The people of Liuling were overjoyed at Xia Huanao's return, as were the students from other schools. He was, after all, the most outstanding young trainer. Although there had been a hiccup during his college entrance exams, everyone understood that he wasn't to blame.
Of course, the first to embrace Xia Huanao was his girlfriend, Shen Yu. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands secretly fidgeting to vent her dissatisfaction. "Where have you been all this time?"
"I had some troublesome matters to attend to, so I had to fake my death. I apologize for causing everyone worry."
When some classmates asked how the realistic fake death was achieved, Xia Huanao chuckled, "Teleportation! It's the ultimate escape technique. Even if surrounded and set ablaze, it wouldn't be a problem."
Lu Bingming nodded. "Yes, yes, I know that. I even guessed you used a multi-stage teleportation. What I really want to know is how you managed to fool the League with a fake report."
Xia Huanao tilted his head. "Do you really want to know?"
Lu Bingming was full of curiosity. "Yes, I really do."
Seeing the studious child before him, Xia Huanao smiled. "How should I put it? Generally speaking, for a diligent and eager student like you, your questions must be answered. But what would you do with what I teach you? Besides, you wouldn't be able to learn it even if I taught you."
Lu Bingming found this hard to believe. Was there knowledge that couldn't be learned even before being taught? It seemed quite absurd.
But before he could voice his opinion, Xia Huanao continued, "I have connections in the League. That's all you need to know."
This was as good as saying nothing. Having connections in the League sounded simple, but what level of connections did he have to be able to issue a death certificate?
Lu Bingming shook his head. "I can't learn that, I can't learn that."
After explaining his fake death, Xia Huanao was asked another question: what had he been busy with these past few months?
Xia Huanao thought for a moment before replying, "I've been with my girlfriend for the past half year. You don't need to know the specifics. I have more important things to do now."
With that, Xia Huanao approached Takeda Saburo, who had just been handled by security. Looking at the person bound like a zongzi, Xia Huanao glanced at the security team. "Hey, who tied him up?"
The captain of the security team scratched his head awkwardly. "We, uh, how should I put it... collective wisdom, yes, collective wisdom."
Xia Huanao looked at the product of this so-called collective wisdom. "Tsk, collective wisdom indeed. You guys have a really wild way of playing. Is there not a single decent person among you?"
Takeda Saburo's current bound state was quite an eyesore. But Xia Huanao mused that if it were a girl bound like this, he might be able to accept it. But, never mind, there were more important matters at hand, weren't there?
"Takeda Saburo, if I'm not mistaken, your brother, Takeda Dairo, is the one who tied up Chairman Maranchi, right?"
As he spoke, a hint of recollection appeared on Xia Huanao's face. "That name is truly unpleasant. But I suppose it's a hassle if your surname is Wu, like your father's. Tell me, where did you take Chairman Maranchi?"
Takeda Saburo put on a show of stubborn defiance. "Heh, don't expect to get a single word out of me!"
Xia Huanao nodded. "Is that so? Since you don't plan to talk, I won't ask. We'll move straight to the methods."
He then turned to the trainers nearby. "Does anyone have a Pokémon that can use Hypnosis?" He turned back to intimidate Takeda Saburo. "You should know, I learned this technique from a professional trainer from the Meng family. If I hypnotize you like this, forget your plan; even your every single day... you understand? As long as we want to ask, you'll have no secrets."
Xia Huanao continued, picking and choosing among the Pokémon with Hypnosis. "Personally, I don't like torturing you, so I've decided to choose a prettier one to hypnotize you. You should be grateful and cooperate with me."
Takeda Saburo listened. "Pah, choose a pretty one? Hypnosis is just a momentary thing. What good is choosing a pretty one? It's better to dream of... Pfft, that's even more ridiculous!"
Takeda Saburo's mental defenses were gradually broken down by Xia Huanao's incessant rambling. Before Xia Huanao could decide how to torment him, he said, "I'll tell you, I..."
"Wait a moment..."
Xia Huanao raised his hand, interrupting Takeda Saburo's confession, because he saw a Charizard approaching in the sky. The Charizard landed before the trainers, and Yu Longdu leaped off, laughing heartily as he approached Xia Huanao and punched him. "You little rascal, you even kept this from me."
Xia Huanao smiled and hooked his arm around Yu Longdu's shoulder. "What could I do? Telling you would have been for your own good. Think about it, knowing a shocking secret but being unable to tell anyone—how torturous would that be? What do you think?"
Yu Longdu found his words reasonable. If he knew a secret and was forced to keep it, it would indeed be difficult.
"Alright, other matters can wait. Did they find out something, hence your arrival?"
Yu Longdu nodded. "Yes, Old Meng asked me to tell you that their group's base camp is on Qingya Island in the Minglong Sea. Prepare yourself, we're heading there now."
Upon hearing this, Xia Huanao turned to look at Takeda Saburo, still bound on the ground. "Young man, is this the place? It seems you have no further value for interrogation. I've already gotten the information I most wanted."
Yu Longdu's interest was piqued upon spotting Takeda Saburo. "Wow, did you tie him up? You have this hobby too?"
Xia Huanao shook his head and pointed at the security captain who had misled him earlier. "Generations of talented people emerge. You can interact with him more later."
Then, Xia Huanao squatted down in front of Takeda Saburo and whispered, "Do you have any more high-level secrets to reveal? My policy is leniency for confession, severity for resistance. Anything you say after I leave will be invalid."
Takeda Saburo stared at Xia Huanao's face. "Do you have the final say?"
Xia Huanao turned and called out to Yu Longdu, "A'Du, he doubts my influence and authority. Can you come and confirm it for me?"
Yu Longdu nodded. "Yes, I assure you, everything he says is true. He even got a fake death certificate. Are you still doubting him?"
Takeda Saburo considered this. It was true. But what if he was rescued later? The fate of a traitor was never good, even if it was due to coercion.
Seeing Takeda Saburo's hesitation, Xia Huanao pressed on. "Look, you sell them out, you sell them out. Even if they seek revenge, that's a problem for later. If you don't sell them out now, there are immediate consequences. What do you think?"
After much deliberation, Takeda Saburo leaned in and whispered something into Xia Huanao's ear. Xia Huanao stepped back casually and then leaned down. "Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but I had already suspected this. It's not exactly new information."
Hearing this, Takeda Saburo struggled to stand up, but Xia Huanao didn't give him the chance. He gestured to a Two-Tail Monkey, which leaped over and delivered two swift blows to the back of Takeda Saburo's neck. Takeda Saburo's vision went starry as he collapsed forward at Xia Huanao's feet.
Yu Longdu tilted his head. "Old Xia, is that necessary? Will he die from such a heavy blow?"
Xia Huanao denied it. "No, the Two-Tail Monkey knows what it's doing. Besides, a double strike like that wouldn't kill someone."
Although he said this, Xia Huanao knew in his heart that with this double strike, Takeda Saburo wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.
"Besides, isn't this saving you trouble? If you take him away, he won't cause any more trouble on the road."
Saying this, Xia Huanao had the Two-Tail Monkey throw Takeda Saburo onto the Charizard's back. "Then you can take him back first, or if you prefer, you can continue your work here, so no one else comes to bother us. I'm going to rescue them. I'm leaving now."
Xia Huanao returned all his Pokémon to their balls and was about to set off to rescue the abducted Chairman Maranchi. But Shen Yu grabbed his hand. "I'm going too."
Xia Huanao shook his head. "Wouldn't it be better for you to stay here?"
"No, I won't let you go out alone this time. Besides, I'm not completely defenseless. You know, wasn't that island arranged by you?"
Xia Huanao was startled. "You figured it out?"
"Of course. Who else could have arranged for such an island to be set up? You can't treat me like an idiot."
Xia Huanao relented. "Alright, then come with me. But you have to promise me you'll do exactly as I say."
"Since you're taking Xiao Yu, why don't you take us along too?" Lu Bingming, ever eager for excitement, requested. Xia Huanao immediately dismissed the idea. "Classmate, you're thinking too much. In terms of strength alone, you can't even beat Xiao Yu. Don't slow me down by coming along."
Lu Bingming found this hard to believe. Xia Huanao didn't give him a chance to argue. "I'm sorry, but the plane has arrived. We have to leave. I'll explain when we get back."
With that, Xia Huanao grabbed Shen Yu's hand and boarded the waiting aircraft.