The next day, with one final day of leave remaining, Oliver planned to buy some electronic devices for Celebi, just to make sure it wouldn't sneak out while he was away.
He stepped out of the house in high spirits—
and suddenly felt it.
A gaze.
It pressed against his back, carrying a faint but unmistakable sense of pressure.
This strange sensation hadn't appeared since the last time he encountered that sunglasses-wearing woman at the train station. Even when facing Zhu Qianwei, the Chang'an Gym Leader, he hadn't felt anything like this. And unlike before, this gaze wasn't fleeting—it lingered, fixed squarely on him.
Is it aimed at me?
Oliver slowly turned his head.
Standing by the second-floor window of the neighboring villa was a tall, elegant woman with an imposing presence. She wore sunglasses, her face obscured—but Oliver recognized her instantly.
It was the same woman he had seen at the train station.
Noticing his gaze, Mu Xue smiled faintly and waved at him.
Oliver stiffly raised a hand in return. Only after confirming she made no further moves did he turn around and leave, pretending nothing was wrong.
From the window, Mu Xue watched his retreating figure, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.
"So sharp… such keen perception."
Oliver walked briskly all the way out of the residential complex. It wasn't until he got into a taxi that he finally let out a quiet breath.
Only now did his chaotic thoughts begin to settle.
That woman was without question the strongest Trainer he had encountered since coming to this world.
And she lived right next door.
That alone made her intentions obvious—she was here for him.
Yet, according to his mother, Mu Xue had already been living there for several days. She hadn't made a move against his family, which suggested she likely bore no immediate hostility toward him—though that was far from guaranteed.
Back at the high-speed rail station, she probably hadn't recognized him. He'd been wearing a cap, his head lowered, and she'd just arrived in Rong City.
So why was she targeting him now?
His research abilities?
His top-tier Energy Blocks?
Oliver frowned slightly.
But now that he was already out, turning back would only look suspicious. He decided to finish what he needed to do first.
He headed to the electronics mall and bought a smartphone and a tablet. On the way out, he spotted a fruit shop and paused for a moment before going inside to pick up a basket of fruit.
Visiting a neighbor empty-handed would be rude, after all.
He hailed another taxi and gave the address.
"Ziweihua City," Oliver said.
"Got it," the driver replied.
The driver was a middle-aged man, the talkative type. He tried to strike up a conversation, but Oliver was deep in thought, considering how to handle his "new neighbor." Seeing Oliver's lack of interest, the driver eventually fell silent.
Oliver stared out the window.
His brow furrowed—just for an instant—before smoothing out again.
This wasn't the right route.
Normally, Oliver's heightened perception would have warned him the moment he got in the car. This driver carried a heavy malice toward him—cold, vicious, and soaked in blood. A man who had likely taken lives before.
But earlier, Oliver's thoughts had been too scattered. He'd failed to notice the anomaly.
The surroundings grew increasingly desolate. Fewer pedestrians. Fewer buildings.
Oliver pretended not to notice, even closed his eyes as if resting.
Yet every movement inside the car was crystal clear to him.
The driver glanced at Oliver through the rearview mirror, sneering inwardly.
Sleep while you can. Soon, you won't even have the chance.
The silence in the car was oppressive.
Both men were calculating their next move.
Soon, the taxi rolled to a stop at an abandoned construction site.
This area had once been slated for development, but with the frequent appearance of secret realms and Pokémon in the real world, humanity's living space had been increasingly compressed. Remote sites like this were long abandoned.
Seeing Oliver seemingly still asleep, the driver smirked.
What he didn't see—
was Oliver's hand slowly closing around a Poké Ball at his waist.
The driver got out, walked to the back door, and pulled it open, reaching in to drag Oliver out.
At that exact moment—
A ring of light flashed.
Hypnosis!
No matter how strong a Trainer's Pokémon were, the Trainer himself was still human. Hit head-on by Hypnosis, he dropped instantly.
"Kiruu!"
Kirlia hopped out of the car, tilting its head curiously at the unconscious man.
"Well done," Oliver said, gently patting Kirlia's head.
He swiftly removed all the Poké Balls from the man's body and placed them aside. Finding a rope in the car, he tied the driver up securely, ensuring there was no chance of escape.
Only after everything was in place did Oliver nod to Kirlia.
"Wake him up."
"Ugh…"
The man slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a young man sitting calmly on a stool in front of him, eyes lowered, expression relaxed.
The last thing he remembered was bringing Oliver to this construction site. He tried to struggle—only to realize he was bound tightly.
Panic surged.
"I—I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the man blurted out.
"I got greedy! I saw your Poké Balls and thought I could sell them on the black market. I swear I didn't want to kill you!"
Behind his back, his fingers slipped into his sleeve, searching frantically for something—
Nothing.
Oliver's gaze drifted to the six Poké Balls lying on the ground nearby.
"Looking for these?" he asked lightly.
"If you're lying… well. Human sticks, flaying, sky lanterns—my methods go far beyond your imagination."
The man followed his gaze. His face drained of all color.
A veteran, senior-level Trainer—
completely subdued by a mere teenager.
Kirlia raised a hand.
Magical Leaf!
Sharp green leaves sliced through the air, grazing the man's cheek before pinning themselves into the ground beside his head, drawing thin lines of blood.
"Ghk—!"
The man swallowed hard.
He knew it now—survival came first.
"Last chance," Oliver said softly.
"Your objective. And who's behind you. No one will come here."
The words echoed like a demon's whisper.
After a long silence, the man finally spoke.
"It's the Genesis Society… They want you to join them. If you refuse, then…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
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