It dismantled a Pokémon research facility in North America, taking over eight thousand people captive.
After reinforcements arrived, it captured another seven hundred.
If you count the Pokémon inside, the total number was close to twenty thousand.
Fighting against twenty thousand alone—even if only one-tenth of them were combatants—is that something a Pokémon can do? Did humans really think their technology was worthless?
Having just experienced the power of technology himself, Li Xiang found it hard to believe that Mewtwo, on its own, had captured nearly twenty thousand living beings.
But Mewtwo had no reason to brag to him, and it wasn't the type to boast anyway. The only explanation was that Mewtwo was simply too powerful, surpassing North America's existing Pokémon restraint technology.
Moreover, that Pokémon research facility had been created specifically to make Mewtwo the strongest. They had forged the strongest spear but never created the strongest shield to contain it—like Mewtwo's steel armor from the original story.
After accomplishing this, Mewtwo had kept its promise and notified both the Ranger Union and Interpol.
In the end, Mewtwo regained its freedom, and those twenty thousand beings received their due punishment. None of the ringleaders escaped; Mewtwo kept a close watch on them, and they couldn't get away. Even when they tried to slip out through the back door and flee hundreds of kilometers, Mewtwo would drag them back.
Naturally, this incident was a major topic when Mewtwo attended the meeting.
Although that Pokémon research facility wasn't funded by the North American Pokémon Association—the main funding came from various North American conglomerates—many of its staff were members of the association. The North American association couldn't defend itself and tried to smear Mewtwo instead.
But Mewtwo wasn't foolish. Since it had dared to act and cause such a huge stir, it had clearly prepared in advance.
First, it produced hidden camera footage and brought out the drugs that had been prepared for injection into its body.
Second, it provided surveillance footage proving that the drugs had been administered by the research facility's staff, and that Mewtwo's mental state had been extremely unstable at the time.
Finally, it demonstrated that those who had suffered "minor accidents" and ended up with broken arms or legs had it coming—Mewtwo hadn't done it on purpose.
Such claims naturally couldn't convince everyone. Sometimes evidence alone isn't enough to prove your case. But the final straw that broke the camel's back was the secret data from the research facility itself, along with Mewtwo's registered identity.
That Pokémon research facility had done many things explicitly forbidden by the alliance.
After much back-and-forth, those who cried injustice didn't get the compensation they sought—instead, they had to pay Mewtwo compensation.
Zhu Xia played a major role in this. North America had done too many wrong things over the years. As long as they weren't exposed, things were fine, but once they were, it was like an avalanche—unstoppable.
That's how Mewtwo came to have three tons of gold.
Of course, no one forgot the main reason they had invited Mewtwo.
—The "Otherworldly Visitors."
This group of humans, whose numbers and goals were unknown, were hiding somewhere in North America, plotting to do things harmful to this world.
That was something the entire alliance couldn't tolerate.
The world was prospering, there was no energy crisis, and although a few regions competed and clashed, it wasn't at the level of mutual hatred or sabotaging each other even at their own expense. On the surface, everyone was still quite harmonious.
But those Otherworldly Visitors were determined to destroy this hard-won balance.
North America stubbornly believed that without those Visitors, the Mewtwo incident would never have happened—it wouldn't have escaped, and they wouldn't have lost such a powerful Pokémon.
Now Mew's genes were long gone. Unless they found new Mew genes or Mewtwo's DNA, they couldn't create a second Mewtwo. Even if they could, it might not be possible. Ordinary people couldn't imagine how many resources had been poured into Project Mewtwo.
Years of hard work all wasted.
Who knew how many people would end up jumping off buildings.
Compared to all that, three tons of gold was nothing.
Zhu Xia, having personally experienced the disaster caused by the Otherworldly Visitors—and knowing what might have happened without Suicune and Ho-Oh—hated them more than anyone.
Mewtwo didn't have much of an opinion on the Visitors. Although that guy had tricked it, if he hadn't, Mewtwo would never have met Li Xiang. But since Li Xiang didn't like them, Mewtwo disliked them too.
The alliance, as an organization that stabilized the world, deeply despised those who destroyed hard-won peace.
Multiple parties quickly came to an agreement and began a comprehensive search for suspicious individuals.
At the same time, they turned their gaze to the most chaotic place in the world—
the Many Cities Region.
It could barely be called a region, as it consisted of countless small and medium-sized nations that refused to join the alliance. These nations, most of which had shrunk to just a single city, still had nominal governments but had long lost the ability to rule or command their citizens, retaining only administrative functions. If large-scale unrest or conflict occurred, the alliance had the right to immediately dispatch police.
Even so, without the alliance's oversight, the Many Cities Region remained appallingly chaotic.
Many poopers would sell Pokémon there, and plenty of shady deals happened in that area.
The Ranger Union had deployed a significant portion of its forces into that swamp.
The alliance had wanted to clean it up, but for various reasons, had never succeeded.
Unsurprisingly, the Many Cities Region was the perfect hiding place for those Otherworldly Visitors.
To avoid spooking them and to root them out, the alliance decided to send specialized teams to the Many Cities Region, using intelligence units already in place to gather information.
North America itself wasn't let off the hook either. Investigations revealed that the person linked to the Mewtwo incident came from a certain conglomerate, which, after internal review, discovered that the individual had died suddenly a week before joining the research facility.
Interpol dispatched a specialized team to follow that lead.
They were determined to find something.
That was roughly Mewtwo's experience over the past half month. Quite eventful, especially the part about being captured and turning the tables. If there had been footage, Li Xiang felt he'd watch it on repeat.
But...
"...Are you okay?"
He walked over, took Mewtwo's arm, and examined the injection site.
[It healed long ago. How could a needle hole leave a mark for so long?]
Mewtwo was satisfied that Li Xiang cared about it, so it shared another small detail.
[By the way, I deliberately left a small tissue sample behind in that ruined facility. They'll probably find it.]
Such explosive news made Li Xiang pause.
"Why? Why would you leave that behind?"
Mewtwo explained, [Mainly for growth. North America won't give up on me. They'll try everything to capture me because I'm their only genetic sample—they can't make a second one.]
[But if I left behind some genes, they'd have hope. After realizing how powerful I am, they'd stop provoking me and choose the safer option: creating a second me.]
[That way, I'd have enough time to grow. On the surface, I destroyed a research facility—very impressive.]
[But I know how fast human technology evolves. If I don't grow, one day they'll have the means to deal with me.]
Mewtwo saw things clearly. [As long as I have time, I don't think I'll lose to them. Besides, I've managed to record most of the knowledge from that research facility.]
[Also, creating a second me might draw out those Otherworldly Visitors. Their target is clearly the World Tree, and only Mew and I have the ability to enter it.]
In short, it was a trap.
[Don't worry. Since I dared to do this, I'm confident I'll win. I can still feel my genes, which means I have a connection with them. If they really do make a second me, I might be able to turn it to our side.]
Mewtwo had thought it all through, covering every angle. It even planned to let North America do the work for free, creating another of its kind to strengthen their own side.
Double Mewtwo...
Li Xiang looked at the Pokémon before him, understanding the loneliness in its heart.
Although Mewtwo knew it was part of this planet, not having its own kind—or at least one exactly like itself—still left something to be desired. It had a terrible relationship with Mew and desperately wanted a counterpart that looked like it.
If North America created a Mewtwo Two, this guy would probably be overjoyed.
Li Xiang couldn't help but think of the movie Destiny Deoxys, where the cosmic virus had two cores—one green, one purple.
A counterpart. Such an important word for living beings.
"I support your decision."
Li Xiang reached out and patted Mewtwo's head.
Mewtwo's tail tip swayed slightly, its eyes narrowing into slits, looking incredibly content.
Even it couldn't resist this technique sometimes.
"Hm? Have you gotten taller again?"
Li Xiang looked at Mewtwo, now slightly taller than him.
He remembered it wasn't this tall before.
"Exactly two hundred centimeters, twenty-one centimeters taller than you." Mewtwo estimated Li Xiang's height and said.
Two meters of sheer muscle!
Li Xiang was impressed. He glanced around at the other Pokémon and said, "We can talk about the rest later. Let's eat first, the food's getting cold."
He gestured for everyone to sit, pushing Mewtwo down into a seat.
The Pokémon resumed eating.
At the spot farthest from Mewtwo, the Galarian Meowth had listened to the entire conversation. It couldn't understand Li Xiang's words but could hear Mewtwo's telepathy.
Minor accidents? Broken arms and legs?
The blood smell on you tells a different story.
Liar and executioner!
The Galarian Meowth clutched its headscarf, almost afraid to pull it down, terrified that in its moment of foolishness, it might do something or have something done to it.
Sensing its gaze, Mewtwo looked up and gave it a gentle smile.
Then came a warning glare.
An overwhelming killing intent washed over it!
The Galarian Meowth trembled, and its bowl clattered to the ground.
"What's wrong?" Li Xiang looked over, glancing at the harmless-looking Mewtwo and the dazed Galarian Meowth.
"Hmm... I'll introduce you later. A new member."
He said to Mewtwo.
The latter nodded back at him.