Chapter 28: The Aesthetic Embodiment Shining in the Dark Night!

The moon hung high in the sky, and the cold moonlight filtered through the broken roof of the warehouse, scattering mottled shadows on the ground.

Inside this hidden warehouse on the outskirts of Viridian City, Musashi, Kojiro and Miaomiao were slumped on a relatively clean wooden board, staring at the pitch‑black ceiling, their expressions full of melancholy.

"Damn it! That brat ruined our plan again!" Musashi slammed his fist into the ground, his tone brimming with resentment—just when they were about to succeed, Huo La stepped in, not only failing to snatch the Pokemon but almost getting caught by Officer Jenny.

Miaomiao sighed as well, her tail sweeping the floor weakly: "Yeah, meow. But Kojiro, if you hadn't finally shouted 'Quick, open the door for air', we couldn't have slipped out of the Pokemon Center with the crowd; we might still be being chased by Officer Jenny now."

"I shouted that?" Kojiro sat up abruptly, a bewildered expression on his face as he pointed at himself. "No, that's not it! I never said that! Miaomiao, wasn't it you who shouted during the Smokescreen? I thought it was your idea!"

"If not you, then who?!" Musashi and Miaomiao glared at Kojiro together, retorting in unison. In the chaos of the Smokescreen, they had clearly heard Kojiro's voice among the crowd and ran toward the exit because of it.

"Of course it was me."

A clear, slightly haughty voice suddenly rang out in the warehouse, breaking the trio's argument.

"Who?!" Musashi, Kojiro and Miaomiao instantly sprang to their feet, each reaching for the Pokeball at their waist, eyes scanning the surroundings warily—only the three of them were in the warehouse, so where did the voice come from?

From the shadows, a slender figure slowly stepped forward:

"Since you asked earnestly, I shall mercifully tell you!"

"I am the Blade that Cuts Chaos!"

"This is the Declaration Piercing Eternal Solitude!"

"The Aesthetic Embodiment Shining in the Dark Night! — Here I am!"

The familiar opening format but entirely different content left Musashi and the others stunned—why did that line sound so much like the Rocket Team's entrance speech? Yet the newcomer's aura and tone were far more imposing than theirs.

"Who are you?! How do you know we're here?!" Musashi was the first to react, demanding sharply.

They had chosen this warehouse as a temporary base only that morning; aside from themselves, no one else could have known.

The newcomer didn't answer Musashi's question directly, but instead paced slowly into the moonlight— the cold moonlight fell on him, illuminating the faces Musashi, Kojiro and Miaomiao knew all too well.

"It's you, brat!" the moment Musashi recognized the newcomer as Huo La, his eyes widened, he growled through clenched teeth; had it not been for the heavy battle wear, they would have wanted to send Uncle Snake rushing forward at once.

Kojiro and Miaomiao were also stunned, disbelief written on their faces—how could the one who had ruined their plans at the Pokemon Center appear here and even save them?

"Don't call me that," Huo La shrugged, his tone as relaxed as casual conversation. "At least I saved you once—if I hadn't shouted 'Quick, open the door for air' in the Smokescreen, do you think you could have slipped out of Officer Jenny's encirclement so smoothly?"

He knew clearly that the system's "Become a Rocket Team Executive within a year" mission could not be left to fate.

To become an executive, the first step was to join the Rocket Team, and the three low‑level Rocket Team members before him were the easiest foothold.

When the Smokescreen spread through the Pokemon Center, the shout that guided the crowd to the door was Huo La's deliberate croak; he intended to let Musashi's trio escape, then locate their temporary base, paving the way for "joining the Rocket Team."

After all, Viridian City is the Rocket Team's main base; if one were to run straight to the Viridian Gym to volunteer for Sakaki, not to mention whether they could even meet Sakaki himself, merely approaching the gym and stating one's purpose would likely get them labeled a spy by the low‑level members and sent straight to the New World.

In the anime of a past life, Sakaki was a villain with principles and goals, but now, in the real Pokemon World, no one can say what kind of temperament Sakaki truly has.

Without absolute certainty, Huo La would never risk his own life.

"You say you shouted it—what proof do you have?" Miaomiao leapt up, fur standing on end, retorting sharply, "If you hadn't blocked us at the Pokemon Center, we would have succeeded long ago; we wouldn't be in such a mess! Meow!"

Huo La ignored Miaomiao's accusation, instead stepping forward, his gaze sweeping the three, his tone suddenly stern: "Proof? The Rocket Team never needs to prove anything to anyone."

"Meow? What 'our Rocket Team'?" Miaomiao blurted out instinctively; as soon as the words left her mouth, she snapped to attention, eyes wide with Kojiro and Musashi, fur standing up, "What do you mean? Are you trying… to join our Rocket Team?"

"Or what?" Huo La spread his hands, tone casual, even with an unmistakable certainty, "I greatly admire the Rocket Team's 'career'; I not only want to join but also to lead you—all because your performance today hardly qualifies as competent villains."

"Just you?" Musashi seemed to hear the world's biggest joke, letting out a sharp snicker, his face full of contempt as he sized Huo La up, "A brat who only ruins our plans worthy of joining the Rocket Team? Want to lead us? The Rocket Team isn't a place for every stray cat or dog, let alone a kid whose hair hasn't even grown fully to run amok."

"Whether you can get in isn't decided by a low‑level member like you." Huo La was unfazed by her aura, his gaze steady as it met Musashi's, his tone precise and penetrating, "Today at the Pokemon Center your plan failed completely—you didn't snag a single target Pokemon and exposed your whereabouts. Officer Jenny's police car might already be sweeping the area. What will you do next? Keep hiding in this drafty broken warehouse, waiting to be caught and jailed? Or return empty‑handed to the Rocket Team for a report, only to be scolded by your superiors until you're drenched in blood?"

The words were like a sharp knife, striking precisely at Musashi's trio's sore spot.

They had come to Viridian City this time specifically to sneak in and find an Evolution Stone to patch up their accounts.

Even if they failed to locate the Evolution Stone, pulling off a "snatch special Pokemon" feat during the day could settle some accounts, and perhaps even lift them out of the lowest rung of the Rocket Team.

But now the mission was blown, and they'd become wanted by the police; just thinking of the outcome after returning sent chills up their spines.

The three's expressions visibly wavered, their eyes filled with inner conflict.