There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [57]

"SeismicTossSnorlax: I agree with the OP. This is total street-thug behavior, injuring opponents for victory. It completely goes against the spirit of the tournament."

"GarchompLover: To the ones above, winning is winning. In Pokémon battles, being weak is the real crime!"

"YellowBeltDojo: Even though this kid's tactics are street-style, it undeniably makes the matches more thrilling..."

As if to confirm this person's words, from Wang Yingjie's match with Hu Sheng onwards, the tournament's viewership skyrocketed. Even on Weibo, Wang Yingjie's name began to trend, and his battle videos became the most viewed among all contestants. Despite the online backlash, many people supported him—after all, in the world of battles, the winner gets to speak.

At the same time, some netizens dug up Wang Yingjie's history of participating in underground street matches. This darker side of Pokémon battling was now brought into the public eye by a kid not even 20 years old. This also caught the attention of certain people.

"Wang Yingjie, huh..." A man with a long scar across his face murmured as he examined the documents in front of him. "Top contender for the U20 championship, two-time lightweight champion of Jiangcheng's underground fighting circuit."

Another document contained even more details: "Fisherman's family, dropped out after middle school, parents divorced, grandmother bedridden, father is an alcoholic with violent tendencies."

The man sighed as he set the documents down, saying, "I can't imagine how this kid managed to survive this far."

Coming from such a background yet still managing to raise such powerful Pokémon, this child's willpower and determination were extraordinary. But this kind of past might also lead him down an extreme path…

After a moment of thought, the man instructed his subordinate, "Send someone to get in touch with Wang Yingjie, see what kind of person he really is. If possible, bring him into our system."

The man narrowed his eyes, lightly tapping his fingers on the table. "Leaving this kid out there is like letting a wolf roam the forest—too dangerous."

"And also, clean up the online chatter about those underground matches," the man frowned. "Some of those media outlets have gone too far. Go give them a warning."

The subordinate nodded and disappeared into the shadows. Some things are better left in the dark. Like fungi in a shadowy corner, they can sometimes provide vital nutrients to a towering tree. Those deep roots have spread into every corner, and if you dig too deeply, it could cause irreparable harm.

The man's fingers tapped on Wang Yingjie's photo, his brow furrowing unconsciously.

---

"Anything you need, boss?" Wu Ye answered the phone.

Wu Ye was on vacation. Wearing a pair of sunglasses, he lounged on a beach chair, half-asleep, while a gorgeous woman in a bikini fed him grapes. Life couldn't get more leisurely. The recent battle with Gong Sunrong had left him feeling quite embarrassed, and it had taken him a long time to adjust his mindset. Thankfully, the perks of being a Galactic Team executive were generous. This beach, owned by a Galactic Team company, was available for executives to relax at any time while on standby.

"Go to Jiangcheng and make contact with someone," the voice on the other end of the line was deep and electronically altered, making it sound weighty.

"Man, I just got back from Jiangcheng," Wu Ye sighed but added, "Alright, tell me who. Another lucky guy we're trying to recruit?"

"His name is Wang Yingjie," the voice said. "I've already sent his details to your phone. Just remember, if anyone else has already approached him—"

Wu Ye, of course, understood what the boss's silence implied and chuckled, "Who is this Wang Yingjie, anyway, to get this much attention?"

"That's not your concern," the voice replied. "Also, there's another kid with a Vulpix who seems interesting. Send someone else to make contact, but he's not the priority."

"If you successfully recruit Wang Yingjie, the newly developed Ultra Balls will be transferred to your account."

Hearing about Ultra Balls, Wu Ye's eyes gleamed with excitement. As a Trainer, he couldn't help but feel the heat rise within him. He smiled and said, "Boss, no problem!"

---

In this match, Lu Cheng was extremely focused. As soon as the battle began, he directed Vulpix to use a combo of "Extrasensory" and "Flamethrower," securing a decisive victory. Amid the thunderous applause, Lu Cheng rushed off to the Pokémon Center where Ding Chong was. He had already heard about Zubat's severe wing injury, and as soon as his battle ended, he hurried to check on Ding Chong.

"How's Zubat doing?" Lu Cheng asked as he pushed open the door. Inside, A-Le's Pelipper was perched beside the hospital bed, chewing on an Oran Berry.

"Lu Cheng?" A-Le said in surprise. "Aren't you in the middle of a competition?"

Lu Cheng waved his hand and replied, "I heard Ding Chong's Zubat got seriously hurt, so I rushed over to check on him."

What Lu Cheng didn't know was that his overwhelming combo had left such a deep impression on his opponent that they gave up on becoming a trainer and went on to become an excellent firefighter instead.

Ding Chong's younger siblings were also in the room, and they all politely greeted Lu Cheng as he walked in. Ding Chong sat beside the bed, his face looking rather grim, though he forced a smile and said, "Zubat's injuries have been treated, but the doctor said it might leave lasting damage."

Zubat had clearly just come out of surgery, with its wings wrapped in thick bandages, its body connected to an IV, and its condition far from optimistic. Lu Cheng frowned and remained silent.

"That Wang Yingjie was way too ruthless!" A-Le said angrily. "We're all rookies, but he was trying to cripple Zubat on purpose!"

Ding Chong lowered his head, looking helpless. Stopping at the top 32 meant he only won a little over 10,000 yuan in prize money, not even enough to cover Zubat's medical expenses.

"I really failed," Ding Chong muttered, gently stroking Zubat. His eyes flashed with barely hidden pain as he bitterly said, "Not only did I let Zubat get so badly hurt, I didn't even make it to the top 16..."

"This isn't your fault, Ding Chong!" A-Le shouted. "It's clear that Wang Yingjie didn't know when to hold back—"

"He's strong," Lu Cheng suddenly said, his head lowered.

"Lu Cheng, you—"

"Don't worry, Ding Chong," Lu Cheng interrupted, clenching his fists as he looked at the bedridden Zubat. "I'll defeat him for you."

A-Le had never seen Lu Cheng like this before and stared at him in astonishment, unsure of what to say. Ding Chong, too, raised his head in surprise but eventually gave a silent nod.

Just then, the heart monitor next to Zubat began to beep frantically. Ding Chong's face went pale as he shouted, "Zubat?"

---

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