Pokémon Detective Case Files.

“When Officer Jenny and I entered the mansion, Miss Zina followed us the whole time. She didn’t use any communication devices like doorbells or telephones. You couldn’t have received any notification while you were in the basement. How did you know we had arrived?”

"Also, since the desk lamp in the basement room is for writing, why didn't we find any of the pens, paper, documents, or notes that you used daily when we searched the room? Were they moved along the way?"

"In addition, when we investigated the computer monitor, we found that the machine was in a standby state that required a password to turn on. In standby mode, power to all computer devices except the memory is cut off, and only the memory relies on power to maintain the data in it—there's something strange about that too."

Faced with the Sinnoh champion's persistent questioning, Meidan pointed towards the entrance of the Forest Mansion—

"The reason I was able to sense your arrival was because I was in the basement at the time, and I heard a rumbling sound coming from upstairs, so of course I had to go upstairs to check the situation. Then, I saw the two of you coming in through the front door."

For a moment, the sarcastic smile he had when they first met seemed to have returned to the corners of his mouth.

"Hmph... Before meeting you, I made a special detour to see the view outside the gate, and it was quite a magnificent sight."

"I see. So it was the sound of trees falling that carried into the underground space." Zhu Lan nodded. "The entrance to the basement is located in a blind spot of the main entrance. It seems you went around us back then."

"And those missing manuscripts and notes were moved by me while you were fighting Neil's assistant. Since they were all small items, I could have carried them all in one trip. After all, those materials were related to the android project, and I didn't want to cause trouble for my old classmate's plan because of my own reasons. In fact, I was the one who instigated that fight between Neil and you," the biology professor continued.

Upon suddenly hearing his name called, the assistant, who had been standing silently to the side, lowered his head in embarrassment.

"That guy is clearly talented in research, but he's always thinking about venturing into the combat arena. I thought I'd take this opportunity to give him a little warning, so before we officially met, I had him come here to stall for time. Knowing his personality, I figured he'd challenge you, Champion Bamboo Orchid, without hesitation after seeing the order, and that's exactly what I expected—but I didn't expect him to arrive so early, especially with Vinnie."

Zhu Lan expressed her opinion tactfully: "To be praised as talented by Professor Mei Dan, it seems that Neil's research ability is much higher than his combat skills."

"Of course, not just anyone is qualified to be my assistant."

The old man ignored the implied meaning in the conversation and spoke arrogantly, which made his assistant Neil look at Medan with gratitude.

"Last one, is there a problem with the computer's lock screen?" Mei Dan frowned, puzzled by the third question.

"It's fine on a normal person's computer, but Professor Meidan, your monitor needs to be on for a long time to display the list, so it's impossible for it to be set to automatically go into standby mode after a certain period of inactivity—this means that Professor Meidan, you personally set the computer to standby mode."

"Of course I turned it off myself, to save electricity. I don't think there's anything strange about that," the professor said dismissively.

“But Professor Medan, I can assure you that when Officer Jenny and I stepped into the basement, your computer clusters were absolutely powered on.”

The Sinnoh champion closed his eyes, recalling once again the moment he stepped into the basement of the Forest Mansion.

Those were countless towering computer mainframes. And—

The tiny lights indicate that "the machine is running".

Like a fluorescent green starry sky.

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask Ms. Officer Jenny. By the way, my Rotom phone also took pictures of the server room at the time—the indicator lights on those mainframes were undoubtedly lit. We could even hear the sound of the cooling fins churning the air. Do you have any clues about this?” Zhu Lan asked politely.

However, all that responded to him was Mei Dan's anxious mutterings—

"...That can't be right. A computer in standby mode would never have that kind of light on. It was completely dark when I left the basement. What's going on?"

After racking his brains for a long time, the old man turned his pleading gaze to Zhu Lan again: "Champion Zhu Lan, what you said... is it true?"

The blond champion was about to nod.

Meanwhile, Officer Jenny and Hayden's meeting was nearing its end.

Neil and Venetian were exchanging glances discreetly.

Miss Zina was already dozing off while hugging the giant vine.

Just then, suddenly—

"boom!"

Boom boom ...

A tremendous roar erupted from beneath everyone's feet.

Chapter 293 The Solution – The Stars Slowly Closed Their Eyes

When a perplexing event occurs in real life—especially when such an event happens to result in bloodshed, injury, or even a horrific death—the underlying malice becomes blatantly obvious. Yet, it happens in a remote, inaccessible area where the police cannot reach quickly. Adding to the misfortune, the weather is typhoon or blizzard, and a nearby landslide conveniently blocks traffic. The Pokémon mounts that could have carried their owners to safety are rendered immobile. Even attempts to call for help via cell phone are hampered by interrupted or blocked electronic signals. As a result, all those involved in the case are forced to sit anxiously in a confined space, sharing a room with their injured companions, a bloodied corpse, a bloodstained crime scene, and a terrifying perpetrator lurking in the shadows. In this extremely awkward situation, those involved often lament, "If only a famous detective from a mystery novel were here."

If it were a famous detective, the other party would definitely be able to quickly see through the truth, identify the murderer from among the suspects, and thus protect the innocent people present... at least that's how it's always portrayed in novels, comics, and TV series.

However, this logic is flawed.

So-called private investigators are simply individuals who conduct investigations on behalf of private clients.

Most of their work involves searching for missing Pokémon, as well as investigating extramarital affairs, premarital investigations, and debt investigations—the kind of mundane, low-class tasks that are hardly respectable.

Even the most renowned practitioners may not be able to see through the complex truth of a murder case in the confined space where it occurs; even if they do see through it, they may not be able to do so quickly, and even if they are quick, they may not be able to directly identify the murderer; and even if they do eventually identify the murderer, they may not be able to protect the innocent people involved in the case.

When it comes to the ability to act simply as a protector, the so-called "famous detective" may not even be as good as a decent police officer; not to mention those trainers who carry powerful Pokémon and are best at adapting to changing situations in battle.

Therefore, in the snow-covered mountain villa, more than a famous detective, the noble person who stands at the pinnacle of all trainers is the strongest protector one can find in this world. The place where such a person resides is the safest place in the world.

The famous detective is not the nemesis of the locked-room mystery.

The champion is the one.

.

Just as the first tremor came from underground, the Sinnoh Champion, who was in the Forest Mansion, had already taken action.

Faced with an overwhelming sense of crisis, as if by muscle memory, Cynthia released all five Poké Balls she was carrying in an instant.

Apart from Garchomp, which was temporarily borrowed by the detective, Rockruff, Roserade, Gastrodon, Togekiss, and Lucario all made an appearance.

Even before the red glow of the Pokémon enveloping the Poké Ball had faded, she spoke, calling out to everyone in unison with Officer Jenny, who had just regained her senses—

"Everyone, gather around here immediately!"

Before the words were even finished, the first wave of impact had already arrived.

The once solid ground seemed to instantly transform into a rickety, swaying chair, and the entire building appeared to be floating on a stormy sea.

Moreover, as time ticked by, the tremors emanating from the soles of their feet grew stronger and stronger. Mei Dan and the others, who had just frantically sprang into action, began to stagger and lose their balance.

"Lower your center of gravity!" Officer Jenny shouted sharply.

But the sound was immediately drowned out by the noise of the surrounding furniture shaking and collapsing. In addition, the rumbling sound from underground continued to assault everyone's eardrums, and it grew louder and louder.

The once quaint and luxurious Forest Mansion has been reduced to a mess in an instant, its elegance and mystery gone.

Everyone was in a panic. The atmosphere that had been there before, with everyone sitting across from each other, each with their own hidden agendas, discussing the matter, seemed to have never existed.

Miss Venetian instinctively tried to grab the wall for support amidst the dizzying spin, but was sternly stopped by Champion Bamboo Orchid—

"Everyone, get away from the walls of this Forest Mansion—Lucario!"

"Roar!"

Lucario, who was originally supporting himself on the ground with one hand to sense the aura, heard the trainer's call and immediately acted with lightning speed without needing any further commands. He pulled up the two young men, Vinissa and Neil, who were leaning against the wall, one in each hand, and moved them into the interior of the reception room.

The current situation confirms a certain conjecture that has been swirling in Zhu Lan's mind.

In that conjecture, the most terrifying thing is not the earthquake at present, but the entity that caused the earthquake, and the terrible obsession that has been lingering in this Forest Mansion for hundreds of years!

"...Could it be Arceus, the creator god of this world, has descended? Could my experiment have truly verified the existence of that god hovering above the universe? Is that so? But why did it have to happen at this particular time..."

Mei Dan knelt on the ground, supporting himself on the table, muttering something unintelligible. He was facing the opposite direction from Zhu Lan, so the champion couldn't see whether the atheist's face showed excited elation or desperate sorrow as his beliefs crumbled.

However, with the earth groaning incessantly, Zhu Lan had no time to dwell on the reclusive old man's expression; she had more important things to do—

Roserade! Use "Roots" to stabilize the ground!

"Tokiss! The Mysterious Guardian!"

"Sea Gastrodon, create your 'Stands' to surround everyone!"

As soon as the command was given, the champion's Pokémon immediately began to display their unique abilities.

But the rumbling from underground grew stronger and stronger, as if some creature from the depths of the world was marching towards them with unstoppable strides. The former was clearly a step too slow.

Boom—

The wooden planks broke, the beams collapsed, the stairs broke, and the second-floor rooms were reduced to ruins in the turbulent building.

If Gastrodon and Togekiss hadn't used their attacks to block them, the sheer volume of debris falling from the sky would have completely engulfed everyone present.

Maid Zina fled in panic under the cover of the giant vine. Although the giant vine had evolved to its final stage, it was completely useless compared to Cynthia's Pokémon. In fact, when she tried to use "Vine Whip" to block the steel bars falling from the sky, just like Roserade, she was injured and had to be saved by Togekiss's "Air Slash".

rumbling—

The earth tore open with huge cracks, and the ground that had not yet been "rooted" and covered by Roseradore crumbled and sank inch by inch, revealing the scene inside the basement.

Naturally, those computer clusters that were once lined up like a fluorescent green night sky were now completely destroyed, lying scattered and broken in the underground pit.

The android's head fell silently into the darkness, but no one cared or paid any attention.

"Master, be careful!" Manager Aying helped her employer who was about to fall, but her cheek was grazed by a piece of gravel that bounced up from the ground.

"Damn it! What on earth is going on?!"

Director Hayden screamed in despair, looking hopefully at Officer Jenny who had questioned him earlier, hoping to hear some reassuring information.

however--

"What exactly is that thing down there?"

Officer Jenny stood frozen in place, murmuring to herself. The businessman saw that fear had solidified on Officer Jenny's usually composed face.

Then, he noticed it too—

A milky white light slowly illuminated the basement where Professor Medan was summoning the gods.

The light grew brighter and brighter, as if something was about to break through the barriers of time and space, cross the boundary between reality and illusion, and arrive in this world...

Its essential nature seems to be obvious at a glance.

That thing... could it be the one Mei Dan was researching?

So that's how it is. To gain knowledge that proves the existence of gods, one must pay a corresponding price.

Hayden instantly understood the situation.

Something has started the computing program in the basement mainframe. Even though no one is sitting in the basement monitoring, and the computer screens aren't even turned on, the electronic data flowing through the computer cluster is still under divine watch.

So, you could say this is fate... Just as Medan was enthusiastically introducing his atheistic theory to the mythologists, that sacred name finally emerged from among nine billion possibilities.

Beyond the broken window lay an endless night, and in the face of boundless brilliance, even the stars seemed to close their eyes in embarrassment.

"So this is the return on my investment," Hayden thought to himself.

He closed his eyes and decided to accept it all.

Behind the entrepreneur, the elderly professor, supported by his assistant and daughter, stared blankly at the white light in front of him.

A few cloudy tears slid uncontrollably from the corners of his eyes; for the first time in his life, he felt regret.

Am I, and the beliefs I hold, a little too arrogant?

Whether in science or religion, maintaining a basic sense of awe in the face of the unknown may not be simply foolish, but rather a form of risk management based on empiricism.

He ignored the risks and, together with Hayden, ventured into the forbidden zone of ignorance.

They narrowly escaped with the androids that time. But this time, it seems he messed up.

The white light grew increasingly intense, making one feel as if they were at the center of a white hole, to the point that even the continuous tremors seemed somewhat subdued.

Mei Dan had no awareness of the importance of seeking enlightenment in the morning and dying in the evening. He felt even more guilty for dragging so many people into danger with him.

But when he faced this pure white light, the part of him that was governed by reason still couldn't help but start to think.

Is this truly the light that appeared at the beginning of the world?

Just then—

"Flower Rock Monster! 'Trick Space'!"

The Sinnoh champion's clear voice pierced through the frozen space and time.

Responding to the trainer's will, a shadowy, purplish-gray void appeared abruptly, like an ink spot on white paper. A shimmering light appeared at the center of the ink spot, forming a green ghost face that kept changing shape.

It is none other than the sealed Pokémon that Cyndaquil Champion is so proud of and that gives the Sinnoh Elite Four a lot of headaches—Rhyperior.

As it appeared, countless gridded purple cubes suddenly filled the white light, as if they had already been placed there, only now revealing their color.

"Alright, the attacks have covered the entire underground space. Now—"

Zhu Lan suddenly swung her hand down from top to bottom.

Strangely, unlike when people swing their arms normally, their palms get faster and faster with acceleration, the champion of Bamboo Orchid's arm swing was initially explosive and then gradually slowed down.

Although it seemed unusual at first glance, it appeared extremely solemn in this space at this moment.

Before the words were even finished, a lithe pink figure leaped out, moving faster than any other creature in the room, heading straight for the crack leading to the underground server room.