Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Looking towards where the shuttle boat came from, guests could see a magnificent building on the water in the distance, which, shrouded in the night mist, resembled a brightly lit illusion—that was the Royal Caribbean, the gambling cruise ship that had recently become a hot topic in the United States' social circles.

The reason why the boarding procedures are so complicated is that this floating casino is not only a thorn in the side of Team Plasma, but also an illegal entity that should be banned by the Pokémon League, which manages the Unova region.

If it weren't for the fact that the cruise ship's route was completely unpredictable and that it always kept its distance from the United States' landmass, allowing it to escape at the first sign of trouble, this money-grubbing den on the water would have been rounded up and brought to justice by Officer Jenny and her team long ago.

Therefore, this gambling ship could not sail into the port normally like an ordinary ship, but could only stop far away in the waters, with small tourist boats picking up passengers who wanted to board.

However, in a sense, this ritualistic procedure also enhances the mystique of casinos—secrets are often associated with class.

As for the daily maintenance of the gambling cruise ship, it relies entirely on the constant flow of supply ships. As the casino's cash flow becomes more and more abundant, these supply ships are also constantly expanding in size, and now they have almost formed an escort fleet surrounding the Royal Union.

They connect suppliers across the United States, providing casinos with a continuous supply of food, fuel, fresh water, and other resources, and ensuring that all goods entering the ships are of the highest quality.

After disembarking from the shuttle boat, hooded guests passed through security screening equipment and entered the casino.

The moment you step through the cabin door of the Royal United, a wide corridor that seems to be paved with gold comes into view. The dark red high-end carpet contrasts with the black Gothic oil paintings on the walls, effectively neutralizing the frivolous feeling brought by the golden color.

A casino employee dressed as a bunny girl greeted the customer with a smile—her revealing attire showcasing the graceful figure of a young woman, creating a stark contrast with the customer who was completely covered by a hooded cape.

"Guest, you hold the highest-tier admission ticket, granting you free access to all casinos on the cruise ship, except for the special arena. Deck one through three houses the general casinos, which cover almost all forms of gambling available on the market. There are no minimum bets on these three decks, so new guests are welcome to gamble here for fun and test their luck."

The waitress's black rabbit ears, for some unknown reason, seemed to actually grow, trembling and bending naturally with every smile and frown—making the guests unable to help but glance at them a few more times.

"Floors four through six are dedicated casinos, open only to guests holding special tickets or those who have acquired at least 500 regular chips on the lower three floors. These floors offer more spacious areas, and each table is staffed with dedicated personnel, aiming to provide guests with the purest gambling experience. Furthermore, minimum bets are now limited here, with different standards for different game types; guests are encouraged to discover the fun within."

The customer nodded noncommittally, his gaze drifting elsewhere—to the left and right of the end of the casino's main aisle were the exchange counters for cash to chips and the withdrawal counters for chips to cash. Both areas clearly displayed the chip exchange rules.

A single white, ordinary chip is worth one thousand yuan.

One blue super chip is worth 10,000 yuan.

A single black premium chip is worth 100,000 yuan.

Commemorative balls, super balls, and premium balls—the guest instantly understood the design pattern of the chips.

"In addition, there are purple master chips representing one million dollars," the bunny girl sweetly reminded the customer, noticing his gaze.

"Guests with a betting amount of five Master Chips can enter the cruise ship space on floors seven to nine. The hospitality here is no different from that on the lower floors, except that each bet must be at least five blue chips, which is 50,000 yuan. Guests seeking high returns will eventually come there to compete with other guests who share the same goal."

"What's this 'special gaming room' thing? I remember there was another level on the cruise ship from the outside, right?"

The hooded guest spoke for the first time since boarding the ship, and surprisingly, it was a woman's voice.

"You are very perceptive, sir."

The bunny girl was clearly stunned for a second, but her strong professionalism allowed her to remain calm. She blinked and continued her explanation with a smile—

"The special gambling room is a gambling space exclusively for the casino owner, Mr. Yueju. In theory, any prepared guest can apply to face him in a duel. If the challenger wins the bet, he will unconditionally gain ownership of the entire Royal Union."

"Wow—" the guest whistled. "That sounds tempting. What happens if the challenger loses?"

"The loser must pay up all the assets he promised before the bet began. If he is still insolvent, he will become an employee of the ship and work hard until he pays off his debts—but of course, within the standards of labor law."

"It seems the owner of this casino is really confident. Isn't he worried about losing due to bad luck?" The customer smirked, which made the other person suddenly wary.

"Our casino owner has never lost a game so far."

The bunny girl raised her index finger to her cheek, revealing a mischievous smile that perfectly suited her image: "Esteemed guest, as a casino employee, we do not recommend that you directly challenge the boss. I already have several excellent colleagues with superb gambling skills around me."

"Okay, in that case, I'll just explore around here. No need for further guidance."

"Okay, sir. Please feel free to call if you need anything else."

The guests were surprisingly accommodating, which naturally made things easier for the waiters.

"Please also note that you should not leave your Pokémon outside during gambling, as this may upset other guests. We have a dedicated Pokémon breeding area near the deck where you can place any Pokémon that needs care."

The hooded visitor strode ahead, leaving the bunny girl behind, and made an OK sign with his hand.

.

"How about we start with poker?"

The customer, still hiding his face in his hood, muttered to himself, carrying a heavy basket of white chips.

The visitor's intrigued gaze fell upon the gambling table in front of him, where a gambling game called "Blackjack" was being played.

Square cards moved back and forth within their small space, changing the patterns on the center and opposite corners. On the table, chips piled up like small mountains, sometimes high and sometimes low, each change causing a stir among the crowd.

The mire of fate is filled with desire, and those trapped in it are addicted to its sweetness, unable to extricate themselves.

Suddenly, a cat meowed from behind, a low, meowing sound that seemed like a pleading cry.

The gambler who was dominating the card table across from him heard the Pokémon's call. He first looked up in displeasure, but after seeing the newcomer over the other guests' shoulders, he lowered his head again as if nothing had happened and continued gambling with his head covered.

The hooded guest didn't turn around; her intuition already told her who the newcomer was.

"I suggest that guests join the betting at this time."

A male voice, completely different from the bunny girl's, entered her ears, and the person had already stood behind her.

"Starting from the next round, the bookmaker is going to have a tough time..."

Before the person behind him could finish speaking, the impatient gambler urged the dealer to reveal the last card—followed by a burst of maniacal laughter that sounded like ghosts howling.

It is clear that the gamblers have won.

"That's insightful, almost like a superpower." Upon hearing the suggestion, the guest didn't join the card game but instead started chatting with the person behind him.

"Haha, please stop joking. How can such a little trick be compared to real precognitive ability?"

Without making a sound, the man took another step forward and came to the guest—it was none other than the casino owner, Yueju, dressed in a navy blue suit.

A green cat was yawning and lying on his hand.

"Is this a Pokémon from the Padina region?" The guest immediately noticed this Pokémon, which was quite eye-catching in Unova, and asked curiously.

"Yes, it's a beginner Pokémon named Newleaf Meow. I adopted this clingy little guy through the Order's channels. I have to say, Team Plasma's treatment is so generous that it's hard to find fault with it."

"It's a bit enviable. Casinos, cruise ships, and cute kittens. When can I join a villainous organization and enjoy this kind of treatment?"

"A villainous organization? That's a very funny pun." Yueju smiled, her eyes narrowed.

"Didn't you just play the most important ultimate villain in the newly released movie 'The Magical Door to the Magic Kingdom'? Miss Sabrina, the 'Magic Queen' from Goldenrod City in the Kanto region."

Chapter 168: The Curtain Rises

Seeing that the superpowered person who played the "Queen of Magic" in the hit movie had no interest in gambling himself, Yueju breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief and led the guest into a cocktail bar in the lobby.

The two of them seemed to know their way around well, heading straight for the most secluded booth in the bar. After the bartender brought them their respective drinks, he quickly and tactfully left the area—leaving only Lingju and Miss Nazja nearby.

Sabrina removed her hood, revealing her beautiful face, a star of Pokémon Hollywood. Her long, dark blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her tone became more casual.

"King of Cranberries, your appearance seems a bit too early. I had already put on a full disguise and was just about to have some fun, but you, the casino owner, appeared behind me like you used 'teleportation'."

Sitting opposite her, the evil-type king shrugged easily: "Miss Sabrina, you can still participate in the betting as you please. The Royal Union will never take any drastic measures to restrict the activities of its guests."

"Heh." Naz chuckled lightly, "Who would dare to flaunt their power in front of a super gambler like you? I can already foresee myself winning a couple of small rounds, then my superpowers inexplicably malfunction, and I'll start losing money all the way down, eventually ending up being politely sent off the cruise ship by you."

If that's the case, then you shouldn't have even considered cheating with superpowers in the first place...

Despite inwardly complaining, the casino owner, with a sleeping kitten curled up on his lap, calmly shook his head and responded expressionlessly—

"Please don't pretend to be using precognitive abilities to spout nonsense, Ms. Naz. Thanks to a certain colleague, I am somewhat familiar with the limitations of using superpowers—premonitions about the future are as difficult to manipulate as smoke. Only when the user's attention is highly focused, or when danger is imminent, will those mysterious forces diffused in the air give off a slight, subtle reaction. Precise and rapid predictions like that are impossible."

"It seems my Unova colleagues are somewhat lacking in ability; this is a basic skill in the Kanto region."

Miss Sabrina deliberately said this, her words subtly mocking the current Psychic King of Unova, seemingly eager to see the man's reaction.

“As a regular at the casino,” Blueberry said lazily, raising her cocktail glass from the table, “I can tell who’s bluffing.”

"Boring!" Sabrina leaned back into the fluffy sofa behind her. She was beginning to understand why psychic moves did no damage to Dark-type Pokémon.

"Speaking of which, how did you manage to appear the moment I entered the casino?"

The Gym Leader of Goldenrod City asked unwillingly, "Did you really just happen to be passing by and then recognize my identity?"

"I don't really believe in luck—misfortune often makes people more rational, while luck only makes people stupid."

The gambler gently swirled his glass, and the cocktail, with its distinct layers due to differences in density, reflected dazzling colors under the light.

"The truth is often incredibly dry. The security checkpoints at casino entrances are equipped with facial recognition cameras that store information on people who have caused trouble in gambling establishments around the world."

The blueberry drank all the different liquids in the glass in one gulp, and then said—

"Miss Naz, ten years ago you were quite active in the arcades under the Silver Company in Golden City, thanks to your superpowers. As a result, the arcade had to shut down its claw machines and gashapon machines. This record was entered into the Royal Union's database through a special intelligence network among casinos. Therefore, the alarm in my ear started buzzing the moment you walked in."

"Oh dear, I was just a little girl back then, full of rebellious spirit..." Naz smiled awkwardly, only then noticing that there was a working Bluetooth headset behind the left ear of the lingzhi.

"Now it's my turn to ask a question." The Dark-type Elite Four member quickly picked up the conversation, like a bandana-wearing thug unleashing a "Pursuit" attack—

“Miss Naz, what is your purpose in boarding this ship? You are neither obsessed with money nor do you seem like the kind of guest who would be enthusiastic about the intense thrill of gambling. Why did you choose to visit my casino?”

"If the owner of the Golden City arcade hears your verdict, he'll be so upset he'll cry."

The superpowered woman shook her finger, and her cocktail floated up.

Then, the liquid in the air detached from the glass, and the distinct layers of the cocktail separated as if cut by a blade. Naza, like eating different flavors of pudding, picked up each piece and savored it in small bites.

Looking at the completely separated, unmixed liquid, Blueberry showed a look of surprise for the first time tonight.

Caldelia's superpowers shouldn't allow for such precise manipulation, right? Even if she could, it wouldn't be so effortless. Perhaps the actress's previous arrogant remarks weren't entirely self-aggrandizement.

"My purpose in visiting the casino tonight is essentially no different from that of your guests."

As if she had bitten into undiluted liquor, Naz said indistinctly, sticking out her tongue—

"Perhaps the degree is slightly different, but we all came to this ship in pursuit of something new and different from our daily lives. The only difference is that some people try to find this in the fluctuating chips and ever-changing games, while I look forward to something more interesting happening."

"An incident?" Yueju frowned warily, instinctively denying it. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't overreact like that." Sabrina blinked. "There's not a soul around, and my telekinesis ensures this conversation won't be overheard by a third person."

"As you can see, the Royal Union is a gambling establishment created to satisfy my personal desires, an outlaw paradise born for entertainment, where there are no conspiracies or tricks. I don't understand why you are looking at me with such expectation."

Instead of trying to get a gambler to talk honestly, try teaching an Onix how to "surf".

"But the organization you belong to now wouldn't think that way, would it?" After finishing her cocktail, Nazir tossed her hair back.

"If the wealth accumulated by the plasma cluster is a lake, with countless rivers constantly expanding its water volume, your casino is like a high-powered water pump. Even if the money extracted is insignificant to them, the disturbing roar of the machine will still make some people in that organization restless."

Pointing his index finger at the gambler with a poker face—

"And this is the opportunity you've been waiting for."

Blueberry shrugged again, causing Newleaf Cat on her lap to shift her sleeping position.

"The people I've been meeting lately all seem to have a habit of looking up to others. Now that I'm an officer in the Plasma Team and a well-known traitor to the Alliance, no matter how much water this pump draws up, it won't arouse any hostility from others."

"A while ago, a body was found floating on the water in Fanba City. Rumors in Pokémon Hollywood say that the person's death was related to this gambling ship and that he was carrying a lot of debt."

Natsume throws out information that hits the nail on the head, while calmly observing Cranberry's reaction.

The gambler, however, readily changed the subject—

"Hollywood people are too good at making a mountain out of a molehill and drawing far-fetched conclusions. No, I should say there's no one in the world more eager to stir up trouble than filmmakers. Have you heard of the 'cinema effect'? In turbulent times when everyone is living in fear, cinema attendance actually increases. What could be more stimulating to the audience's eyes than death and darkness?"

The two men, sitting opposite each other in a booth at the bar, chatted idly, each harboring their own secrets.

Naz seemed to have already seen through all the playwright's secrets and was watching with great interest the star actors who were about to appear backstage; while Yueju showed no nervousness as a character in the play, she probed the other party's hostility while casually changing the subject, but stubbornly refused to reveal any details about the upcoming performance.

Naza suddenly looked up at the ceiling, which was bathed in a dim, yellowish light, and a smile appeared on her lips—

"It seems it's getting late, King of Blueberries. Let me answer your first question again."

What exactly is Naz's purpose in boarding the ship this time? Why is this actress, who is neither obsessed with money nor keen on gambling, so determined to visit the casino in Lantau Island?

"I have come here to witness a grand performance. A perfect drama that takes place in reality and cannot be compared to any other play—it will begin from this moment, the opening will unfold as smoothly as the meshing of gears, the development will be as thrilling and continuous as the waves of the sea, and the climax will be the joy of the victors and the lament of the losers."

Sabrina, with her legs crossed, narrated with impeccable acting skills—

“This play is interesting enough just to watch from the sidelines, and I don’t mind fulfilling my duty as an actor by playing a cameo role in the story.”

The moment the dojo leader, who was neglecting his duties, finished speaking, the bone conduction headphones that Yueju wore behind her ears began to vibrate and buzz.

The casino owner silently connected the communication device, and the reports from the employees in the monitoring room traveled through his skull to his auditory center—

"Boss, a Plasma Group speedboat has approached the cruise ship, and a group of cult leaders have led a large number of their men into the casino."

Who is in charge?

Looking at Nazja, who was smiling smugly, Yueju calmly asked a question.

"Vio, one of the Seven Sages, holds dual doctorates in mathematics and finance and is listed on the database's blacklist. Before joining the Order, he conspired with his university colleagues to plunder hundreds of millions of dollars from several major casinos in the United States..."

"It seems everyone has a rebellious phase," Sabrina chimed in happily. Superhumans always have such sharp ears.