Feng Che arrived beneath the crooked-neck tree.
He gently peeled back the bark, revealing a secret passage large enough for a person to enter. The tunnel led downward, and in the slivers of filtered sunlight, Feng Che could see the beginning of a stone staircase.
The passage was pitch black. Feeling his way along the wall, Feng Che began his descent, but he didn't dare move too quickly. He wasn't sure what lay waiting in the shadows; in a place like this, caution was the only thing that kept you alive.
I should be safe this far in, Feng Che thought, trying to steady his breathing.
However, to be certain, he activated his eavesdropping ability. If there were any Pokémon in this tunnel, their thoughts would betray them long before they struck.
[Hahaha! Another human has stumbled in! I love being stationed here.]
[Most of them think that finding the base means the trial is over, so they drop their guard. They have no idea this is the most lethal part of the gauntlet.]
[I can't wait to tear open this human's throat and drink the hot, fresh blood straight from his arteries!]
I see. The real danger is right here.
The moment Feng Che heard the bloodthirsty thoughts, he retreated instantly.
[Hey, where's that human going?]
[Don't leave! Come back! My meal is walking away!]
[It's too bright out there, I don't want to go out... Wail!]
The internal cries of the hidden Pokémon allowed Feng Che to identify its species immediately. It was a staple of Team Rocket's arsenal: Zubat.
Zubat were deep blue bats with purple wing membranes and ear interiors. When they opened their mouths wide, four sharp white fangs were visible. Their eyes were so tiny they were virtually invisible, often leading people to believe they were eyeless. They possessed two long, thin tails forming a V-shape, which some speculated were actually slender legs.
Feng Che was certain it was a Zubat—not just because they were common, but because they loved the dark and craved blood. A Zubat reached 100% combat effectiveness only in total darkness. Being nocturnal, their strength dropped by more than half in the daylight.
As for Golbat? While they shared the same traits, their levels were much higher. A standard entry-level trial wouldn't use Golbat; a human might survive a Zubat attack, but a Golbat would latch onto a carotid artery and drain a person dry in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but a husk. The areas surrounding their nests were often littered with the desiccated remains of humans and Pokémon alike.
I picked some Milu Grass by the stream earlier. It's time to put it to use.
As a Breeding Master, Feng Che never let useful herbs go to waste. He pulled the Milu Grass from his bracelet. It was a lovely-looking plant, covered in white fluff like a dandelion, with tender green stems.
Milu Grass acts as a primitive sedative. In small doses, it can calm a confused Pokémon. In larger concentrations, it forces them into a deep slumber.
I don't have time to concoct a proper potion, but the raw application will suffice.
Feng Che plucked the white, dandelion-like tufts and sparked his lighter. As the flames licked the petals, they turned charred and yellow, releasing a thick, sweet fragrance that lingered in the air.
He tossed the smoldering Milu Grass into the tunnel and quickly pulled the bark cover shut, sealing the scent inside.
He waited.
Eventually, he heard a series of soft thuds—the sound of bodies hitting the floor.
Feng Che peeled back the bark again. He lit a makeshift torch made of oily brambles he had gathered earlier and called out Poliwag to douse his jacket with water. Wrapping the damp cloth around his face as a makeshift filter, he stepped back into the passage.
The oily thorns burned with a pungent black smoke, but they lasted a long time. As the orange light flickered against the walls, he reached the bottom of the stairs and saw a long corridor.
The light revealed four Zubat sprawled on the ground, out cold. They were sleeping so deeply they were actually drooling, their tiny snores echoing off the stone walls.
Feng Che's eyes lit up at the sight.
"Do these Zubat count as points?" he wondered aloud.
The letter had mentioned using Poké Balls to capture Pokémon, but it hadn't explicitly said that was the only way.
"The rules didn't say I couldn't use my own methods. These are captures I made through my own skill."
He used his remaining lengths of thorny vine to tie the Zubat up securely. Then, like a man walking a pack of dogs, he began dragging the unconscious bats deeper into the tunnel. There were six in total; one was significantly larger than the rest.
This big one must be the one I heard earlier, Feng Che thought, giving it a light nudge with his boot. It didn't budge, just continued to leak saliva while snoring.
A colony always has a leader. This one likely decides who lives or dies and gets first pick of the prey.
He continued for another ten meters until he reached a heavy door—the true entrance to the Team Rocket base. Behind him, the corridor still smelled faintly of the sweet Milu sedative.
He wondered which unlucky soul would be the next to walk into his trap.