Chapter 324: The Golden Arcade

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Around 4 PM, in the heart of Saffron City, the Saffron City Game Corner was bustling with activity.

The Golden Arcade, a gambling venue filled with various gaming machines, was particularly popular for its slot machines, known for their thrilling and addictive gameplay.

Laughter of surprise and shouts of frustration filled the air, creating a lively and chaotic atmosphere.

Originally owned by a local group called the Golden Gang, the arcade's ownership had quietly shifted to Team Rocket after a power reshuffle.

Officially, the arcade was now under the jurisdiction of the Saffron Gym, making it nominally the property of the Kanto League.

In reality, due to Sabrina's influence, Team Rocket claimed the lion's share of the profits.

There was little the League could do about it—Sabrina, the Saffron Gym Leader, was so powerful that her abilities alone were equal to half the elite trainers stationed in Saffron City by the League.

Her presence as the city's guardian put the League at ease.

During the recent large-scale cleanup operation in Saffron City, Sabrina had demonstrated her strength, cementing her position and securing these benefits.

No one dared oppose the capricious and beautiful psychic.

However, the League found Sabrina's infamous unpredictability to be a headache. She was known for her nonchalant attitude, only stepping in for extraordinary incidents in Saffron City.

Even routine Gym challenges were often neglected, and she would sometimes temporarily turn challengers she disliked into dolls.

As a result, Saffron Gym only saw fewer than 20 challengers annually. Hoping she would diligently manage a sprawling metropolis like Saffron City was wishful thinking.

Surprisingly, the League's higher-ups in Saffron City were quite pleased with Sabrina's indifference.

With her hands off the city's management, the League's local officials gained more power and influence.

The arcade, located in the city center, was a highly lucrative business with minimal investment, so the League closely monitored it, assigning staff to keep watch regularly.

Team Rocket didn't have to exert much effort.

As the clock approached 6 PM, it was time for a shift change. Staff in the arcade's uniform greeted their replacements in the changing room before heading out to begin their shifts.

"Hey, Wang! Any big winners today?"

In the changing room, a chubby middle-aged man named Fujita greeted a young, skinny colleague with a playful smirk.

"Don't even ask, Uncle Fujita," Wang replied bitterly. "Some guy had incredible luck, hitting the jackpot three times in a row! He walked out with 4,500 bronze game coins, equivalent to 450,000 PokeDollars! Just a few button presses, and he made more than my salary. Unbelievable!"

Fujita chuckled at Wang's indignation and reassured him with a few kind words before heading to the front desk. Unlike newer hires like Wang, Fujita had been working at the arcade for years.

Previously part of the technical team, Fujita was well-versed in the arcade's operations. After the change in ownership, he had been reassigned to a front desk position.

Fujita had considered leaving, but his long tenure and the decent pay convinced him to stay, along with a handful of other old-timers.

What Wang described as "lucky winners" were often planted professionals designed to maintain the arcade's bustling atmosphere and fuel customers' greed. Fujita had been sent on such assignments numerous times in the past.

Having worked at the arcade for so long, Fujita approached his job with diligence unmatched by rookies like Wang.

Today, as Fujita manned the front desk, he noticed something unusual: a significantly higher number of people exchanging tokens for gold coins—several times the usual amount.

This anomaly set off alarm bells in Fujita's mind. His years of experience told him that a skilled player was discreetly profiting from the arcade.

While the slot machines were rigged, it wasn't impossible for a true expert to exploit them.

Fujita recalled a chilling example: Sabrina herself. At just seven years old, she could consistently hit the jackpot and even cause widespread malfunctions in the machines. 

The arcade manager at the time had been so terrified that he handed over all the Pokémon plush toys she wanted and sent her lavish gifts during the holidays.

"Another exchanging for gold coins? That's the 21st gold coin today!" Fujita thought, struggling to suppress his shock as he watched a young man trade in three more coins.

This meant the player had taken at least 21 million PokeDollars from the arcade. Fujita couldn't do anything other than smiling politely as the person left the arcade with his haul. 

Determined to protect his job, Fujita picked up the phone and reported his findings to the arcade manager.

The manager, though uncertain of the claim's accuracy, was alarmed by the staggering amount. He immediately alerted the security team.

The atmosphere in the arcade subtly shifted.

After sometime, at one of the machines, a seemingly unlucky young trainer sighed in disappointment as the screen displayed mismatched symbols. He cast a jealous glance at a nearby player celebrating their jackpot win.

"Ugh, caught already. Saffron City really is something else," he muttered under his breath.

However, no one noticed the glint in his eyes as he briefly scanned the vigilant security staff nearby.

Feigning frustration, the trainer inserted three more bronze coins into the slot machine, reluctantly pulling the lever.

Moments later, the machine lit up with a row of Meowth symbols.