"Ding~~~~"
The shrill alarm pulled Jacob from his sleep. He fumbled for his phone, squinting at the screen. The caller ID displayed Maximus's name.
"Hello," Jacob answered quickly, his voice still rough with sleep. "Master."
"Still in bed?" Maximus's voice came through the speaker. "I need to ask you something. Are you currently on assignment in Black Dragon City?"
"Yes, I am," Jacob replied. He had already begun to guess what this conversation might be about.
"News came in last night—several people were found dead near Black Dragon City. One of them was identified as Emilio. Do you know anything about this?" Maximus's tone was measured but serious.
"No idea," Jacob said without hesitation. "I was wondering why there were so many trainers flying through the no-fly zone on their Flying-type Pokémon last night. I thought something major must have happened. So that's what it was about. But Master, who exactly is Emilio?"
"Emilio was the leading figure among the younger generation of the Qi Family," Maximus explained. "His grandfather is a core member of their family and formerly served as Champion of the Southwest region. He still wields considerable influence throughout the area."
Maximus's tone shifted, taking on a more cautionary edge. "Since you're on assignment in Black Dragon City right now, you need to be extremely careful. The city isn't safe at the moment. It's already been reported online that the person who killed Emilio goes by the name Giovanni."
"What?" Jacob asked in genuine surprise. "Isn't Giovanni connected to that ocean liner sinking incident? Are we talking about the same person?"
"Yes, the very same person," Maximus confirmed. "Giovanni is exceptionally powerful, so watch yourself. Furthermore, his identity and background are shrouded in mystery. No one can find any information about him—it's as if he materialized out of thin air. Keep a low profile and whatever you do, don't provoke him. Otherwise, you won't even realize you're in danger until it's too late."
He paused before adding, "Emilio was killed because he tried to forcibly seize something that belonged to Giovanni."
"Master, don't you know me?" Jacob protested. "I'm an honest person."
"Heh." Maximus's skeptical snort made Jacob wince slightly.
"By the way, Master, can I ask you something?" Jacob ventured.
"Go ahead."
"What exactly is the Duan Family's background? And how should I approach investigating them?" Jacob asked humbly, seeking guidance.
Hearing Jacob's question, a slight smile appeared on Maximus's face. The fact that Jacob was asking such questions proved he was thinking critically rather than blindly charging into his investigation.
"The Duan Family is merely the public-facing administrator of the Underground World," Maximus explained. "As for who truly controls the Underground World behind the scenes, I'm not entirely certain. Rumor has it that multiple prominent families are involved—the Qi Family, the Tan Family, the Liu Family, among others. However, you only need to remember one crucial thing: Colby has absolutely no connection to the Underground World."
The pointed nature of Maximus's words wasn't lost on Jacob.
"I understand, Master," Jacob replied with a nod.
"Good. Continue your investigation as planned. If you run into any difficulties, you can contact either me or Colby," Maximus said, his tone warming slightly. "You've been with Team Zero for quite some time now. Haven't you reported to your Martial Uncle Lü yet?"
Jacob caught the underlying meaning in Maximus's words immediately. "Master, I've been rather busy recently. I'll make sure to report to Martial Uncle tomorrow."
"Excellent. Stay in regular contact with your Martial Uncle. Don't forget that he was the one who recommended you for your position in Team Zero."
"Yes, Master."
...…
After ending the call, Jacob sat in contemplative silence for several moments. Then he picked up his satellite phone and dialed Raya's number.
"Hello." Her gentle voice on the other end made Jacob's heart skip slightly.
"Boss Giovanni, what made you find time to call me? And why did you have to go and kill that Emilio fellow?"
Listening to her teasing tone, Jacob knew she must have already heard about the incident in Black Dragon City.
"I had no idea who he was," Jacob explained. "He came to ambush me, so I had no choice but to defend myself. It was self-defense, plain and simple." After exchanging a few more light-hearted remarks, he steered the conversation back to business. "Raya, are you available to come to Black Dragon City the day after tomorrow? We need to travel to Myanmar together."
"The day after tomorrow... I should be free," Raya replied with interest. "Is this about that Dynamax Pokémon in Myanmar?"
"Yes," Jacob confirmed. "The Dynamax Pokémon is located in Shan State. Tomorrow I need to meet with Colby first, but after that we can meet up and head out together."
"Alright, I'll come find you the day after tomorrow," Raya agreed. "By the way, what kind of Dynamax Pokémon is it? Do you know?"
"A Flapple," Jacob answered. "Oh, and if you have some spare time, could you help me investigate Dragon Spiral Tower?"
"Sure thing," Raya replied.
...…
After finishing his conversation with Raya, Jacob placed a call to Colby's secretary.
There was no way around it—for someone holding a position as high as Colby's, you needed to schedule an appointment well in advance.
"Champion Colby, Dr. Jacob called requesting a meeting with you tomorrow," the secretary reported to Colby.
"Jacob?" Colby had a strong impression of his Martial Nephew. While continuing his workout routine, he asked his secretary, "Did he mention what this is regarding?"
"He didn't go into specifics, only that he has some work-related matters to report to you."
Colby smiled. "Tell him to come. Let's have lunch together tomorrow. As his Martial Uncle, I should look after him properly."
"Understood, Champion Colby."
After receiving her instructions, the secretary immediately called Jacob back. "Dr. Jacob, the appointment has been confirmed. Champion Colby invites you to lunch tomorrow at 11 AM."
"Perfect, thank you."
...…
After hanging up, Jacob couldn't help but reflect on the perks of being a Champion. It wasn't just the prestige and respect from thousands of people—there were numerous privileges that came with the position.
Take Colby, for example. Throughout the entire Southwest region, he was essentially an undisputed authority figure.
Power and strength—they were always the most attractive forces in the world. Once someone experienced them, they could never forget that feeling.
Jacob now possessed strength. Would power be far behind?
...…
The next day.
Jacob and Colby sat across from each other in a private dining room.
"Jacob, it's been quite some time. What brings you here to report on your work?" Colby said with a warm smile.
Dressed in an immaculate formal suit, Colby exuded an aura of natural authority. Although his tone remained cordial, the presence he had cultivated from years in high office still created a subtle sense of pressure.
"Martial Uncle, I've been investigating the Duan Family for some time now," Jacob began. "I haven't made significant progress until recently, which is why I haven't come to report earlier. Now that I have some leads—along with some new questions—I came to seek your guidance."
"Oh? What have you discovered?"
"There's an Underground World operating in Black Dragon City..." Jacob proceeded to report everything he had uncovered during his investigation, carefully omitting certain details that might expose his alternate identity.
After listening to Jacob's comprehensive report, Colby's expression showed no surprise whatsoever. It was clear he had long been aware of Black Dragon City's Underground World. "Jacob, what are your thoughts regarding this Underground World? Or more specifically, how do you plan to handle it?"