Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Zhu Lan didn't say anything, but moved a rectangular suitcase that was next to her onto the table.

"A very familiar plot," Hugo commented.

“Clients often present me with a suitcase full of cash, asking me to withdraw from a case. It’s like they’re confessing to having a large amount of ill-gotten gains and rushing to turn themselves in.”

"Choose one of the three; this is the commission fee for this case."

Without saying a word, Cynthia opened the briefcase herself, revealing three Poké Balls lying on the black velvet fabric.

Chapter 003 An Absurd Bet

Inside the red and white Poké Ball are three starter Pokémon from the Sinnoh region.

Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup.

"Ha, haha." The detective chuckled dryly, looking speechlessly at the Sinnoh Champion. "Your jokes are absolutely terrifying."

Zhu Lan tilted her head, not understanding Hugo's leaps of thought.

“You know that the person in front of you has no talent for raising Pokémon, and their performance in battles can only be described as atrocious. Cynthia, you are not the kind of person who would use Pokémon as currency to pay for something. Under these two conditions, your act of placing three Poké Balls in front of me is clearly a prank.”

Hugo said, counting on his fingers as if he were doing addition and subtraction within ten.

Zhu Lan blinked and smiled.

The Sinnoh champion finally revealed her long-prepared, cunning expression, as if the old score from the pomegranate smoothie had been completely wiped clean. She smiled and uttered something even more unbelievable:

“Choosing a Pokémon is a deposit for the case. If the case is solved, I will take the Pokémon back. But if you, the detective, cannot solve the case, then the Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup in this box are all yours, and you will be responsible for raising them.”

See the picture poorly.

Hugo was dumbfounded.

This is a gamble: whether Hugo can fulfill Cynthia's request. If Hugo succeeds, he gets nothing; if he fails, he gains three Sinnoh Beginner Pokémon.

What kind of commission is this? A free elf? Is there really such a good thing?

However, the person hired was Hugo, the detective who least wanted to keep elves in the world, and his pride would never allow him to deliberately ruin the case he was entrusted with.

"In this world, creatures called Pokémon live everywhere! Some people take care of them kindly, while others command them in battles. Young man, please choose. Which one will you embark on a journey of hope and dreams with?"

In the café, Cynthia spreads her arms out, striking the classic pose of Professor Pix guiding beginners on their path to becoming trainers, and delivers her signature lines in a beautiful voice.

The over-aged boy, on whom hopes and dreams were placed, couldn't help but roll his eyes and shake his head desperately.

"That's really difficult. This is a case that's giving the Sinnoh League a real headache. Only a great detective like you can handle it."

The blonde woman in front of the detective shook her head with feigned regret and shrugged dramatically, showing none of the dignified demeanor expected of a champion.

She picked up the pomegranate smoothie again; the crushed ice had all melted, and the drink had turned a beautiful peach-pink color.

The straw stirred the drink aimlessly, and Zhu Lan sighed softly, "Or does the detective feel that he cannot solve the case?"

Click. It sounded like a combination lock being unlocked.

What's before me is an obvious provocation, but as a detective, it would be a shame to miss out on such a mystery.

Why did the Sinnoh champion come straight to Unova to find me? Why did they set up such a strange trick to get me to accept their request? Why is the reward for the request to raise Pokémon?

No, this last point shouldn't be a mystery. Back in Sinnoh, Cynthia kept urging her to train Pokémon. So, this woman is convinced there's a case Hugo absolutely can't solve, and she thinks she can use this opportunity to get Pokémon into her own hands.

So, should one avoid the commission, or participate in this absurd gamble?

The answer is self-evident.

"I choose the grass turtle."

The Sinnoh Champion was surprised that her scheme had succeeded, and she couldn't help but ask the detective, "Is it because Torkoal is gentle and easy to take care of?"

Hugo shook his head: "Since I'll have to return it to you eventually, I'm thinking of just choosing one randomly. Turtwig is Pokémon number 001 in the Sinnoh Pokédex, so choosing it in order is the fairest method."

“You might also take them all away because you can’t resolve the request,” Zhu Lan immediately corrected.

Ignoring the words on the other end, the detective reached into the open box and picked up a Poké Ball. He moved very carefully, his arm even trembling slightly, as if he had done something taboo that challenged the gods.

"That's a Poké Ball for Piplup," Cynthia kindly reminded her.

Hugo quickly changed to another one, but this time he made a mistake; he had put on a little fire monkey instead.

The red part of the Poké Ball is made of a semi-transparent material, which makes it easier for trainers to identify the Pokémon inside. However, even so, many inexperienced trainers still mistake the Pokémon inside.

Unfortunately, Detective Hugo is precisely such a seasoned but inept trainer.

"Pokémon all look the same when they're locked in Poké Balls," the detective awkwardly explained, picking up the last red and white Poké Ball containing Turtwig.

Cynthia nodded as if it were commonplace, and sighed with an expression that said, "I knew it would happen." She clearly knew all along that detectives and Pokémon were incompatible—it was no surprise that Hugo would only guess correctly on the last of the three selections.

Through the red, semi-transparent Poké Ball, Hugo saw the Turtwig inside.

Unlike the lazy impression that turtle-type Pokémon usually give, this was a very energetic little guy, with round black eyes staring straight at the detective, and the tender shoot on his head throbbing with vitality.

Sensing Hugo's gaze, the grass turtle became active, raising its green head as if it wanted to jump out of the ball immediately.

Suppressing the human instinct to throw the Poké Ball and release the Pokémon, the detective placed the ball on the side of the table and asked Cynthia the question that concerned him most: "What is the request?"

"Why don't you talk to Turtwig? It's not crowded in the shop, you can release your Pokémon."

"It will be back in your hands soon," the detective said confidently.

"If you can't solve the problem, you'll have to accept all the starter Pokémon in the box."

"It's really hard for you, the Sinnoh champion, to pull off such fancy tricks. Take them all? Ha, only someone with decision-making difficulties would think of such an option."

Hugo pushed the Poké Ball containing the Turtwig further away, then changed the subject with a sarcastic remark—he didn't want to make any definitive statements; the woman opposite him had clearly been planning this for a long time and needed to leave herself an escape route of denying everything.

"Well, that's part of the reason." The detective's guess hit the nail on the head, and Zhu Lan frankly and honestly admitted it.

"In that case, please explain the situation quickly. I will do my best to return this baby turtle to your suitcase!"

“Very good.” Zhu Lan said slowly, “Then I will talk about the incident that happened this time. Although this matter has only recently received attention, it actually happened a year ago.”

The detective nodded: "An incident from a year ago. Bringing up an old case again, that's interesting."

“Someone is impersonating me,” said the champion lady, who was high above the Sinnoh League pyramid.

"Oh, impersonation... Wait, impersonating you? Impersonating you?"

Hugo's expression became quite interesting.

"Yes, a trainer with a similar team composition to mine has emerged and is frequently active in the Unova region. This has attracted great attention from the leagues in both regions and has had a huge impact on my personal reputation," Cynthia said seriously.

"This isn't a big deal, is it? It's quite common for Pokémon decks to overlap in the competitive scene, so it can't really be considered plagiarism. Besides, even if someone completely copied your Pokémon combination, they couldn't possibly pass for your appearance, could they?"

"That person did not imitate my appearance. The intelligence said that this person never appeared in person, but only controlled the same Pokémon as me and frequently caused trouble in the Unova region."

The champion placed several documents on the table, which included blurry photos taken at the scene.

Although blurry, upon closer inspection, the figures of Cyndaquil's commonly used Pokémon, such as Garchomp, Rockruff, Togekiss, and Roserade, are all clearly visible.

“Besides, you’re wrong about one thing,” Zhu Lan added. “That person didn’t damage my reputation.”

"Huh? Didn't you say your reputation was affected? And I remember you saying at the clinic that this incident involved the League's reputation. Your statements are contradictory. What exactly happened?"

"It is indeed very strange." After taking a sip of the pomegranate smoothie, which had turned into pure fruit juice, Zhu Lan smoothed her golden hair on her forehead with a headache.

"This person has damaged my reputation, but for the better—he's turned me into an anonymous hero who travels between Sinnoh and Unova, constantly fighting for justice. The Unova League even wants to award me a Unova Guardian Medal because of it!"

Chapter 004 The Imposter Champion

Inside the café, Zhu Lan pointed to the documents laid out on the table in front of her.

"Last June, there was a failed subway bombing attempt. Some people saw Rockruff and Gastrodon fighting against the criminals, but no one saw the trainer commanding them. In the end, the criminal who planted the bomb inside the subway was caught by the subway supervisor who arrived later. The criminal claimed that he was stopped by two Pokémon that suddenly appeared during the crime. The two Pokémon were very powerful, but no one, including the criminal, saw the trainer commanding them."

Listening to the Sinnoh champion's account, Hugo nodded thoughtfully.

"Rockgar and Gastrodon. Not only are they your handheld Pokémon, but they're also rare in the Unova region. Especially the former, which is extremely rare even in Sinnoh, making it very easily recognizable. By the way, what color is Gastrodon in the surveillance photos?"

"The pinkish-pink western sea form is the same as the variety I cultivated. If even the sea hare's color is different, I won't be bothered by this."

Zhu Lan spoke succinctly and then moved on to the next document.

"Last July, the Dream Research Institute in Sanyo City was robbed. Dr. Makomo's research tool, Dream Smoke, was stolen and was eventually returned by a Togekiss that acted alone."

“I was also present at the time of this case.” The detective slapped his forehead, reacting quickly.

"At that time, I received news in Flying Cloud City that an unknown organization wanted to use a certain technology to manipulate the collective subconscious of wild Pokémon. I immediately thought of the dream world research being conducted by the Dream Research Institute, so I rushed to the institute."

"The crime had just occurred. Although the culprit was caught, the crucial Dream Smoke had already been taken away by the culprit's Pokémon. It was thanks to that Togekiss that the item was returned, otherwise the organization's goal might have been achieved. Regardless of the imitator's purpose, the case was successfully solved thanks to that person's help."

“Togekiss is also one of my go-to Pokémon.” Cynthia sighed. “After this incident, some people linked me to this anonymous hero. This hero later saved three traffic accidents and caught two thieves and a kidnapper. If such a person really exists, the Unova Guardian Medal would be well-deserved.”

"Wait a minute, we can't be sure yet that the same person used these Pokémon." Hugo immediately corrected, "The person who used Rockruff and Gastrodon and the person who sent Togekiss to return the lost items are not the same person—this possibility still exists, and the probability is not small."

"So, based on the information I've given you, the famous detective has already made some deductions?" the Sinnoh champion said sarcastically.

"It's not exactly a deduction, but it's a highly probable guess." Hugo crossed his fingers and began to explain with an air of authority.

"It is actually very difficult to travel around the United States to fight crime. Generally speaking, even if an imposter is willing to fight crime, it is unlikely that he would encounter so many incidents in a year. However, if we broaden our thinking and put ourselves in their shoes, everything will make sense."

"Is there a group impersonating me?" Zhu Lan narrowed her eyes, her gaze becoming meaningful.

"Heroic acts don't require a full-scale battle. As long as one member of the gang uses one or two of the same Pokémon as you, they can complete an impersonation."

"But why would they do this? What was their motive?" The imposter champion remained puzzled.

Hugo wagged his finger mysteriously: "Let's take a look at these imposters' criminal profiles. First, they're a group of people who have some special feelings for Cynthia. Second, they all know your Pokémon in detail. Third, judging from their good deeds, they don't seem to want to tarnish your reputation."

What does this prove?

“I have a good idea,” Hugo said, as if recalling something interesting. “Have you ever heard of a type of unofficial organization called a support group?”

"You mean the fan club?" Zhu Lan asked, frowning.

"Exactly." A crisp snap of the fingers rang out from the detective's fingertips.

"Since the advent of television and the internet, the distance between regions has been shrinking rapidly. A Sinnoh resident can watch the Kanto region's League matches live on television, and similarly, there are many viewers in the Unova region who follow Cynthia's amazing performance in the League Challenge every day. Rena, the berry grower you met at the entrance of the Halibut Residence, is also one of your Unova fans."

Zhu Lan nodded, not surprised by this seemingly trivial reasoning, but still puzzled. She was familiar with electronic products, so what did this have to do with the impersonation incident?

"You must be wondering what this has to do with the impersonation incident, right?" the detective asked smugly.

"In this era where the world is interconnected by the internet, a powerful and beautiful league champion will naturally have a huge fan base all over the world. These fans will spontaneously form online or offline groups of like-minded people through the internet, and regularly carry out activities related to their idol, such as buying merchandise, voting for certain ranking lists, sharing game videos, and recording post-game interviews."

“I know that there are people like that in Sinnoh as well.”

"So you can imagine that there is a group of people of different backgrounds, men and women, who gather in the screening room on their days off to watch Cynthia in the video. Their tables are piled with snacks and merchandise related to you. Whenever a magazine launches an event like 'Vote for the Strongest League Champion,' they gather together enthusiastically to persuade everyone to vote for your ranking... What's special is that these people are not in Sinnoh, but in the Unova region, which is thousands of miles away from Sinnoh. They may never see you in person in their lifetime."

Hugo fiddled with his phone, then turned the screen toward Cynthia, which displayed the online community for the Cynthia support group in the Unova region, filled with close-up photos and the ramblings of enthusiastic fans.

"Isn't it a little ridiculous?" Hugo asked sarcastically.

Zhu Lan shook her head, then pointed out incisively: "They are no different from the audience who cheered for me during the competition, except that because of the great distance, they acted more recklessly."

"There are also many ongoing fan fiction novels in the discussion forum, with very impactful titles and contents..."

"shut up!"

“Okay, let’s get back to the point.” Hugo shrugged.

"It's conceivable that some of them were influenced by you, Cynthia, and acquired Pokémon from Sinnoh such as Gastrodon, Togekiss, and Venusaur. Having long admired the Sinnoh Champion, they finally couldn't suppress their feelings and hoped to see you in person in this Unova region someday—so they started a plan."

"Is this also a highly probable guess?" Zhu Lan asked absentmindedly, seemingly still worried about things related to the impact.

"It's hard to imagine any other motive causing this situation. If I impersonated your fan and infiltrated these people's private chat groups, I might be able to find relevant clues. With a bit of luck, I might not even need to go that far..."

The detective, scrolling through his phone, answered absentmindedly as well.

"I found it, Loto!"

Rotom, which had just been quiet for a while, flew out of Cynthia's pocket again. Its blue screen displayed a post with the title "Cynthia's Pokémon Recruitment - Overseas Hero Birth Project".

"Hmm, the real-time popularity is quite high, so it seems to be more than just a niche section," Hugo said with a mischievous grin.

"A ghost, the ghost of the Sinnoh champion, is haunting Unova. Your fans in Unova have organized some kind of event in hopes of making you pay attention to Unova across the ocean."

"They're being way too unrealistic," the blond champion said with a wry smile, shaking his head.

“The town of Shenhe holds a festival every year,” Hugo said, bringing up a topic that had absolutely nothing to do with the case.

"Whenever the legendary anniversary of Arceus's descent to earth to save humanity arrives, the townspeople dress in traditional costumes and hold a ceremony in the town center, offering sacrifices and performing songs and dances for the shrine, praying for the blessings of Arceus, the god who created the world. Of course, this scene is familiar to both of us."

“Yes,” Zhu Lan from Shenhe Town nodded in agreement. “The lively festival will revitalize the ancient town of Shenhe, and everyone will find joy in it.”

Hugo sneered: "Don't your fans also want to hold a festival like this?"