Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [532]

“Maybe they’re just pretending to accept Team Plasma’s terms?” President Silph offered his guess.

Feign cooperation with Team Plasma for now, eliminate Team Rocket first, and then burn the bridge after crossing it.

President Silph’s speculation won agreement from both Giovanni and Luo Yuan.

“That’s certainly possible… if they don’t see enough benefit, there’s no way they’d go along with it,” Luo Yuan said thoughtfully.

Though he’d always found Team Plasma a bit… unhinged, that didn’t mean they were fools.

“No matter what, we have to prepare a response,” Luo Yuan added.
As he spoke, he turned to Giovanni.

Giovanni leaned back on the sofa, absently stroking the head of his Persian. “Luo Yuan’s right. No matter what the League Council or Team Plasma is really thinking, we have to be ready.”

President Silph didn’t object to Giovanni’s use of we.

After all, Silph Co. was now firmly tied to Team Rocket’s fortunes; speaking of themselves as a single entity was entirely accurate.

“Silph Co. can provide financial support,” President Silph promptly offered.

Since joining Team Rocket, he’d come to understand them better.

When it came to technology, Team Rocket — now combining the best innovations from multiple regions — was operating at a level beyond what Silph Co. could match.

What they could contribute now was funding.

Giovanni seemed very pleased with President Silph’s attitude.

The Galar operation had consumed considerable resources.

Even though Team Rocket now effectively controlled the Macro Cosmos Group and no longer lacked funds overall, it would take time to consolidate that control.

If they wanted to launch another major operation in the short term, Silph Co.’s financial backing would be indispensable.

Of course…

President Silph wasn’t exactly losing out either.

By pledging his support now, he was securing Silph Co.’s place aboard the bright and rising ship that was Team Rocket.

“Should I head to Unova, then?” Luo Yuan asked once the funding issue was settled.
Though he had only recently returned to Kanto, Unova was now the only major region not under Team Rocket’s sway.

If he could seize this opportunity to crush Team Plasma in one stroke and bring Unova under control, Luo Yuan wouldn’t mind putting in the extra work.

But Giovanni’s reply surprised him.

“I’ll personally oversee the early stages in Unova. There’s something even more important I need you to handle here in Kanto.”

“Something more important?”

The development of Unova was critical to Team Rocket’s future — what could possibly outweigh that?

“Johto. I need you to return to Johto and challenge Lance.”

“Johto?” Luo Yuan immediately understood Giovanni’s meaning.
He was being sent to challenge Lance — and take his place as Johto Champion.

For Luo Yuan, this wasn’t difficult.

Even if he couldn’t use Pokémon captured under his Tech Hunter identity, the ones under “Elite Four Luo Yuan” were more than enough to defeat Lance.

But…

“Wouldn’t challenging Lance right now attract too much attention?”

At a time when the League was already under pressure from Team Rocket’s growing threat, openly challenging Lance seemed… extremely conspicuous.

“You’ve already surpassed Lance in strength,” Giovanni said calmly. “You’ve defeated Steven and Leon back-to-back. In terms of reputation, you’re not inferior to Lance at all. Kanto’s League will back you, and Johto’s side has Koga, Karen, and Will ready to lend support. It won’t look out of place.”

In fact, hearing it laid out like this, it almost sounded like a natural next step.

“Besides,” Giovanni continued, “at a moment like this, we must tighten our control over Johto.”

Even though Lance had already been effectively sidelined, and had lost real influence over Johto’s League, Giovanni wanted to eliminate even the faintest trace of instability — to forge an unbreakable alliance between Kanto and Johto.

Since Giovanni had made his decision, Luo Yuan had no objections.
To him, whether it was being an Elite Four member or a Champion made little difference.

Of course, it might be a bit cruel to Lance… but as always — everything was for Team Rocket.

—

Johto League Headquarters

Lance sat at his desk, flipping through documents.

For some reason, he’d been feeling unsettled these past two days.

Come to think of it, the unease had started right around the time Luo Yuan crushed Leon in a sweeping victory.

Though outwardly Lance had always said he wasn’t worried about Luo Yuan’s challenge and trusted in his own strength, hearing the news firsthand had shaken him more than he cared to admit.

Still, after so many years as a Champion and Elite Four member, Lance had long since forged a steely heart.

Panic, insecurity — those emotions had no place in him.

So even as rumors spread through Kanto and Johto that Luo Yuan was preparing to challenge him for the title, Lance continued calmly reviewing his paperwork.

If he was going to worry, he would only start once an official challenge arrived on his desk.
Until he saw the challenge with his own eyes, there was no point in speculating.

With that thought, Lance placed the finished documents aside and picked up the next file.
But as soon as his gaze fell on the new document, his hand froze.

—

This is a fan translation of 我，火箭队二把手！ by 落唯 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!