"How's the preparation of your company going? Do you need my help?"
Liu Shuyun stood on the balcony of her high-rise apartment, lighting a slender cigarette with a soft click. The glowing ember illuminated her delicate face as she gazed out at the vast cityscape, her voice filled with genuine concern as she spoke into the phone.
"Li Zhenhua has already started preparations. Work will begin in a few days," Renjiro replied calmly from the other end of the line.
Since that important discussion with Li Zhenhua, Renjiro had been monitoring progress closely. True to his word, Li Zhenhua began organizing the company the very next day. Given Li Zhenhua's exceptional efficiency and focus, Renjiro believed the factory's operations would commence sooner than anticipated.
"That's good to hear," Liu Shuyun murmured, exhaling a thin wisp of smoke that spiraled into the night. Her voice softened, and she hesitated before continuing, "Renjiro… I miss you."
The bustling, vibrant Magic City stretched out before her—its neon lights dazzling, its streets teeming with life—but none of it could bring her happiness without him by her side. Every day apart felt like a small eternity.
Renjiro's tone grew gentle. "Be good. When I'm done here, I'll come over to accompany you."
He meant it. He missed Liu Shuyun as much as she missed him. But right now, his time was consumed by training and preparations. Between strategizing for the future of Team Rocket and nurturing his Pokémon, Renjiro barely had a moment to breathe.
"I'll wait for you," she whispered, her heart full of longing. If her subordinates could see the tender side she showed only to Renjiro, they would surely be shocked.
Then, as if remembering something important, Liu Shuyun's expression turned serious. "By the way, Renjiro, the Investigation Bureau of Magic City contacted me some time ago."
Renjiro raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "The Investigation Bureau? What did they want with you?"
"It's about Jiang Xiaoyue… that woman. The Bureau asked me a lot of questions about her," Liu Shuyun replied, her tone cold and guarded.
Her instincts told her something wasn't right. There was something hidden beneath Jiang Xiaoyue's surface. The sudden interest from the Bureau only confirmed her suspicions. In Magic City, the Bureau didn't bother innocent people without reason. The fact they had mobilized significant resources to question Liu Shuyun spoke volumes.
Renjiro's brows furrowed in thought. "Strange… so she's not just connected to your brother?"
"Exactly. There's more to her. Be careful, Renjiro. She was there during our transaction. She knows about the evolution of Feebas into Milotic. I'm worried she might try something."
Renjiro's voice was steady, confident. "Don't worry. She can't hurt me."
If anything, he hoped Jiang Xiaoyue would make a move. It would save him the trouble of tracking her down himself.
Liu Shuyun let out a soft laugh, reassured by his confidence. "I should have known better. If I can't trust you, who can I trust?"
She thought back to the remarkable transformation Renjiro had undergone. In less than a month, he had surpassed the strength of a junior trainer. Who knew how powerful he'd become by now?
Renjiro's voice turned playful. "Don't you know by now how powerful I am?"
"Hmph. You're so annoying!" Liu Shuyun replied, though her voice was filled with affection. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as memories of their night together surfaced.
Just then, the ring of an incoming call interrupted them. Renjiro glanced at his phone screen. It was Li Zhenhua.
"Li Zhenhua's calling. I'll talk to you later," Renjiro said.
"Okay, go ahead," Liu Shuyun replied softly before ending the call.
Renjiro wasted no time returning Li Zhenhua's call.
"Boss! Everything's ready. We can start operations anytime. Also, I found an abandoned warehouse that might work as a training ground. What do you think?" Li Zhenhua's voice was filled with enthusiasm.
Renjiro smiled. "Good work. Make sure no one knows about the warehouse. I don't want any interruptions."
This warehouse would serve as a temporary base for Team Rocket. One day, when Team Rocket grew stronger, they would build a secret base from scratch—one that no outsider could discover.
"Don't worry, boss. That place has been abandoned for years. No one goes near it—except maybe wild Pokémon. I even tracked down the owner and bought it legally," Li Zhenhua assured him.
"Perfect. Handle everything as you see fit. Keep me posted," Renjiro instructed.
After ending the call, Renjiro turned his attention to the task at hand. Before him were boxes containing the newly acquired Zubat and Houndour. Placing his palms on the boxes, he closed his eyes and focused, channeling the mysterious Evergreen Power that pulsed within him.
This power was rare and potent. It allowed him not only to heal and understand Pokémon, but to help them break through their natural species limitations—a gift that few in history had possessed.
Renjiro had already used this ability on Milotic, enabling it to exceed the natural limits of its kind. Today, he would begin empowering the others.
He concentrated deeply, feeling the drain on his mental strength as the power flowed from his hands into the boxes. The Evergreen Power's effect was astonishing, but it came at a cost. Helping even a single Pokémon break through required immense effort, leaving him exhausted for days afterward. He knew he had to pace himself.
"I'll help a few each day. That's the only way," Renjiro murmured.
He opened his interface to review his progress:
---
Host: Renjiro
Pokémon: Giovanni's Exclusive Beedrill, Milotic
Special Abilities:
Evergreen Power (heal Pokémon, sense their inner thoughts, break through species limitations)
Eye of Insight (see through the information of all things)
Battle Value: 3300
Current Missions:
Train or recruit ten junior trainers
Reward: Summon a Team Rocket Executive
Obtain Mew's gene
Reward: Mewtwo research data
Destroy the Qingyan Cult and become the largest dark organization in the Yanhuang Region
Reward: Depends on completion
Subsystems:
Combat Value Lottery
Combat Value Mall
---
He scrolled further down to view Milotic's updated data after the breakthrough:
---
Milotic
Type: Water
Ability:
Telepathy (communicate mentally with the trainer, anticipate friendly moves)
Competitive (special attack sharply rises if its stats are lowered)
Level: 22
Gender: Female
Moves: Water Pulse, Water Gun, Constriction, Refresh, Disarming Voice, Twister, Dragon Breath (inherited), Water Cycle, Captivate
Species Strength:
HP: 95
Attack: 10 (reduced from 60 to strengthen other stats)
Defense: 79
Special Attack: 120 (boosted)
Special Defense: 155 (boosted)
Speed: 81
---
Milotic's attack stat had been significantly reduced, but in exchange, its special attack and special defense had grown far beyond ordinary limits. This was the true power of breaking through species limitations—remaking a Pokémon into an even more perfect version of itself.
Renjiro exhaled slowly, feeling the toll of today's work settle upon him. His mind was weary, but his spirit burned with determination. Soon, these Pokémon would form the foundation of a Team Rocket unlike any before. A force capable of shaking the very foundations of the Yanhuang Region.
And this was just the beginning.
Tomorrow, he would continue the process, one Pokémon at a time. Every day, they would grow stronger. Every day, Renjiro would inch closer to his goal: building an organization that could not only rival the Alliance but surpass it. A Team Rocket that would never fall, never falter.
Outside, the night deepened, and the stars bore silent witness to the birth of a new era.
---