Chapter 199

The hour grew late.

A Hoothoot perched atop a telephone pole, and the streetlights cast dappled shadows.

As Luke exited the phone booth, he noticed that his palms had grown slightly sweaty.

In hindsight, convincing a leader often referred to as the "Godfather" was undoubtedly an immensely risky undertaking.

Yet, judging by Giovanni's response... perhaps the seed had been planted successfully?

The focal point of Teacher Luke's persuasion was the restructuring of Team Rocket, with the aim of bringing Silver back, a condition Giovanni could not easily reject.

This is a cause that Giovanni takes up due to his familial responsibility, marking him as a true man...

Still, the sight of the lonely minister had left Teacher Luke feeling somewhat flustered.

A few days ago, he had only recently established contact with Interpol...

And now, not only was he okay, but he was also receiving a promotion and a salary boost?

Oh, my, I'm about to become second-in-command. Has the organization gone offline!?

"Ah, well... If Team Rocket can successfully change its ways, it doesn't matter much," Luke reasoned.

Luke rubbed his chin. Going by Giovanni's words, his current authority could be likened to the position of a Top-Rank Executive in Team Rocket, akin to the status of the original three Executives, Sabrina, and the others.

Moreover, he was in direct contact with Giovanni and could give instructions to Matori...

Luke's heart stirred, and he called Matori. "Are you there?"

"What's the matter?"

"Could you transfer a few million into my account?"

Matori hesitated briefly, her expression complex. "I'm sorry... The Treasury can only be accessed by Master Giovanni himself."

"Oh, it was just a casual inquiry," Luke replied with a hint of disappointment.

It's obvious you're trying to embezzle in front of me!

Matori's forehead twitched, and she attempted to regain her composure. "Is there anything else, Teacher Luke?"

"Never mind," Luke said, feigning disappointment.

"So, I'm just an accountant in your eyes?"

Rubbing his throbbing temples, Matori sighed. "You can expect your annual bonus. I'll reach out to you when the time comes, so don't worry."

"Really?" Luke's eyes gleamed, nodding. "Then I have no further concerns."

"Rest up, Matori."

The words of concern from her superior caught Matori off guard, and then she felt flattered.

Boss Giovanni and the other Top-Rank Executives were all stern individuals.

But in addition to his charm, Teacher Luke's high emotional intelligence...

"You too," Matori replied, her face slightly flushed.

...

Giovanni's power to execute was quite formidable.

The preparations for Team Rainbow Rockets were underway, but this didn't concern Teacher Luke, the shopkeeper.

All he could think of was finding a few long-term, free jobs...

After ending the call, Luke returned to Gold's house.

The moon hung in the night sky.

A red-haired boy lay on the eaves of the second floor, using his arm as a pillow, gazing thoughtfully at the moon.

Gold opened a window, stood nimbly on the eaves, and waved to Luke. "Teacher Luke! Come play some cards!"

The atmosphere was reminiscent of the nights when Luke would visit a friend's house for a sleepover.

A group of friends would gather around the quilt, playing cards, with a mischievous Togekiss among them.

In the end, Togekiss lost and slammed its wings on the table.

Togekiss: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

"Your luck's terrible, Togekiss!" Gold teased.

"It's just like you," Silver chimed in.

Gold couldn't come up with a witty retort, a rare occurrence.

Darn it, I can't argue with that!

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get the door!" Gold exclaimed.

At the door stood Professor Elm from the laboratory next door, a middle-aged man with glasses and an oval-shaped head.

"You all seem to be having a party... I won't intrude," Professor Elm said.

"It's fine, Professor, please join us!" Gold insisted.

"No, I have some breeding data to record..." Professor Elm scratched his head. "The Pokémon you entrusted for breeding, they're in the backyard, right?"

"Oh, yes, I'll go get them!" Luke and Silver headed downstairs to meet Professor Elm and exchanged greetings. Professor Elm was already familiar with Silver.

He initially stole the Totodile from Professor Elm's laboratory but later entrusted it to Silver.

However, there was something about this man, with his striking demeanor and extraordinary good looks...

Professor Elm adjusted his glasses and curiously remarked, "Have we met before?"

"We actually crossed paths at a scientific research summit," Luke replied with a smile. "My name is Luke, and I attended the event with Professor Rowan."

This Professor Elm was a close associate of Professor Oak, renowned for his expertise in Pokémon breeding. In fact, he was the pioneer of the Egg Group theory, a groundbreaking concept in the world of Pokémon. With over 700 Pokémon Egg Groups to document, it was undoubtedly a lengthy and arduous task, which explained Professor Oak's favor towards him.

Teacher Luke, too, was a seasoned Pokémon Egg breeder, and he had a keen interest in egg incubation and Egg Groups.

"You are Professor Rowan's assistant!" Professor Elm realized. "Do you also know Gold?"

Gold chuckled heartily and said, "Teacher Luke is a famous Trainer, and even Mr. Lance can't match his skills!"

Luke's expression became complicated.

I'm just a regular guy, nothing special! Please, don't say that!

I merely hangs out in the group; I'm not planning to visit your place for discussions or anything!

Professor Elm looked at Luke, his curiosity piqued.

At such a young age, he had achieved considerable success in both training and scientific research...

It was truly impressive.

Suddenly, he thought about the Pokémon Egg in the laboratory's backyard.

Professor Elm's eyes sparkled.

Compared to Gold, this Trainer seemed to be a more reliable choice!

But he had to respect the Pokémon Trainer's decision...

Adjusting his glasses, Professor Elm cautiously asked, "Mr. Luke, may I ask if you have any interest in hatching Pokémon Eggs?"

"Of course!" Luke didn't hesitate to nod.

As a seasoned Pokémon Egg breeder, Luke was more than willing to take up the task.

Professor Elm, seeing the sincerity in Luke's eyes, felt a sense of assurance.

His judgment was indeed correct!

Give this Trainer a Pokémon Egg, and the hatched Pokémon would undoubtedly be full of vitality!

However, he needed to be cautious.

Professor Elm couldn't help but remember Gold's previous mistakes.

Even though Gold had the skill of "hatching," he still had his quirks—namely, he loved to eat, drink, and gamble.

This realization had made Professor Elm quite uneasy.

That's why he started thinking about entrusting Pokémon Eggs to other Trainers in the first place.

And now, it seemed he'd found a suitable candidate...

"In that case, I'll return to the laboratory first," Professor Elm said thoughtfully.

"Take your time! And remember to transfer the hosting fee to me!" Gold called after him.

As he walked back to the laboratory, Professor Elm couldn't help but contemplate the situation deeply.

While this Trainer appeared suitable in all respects, character was of paramount importance.

He couldn't afford to make the same mistakes Gold had made before.

A thought occurred to him—he should call Professor Rowan for further consultation.