His goal was the summit, the area where that mysterious ore was located.
Team Magma's temporary base on Mt. Chimney was far larger than imagined.
Roughly excavated mine tunnels spread through the mountain's interior like a spiderweb, leading in all directions.
Dim emergency lights were embedded in the walls, stretching people's shadows into distorted, flickering shapes.
The air was dry and hot; every breath felt like inhaling a mouthful of scorching dust.
The dull roar of machinery echoed from afar, and the ground beneath his feet vibrated slightly with the sound, as if the entire volcano might wake up at any moment.
Ariel pulled down the brim of his hat, Mimicking the numb and weary pace of the other members as he moved forward unhurriedly.
Right now, he was just an inconspicuous Minion, a piece of cannon fodder that could be sacrificed at any time.
Just as he turned a corner at a fork in the road, an impatient voice came from ahead.
"Hey, you! Stop right there!"
Ariel paused and looked up.
Under the dim light, a man leaned against the rock wall. It was the same "rat-faced" member he had encountered at the summit earlier.
This guy seemed to be Fire Ghost's confidant. At the moment, he was staring at Ariel with a look of annoyance, his eyes filled with a condescending scrutiny.
"What are you looking at? I'm talking to you!"
The Rat-faced Member walked over, bringing with him a gust of low-quality tobacco mixed with the stench of sweat.
He sized Ariel up, his brow furrowed.
"Damn it, Lord Fire Ghost is pushing us hard, the pressure is killing me, and I'm all out of cigarettes. You, do you have any goods on you?"
Ariel's heart stirred.
The opportunity had come.
Maintaining a submissive posture, he lowered his head even further and replied in a deliberately disguised, raspy voice:
"Reporting to the officer, I... I don't have any here."
"Useless!" The Rat-faced Member spat and cursed.
"Every single one of you is a pauper. What's the use of keeping you around!"
The Rat-faced Member cursed, and after finishing, he intended to assign Ariel to the sanitation area to clean the toilets.
It was clear that this Rat-faced Member simply wanted to vent his frustration.
But Ariel didn't move. Instead, as if summoning his courage, he added in an even lower voice:
"But... but I previously got a box of good stuff for you... on the black market."
"Oh?"
As expected, the Rat-faced Member's interest was piqued. His irritable expression vanished, and he narrowed his eyes as he leaned in. "Good stuff? What kind of good stuff?"
"It's... it's high-end goods from Rustboro City. It's got a real kick; one stick is better than half a pack."
Ariel's voice carried a hint of perfectly measured humility and flattery.
"It's just... this stuff can't see the light of day. I've got it hidden on me, afraid someone might see it."
As he spoke, he looked around nervously.
This performance instantly hooked the greed and curiosity in the other man's heart.
In the high-pressure environment of the Team Magma, any bit of private enjoyment was a massive temptation.
Moreover, this was a tribute from a subordinate, which satisfied his pathetic vanity.
"At least you're sensible!"
A smug smile appeared on the Rat-faced Member's face. He slapped Ariel's shoulder with considerable force.
"Where is it hidden? Take it out and let me see."
"Officer, there are too many eyes and ears here..."
Ariel lowered his voice, appearing increasingly cautious.
"How about... we go over there? There's an abandoned tool room; absolutely no one will be there."
He pointed toward an even darker branch in the path.
"Stop dawdling, lead the way!"
The Rat-faced Member was already getting impatient.
Relying on his status as someone close to Fire Ghost, he was used to acting like a tyrant in this base. He never even considered that a low-level Minion would dare play any tricks on him.
In his eyes, this was just another idiot trying to suck up to him.
Ariel sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he still respectfully gave an "Understood" and then turned to lead the way.
The two of them, one in front and one behind, walked into that pitch-black side path.
This place was far from the main mine tunnel, and outside noises were cut off. Only the sound of their footsteps on the gravel echoed in the narrow passage, sounding exceptionally clear.
The air was thick with the smell of machine oil and rusted metal, even more stifling than the ashy smell outside.
After walking about twenty meters, a small space with a half-open iron door appeared ahead; it was the abandoned tool room Ariel had mentioned.
"This is it. Hurry up and take it out!"
The Rat-faced Member urged, stepping inside first as he spoke, seemingly wanting to see if there was anything else worth pilfering.
Ariel followed behind him. The moment the man stepped into the tool room, Ariel's eyes suddenly turned cold.
Now!
He didn't say a word; he simply willed it.
An invisible shadow quietly emerged from behind Ariel—it was Malamar, who had been prepared for a long time!
Almost the instant it appeared, a strange Psychic power immediately enveloped the entire tool room.
The Rat-faced Member had just turned around with a look of impatient urging when, in the next second, his eyes suddenly lost focus.
His greedy and arrogant expression receded like a tide, replaced by a state of total emptiness and vacancy.
Hypnosis!
The entire process was lightning-fast and silent.
The member froze in place like a puppet, unmoving.
The corners of Ariel's mouth curled up slightly. He walked up to the man and snapped his fingers.
"Turn around."
The Rat-faced Member immediately turned mechanically to face Ariel.
"From now on, I am your direct superior. You will execute any of my orders unconditionally. Lead me to the summit."
Ariel's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clearly imprinted into the other's controlled mind.
"Yes, sir."
The Rat-faced Member nodded dully. His original arrogant and overbearing aura had vanished without a trace, and he had become as obedient as a dog.
Ariel smiled with satisfaction.
High-end cigarettes? He didn't even have a single shred of tobacco on him.
When dealing with this kind of idiot whose head was only filled with profit and self-importance, even coming up with a complicated lie felt redundant.
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