The so-called evaluation was simply judged by Giovanni, Officer Jenny, and Nurse Joy. Each Trainer had to send out their strongest Pokémon to demonstrate the proficiency and power of its moves. Naturally, Electric-, Water-, and Flying-type Pokémon were given priority for selection.
Water conducts electricity, so Electric-types could indeed unleash their greatest power in water. As for battles fought in the water itself, they ultimately depended on Water-type Pokémon. Whether it was combat or covering a retreat, Water-types were indispensable.
As for Flying-type Pokémon, their usefulness went without saying. Retreating through the air was undoubtedly the safest option, since none of the Water-type Pokémon in this river could fly.
After a full day of evaluations, only Jessie, James, Chopper, and Tyra from the gang passed. The others naturally returned disappointed.
Giovanni divided all the Trainers into four groups. Each group selected a well-known Trainer to serve as deputy leader. Their main responsibility was to lead the Trainers in attacking the Water-type Pokémon. Naturally, every group was also accompanied by a squad from the Jenny Family to fight alongside them.
Overall, however, everyone would follow Officer Jenny's unified command, as they were the professionals.
As for each group's leader, they would hand over all the Pokémon they caught to Giovanni. These four people were Giovanni's trusted confidants… Archer, Petrel, Ariana, and Proton…
Other people did not know who these four were, but Tetsuya knew them very well. They were Team Rocket's four Admins!
By assigning these four here, it seemed the results of capturing the Water-type Pokémon would all end up in Giovanni's pocket.
Jessie and James were assigned to Group A, the same group as Tetsuya. Archer was the overall commander.
All of the selected Trainers stayed and ate at the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy was responsible for giving every Pokémon a health check.
Giovanni had already devised an exact plan. As soon as construction resumed, all the Water-type Pokémon would swarm toward it. At that moment, the four groups of Trainers would launch attacks from different directions, trapping all of those Pokémon in one sweep.
What Tetsuya needed to do now was attract as much attention as possible and earn Giovanni's notice. Only then would he have both the opportunity and the leverage to speak with Giovanni.
It wasn't that Tetsuya couldn't just walk up right now and say that the former Elite Four Pryce had sent him, but given what he knew about Giovanni from his two lives, this was the best way to approach him.
---◓---
That night, Tetsuya transferred his three Pokémon from Mahogany Town: Mamoswine, Ditto, and Beedrill. Tomorrow would become his stage alone.
After letting them greet to the four Pokémon on this side, Tetsuya had already begun arranging tomorrow's plan. Skorupi and Houndoom would not play major roles and would only be sent out if the situation required it.
Early the next morning, the vast riverbank was packed with two to three hundred Trainers, Officer Jennys, and police officers. Giovanni gave everyone a motivational speech, then they split into four ships, each stationed in its designated area. As soon as they heard the signal from the bridge, all of them would sail toward it and begin their assault.
Archer, Officer Jenny, and Tetsuya stood on the deck, gazing toward the bridge in the distance. Suddenly, fireworks and firecrackers erupted across it.
It was the signal that construction had resumed!
Immediately afterward, cranes and machinery all started up, and the workers gradually returned to the bridge and began working. Of course, this was merely Giovanni's plan to lure the Ekans out of its hole.
Before long, Water-type Pokémon began surfacing one after another, emitting a special signal. The sound waves spread straight into the distance. Finally, vast numbers of Pokémon began gathering toward the bridge.
The first Water-types to arrive had already begun attacking the bridge's equipment. Meanwhile, the Trainers positioned in all four directions continued waiting for Giovanni's command.
The decks of all the ships were already packed with people, all eager for battle.
No matter how fiercely the Water-type Pokémon attacked, the workers and machinery never stopped. As a result, the gathering of Pokémon never ceased either.
After waiting for a full two hours, an enormous number of Pokémon had gathered across the surface of the river.
Everywhere one looked, the water was densely packed with Water-types!
Tetsuya could not help but marvel. If Giovanni really wiped out all of these Water-types, the blow dealt to the Pokémon inhabiting these waters would be absolutely devastating. Team Rocket's naval strength would also be greatly enhanced as a result.
This move by Giovanni indeed killed two Pidgey with one Rock Throw…
On one hand, his achievements would earn him even greater trust from the League. On the other, he would seize the opportunity to expand his own power.
At last, Giovanni gave the signal to attack.
All four ships set sail simultaneously toward the bridge. However, when they were still five kilometers away from it, they were already intercepted by the Water-types.
"Use the Electric-type Pokémon to clear the way!" Tetsuya shouted.
Immediately afterward, more than a dozen Electric-types were sent out. Thunderbolt, Thunder Shock, and Thunder were unleashed one after another. As the electricity entered the water, it spread rapidly, affecting a large number of Water-type Pokémon.
"Beedrill, Skorupi, use Pin Missile!"
Tetsuya threw two Poké Balls in succession. Pin Missile rained down upon the surface of the water like a dense shower of needles.
The silver needles struck with tremendous force, their impact in no way inferior to the Electric-type moves. Archer could not help but glance at Tetsuya a few more times.
James also sent out Cacturne to provide support, while Jessie… well, "Big Jess" could only stand to one side, waving her fists and cheering them on.
There were simply too many Pokémon. They quickly reacted, and more and more Water-types rushed over as reinforcements.
All kinds of Water-type moves were launched toward the ships. The ships could no longer advance at all and could only rely on their Pokémon to battle against them.
In an instant, the entire river erupted into battle on every side, with countless moves flying through the air. Yet the truly formidable Pokémon on both sides had still not made their move. The schools of Gyarados and Kingdra remained at the rear, silently observing the situation, ready to strike at any moment.
These Water-type Pokémon alone had already brought all four ships to a complete halt.
The Trainers aboard these ships were already among the strongest, yet even so, they were struggling. The Trainers who had failed the evaluation would have been of no help whatsoever.
The police led by the Jenny Family had no choice but to join the battle. Only then did they barely manage to recover some of the disadvantage. However, the number of Water-type Pokémon was simply too great. As soon as one wave fell, another surged forward, seeming completely endless.
Archer, Officer Jenny, and Tetsuya divided their members into two groups to wage a prolonged battle. On their side, they had Nurse Joy's accompanying medical team, along with every kind of medicine and recovery equipment.
As long as they could maintain the stalemate, the Water-types would certainly be unable to outlast a force backed by such incredible logistical support.
Many Pokémon had already exhausted their stamina and were floating on the surface of the water. At that moment, the Team Rocket members accompanying Giovanni appeared. Their sole responsibility was to throw Poké Balls.
Soon, large numbers of red-and-white Poké Balls were hurled out, and many of the incapacitated Water-types were captured inside them.
Handling the Poké Balls floating on the water was equally simple. Giovanni had prepared for this long ago. Every ship carried a Poké Ball collection machine.
Once the machine's intake was aimed at the Poké Balls floating on the river, batches upon batches of Poké Balls flew toward the ships and were drawn into it.
•.
•.
So, I want to translate a xianxia novel…
Does anyone know a good one where the og translator constantly mix up character names, techniques, places, ranks, realms and so on? It can even be an abandoned "project". If it's new, you should have read it on PoisonMtl‑type sites for a while to make sure it's actually good.
…It doesn't necessarily have to be xianxia, it could also be set in the modern world, with tamers or card makers.
Rest assured, I'll edit out all the poison, including those "jade beauties with skin as white as snow, their tens of thousands of silky black strands of hair, and their feet as pale as carved white jade…" At most, they'll just be "beauties with alabaster skin" hahaha