Chapter 169: Delegation and Probing
With the substantial loan secured, Xiu shifted immediately into operational mode, dispensing with pleasantries. He quickly briefed Xiaoyuan on the immediate next steps of his plan: securing the initial batch of goods from reliable sources outside the manipulated Viridian market, coordinating transportation, and establishing a temporary distribution point. He outlined the key contacts she needed to make and the messages she needed to convey.
"Understood?" he finished, ensuring she grasped the core tasks.
Xiaoyuan, still slightly dazed by the sudden influx of capital but refocusing quickly, nodded. "Yes. Secure initial supply, arrange transport, and set up distribution."
"Good," Xiu approved. "Now, come with me. There's someone you need to meet."
He stood up, and Xiaoyuan, her mind already processing the challenges, quickly followed him out of the room and back down to the Pokémon Center entrance area.
Just outside, as expected, Fushun was waiting patiently, dozing lightly in the driver's seat of his truck.
"Morning!" Xiu called out, rapping sharply on the window glass.
Fushun jolted awake, saw Xiu, and immediately scrambled out of the truck, his expression respectful, almost deferential. "Good morning, young brother!"
"Driving while tired isn't safe, Fushun," Xiu remarked with a faint smile, then gestured towards Xiaoyuan. "Allow me to introduce my associate, Yuan. She's the one managing this entire operation, the 'big boss', so to speak. I just handle... strategy. Any future coordination, work arrangements, payment – you'll discuss directly with her."
"Boss Yuan! A pleasure!" Fushun greeted Xiaoyuan with an enthusiastic nod and a slightly awkward bow.
Xiaoyuan, stepping into her designated role, instantly shed her earlier nervousness. Her demeanor became crisp, professional, carrying the weight of authority Xiu had just bestowed upon her. "Mr. Fushun," she began, her tone all business, "regarding the drivers you mentioned yesterday. How many vehicles are available in your immediate network?"
"Uh, yes, Boss Yuan! Between myself and the contacts I trust, we have twelve drivers available. Three operate large transport trucks; the rest use medium-sized ones like mine."
"Excellent. Are any of them familiar with the route between Viridian City and Pewter City?"
Xiu listened quietly as Xiaoyuan took charge, efficiently questioning Fushun about routes, capacity, driver reliability, and availability. She was outlining the first major task: dispatching the drivers immediately to Pewter City.
Kurokawa should have secured the initial grain purchase there by now, Xiu thought.
Time to get the supply chain moving. He'd deliberately bypassed Xiaoyuan's existing (and potentially compromised) network in Pewter City, opting for Fushun's independent drivers for this initial, critical phase.
"...remember," Xiaoyuan concluded firmly, handing Fushun a slip of paper with contact details and instructions, "we need reliability and speed. Aim to complete two round trips today if possible. If the loading takes longer, don't depart Pewter City after dark."
"Yes, Boss Yuan! Understood!" Fushun nodded vigorously. "Safety first. None of us like driving these routes at night anyway." He took the paper, bowed again quickly to both Xiaoyuan and Xiu, and hurried back to his truck.
As Fushun drove off, Xiaoyuan turned to Xiu, a hint of worry creasing her brow. "Are you sure this is wise? Relying on untested drivers for such a crucial first run?"
"What are you worried about?" Xiu replied calmly. "The Pewter City shipment is secured. The sooner we get that grain moving, the sooner we can start applying pressure here in Viridian. Money needs to circulate to be effective.
Once these drivers complete a successful run and get paid promptly, word will spread. We'll have more transport options than we need." He started walking back towards the Pokémon Center arena entrance.
"Now, come on. We need to establish our temporary warehouse near the market district. I'll show you the location Kurokawa secured. After that, managing the incoming shipments and distribution will be your responsibility." His tone left no room for argument; the plan was in motion.
Later that afternoon, Xiu found himself back in the Pokémon Center's battle arena, seated in the front row beside Professor Oak, thanks to the Professor's VIP status.
Oak, still wearing his mask despite the relatively secure seating area, seemed content to watch the final matches. The viewing angle was excellent, though Xiu found his mind wandering.
The final round, a three-on-three battle, was underway. After a short break allowing the previous victor time to rest his Pokémon, the commentator announced the finalists' return. The crowd roared, settling back in anticipation.
Professor Oak leaned over slightly. "Come with me to the backstage area," he murmured. "Need to prepare for the award ceremony."
Xiu nodded silently and stood up, preceding Oak down the aisle towards the restricted access tunnel. As they walked through the quiet corridor beneath the stands, Oak spoke again, his tone casual, almost conversational.
"Did you hear? There was some excitement at the museum last night. An exhibit went missing."
"Oh?" Xiu feigned mild surprise, keeping his expression neutral. "I didn't hear anything. We visited yesterday afternoon. What was stolen?"
Oak didn't answer directly. Instead, he glanced sideways at Xiu, a probing look in his eyes despite the mask. "Where did you end up sleeping last night, Xiu? You weren't in your room when I stopped by."
"Just wandered the streets for a while, found a quiet bench eventually," Xiu replied evenly, shrugging. He met Oak's gaze, allowing a hint of annoyance to surface. "Why the sudden interest, Professor? Does it matter?"
"Ah," Oak chuckled softly, though it sounded slightly forced. "Just concerned, my boy. After lending you such a substantial sum, surely I'm allowed a little curiosity about my investment's activities?" He didn't wait for a reaction, continuing almost to himself, "Besides, it seems irrelevant now. The authorities have apparently identified the culprits already. An international ring of thieves, it seems. Professional."
Xiu's internal alert spiked. International thieves? They identified them that quickly? He kept his outward expression merely curious. "Sounds like a dangerous organization, Professor. Do they know much about them?"
"Very little, apparently," Oak admitted. "Highly elusive group, responsible for high-profile thefts across multiple regions. They've had successes and failures. Often, when cornered, their operatives commit suicide before revealing anything substantial. Loose ends are tied up quickly, it seems."
Xiu's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. So, leaving Number Seven alive might have been more dangerous for her than simply eliminating her. He suppressed the thought, murmuring instead, "Ruthless organization, then."
They reached the backstage area. Most of the earlier competitors had already departed, leaving only the two finalists preparing in their respective waiting rooms for the upcoming award ceremony. In these smaller tournaments, typically only the champion received significant recognition.
Oak, however, bypassed the waiting rooms, heading towards a different door – one marked 'Control Room'.
Xiu quickened his pace slightly, reaching the door first and knocking politely before Oak arrived. Oak simply pushed the door open and walked in.
The room was smaller than Xiu expected, dominated by a large wall monitor displaying a mosaic of security camera feeds from around the arena: the stands, the battlefield, entrances, exits, corridors. Several technicians sat at consoles, monitoring the feeds.
And seated near the main console were Head Nurse Joy and her assistant, Sachiko.
"Professor," Nurse Joy greeted him with a nod as they entered. Oak returned the nod and took a seat nearby, beginning a low-voiced conversation with her.
Xiu found an unoccupied chair slightly off to the side, his attention drawn to the monitor wall. He watched the feeds disinterestedly until the final match replay began on the main screen. Kiba, unsurprisingly, was one finalist.
His opponent was a man who looked to be in his thirties, someone Xiu recalled winning an earlier match decisively, though revealing his primary Pokémon in the process. Kiba, conversely, had relied solely on his Charizard throughout the tournament, keeping his other two Pokémon hidden. Predictable, but an effective strategy for conserving strength and maintaining an element of surprise.
The replay showed the final battle unfolding. Kiba led with Charizard, as expected. The opponent countered with a Poliwrath, a solid water-type counter. An intense battle ensued, with the Poliwrath putting up a surprisingly strong fight.
Ultimately, however, the opponent had to switch out his exhausted Poliwrath, bringing in his second Pokémon. Kiba then revealed his second Pokémon – a massive, powerfully built Venusaur. The type advantage was overwhelming. The Venusaur made short work of the opponent's remaining two Pokémon, securing the championship for Kiba with relative ease.
That Venusaur... Xiu noted the Pokémon's bulk and the power behind its attacks. Also exceptionally well-raised. Kiba's resources are clearly significant.
As the replay concluded, Sachiko leaned over and whispered something to Nurse Joy. Nurse Joy nodded, then stood up, addressing Professor Oak. "Professor, the award ceremony is about to begin. Shall we head down?"