Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [227] [40 PS]

The establishment of the Internal Affairs Division within Team Rocket to investigate internal instabilities was Luo Yuan's plan.

In the past, Team Rocket relied on Giovanni's personal charisma to maintain its massive organization. While this approach fostered exceptional cohesion, it also came with a glaring flaw—everything depended on Giovanni.

On the surface, Luo Yuan's proposal seemed aimed at uncovering spies.

But on a deeper level, his goal was to reform Team Rocket's internal structure, making the organization healthier and more sustainable.

"Team Rocket Internal Affairs Division?"

Hearing the name, Matori was puzzled as to why Luo Yuan would choose something like that.

However, she raised no objections.

After all, it was just a name.

"So, who's going to head this department?"

Choosing the right person to lead an internal investigation division was critical.

If, as Luo Yuan suggested, there really was a spy among Team Rocket's senior staff, placing that spy in charge of the division would be catastrophic.

"I'll take on the role myself, reporting directly to Giovanni," Luo Yuan replied.

"But aren't you still competing in the Indigo League?" Matori asked.

She wasn't questioning Luo Yuan's loyalty—he was, after Giovanni, the least likely to betray Team Rocket.

However, Matori knew how much time and effort it took to prepare for the Elite Four challenge. She doubted Luo Yuan would have the bandwidth to conduct internal investigations simultaneously.

"Rooting out a mole isn't something that can be resolved quickly. It won't conflict with my participation in the Indigo League," Luo Yuan explained.

"But what about the initial work to set up the division?"

Luo Yuan smiled faintly. "Isn't that what you're here for?"

Matori: "...…"

So, after all that, the responsibility circled back to her.

At least it was only the preliminary work.

She had already lost so much sleep trying to expose the spy hiding within Team Rocket, and all that effort had been fruitless so far.

Recognizing the added burden, Luo Yuan offered a suggestion.

"I do have a lead on where to start."

"You have a target in mind?"

Matori was surprised. Luo Yuan's decision to propose the Internal Affairs Division and audit senior officers suggested he had identified a suspect.

"I'm familiar with the Kanto operatives. Sabrina is definitely not the mole, Surge's personality isn't suited for espionage, and Koga is entirely focused on becoming an Elite Four member."

"In Johto, among the Four Generals, Petrel is suspicious just by appearance, but our Kanto and Johto branches operate independently. This incident likely has no connection to the Johto division."

"So… you suspect the Sevii Islands division?" Matori asked.

The Hoenn branch was still in its infancy and too far removed to be relevant, leaving only the Sevii Islands.

At this, Matori eyed Luo Yuan skeptically.

She knew he had a strained relationship with Carr from the Sevii Islands branch. Was Luo Yuan using this as an excuse to remove him?

If so, should she stop him from abusing his authority for personal grievances?

Caught up in her thoughts, Matori's expression shifted repeatedly.

Luo Yuan immediately guessed what she was thinking.

"Stop overthinking. I'm not talking about Carr—he doesn't have the brains for this," Luo Yuan said dryly.

Matori nodded reflexively.

After witnessing Carr's blunders during the Sevii Islands incident, she couldn't imagine him orchestrating anything complex.

"Then who?"

"I mean Sird. Something about her feels… off," Luo Yuan said, choosing vague yet intuitive language to express his suspicion.

Surprisingly, Matori accepted this reasoning.

She was one of the few who knew Luo Yuan possessed both psychic powers and the Viridian Force.

For someone like Luo Yuan, what might seem like a hunch to others carried significant weight.

"I'll begin a covert investigation into Sird immediately," Matori said seriously.

Luo Yuan nodded but added, "Of course, this is just a starting point. My vision for the Internal Affairs Division is to establish a regulatory body capable of monitoring all Team Rocket officers when necessary."

"I understand," Matori replied, her tone firm.

"By the way, any updates on Team Flare? By now, they should have arrived, right?"

The Flare Admin Malva was set to arrive tomorrow. Given her rank, the rest of Team Flare should have made it by now.

"No sightings yet, but I've had surveillance cameras installed along the coastline. If they show up, we won't miss them."

"Good. Let me know as soon as they're spotted. I'll handle it," Luo Yuan instructed.

With a small smile, he ended the call.

Matori sighed, realizing she now had yet another pile of tasks to tackle.

---

Meanwhile…

Having delegated most of the work to Matori, Luo Yuan checked his watch.

There was still over an hour until his dinner plans with Sabrina and Misty, so there was no rush.

Smiling, he stroked the Eevee in his arms before resuming his Pokémon training.

---

At the same time, near a small island between Kanto's mainland and the Seafoam Islands…

Two drones emerged silently from beneath the waves, scanning the surroundings.

After confirming the area was clear, they submerged once more.

A moment later, bubbles broke the surface as a submarine bearing Team Flare's emblem rose quietly from the depths.

"Finally, some fresh air," said a woman with violet-dyed hair, high-tech goggles, and a crimson blazer.

Celosia, a Team Flare Admin, exhaled heavily.

To make it from the Kalos region to Kanto within the designated time, she and her team hadn't stopped for a moment.

The strain of the long journey was beyond words.

Even as a high-ranking member of Team Flare, Celosia felt utterly exhausted—let alone her subordinates.

"This is such a hassle. Aliana got caught so easily," Celosia muttered irritably.

If not for Aliana's capture by Team Rocket and their refusal to negotiate a prisoner exchange, she would never have gone to the lengths of coming to this dangerous region.

One misstep and she could end up just like Aliana.

Even something as simple as surfacing for air required deploying drones to ensure the area was clear of Team Rocket.

"This kind of life is just unbearable…"