Just as Lu Ze was drifting off to sleep, his phone rang.
"Hm?"
It was the six o'clock clock-out alarm.
Lu Ze was too drowsy to move, so he simply activated his Aura to check on Grandfather and Father.
"What's going on? You're not getting off work?"
He watched them through the Aura, waited a while longer, then muttered to himself helplessly.
Fine. I'll just wait a bit longer.
With that, Lu Ze lay back down, in Diancie's lap.
Not long after, just as he was about to fall asleep again, his phone rang once more.
"Hello?"
"Xiao Ze, are you off work yet?"
Zhuge Ziyu's cheerful voice came through the phone.
Lu Ze forced his eyes open and glanced up at the sky, then checked on Grandfather and the others through his Aura.
"Oh, not yet."
"Not off work? Are you doing overtime?"
"Oh right, speaking of overtime — do I get paid for that?"
"Paid? Your salary from last month was already transferred to your card. Didn't you check?"
"Wait, I actually get a salary?"
Lu Ze said with a mix of laughter and frustration. He'd meant to ask whether all that work today qualified for temp labor pay.
He hadn't actually expected to get paid — it was just a joke.
Turned out he really did have a salary, and it had been paid out last month too.
"Of course you do. You're a researcher at the institute."
Hearing Zhuge Ziyu's teasing tone, Lu Ze guessed that Zhuge Ziyu had already figured out what he was thinking.
"Alright, alright — what did you call me for, Uncle Ziyu?"
"Right, getting to business — I've secured the venue. The Colosseum, for tomorrow. Battle at dawn, sound good?"
"Sounds great."
Lu Ze nodded, getting excited. Rayquaza — and a black Rayquaza at that. Was he finally going to meet it?
"And I'll mention to your grandfather later — they'll be there tomorrow to record data on the Legendary battle."
"Mm, I know."
Lu Ze nodded. Grandpa Ashford had mentioned wanting to record data on the Legendaries.
Lu Ze obviously had no objection. In fact, even if they hadn't brought it up, after the battle he was planning to share the Legendary data with Grandpa Ashford anyway.
Once Lu Ze agreed, Zhuge Ziyu seemed to shift into a more serious tone.
"Comrade Lu Ze — thank you for your service to the nation!"
"Uh… Uncle Ziyu, no need for the formality. Happy to help."
Lu Ze wasn't quite used to this version of Zhuge Ziyu.
"Don't worry — you've earned the respect. And if I put in a good word, I might even be able to pull some strings to get you a shot at the National Vault."
Zhuge Ziyu dropped the formality and smiled at Lu Ze again.
Lu Ze grinned back: "Alright then, thanks a bunch, Uncle Ziyu."
"Ha, don't mention it. Oh, and remember — tomorrow morning. I'll call your father later about the data recording thing."
"Sure."
After Lu Ze hung up, he rubbed his now-fully-awake head and murmured to himself:
"Does this phone call mean Uncle Ziyu knows I've been slacking off?"
But then Lu Ze thought about it — no, wait. It's after working hours. This is just not working overtime. How is that slacking off?
"Mawile, Diancie — clocking out. Let's go check out Mom's Pokémon shop up front."
"Tabuné~"
"Onii-chan~"
Diancie and Mawile happily agreed, then flanked Lu Ze as they walked toward the front.
Inside the Pokémon shop, things were anything but peaceful.
"Shopkeeper, come on — let's bump the price. Even for a Shiny quasi-Legendary, what we're offering should be enough, right?"
Lu Mom's expression had already gone dark, but she kept her anger in check: "I've already told you — this shop doesn't sell Pokémon. Stop asking. She has an owner!"
"Has an owner? That's great! Then get her owner out here. Let's see if the price we're offering is enough to tempt them. What do you all think?"
"Yeah, yeah — call the owner out so we can see if they'd be willing to sell!"
"That's right, if you won't call them out, how do you know they wouldn't sell?"
After the leader finished speaking, his lackeys eagerly joined in the heckling.
"Get out of my store. You're not welcome here!"
Lu Mom couldn't hold back any longer. But as the shopkeeper, she restrained herself — the most she did was tell them to leave.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk — a Pokémon shop that won't let people in? That's rich."
Seeing the young people being deliberately provocative, trying to win over the crowd, Lu Mom's eyes narrowed. She was losing patience.
"Customers are welcome. You can leave now."
As Lu Mom spoke, her expression went cold.
"Jyu!"
The Mini Dragon in Lu Mom's arms also sticking its tongue out at them disdainfully.
At that, one of the girls in the group — the one dressed rather flashily — could barely contain herself any longer.
Her eyes practically sparkling, she tugged at the leader's sleeve.
The leader turned back, patted the girl's arm to reassure her, then turned around and threw out a Poké Ball.
A Klawf materialized in the middle of the room.
"Heh."
Lu Mom scoffed. "What? Are you trying to strong-arm me now?"
The leader smiled, looking completely unbothered. "You can see it that way if you want."
"Aren't you worried I'll call the police?"
The leader spread his hands. "Didn't you already call them? Look — are they here?"
He snickered, then leaned in close to Lu Mom and said quietly: "Between you and me, the Deputy Chief of Police is my uncle by marriage."
"The Li family may not be a big power player here in Shangjing — but that's because this is Shangjing. Even so, a family like ours? It's way above your station."
"My little sister took a liking to your Mini Dragon. Just sell her to us and be done with it. Why all this 'not for sale' nonsense? I know how you shopkeepers think. Take my advice — know when to cut a deal. We're not lowballing you."
"Finished?"
"Then get out."
At that, Lu Mom wasn't angry anymore. She simply sat back down. Pulling rank? Using connections to pressure people?
Lu Mom suddenly found it all rather ridiculous.
Lu Mom's dismissive attitude made all the young people present turn ugly.
The leader's face flushed red with fury.
"Wreck her shop! Any damages come out of my pocket!"
The leader roared. Everyone released their Pokémon at once.
In the air, invisible Deoxys' eyes went cold. It was just about to throw all of them out—
When, as if sensing something, it stopped.
In the end, Deoxys chose not to act. Instead, it simply used Psychic to shield Lu Mom, Mini Dragon, and Eevee.
*(End of chapter)*
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