Chapter 433: The Stakes for Heading to Shamouti Island

"I'm going, you just put XiLaNu in the next room like that?" Huo La looked at Xiao Gang, raised his hand and pushed open the adjacent door, his face full of disbelief and his tone full of surprise, "Aren't you afraid he'll wake up and run away, or be discovered by members of the Rocket Team?"

"Otherwise?" Xiaoyin crossed his arms, his tone a little impatient, he curled his lip, "There are only the two of us, so we naturally booked two rooms; we can't cram him together with us, can we?"

Huo La reacted instantly.

He had previously encountered Xiao Gang and Xiaoyin in the wilderness; it was not a coincidence at all, but something the two had done on purpose.

They deliberately appeared in a remote forest to draw away any Rocket Team eyes that might be tailing them, preventing their movements from being exposed, but they never imagined that the one who would catch up would be Huo La.

Scanning the interior of the room, Huo La at a glance saw XiLaNu lying on the bed, unconscious, and also caught sight of an ultrasonic bat hanging from the ceiling chandelier, and instantly understood.

He figured they had used the ultrasonic bat's emitted ultrasound to plunge XiLaNu into a deep coma, unable to struggle or resist.

"Come back, ultrasonic bat." Xiao Gang raised his hand and tossed a Pokeball; a flash of Red Light streaked, the ultrasonic bat flapped its wings and flew into the ball, and the room instantly fell silent.

Not long after the words left his mouth, XiLaNu on the bed showed signs of waking, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyelids trembling lightly, clearly about to awaken soon.

Xiao Gang pulled a silver‑black Mask from his pocket and handed it to Huo La—its style was quite similar to the one Bilan had given him before, with sharp lines and a hint of secrecy.

Huo La took the Mask with puzzlement, turned his head and saw Xiaoyin already wearing his own Mask, covering most of his face, leaving only a pair of fierce eyes exposed; Xiao Gang followed suit, putting on the same style Mask.

Seeing this, Huo La no longer hesitated, lifted his hand and placed the Mask on his face, concealing his appearance.

Not long after, XiLaNu slowly awoke, gradually opening his eyes. He stared blankly around the room, and when he saw the three men before him wearing silver‑black Masks, his mind went hazy, his gaze full of confusion.

A moment later, he tried to move his limbs, only to find his hands and feet tightly bound, immobile, and only then did he realize, belatedly, that he had been kidnapped.

Surprisingly, he showed no hint of panic, but remained unusually calm, taking two deep breaths before speaking slowly, his tone even: "Kamen... Liu Bo, what are you trying to do? Having you bind me and bring me here—could it be some order?"

Xiao Gang deliberately squeezed his throat, altering his voice, his tone cold and flat: "Liu Bo has no other intention; he simply wants you to take us to Shamouti Island."

"Hehe." XiLaNu chuckled twice, a flash of understanding in his eyes, his tone a bit playful, "Seems Liu Bo doesn't want to keep cooperating with us; is this a plan to double‑cross?"

"What, you have objections?" Xiaoyin also squeezed his throat and spoke, his tone full of contempt, a hint of provocation, "Could it be you still want to resist?"

XiLaNu still wore a composed smile, his tone relaxed: "No, I have no objections. I'm just a research scientist; your Masked Organization is at odds with the Rocket Team, and you have a conflict with Gilbert over there. In the end, none of that concerns me."

Xiao Gang, seeing this, softened his tone slightly and asked: "So, are you willing to help us, to take us to Shamouti Island?"

XiLaNu spread his bound hands, smiling helplessly: "I've already been kidnapped by you; my life is in your hands. Any other choice? Of course I'll help you, after all, I don't want to risk my own life."

Xiao Gang, seeing this, kept his tone cold and said bluntly: "If that's the case, we leave now."

"What's the hurry?" XiLaNu gently shook his head, his tone still composed, explaining leisurely, "According to Gilbert's deployment, the capture plan for Lugia won't be officially executed until tomorrow night at the earliest. Going up now would just be waiting in vain, meaningless."

Hearing this, Xiaoyin instinctively turned his head toward Xiao Gang, his gaze asking a question, waiting for him to decide.

Xiao Gang slowly turned his head, his gaze landing on Huo La—clearly also seeking Huo La's opinion.

Huo La pondered for a moment, his tone firm, without any compromise: "We don't trust you. Even if the capture plan doesn't start until tomorrow night, we will go to the island today and get everything arranged, lest a long night brings more trouble."

XiLaNu looked at the three figures before him wearing matching silver‑black Masks, shook his head helplessly, his tone a bit conceding: "Fine, fine, I give in. I'll take you to the island today, but could you get me something to eat first? Since you bound me, I haven't had a bite; I'm starving."

Xiao Gang gave a slight nod, flashing a look to Xiaoyin. Xiaoyin understood, let out a cold snort, turned and pushed the door open, heading out to prepare food for XiLaNu.

Only Huo La, Xiao Gang, and XiLaNu remained in the room; XiLaNu let out a light sigh, his tone full of bewilderment and complaint: "I tell you, Liu Bo, you really... we agreed to cooperate, I even accepted all his conditions, yet he still pulls this move. Ah, why bother?"

Huo La was silent for a moment, deliberately squeezing his throat, mimicking the Masked Organization's tone: "Liu Bo just doesn't trust you."

XiLaNu heard this and murmured softly: "Trust... such a strange word."

A moment later, Huo La and Xiao Gang quietly slipped into the adjacent room, gently closing the door, cutting off XiLaNu's line of sight.

The two sat opposite each other, their expressions growing solemn, a hint of tension filling the air. Xiaoyin stayed in the next room, vigilantly guarding XiLaNu, daring not a moment of laxity.

Huo La lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingertip, brows knit, pondering before speaking: "Xiao Gang Ge, do we really have to go with XiLaNu to Shamouti Island? I always feel the matter isn't that simple."

Xiao Gang slowly nodded, his tone a bit puzzled: "What, did you notice something amiss?"

Huo La inhaled deeply, his tone serious as he analyzed: "I've been thinking, you kidnapped XiLaNu, that's no small matter. According to XiLaNu, the island is guarded by Fu Lin Duo, who is one of the Rocket Team's five Executives, a position of considerable standing."

"Think about it, Ma Zhishi and Sird, essentially they act on Fu Lin Duo's orders; with a kidnapping of this scale, XiLaNu suddenly appearing on the island with three strangers, how could Fu Lin Duo not be suspicious?"

"Moreover, XiLaNu agreed too quickly, without any hesitation whatsoever."

Xiao Gang instantly grasped his concern, his complexion changing sharply, his gaze full of alertness, and he said in a low voice: "No, the plan must change! We can't rashly follow XiLaNu onto the island."

Just as Xiao Gang finished speaking, a voice came from the doorway: "No need, we can go with the plan as is."