Pokémon Detective Case Files.

"Oh no!" Blueberry, also a skilled gambler, instantly understood the opponent's intentions. "Headband thug, use 'Brick Break' to defeat this little fire monkey..."

However, no matter how much the Elite Four member and his Pokémon were in sync, Chimchar had already carried out the task Hugo had given him before the match began.

"High five surprise attack".

Without being given any orders, the little chimpanzee took the initiative and boldly slapped the bandana-wearing thug across the face. The lizard with the orange-red crest, seeing the skinny little chimpanzee appear before it, instinctively dodged.

However, they have already lost the right to make a move.

The slap didn't land on the hooded thug's face, but it seemed to echo throughout the entire train carriage.

Like his Pokémon, Cranberry froze for a moment, as if it too had been hit by this intimidating move.

At the same time, a loud rumbling sound came from the direction of the high school girl.

"Electrifying flying squirrel!" the high school girl shouted. The object she was calling for was pinned under a huge rock blade and had already lost its ability to fight.

Douzi, who once complained about the awkward speed of Emboar, suddenly found that his Emboar had unleashed an astonishing speed, striking before the Flying-type Electrifying Squirrel could react.

The powerful Rock-type move is the "Stone Strike" used by the Emboar of the Fist.

The confined space was enough to offset the unstable hit rate of this move. The Fighting King could have chosen "Double-Edge Hammer" from the move pool to deal with Electivire, but there was still a tough battle with the Dark Elite Four to come, so he put his bet on the newly learned "Stone Edge".

The result was, of course, an instant kill!

The giant red boar, standing upright, was surrounded by surging flames. It was now completely unaffected by its physical strength, and its crimson pupils were also burning with fiery red flames. Its fighting spirit had reached an unprecedented level of excitement.

"Now, there's only one opponent left!"

Douzi was even more excited than the Flame King, whose head was blazing with fire. He looked down at the expressionless Yueju and planned to use all his skills to make this king experience the taste of being defeated in a ditch.

Meanwhile, the jujube, standing on the edge of a ditch and about to capsize, was currently observing the situation with the poker face commonly seen on gamblers, showing neither anger nor joy.

Although the bandana thug flinched and lost the initiative after being attacked by the "high-five surprise attack," he was not actually harmed.

It seems that the little Chimchar is just a beginner with little training, and since it can only use "High Five" when it enters the battle, it should be fine to leave it alone since it has already been used.

The real problem lies with the little girl's Emboar, the star trainer's main Pokémon, who is fully qualified to challenge the Elite Four. Furthermore, Bandana's Fighting/Genius typing puts it in a difficult position against the powerful Fighting moves of the Infernape.

It looks like we're headed for a tough battle.

Regardless of his inner thoughts, this former aristocrat and gambling king revealed an unprecedentedly radiant smile, his evil shark teeth interlocking as he laughed loudly.

"Haha, hahaha... There are dishonorable victories, and there are glorious defeats. What's interesting and annoying is that right and wrong aren't always so clear-cut, just like a tossed coin doesn't always land heads or tails... Sometimes, the coin might not even land..."

For those who frequently follow the Unova Pokémon League battles, there's one thing that's common knowledge—

Although the Dark-type Elite Four member, Cranberry, considers himself a gambler, his fighting style is always steady and cautious. He almost never uses desperate moves or moves that risk failure... This may be due to the Elite Four member's reserve, or it may be due to the gambler's nature of being outwardly crazy but inwardly cautious.

But this doesn't mean that he, as a gambling king, wouldn't dare to go all in.

Hugo heard the cold, commanding voice of Yueju: "Headband thug, use 'Flying Knee Kick' continuously until that Flame King or you are completely defeated!"

Chapter 034: Defeat is still glorious

"Let me confirm with you two, you didn't deliberately lose to me to save face, right?"

After the fierce battle, amidst the devastation of the battlefield, Yueju, looking on with suspicion, retrieved the bandana-wearing thug into its Poké Ball and asked the two opposite it from afar.

"Although I did say lines like 'dishonorable victory' before, this guy is the current king of the game. To have someone use such exaggerated acting to deliver victory to him, even as a ruthless gambler, I would be disgusted and unable to swallow it, okay?"

The high school girl next to Yueju nodded indignantly: "They must think this game is unimportant, so they humiliated us in this way."

Under the intense gaze of the two opposite him, Touko's eyes were now fixed on Hugo beside him, his gaze filled with dissatisfaction and suspicion.

Hugo immediately defended himself loudly: "It's one thing if others don't know the situation, but Douzi, you've been standing next to me the whole time. I've never given any strange orders!"

"Strange instructions? Hugo, explain yourself clearly. Why did your Chimchar miss all of its moves except for the first one that hit Bandana-wearing Stooge? Missing is one thing, but why do those off-target moves always seem to put us at a disadvantage?"

Douzi scolded his companion in a bad mood.

"First, the sparks from the missed 'Spark' obscured Emboar's vision, causing its 'Heavy Arm Hammer,' which should have been a one-hit kill, to miss. Then, you commanded Chimchar to dodge the opponent's feint to the right, but it unexpectedly tripped and stumbled a few meters before crashing headfirst into Emboar. This caught Emboar off guard, and it took another hit from a Champion-level 'Flying Knee Kick.'"

“You know me, these things were all unfortunate accidents,” the detective said, feeling very aggrieved. “Besides, you were the one who told me not to just stand there and not to give any orders to interfere with the other side.”

"You've been interfering with our side the whole time, haven't you?" Douzi roared angrily, having missed out on the prize money. "It was the same when we sent Chimchar to block the attack. Their 'Flying Kick' was already going to miss, but your 'Tackle,' which wasn't even a move, somehow changed the direction of the kick, causing it to hit Emboar again... Hugo, if you had just done nothing and let it miss and fall to the ground, we would have won!"

"What are you saying! When the bandana-wearing thug was charging up his 'Flying Knee Kick,' you were the one frantically giving me winks, okay? I just gave Chimchar a perfectly standard command like 'Go block it,' okay?"

"Even if you say that, what was with that ridiculous 'crazy grabbing' move at the end? Normal interference wasn't enough, and then you actually attacked Yanwu King directly! What did I do to you? You hit me five times in a row, killing my teammate! We were still able to turn the tide then!"

"Excuse my bluntness, but at that time, Emboar's 'Smoke Charge' had already created a lot of smoke and dust. The Chimchar, which was originally in the enemy's half of the field, was attacked and dodged by the enemy, and couldn't stop in time, so it hit your Infernape. At that time, in a cloud of smoke, you heard the sound of the attack hitting, and didn't you happily shout, 'You're actually quite useful at crucial moments,'?"

"I take back what I said! Hugo's synergy with Pokémon is terrible. I was a complete idiot to say that I could win double battles with Hugo! Do you know how devastated I was when the smoke cleared and I saw Emboar lying on the ground? And you, you heartless detective, rubbed salt into the wound by recalling your Chimchar with a Poké Ball, which hadn't lost a single drop of stamina the entire time, and then you just surrendered. And you still say you're not a spy sent by that Elite Four member?"

"Chimchar is a newly adopted starter Pokémon. Isn't it a bit cruel to make it battle one-on-one against the signature Pokémon of the Unova Elite Four?"

"It would be truly cruel to watch the prize money slip through my fingers!"

"You've finally revealed your true nature, blinded by greed. In the end, you only got the chance to participate in this competition because of my black ticket, didn't you? Didn't I warn you long ago that bringing me into a doubles match would inevitably result in a loss?"

"Even so, it was Hugo's fault for being so meticulous in his preparations for the battle, deliberately giving me a glimmer of hope for victory, and then messing things up at the crucial moment!"

Amidst the increasingly heated argument, Lingju suddenly walked towards the two of them through the still-smoky battle area.

Douzi and Hugo stopped arguing at the same time, and as Yueju approached, Hugo stepped forward and took her hand before she could react.

"What a fantastic match! As expected of the master strategist among the Elite Four, all four of your consecutive 'High Kicks' landed perfectly. Your bandana-wearing thug truly possesses top-tier Pokémon strength. We accept our defeat wholeheartedly."

Ignoring the increasingly ashen face of the lewd-looking detective, the white-coated detective became even more enthusiastic, putting his arm around the Dark-type Elite Four member's shoulder and pointing at the Fighting One with a cheerful smile.

"My partner has some skill, but he's still too young. Compared to you, who has already established himself at the top of the league, he's nothing. His limitations were completely exposed in this match, weren't they?"

All that's been exposed is Hugo's talent for messing everything up, isn't it?

Douzi, utterly bewildered, secretly wondered what the detective was up to. But she maintained a confident demeanor, calmly observing everything before her—in short, a smile was the best thing to do in situations like this.

On the other side, Lan Tachibana finally seized the opportunity to dodge the detective who was ignoring the facts and talking non-stop, and stretched out her palm to Touko behind her—

"This match should have been your victory, Miss Touko. When I bet my chances on the bandana thug's accuracy, I never expected it to end like this."

The gambling king bowed to Douzi with a standard aristocratic gesture of thanks: "Your ridiculous antics cannot overshadow your talent. I will sharpen my fangs and meet your challenge on the road to the championship."

The meaning behind the Dark Elite Four member's action is clear: he does not acknowledge the victory in this match, so he personally submits to Touko in his capacity as Unova Elite Four member.

The girl with the high ponytail scratched her head awkwardly: "The League Challenge? I've been participating in tournaments all over the place, and I haven't even started collecting gym badges yet... Judging from the start date of this year's challenge, it seems like it's too late."

Cranberry was taken aback: "Isn't your goal to win the league?"

The girl shook her head vigorously: "The initial investment in the league competition is too large, and it's an elimination tournament..."

"In short, there's not much prize money to be made, and it would be troublesome if you won the championship—that's what that guy told me in the past," Hugo interjected, betraying his companion without hesitation.

Rubbing her temples, Lingju seemed to be having a real headache: "Anyway, the little girl's matter is settled first, and then there's this little Chimchar's trainer..."

The shark-like, serrated mouth grinned again, facing the detective.

"You've been deliberately trying to sabotage me from the moment I left, haven't you? Unfortunately, I'm very familiar with the way these petty thugs awkwardly try to get favors from others. Before I hit rock bottom, you'd better confess honestly."

"As expected of the King." Hugo casually withdrew his arm from Yueju's shoulder. "But before that, I have a suggestion. It's a bit unfair for someone of your caliber to be playing in a match of this level. Why don't you withdraw from the subsequent doubles match in the first-class carriage, Mr. Yueju?"

Faced with the detective's startling words, Yueju pointed to the high school girl behind her: "That girl is waiting to use her winnings as travel expenses, I can't just leave her alone."

A knowing look appeared on Hugo's face, and he naturally followed up with his suggestion—

"My companion is, after all, a star trainer in the Unova region. Her battle with you, Elite Four, has already proven her strength. I suppose that top student from Fukiyori High School wouldn't object to letting Douzi fill the vacancy left by Yue Tachibana?"

After a moment's thought, Lingju nodded in agreement.

Douzi, still confused, listened to the conversation between the two in a daze.

Huh? It seems the prize money is going to be secured again?

Chapter 035 Secret Talk in First Class

"What I need from you is very simple; I hope you can read this document."

In the spacious first-class carriage, Hugo and Blueberry sat facing each other.

The detective didn't immediately pull out his prized business card from his firm. Instead, he respectfully handed Yueju a touchscreen phone, though it looked old and worn, like a piece of junk he'd picked up from a secondhand market, not worth the trouble of throwing it away on the spot.

Seeing the detective's suspicious behavior, the Dark-type Elite Four member chuckled, "You bastard, you didn't record that embarrassing battle before, did you? Trying to blackmail me with it?"

“No, I never intended to further damage your reputation as the King of Gamblers with a sensational negative video titled ‘King of Match-Fixing.’ I never even considered such a thing.” Hugo returned the gesture with an equally sincere smile. “I just hope you can take a look at this document.”

The detective handed over his phone, which was on its unlocked screen, displaying the title of a document—

"Investigation and Hazard Analysis of Plasma Clusters in the United States Region".

The playful expression vanished from Yueju's face. He took the phone and silently began to browse through it.

As night fell, the train carriage was as quiet as the night sky outside the window.

Hugo had muted the live battle broadcast on the screen in front of him beforehand. From above, he could see Douzi and the high school girl silently commanding their Pokémon, dominating the doubles match. Both girls, fighting for the prize money, were full of energy and seemed poised to win.

"Sigh..." Yueju sighed and turned off her phone, leaning back in her chair with a look of utter misfortune. "Whether your information is true or false, I hope I never saw it."

“I’m actually glad to see you like this,” Hugo said. “It at least proves that you, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, are not one of them.”

“Then let me make you even happier. Besides me, Wanlong, Lianwu, and Gadria, the other three Elite Four members, are not from Team Plasma either. As the champion, Alder is the leader who opposes that organization. He has long requested the League to pay attention to Team Plasma’s unusual movements. However, he has been staying at home all day recently because his Bug-type partner is seriously ill, so this request has been put on hold.”

“Uh… no, I haven’t suspected the other Heavenly Kings.” Hugo scratched his cheek awkwardly. “After all, Mr. Lanju, you look a bit like a bad guy, and intuitively I feel that you’re the only one who needs to be confirmed. Since we met on the train, I hoped to take this opportunity to dispel my stereotypes.”

"Someone as shrewd and cunning as you would use terms like 'good guy' and 'bad guy'?" Instead of being angry, Yueju burst into genuine laughter.

"You've got some nerve. You're definitely worthy of being someone who dares to attack Team Plasma. You were the one who devised the opening tactics for the battle, weren't you? Even your gambling skills are quite impressive. Luckily, I didn't run into you at the card table this time."

"A regular poker table is too rudimentary. You've got a whole casino in your phone, you know," Hugo retorted.

"Didn't you consider betting on Team Plasma to win? They have enough followers to start a revolution, and more than half the population sympathizes with their religion. Dozens of high-ranking Alliance officials are also aligned with them. Right now, their high-end combat power is slightly lacking, but if they can find a few more assistants who can fight against the Champions, they'll be enough..."

At this point, Hugo made a gesture of turning his palm over, leaving everything unsaid.

"Looks like you think I'm a very important asset," Yueju said with a self-deprecating laugh, crossing her legs. "But you've misjudged me. I can swear on my luck from this day forward that in any conflict between the League and Team Plasma, I will always stand on the League's side."

“No, no, Mr. Lantau, I am not an internal affairs officer here to investigate your loyalty. I am merely a private investigator outside the alliance system, here to discuss matters with you for the sake of justice, no matter the means.”

What are you trying to say?

Hugo casually took out his business card, placed it on the edge of the closed car window, and flicked it with his finger, sending the card sliding in a straight line to the blueberry side.

"The following is my own opinion; what you, Lord King of Lingzhi, intend to do is none of my business."

Despite the well-insulated, enclosed carriage, Hugo still kept his voice down.

"According to my investigation, whether as a religious group or as an underground force, Group Plasma is too large. They have accumulated enough resources and manpower to support a large-scale rebellion, and now they are consciously supporting politicians who support their ideology to come to power. Their infiltration of the Alliance has made their secret operations increasingly covert... Based on this, we can draw the following two conclusions."

"First, peaceful means have completely failed, and a large-scale vicious conflict between the Alliance and the Plasma Group is inevitable. Second, the Plasma Group is operating in the shadows, while the Alliance is in the open. The longer the Plasma Group continues to plot, the more trump cards they may have, which will be more disadvantageous for the Alliance."

"You mean we should detonate this unexploded bomb beforehand?" Yueju asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hugo seemed not to hear him and continued, "From Team Plasma's perspective, their biggest problem right now is that they lack trainers capable of competing with Champion-level fighters. They must be extremely eager to replenish their ranks with high-end combat power at this level. And if, and I mean if, a Champion-level trainer were to volunteer, they would welcome him with open arms, and might even share their internal intelligence with this rare executive."

As if it had smelled something interesting, the corners of the blueberry's mouth curled up slightly with a mischievous glint in its eye.

"However, their initiation screening is unavoidable, and there are two main procedures—first, the trainer who voluntarily surrenders must have the motive and reason to betray the League. If he has never expressed sympathy for Team Plasma's claims and gets along well with other Elite Four champions in the League, they will definitely suspect his motives for joining the League."

As Yueju listened, she nodded, and later she even started taking notes on the cards she carried with her using a ballpoint pen.

"The second is a unique test within Team Plasma. There is a young man in that group named N who has an extraordinary ability—simply put, he can understand what Pokémon are saying. If the situation described by this defecting trainer is the opposite of what his Pokémon are saying, then the trainer will be in an awkward situation."

“I see.” Blueberry scribbled down the last keyword with messy symbols. “Do we need to coordinate with our Pokémon?”

"From Team Plasma's perspective, they also have two main fears. First, the leakage of their intelligence. If outsiders, especially the League, know their trump cards, the League can devise a solution ahead of them, greatly reducing their danger. Second, they worry that during the final battle, this high-level trainer might suddenly defect, causing the hard-won balance of power to tilt towards the League's side..."

“There’s no need to go on with this kind of pros and cons analysis,” Yueju interrupted Hugo. “I’m the perfect candidate, and I will take your advice and become an undercover agent to infiltrate the Plasma Cluster.”

Hugo feigned ignorance: "I never said anything like that, it was just casual conversation."

Lingju remained noncommittal, simply reaching out to pick up the business card from the crack in the windowsill.

"This is the contact number, right? I'll call you when I get important information."

Under the cover of night, the villainous king, with his legs crossed, casually toyed with the business card in his hand. The dim light inside the car shone on his tan suit and dark blue hair, while his light blue eyes shone brightly.

This trainer, who views life and battles as a gamble, is now making his biggest gamble to date with ease.

He will trust the man before him without reservation—a suspicious man who claims to be a detective and whom he has only met once—and, despite the misunderstandings of the world, will venture into the deepest part of the plasma cluster, a place as dangerous as a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

The detective squinted and watched; in the faint starlight, it seemed that a warrior belonging to the night was about to rise.

Chapter 036: A Fright for the Novelist in the Dead of Night