Chapter 14: Alley Hypnosis
Chapter 14: Alley Hypnosis
The coastal city of Kanaz always carries a sea breeze during autumn, bringing a faint chill along with the drizzle. The rain fell like fine threads, weaving a delicate net that enveloped the city. Droplets splashed down, scattering into crystal-clear beads that bloomed like flowers.
Accompanied by the soft sound of water, a figure holding an umbrella slowly walked into a narrow alley, emerging from the dim glow of the streetlights.
The yellowish light outside the alley cast a blurry line of light and shadow at the entrance.
“Kya—”
A cheerful chirp came from under the umbrella.
“Yeah, yeah, you’ve learned the Poison-type move ‘Smog,’ but who’s to blame when a Poison-type Pokemon can’t even control the toxins they release?”
Jing He’s exasperated voice followed.
He had noticed that Gastly only used Poison-type moves on him.
The first time, it was a mild poisoning, but this time, it was a direct hit!
If he hadn’t had an Antidote ready from the last time, relying on Gastly to detoxify itself would have been a risky move.
The price of that Antidote...
Jing He’s heart ached at the thought.
But considering Gastly had learned “Smog,” one Antidote was a small price to pay.
‘If this keeps up, I might end up like a “Super Rookie.”’
Jing He thought to himself with a self-deprecating smirk.
“Kya! (Hands on hips)”
Gastly stood in front of him, looking serious.
‘Just give me another ten minutes... no, half an hour, and I’ll definitely detoxify you!’
Jing He’s lips twitched.
“Half an hour? This is real poison, you could find a new Trainer in that time.”
“Kya~~ (I believe in you)”
“I wish I could believe in me too.”
His voice trailed off as he spoke.
Click!
A sudden, faint sound echoed in the alley.
Gastly seemed to sense something and peered out from under the umbrella with its eyes.
A shadow flashed in the alley behind them.
Jing He and Gastly exchanged a glance, then continued walking at the same pace without a word.
But as they approached a corner, his steps suddenly quickened, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the dark alley.
“Huh?”
After they disappeared, a figure in a black raincoat at the other end of the alley seemed surprised.
He had been noticed?
His steps quickened as he hurried in the direction Jing He had disappeared.
Click!
As the figure reached the corner, he suddenly stepped on something, producing a faint, crisp sound.
But in the rain, such a subtle noise was almost negligible, especially when one’s attention was completely focused elsewhere.
“Hello.”
Before the figure could look around for Jing He, a voice devoid of emotion sounded in his ear.
He jumped in surprise and instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.
What greeted him was a grotesque, grinning face, with large white eyes that swirled with eerie, mysterious circles.
Hypnosis!
“Kya—”
Gastly’s voice grew faint and distant in his ears.
His eyelids felt unbearably heavy, and his body became unresponsive, his once strong frame now weak and powerless. A thick wave of drowsiness washed over him, making him want nothing more than to sleep.
Then, a gentle voice, like a warm breeze, whispered in his ear, soothing him like a friendly neighbor.
“You’re very sleepy. You’re lying on a soft, comfortable bed. Relax your eyelids, slowly...”
Before long, the man stood motionless, eyes closed, breathing evenly, as if he were already asleep.
“Kya?”
Gastly tentatively waved a hand in front of the man, who remained unmoved.
Jing He stepped out from behind Gastly, staring at the man with a serious expression.
Thanks to Gastly’s “Hypnosis,” the process had gone much smoother than expected.
Hypnotizing someone was a complicated process, requiring the subject to fully trust the hypnotist and be completely relaxed and unguarded. But with Gastly’s “Hypnosis,” much of the unnecessary complexity was eliminated, making it difficult for an ordinary person to resist the power of a Pokemon.
“Who are you?” Jing He asked, his tone calm despite his serious expression.
“D-Dai... Daihui...” The man’s voice was a faint murmur, broken and weak, but still audible.
"Who sent you?" Jing He continued to ask.
"Jin, Jin He, the team leader."
Jin He?
He seemed to have heard that name before.
"Why are you looking for me?"
The man fell silent.
"Grr—"
Seeing the man's silence, Gastly was about to make a move, but Jing He stopped him with a glance and asked again:
"Who are you?"
"V, Violette Co.," the man replied once more.
Violette Co.?
Violette Corporation!
Jing He's eyes widened in realization, and he remembered who this "Jin He" was.
Jin He, originally an engineer at Violette Corporation, had appeared on television to promote Violette's "Marine Violette" and "New Violette" projects, as well as the city renovation of Violette City.
Violette Corporation had once been a rival to Devon Corporation, known for its extensive presence throughout the Hoenn region.
However, due to certain reasons, Violette Corporation went bankrupt, and most of its assets were acquired by Devon Corporation.
It was later revealed that Jin He was not only an engineer but also responsible for Violette's intelligence operations, having sent commercial spies to Devon Corporation.
"Was it your people who broke into Dr. Solance's house?"
Jing He continued, feeling a bit relieved.
He had thought it might be a massive organization like Team Aqua or Team Magma, but it turned out to be just the remnants of Violette Corporation.
"Yes."
"What are you looking for?"
"R, rocks."
Rocks again?
Jing He frowned.
Shouldn't they be looking for documents instead?
After all, Dr. Solance's father, Solance Reizang, had once been a part of Violette Corporation.
Jing He had the information he needed.
"Grr?"
Seeing that he had finished asking, Gastly licked his lips, his eyes flashing red.
Should he take him out?
Jing He's face darkened at the suggestion.
Did they think the Gym Leader was just there for show?
Moreover, killing him would only complicate things further.
Now that he knew their target and purpose, things would be much easier to handle.
Ignoring Gastly's suggestion, he carefully worded his next statement:
"You found Jing He, and you infiltrated Jing He's house, but you didn't find what you were looking for."
He stared at the man, "Repeat that three times."
"I found Jing He, and I confirmed it wasn't there," the man murmured, repeating the words.
Meanwhile, Jing He squatted down and picked up all the shattered plastic fragments from the ground.
He had left these as a precaution.
Knowing he was being followed, he couldn't afford to be unprepared.
The sharp sound he had made at the alley entrance served the same purpose.
In such a dark, narrow, and dirty alley, no one would notice the ground, but it served as a warning for him.
He chose the smaller, more chaotic alleys over the main roads because there were no true main roads between the school and his home. He felt more at ease in these narrow alleys, knowing the terrain better and that they were more advantageous for Pokemon like Gastly.
"Let's go."
After finishing, Jing He quickly left, holding his umbrella.
"Grr—"
Gastly hurried to follow.
However, after Jing He disappeared into the depths of the alley, Gastly reappeared from the wall.
He looked at the seemingly sleeping Daidai and laughed sinisterly.
Not that easy.
"Grr~~"
I'll send you a nightmare that will keep you up for three days!
Some time passed.
The man suddenly jolted awake.
His eyes were bloodshot, his body trembling, and his lips pale.
How did he end up here?
The fear in his eyes lingered, but his thoughts slowly returned.
Right, the teacher from the Kanaz Pokemon Academy!
As this thought surfaced, another one struck him.
"It's not with this person either. I need to tell Team Leader Jin He right away. Now, only the young heir of Devon is left."
Thanks to the generous support from readers like Pingfanxin, Qixi Meng Mengda, Queyi Yi, Chichi Bulai de Qiufeng Luoye_ye, Fengchen Luoye, Heihei Xing,, Heihei, Xiao Shuodao Yao Chang Bicao, Lian'ai Bifen Bai, Zeta Kongjian, Wo Shuai youli, Ke'ai Bao Huolong, and many others! I am deeply grateful!
(End of Chapter)
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