FEPW Chapter 99 The Stain That Can't Be Washed Away

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"He's been monitoring me since I left?"

"No, he hasn't." Oleander sounded confident. "If he had, he wouldn't have been able to hide it from me."

"Then isn't he afraid I might get the real document and not give it to him?"

"They've had the document for years, and it took them that long to create the amplification device. What does that tell you?"

Luther froze, then quickly understood.

"They've been trying to create the amplification device based on the fake document and failing… and only after years of research did they finally figure out the correct method."

Oleander nodded.

"So, your importance to them has decreased. Right now, your proposal to travel is just a bonus. As long as you're alive, you might stumble upon your parents' Pokémon, and he'll have the chance to obtain the original document from you to verify if the current amplification device is legitimate."

Luther forced a bitter smile. "So I'm just a tool, then? Even if I can't make it, I'll still end up back at the Pokémon Center. I never really had a place to return to, did I?"

Oleander didn't reply, but Diantha clapped her hands on the other end of the phone.

"We're still just speculating. I'm different from Oleander; without evidence, you need to confront him directly. Confrontation is the fastest way to figure it out."

"Thanks for the comfort. I get it, in a well-structured logical chain, evidence and all that…"

Diantha sighed. "Don't let me down, Luther. Didn't you have Cynthia hinting at it? Prove it to me."

"Everyone's social circles are divided. The reason we look at you differently is because you have a bright future, and also…"

Diantha's voice suddenly dropped, and Oleander couldn't quite catch what she said.

Luther blinked in confusion, glancing at Oleander, then took a moment to regain his composure.

"You're overthinking it."

"Let's hope so. Keep your distance from Oleander; she'll only lead you astray."

"I'm an adult."

"Adults have more capital for corruption than children."

Luther was left speechless, but Oleander couldn't help but retort.

"Are you educating your boyfriend in front of me? What do you think I am, a Meowth eyeing someone else's fish?"

Diantha abruptly ended the call, saying they'd meet tomorrow, leaving Luther stunned.

"Wait a minute, what boyfriend? Who are you talking about?"

Oleander looked at Luther with disdain. 'What kind of person was this? He could really act; his performance was too good. Where did he learn that? If it weren't for Diantha's repeated interventions, she might have believed him.'

"Alright, alright. As an International Police officer, I can't expose other people's privacy. Stop acting in front of me; just admit it. Diantha's got you wrapped around her finger, and I haven't thought about provoking her, so don't worry."

"This is baseless accusation. What do you want me to admit?"

Oleander nodded, her tone exaggerated. "Got it, got it. Nothing, absolutely nothing. I understand."

It made no sense, and Luther was at a loss so he chose to give up.

Turning around to see Oleander still following him, Luther asked irritably, "What are you doing following me? We don't leave until tomorrow!"

"Am I not allowed to stay in a hotel while you do? Should I sleep on the streets?"

While the two of them maintained a distance while feeling the oppressive tension, Ninetales, Chansey, and Eevee were happily chatting and laughing, creating a stark contrast.

"What happened to Cyrus?" Luther suddenly asked.

"Thanks to you, his regional privileges have been revoked. The last I heard, he ambushed a Safety Department base again. Now the Black Hole Squad is under house arrest, and the Safety Department is looking for him everywhere."

"What do you mean, 'thanks to me'? That was Diantha and Cynthia using me as a pawn. You guys are fighting among yourselves, and I'm just a fish caught in the crossfire."

"You're Diantha's boyfriend, right? Isn't it normal for her to stand up for you? It's my fault for misjudging and running into a brick wall."

Oleander's sarcastic tone made Luther feel the urge to argue, but considering she was busy handling matters behind the scenes on his behalf, Luther held back.

"I really don't think Cyrus is that kind of person."

"People's hearts are hard to read," Oleander said. "When I was young, I also thought the world was kind, but unfortunately, I had bad luck and ran into unkind people."

"And... if he really feels wronged, he could come back and explain. Ambushing Safety Department bases repeatedly, what kind of behavior is that? Are you telling me he's doing it for the International Police?"

Luther didn't know how to respond. Lucian had mentioned something similar in the message he sent yesterday.

Even Lucian, who had been close to Cyrus, felt that something was off about him now, and Luther found it hard to defend Cyrus.

No one knew why Cyrus had ambushed the Safety Department's undercover agents. There was no pattern to follow, which made the International Police's efforts all the more troubling.

They were up against Cyrus, an experienced criminal with exceptional counter-surveillance abilities and impressive execution skills.

In recent operations, they had been led in circles by him.

On one occasion, after disguising himself, Cyrus breezed through the International Police's inspection and slipped past the security checkpoint.

On another, despite being outnumbered, Cyrus took down two Machamp on his own, knocking out four International Police officers in the process.

If they had truly been facing a ruthless criminal, those four officers would not have survived.

Lucian had mentioned that the Safety Department's Director was nearing the edge of madness, and the words Cyrus had once said to rookies in the International Police were now being recalled.

"I admit they are competent enough, but being merely competent is far from enough."

The second part of that statement was more cutting than the first and it was left unsaid but understood by everyone.

Now, it felt like a slap in the face.

What did he mean by merely competent being far from enough? Cyrus's words seemed too mild. His real message was likely that these people weren't even worth taking seriously…

Without years of experience fighting criminals in life-or-death situations, this group of rookies had been exposed when they encountered a true villain.

Back in his room, Luther took a shower to cool down his still-dizzy head and lay on the bed, replaying the events of the past two months.

When he first arrived in this world, part of him had been reluctant, but the first person to show him kindness, Shiran...

What a performance. Looking back now, it felt so real, flawless even. Was he an old pro?

Diantha feared that the person who raised him, the person who is almost like a father to him, would betray him and use him, leaving him with a sense of hopelessness.

But Luther's pain came from the fact that his first real trust in someone after arriving in this world had been trampled upon. It had been followed by twenty years of frustration with this body.

In his daydreams, one of his wishes was to return to the Pokémon Center, build a small farm nearby, plant fruit trees, grow crops, anything really.

Farming seemed to be a longing that ran through Luther's veins.

He imagined his Pokémon on the farm, and such a life... it seemed too beautiful.

He could play with his Pokémon whenever he wanted, get close to nature at his leisure, it made his mouth water just thinking about it.

But now, Luther's dream was shattered. He felt returning to that Pokémon Center held no meaning anymore. The land no longer held warm memories but felt tainted by the dirty schemes and manipulations.

It was too filthy.

The stains of the human heart couldn't be washed away with water.

Maybe blood could cleanse them.

(End of Chapter)