Pokémon Detective Case Files.

In the empty room, only the last vestiges of a middle-aged man's dignity remained... and a half-uttered murmur drifting in the wind.

"...It seems there's a rumor that Vio lost his place among the Seven Sages after his defeat at the hands of the Blueberry."

Apart from the champion and the vice president, no one else in the room heard that half-sentence.

.

Footsteps echoed again in the distance, the sound of many pairs of leather boots pounding in the corridor.

These must be people sent by the Alliance's Internal Affairs Department to continue interrogating me. Their minister... I think his name was Gade. Gloria insists on calling that department the Security Department, saying the original name has a bit of a White Terror feel to it. Ha, what a self-deceiving act...

Thinking meaninglessly like this.

In a daze, tears from seventeen years ago streamed down Lionel Skolatos's face.

Why did he plan the murder?

Still need to ask?

Of course, it's because—

He really, really didn't want to lose again.

Chapter 345 Detoxification - Sand on the Plate

Azure placed the United States Union's internal affairs department's testimony file on the desk in the champion's private room. The paper made a crisp snap as it hit the table.

She looked up at the detective, who was slumped in a leather armchair. The light from the corridor shone through the blinds, casting stripes of light and shadow on Hugo's face.

"So..." The girl's deliberately drawn-out voice rippled through the quiet office, "...that the Akromma 'poisoning' incident has absolutely no connection to the murders of Voodoo and Selvilik?"

"That's obvious."

Hugo's ten fingers, arranged in a pyramid shape, trembled slightly in front of his nose.

"Anyone can immediately tell just by looking at the forensic photos of the three victims. Both Vudu and Servilik had grotesque faces and died tragically, while our dear Plasma Cluster scholar looked comfortable and relaxed, as if he had taken a nap during an academic conference."

As he spoke, the pyramid-shaped hands disintegrated. The detective calmly pulled out a photograph provided by the police from his desk; the photograph showed the scene of Akromma's murder.

Upon closer inspection, one can even spot the ankles of Douzi and Heilian. And the victim's appearance in the photo is indeed vastly different from what Bilan witnessed of Selvilik.

"In other words, the Union police have not yet been able to connect these incidents, otherwise they would have reached the same conclusion immediately."

Hugo sighed—

"After all, the so-called toxin was just a simple combination of moves. And the 'electromagnetic wave' used to paralyze the heart could no longer be used after the medical personnel arrived, to prevent the trick from being exposed to the testing equipment."

Hearing this, the detective's assistant couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed. Recalling his thoughts that afternoon, he wondered what he was thinking at the time, that he had actually connected two such different cases.

"The idea of ​​using a single Kecleon's 'Immobilize' spell to kill someone with heart failure, while theoretically feasible, is ultimately fraught with difficulties in practice. This also reveals Lionel's lack of criminal experience. His behavior in the hospital ward reflected this; he only needed the Kecleon to kill Akromma while the doctors weren't looking, but he wasn't confident in the effectiveness and ended up going to the crime scene himself."

"But it was a lucky accident. If he had only sent out one cloaked dragon, Douzi and the others could have easily stopped the crime, and he wouldn't have achieved his goal of killing Akroma—although he ultimately failed."

Azure sat down on the wooden chair opposite the office and said thoughtfully.

"Speaking of which, I really have to thank Vice President Gloria for her assistance. If she hadn't immediately connected the idea of ​​Lionel, who fit all the criteria, after hearing the principle behind the trick, and hadn't preemptively mobilized manpower for his clay giant to set up a 'magical space' trap that distorted the direction of the alternate dimension with the psychic-type elves, the culprit would probably have escaped by now."

Hugo shrugged and continued explaining—

"The reason I didn't make the arrest directly, but instead used the two kings as a smokescreen, was to obtain complete evidence of Lionel's crimes—after all, if the new champion were to purge the league's bureaucrats without any reason right after taking office, it would definitely leave a very bad impression on everyone."

"But until the very end, the head of general affairs never explained his motive for the crime. What was he after?"

Azure looked at the dossier she had placed on the table with a puzzled expression. There was not a single record of Lionel's motive for the murder.

"Who do you think has the most contact with the Unova region, besides the Plasma Team's own people?" Hugo asked, seeing his assistant's puzzled expression.

The girl pondered for a moment, then said carefully, "Probably those information brokers or business partners who need to deal with them long-term... No, these kinds of people usually only cooperate with a fixed group of people in Team Plasma. The ones who really understand Team Plasma are probably the police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which have always been at odds with them, and there might even be people in them who have carried out undercover missions."

"You're only half right—often, those who understand an organization best are its direct adversaries. In the complex power structure of the Unova region, Team Plasma is not only contending with the police on the surface and the undercover agents in the shadows, but the Pokémon League, as the cornerstone of regional order, has also maintained a delicate balance of power with them for a long time."

The young champion put down the photo in his hand and gazed at the United States map hanging in the champion's room—

"For example, when opponents of the so-called 'Pokémon Liberation Movement' need to appeal against an illegal construction project, the complaint letter will go through several transfers before finally reaching the League's petition department; when protesters plan street demonstrations, the person negotiating with them will inevitably be a League official who is sleepless all night."

"The reason Team Plasma King was able to win support from so many sides is naturally due to the cult's overwhelming propaganda offensive. And the reason why those leaflets, publications, media accounts, and even charitable foundations established in the name of N have become so prevalent in the Unova region is undoubtedly due to the authorization and regulation of the Alliance organizations..."

“Such trivial matters always need to be handled by someone, and in the United Alliance, the person in charge of these matters is our Alliance Chief of General Affairs.”

"That title should now include the word 'ex'," Azure added, following Hugo's gaze as he looked at the map.

Hugo nodded slightly and continued, "It was precisely through this special position that allowed Lionel to gain deep access to all levels of the Plasma Group that he completely sided with the Order—this covert collusion almost coincided with the birth of the Plasma Group. It must be admitted that our Alliance Vice President played a crucial role in the organization's rise. Perhaps, for those lower- and middle-ranking members, this Alliance official who extended goodwill to the Order was more approachable than the Seven Sages, who were forever shrouded in mystery. After all, he brought tangible, visible benefits."

"So his purpose in murdering Akromar was..." Azure vaguely understood some of the key points.

"The Plasma Group has always held the political ideal of 'rule by wise men,' and the current Seven Sages are all renowned scholars and experts in their respective fields. Not long ago, Dr. Vio was defeated by King Lemon on the Royal United Ship, his reputation plummeted, and he was even nominally stripped of his Sage title. As a result, many people began to speculate whether the Sages would elect a new leader to fill the vacancy... This is the moment when the balance of power is shifting, and it is at this critical juncture that Akromah appears."

As Hugo spoke, he slowly rose from the comfortable sofa chair—

“Akromar, a former ally of Team Plasma, is a brilliant inventor and a staunch technocrat. Although highly regarded by Ghetsis, his past activities outside the Unova region meant that few within the Order were aware of his achievements. To allow his abilities to shine, Ghetsis sent this capable new subordinate to the heart of the Unova League, ostensibly to monitor the new Champion's movements, but no one knows what astonishing things he might do behind the scenes—and that's exactly what Lionel is worried about.”

"So it was all about vying for power and profit?"

Azure suddenly understood, and the whole sequence of events became clear—

"That vice president enjoys widespread support within the Plasma Corps, and he also covets the position of one of the Seven Sages left behind by Vio. Therefore, Ghetsis's exceptional promotion of Akromar has clearly touched Lionel's most sensitive nerve. This rising star of scientism not only threatens his own advancement but could also jeopardize his position within the Order. Akromar's current arrival in the Alliance alone—it's like him willingly jumping into the tentacles of a jellyfish—is a golden opportunity. If this rival can be killed in the Alliance building, not only will the obstacles on our path to the top be cleared, but we can also weave a flawless, perfect crime."

“Lionel once ran for the position of president of the league, competing against the current president. He must still be resentful about his defeat back then.”

As Hugo spoke, he unconsciously fiddled with the globe on his desk—an object passed down from the time of former champion Adek.

He sighed softly and continued, "Unfortunately, no matter how hard Lionel tried, everything he did was in vain."

"You mean, even if Akromma is successfully murdered, Lionel will still be unable to become one of the Seven Sages?" Azure asked doubtfully.

"Yes, the Seven Sages will never be replaced. They are not only the highest leadership of Team Plasma, but also the mentor group that nurtured N, the ideal king—the beginning of a new myth and the cornerstone of the future kingdom. For Team Plasma, the existence of these seven founders has been given a sacred meaning, like a religion. As long as the ideology of the cult remains, their position will be as unshakable as a rock."

Hugo answered affirmatively—

"Moreover, whether it is a king or a kingdom, they are nothing more than pawns and chessboards in the hands of Quetzalcoatl. On the surface, the Seven Sages are divided into two factions and maneuver between Quetzalcoatl and N, but all the threads of power are ultimately brought to the hands of that ambitious man. As for Vio's current relinquishment of power and retirement, I think it is also a 'fool's carnival' in which Quetzalcoatl manipulates puppets to advance by retreating."

"That's really complicated." Azure snorted with little interest. "Since this incident was entirely an internal power struggle within Team Plasma and had nothing to do with poisoning, how do you plan to investigate the remaining two incidents?"

"The Akromah poisoning incident was indeed unrelated to the series of poisonings, but Akromah himself was closely connected to the incident."

Hugo pulled a brand-new printed photograph from the table. The photograph showed the strange draft that the plasma cluster scholar had written before he was poisoned.

“Akroma originally intended to show this to me, since he had booked a meeting with the champion. But now that he has met with misfortune, this has become a coded test specially made for me.”

Hugo handed the photograph of the evidence, covered in calculations and coffee stains, to his assistant, and was pleased to see her completely bewildered expression.

"So, have you solved it?" Azure returned the photo to the detective and asked in return.

"At first, I wasn't sure what this thing meant either. But just now, while the League's Internal Affairs Department was interrogating Lionel, I went to investigate the Pokémon that Acromorma left in the Poké Ball."

"Huh, is that the silent, doll-like monster from Daewoo?"

“Yes,” the detective nodded. “Unlike its trainer, Akromage, this Daewoo was confined in a Poké Ball for a long time, thus leaving behind more traces of the past. Guess what I found on it?”

"Is it a scar from a battle? Or does it carry some special item?" The assistant stared wide-eyed, guessing with curiosity.

“If it were really these obvious things, the Alliance would have told us long ago.” Hugo shook his head slightly, then revealed the answer.

“It’s salt sand, and it’s very similar to the salt sand found in the crevices of Servić’s suitcase—they come from the same place.”

Just then, a crisp knock came from the closed door of the champion's office...

Chapter 346 Interlude - Traces Left by Poison

Under the deep darkness of night, the Feiyun City Police Station stood like a sleepless lighthouse, its bright lights illuminating the surrounding streets through the windows.

Just as everyone in the police station was busy with the recent poisoning incident involving Servilik, the shrill ring of a communicator suddenly shattered the stagnant atmosphere in the station.

The ringtone came from Officer Jenny's criminal investigation office. The officer stopped checking the entry and exit records, picked up the vibrating communicator, and listened carefully for a while.

"...Are you sure? Okay, yes...We have enough manpower...Understood. Let's not delay, I'll organize people to get it done right away!"

As the call continued, Officer Jenny's tense brows gradually relaxed as she listened to the voice on the other end of the microphone. By the time she put down the intercom, a smile had unconsciously crept onto her lips.

"Was that a call from Detective Hugo and his team?" asked the deputy officer beside the police officer.

“Yes.” Officer Jenny nodded when asked. “They are at the United States headquarters now, and it seems that they have obtained more information through their channels that can connect the whole incident.”

"Could there be a crucial clue in those intelligence reports that could solve the mystery of Servić's death?"

Seeing this, his deputy, Sera, also put down the thick investigation records in her hand, and a look of longing for the end of the workday flickered in the lenses of her square-framed glasses.

"More direct than that."

As Officer Jenny spoke, she deftly clipped her ID to her waist, her eyes radiating confidence and decisiveness.

"He's found a way to track down the intruder at the crime scene. If all goes well, we might be able to arrest a witness who can speak out!"

The two of them immediately got up and went out, hurrying through the long corridor.

It was only then that Sera noticed that her superior was heading straight for the police station's toxicology lab.

Looking through the bright glass window, you can see Miss Joy intently recording data at the workbench. Under the cool light, her pinkish-white lab coat gleams with a gentle, pearly sheen.

"It's so late, are you two still working overtime?"

Upon seeing the two police officers enter, Joey, a specialist in toxicology, was somewhat surprised. She closed her experimental notes and went to greet them.

Upon entering the toxicology lab, the faint scent of reagents lingering in the doctor's hair immediately overwhelmed them, slightly cooling Sera and Officer Jenny's excitement over the intelligence.

Joey's expression turned complicated as he lowered his eyes: "It's embarrassing to admit, but we still haven't made any progress regarding the deadly poison in Selvilik's body..."

"We're not here for poison analysis today. Miss Joy, do you have any Poison-type Pokémon like Salamence, Toxapex, Crobat, Scyther, Weezing, or Slowking?"

In the cool light refracted by the glassware, Officer Jenny recalled the list Hugo had given her on the phone and spoke directly to Miss Joy. Her voice was exceptionally clear in the enclosed space—

"For some reason, we need to borrow these Pokémon temporarily."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Joey, a toxicologist, looked up and examined the two guests with great interest, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

"My research focuses on toxicology, so I've caught quite a few Poison-type Pokémon. Garella Slowking habitats are relatively hard to find, so besides that Pokémon, the others are being kept at a local breeding center back home—but Crobat and Weezing aren't as well-trained as my Toxtricity, so it's uncertain whether they'll be of any use..."

"Okay, it's okay if we're missing one, this is enough!"

Upon hearing that they had gathered most of the Pokémon on the list simply by contacting Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"May I ask what you plan to do with these elves, Miss?" Joey asked.

Officer Jenny, unable to hide her joy, explained—

"According to the information obtained by Detective Hugo, the thief who stole the victim's Pokémon and belongings at the scene of Selvik's death was likely tracking down a trainer who carried these Pokémon. The fact that he ran into the 'Plague Scholar' who died from poisoning was probably just an accident. He suspected that the deceased had clues about that trainer, which is why he stole most of the evidence from the crime scene."

“I see.” Miss Joy tucked a stray pink strand of hair behind her ear, a look of understanding on her face—

"It hasn't been long since Selvilik died, and the pursuers are likely still in Flying Cloud City. That means if we impersonate the person they're after, using Poison-type Pokémon as bait, and roam around Flying Cloud City..."

"That would likely lead to the capture of the thief who stole the elf and the important evidence, and in turn, the acquisition of the latest intelligence regarding Selvilik's death!"

Officer Jenny clenched her fist in the air, unable to hide the excitement on her face—

“Trackers like this always prefer to operate covertly at night. If we can spread the false information tonight, we might be able to uncover the truth behind this case by tomorrow morning!”

“But sir…” Sera subconsciously looked down at the time, frowning slightly, “but the process of intercity teleportation is quite complicated, and it’s already midnight. By the time the Pokémon from the breeding center arrive, it will probably be noon tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Joey suddenly spoke up, raising her phone screen to show the current time.

"Although I currently work in the Unova region, my hometown is in the Kanto region, which is on the other side of the world. There is a time difference between the two places, and it just so happens to be the working hours of the breeding center, so I can have them transfer the Pokémon over immediately. In addition, I will also contact my classmates in the field of poison research to see if they can borrow one right away."

The female doctor smiled at Officer Jenny and the other woman and said, "At the scene of the poisoning case, I misjudged the type of toxin, which caused your police investigation to go astray. Consider this a small compensation to everyone."

After speaking, she turned her phone to face her, her fingers nimbly tapping the screen rapidly, dialing a number for the Nurturing Center in Asakusa City, Kanto region—

"Don't worry, all the Pokémon will be waiting at the police station entrance within half an hour... By the way, since we're going to lure that pursuer out, do you need me to send out Toxicroak to help you fake battle traces left by a powerful Poison-type Pokémon in this area?"

Officer Jenny and Sera exchanged a glance, silently communicating their thoughts with their eyes, and then nodded at the same time.

“If that’s the case, then that would be ideal.” The deputy added, “The police station’s Pokémon transfer device is located at the back of the corridor in the first-floor lobby. If you can’t find it or don’t know how to operate it, you can ask the nearby police officers. Without further ado, my superior and I will go and prepare the personnel to apprehend the suspect.”

Just then, the electronic clock on the wall of the police station corridor ticked gently, the displayed number quietly skipping past three in the morning, as if a silent witness was quietly counting down the seconds for this race against time investigation.

Chapter 347 Interlude - Poisonous Dreams

Just as Feiyun Police Station was busy deploying officers and spreading the word about the appearance of Poison-type Pokémon around the city.

In the sanatorium of a seawater bathing pool on the west side of Feiyun City, Mia slowly opened her eyes.

"How are you feeling? How is your body?"