Pokémon Detective Case Files.

"The Lava Team made such a big commotion, but it seems a bit petty to just sell the equipment for money?"

“Stingy?” Dai looked puzzled. “It seems quite normal to me. Doesn’t Team Lava always hate those corporations that destroy the land environment? While causing massive destruction, they can squeeze some profits out of those factories and sell them for money. That should be pretty much in line with the style of these illegal organizations, right?”

"But do you remember the reasoning that Detective Hugo made?"

Mary pushed aside the documents in front of her and opened her shorthand notebook, which contained her interview with the detective from the night before last.

"Don't forget how we differentiated the sabotage activities of Team Aqua and Team Magma; that's the most crucial premise of the whole incident."

“That’s right.” The photographer slapped his palm in realization. “Team Aqua’s targets are mostly companies they actually oppose, while Team Magma’s reasons for choosing targets seem far-fetched. It was based on this that Mr. Hugo concluded that the two organizations were carrying out attacks for their own interests and purposes, and were completely unrelated to each other.”

Miss Mary nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear: "If reselling equipment is the Lava Team's main objective, then it's impossible to explain why they specifically chose targets like grain warehouses and freshwater plants."

“Well, after ruling that out, there’s only one possible reason why the Lava Team stole those devices—they plan to secretly produce them on a small scale for their own use… But what’s the point?” Dai’s brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.

"That's exactly what I've been thinking about—why would the Lava Team have to rely on these stolen devices to produce the corresponding supplies?" Mary closed her interview notebook and looked expectantly at her photographer partner.

"You're asking me? I don't know either," Dai said, scratching his head in frustration.

“Generally speaking, if an organization wants supplies, it can just purchase them directly. Apart from rocket fuel, other resources such as fresh water, food, timber, and electricity can be purchased normally to meet the daily needs of a large number of people. There is no need to build production facilities from scratch.”

"So you think their demand is abnormal? The quantity they're purchasing might be large enough to attract the attention of the Hoenn Alliance?"

Mary finished the last sip of coffee in her cup and asked, holding the uncapped ballpoint pen.

"That makes even less sense," Dai said, clutching his head in confusion. "Why would they buy so many resources? Even building timber. Does the Lava Team want to build a city from scratch?"

"That's a bit too far-fetched." The reporter shook his head without hesitation. "Although Hoenn is sparsely populated, it's not like someone could build a city on such a large scale without being noticed. Besides, even if Team Magma did build their own city, how would that help their claim to revitalize the land?"

"At least we could have our own secret base, right?" Seeing his companion's direct rejection, Dai insisted on his point of view.

"Didn't Detective Hugo say that the reason Team Magma started operating, judging from the timing, was probably because they were spurred on by Team Aqua's collusion with Hoenn TV? Driven by a competitive spirit towards their rival organization, they might want to build an operations base comparable to Hoenn TV—that reason should be reasonable, right?"

“Completely unreasonable.” Mary still held a negative view.

"Even the smallest settlement would be far more difficult to build from scratch, from civil engineering to water and electricity supply, than starting a company. Moreover, Team Magma has no need to build a large base right now. Given their swift and elusive style of doing things, establishing a central base in Hoenn would only create another target for the League, which would be detrimental to Team Magma."

"Moreover..."

Perhaps it was her journalistic instincts kicking in, but after gaining the upper hand in the debate, Mary relentlessly continued her relentless pursuit—

"How can building a new city on the Hoenn mainland be considered reviving the land? It's just building a few more houses on the existing land. Human habitable space will not be expanded as a result. If the construction is not up to standard, Team Magma might even think that it is destroying forest resources."

At this point in the debate, Dai abandoned all pretense of rationality and forced a smile as he explained, "Then... could they be planning to build a base deep in the desert at the end of Highway 111? Look, the equipment Team Lava looted is basically self-sufficient. Transforming the desert into a habitable environment would at least count as reviving the land, right?"

"It's the same problem as before—it's too difficult..."

Just as Miss Mary was brandishing her pen, ready to thoroughly refute her news partner, a commotion suddenly arose outside the café window—

"Woof! Woof woof!"

A very familiar dog-type Pokémon jumped into the reporters' view—it was a large wolfhound commonly found in the Hoenn region.

Surprisingly, despite the electric sparks flashing across the Great Wolfhound's body, which indicated a state of paralysis, its speed remained completely unaffected.

"It increases speed under abnormal conditions and is unaffected by paralysis... Could this be a large wolfhound with the 'speed' ability?"

Almost instinctively, Mary's professional instincts kicked in. She quickly stood up, her eyes fixed on the scene outside the window.

As she stood up and her perspective changed, the view outside the window suddenly opened up considerably—

Behind the large wolfhound, a figure wearing a gray-black cloak was being chased in a disheveled state.

The man was covered in mud and desperately trying to cover his face, clearly trying to avoid something—no, it wasn't just "appearances." The moment Mary stood up, the sound of police sirens pierced the glass from afar, reaching the ears of the two reporters clearly.

"Looks like he's a fugitive! Quick, Dai! Let's go help the police..."

The reporter had only spoken halfway when a shadow suddenly appeared in front of the running wolfhound.

The shadow instantly grew larger—

The next moment, a Pokémon with black and white stripes fell from the sky.

The creature was enveloped in dazzling blue electric light, and with each step it took, crackling electrical sounds echoed through the air, like an urban legend emerging from the morning mist, its aura terrifying and horrifying.

"You have nowhere to run."

A familiar voice rang out, and Officer Jenny, dressed in a beige police uniform, emerged from the corner of the intersection that the fugitive was sure to pass through—it was the same officer Mary had met the day before yesterday.

"You're just unlucky. In the entire criminal investigation department of the police station, no one knows the streets and alleys of Feiyun City better than me. In this place, speed alone is far from enough to race against me."

In front of the policewoman, the lightning zebra raised its head and hoof, proudly letting out a thunderous neigh—it was ready to "make a scene".

Chapter 349 Interlude - Loud Poisonous Voice

"Big wolfhound, tear open its throat! Crumble it!"

Faced with the menacing lightning zebra before him, the man in black suddenly raised his arm, commanding the large wolfhound beside him to launch an attack.

At the same time, he quietly pulled out a black and yellow high-grade ball from under his cloak with his other hand, his movements as stealthy and swift as an Arbok slithering through the grass.

Although the distance between them was still considerable, Officer Jenny's eyes did not miss the fugitive's clandestine movements, and she immediately gave a loud order—

"Ignore that big wolfhound! Thunder Zebra, use 'Charged Flame Strike' to accelerate and subdue the prisoner!"

"Too late!"

Just as red flames erupted from the Thunder Zebra, the prisoner beneath the gray-black cloak burst into arrogant laughter. He gripped the Poké Ball tightly in his hand; with a single press of the button, the Pokémon inside would burst forth.

"Stop pretending! Stop struggling in vain and surrender!"

Miss Officer Jenny shouted sternly.

Upon hearing the command, the Thunder Zebra was instantly enveloped in scorching flames, its speed increasing dramatically as it hurtled towards the man in black like a burning meteor. Even the large wolfhound's fierce bite on its hind leg from behind did nothing to slow the Thunder Zebra down.

"Humph……"

The man in black scoffed disdainfully, and the Poké Ball in his hand suddenly exploded, radiating red light.

A blue Pokémon covered in armor, brandishing its sharp claws, appeared before Zephyr like a monster bursting from the earth.

"Ancient Armor, 'Rock Blast'!"

The fugitive suddenly waved his hand, and the cloak was lifted by the strong wind, revealing his sun-darkened skin.

The ancient armor shook its entire shell, emitting a piercing scraping sound. At the same time, it raised its incredibly heavy armored right leg and stomped it hard on the ground.

In an instant, the ground trembled under the weight, and countless pebbles, like cannonballs, hurtled toward the Thunder Zebra's body, only to be blocked by the flames surrounding it.

"This power... seems a bit off..."

Seeing this, Officer Jenny frowned, a hint of doubt rising in her heart.

Judging from the sheer force of this Rock-type Pokémon, while its strength is slightly weaker than Zephyr, it possesses Rock Blast, which is super effective against Flame Charge, so its power shouldn't be limited to this level...

Just then, Mary, the reporter standing in the cafe by the street, suddenly realized something, her face turning deathly pale. She immediately bent down and shouted to her photographer partner beside her, "Dai! Lie down!"

Although somewhat bewildered, Dai instinctively did as instructed. The next second, a rock projectile, seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly struck the café window.

There was a loud crash—

The once bright and smooth glass was instantly covered with a dense web of cracks, and the huge rock that had pierced through crashed into the coffee shop, embedding itself deeply into the wooden floor.

"Prepare for battle!" the reporter shouted hoarsely. "That fugitive's target is us! He's cornered and wants to take hostages!"

Before he could finish speaking, several more rock spikes came hurtling towards him.

This time, the coffee shop's windows were smashed to pieces. A large amount of shards, carried by the cold wind, rushed into the room, causing the staff crouching behind the counter to scream in terror. Tables and chairs were overturned, and cups, plates, and bowls were scattered everywhere, turning the entire coffee shop into a chaotic battlefield in an instant.

Outside on the street, the Ancient Armor and the Great Wolfhound held Officer Jenny's Thunder Zebra back and forth. Taking advantage of this opening, the man in black nimbly vaulted over the broken window and leaped into the café.

The other person glanced around the desolate shop, paused at the bar where the waiter was hiding, and finally fixed their gaze on Mary, who was rather thin and weak, revealing a sinister smile as if they had spotted their prey.

"Please...stop."

A slightly trembling but firm voice came from under the table next to the fugitive.

Photographer Dai scrambled out from under the table and stood between Mary and the intruder. Several documents, scattered by the blast wave, were still stuck to his body, but his eyes remained unwavering.

"Whatever you plan to do here, I will do everything in my power to stop you."

Before the words were even finished, a Magneton flew out from behind the photographer, its three separate eyes locked onto the enemy before it, flashing with a wary light.

"I'm not so down on my luck that I'd be held back by a kid like you."

The man in black gave a cold laugh and threw another Poké Ball from his waist.

With a flash of red light, a crocodile Pokémon with a mouthful of sharp teeth appeared in front of Dai—it was the evolved form of Totodile, the Water-type beginner Pokémon from the Johto region, Crocodile.

Electric type is super effective against Water type, so the type advantage is on my side!

Despite her legs feeling a little weak, Dai managed to steady herself and quickly gave the order: "Magneto, 'Discharge'..."

"Brute force!"

This brutal life-or-death struggle was completely different from the elf battles that Dai had experienced in the past.

Before the photographer could finish giving the order, Blue Crocodile charged forward fiercely, leaping into the air in front of Dai, landing heavily on his shoulder and jumping into the air, its clenched claws aimed straight at Magneton's face.

Seeing its opponent almost touching its trainer, Magneton seemed to be caught in a dilemma and hesitated briefly.

This moment of hesitation caused it to miss the best opportunity to "discharge," and it could only endure this double-counter Fighting-type move.

Fortunately, Magneton possesses the "Sturdy" property, which allows it to evade a fatal blow, thus barely retaining a sliver of strength after suffering a heavy attack.

“Ignore me, keep using ‘Discharge’!” Dai shouted through gritted teeth.

"Water jet."

All that could be heard was a merciless command echoing behind Dai's head.

In an instant, the Blue Crocodile opened its mouth and spewed out a torrent of water, using the recoil to close in on the hastily dodging Magneton once again. Then, it raised its red tail fin high and swung it with merciless force, completely ending its opponent's last bit of strength.

Magneton ultimately failed to use any of its attacks, letting out a radio-like cry in frustration, only to fall heavily to the ground with its eyes spinning in circles, leaving behind a photographer with a look of despair.

"Looks like we've found a male hostage first." The man in black sneered, his dark face full of mockery. "Men are a bit troublesome. If they resist, they'll be quite fierce. We'll have to use some methods first."

He twisted his wrist, his gaze fierce as he approached Dai step by step.

"You...you stay away!" Dai tried to back away, but his back bumped into the blue crocodile's gaping maw.

Just then...

Boom—another loud noise.

A black, four-legged figure crashed heavily beside the man in black; it was the large wolfhound that had been fighting the lightning zebra earlier. The next moment, the lightning zebra, its body crackling with electricity, nimbly leaped through the window and landed steadily inside the café.

Outside the window, police cars had blocked off the entire street, and the red and blue flashing lights formed a deadly noose—undoubtedly, more Alliance police were rapidly assembling.

Officer Jenny's voice came through the loudspeaker from afar—

"Suspect, your other elven Ancient Armor has been apprehended by the police. Surrender immediately! Don't do anything foolish that would compound your crime!"

The man in black gritted his teeth, his gaze growing increasingly crazed. He suddenly grabbed Dai by the collar and shouted outside—

"None of you get any closer!"

The police officers who were about to storm the coffee shop stopped. The situation had become much more complicated with the enemy holding hostages…

Seeing that the threat had an effect, the fugitive continued to shout at the top of his lungs—

"None of you come any closer! I have hostages! Lift the siege first, or else..."

The man in black didn't notice that, in a blind spot where he couldn't see, the look of terror on the hostage's face had vanished without a trace.

The reason is simple: just now, a shrunken Poké Ball, thanks to the magnetic force released by Magneton, quietly rolled from Reporter Mary's side to Dai's feet.

The reason Magneton failed to unleash its attack was because it was distracted by using its magnetism to attract distant objects.

The time has come—

Taking advantage of the moment when the man in black was distracted and the blue crocodile turned its gaze to the zeppelin, the photographer quickly stretched out his toe and stepped on the release button of the Poké Ball.

The soul of a journalist will always shine in the most dangerous places. Whether in Hoenn or Unova, seamless teamwork is always this duo's best weapon to overcome adversity.

The next second, Dai and Mary covered their ears at the same time, as if by telepathy.

A short, purple figure with huge, speaker-like ears appeared out of thin air and stood in front of the man in black—it was Mary's Roar Bomb.

As luck would have it, the pair of round ears that could act as speakers to amplify the volume were slightly adjusted so that they could be aimed precisely at the black-clad fugitive's ears.

It opened its massive mouth, and the pent-up compressed air exploded instantly—

"Aa ...

It emitted a deafening roar that pierced through the clouds and tore through the fabric!