Chapter 195
While a slight ache pulsed in my chest, Gengar had just undergone evolution, and the money had to be spent. Luke's anxiety began to subside as he watched Gengar gracefully levitate, resembling a rehabilitation exercise for the next half-hour. The Gengar, a rounded figure comprised of shadows and gas, was now engaging in a unique underwater display.
"Jie jie~!" Gengar even mimicked the sound of swimming and breathing as it playfully paddled its hands and little feet, transitioning seamlessly from a breaststroke to a backstroke position. Its scarlet eyes narrowed into crescent moons, and it emitted a mischievous "jie jie~!"
"It's quite a challenge adapting to the new body," Bill remarked, his tone filled with emotion.
Luke stroked his chin, pondering why Gengar's expression seemed so familiar. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration struck him as he recalled a classic emoji expression, "Smiling with teeth.jpg."
Luke glanced at his phone, then back at Gengar, nodding slowly. "Well...this expression suits Gengar perfectly."
Speaking of which, Gengar could pass as a full emoticon pack, rivaling even the goofy Squirtle. Luke contemplated how he could share two sets of emoticons in the group, doubling their fun.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Silver stored his notes and returned a calm Weavile to its Poké Ball. Even though there were no immediate leads, he was determined to document the man's training methods for further analysis. Standing up, Silver expressed with a solemn face, "My mission is complete. I shall take my leave."
Luke halted him before his exit, saying, "I'll accompany you."
Grateful for Silver's assistance, Luke acknowledged that communication mishaps were common, and with Bill and Silver, they had an extra layer of security.
With Gengar's successful evolution, Luke finally breathed a sigh of relief. Silver, however, remained cautious, suggesting, "Follow me, it's not safe."
Interpol had been quite active in recent days, possibly aiming to use Silver as a stepping stone to capture Giovanni himself. Silver was reluctant to involve others in his troubles.
"I'll accompany you to the alley," Silver reassured Luke with a smile. "Besides, I'm headed in the same direction."
Delighted to hear that, Gengar playfully bounced from midair to the ground like a ball. After regaining its balance, it placed its hands on its hips and grinned, "Jie jie~!"
Gratitude for Silver's help prevailed, and Luke felt no reason to decline his offer. Silver, after a moment of silence, sighed and conceded, "Let's go."
After bidding farewell to Bill, Luke and Silver made their way towards the door. Luke asked, "By the way... Have you downloaded a chat app?"
Silver hesitated for a moment and then shook his head, clearly disinterested.
"Then you should download one," Luke advised with a grin before resuming his Pokédex collection. "Gold and Crystal are both part of the chat group!"
Silver furrowed his brow. "I'm not really into that stuff."
Luke didn't press the matter and instead rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, I recall that Green is also in the group and active there quite often."
Silver's body stiffened briefly, and he quietly retrieved his phone. After scanning the QR code shown by Luke, he turned to leave.
"Ding–"
Luke couldn't help but laugh as he saw Silver's cheeks tint slightly red.
Meanwhile, Giovanni's reticent character posed a challenge for mutual understanding, leaving a long journey ahead.
[Group owner 'Teacher Luke' has invited member 'Silver' to join the chat group]
To Gold's surprise, even the seemingly dull Silver was drawn into the group. He mused on their shared appreciation for Teacher Luke.
Gold: Welcome, welcome! I didn't expect you guys could use smartphones too. Hahahaha!
Silver:...
Blue:...
Lance:...
Meanwhile, the red-clothed man on Mt. Silver, far from the group, furrowed his brow.
Red couldn't shake the feeling that someone had stolen his lines. Opening the chat group, he typed his iconic celebrity aphorism.
Red:...
The group grew silent, and Gold felt slightly embarrassed.
Fortunately, Green quickly changed the topic.
"Teacher Luke, has Haunter evolved?" Green inquired.
(Picture) "Well, it's adorable," Luke pointed his camera at Gengar, capturing the moment.
Gengar responded by flexibly moving its tongue up and down, a playful display.
Blue affirmed, "Gengar's breeding is top-notch."
In the five months since joining the group, Blue had witnessed Gengar's evolution firsthand. He also marveled at Teacher Luke's breeding skills, earning him an approval from him 'The Breeder.' It was no wonder that Red considered him a worthy rival.
Yellow of Viridian Forest chimed in with a smile, "Is Gengar cosplaying as Lickitung?"
Teacher Luke replied with a hint of helplessness, "This guy... he enjoys licking people regularly. It's a passive ability!"
Brock squinted his eyes and explained, "Gengar uses Lick to express affection for its Trainer, and it has an extradimensional space in its stomach to store various items."
Wait, an extradimensional space? Does that mean I can hold Gengar and pull out a sword from its stomach when needed? Luke examined Gengar closely.
Gengar's face paled as he saw the scrutiny and quickly covered his cheek with a tiny hand. "Jie jie~?! Σ(°△°|||)︴"
But soon, Teacher Luke realized a crucial problem. If Gengar has an extradimensional space, it might never get full, and how do you calculate the cost of feeding it? Luke slapped his forehead, realizing his oversight.
Sloppy! After a deep breath, he consoled himself, "Forget it... anyway, the system can exchange for Berries, so I can probably afford it."
System: [? ? ]
In addition to being acquainted with Green, Silver, Lance, Blue and the others had become both teachers and friends. As familiarity grew, Silver silently lurked in the group.
Sabrina, addressing Teacher Luke in the group, said, "I'm already preparing the Psychic's Secret Records. Do you have any specific requirements?"
Sabrina's excitement stemmed from the thrill of sharing secrets, especially since she was the only one who had guessed Teacher Luke's true identity within the group. Mutual assistance was crucial among former or current Team Rocket executives.
Luke replied humbly, "Affordability is preferable. I have other Pokémon to take care of."
Sabrina hesitated for a moment before realizing that balancing power with cost-effectiveness was the traditional Breeder's style. However, a sly smile played on the corner of her lips.
For the powerful Psychic, these issues were mere trifles. The unique training methods of Psychic Type Masters and Sabrina's Secret Records came at a premium.
Scratching out a list of drafts that cost nearly 10 million Yuan, Sabrina pondered before saying, "500,000 Yuan... this price should satisfy him."
With the mindset that some things were worth the cost, Teacher Luke concluded the chat and expressed with a complex expression, "I feel that... my debt to Cynthia will still not be paid."
It appeared that while other outstanding debts could be resolved, Debt to Cynthia remained perpetually elusive. Was it possible that it was a kind of curse? Luke shook his head and glanced at Silver, who had been discreetly observing the screen.
From his vantage point, it was clear that Silver had been browsing Green's personal page. Luke coughed intentionally to grab Silver's attention.
Silver adeptly turned off his phone's screen and maintained his usual composure. "Just lead the way, Teacher Luke."
Luke smiled and nodded as they exited the underground tunnel and made their way back to the narrow alley where they had initially met.
The alley could accommodate only one person at a time. As they approached, a group of Wild Meowth scattered, having been engrossed in their meal. Luke was preparing to bid farewell to Silver when the sunlight at the alley's exit abruptly dimmed.
Standing at the alley's exit was a man with a weathered face, his back turned to the sun, casting a long shadow. His unruly hair cascaded forward.
The man appeared stern and produced his dark Interpol credentials from his trench coat's collar.
"Interpol," the man codenamed 'Looker' declared.