The door slowly opened, and the light inside the room was slightly dim. Jiang Mo's gaze first fell on a pair of exquisite black long boots, and then upwards, a form-fitting black robe swayed gently in the wind.
Then, Jiang Mo saw a face, or more precisely, half a face, that was stern yet possessed a unique charm.
The other half of Zhen Yu's face was covered by a Gengar mask. His thin lips were slightly upturned, a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
Just then, Jiang Mo noticed a strange fluctuation in Zhen Yu's shadow. Immediately after, a Gengar slowly emerged.
Its huge mouth was agape, revealing a sinister smile, its red eyes flickering with eerie light in the darkness, its body half-hidden, half-visible, as if it were a ghost crawling out of a dark abyss.
Jiang Mo subconsciously investigated and found that this Gengar was not simple.
Pokémon: Gengar
Gender: Male
Type: Ghost, Poison
Level: 68 (Late Elite Four)
Ability: Cursed Body
Held Item: Black Sludge
Moves: Mean Look, Shadow Punch, Reflect Type, Perish Song, Confuse Ray, Lick, Hypnosis, Payback, Grudge, Hex, Night Shade, Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Shadow Ball, Destiny Bond, Protect, Dream Eater, Acid Bomb, Gunk Shot, Poison Jab, Sludge Bomb, Sludge Wave, Toxic Spikes, Venoshock
Egg Moves: Toxic, Disable
Evaluation: This Gengar possesses unparalleled talent in the Poison type, truly a "Poison Ghost."
"Are you Jiang Mo?" Zhen Yu's voice was low and magnetic.
Jiang Mo nodded slightly: "That's me. You must be Senior Zhen Yu."
Zhen Yu gently raised his hand, gesturing for Jiang Mo to enter the room. A faint, strange aroma filled the air inside, making him slightly uncomfortable.
"No need to be nervous. Your presence here indicates that it's time for you to make a choice."
As Zhen Yu spoke, he walked towards a carved table in the room. On the table were some exquisite Pokémon items and a Poké Ball emitting a faint glow.
Jiang Mo stepped into the room, his guard still up, his eyes occasionally glancing at the Gengar: "A choice? Coming here was my mother's idea. She didn't mention anything about making a choice."
Zhen Yu chuckled, seemingly noticing Jiang Mo's gaze but not minding: "No need to rush. Since you're here today, I just need to complete my task. The rest will be left to time."
"I know you're an excellent Breeder, but as that person's son, I still want to test your knowledge about Trainers."
Zhen Yu picked up the Poké Ball on the table, gently playing with it as he continued, "For example, how to help a Pokémon break through its limits and reach a whole new level of evolution. I'd like to hear your thoughts."
Jiang Mo pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "Pokémon evolution is not achieved overnight. Current Mega Evolution, in addition to requiring a Key Stone and a Mega Stone, also needs a deep bond of trust between the Pokémon and its Trainer. At the same time, precise control over its growth environment and training methods is essential."
"But I don't understand why you're testing me on such widely known things? This seems out of place with your club's business."
Jiang Mo, familiar with the original work, naturally knew more than just this one. Any of the yet-to-be-discovered Bond Evolution, Dynamax, or Terastallization could scare this pretentious guy in front of him to death.
A flicker of imperceptible light passed through Zhen Yu's eyes. The Gengar behind him also swayed slightly, as if echoing his emotions: "This world is far more complex than you imagine. If a Pokémon's power is used properly, it can change many things. And my club is just a small corner of this world. You are still unaware of the forces and secrets hidden behind it."
Jiang Mo frowned. He could feel that Zhen Yu's words had a hidden meaning, but he couldn't guess his true intention. "Then what do you mean by 'change'?"
Zhen Yu put down the Poké Ball, approached Jiang Mo, and said in a low voice: "This is what we are doing, and it may also be what you are going to do..."
"No more talk, I need to complete my task first." Zhen Yu suddenly raised his voice, interrupting Jiang Mo's thoughts, and continued, "Come with me, I'll show you another side of this world. Oh, and that little guy, come out too."
"Gengar!"
Zhen Yu's Gengar floated behind Jiang Mo, its scarlet mouth wide open, and with a gentle tug of its hands, Jiang Mo's Gastly was pulled out of his shadow.
Jiang Mo had released Gastly before coming to the slum area. During this time, Gastly had been lurking in his shadow to Protect his safety.
"Gengar!"
Gastly initially struggled frantically, but in the face of an absolute level difference, all efforts were futile.
Zhen Yu looked at the nervous Jiang Mo and said softly: "Don't worry, Gengar has no ill will towards that little guy. As a fellow species, Gengar will teach Gastly well. Although its talent is good, it still needs time to grow. In the future, it will become your most reliable bodyguard."
Only after seeing that Gengar indeed did not harm Gastly did Jiang Mo relax, simultaneously signaling Gastly not to be nervous.
Before leaving, Zhen Yu tossed Jiang Mo a small pill and told him to take it. This was the first lesson Zhen Yu taught him: never inhale strange gases.
Jiang Mo instantly reacted, cold sweat pouring down his back. The strange aroma he smelled when he first entered the room was poisonous!
...
Zhen Yu led Jiang Mo downwards, introducing as they went: "This club is called Human Paradise, primarily dealing in gambling, and it also branches into usury, flesh trade, and various other industries. Its main targets are the poor people struggling at the bottom."
"And the mastermind behind Human Paradise is the Alliance. Unbelievable, isn't it? Poor people work hard their whole lives, finally managing to save some assets, and the Alliance still wants to completely drain them in this way. How many families have been torn apart, ruined, because of this..."
Listening to Zhen Yu's words, Jiang Mo gradually fell into contemplation.
Although gamblers are not worthy of sympathy, when the oppressed people at the bottom suddenly find an outlet for their emotions, they will flock to it. This is also the Alliance's cleverness.
With an outlet for emotions, the possibility of social unrest is reduced, after all, only a minority of gamblers go completely mad. It's their families who suffer.
Arriving at a hidden room on the first floor, Zhen Yu led Jiang Mo further down in an elevator. After descending an unknown number of meters, the elevator finally stopped with a "ding."
As soon as they exited the elevator, Jiang Mo saw a massive pit. At the bottom of the pit was a huge arena, surrounded by masked, lavishly dressed spectators.
But those spectators were roaring and howling like beasts, showing no signs of civilization.
At this moment, Zhen Yu smiled slightly and said to Jiang Mo: "Welcome to the true—Human Paradise..."