Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [282] [40 PS]

Compared to having the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging over her, the presence of an actual Legendary Pokémon looming above her was far more terrifying for Malva.

"I know this is a difficult decision," Luo Yuan said. "So, I'll give you one week to think about it."

"One week?"

It wasn't that the time felt too short; rather, Malva found it curious. She was already Team Rocket's prisoner—what worse fate could she face if she refused after the deadline? The time limit seemed unnecessary.

Noticing her confusion, Luo Yuan smiled faintly.

"As you've probably guessed, your prolonged absence as one of Kalos' Elite Four has already caused a significant stir in the League."

"If you continue to remain out of sight, the League is bound to come knocking on Team Rocket's door, causing unnecessary complications."

"To avoid such misunderstandings—and to spare the League the wasted effort of chasing after a Team Flare executive—I've recorded our conversation. Should you refuse to join Team Rocket, I'll send the footage to Kalos' Champion. If I recall correctly, the current Champion is Diantha, right?"

As he spoke, Luo Yuan gestured to a corner of the room.

Following his motion, Malva noticed a faint red light blinking there—a hidden camera.

"You..." Malva trembled with anger.

She'd thought she was prepared for Luo Yuan's cunning, but even as a captive, she'd underestimated his sheer ruthlessness.

It was a warning as clear as day.

If she planned to deceive him, she would face more than just Deoxys. She'd also have to contend with the risk of her identity being exposed.

If her position as a Team Flare executive was revealed, even attempting to expose Luo Yuan's role in Team Rocket would be impossible. After all, who would believe the words of an undercover Team Flare agent?

"Oh, and one more thing," Luo Yuan added with a casual tone. "Don't think you can implicate me in this. Ever heard of video editing? I'll make sure to remove every frame showing my face."

With that, Luo Yuan smiled at Malva, ignoring the murderous glare she shot him, and left the room.

---

As they walked down the hallway, Matori turned to Luo Yuan.

"Are you confident you can get Malva to join Team Rocket?"

After all, Malva was one of Kalos' Elite Four. While Luo Yuan's tactics seemed effective, Matori had her doubts about their success against someone of Malva's stature.

"If she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life locked up here, she has no choice but to agree. And if she refuses... well, it's not like we're running out of food," Luo Yuan replied with a chuckle.

The upper hand was firmly in Team Rocket's grasp.

Matori nodded in understanding.

"Alright, let's set this aside for now. We'll know her decision in a week. In the meantime, let's focus on dealing with Sevii Island and the Sird situation."

---

Three Days Later

A small plane landed on a newly built airstrip on Sevii Island.

Lorelei and Luo Yuan disembarked one after the other.

"So, this is Sevii Island? The air feels much fresher here compared to Kanto," Luo Yuan remarked, taking a deep breath and adjusting his sunglasses.

He sounded like a first-time visitor, despite having been on Sevii Island just months ago.

Unbeknownst to Lorelei, the man beside her was the very same tech-savvy hunter from Team Rocket who had humiliated her and Lance in their last confrontation.

Hearing Luo Yuan praise Sevii Island's air quality, Lorelei, ever devoted to improving her homeland, couldn't help but smile. Her gaze softened as she looked at him.

Still, they weren't here for sightseeing.

Pushing her glasses up, Lorelei said, "Lance asked me to familiarize you with the duties of an Elite Four member. Honestly, it's not as complicated as it might seem."

"How so?" Luo Yuan asked, perfectly playing the part of a curious, earnest rookie.

In truth, as a Team Rocket executive, his workload was no less demanding than that of an Elite Four member.

"Administrative tasks are handled by the League's vast team of officials. As an Elite Four member, your main responsibilities are attending key events and making critical decisions. Those don't take up much of your time."

"The other side of the job is ensuring regional stability. You're probably aware of who the Kanto and Johto League's biggest threat is, right?"

"Of course. Team Rocket," Luo Yuan replied with a smile.

"Exactly," Lorelei said with a nod. "Team Rocket is the only organization with significant influence in both Kanto and Johto. Their roots run deep, and as Elite Four members, our primary duty is to eliminate their presence."

Luo Yuan nodded again, then asked, "Does that include the operations against Team Rocket I've seen in the news recently?"

"...Yes," Lorelei said after a long pause, her expression tinged with awkwardness.

The incidents Luo Yuan referred to were, of course, the operations in Sevii Island and Celadon City.

The former needed no explanation—though the official story painted it as a draw, anyone familiar with the details knew it had been a crushing defeat for the League.

As for Celadon City, while the League had claimed to have dismantled a key Team Rocket base, the reality was far less flattering. Not only had the Kanto Elite Four been thoroughly outmatched by a single Team Rocket executive, but the captured members and confiscated resources had all been snatched away in the end.

Their only gain was an abandoned base.

Fortunately, Luo Yuan seemed oblivious to the full story, allowing Lorelei to recover her composure.

Even so, the reminder left her mood soured, prompting her to skip any further explanation and move straight to the matter at hand.

"This time, our objective is to clear out a Team Rocket base," Lorelei said.

"My original plan was to conduct reconnaissance, but three days ago, we received intel from a trainer who discovered a Team Rocket base on Sevii Island."

"We'll use that base as our target to curb Team Rocket's expansion."

"Looks like I arrived just in time."

Luo Yuan's words were polite, but inwardly, he scoffed at the League's intelligence network.

While Sird's betrayal had made her removal inevitable, Luo Yuan had to admit that she was an incredibly capable administrator.

Without the intel he had deliberately leaked about Sird's location, the League wouldn't have uncovered Sevii Island's base for at least five years.

But alas, Sird was a spy for Team Galactic, and she had to go.

"Lorelei, how about letting me handle this mission on my own?" Luo Yuan suggested, smiling. "I'm confident I can take down a Team Rocket base by myself."