"Cynthia, stand behind me."
Carolina grabbed her granddaughter's wrist, and after speaking, her sharp gaze swept across the people opposite them.
"That doesn't seem to follow the rules..." Sherry said in a mocking tone.
"As someone I brought to observe, is that not allowed?" Carolina shot back.
George, seated at the head, pondered for a moment. He did not dwell on such trivialities and simply said, "Observers have no seats and no right to speak. Then, let the meeting officially begin."
The moment he finished, his tone shifted and his gaze turned toward Rowan. "Professor Rowan, since the establishment of your laboratory, there has not been a single independently developed result that could enter the Pokémon Research Association, and it has been nearly twenty years. We suspect there is extremely serious corruption within your institute."
Right from the start, George threw out a core accusation, directing it straight at Rowan, who was barely restraining his anger.
At his age, Rowan forced himself not to curse out loud. He slammed the table and shouted, "Where's the evidence?! Do you have any evidence?!"
"Evidence... of course we do," Sherry replied, squeezing out her words. "Once we send people into your institute to take a careful look and check whether there are any Pokémon or valuable items of unknown origin, wouldn't that prove it?"
George added at once, "Professor Rowan, can you open your laboratory for a proper investigation?"
Shiro realized where their so-called "evidence" would come from. They were not planning to plant fake evidence during the inspection. Rather, they intended to treat the Pokémon and items temporarily stored at the Rowan Research Institute by other professors as "evidence."
If they could close the case quickly, even if other professors later came forward to testify for Rowan, it would already be too late.
Rowan tightened his grip on the edge of the table. He had also thought of those things in the lab, and with a sudden resolve, he snapped, "There's no need for you to use such disgusting tricks. I can apply to dissolve my institute right now! I don't need this title of Professor!"
His reaction made the expressions of those across the table change instantly, and their attitude softened. What they wanted was for Rowan to cooperate in resolving the two billion demanded by Kanto, not to push things to mutual destruction.
Since they could not control him through the laboratory, they had to change direction. George immediately tried to smooth things over.
"Professor Rowan, this isn't really such a big issue... perhaps it was this unfamiliar researcher by your side who embezzled research funds?"
The focus shifted to Shiro.
Bang!
Before Shiro could respond, Rowan stood up abruptly, fists clenched, and slammed them down on the table with full force. The loud crash made the old man and the fat woman across from him flinch.
"Impossible!"
Rowan was so furious that his beard trembled.
"How long has Shiro even been here? Even if I embezzled funds, it wouldn't be him! If you have no evidence, then stop talking nonsense!"
Shiro did not expect Rowan to defend him so fiercely, though he was not too surprised. What puzzled him more was what methods these people actually had, and what they truly wanted…
Two billion was an impossible amount. They probably did not genuinely expect to get that much.
Seeing this, George instead relaxed. He realized that Rowan's weakness likely lay with Shiro. If they could produce solid evidence, Rowan would probably compromise for the sake of this Galar researcher.
At the same time, the Champion and the three Elite Four members were also calculating silently, each considering how much they would need to contribute.
"Then I'll get straight to the point." George stroked his mustache and spoke slowly. "As long as Professor Rowan contacts Kanto and gets them to lower the ransom, then makes up a few hundred million as compensation for corruption… I guarantee that the Rowan Research Institute and this young researcher will have no problems at all."
Rowan was about to argue when Fredo suddenly said in a sinister tone, "This young researcher... is from Galar, isn't he?"
At those words, Shiro frowned slightly, and both Rowan and Carolina grew concerned. Rowan was not afraid of an investigation into his laboratory. He had never embezzled a single Pokédollar. But Shiro was indeed from Galar, and his identity hovered between that of a fugitive and a free man.
Noticing their silence, George's smile widened. "The condition is simply to resolve the ransom. After all, this Galar researcher was also on the front lines, wasn't he? He should naturally know the real amount. After you negotiate with Kanto and pay a bit more, everything will be settled."
"Pay a bit more?"
Shiro raised an eyebrow and looked at them coldly. "Then Chairman George, exactly how much do you want?"
As he spoke, George's eyes lit up. After exchanging glances with the others, he said directly, "If I remember correctly, not long ago, the main League allocated about 160 million Pokédollars to the Rowan Research Institute, didn't they?"
"Hmph!" Rowan snorted coldly. "That was funding for Shiro."
Just yesterday, he had already handed the League card containing those funds to Shiro.
Now, Shiro took out the League card holding his research funding and placed it on the table.
"You want this funding?"
The action immediately drew greedy looks from George and the others, while Rowan and Carolina also felt a trace of tension.
Their plan had always been to refuse any compromise and simply stall for time. Yesterday, Rowan had already contacted Professor Oak for help, and Oak had promised to protect them if anything happened. They had no intention of giving a single Pokédollar.
Naturally, Shiro had no intention of handing it over either.
George, however, reached out his hand, his tone carrying urgency. "Hand it over!"
"Heh." Shiro asked again at a leisurely pace, "So, Chairman George, how much do you actually want?"
"Five hundred million!" George stopped hiding it and raised five fingers. "Five hundred million Pokédollars, and at least reduce Kanto's ransom by half. We settle this peacefully, and the matter ends here!"
This was the result of their prior discussion.
"Five hundred million?"
Shiro held the League card, waved it in front of George's eyes, then pulled it back. "Not enough money. Forget it."
He revealed a perfectly polite smile and nodded at George, as if the money had already been handed over.
George's expression froze, and his earlier relaxed demeanor instantly turned to anger.
Shiro was toying with him!
Did he not fear having his identity as a fugitive exposed?
Not giving George a chance to respond, Carolina cut in sharply, "A bunch of pirates! Just because you put on decent clothes, you think you can pass as League officials? When Chairman Goodshow has time to deal with you, we'll see how long you filthy lot can keep this up!"
"We are not paying a single Pokédollar!" Rowan echoed.
Only then did the previously silent Champion, Allen, finally speak.
"Then this Galar fugitive... will have to be forcibly returned to Galar for trial."
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