Chapter 127: Rendezvous

Chapter 27: Convergence

"Shadow Punch!"

It was as if he had donned a gauntlet forged from dark purple light. A powerful steel fist slammed ruthlessly into the Sandslash, which hung defenseless in the air, the immense force instantly bending its body into the shape of a bow.

Highly corrosive Ghost-type energy surged along Lu Yun's fist and into the Sandslash's hide.

*Hiss, hiss, hiss—*

Accompanied by a faint, searing sound, the Sandslash’s vibrant life force was easily eroded and devoured. On the coarse skin near the wound, a lifeless gray hue spread like a fungal blight.

"Boom!"

Amidst flying dust and debris, the Sandslash—which had been blasted sideways by Lu Yun—was violently redirected by his relentless, storm-like assault, crashing straight down into the ground with a thunderous impact.

"Aaaah!"

This was three seconds after Lu Yun had shattered the iron door; only now did the doctor's shrill, chaotic scream finally come to an end.

"So noisy!"

Lu Yun glanced at the Sandslash lying beneath him, now completely incapacitated, and casually picked up a shard of stone from the cracked floor. Without turning his head, he flicked it lightly in the direction of the noise.

*Whoosh—*

The air was torn asunder. A crisp sound, like a watermelon shattering, echoed through the corridor, and the scent of blood in the underground base grew even thicker.

This was Lu Yun's first battle since possessing the Machop, and he felt… excellent.

Unlike the Ampharos of his past life, which relied primarily on lightning energy, this raw, visceral thrill—the sensation of fist meeting flesh unique to Fighting-type Pokémon—left Lu Yun almost intoxicated.

The surging power in his muscle fibers, the scalding blood lingering on his fingertips, the stagnant air bursting against his knuckles… tainted by the Ghost-type energy, Lu Yun felt as if the deep-seated bloodlust and cruelty within his genes had been ignited.

Viscous blood dripped from his fingertips. Seemingly savoring the moment, Lu Yun stood barefoot in the pool of blood, his eyes narrowed slightly.

In the distance, faint vibrations hummed through the air. Lu Yun started suddenly; the euphoria of combat had almost made him forget he was still in the enemy's den.

A savage smile curled the corners of his mouth. Like a silhouette cast in the dead of night, he slowly dissolved into the shadows of the corridor.

The feast of slaughter was about to begin.

***

Bert was one of the security personnel at the Nightshade Society’s underground base. Five years ago, he had been an ordinary man, but after a peculiar accident, he was recruited into the organization.

During two years of grueling training, his outstanding performance earned him the right to select a Pokémon from the company warehouse to serve as his partner. Thus, after graduation, Bert—now wielding the power of a Pokémon—stood out among his peers and was appointed captain of a security squad, stationed at this underground facility.

For the next three years, due to the base’s isolated location, Bert had almost nothing to do other than occasionally running errands or transporting experimental subjects. Clocking in, swiping his card, clocking out—the vibrant flame that had once burned in his youthful eyes had long since been extinguished. This highly regimented life had nearly ground away the fighting spirit of the middle-aged man.

"Experimental subjects have been transported, currently..."

Harsh static, accompanied by a muffled human voice, crackled through his walkie-talkie.

"Received."

Bert propped his feet up on the desk, his potbelly protruding, and replied nonchalantly.

*Hiss—*

He raised a hand and gently stroked the head of the Arbok coiled beside him. The sensation of cool, slick scales traveled through his palm. Bert stared blankly at the surveillance monitors, his mind wandering. He glanced down at his watch.

"Hmm... three hours until my shift ends."

"..."

"Aaaah!"

Faintly, from the silent corridor outside the monitoring room, a human scream suddenly erupted. This was followed by a thunderous roar that felt like an earthquake.

Bert was jolted so violently that he nearly fell from his chair. He steadied himself with both hands, looking up in a panic, his eyes darting frantically across the monitors in search of an explanation.

Silence. Peace. The LCD screens showed only darkness, as if the screams and the crashing sounds were merely a hallucination.

*Gulp.*

He swallowed hard. Bert knew that something had definitely happened. Even though he had forgotten most of the content from his two years of special training at headquarters, the muscle memory cultivated during that time forced him to react instinctively to the emergency.

He picked up the walkie-talkie, steadied his nerves, and spoke in the calmest, most composed voice he could muster.

"Alert! Alert! Possible emergency in Laboratory 2! Control room, lock down gates A3, A4, and Gate 2. Security squads 5 and 6, assemble at the public lounge. Move!"

He licked his dry lips, feeling a surge of adrenaline. He ordered his colleague to continue monitoring the screens and report any anomalies immediately, then charged out of the room with his Arbok, whose long body was already raised and ready for battle, to rendezvous with the other security teams.

***

In the dark, elongated tunnel, the beams of flashlights acted like lighthouses in the night, illuminating the fine dust suspended in the air. Two squads of fully armed security guards stepped cautiously, searching for any sign of danger. The long line moved slowly through the pitch-black corridor like an earthworm through fresh soil.

At the very front of the formation was a tall Houndoom. Pale, bone-like structures circled its back and neck, and its slender tail, tipped with a devilish triangle, swayed slightly behind it. Hot sparks dripped from its mouth like saliva, dissipating into the air. The Houndoom lifted its head, adorned with bone-white horns, and its black nose twitched as if sniffing for something unusual.

In the shadows at the end of the line, Bert’s Arbok slithered along, flicking its tongue. Its massive size made it responsible for guarding the rear.

In the post-catastrophe Pokémon world, Pokémon with clear consciousness were incredibly rare. Even for a behemoth like the Nightshade Society, having one Pokémon per security squad was the absolute limit.

Suddenly, as if it had discovered something, the Houndoom turned its head, let out a low growl at the guards behind it, and picked up its pace.

With a blind trust in their Pokémon, the guards followed suit, immediately quickening their steps. Bert moved his arms, jogging to keep up with the team.

Ahead, at the end of the gloomy corridor, the bright lights of the laboratory were dimly visible. A sudden, ominous premonition rose in his chest. In Bert’s eyes, those stark white lights seemed to shimmer with a faint, crimson hue.