Just as Alice returned to her seat to prepare for the landing, a clear, melodious voice suddenly resonated within Feng Che's mind.
"Hello, Mr. Feng Che. My name is Jiade Tianchen. We've met—I was the one sitting next to you in the cafeteria."
"I am currently communicating with you via telepathy."
Feng Che turned his head and, sure enough, saw the young man with the worn-out glasses blinking at him in acknowledgment.
"My partner is Drowzee. We are still weak, and I wish to form an alliance with you, much like that young lady did," Tianchen's voice continued in his head.
"Forgive me, I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping. My psychic training is a passive thing, and I happened to pick up your conversation because you were sitting so close." Tianchen added apologetically.
"And what exactly do you have to offer that would interest me?" Feng Che asked mentally, keeping his expression neutral.
"I can teach you how to awaken psychic powers. Not the secret techniques passed down through the main branch of the Jiade family, but a training method I discovered in an ancient text."
"I am the weakest psychic in the Jiade clan. That is why I had no choice but to join Team Rocket. I am painfully aware that I lack survival skills," Tianchen admitted with surprising bluntness.
"However, if it were a pure Pokémon battle, I wouldn't lose to anyone. My Drowzee is young, but under the amplification of my psychic energy, it can unleash devastating power."
"Team Rocket's evaluation methods change every year. Sometimes it's a standard tournament; sometimes it's wilderness survival. But our batch is being groomed for the Elite Special Ops. The stakes are much higher. Word is the projected mortality rate is 90%—meaning of the 100 people here, only 9 are expected to survive."
"My abilities are perfect for gathering intelligence. I know many secrets," Tianchen explained. "I can speak to Pokémon, and most importantly, I have a way to unlock your own latent psychic talent."
This last chip was the one that tipped the scales for Feng Che.
"Fine," Feng Che nodded slightly. "Once we land on the island, our alliance begins."
"But you have to help me awaken those powers," Feng Che insisted. He knew awakening was incredibly difficult, but the utility of psychic abilities was too great to ignore. High-level psychics could use Ally Switch, Teleport, or even warp space itself. Even just the ability to give silent commands in battle would give him a massive advantage.
"Whether you can truly awaken isn't entirely up to me, but I can drastically increase your success rate. I've tracked the celestial alignments; soon we will experience the 'Nine-Star Alignment.' On that day, the veil is thin, and awakening becomes much easier," Tianchen messaged back.
After finalizing the verbal agreement, Feng Che leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Exhaustion from the previous days caught up to him, and he drifted into a light sleep.
When he woke up, the transport was already banking over the waters surrounding Death Island.
"We have reached the drop zone over Death Island. The final evaluation begins now!" Instructor Viper's voice boomed over the intercom.
"We have buried numerous caches across the island—Poké Balls, rations, and survival gear. Your objective is simple: survive for one month."
"During this month, you must guard against wild Pokémon and your fellow candidates while gathering herbs and Pokémon. I will state this clearly: only captures made with the 'Special Rocket Balls' found in the hidden caches will count toward your final score."
"Gather resources. Prove your worth. In one month, we will return. Only the top 20 participants with the highest resource scores will be allowed to leave. The rest... well, you'll stay on Death Island until the next batch of recruits arrives. Though, I personally hope you'll just thin each other out—loneliness is a terrible thing to endure."
Feng Che finally understood the reason for the rigorous curriculum. The exams and training were designed to give them a fighting chance in this hellscape.
He immediately retrieved the life jacket and parachute from under his seat and strapped them on. Looking out the window at the azure sky, he noticed a massive bank of dark clouds moving steadily toward the island.
That storm looks nasty, he thought. Once I land, the first priority is finding a cave. If I get soaked and my body temperature drops, a fever in the wild is a death sentence.
"The first hurdle of the trial is the drop," Viper announced. "The plane will circle for thirty minutes. Anyone still on board after that time will be demoted to a permanent laborer and stripped of all rights to become a formal member."
Feng Che looked around the cabin. Every face was etched with fear and grim determination.
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