Jiang Han understood in his heart.
Without the slightest hesitation, his right hand brushed his waist, and a cold light flashed.
"Ugh..."
Wen Ye Bai's pleas came to an abrupt halt. He stared with wide, unbelieving eyes, clutching his neck with both hands as blood gushed out from between his fingers.
A "ho-ho" sound came from his throat, his body convulsed a few times, and then he completely lost all signs of life.
A faint smell of blood permeated the air.
Jiang Han expressionlessly flicked the blood off his dagger, preparing to release Sandile to deal with the corpse.
However, Laic waved his hand, stopping him.
"No need for all that trouble."
Laic took out a red and white Poké Ball and tossed it casually.
"Roar!"
A white light flashed, and accompanied by a deafening roar, a massive figure appeared out of thin air!
It was a giant Gyarados! Its hideous head and deep blue scales shimmered with a cold luster, exuding an aura of violence and destruction.
Jiang Han's pupils suddenly constricted, and his heart skipped a beat.
He could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from this Gyarados; it was the pure aura of a predator at the top of the food chain!
However, he felt like he had seen this Gyarados somewhere before... Laic simply pointed calmly at the still-warm corpse on the tree.
Understanding, the Gyarados lunged its massive head forward and opened its bloody maw. Its sharp teeth were like interlocking blades. With a "crunch," it swallowed Wen Ye Bai's corpse, rope and all, in one bite!
It even chewed twice, its throat rolling as it swallowed the food. Then, it stuck out its tongue and licked the corners of its mouth, as if it hadn't had enough.
The entire process took only two or three seconds.
A complete corpse had vanished from the world just like that, without leaving even a single drop of blood.
Laic recalled the Gyarados, adjusted the collar of his suit, and looked toward the western part of Mauville City, where their target lay.
Killing and destroying the evidence, leaving no trace behind.
"Let's go," Laic's voice came, breaking the dead silence of the forest. "It's time to pay the Wen Ye Family a visit."
Following the clues provided by Wen Ye Bai, Jiang Han and Laic plunged into the dense forest in the west of Mauville City.
The light in the forest was dim. The tall canopy blocked out almost all the sunlight, with only sporadic spots of light stubbornly falling on the damp, decaying leaves.
The air was filled with a mixture of soil and rotting plants. It was so quiet that they could only hear their own footsteps and the occasional cries of unknown Pokémon in the distance.
After traveling for about half an hour, an open space suddenly appeared before them.
A simple and ancient wooden mansion stood there quietly, with flying eaves and bracket sets, a complex structure that covered a vast area.
The entire building was dark brown, seemingly constructed from some precious Ironwood, casting a heavy sense of oppression in the dim forest.
"Quite the undertaking," Jiang Han thought to himself.
To build a mansion of this scale, the Wen Ye Family's foundation was much deeper than he had imagined.
Laic lowered his voice, scanning the silhouette of the mansion with a solemn gaze.
"Team Rockets' intelligence shows that the head of the Wen Ye Family claims to be at the Superior level, and his Pokémon are primarily Electric-type."
He paused and added, "His strongest is an Ampharos. The last time it appeared six months ago, it was level forty-nine. Now... it has probably broken through to the Gym-level."
Gym-level! Level fifty!
Jiang Han's pupils constricted slightly.
The figure of Dewford Town's Gym Leader, Fujiki, immediately appeared in his mind.
That was the only Gym-level Trainer he had ever truly encountered up close; he remembered that level of power vividly.
He hadn't expected that after so little time, he would be facing off against a Gym-level Trainer.
A sense of pressure, accompanied by a hint of inexplicable excitement, quietly rose in his heart.
His gaze subconsciously drifted toward Laic beside him.
If he remembered correctly, Laic's strength was still at the Superior level.
Where did a Superior Trainer get the confidence to plot against a Gym-level Trainer?
Laic seemed to notice the suspicion in Jiang Han's eyes and coughed dryly with some embarrassment.
"This... don't worry. My strength isn't what it was when you first arrived in Hoenn."
"And," he lowered his voice, his face filled with uncontrollable pride, "I spent a fortune to get a secret weapon from the team! No matter what Electric-type Pokémon it is, I'm not afraid at all!"
Seeing Laic's confident look, Jiang Han didn't ask further.
There were indeed many good things within Team Rockets; perhaps he really did have a trump card up his sleeve.
Just then, Jiang Han's eyes sharpened, and he pushed the still-boasting Laic down behind a thicket.
"Shh, someone's coming."
Rustling footsteps approached from a distance. Two men in uniform were chatting as they walked this way. Judging by their lazy strides and bored expressions, they were likely servants of the Wen Ye Family.
Jiang Han and Laic exchanged a look in the shadows of the bushes, both seeing a glint of ill intent in each other's eyes.
Waiting for the prey to come to them—it couldn't be simpler.
When the two men ambled close, they didn't even have a chance to react before being instantly taken down by two dark shadows from both sides.
Jiang Han delivered a precise knife-hand strike to the back of one man's neck, and the man went limp without even a groan.
Laic's movements were equally swift, cleanly dealing with the other one.
A few minutes later, Jiang Han and Laic had changed into the clothes of those two unlucky fellows and walked out of the forest boldly.
Laic's clothes seemed a bit small, wrapping tightly around him and making him look somewhat comical.
Yet he didn't care at all, even making a point to adjust his collar as if he were wearing a high-end suit instead of a servant's uniform.
"How is it? Fits pretty well." Laic did a narcissistic turn.
Jiang Han glanced at him expressionlessly. "Watch your walking posture; don't act like some big shot."
"Don't worry, I'm a professional."
The two of them imitated the lazy posture of the previous servants, swaying as they walked toward the mansion's main gate.
Two guards stood at the gate, their auras steady. The Poké Balls at their waists emitted faint ripples of energy, clearly showing they weren't small fry.
Seeing Jiang Han and the other approach, one of the guards frowned. "What are you dawdling for? Don't you know the Family Head is in a bad mood today? Get inside and get to work!"
"Yes, yes." Jiang Han lowered his head and pulled Laic quickly through the gate.
The moment they stepped into the mansion, a rich scent of sandalwood mixed with the fresh fragrance of wood hit them.
Beneath their feet was a wooden floor polished to a mirror-like shine. On both sides of the long corridor were sliding paper doors painted with landscapes, making the place feel quiet and profound.
The space inside was even larger than it appeared from the outside. The corridors branched out in all directions, and for a moment, they didn't know where to go.
"We need to find a way to get to the kitchen or the core area. The recipe for the electric three delicacies noodles must be there," Laic said in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Jiang Han nodded, preparing to observe the surroundings and find a lone servant to ask for directions.
Just then, a dignified female voice came from the end of the corridor.
"You two, stop right there!"
Jiang Han and Laic's hearts skipped a beat simultaneously. They stopped in their tracks and slowly turned around.