the Great Rock Snake like a green downpour, impossible to dodge.

"Graveler, use Rollout! Bounce the Acid Bombs away!" Xiao Gang shouted urgently, his voice high.

Graveler instantly curled into a ball, its body spinning rapidly like a high‑speed stone sphere, charging at the Acid Bombs.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" the Acid Bombs were repeatedly knocked away by the rolling Graveler.

But such defense could not last—Graveler's rolling speed gradually slowed, the charred marks on its shell grew, clearly nearing its limit.

The Black Windcoat Man watched clearly, a cruel smile curling his mouth: "Arbok, now! Circle behind the Great Rock Snake, use Binding to grab the one wearing the Mask!"

Arbok immediately changed direction, its serpentine body sliding along the ground, avoiding Graveler's rolling range, circling toward Xiao Gang's direction.

Xiao Gang's heart tightened, and he shouted, "Great Rock Snake, use Rock Block to block it!"

The Great Rock Snake instantly lifted its body, its tail slammed heavily onto the ground, and several huge rocks rose from the earth, standing in front of Arbok.

Yet Arbok's speed was too great, it slipped deftly through the gaps between the rocks, drawing ever closer to Xiao Gang.

"Great Rock Snake, Iron Tail!" Xiao Gang gritted his teeth and ordered, his voice hoarse from tension.

The Great Rock Snake immediately raised its massive tail, the metallic sheen flashing in the moonlight, and the tail whooshed toward Arbok.

But Arbok's speed was too fast, it slid along the ground like a black shadow, narrowly evading the Iron Tail attack.

"Boom"—the Iron Tail struck the ground, shaking loose stones from the cliff edge, yet it didn't even touch Arbok's scales.

Yet that brief evasion caused Arbok's fierce assault to pause temporarily, giving Xiao Gang a moment to catch his breath.

"Useless, just surrender." The Black Windcoat Man's voice rang again, cold as winter wind, chilling to the bone.

He stood not far away, arms crossed, his eyes full of mockery, as if victory was already his. "Your Great Rock Snake is about to give out, the Zubat has lost its fighting ability, Graveler is injured—what can you still use against me?"

Xiao Gang leaned on the Great Rock Snake, feeling its tremor at his fingertips; he himself was drenched in cold sweat, the cliff's cold wind brushing his back, sending shivers through him.

Yet even so, he straightened his spine, his voice tinged with fatigue yet unwaveringly firm: "Surrender? Impossible! As long as I still stand here, I'll definitely hold you back!"