Pokémon Detective Case Files.

"These kinds of sabotage activities used to be particularly common in the Hoenn region, and recently their activities have become even more rampant. This is actually the main reason why we came to Flying Cloud City to seek advice from Detective Hugo. However, those evil organizations are not so depraved as to directly poison people, but they often use similar methods to make the employees of hydroelectric power stations and shipyards fall into comas in large numbers, and then they wreak havoc on those public facilities, causing headaches for the League and the local residents."

“Every family has its own problems,” Officer Jenny sighed, shaking her head. “However, the predicament we are currently facing is not any of the methods you mentioned.”

“Yes,” Sera replied.

"Although I don't know much about the specifics of the Team Aqua and Team Magma you mentioned, I can clearly sense a certain purpose in their poisoning methods. But the case we are facing is definitely not like that."

"A non-purposeful...poisoner?"

Reporter Mary had a bad feeling and felt a chill run down her spine.

“There seemed to be no ulterior motive involved; rather, it was more like pure malice. That’s why we say it was an extremely heinous crime,” Officer Jenny said.

"What method did that criminal use?"

Seeing that the two United States police officers had been keeping him in suspense for so long, the photographer couldn't help but ask a question.

"Have either of you reporters ever experienced your Pokémon becoming exhausted while hiking in the wild due to battles with humans or attacks from wild Pokémon?"

Serra's deputy suddenly asked such a strange question that seemed completely unrelated.

"Of course it has." The reporter nodded matter-of-factly.

“Sometimes we even take the initiative to challenge some up-and-coming trainers to observe their strength and performance. Naturally, we lose more battles than we win. The Pokémon are exhausted from the battle – I think all trainers have experienced something like this to some extent.”

"Healing spirits often use healing potions, right?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Of course."

"So, what happens to the wound medicines you've used up?"

"If there are still most of the potions left, we will of course collect them for later use. If they are almost used up, we will not use them all up, but will throw them by the grass and wait for other trainers to pick them up—this should be common sense for trainers in the wild, right?"

Mary didn't understand why Officer Jenny was asking her this question.

The packaging for those stamina potions, like the Poké Balls used to catch Pokémon, is made of biodegradable materials, so even if they're carelessly discarded, they won't pollute the environment. But what does that have to do with the poisoning case?

“Yes,” Dai chimed in.

"I remember some trainers struggling financially would often search for these discarded medicines, collecting the remaining liquid to treat Pokémon's wounds. Some even continued this collection out of interest, even when they had plenty of medicine. Nowadays, it's become as common as picking up used Poké Balls from other trainers, repairing them, and reusing them—almost a part of the adventures for novice trainers... Wait, could it be...?"

The photographer broke out in a cold sweat; he had realized the extremely heinous and almost completely aimless method of the crime.

"It seems you've already figured it out."

Officer Jenny sighed. The reason she had kept everyone in suspense for so long was, in a sense, because this female detective couldn't bear to directly reveal such cruel and heinous criminal methods in front of the two guests from Hoenn.

"Could it be... that the criminal put poison in those discarded medicine bottles?" Mary asked cautiously.

“Unfortunately, your guess hit the bullseye,” said Sera, the deputy, expressionless.

"Last night, a Cinnamon was brought to the emergency room of the Pokémon Center in Flying Cloud City. Prior to this, its wound had become severely infected due to improper treatment, and it remained unconscious. The Pokémon's trainer was in great distress, saying that the injury suddenly worsened after using medicine. Subsequently, hospital tests revealed that the remaining liquid of the medicine contained toxic components."

"How awful!" Mary couldn't help but stomp her foot.

"This is not the end of the matter."

The police deputy, in his unchanging voice, continued to explain the current situation—

"After the first poisoning incident was reported to the police, three more victims with identical poisoning symptoms were sent to the hospital. Like the Cinnamoroll before, all three Pokémon suffered secondary damage to their original wounds due to contaminated medicine. Of the three Pokémon, only the Rock-type Marble suffered less severe poisoning due to its special constitution; the other two were seriously injured and are currently in the hospital, their fate unknown."

"After questioning all four victims and comparing the wound medicines they all used, the police finally determined that this was not an accident caused by the medicine deteriorating or wild elf venom mixing into the medicine bottle—but a poisoning case with a clear perpetrator."

After summarizing all the police work so far, Officer Jenny sighed and said—

"Sigh, the police announcement should be released soon. After this incident, I'm afraid no trainer in the entire Flying Cloud City, or even the entire Unova region, will dare to pick up roadside medicine for their Pokémon."

"This method is too heinous! No, it's downright vicious! What could the perpetrator possibly want to achieve by doing this?"

Blinded by anger, the reporter couldn't help but raise her voice. Only after she spoke did she realize that it was precisely because these two detectives couldn't solve this mystery that they had come to the large iron gate of that detective agency.

"At present, all we can investigate is that the contaminated wound medicines all came from the outskirts of Feiyun City. The police have already dispatched personnel to collect all the abandoned items in that area on a large scale, and they will be tested one by one afterwards."

Officer Jenny, like Psyduck, clutched her head in exasperation and said helplessly—

"However, such efficiency is still too slow. Because of the previous incident with the financial bank, the police cannot easily spare all the manpower of the police station. Moreover, even if we recover all the props in the suburbs, we may not be able to find the murderer - there is too little information left behind."

"That's why we wanted to ask the detective for help, but he wasn't at the office today. Considering he can't provide an alibi from a few days ago, he must have been missing for the past few days."

Sera demonstrated the qualities of an excellent assistant, making an accurate prediction.

"Isn't there that detective assistant in the agency?" photographer Dai asked curiously. "Why don't you ask her opinion first?"

“Even I find this case incredibly difficult. After all, that detective assistant isn’t their director, and I don’t think he’s up to the task of providing consultation…”

Miss Officer Jenny crossed her arms and shook her head repeatedly.

"Moreover, they lack a service mentality. They don't even ask about the customers' needs before turning us away."

Sera couldn't help but complain, it seemed she was still holding a grudge about being turned away earlier.

"Ahem, it seems some people have some misunderstandings about me as the acting director."

The voice they had heard not long ago, the detective's assistant's voice, suddenly rang out above the four of them.

Everyone suddenly realized that a huge shadow was now hanging over their heads. Looking up, they saw an enormous pink sphere floating in the air above the narrow alley.

The sphere slowly descended, revealing itself to be a chubby creature with its belly bulging with air. And standing atop the chubby creature was the acting director of the Hugo Detective Agency.

"My service spirit is in no way inferior to that good-for-nothing detective. At least, he can't catch up with a client who has fled the office in a Pokémon-fueled manner."

Azure jumped off the round, chubby Jigglypuff, which deflated like a punctured balloon, gradually transforming into the limp, ditto-like form before being returned to its Poké Ball by the trainer.

"This case is on our Hugo Detective Agency! No matter who that heinous poisoner is, I will bring him to justice as quickly as possible!"

"I'm so cool," Azure Detective said, as an Archaeopteryx hopped out from the corner of the alley and landed on her shoulder. It was this Pokémon that had "bounced" to a high place earlier, pointing out Officer Jenny's location to Azure.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Officer Jenny looked at Azure with suspicion, still unconvinced of her competence. "You've probably never solved such a serious criminal case on your own before, have you?"

“Indeed,” Azure readily admitted, “so I have an accomplice this time.”

Clang!

Azure took out the Pokémon that she had been hiding behind her back and presented it to Officer Jenny as if she were pulling out a secret weapon.

"Hugo's grass turtle?"

Officer Jenny tilted her head in confusion, giving the same expression as the elf in front of her.

Chapter 309 Toxicology – A Cold and Insidious Death Trick

"Before I begin the investigation, I first need to know what you mean by saying that Hugo has some connection to this case?"

Inside the spacious living room of Yuqi Residence, Bilan stood in front of a huge map of Feiyun City and asked the policewoman a question.

"As my deputy told you before, it wasn't a very reliable connection; it was just some far-fetched connection. We were just using this as a pretext to act freely. With this relationship, the reports afterward will probably be easier to write."

Entering the office alone, Officer Jenny acted as if she were at home. She casually placed her white gloves on the sofa armrest, picked up the hot tea she had brewed herself, and leaned back wearily against the cushions, saying—

"As for the so-called connection, it is actually related to the source of the poison. The police tested the remaining liquid in the poisonous wound medicine, and after several comparisons, they have now been able to determine the approximate composition of the poison."

"Oh? That's quite capable. Can you investigate the source of the poison?" Azure asked.

"Yes, but also no."

Officer Jenny took a sip of tea, sat up straight, and her attitude became serious.

"The poison the murderer added to the wound medicine was neither the venom secreted by Poison-type Pokémon, nor the kind of controlled compounds that are enough to kill someone in just a little bit, as seen in murder dramas. On the contrary, the toxicity of these pollutants was actually not that great; it was only because they were directly applied to the wound of the injured Pokémon that they caused a serious infection."

"Yes, indeed. The fact that none of the elves who were poisoned died immediately is probably because of this."

The acting director pondered carefully and nodded in approval.

Officer Jenny put down her teacup and said seriously, "The so-called poison that was put into the wound medicine actually all came from a common item that everyone can obtain daily—insect repellent spray. Isn't there an old saying? 'Dosage determines toxicity.' The murderer refined and concentrated the liquid that was originally used to repel elves and mixed it into the leftover liquid of discarded wound medicine, thus creating a malicious and harmful poison."

"Insect repellent spray?"

Azure raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Was that stuff actually poisonous? I remember Hugo saying that insect repellent sprays only repel wild Pokémon by mimicking their scents. Could that concentrated liquid actually be lethal? And if the wound medicine used contained the spray, shouldn't those Pokémon have shown extremely strong resistance immediately after use? How could they allow the treatment to complete, leading to an irreversible and severe infection?"

"The principle you heard is not wrong. But it is precisely in order to retain the scents that mimic powerful Pokémon in the liquid that factories that make insect repellent sprays add a certain inhibitor that reduces the activity of substances into the spray."

Officer Jenny answered—

"Once this inhibitor reaches a certain dosage, it will produce toxicity, causing the Pokémon that ingests it to fall into a coma, hindering wound healing, and reducing the activity of its elemental energy. However, since this toxicity does not pose a life-threatening threat to Pokémon under normal circumstances, before this case, no one would have considered insect repellent spray as a potential poison."

"So, does that mean the perpetrator likely possessed some level of biochemistry knowledge?"

“Indeed.” The policewoman nodded crisply.

"Whether it's discovering the hidden toxicity from the ingredient list of insect repellent spray or refining large quantities of the liquid while retaining the inhibitory components, it requires a very high level of medical expertise. As for the odor of the insect repellent spray, that was actually eliminated by the inmates during the process of refining the toxic substances."

"So... wouldn't the place where the criminals refined the insecticide emit huge amounts of gas that Pokémon hate? The police could totally start their investigation from that angle. Not only that, we could also start by investigating the source of the insecticide spray, checking the sales records of various sales channels over the past few years to see if anyone has purchased insecticide spray in large quantities... Have the police investigated all of this?"

"These directions of investigation have naturally been mentioned in the police station before, and we are currently conducting investigations through multiple channels. However, insect spray is, after all, a common commodity sold openly. If someone wanted to hoard a large quantity of it without anyone knowing, it wouldn't be difficult. As for what you said about the sales records of insect spray..."

Miss Officer Jenny suddenly smiled knowingly—

"Did you know that someone bought ten cases of Golden Insect Repellent Spray at the Pokémon Center in Flying Cloud City last year?"

Azure shook her head, puzzled. "Never heard of him. Isn't that person a prime suspect right now?"

“Yes, this person is now one of our key targets of investigation. It is precisely for this reason that, although Sera and I both have Hugo’s phone number, we did not contact you beforehand and went to the trouble of coming to this Feather Residence in person.”

"Wait, the person you're talking about wouldn't be..."

An image of a detective in a white coat wielding a metal baton in one hand and spraying insecticide with the other, desperately trying to scare away wild elves, flashed before the detective's eyes like a revolving lantern.

Now that she finally understood what had happened, she couldn't help but feel ashamed.

"Could it be Victor Hugo?"

"That's right, it is indeed the director of your Hugo Detective Agency, Mr. Detective Hugo."

The female detective pointed her finger at the acting chief's nose and said aggressively—

"Although I know that the detective couldn't possibly be involved in such heinous crimes, a formal investigation is still essential at the police station. At the very least, we need to find out how much insect repellent the Yuxi Mansion still has in stock, and whether it's enough for an average person to use for a year."

"Oh, I see." The acting director looked enlightened.

"In that case, I have no reason to stop your routine. Let me think... Hugo's travel gear seems to be all collected at..."

"Sir, the police department has made initial progress in its investigation in the suburbs of the city."

While the Azure Detective was ransacking the place, Sera, who had been liaising with the police outside the living room, came running in to report the results.

"Is progress over there so rapid? Are there any useful clues?"

Officer Jenny, who was comparing the data on her phone with the map of Feiyun City, turned around and asked her deputy.

"The police department brought in Ms. Joey, a specialist in toxicology, to assist with the search. Her poison scabbard frog, with its 'danger prediction' ability, volunteered to help test for poisons, greatly improving the police's efficiency in testing toxic substances."

Sera explained earnestly—

"The following are the preliminary results of the police's operation to recover wound medicine in the vicinity of Feiyun City - they found new toxic wound medicine near Route 4 in northern Feiyun City, and there was more than one vial."

Officer Jenny nodded: "As expected. Where exactly is it located?"

"The southern end of Highway 4 where it connects to the city. The location is closer to the city center than where the previous victims picked up the wound medicine. The police found five vials containing poison among the 121 wound medicines recovered."

"Hiss, a probability of less than five percent, that's a really subtle number... But if we only consider the poisoning area, we found five places where poison was placed just in the initial search area. It seems that the poisoner used at least double digits of poison."

"After further testing of the toxic wound medicines, the inspectors determined that the toxins in those medicines were indeed the same as the contaminants in the medicines used by the victims, all derived from insecticide sprays. In addition, the five newly discovered toxic wound medicines had the same toxin dosage, and it seems that the murderer would not have changed the dosage based on the amount of liquid remaining in the medicines."

Serra continued her report—

"The on-site investigators also checked the sealing of the wound medicine packaging and found no traces of needle holes. It should be the same as before, that the wound medicine was injected directly from the regular opening."

"That's natural. All the discarded medicines have already been opened, so there's no need for the prisoner to go through the trouble."

Officer Jenny scratched her head anxiously and asked again—

"Did the investigators examine the fingerprints on the medicine bottles? Were there any signs of wiping?"

The assistant shook her head: "There are no signs of wiping. The remaining fingerprints are still being compared, and nothing unusual has been found so far."

"It seems the criminal was most likely wearing gloves when poisoning the poison; they were quite cautious."

The Azure Detective's voice reached the ears of the two officers; she was holding a can of the newly found golden insect repellent spray.

"Here, all of Hugo's remaining insecticide spray is. Half of the ten boxes are still left. Although he did use a bit too much, you can understand his situation. Insecticide spray is essential for any long trip. With only five boxes left, it probably won't be enough to make enough for large-scale poisoning—are you satisfied now?"

Officer Jenny waved her hand dismissively: "Just take a picture as evidence. The most important thing now is to find the trail of that despicable poisoner. Azure, since you're now calling yourself a detective, do you have any clues to find the criminal's trail?"

"Well, I need more information."