Chapter 214: Triggering the Ambush
"Most of you here are visitors to Viridian City," he continued, his voice carrying clearly over the murmurs. "Tourists caught in this mess. I understand your frustration, your fear, the hardships you've endured these past days. Mentally, physically, financially… it's been difficult." He paused, letting his words resonate. "And perhaps, hearing me defend the Center, you might think I'm being dismissive of your suffering, that I'm just making excuses. You might think it's their job to take care of you, no matter the cost."
He saw nods of agreement, heard grumbles of assent. He let the sentiment build for a moment before driving his point home.
"But let me be very clear," he stated firmly. "You are not the only victims here. The residents of Viridian, the staff of this Pokémon Center – they are victims too. This facility," he gestured around the lobby, "primarily serves Pokémon Trainers. It has no inherent obligation under League charter to provide mass shelter or emergency services to civilians during a city-wide crisis. That responsibility," his voice hardened, "falls squarely on the Viridian City Government."
He let that sink in. "And where have they been? Where were the city officials when the markets were being manipulated, when gangs roamed the streets, when fires broke out? They vanished. Abdicated their responsibility. It was the Pokémon Center that stepped into the void. They opened their doors, stretched their resources thin, put their own staff and Pokémon in harm's way to protect you, to fight back against the criminals causing this chaos. Do you have any idea how many casualties they suffered protecting strangers?"
Silence fell, heavy and uncomfortable. He then turned, gesturing towards Xiaoyuan.
"You might not know this woman," he said, his voice softening slightly. "You might wonder why she cares so much about complaints regarding the cafeteria." He offered Xiaoyuan a brief, reassuring smile before addressing the crowd again. "Well, I know her. And I can tell you this: for the past few days, the primary reason any of you have had affordable, readily available food at all is thanks to her."
He saw the young man who started the argument tense up, sensing an opportunity. "Aha!" the youth exclaimed triumphantly. "So she is involved! No wonder she got defensive when I pointed out problems! It's her business!"
Xiu couldn't help but let out a genuine laugh, shaking his head. "You just don't get it, do you?" The young man flinched back, bewildered by Xiu's amusement.
"Yes, she's involved," Xiu confirmed, his smile fading, replaced by a serious intensity. "Do any of you know what happened to food prices outside these walls when the city shut down? How much staples were selling for just yesterday?"
He scanned the blank faces in the crowd. "No? Let me enlighten you. In the open market, basic food prices soared – ten, twenty, even thirty times their normal cost! But here, in this cafeteria," he gestured towards the food service area, "did you notice any significant price increase?"
He let the rhetorical question hang. "In this environment, with acquisition costs, transport risks, distribution challenges… she could have charged five, ten times the normal price, and you likely would have paid it, because it still would have been the cheapest, safest option in the entire city. Ask anyone who was forced out of their hotel and had to fend for themselves."
"But she didn't," Xiu stated emphatically. "She maintained supply to this Pokémon Center at fair prices, absorbing the massive cost difference herself, precisely because she knew many of you are already suffering,
Because she didn't want to profit from your misfortune. She heard a complaint today and proactively sought to understand and help resolve the issue, even though it cost her time and potentially more money."
He turned back to the young accuser, his voice dripping with scorn. "So let me ask you: who benefited from her actions? And who stands here now, enjoying the services of the Pokémon Center?" He swept his gaze across the crowd again. "She sacrificed her own potential profits, subsidized your meals, and tried to offer assistance. Is that her crime?"
Even Kiba's most ardent fans looked uncomfortable now, shuffling their feet, avoiding eye contact.
Xiu wasn't finished. He turned his attention pointedly towards Kiba. "Speaking of contributing… I hear you're quite the famous Trainer, Master Kiba. Very skilled, very popular." His tone was deceptively mild. "Tell me, when Nurse Joy put out the call for licensed Trainers to volunteer, to help patrol the streets, protect civilians, maintain order… where were you?"
Kiba's smile finally vanished completely. He remained silent.
"As such a powerful Trainer," Xiu pressed relentlessly, "I'm curious. How many of the thugs causing chaos did you personally defeat? How many citizens did you rescue during the attacks? How many dangerous situations did you help resolve?"
Xiu knew the answer, of course. Idol trainers like Kiba, managed by corporations, were valuable assets. Their companies wouldn't risk them in genuine high-stakes conflict.
Bad publicity if they lost, potential injury or death… far too costly compared to keeping them safe for appearances and endorsements. Losing a sponsored trainer hurts the bottom line. Kiba might have done some staged patrols for the cameras early on, but on the actual field? Highly unlikely.
Kiba's silence stretched, becoming increasingly awkward. The crowd, moments ago chanting his praises, now looked at him with dawning curiosity, waiting for an answer. His fans, however, blindly loyal, tried to fill the void.
"Master Kiba is the strongest!"
"He protects us all!"
"He probably beat dozens of bad guys!"
"Team Rocket is nothing to him!"
"He saved the city single-handedly!"
The claims grew increasingly outlandish, bordering on parody. Xiu had to suppress another laugh. Kiba's face, however, darkened further with embarrassment and fury. He clearly hadn't authorized these ridiculous boasts.
"We're leaving!" Kiba snapped suddenly, realizing the situation was spiraling out of his control. He tried to push through his fanatical admirers.
But the crowd, whipped into a frenzy of misplaced adoration, surged around him, cheering, trying to touch him, effectively trapping him. Even his bodyguards struggled to maintain a perimeter.
Xiu watched the escalating chaos, his expression calming, becoming intensely focused. He subtly caught Xiaoyuan's eye again, then glanced towards Xiaochun, giving another almost imperceptible signal. While Xiaoyuan looked confused, Xiaochun understood instantly, pulling Xiaoyuan closer to Xiu's position near the edge of the crowd.
Confirming they were clear, Xiu scanned the periphery again, locking onto the positions of the suspicious individuals he'd noted earlier – the ones watching Kiba too intently. His eyes narrowed. Now.
Without warning, someone suddenly shouted, a voice cutting through the crowd like a thunderclap: "Do it!"
The command, sharp and unexpected, momentarily stunned the chaotic crowd into silence. In that instant of confusion, several figures within the throng exploded into action. One lunged, striking nearby onlookers with brutal efficiency, sending them crashing to the floor. Simultaneously, others moved, converging not on Kiba, but on specific points within the crowd.
Panic erupted. The ordinary civilians, terrified, surged away from the sudden violence, shoving and trampling in their desperation to escape. The carefully maintained cordon collapsed into a panicked mob, inadvertently providing cover and chaos.
Near Kiba, a crucial mistake occurred. One of the plainclothes security personnel assigned to discreetly protect or monitor the idol was momentarily blocked, tangled in the panicked surge. This brief delay was all it took.
One of the individuals Xiu had been watching – one of the hidden operatives – reacted instantly, realizing their cover was blown or their target was compromised. Amidst the screaming and shoving, the operative threw a Poké Ball.
A Pokémon materialized in the heart of the panicked crowd.