Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Two hundred dollars can buy a Poké Ball, and the same price can buy a bottle of Delicious Water that can cure Pokémon—the detective's commission for private cases outside the police force is fifty thousand dollars, which is said to be a standard price that is neither cheap nor elite.

Ms. Douzi is currently covering N's expenses.

However, even the smallest monetary unit becomes an enormous sum of money when the quantity reaches a certain level.

If 50 million yuan is only one-tenth, then the full amount demanded by the other party is...

For some reason, the image of Douzi's gleaming eyes popped into his mind, and the green-haired youth sighed: "Although I don't have much of a concept of worldly wealth, this should be a lot of money, right?"

"Yes, but considering the other party's status as a superstar, even if we really paid 500 million yuan, it wouldn't be outrageous. At the time, we thought that just being able to keep track of a superstar's movements and shake the alliance's authority through his betrayal was already worth the money. But in the end, that guy's reliability was still questionable."

The old man said with emotion.

"Even if Lanju has a bad reputation, she is still a trainer who once held the title of Elite Four. I find it hard to believe that her actions this time do not have a deeper purpose. Therefore, we seven sages have unanimously decided to change the lump-sum payment to a monthly installment for that Elite Four member, and the down payment for this amount is fifty million."

It seems that not only I, who can listen to the thoughts of Pokémon, but any Team Plasma member with basic judgment is wary of Cranberry.

It seems being an undercover agent is really not easy.

However, Smura's narrative then took an unexpected and abrupt turn—

"But despite this, we ultimately paid him the full amount he asked for."

"Five hundred million yuan, not a penny less, was handed over to the gambler in cash—at the transaction site, ten money counting machines worked together for a whole day, and the neatly stacked banknotes almost filled the room."

"What method did Yueju use to change the mind of the cult that didn't trust him?"

N did not continue to consider the relationship between the exorbitant labor costs of blueberries and the cash flow caused by the evaporation of plasma clusters; instead, he simply raised questions according to his own desires.

"These three ninjas should know more about the situation back then, right?"

Smura pointed to the Dark Iron Triangle, which was still busy working beside the navigation equipment.

They witnessed the first gamble after the Dark Elite Four member dived into the dark depths of the sea, the first game after the shrewd gambler with shark-like teeth let loose, and the first battle after a gambler broke his vow.

.

"Then let's guess with a coin."

At that time, King Yueju, while picking his ear in a completely unladylike manner, said this to the ninjas who were acting as the Seven Sages.

"As you can see, I am not good at bargaining. Since we have a difference of opinion, let's resolve the dispute in the simplest way possible."

Yueju took out a black wallet from the pocket of her dark blue dress, opened the inner compartment, and took out a silver coin.

"With the recent popularity of mobile payments, physical currency like this has become increasingly rare. Some young people even can't understand what change is. This is a great loss to the gambling industry, because these coins that clink and jingle in your pocket are actually the most perfect gambling tool in the world."

The Dark Master held up a coin and slowly waved it in front of the ninjas.

One side, then the other side.

Enough to see any detail clearly.

There are no hidden mechanisms on the thin layer of iron-nickel alloy.

“Go contact your leaders and tell them my terms of surrender—a gamble.”

"Using the 50 million yuan I should have received as a wager, I will toss this coin ten times. If all the tosses result in heads, please multiply the wager tenfold and pay me the original 500 million yuan directly. Otherwise, if even one coin results in a different outcome, that is, heads, I will not take a single penny."

The terms of the wager were quickly conveyed to Quixote's table. The Seven Sages held an emergency meeting and, after an hour of debate, agreed to the wager.

Ten consecutive tosses landing face up, a probability of 2 to the power of 10, or 1024—betting on a mere tenfold return with such a probability is hardly wise.

however--

“They were all… without exception, heads up. After each toss, we checked both sides of the coin, and there were no problems with the center of gravity or the pattern.”

The yacht's course was now mostly straight, and at Smura's prompting, a ninja who had some free time began to describe the gambling game he had personally experienced.

The ninja, who had the air of a leader, lowered his head as he recalled the scene, his slight trembling revealing his current anxiety.

"The gambling scene was broadcast live and recorded, and was also transmitted to us, the high-ranking members of the Plasma Group. Moreover, the recording was repeatedly reviewed countless times afterward. If we only discuss the images on it, we really can't see any trace of cheating."

Smura added from the side, glancing suspiciously at the Dark Iron Triangle, clearly still wondering if they had fallen for some trick by Yueju.

The ninja closed his eyes in remorse, his memory seemingly sinking into that dark and boundless gamble—

In the dimly lit room, Lingju used her long, slender fingers to pick up a coin, flicked it upwards with her thumb, and the rapidly spinning coin seemed to be a constantly flashing ball in the air until it fell to the floor and bounced several times before revealing the exact pattern—a beautiful and vibrant flower.

again and again.

“From the second time onwards, we tried to change the airflow in the room by having the Pokémon flap its wings—even with the best technique, Blueberry couldn’t control the coin’s spin in that wind. For the last three throws, we even got Blueberry’s permission to have the three of us throw the coin in her place—but the result was still the same.”

The three ninjas threw out their last three colored balls.

Yes, it was the Dark Triangle, who were utterly loyal to Group Plasma, who personally tossed the coin that cost the Order 500 million yen.

There was absolutely no possibility of collusion or cheating during this period.

"Is the sect in crisis because it lost 500 million yuan, thus creating a financial deficit?"

N asked naturally.

Smura gave a wry smile: "Your Majesty, you may not be familiar with the overall size of the Order—whether it's fifty million or five hundred million, it poses no threat to Plasma Group's massive cash flow. Just as a person doesn't fall into a coma from a sneeze, the huge sum spent on bribing Blueberry is merely a drop in the ocean of the Order's daily expenses. What truly dealt a devastating blow to the cash flow was something else entirely."

The old man pointed to a spot on the electronic nautical chart.

"That King of Linguine took the 500 million yuan and opened a casino."

Chapter 166 Paradise is a Place of Play

It is said that anyone who has 500 million yuan in cash will have exceptionally smooth sailing in whatever they do.

This is based on a theoretical basis—ample funds can significantly reduce various costs in the transaction process and help the buyer gain the upper hand in negotiations.

In addition to her prestige as the Dark-type Elite Four member and her communication skills, despite the fact that the League's wanted status meant that every transaction had to be conducted in the shadows, Cranberry still managed to achieve her goal.

In less than a month, while Detective Hugo was still playing video games at the Feather Residence, a magnificent gambling cruise ship had already been quietly launched at the shipyard in Fanba City.

This giant cruise ship, originally named "Royal Union," was certainly no match for the high-tech behemoths delivered to the Plasma Group by the Water Fleet. It could neither be equipped with main guns nor take off from the sea and soar into the sky, but its overall size was comparable to the latter.

The 10,000-ton cruise ship features hundreds of luxurious suites, restaurants, bars, bathhouses, swimming pools, cinemas, nurseries, and gaming areas—all the amenities that existed on the ship before it was chartered by Yueju.

Building on that, Blueberry continued to invest heavily, breaking down walls, adding installations, and creating an atmosphere to completely transform the cruise ship into a floating casino.

First, let's talk about the interior decoration of the cruise ship—

The interior design, originally marketed for its comfortable sailing experience, was replaced with a luxurious black and gold theme; large quantities of environmentally friendly paint mixed with gold powder were purchased and applied to the interior walls of the cruise ship's passageways as if it were free; from furniture and ornaments to paintings in the corridors, everything was decorated with the highest-end materials, even going so far as to compete for artworks at auctions; despite being a ship sailing on the high seas, a huge aquarium-style tank was installed in the largest hall, where all sorts of aquatic Pokémon roamed freely; theater-like lighting and concert-level sound equipment were installed in every corner of the ship…

Next came the gambling equipment—

It was as if the bilberry had plundered a land-based casino, carrying countless gambling gadgets onto the ship. Rows of pinball machines and slot machines, top-of-the-line roulette, gambling tables made of precious oak, professional chessboards used only in professional tournaments, dominoes and dice made from Pokémon teeth, all sorts of bizarre gambling devices with mechanical mechanisms... and chips of various colors whose craftsmanship was no less than that of real currency, circulating among casinos and exchangeable at par with the League's universal currency.

Finally, there's the matter of personnel—

Generally speaking, gamblers' friends are parasites who only add chaos to society, and the former gambler, the "Evil King," naturally understood this well. Therefore, during the construction of the gambling cruise ship, he did the opposite, recruiting a large group of his "enemies." Among them were bookmakers skilled at enticing customers to stay at the tables, dealers who were impartial yet could subtly control the game at crucial moments, casino managers who were so skilled at cheating that they could see through any scam, and casino public relations personnel who could stimulate guests' gambling desires... These figures, who were like natural enemies in the eyes of gamblers, were gathered by Yueju and, lured by high salaries, boarded the newly built "Royal Union."

Thus, the most luxurious casino in this land was born since the founding of the United Alliance.

The magical cruise ship, built within a month and shuttling between the abyss and the sea, set sail.

.

"When Yueju first started running the casino, no one in the Order cared about it. Although he became a traitor to the Alliance, he wasn't the kind of guy who would just sit idly by after joining a rival organization. In return for the 500 million yuan in cash, Yueju volunteered to be the Order's strategist when dealing with the United States Alliance and agreed to step in at a crucial moment to fight against a Champion-level opponent, namely his old colleagues—although so far, such an intense confrontation has never happened."

On the speeding yacht, old man Smura, rubbing his forehead, continued to explain to N, in a distressed tone, the reason that had plunged the plasma cluster into crisis—

“Simply consulting work does not require being physically present, so Yueju has always communicated with the cult remotely. His real body, however, has always been on that mysteriously roaming luxury cruise ship.”

The casino, built at a cost of 500 million in cash, has transformed into a behemoth during this period.

Originally, under the deliberate control of the local Pokémon League, the gambling industry in Unova was suppressed in the shadows of society for a long time. Open casinos were either directly regulated by the League or heavily taxed, which was undoubtedly a huge and heavy shackle for casinos that value privacy and excitement.

The emergence of the "Royal Union" changed this situation. This newly opened casino was neither subject to the league's control nor subjected to any restrictions. It was simply a gambler's paradise created by King Lantau to satisfy his own selfish desires!

Unbeknownst to them, the ship had become laden with money and desire.

Five hundred million yuan in cash, like a lever in physics, easily allowed more than ten times the amount of wealth to defy gravity and begin to dance at the casino owner's will.

Tourists drawn by curiosity, gamblers dreaming of striking it rich, wealthy individuals indulging in casual gambling, criminals seeking to launder money, jewelers seeking fortune, counterfeit antique dealers, thieves with ulterior motives, aristocrats living off their savings, and actors hiding their identities—all sorts of people, as if summoned by fate, gathered on that giant cruise ship.

This naturally includes the executives of the Plasma Group.

“A month and a half after King Lantau opened the casino, we noticed something was wrong. More than 70% of the Plasma Team cadres began to disappear quietly on their days off. When the organization summoned them, they would belatedly appear with dark circles under their eyes, their faces full of exhaustion after their passion had been exhausted, and they would look like dizzy spots. More and more of the organization cadres were like this, and only then did we discover the key to the problem—every land docking point of the Lantau gambling cruise ship was located near our organization's base, and Plasma Team members enjoyed special treatment in the casino. Even when they did not have enough money to gamble, they could participate in higher-level gambling games on the ship.”

As the old man spoke, he couldn't help but shake his head.

Although Team Plasma claims to liberate the Elves and preaches freedom, equality, and world peace, the leaders within the organization are by no means all benevolent.

When the Seven Sages first began expanding their organization, they primarily emphasized meritocracy. As long as their abilities contributed to the expansion of the cult, regardless of whether they were originally thugs, bullies, thieves, or swindlers, they could secure a place in the organization.

After so many years of expansion, the original grassroots members of the Plasma Group have now become middle and upper-level members who wield considerable power within the organization.

For them, who were gradually becoming wealthier, there was no more suitable entertainment venue than the casino in Lingzhi.

"Why not issue an order prohibiting members of the cult from entering casinos?"

N frowned and asked the old man—

"Lingju's actions clearly harbor malicious intentions. On the one hand, he uses sweet words to win over the cult's cadres, corrupting their minds and turning them into crazy gamblers. On the other hand, he is also gradually eroding the wealth created by the cult, dragging the wealth that should have been invested in the cause of elven liberation into the abyss of darkness. We should sever the connection between the cult and the casino while his casino is just starting out."

"Your Majesty, your judgment is absolutely correct. And we made the same judgment when we discovered this phenomenon—however, the problem lies..."

Smura sighed heavily again, seemingly ashamed to speak.

“We underestimated the extent to which that cruise ship corrupted the cult.”

"What do you mean?" The green-haired youth couldn't understand what the sage meant.

"After deliberation by the Seven Sages, we appointed a senior officer who has followed us since the early days of the cult to issue an order prohibiting cult members from entering casinos. After the order is issued, any officer who violates this rule will not only be severely punished, but will also be expelled from the Plasma Group."

This is a very strict restriction order, and the fact that the Seven Sages were able to come up with such a decisive and efficient solution in such a short time is enough to prove that their title is by no means an exaggeration.

"But we still made a mistake."

Smura bowed her head and apologized to N.

"We were unaware that the senior officer who took on the heavy responsibility of reforming the cult had already fallen into the abyss of gambling. The phenomenon of the Plasma Group's middle and senior officers frequenting casinos has not only not been curbed, but has become increasingly rampant. Just two weeks ago, reports of funds running out at various bases within the cult were coming one after another—undoubtedly, some officers had embezzled the cult's operational funds and poured them into that bottomless black hole at sea."

The high-ranking official who fell into the abyss disappeared silently after his act of protecting the casino was exposed. A few days ago, his body was found drowned near the Fire Dragon Bridge in Fanba City.

It is said that before his death, he had already incurred gambling debts of over 100 million yuan on the "Royal Union" casino. The reason he betrayed the cult and protected the casino was to escape these debts.

At this point, Smura added, "Actually, up to this point, things haven't developed to the point where they could shake the foundations of the Order. The 'Citrus Casino' is just a parasite and won't cause the Order to face a crisis of financial collapse."

N looked up. The information provided by the other party was sufficient; he could now independently predict how the event would proceed.

"It was one of the Seven Sages who met his end, right?"

The more impregnable a fortress is, the easier it is for it to crumble from within. Only the Seven Sages, located at the heart of the Order, can bring the Plasma Cluster to the brink of destruction in the blink of an eye.

The green-haired youth's stern gaze seemed to be that of a king rebuking his subjects—

"Someone, dissatisfied with the actions of the 'Lingju' company, personally went to challenge them to a bet, is that right?"

“That’s right.” The old man nodded sadly. “It’s Vio. But he may no longer be one of the Seven Sages.”

That brilliant professor with dual doctorates in mathematics and finance, that scholar who introduced N to the allure of the mathematical realm, that genius who was invincible in the field of venture capital, has now lost.

"He lost everything in his bet against Blueberry."

Smura said with a sigh.

This was the devastating news he heard in the control room before the ship changed course—a news that struck him like a bolt from the blue.

Chapter 167 The Land of Gold and Cards

Let's rewind to the night five days ago.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship, moored on the east side of Highway 16, received an unexpected guest.

Route 16 in the Unova region is a tree-lined pedestrian path that connects Unova's most famous entertainment city, Raven City, which is brightly lit and shines all night long, to a strange bridge called the Fantasy Bridge.

The wonder of the Fantasy Bridge lies in the fact that its two ends don't directly connect to the land on either side, but rather to elevators that ascend to the mountaintop bridge. This bridge, connecting two cliffs blocked by a river, is constructed using the latest building materials and is truly a miracle bridge. It's also said that ghosts and paranormal events have occurred on it…

On this night, under the city's shimmering neon lights, a hooded guest silently walked through the dimly lit woods and arrived at the reception room at the bridge entrance.

Instead of taking the elevator to the upper-level fantasy bridge, the person descended directly to the bottom of the coastal cliff and found a secluded little pier.

At the dock, a liaison officer who looked like a waiter was waiting, with a yellow Electric-type Pokémon standing next to him.

After the hooded visitor presented his invitation, the waiter gestured to the electric dragon beside him. The dragon's tail tip lit up red, and it waved as if making some kind of symbol, standing out like a lighthouse on the dim riverbank.

A short while later, a small motorboat used for shuttle service came toward them.