Chapter 121: If You Don't Seek Death, You Won't Die
After checking and confirming that there were indeed 150,000 Pokédollars on the card, Silas's smile became even brighter. With money as a motivator, his efficiency was unparalleled.
He even made a special trip out, pretending to request something from his superiors. In less than an hour, everything was processed. The trainer ID card, along with a normal identification, was handed to Surge. Pichu was also registered without any issue.
"Would you like more tea?" Silas said, extremely solicitous. It would have been strange if he wasn't. He had just earned a massive payday. It was just unknown if he could hold onto it.
"No need. You've worked hard," Giovanni said, rising gently. Mars and Surge also stood up.
"Not at all!" Silas's smile was incredibly radiant. "It's what I, as a League member, should do. Come, I'll see you off." He was eager to send them away quickly, lest Giovanni regret it.
After leaving the building, Surge couldn't help but ask, "Boss, it's obvious that guy was just tricking us out of our money. Why did we let him?"
"You actually noticed," Giovanni said, rubbing his head.
"It was easy to see," Surge replied. "He treated us like suckers."
Giovanni smiled without speaking. Mars irritably patted Surge's head. "Idiot. If you can see it, do you think the Boss couldn't?"
"Then, Boss," Surge looked at him with some confusion, "what do you mean?"
"Go," Giovanni turned and instructed Mars. "Find out where this guy lives. Three days from now, when we leave Vermilion City, I want his head. And his family's."
"Yes, Boss," Mars assented. "What about the 150,000 Pokédollars?"
"Since he's willing to use that money to buy his life," Giovanni glanced behind him and replied casually, "then let him have it for a few days."
"Yes, your subordinate understands," Mars nodded.
Surge, hearing this, felt a chill run down his spine. Giovanni had sentenced the man to death the moment he planned to swindle them.
"You are a smart person," Giovanni said, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Since you've chosen this path, you must keep walking it. Because you no longer have a chance to turn back."
"Yes, your subordinate understands," Surge said, bowing his head.
"Look at this place," Giovanni said, making him look at the building behind them. "For them, 150,000 Pokédollars is nothing— but they are unwilling to let commoners like you use this money.
If one person took out 150,000, it could support fifteen children, couldn't it? Ultimately, human hearts are greedy. And the most important point is that they don't even think you are worthy of using that money. For commoners, even survival is a luxury."
After hearing these words, Surge looked at the building, his eyes filled with disgust. As a commoner who had barely survived at the bottom, how could he not understand that everything Giovanni said was true?
"Evil is relative," Giovanni said, stepping forward. "Without hypocrisy, where would extreme evil come from?"
Surge silently followed, striding forward. A little further back, Mars gently lowered the hand resting on his waist and followed as well. No matter how well they had gotten along on the ship, if Surge had dared to defy Giovanni, Mars would have killed him.
— — —
The next day, a captain came to pick up Surge. Archer had already communicated with him, discussing resources and opportunities for advancement. They were not short of money; what they wanted was for Surge to climb as high as possible.
"This is called a Magnet," Giovanni said, giving the boy the item he had taken from Serena Star's Pikachu. "It should be enough to support your Pichu evolving into a Pikachu. I will have someone prepare Pokémon food and other supplies for you. Just focus on becoming stronger."
In these two days, Surge had completely thought things through. He already had an extreme admiration for Giovanni. Once he had processed it all, he was completely conquered.
He was a person who was barely surviving, and now he had the chance to soar. He would seize it well. Even if he was in the darkness, what of it?
He knelt on one knee before Giovanni, lowering his head. "Yes! Your subordinate will definitely not let down your expectations!"
"I believe in you," Giovanni said, not helping him up. "When you are strong enough, I will pave the way for your future. All I want is your loyalty."
"Yes!" Surge lowered his head further. "Your subordinate will not hesitate!"
Only after seeing that these were his true feelings did Giovanni pull him up. "Go. I will visit you when I have time. Once you come out, you will officially join the organization."
Surge nodded vigorously and walked to the captain's side. The captain, who was Archer's comrade-in-arms, glanced at Giovanni and respectfully nodded to him. He knew what kind of power and status a person who could make Archer submit must possess.
Surge had embarked on the path he was meant to take. It was just unknown whether he could move faster and climb higher this time.
"Can that person be trusted?" Giovanni asked Archer, who had walked back.
"No problem," Archer assured him. "Your subordinate has already arranged everything."
But Giovanni did not completely trust him just because of that assurance. "We still don't have enough manpower. In two years, you bring people to invite his family to a location covered by the organization. I want absolute certainty."
"Yes," Archer replied, not daring to refuse. "Your subordinate will personally handle this matter."