Seeing Ariel's attitude, Copper's face turned ashen. He slapped himself hard, as if he already knew what he would face next, and slumped powerlessly into his seat.
The person sitting at the head of the table was a Senior Cadre; at this moment, he cleared his throat.
"Alright, everyone sit down. Almost everyone is here, let's start the meeting."
The storm subsided for now.
But Ariel knew things weren't that simple.
He could feel the gazes coming from all directions becoming more complex.
There was curiosity, scrutiny, and more so, greed hidden in the shadows.
In Team Rockets, a newcomer with a background would either rise quickly or become a piece of fat meat coveted by many.
"Everyone, let's keep it short."
"There is only one goal for calling you all here today."
His gaze swept across the room, his voice cold and clear.
"The Mauville City Food Festival."
The air in the conference room seemed to freeze.
This was a man who looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a thin face and deep-set eyes.
Although he wore a Team Rockets uniform, it was well-fitted and neat.
It made him look more like a corporate executive than an evil organization cadre.
His eyes were as calm as water as they swept over everyone present, including Ariel and Copper, without any emotional fluctuation, as if the conflict just now was merely a boring farce.
"It seems everyone is here." His voice was flat, carrying an unquestionable authority, "I am the person in charge of this Mauville City operation, with the rank of Senior Cadre."
No one dared to respond; even the usually most arrogant guys subconsciously sat up straight.
The Senior Cadre's gaze lingered on Ariel's mask for a moment before moving away, and he slowly spoke: "Welcome everyone to the Mauville Corporation. From today on, this will be the heart of our Team Rockets in the Hoenn region."
He stood up, walked to the large floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the busy Mauville City below.
"Everyone here is a Superior entrenched around Mauville City. In the past, you fought your own battles, like a pile of loose sand."
The Senior Cadre's voice echoed clearly in everyone's ears through the conference room's sound system, "But from now on, everything will change."
"Mauville Corporation is a sharp blade that our Team Rockets has thrust into the heart of the League. Its existence has only one purpose—monopoly! Control! And then, absorbing the nutrients of all Hoenn to strengthen us!"
Ariel wasn't surprised at all.
This was very Team Rockets.
Or rather, very Giovanni.
Compared to the Team Magma and Team Aqua, who only knew how to cause destruction and shout slogans, Team Rockets' vision was clearly much larger.
They weren't satisfied with the gains or losses of a single city or land; they wanted to build a massive, pervasive underground empire.
Starting companies, infiltrating the economy, and corroding the League's rule from the roots—this method was clever and lethal.
Ariel couldn't help but feel emotional. When he first arrived in Hoenn, Team Rockets was almost non-existent here, without even a proper base; he had even come over on a passenger ship.
But how long had it been? Team Rockets had not only taken root in Mauville City, the most prosperous central city in Hoenn, but had also openly built such a commercial skyscraper.
This speed of development was simply appalling.
"Our first goal is the upcoming Mauville Food Festival." The Senior Cadre turned around, a cold light flashing behind his glasses, "The Food Festival is a major event in Mauville City and a huge cake. We are going to swallow it whole."
He clapped his hands.
The wall at the front of the conference room slid open silently, revealing a massive high-definition screen.
The screen lit up, showing a detailed 3D map of the Mauville City Food Court.
The map was extremely detailed; every street, every stall, and every shop was clearly visible.
The layout of the entire Food Court held no secrets under this screen.
What made Ariel's heart skip a beat was that over 70% of the shops on the map were marked with a bright red, menacing "R" symbol!
"These are our properties."
The Senior Cadre's voice carried a hint of pride.
"Many of you here have contributed to this. Through acquisitions, holding stakes, and intimidation or inducement, these shops now serve us directly or indirectly."
A low murmur of excitement rose in the conference room, and many cadres had proud expressions on their faces.
Clearly, this report card made them feel honored.
Ariel watched silently.
Team Rockets' commercial expansion was never gentle.
"However, there are always some who don't know any better."
The Senior Cadre tapped the touchpad lightly, and the remaining unmarked shops on the map were instantly enlarged, with names attached to them.
"Yamazaki Dojo, famous for its Fighting-type Pokémon food."
"Suzuki Seafood, which monopolizes several rare fish species in the nearby waters."
"Kazama Dessert House, their Poffin recipe is ancestral."
As the cadre pointed out each name, his tone grew colder.
"These are all tough nuts to crack. They rely on ancestral secret recipes or unique supply channels and are deeply rooted in Mauville City, making it hard to crush them using conventional business methods."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
"So, our mission has arrived." The Senior Cadre's voice suddenly became chillingly cold, "The Food Festival is when they are most active and when they rely on it the most. We will strike at this time."
"Use any means necessary—remember, any means—to get the secret food recipes their families depend on for their livelihoods."
"Once we have the secret recipes, Mauville Corporation can immediately replicate their products and hit the market with lower prices. By then, these so-called established brands will be swept into the dust of history like trash."
The temperature in the conference room seemed to drop a few degrees.
"As for how to do it, I believe everyone here is an expert." The Senior Cadre's words were full of hints, "Whether it's bribing their workers, inviting their family members to visit the company, or having some accidents happen to them at the Food Festival... I only care about the results."
Under Ariel's mask, his brows furrowed slightly.
This was Team Rockets' style of doing things: efficient, direct, and completely inhumane.
His gaze swept through the list on the screen, and when he saw the last name, his pupils suddenly constricted.
Fumino Family!
Ariel naturally remembered this family.
In a battle at the Pokémon Center, Ariel had encountered Fumino Alec.
He was from that Fumino Family, and Fumino Alec had even threatened that as long as Ariel was still in Mauville City, the Fumino Family would not let him go.
Thinking of this, the corner of Ariel's mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
In Mauville City, who exactly is the prey, and who is the hunter?
"These are all tough nuts, especially this Fumino Family."
The Senior Cadre's finger pointed at the name that had unsettled Ariel.
"Their family has operated in Mauville City for over a hundred years and has extensive connections. Their head, Fumino Tosh, is an exceptionally strong Trainer. Getting the secret recipe from him is the most difficult task."
The Senior Cadre's gaze swept the room again: "So, who will be responsible for these targets?"
Silence filled the conference room.
These tasks were clearly thankless dirty work; if they failed, the person in charge would definitely take the blame.
Everyone present was shrewd; no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.
"What? No one dares to take it?" The Senior Cadre's tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
Laic walked over to Ariel's side and patted his shoulder.
"Which task do you think we should take?"
"If we're taking one, let's take the hardest."
"Agreed..."
"I'll take it!"
Two words, clear and powerful.
Without any hesitation.
"Very good."
A look of approval finally appeared on the Senior Cadre's face.
"Laic, you have quite some nerve. Then you will be responsible for the Fumino Family."
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