Chapter 51: The Attack of Team Rocket

Chapter 51: The Team Rocket Raid

Xia You walked into the warehouse and, behind several crates at the very back, spotted a handsome man lying semi-reclined on the ground.

His current state could only be described as miserable. Not only was he severely injured, but blood continued to seep from his bandaged abdomen from time to time, staining his suit red.

Upon seeing the mask on Xia You's face, the man was initially startled, but after seeing Kirlia beside him, he quickly regained his composure. A faint smile finally appeared on his weak and haggard face.

"You... finally came... *cough, cough*..."

Xia You hurriedly pulled out some medicinal spray and applied it to his wounds.

As a qualified Trainer, he had long since stocked his backpack with various medicines, including wound spray, antidotes, burn ointment, and paralysis cures, specifically so he wouldn't be helpless in situations like this.

"How did you get such serious injuries?"

Ignoring the blood on his hands, Xia You frowned and took out his own bandages to re-wrap the man's abdomen.

Although this was the first time he had seen so much blood, in this life-or-death moment, he forced himself to endure the pungent smell of iron and his own discomfort to patiently complete the bandaging.

"I was ambushed. I was caught off guard," the man said. His lips were already pale as he endured the pain and released his two Pokémon. "They are both injured as well. I'm counting on you!"

His Poliwrath and Growlithe were in terrible condition; not only were they covered in wounds, but they had also been poisoned!

Xia You took out some antidotes, administered them gently, bandaged their wounds, and then returned them to their Poké Balls.

While these medicines could handle emergencies, full recovery would require professional medical treatment. Compared to being out in the open, the Poké Balls were not only safer but also allowed them to rest properly to prevent their conditions from worsening.

Taking out a water bottle, Xia You gave the man a little water. Seeing his complexion improve slightly, Xia You asked, "Who would strike this hard? Team Rocket?"

"Who else could it be?" After the medication, the man had improved significantly, at least enough to stop the bleeding. "But unlike ordinary members, the ones who attacked me this time were Team Rocket's elite unit. They call themselves the 'Maiden Matrix.' They are extremely difficult opponents; it took me a great deal of effort to shake them off."

The Maiden Matrix!?

Xia You pondered for a moment and shook his head.

He felt like he had heard that name before, but he couldn't recall the specific details.

"I should get you to a Pokémon Center first."

"No!" the man said weakly. "Those people are still searching for me, and Team Rocket has eyes all over the city. The moment I show my face, I'll definitely be discovered."

"Then what do you want to do?" Xia You asked.

The man glanced behind him, seemingly having already planned his escape route. "The freight train station is right behind us. I just calculated that a train passes through almost every ten minutes or so. I plan to take a train to leave this city first."

Xia You hesitated for a moment before offering his suggestion: "I think it would be safer to have your colleagues come for you, or perhaps call the police."

"Forget it," the man said with a bitter smile. "Team Rocket has operated in this city for years. Who knows if there are moles among the police? It's too risky. I've already contacted headquarters, but even if they send someone, it will take time."

Although Xia You was still uneasy, since the man had made his decision, there was nothing more to say.

As he helped the man up to leave the warehouse, a woman's arrogant laughter rang out, and suddenly, two people jumped in through the window!

"Ohohohoho..." Jessie said with a triumphant look. "That kid over there, you've been following us for so long, but we finally found our chance!"

"Jessie!?" Xia You grew wary. "Why aren't you bothering Ash? Why come after me?"

"To carry out the Boss's orders and eliminate you here, of course! Don't think that just because you're wearing a mask, I won't recognize you! Go, Arbok!"

As Jessie spoke, she threw out her Poké Ball. When James failed to chime in after a long moment, she flew into a rage, grabbed him by the collar, and shook him back and forth. "You idiot, stop hesitating and move!"

Helpless, James could only release his own Pokémon, saying unconvincingly, "Go, Koffing..."

Looking at the large 'R' on their chests, the man shook his head helplessly. "I didn't expect even you would be targeted by them."

Xia You couldn't help but sigh. Since he had taken a stand against Team Rocket, he had been prepared, but he hadn't expected things to escalate this quickly.

Although these two members of Team Rocket had encountered Xia You before, they had never actually fought, so they were naturally unaware of his true strength.

However, Xia You had no time to deal with them. He threw two Poké Balls from his waist.

"Charmander, Squirtle! I'll leave this to you. We're leaving!"

"Trying to run?" Meowth appeared out of nowhere, blocking Xia You's path. "Take my Scratch attack!"

With that, Meowth lunged forward, his claws gleaming as he swiped toward Xia You's face!

"Great job, Meowth!" Jessie cried out in delight. However, just as she finished speaking, Meowth's body hit something like an invisible air wall. He paused mid-air for a split second before being sent flying backward like a cannonball, smashing through several wooden crates!

Kirlia slowly lowered its arms, its eyes fixed intently on Meowth.

"Damn it!" Jessie clenched her fists and shouted, "Arbok! Koffing! Don't just stand there, attack!"

The two Pokémon responded to the command and launched their moves, but in the next second, they were repelled by Charmander's Ember and Squirtle's Water Gun!

Taking advantage of the opening, Xia You led the man out through the warehouse's back door and onto the tracks.

Just as he was about to set the man down, a rocket suddenly flew toward them at extreme speed!

In the blink of an eye, as an ordinary human, Xia You had no time to react. But at that critical moment, a strange gust of wind suddenly enveloped him and the man, blowing them to the side and allowing them to dodge the attack.

The explosion echoed throughout the entire freight station. Debris and shrapnel sprayed in all directions, only to be blocked by that same strange wind.

"Oh? You actually dodged it? How did you do that?"

A deep, heavy voice drifted down from a nearby rooftop. Xia You looked up to see five men and women wearing berets and black Team Rocket uniforms, standing there and watching them with cold eyes.

Looking at these Team Rocket members, whose aura was far different from ordinary grunts, Xia You asked in a low voice, "Who are you!?"

"True, we should introduce ourselves, so you don't die wondering who sent you to the afterlife!" The leader was a burly man with an eyepatch over his right eye. He grinned ferociously. "My name is Gorse, and we are the elite unit under Team Rocket's Miss Maiden—the Maiden Matrix!"