"Gengar, you got yourself tailed. Looks like we'll have to split the take differently—sixty-forty, your favor."
Facing the sudden appearance of Guo Yi and his Beedrill, Wu Yao didn't show any worry at all. Instead, she calmly discussed the share of their spoils with Gengar as if nothing had changed.
Her confidence wasn't unfounded.
They'd encountered similar situations before, even against opponents who'd had Elite Four–level Feraligatr. They'd handled them effortlessly. A mere Elite Four Beedrill wasn't even worth mentioning.
But this time, unlike before, Gengar didn't respond as usual. Instead, she stared gravely at Beedrill.
"Gengar, what's wrong?"
Wu Yao hadn't seen Gengar wear such a serious expression since the old man's passing.
"Geng! (Be careful, Yao.)"
"Geng! geng. (This Beedrill... isn't normal.)"
Even though Beedrill appeared only at Elite Four level, Gengar felt a powerful sense of danger emanating from it.
This feeling... It's been a long time since I've felt this way.
Ever since escaping that organization and joining the old man, Gengar had rarely encountered such a strong threat.
As Gengar assessed Beedrill, Guo Yi likewise quickly used his [Data Eye] on the duo before him.
[Gengar (Ghost/Poison)]
[Gender: ♀]
[Level: lv78 (Elite Four)]
[Ability: Cursed Body (30% chance to disable an opponent's move upon being hit)]
[Moves: Shadow Ball, Perish Song, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Destiny Bond (frequently used)]
[Tutored Moves: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Phantom Force, Sludge Bomb, Energy Ball]
[Egg Move: Haze]
[Held Item: Spell Tag (Champion-level)]
[Potential: Elite Four (formerly Champion-level)]
[Note: Originally a Champion-level Pokémon, suffered severe trauma during an unknown battle, causing a permanent drop in strength and potential.]
Reading Gengar's stats, Guo Yi's eyes narrowed sharply.
A Champion-level Pokémon with elemental punches and a Champion-grade item... one who was once at Champion-tier strength?
Where did such a powerhouse suddenly come from?
Champions were among the absolute peak of trainers worldwide. He never imagined encountering one—even a fallen Champion—in a quiet village like Yangliu.
And even more shocking—the trainer appeared quite young.
Wu Yao concealed her voice with a modulator and hid herself beneath a black cloak, but Guo Yi's [Data Eye] effortlessly saw through it.
[Wu Yao]
[Age: 20]
[Background: Sophomore at Shanghai Pokémon University]
[Ability: Manipulating humans and wild Pokémon]
[Template Affinity: Agatha (Elite Four of Kanto)]
[Note: Highly talented individual, recommended for recruitment as a student.]
Just twenty years old and already owning a Pokémon once at Champion-level?
Even with the affinity to Agatha of Kanto's Elite Four, Guo Yi found it unbelievable.
Talent or not, Pokémon didn't just leap straight to Champion-tier—unless, like himself, one used special templates to rapidly power-up their Pokémon.
Quickly, Guo Yi realized what likely happened.
That Pokémon probably belonged to her elder and was passed down to her.
This would explain why she was negotiating so casually with Gengar earlier.
"Really, if the Flying Eagle Gang has allies this strong, why not just overwhelm everyone head-on?" Guo Yi muttered disdainfully.
"Instead, they resort to kidnapping? Pathetic."
Guo Yi felt a rising disgust for the mysterious Flying Eagle Gang boss—someone he'd only heard of but never seen. Such overwhelming power, yet they stooped to cheap tricks.
What Guo Yi didn't know was that Wu Yao and the Flying Eagle Gang had only a transactional relationship.
As Guo Yi pondered, Gengar launched another [Shadow Ball], promptly intercepted by Beedrill.
Despite sensing immense danger from Beedrill, Gengar wasn't about to retreat without a fight—she had her pride. She attacked once more, determined to test Beedrill's strength.
Seeing Gengar strike again, Guo Yi abandoned his thoughts and decided to subdue them first. After all, a trainer with affinity to Agatha was far too valuable to let go easily.
"Beedrill, use [Agility] followed by [Pursuit]."
Knowing Gengar's agility was extraordinary, he commanded Beedrill to enhance its speed first.
Bzzz!
Beedrill's transparent wings vibrated rapidly, launching it toward Gengar in a blur. Afterimages briefly filled the air, appearing and vanishing in mere seconds—a testament to Beedrill's incredible speed.
"Gen!"
A sinister smirk reappeared on Gengar's face.
Trying to beat a Ghost-type in speed? You must've never been properly taught a lesson.
Gengar's body flickered and vanished once again, using [Phantom Force] to slip into the shadow dimension. She reappeared right behind Beedrill, firing another [Shadow Ball] at close range.
But Beedrill was no pushover.
Detecting the surge of energy behind him, Beedrill pivoted mid-air effortlessly. His lance, cloaked in Dark-type energy, shattered the incoming [Shadow Ball] and kept thrusting straight toward Gengar.
After all, Beedrill wielded two lances.
Caught off guard by Beedrill's reaction speed, Gengar had no time to vanish again. Forced into a desperate counter, her fists ignited with fierce flames as she threw a [Fire Punch] to meet Beedrill's attack head-on.
But physical combat wasn't Gengar's forte. Even with elemental advantage, she couldn't match Beedrill's raw power.
Their clash was brief—Beedrill easily overpowered Gengar, knocking her backward.
This brief exchange made it painfully clear to Gengar: getting close was a bad idea. She hastily distanced herself again with [Phantom Force], switching to ranged attacks—[Shadow Balls] and [Sludge Bombs]—in a continuous barrage.
For a moment, Gengar and Beedrill traded blows evenly, locked in a fierce stalemate.
"No wonder he dared follow us—this Beedrill really isn't ordinary," Wu Yao murmured quietly, impressed yet still calm.
"Fortunately, I planned ahead. Otherwise, this job might've actually failed."
Wu Yao's psychic energy stirred within her.
In the darkness, countless eerie eyes slowly opened, glowing ominously from deep within the forest.