Chapter 27: Codename: Handsome Guy

After completing the payment, Xia You stored the Magikarp in its Poké Ball, marking the acquisition of his seventh Pokémon.

Walking through the corridors, the number of tourists gradually dwindled. By the time he reached the guest cabin area, even the crew members were nowhere to be seen. Most people were likely gathered in the main hall or on the deck; after all, having just boarded, few would think to rest inside the depths of the cruise ship.

He wandered around for a while, but there was no sign of Team Rocket. Moreover, due to the security cameras, Xia You did not dare to linger too openly. He feigned a trip to the restroom and was about to head back to the hall when he caught a glimpse of a stealthy figure darting around the corner of the corridor ahead.

Was it Team Rocket?

Glancing at Kirlia, Xia You decided to follow quietly. When he reached the corner, he peeked around just enough to see the figure crouching in front of a guest cabin door, using a lockpick to try and force it open.

The man was middle-aged, wearing a brown trench coat over a suit and tie. He was of medium build—neither fat nor thin—and although his expression was serious, he could not hide a look of weariness, clearly the result of frequent late nights.

Xia You looked up at the security camera above and realized it had been temporarily disabled by a jamming device. No wonder this man was acting so brazenly.

The man was focused, his lockpick rotating with practiced agility. With a soft click, the lock gave way. However, before he could feel any sense of triumph, he noticed a shadow slowly manifesting on the door panel under the glow of the lights.

The sight broke him out in a cold sweat. He reached for his waist and spun around, only to find a handsome young man of about twenty standing there, watching him with keen interest.

"Who... who are you?" His voice was tense, and his accent seemed to shift, carrying a faint foreign lilt.

"My good sir, are you an International Police officer?"

"Huh?" The man’s face changed drastically. His heart hammered against his ribs as he hurriedly denied it. "What are you talking about? I’m no International Police officer."

"Oh? Is that so?" Xia You said, pulling a wallet from behind his back and waving it in front of the man. "That’s strange, because I just found your wallet, and it contains your identification card."

The middle-aged man frantically patted his back pockets, finding them empty.

"Haha, is that right..." He snatched the wallet, offering an awkward but polite smile. "To tell you the truth, I am indeed an International Police officer. I am currently investigating a massive criminal organization, so I must ask you to keep this confidential!"

"A criminal organization?" Xia You asked. "Are you referring to Team Rocket?"

At this, the man could no longer maintain his composure. He grabbed Xia You’s arm and pulled him into a nearby stairwell. He whispered, "How do you know about Team Rocket!?"

"That’s hardly a surprise," Xia You said matter-of-factly. "They are notorious here and have appeared on wanted lists more than once. It would be stranger if a Trainer didn't know about them."

"Fair point." The man smiled, glanced at Kirlia, and asked, "Are you a Trainer?"

Xia You pulled out his Pokédex and showed him his credentials. "Not just a Trainer, but a special research investigator for a laboratory as well."

"I see." The man adjusted his collar and said solemnly, "Then, excuse my rudeness. I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Looker. I am currently investigating Team Rocket in the Kanto region to put an end to their various evil activities."

"Your name is Looker!?" It was Xia You’s turn to be surprised. He eyed the man with skepticism. "Isn't that a bit narcissistic? You don't exactly fit the description of a 'looker,' do you?"

Perhaps having choked on his own saliva, Looker’s face flushed red. After a few coughs, he said, "How could we possibly use our real names? 'Looker' is just my codename! A codename!"

"Even so..." Xia You continued to stare at him, "Using 'Looker' as a codename is still pretty narcissistic, isn't it?"

Looker felt weary. Without further explanation, he waved his hand and said, "Forget it. I have work to do. Let’s part ways here."

"Work? You mean entering that room?"

Looker hadn't wanted to involve an outsider, but recalling that Xia You had already seen everything, he hesitated and said, "That’s right. I was tracking a high-ranking Team Rocket executive and discovered he had boarded the S.S. Anne. I suspected they had designs on the ship, so I followed him here, hoping to slip into his room and gather information while he was away."

"That’s quite a coincidence." Xia You decided to drop a hint, though he couldn't be too explicit. "Before I boarded, I noticed a large group of people disguised and mingling among the passengers. If Team Rocket is involved, they must be the ones!"

"What!? A large group of them!?"

Seeing Xia You nod, Looker’s brow furrowed. "This is bad. Something major must be happening; otherwise, they wouldn't be moving in such numbers. It seems I must request reinforcements from headquarters immediately."

No sooner had he spoken than a massive blast of the ship's whistle echoed, and the hull shuddered, followed by a brief sway. He rushed to the window and looked out, realizing the ship had already left the pier and was sailing out of the harbor.

"This is terrible. If I don't contact headquarters now, it will be too late!"

With that, Looker pulled out his phone to make a call, only to find the signal had been jammed.

"Damn it!" He seemed unwilling to accept it and moved a few steps to find a better angle, but there was still no signal.

Xia You took out his own phone and confirmed that the signal had indeed been completely blocked.

Sighing, Looker looked at Xia You with a complicated expression. "You had better leave this place quickly. I need to get to the captain's quarters to check on the situation. What happens next is no concern for ordinary citizens like you."

...

When Xia You returned to the hall, he found Misty and Brock sitting at a dining table, shoveling food into their mouths. Ash, however, was sitting to one side, acting uncharacteristically quiet, looking as melancholy as a young girl.

"What's wrong, Ash? Did you lose your battle?"

Looking at Xia You, Ash replied in a low voice, "No, I actually won."

"Oh?" Xia You asked curiously. "Then why do you look so glum? Did something happen?"