Chapter 164: Explanation
Seeing Xiaoyuan's slightly awestruck expression after leaving the Head Nurse's office, Xiu couldn't resist a light tease. "You don't actually think I've just been playing around here in Viridian, do you?"
Xiaoyuan fell silent, looking thoughtful. A different interpretation seemed to dawn on her. 'He didn't just stumble into this connection...' She imagined the effort, the potential risks he must have taken to establish a relationship with someone as influential as Nurse Joy. "All that... dealing with people like that... it must be difficult," she murmured, her voice softer now. A wave of concern washed over her. "Did... did I mess things up back there? Saying the wrong thing?"
"Let's talk back in the room," Xiu replied, keeping his expression neutral, and started walking briskly back towards the elevators. Xiaoyuan hurried to keep pace.
Once inside the room, with the door closed, Xiaoyuan immediately pressed the issue, her earlier confidence replaced by insecurity. "Was I useless? Did I handle that poorly?" The vulnerability in her voice put Xiu on alert.
'This kind of self-doubt is dangerous for someone in her position.' He recognized it stemmed from her past insecurities, resurfacing when faced with a situation far outside her usual experience.
"No," Xiu stated firmly, deciding against simple reassurance. He needed to reframe it strategically. "You performed exactly as needed. It was all part of the plan."
Her eyes widened slightly, skepticism warring with a desire to believe him. "What do you mean?"
"Did you really think I wanted them to take your report completely seriously right now?" Xiu countered smoothly. "Think about it. If Viridian City's leadership cracks down hard immediately, resolves the market swiftly... where does that leave our opportunity? No, we need the situation to remain somewhat unstable, at least for a little while longer. Your report served its purpose: it put our 'company' on the Head Nurse's radar, positioned you as a concerned stakeholder, and subtly reinforced the idea that someone is paying attention to the market issues. It adds pressure without forcing their hand prematurely."
"But..." Xiaoyuan started, still confused.
"No buts," Xiu interrupted gently but firmly. "You don't understand the Head Nurse's reaction because you don't fully grasp the underlying dynamics of Viridian City." He saw her about to protest again and held up a hand. "Listen. From the perspective of the city's established powers – the League officials, the police hierarchy, perhaps even the nurses themselves – Team Rocket is essentially a known nuisance. Think of them like... a city's necessary trash can."
He elaborated, his tone becoming analytical. "They're criminals, yes, involved in smuggling, black markets, low-level thuggery. But eliminating them completely? That's difficult, messy. It stirs things up, scatters the 'garbage' everywhere, potentially creating more problems.
And as long as the underlying conditions exist – poverty, lack of opportunity, demand for illicit goods – if Team Rocket were gone, another group would simply fill the void. So, the pragmatic approach for the authorities is often containment, not eradication. Allow them to exist within certain boundaries, manage them, maybe even occasionally use them for off-the-books tasks. They serve a purpose, however unpleasant."
"Does that make sense?" Xiaoyuan asked, trying to reconcile this cynical view with the heroic image of the authorities.
"Don't interrupt," Xiu chided mildly.
"Oh. Sorry."
"So," Xiu continued, "when you presented information about market manipulation possibly linked to them, Nurse Joy wasn't truly surprised or alarmed. They already know Team Rocket is active. They likely have contingencies. Your report was noted, filed, perhaps added to an existing investigation, but it didn't fundamentally change their stance because, in their eyes, Team Rocket is a manageable problem."
"But... if they aren't taking it seriously, what chance do we have?" Xiaoyuan asked, frustrated. "You said you wanted to..."
"Don't be impatient," Xiu advised, a strange smile playing on his lips. "That's the official perspective, their desired state of 'controlled chaos'. But Team Rocket itself? Their leadership is ambitious. They aren't content being just petty criminals indefinitely. They have larger goals." He leaned forward slightly. "This current market manipulation... it feels like more than just squeezing profits. It feels like a precursor, a way to soften the target. A conflict between Team Rocket and Viridian city is likely inevitable. The only questions are when, and how intense it will be."
Xiaoyuan stared at him, processing the prediction. "How can you be so sure? Are you... secretly working with Team Rocket?" The question slipped out before she could stop it, born of genuine confusion at his apparent certainty.
The question seemed to amuse Xiu. He chuckled softly. "Let's just say I've done my research." He drew upon his fragmented knowledge from his past life – the eventual rise of Team Rocket, Giovanni's audacious double life. He knew, with a certainty he couldn't explain to her, that Team Rocket was destined for bigger things, that Viridian City was a crucial stepping stone. And when giants clash, there's always room for smaller players to snatch some spoils.
Seeing her continued confusion, he decided to deflect rather than elaborate further. "You're smart, Xiaoyuan. Based on what we know, what do you think Team Rocket's next move might be?"
Xiaoyuan opened her mouth, then closed it, catching the subtle warning in his tone. "Ah... right. I shouldn't interrupt again," she conceded quickly.
Xiu simply looked at her, then shrugged. "Forget it. You've had a long day. You should take a shower, get some proper rest."
"Hey! But you didn't finish explaining!" Xiaoyuan protested, frustrated at being left hanging just as her curiosity was fully engaged. Leaving right after getting started... infuriating!
"Some things I don't know for sure myself, so how can I explain them?" Xiu countered blandly, rolling his eyes slightly. He stood up and gathered the packages containing the clothes they'd bought earlier, placing them on the bed beside her. "I'll leave the room to you. Get some sleep. Don't stay up late working."
"Where are you going?" Xiaoyuan asked, surprised. "The bed's large enough for two. It's not like we haven't shared a room before, back when..."
"No," Xiu cut her off firmly, already heading to the door, not looking back. He raised a hand in a casual wave without turning. "Goodnight."
Xiaoyuan watched the door click shut behind him. The frustration on her face slowly faded, replaced by a complex mix of disappointment and something softer. She flopped back onto the bed. "Didn't even want to stay and talk a little longer..." she muttered quietly. Then, her eyes fell on the shopping bags beside her. A faint, almost involuntary smile touched her lips as she reached out to examine her new clothes.
Outside, Xiu slipped away from the Pokémon Center under the cover of the night. The vibrant neon lights of the festival cast long shadows, providing ample cover as he melted into the darker corners of the city streets, becoming just another anonymous figure.
'She's not ready,' he thought, reflecting on the conversation. Xiaoyuan had grown incredibly capable, but burdening her with extreme speculations – based partly on knowledge she couldn't possibly comprehend – would only cause unnecessary anxiety and could lead to mistakes. Some predictions lacked concrete evidence; voicing them prematurely was pointless.
He walked, letting his mind analyze the strategic puzzle. If Team Rocket truly intends a major move against Viridian City, a direct confrontation is risky. The combined forces of the Gym, the police, the Pokémon Center, and any potential International Police presence were formidable. A frontal assault by low-level grunts would be crushed.
'But what if direct confrontation isn't the primary goal? What if the aim is something else?' Create chaos, cripple logistics, turn the populace against the authorities through hardship...
He thought back to Sachiko's casual comment about the Pokémon Center's food reserves lasting half a month under normal circumstances. However, the festival has quadrupled the city's temporary population. And the primary supply lines for fresh food are already being choked by the market... 'How long could those reserves really last under these conditions? A week? Or less?'
Control the food, control the city. It was an old, brutal axiom. Was that Team Rocket's angle? A siege from within? The thought sent a chill down his spine, colder than the night air.