In the game, Feng Che had been a top-tier Trainer, a master of various throwing techniques. For low-level Pokémon, he didn't even need to weaken them; he could achieve a "full health" capture simply through the precision of his throw.
This was rooted in the theory of Pokémon biology. Every Pokémon possesses a critical "energy node." If a Poké Ball strikes this node exactly, it can momentarily disrupt the flow of energy within the Pokémon's body, significantly increasing the capture rate. To pull this off, one needed a deep understanding of Pokémon anatomy and perfect control over throwing force.
Looking at the Pokémon in the immediate area, Feng Che noted their levels were generally low. While he couldn't claim a 100% success rate, he was confident he could hit 90% at the very least.
Before now, he had been hampered by his status as an undocumented citizen. In the Pokémon world, buying Poké Balls was technically simple—all you needed was a resident ID and the cash. For Feng Che, however, that was an insurmountable wall.
The League strictly prohibited shops from selling Poké Balls to anyone without identification. This law was intended to crack down on crime and prevent the formation of illegal violent organizations, but it had left the identity-less Feng Che in a desperate bind. Regular shops required a Trainer's Pokedex or ID, and League law dictated that Trainers could not resell Poké Balls privately. Any Trainer caught doing so faced a lifetime ban from official competitions—a devastating blow for anyone with professional aspirations.
Consequently, no matter how much Feng Che pleaded or how many dozens of times over the market price he offered, no one was willing to risk the League's wrath to sell to him.
"I didn't expect that simply joining the Team Rocket Reserve selection would net me four Poké Balls right off the bat."
He carefully inspected the balls. Team Rocket had scrubbed the identification and tracking chips clean. These Poké Balls couldn't be used with the League's PC transfer system; if a League official ever scanned them, the owner would find themselves "dropping the soap" in prison.
"Still, while these four balls are fine for catching transition Pokémon, they won't do for my main team."
The letter had subtly hinted that captured Pokémon would be counted as points. This likely meant he had to hand them over to the organization to get credit. Feng Che knew that wild Pokémon generally had poor potential, which was why both the League and Team Rocket maintained their own ranches—capturing high-potential specimens and breeding them over generations to refine their stats.
As a master breeder, Feng Che had his own methods for judging potential. With the added help of the System, identifying a diamond in the rough was child's play.
"As for finding the base entrance, that shouldn't be hard either."
"You can locate the base just by judging the signs of travel. The more people that move in and out of a place, the more obvious the cracks in the camouflage become."
"Besides, I have the ability to eavesdrop on Pokémon. They should know exactly where Team Rocket members come and go. That will lead me straight to the entrance."
He was brimming with confidence.
"Now then, what should my first capture be?"
Feng Che knew that his best bet for a first catch was the "Regional Bird" of Kanto: Pidgey. A Pidgey with the Keen Eye ability would make scouting for the base much easier, and a Flying-type could assist in capturing other Pokémon.
"But Pidgeys aren't easy to snatch; they're incredibly alert."
Pidgeys resembled sparrows from his old world. Their plumage was an unassuming brown, allowing them to blend into the underbrush and hide from predators. They were docile by nature and preferred to avoid conflict. When threatened, they would often use Sand Attack to create a screen of dust before fleeing.
"The food supply in this part of the forest is meager. I don't even need the System to tell me the potential of the Pokémon here will be trash."
Feng Che surveyed the surroundings—mostly low, stunted shrubs. He sniffed the air, but there was no trace of the sweet, characteristic fragrance of Berries. Pokémon flourished in environments with abundant food; if they spent their days starving, their physical development would suffer.
He pushed aside some tall grass and spotted a startled Caterpie. It was exceptionally scrawny.
"I need to move to a different area. But to avoid getting lost, I'd better leave a mark."
Feng Che drew his dagger and carved a cross into a nearby tree, then looked up at the sun. By observing the direction of leaf growth and the sun's position, he accurately determined his orientation.
He continued deeper into the forest, occasionally plucking useful herbs or Berries and stashing them in his spatial bracelet. In his focus on finding a Pokémon, he didn't notice the tiny camera lenses hidden among the leaves.
"Oh ho, now that's a promising sprout. He's already processed so much information since waking up."
Tyron stroked the Meowth while speaking to the Captain.
"May I ask what you noticed, sir?" the Captain asked, swallowing nervously.
"When he woke up, the first thing he did was alertly scan the terrain. Only after confirming it was safe did he open the letter we left. That shows extreme caution."
"Furthermore, he judged that the potential of the Pokémon in this immediate area was poor based on the environment alone." Tyron watched Feng Che's departure on the monitor, knowing exactly what the boy was planning. "I'm an expert in Pokémon hunting, and my assessment is the same: there are no worthwhile catches there. Look, the boy didn't even give those Pokémon a second glance."
Tyron pointed out several creatures on the screen: a puny Pidgey, an Oddish hiding underground, and a Caterpie chewing on a leaf.
"Finally, he checked the sun's position and marked the tree with his dagger. I'm willing to bet he'll be in the top ten of this selection."
Tyron spoke with absolute certainty.