As Feng Che read the magazine, a sudden breeze brushed past him, carrying a faint, elegant fragrance. He looked up to see the stunning redhead from before. She was now wearing a sun-protection jacket, looking down at him with a bold, direct gaze.
"This is our second meeting," she began. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Alice—'Blazing Alice.' I intend to become a Fire-type specialist."
"I am Kongjian," Feng Che replied, using his codename. "Is there something you need?"
"I want to form an alliance with you. Strictly for the duration of the Death Island trial," Alice said, getting straight to the point. "My Fletchling is currently too weak to handle most wild Pokémon alone. I need an ally."
Feng Che didn't reject her immediately. Instead, he asked a poignant question: "And what do I gain from this alliance?"
"I have connections," Alice replied. "I can source rare Pokémon materials that are usually impossible to find. More importantly, I can give you the locations of hidden supply caches on Death Island. Only a few people know where Rocket members have stashed emergency gear."
The terms were hard to refuse.
"If you have such deep connections, why participate in the rookie evaluation at all? Why not just get a direct recommendation?" Feng Che closed his book, looking at her curiously.
"I can't. To prevent the next generation of high-ranking officials from becoming spoiled, Boss Giovanni established a strict policy: even the children of executives must pass the standard evaluation," Alice explained. "One of my rivals found out I was in this batch and hired an assassin to hide among the candidates."
"Aren't you afraid that I might be that assassin?" Feng Che asked with a playful smile.
Alice shook her head. "An assassin wouldn't draw so much attention to themselves, nor would they fight a high-profile death match in front of everyone."
"Very well, I agree to the alliance. But what if you're killed before I even find you?" Feng Che asked. It was a practical concern; he didn't want his efforts to go to waste.
"Then the alliance is void, obviously. But I'll give you the supply locations now," Alice replied, her expression serious.
"Then I look forward to working with you." Feng Che extended his hand.
"Likewise." As they shook hands, the pact was sealed.
"By the way," Alice added, "the man you defeated in the Arena was one of Commander Yajiro's men. Defeating an official member in public shamed him. He's sent several people after you. He tried to keep it quiet, but for people like me, it's no secret."
"So he's giving them Pokémon and gear to hunt me down?" Feng Che asked, his interest piqued.
"Exactly. Our intel says the Pokémon are lab 'discards'—clones produced using Rocket technology. You can spot them easily by the strange, unnatural patterns on their skin. Don't worry too much, though; their lifespans are incredibly short. Their genes will collapse, and they'll eventually turn into puddles of liquid."
So Team Rocket has already progressed this far with cloning, Feng Che mused. This means the Mewtwo project is already underway. To think I might have a chance to witness the birth of a Tier-1 Legend.
"Alice," Feng Che asked, shifting the topic, "how do you think we'll be landing on the island?"
"What? Won't the plane just land at a dock or an airfield? Is there a problem?" Alice's eyes widened slightly. Her heart rate remained steady, confirming she really didn't know the truth.
"There are life jackets and parachutes under our seats. What does that tell you?" Feng Che reminded her subtly.
Alice's face turned pale. "Damn them! They hid such a vital piece of information. Kongjian, allying with you is truly the luckiest thing I've done today."
She took the bookmark map from Feng Che and marked several spots. "These are the supply caches. If I reach one, I'll mark it with an 'A'. If there's an 'X' next to the 'A', it means I've already moved on."
"Good," Feng Che said, seeing the sincerity in her eyes.
"One more tip," Feng Che whispered. "Our parachutes are orange. Wingulls love the color orange—they'll peck at them. And the sea is full of Sharpedo, who also love orange. Landing is going to be the most dangerous part of the trip."
"Thank you. Without that, I might not have even survived the drop," Alice said gratefully. "This was their trap. My Fletchling's wings are too small to carry me or break a fall. They wanted me to fail before I even hit the ground."
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