He had obtained this map from the Pokémon Hunter he defeated back at Meteor Falls.
At that time, the fellow had used this map as a bargaining chip to save his own life.
Jiang Han's fingers lightly brushed over the conspicuous red cross on the map, his gaze becoming deep.
This wasn't the first time he had obtained something like this.
His second Pokémon, Inkay, along with that Strange Stone which could significantly boost Psychic powers, were found using a Treasure Map left behind by pirates.
However, there was a fundamental difference between the origins of the two maps.
The pirate's map was something Jiang Han had scavenged from a pile of corpses, something the other party had carefully cherished on their person.
But the one before him was a chip used by a person to plead for their life before death.
Jiang Han understood this clearly in his heart.
The former had a high probability of hiding truly good things.
The latter, however, might just be a gimmick to cheat for a chance at life, or even worse, the location marked by the red cross could be a dead-end trap!
"Meteor Falls?" Jiang Han murmured.
He had a deep impression of that place.
A peculiar magnetic field, rich mineral deposits, and... powerful wild Pokémon.
When he went to Meteor Falls back then, he only moved around the outer areas and didn't dare to venture too deep.
Because he knew very well that such a place was truly occupied by high-level Pokémon.
If he rashly intruded into the territory of some powerful Pokémon, he might not even know how he died.
Judging by the rough lines, the location marked on the map was unexpectedly deep within Meteor Falls.
Jiang Han spread the map flat on the table, tapped his finger on the red cross, and fell into deep thought.
To go, or not to go?
Wealth is sought amidst danger.
But pointless risk-taking is just stupidity.
With his current strength, venturing deep into Meteor Falls with three Pokémon barely over level twenty was no different from seeking death.
"I should wait until my strength improves a bit more before going to investigate."
Jiang Han quickly made a decision.
He wasn't the type of person to be blinded by treasure; caution was his greatest asset that allowed him to survive until now.
He refolded the map and carefully tucked it back into a pocket of his backpack.
Just then, a slight vibration broke the silence of the room.
Buzz... Buzz... Jiang Han took out his pokédex, and the screen displayed an encrypted message that had just been received.
His pupils constricted slightly as he clicked on the message.
The content of the message was simple, just one line of text, but it made Jiang Han's expression turn serious instantly.
"Team Rocket Executive summoning message!"
Well then.
Jiang Han knew that an organization like Team Rockets would absolutely not miss the opportunity presented by Mauville City's grand Food Festival.
He just didn't expect them to move so quickly, and for it to be an executive-level summons right from the start.
This meant that Team Rockets was about to make a big move in Mauville City!
And he, as a Team Rocket Executive planted in the Hoenn region, was naturally among those being summoned.
Jiang Han's eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Trouble was coming.
This organization, which held the pursuit of profit as its highest goal, had a sense of smell sharper than any Pokémon.
Where there are people, there is business, and where there is business, there are Team Rockets.
The summoning location was somewhat unexpected.
The message indicated the location was inside a recently completed skyscraper in the center of Mauville City.
At the top of the building, four metallic characters stood proudly under the sunlight—Violet Company!
When Jiang Han saw the name, he couldn't help but exclaim inwardly.
The scale of this move was simply too large.
To directly name their company after the city right under the League's nose was no longer just arrogance; it was a blatant declaration.
"Turning a company directly into a landmark is very much in line with Team Rockets' style," Jiang Han thought to himself.
In his view, Giovanni was on a completely different level compared to the leaders of evil organizations in other regions.
While Team Aqua and Team Magma were still fighting tooth and nail over primitive land and sea, and while Galactic Team was still dreaming of creating a new world, Giovanni had already extended Team Rockets' commercial tentacles into every corner of the League.
The former were just brawling thugs, while the latter was a calculating tycoon building a massive underground empire.
Making money was the ultimate truth.
Jiang Han put away his pokédex, took out an inconspicuous black jacket from the closet to change into, and at the same time, took out a familiar mask from a hidden compartment.
Unlike other Team Rocket Executives, Jiang Han's identity was very special.
Wearing the mask, he was that cold-blooded Team Rocket Executive, a core member under Athena.
Taking off the mask, he was a Core Lineage Trainer of the League with an infinitely bright future.
Walking out of the Pokémon Center, the streets of Mauville City were teeming with crowds, the air filled with the aroma of food and the laughter of people, a prosperous festive scene.
Jiang Han moved through the crowd, looking out of place amidst the joyful atmosphere; he was like a silent shadow, heading purposefully toward that giant tower in the city center.
The Violet Company building was like a black sword piercing the sky, its structure composed of reflective black glass curtain walls and steel, modern and cold, making all the surrounding buildings look small by comparison.
Standing below the building and looking up, Jiang Han felt that the architecture itself was radiating an invisible sense of pressure.
He straightened his collar and walked into the automatically opening glass doors.
The scene in the lobby confirmed Team Rockets' financial power once again.
Beneath his feet was a polished black marble floor reflecting the massive crystal chandelier on the ceiling; the light was bright but not glaring. A high-end woody incense wafted through the air, completely isolating the noise from the outside world.
The most eye-catching features were the four giant stone statues standing on either side of the lobby.
Each one was over three meters tall and shaped like a Dragonite.
The statues were carved entirely from polished Obsidian, their surfaces smooth and muscle lines full of power. Pigeon-blood rubies were embedded in the eyes, flickering with a deep light under the lamps as if they were living things coldly watching everyone who entered the lobby.
"What a tasteless way to show off wealth," Jiang Han commented in his heart.
Using the image of Dragonite, a Pokémon known for being gentle and kind, to carve such oppressive guards was something only Team Rockets could do.
Several receptionists in well-tailored black and red uniforms showed no surprise upon seeing the masked Jiang Han. One of them immediately stepped forward with elegant strides to greet him.
Her smile was impeccable, but deep in her eyes was a professional indifference.
"Executive Sir, please follow me. The meeting room is ready."
There was no unnecessary talk; the other party had clearly recognized his identity through the mask.
Jiang Han nodded slightly and followed her toward the internal private elevator.
The elevator's interior walls were made of expensive rosewood; it operated smoothly and silently at an extremely fast speed.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened on the top floor, revealing a long corridor.
There were no windows on either side of the corridor, and the walls were made of dark grey metal. Only hidden light strips along the floor and ceiling edges provided illumination, creating a deep and chilling atmosphere.
Every ten meters, an exquisitely framed painting hung on the wall, depicting various Legendary Pokémon. Each one was lifelike, their eyes filled with divine majesty.
This was no longer just showing off wealth; it was a display of ambition.
At the end of the corridor was a heavy double door.
The receptionist pushed the door open for him and respectfully bowed as she stepped aside.
"Executive Sir, please."
Jiang Han stepped inside.
The scene inside the meeting room instantly shattered the high-end atmosphere created outside.
The room was massive, with a U-shaped black wood conference table in the center that could accommodate thirty people, but at the moment, cigarette ash and wine stains were visible everywhere on the table.
The air was thick with the murky scent of cigars, alcohol, and male sweat mixed together.
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