Chapter Fifty: The Investigator Is None Other Than Myself

Kanto League Headquarters

Utterly exhausted, Lance slumped into his chair, staring vacantly at the ceiling. His posture was anything but elegant—slovenly, even—but it was supremely comfortable. Beside him, Dragonite was quietly fanning him.

This posture, which Chen Ou had taught him, was apparently called the “Ge You Slouch.” He had no idea who Ge You was, but he imagined he must be someone who truly understood how to enjoy life. After all, no one else could have invented such a comfortable way to sit.

Having just resolved the crisis with the Poacher Alliance, Lance was bone-tired. Compared to the overall situation in Kanto and Johto, things were still relatively stable—at least none of the Elite Four or Champions had treated their roles as trivial side-jobs. For the most part, everyone was doing their duty.

But Lance was still the most diligent of them all, partly because of his nature—his strong sense of justice and responsibility made it impossible for him to slack off. The time he spent traveling to carry out missions was his only chance to rest. And partly, it was his duty—he was the very embodiment of “those who are capable do more,” serving as Champion for both Kanto and Johto.

Double the workload…

So this rare moment to let his mind drift was truly precious.

But Lance had a feeling it wouldn’t last long.

Sure enough, not even five minutes had passed before a knock sounded at the door.

He rubbed his temples, forced himself up despite his fatigue, straightened his spirits, and said, “Come in.”

A bespectacled woman entered at his command.

She adjusted her glasses, bowed slightly, and said, “Champion Lance, the inspector for Cerulean City still hasn’t been confirmed. What are your instructions?”

Lance frowned. “As I recall, the inspector for Cerulean City is supposed to rotate. Where is he?”

She adjusted her glasses again, silent for a moment before replying, “He was assigned to a diversionary post during the recent major incident…and sacrificed himself.”

Lance fell silent, at a loss for words.

The “major incident” had been a victory in the struggle between humans and the legendary Pokémon. It had shown humanity the overwhelming power of the legendary beings, curbing their arrogance, while also demonstrating to the legends the extent of humanity’s development, ensuring they would no longer view people as mere ants.

For a long time to come, both sides would likely maintain a harmonious and restrained relationship.

This was a tremendous boon for humanity as a whole, and for the League in particular.

But for those who gave their lives in the incident, such consolation was cold comfort.

After all, the most precious thing to anyone was life itself.

At least, that was what Lance believed.

Chen Ou’s decisions had already minimized the losses as much as possible, but the idea of “no losses” was simply unrealistic. To ensure all of Slate City emerged unscathed, the price was the sacrifice of more than a dozen League staff members.

It was a price that could be borne…but saying so sounded heartless. Yet reality was cruel. Both Lance and Chen Ou knew full well that their choices had led to those sacrifices.

But they also knew that wallowing in guilt accomplished nothing. Rather than grieving over what could not be changed, it was better to bury the regret deep in their hearts, grow stronger, and make sure such tragedies would never happen again.

This was why, even with their mountain of official duties, the Elite Four and Champions continued to grow at a remarkable pace. Those who had witnessed the weight of their responsibilities could only choose to grow or to step down.

And clearly, Lance and Chen Ou had chosen to grow.

“I believe Chen Ou is near Cerulean City now. Let him handle this assignment,” Lance said after a moment’s thought.

The secretary knitted her brows. “Champion Lance, Dr. Chen Ou isn’t a member of our League system. Assigning him as inspector is not only irregular, but also an imposition on him.”

Lance shook his head. “Just follow my instructions. Tell him the situation honestly. Don’t worry—he’ll accept.”

She gazed at him for a long moment before turning to leave. Her hand had just touched the doorknob when Lance spoke again.

“I’m sorry…”

Her movement paused.

“The original inspector was Xindu, wasn’t he? If I recall, he was your younger brother. I’m sorry…this was our failure.”

She stood motionless for a long time.

At last, she said quietly, “Our whole family—our parents, my brothers and sisters—we all live in Slate City. If it hadn’t been for your planning and effort, Slate City might have been destroyed. But Xindu was the sibling I was closest to. I can’t blame you, but I also can’t convince myself not to. I want to say ‘thank you,’ but the words won’t come out…”

There was nothing more she could say. She turned to face Lance, bowed deeply, and left. As she turned, Lance noticed her hand wiping at her eyes.

The door closed.

Lance was left in silence, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Chen Ou, hurry and realize the weight of your responsibilities. Grow quickly. Since you chose the path of a trainer, there are things you simply can’t evade.

That was what Lance thought, as Dragonite’s claw gently pressed against his temple, massaging him.

Lance closed his eyes, emotions swirling within.

————————————

“You want me to serve as Cerulean City’s inspector?”

Chen Ou, speaking through his Rotom Pokédex to the League staffer who had come to notify him, received the news.

“Isn’t that against protocol? What happened to the original inspector? And why me?”

He fired off three questions in quick succession. He had little interest in the post. Challenging the gym as an inspector was intriguing, but having to check everything else sounded like a hassle.

“This is Champion Lance’s arrangement,” the staffer replied nervously. “So the rules don’t really matter. The original inspector died in the ‘major incident.’ As for why you…we don’t know. This is Champion Lance’s decision. He said you’d accept.”

The staff member’s voice was timid. Even if Lance was certain, who could truly say for sure?

They knew they were in the wrong.

Chen Ou was silent for a long while before replying, “I’ll take the job, but I don’t know much about these things. I’ll need help.”

The staffer sounded as if a great weight had been lifted. “We’ll assign a professional to assist you. It’s just that, as you know, even with League authority, we minor employees can hardly supervise or intimidate the local forces.”

“I know. No need to explain. Have your assistant wait for me near Cerulean Gym. I’ll get in touch as soon as I arrive.”

“Thank you for your help.”

“No problem.”

Chen Ou hung up, gazing up at the starry sky, resignation flickering in his eyes.

“You really are a piece of work, Lance.”