While Jacob was conducting the electrotherapy session on Andrew, Meyer immediately stood up after ending the video call. He turned sharply to the staff member beside him. "Have you been able to trace their location?"
"No... not yet," the staff member replied, his fingers flying across the keyboard as sweat beaded on his forehead. The pressure was enormous, and his expression showed just how tense he felt. "They have someone skilled on their end. I can't pinpoint their position."
"I understand. Take your time and just do your best," Meyer said with an inward sigh, his face expressionless. "Since they were confident enough to make the call in the first place, they must be quite sure of their security measures."
"Yes... yes, Champion Meyer."
"Don't be nervous. Just focus and do what you can."
Despite the situation, Meyer's attitude remained gentle and composed. After a moment, he walked over to the window and gazed out at the light drizzle falling outside. His expression grew serious, and his brows drew together tightly.
Who exactly were these three people? And what was the story behind that enormous Lapras?
Meyer had far too many unanswered questions weighing on his mind.
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Following this tense exchange, Meyer and Jacob spent nearly another hour negotiating the finer details. Eventually, both sides managed to hammer out the specifics and reached a preliminary agreement for the trade.
Once everything was settled, Jacob and his two masked companions finally left the basement and made their way back upstairs to the living room.
Walking through the spacious villa, Jacob stretched lazily, his body releasing the tension it had been holding. Now that a major problem had been resolved, he was in excellent spirits.
Just then, Raya suddenly turned to look at Jacob. Her red lips parted slightly as she asked softly, "What does the name Giovanni mean?"
The question caught Jacob off guard, making him pause mid-step.
He hadn't expected Raya to show no interest in discussing the ransom they'd just negotiated. Instead, she was focused on the alias he'd casually mentioned during the call. Clearly, she was more curious about the significance behind the name "Giovanni" than anything else.
It had to be said that sometimes women were truly fascinating creatures. Their more emotional way of thinking led them to focus on completely different details than men would.
"Uh... it's similar to God's Coffin as a nickname," Jacob said after a moment's thought, trying to explain.
"Why did you choose that particular name?" Raya asked, looking at Jacob with genuine curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"This is actually a very old story," Jacob began. "Legend has it that in the Kanto region, there was a young boy named Ash..." Jacob went on to briefly describe Ash's adventures and the challenges he faced. "The biggest villain organization in his story was called Team Rocket, and the leader of Team Rainbow Rocket was Giovanni."
"Why haven't I ever heard this story before?" Raya asked, frowning slightly in confusion.
"Maybe it's not very well-known in this region," Jacob replied with a shrug.
"So what name do you think I should use?" Raya asked, a playful smile crossing her face.
"How about Delia?" Jacob suggested.
(As a side note, many people may not be aware that Ash's mother, Delia, had a past relationship with Giovanni. This was actually mentioned in the Pokémon musical production, Pokémon Live, where it was revealed that Delia and Giovanni once had a romantic connection.)
After going without proper rest for an entire day and night, a wave of exhaustion washed over them the moment they finally allowed themselves to relax.
Sylvia took a long, hot shower, changed into comfortable high-end pajamas, and returned to her assigned bedroom.
As she lay down on the soft, luxurious bed, the faint, pleasant fragrance emanating from the fresh sheets and duvet covers gave her an almost dreamlike sensation.
Just two days ago, she had been a displaced refugee, constantly on the move with no stable place to call home. Now, in the blink of an eye, she was living a comfortable and secure life. Everything had happened so suddenly that it felt somewhat surreal, leaving her slightly disoriented by the rapid change.
She buried her face in the soft bedding, allowing herself to think about what lay ahead.
Her father's research could continue now.
There were promising leads regarding the Preist-4.
She would also be able to attend university and pursue further education.
Everything was moving in a positive direction.
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After washing up and getting ready for bed, Jacob sat down heavily on the sofa, his face clearly showing his fatigue. He turned to Raya and said, "I'm heading home tomorrow. What are your plans?"
"I'm returning to Magic City tomorrow as well," Raya replied. She was dressed in comfortable home clothes now, which made her look less intimidating and more approachable than usual. She sat quietly beside Jacob, studying his profile. "There's still a mountain of complicated matters to deal with. The sinking of the cruise ship and the appearance of the Gigantamax Pokémon have caused quite a sensation throughout China. As one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the East China region, I need to get back there to handle the situation. Have you thought about how you want to spend your birthday tomorrow?"
"Just casually, I suppose," Jacob said with a tired shrug. "I'll probably invite my roommates out for a meal. I have to rush back to Black Dragon City in the evening." He deliberately avoided mentioning Nina.
"Alright. Try not to drink too much alcohol," Raya said, not pushing the subject further. She smiled warmly. "Your birthday gift is back in Magic City, so I'll give it to you the next time we meet. By the way, what are you planning to do with your nine hundred ninety-nine Gimmighoul Coins and the Golden Gimmighoul Coin?"
"I was just about to discuss that with you," Jacob said, turning to face Raya directly. "I'm planning to buy a Gimmighoul—the stronger and more talented, the better. I'll need your help with this, and it needs to be handled discreetly. Once I finish my business in Black Dragon City, I'll come to Magic City to see you."
"Understood. I'll help you look into it," Raya said with a nod.
"And regarding Sylvia's situation, I'll have to trouble you with that as well," Jacob added, looking at Raya as he gently took her hand. "You've been working so hard lately. Thank you."
Without Raya's assistance, Jacob wouldn't have been able to accomplish many of the things he'd managed to pull off recently.
For Jacob, Raya was undoubtedly the perfect partner. She managed everything he entrusted to her in an efficient and orderly manner.
Raya rolled her eyes at him playfully. "Just a verbal thank you? That's all I get?"
"What kind of reward would you like?" Jacob asked with a smile. "How about this—next time we encounter a Gigantamax Pokémon, I'll help you capture it?"
"You promise?" Raya's eyes lit up immediately. Ever since witnessing the incredible power and unique appearance of Gigantamax Pokémon firsthand, she had wanted one for herself.
"Don't worry, I give you my word," Jacob assured her. As he spoke, he let out a large yawn. "I've been exhausted for two days straight. Let's get some sleep."
"Mm-hmm."
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The night passed quickly, and early the next morning, Jacob left the villa before most people were awake. He hurried back to his family home.
Today was his birthday, and his maternal grandparents had already reserved a private dining room at an upscale restaurant. They had invited many close allies from both the Lin Family and the Qin Family to attend.
Rather than being a simple birthday celebration for Jacob, the gathering served more as an opportunity for several major families to strengthen their relationships and connections.
Among those invited, Maximus and Raya—both Four Heavenly Kings from the East China region—were unable to attend because they were busy dealing with the aftermath of the cruise ship sinking. However, most of the other important guests who had been invited managed to make it.
Because of the large turnout, the restaurant's private dining rooms had been arranged with several separate tables. The family elders—including Scott, Jude, Elder Madden, and the elder from the Shi Family—sat together at one table. The middle-aged generation, including members from the Lin Family such as his maternal uncle Lewis and his younger uncle Aris, along with representatives from the Chi, Qin, and Shi families, occupied another table.
The final table was reserved for the younger generation. This was where Jacob sat alongside his three roommates—Kyle, Nikolas, and Chandler—as well as Nina, Julia, and several others.
Jacob could clearly see that his three roommates appeared noticeably nervous and somewhat out of their element.
Although Kyle, Nikolas, and Chandler all came from respectable family backgrounds, they were only considered well-off within Frosthollow Province. Here in the Capital, their families could only be described as fairly ordinary.
Faced with the various influential figures present in the private dining room, all three of them felt varying degrees of pressure and discomfort.
In addition to the expected guests, the arrival of two other people caught Jacob by surprise. The first was Elise. It was evident that she was not in particularly good spirits after recently experiencing the traumatic cruise ship incident. Even when greeting Jacob, she only managed a faint, subdued smile, appearing every bit like a well-behaved and quiet young lady.
She seemed like a completely different person from the one who had been spending money lavishly at the casino not long ago.
The other person who surprised Jacob was Arya from the Shi Family. She was the other research assistant working alongside Eleanor.