Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [477]

Luo Yuan did have some impression of Rose’s secretary, Oleana.

Long legs, black stockings, an outwardly calm demeanor masking a fiery temper, and unwavering loyalty to Rose.

That was Luo Yuan’s personal character sketch of Oleana.

Within Macro Cosmos, Oleana held a very high-ranking position.

Though Rose was the public face of the company, the one actually managing most affairs behind the scenes was Oleana. While she carried the title of Rose’s secretary, she also served as the Vice President of Macro Cosmos.

Her role was somewhat akin to Matori’s position in Team Rocket—Rose handled only major strategic decisions, while Oleana executed all the groundwork.

The fact that Galar was sending Oleana to receive him clearly showed how seriously they were taking this exchange.

Glancing at the number on the card, Luo Yuan gave a small nod. “I’ll get in touch with her once I arrive.”

Truthfully, even if Lance hadn’t mentioned Oleana, Luo Yuan had already planned to approach her.

Because Oleana played a crucial role in his larger plan.

Taking control of Macro Cosmos—the company that essentially controlled the Galar region—couldn’t be done by applying external pressure alone. A rapid takeover would require an inside man.

Or, in this case, an inside woman.

Oleana was the perfect candidate.

As for whether she would betray Rose? That wasn’t Luo Yuan’s concern. He didn’t need her loyalty—just her position. Her personal thoughts were entirely irrelevant to him.

Lance could never have imagined that the business card he personally handed over would become the fuse that set off Team Rocket’s takeover of Macro Cosmos. At that moment, all Lance felt was relief.

Despite Luo Yuan’s usual tendency to slack off, when it came down to the wire, he was someone you could truly count on.

Especially as the only League-affiliated Trainer currently in possession of a Legendary Pokémon, no one was more suited to lead this mission than Luo Yuan.

“But I do have one more question—how much leeway do I have in this negotiation?” Luo Yuan asked. “Even though we’re calling it a collaboration, there has to be a bottom line. We can’t just agree to whatever Galar demands.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. The general framework has already been approved by the League Council. What’s left are just details—how the collaboration is implemented and who handles what.”

“We’re representing the Johto League, so of course we’ll do everything we can to maximize its benefits,” Lance replied.

The message was clear: within the bounds of the established agreement, Luo Yuan had a great deal of freedom.

“Got it.”

As a member of the Johto League, how could Luo Yuan stand by and watch the Kanto region’s interests be compromised?

So, to “protect” Kanto’s interests, Luo Yuan would just have to bite the bullet and deal with Macro Cosmos.

“Then I’ll leave it in your hands,” Lance said with a smile—coincidentally, echoing Giovanni’s words.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this,” Luo Yuan replied with the same smile.

Lance thought Luo Yuan understood what he meant. He had no idea Luo Yuan’s meaning was something else entirely.

…

When Luo Yuan returned to the estate, Sabrina was already awake. She was seated cross-legged on a yoga mat, deep in meditation. Across from her, her Gardevoir mirrored the pose.

Even though Luo Yuan had always shielded her from the wind and rain, Sabrina had never slacked off.

Daily meditation remained part of her strict routine. Her psychic power continued to improve steadily.

Seeing her like this, Luo Yuan smiled and quietly approached from behind.

Sensing his presence, Sabrina opened her eyes.

But before she could say anything, she felt two arms slide under her arms and cross in front of her, wrapping tightly around her chest and pulling her into an embrace.

Though her relationship with Luo Yuan couldn’t possibly get any closer, being held like this—especially with her Pokémon right there—still made her face flush with heat.

She squirmed a little, but as Luo Yuan’s grip only tightened, Sabrina let out a soft sigh and gave up resisting.

Gardevoir, sensitive to human emotions, turned her head away in silence. She already had a good idea of what might happen next.

…

Moments of peace never lasted long.

After spending a restful week in Kanto, Luo Yuan and Sabrina had no choice but to depart for Galar.

Or at least, that’s what it looked like on the surface.

In truth, even before they left, Luo Yuan’s elite Rocket “Mega Squad” had already completed their recovery in Sinnoh and quietly headed to Galar ahead of them to await further orders.

At the same time, a massive amount of funds was being discreetly transferred from Aether Foundation’s secret accounts into the Galar region through various covert channels.

Having booked out an entire private plane, Luo Yuan sat in his seat, casually browsing the news.

Thanks to heavy promotion from both the Galar and Kanto Leagues, the upcoming exchange event was now common knowledge across the regions. But in terms of impact, this operation couldn’t even be compared to Luo Yuan’s previous trip to Alola.

Back then, despite the chaos he caused in Alola, the aftereffects were largely contained to the upper echelons of Alola and Kanto.

This time, things were different. The event hadn’t even started, and the coverage was already overwhelming.

“With the League making such a show of things, aren’t they worried about drawing Rocket’s attention?” Sabrina asked.

Since the flight crew had already been replaced by Rocket operatives, she wasn’t concerned about leaking information.

Luo Yuan knew the League’s strategy all too well. “Even if they kept quiet, there’s no way an exchange event of this scale would escape Rocket’s intel network. On the contrary, the more they hype it up, the more it might lower our guard—at least that’s what they’re hoping.”

The League was trying to sneak a dagger under the cloak.

But they had clearly underestimated how deeply Rocket had infiltrated their operations.

Did they really think that by keeping the plan confined to those above Elite Four level, they could prevent a leak?

How laughable.

Sabrina understood immediately and couldn’t help but smile. Her excitement for their trip to Galar grew.

—

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!