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The name "Evergreen" echoed in Luther's mind, blurring the text on his phone screen into indistinct dots.
"He's a smart man. A very confident man. And a manipulative bastard."
That was Oleander's exact description, no harsh words, but every syllable was spoken through clenched teeth.
Luther had imagined many scenarios where he might encounter another member of the Dissidents, but he never imagined it would be in a place like the Moonloop Mall, sitting face-to-face with Evergreen, one of their core members.
It was far too bold.
If he was showing up here, then surely he knew Cynthia was around, and yet, he revealed himself anyway.
Was this the confidence that Oleander had mentioned? What one unique to Evergreen?
"Looks like my name alone isn't enough to make you look up and talk to me," Evergreen said with a self-deprecating chuckle. "You don't even seem surprised that I'm here."
Luther slowly placed his phone on the table, returned all his Pokémon to their Pokéballs, and looked at Evergreen with a blank expression.
"Quite the opposite. I'm very surprised… so much so that I don't even know what to say."
Evergreen smiled faintly. "That sounded pretty forced."
"I think I'm just stating a fact," Luther replied, scooting his chair forward and leaning in slightly. "So, Evergreen, your sudden appearance before me, surely it's not just to chat, right?"
"On the contrary. I came here just to talk, one-on-one. You may not know this, but I've been very curious about you. Since the day you arrived in Lumiose City, I've been waiting for a chance. Hanging around Diantha's villa was too risky. Once I realized you might be staying with her long-term, I had to come up with a way… to break you all apart."
So it was the Dissidents behind it.
"You're the one who started the rumors?"
The server delivered Evergreen's lemon water. He thanked them, took a sip, and smiled.
"Rumors? I merely dug up things that had been discussed online before and gave them a little polish. If one post of mine can stir up such a storm on the internet, shouldn't the real culprits be those overzealous fans who dig into every detail of their idols' lives?"
"You used them."
"I wouldn't call it 'use.' They consider over-analyzing and speculating about their idols' lives a hobby. I just gave them something new to play with, and achieved my goal: splitting your group in two. At most, you could call it mutually beneficial."
After finishing his explanation, Evergreen looked at Luther expectantly, hoping to read something from his expression.
But he was disappointed. Luther remained calm, his face still and unreadable like a motionless pond.
"Shiran was killed by Oleander, wasn't he?"
Luther's silence forced Evergreen to continue the conversation.
"Or maybe I killed him. Who knows?"
"So it was Oleander. She hates the Dissidents, so much that I believe she'd trade her life just for the chance to kill you."
Evergreen ignored Luther's words entirely.
"She said she lost the best years of her youth."
"To me, there's something beautiful about being the one a girl gives her best years to," Evergreen said with a tinge of pride. "I suggest you try it too. Diantha might have some feelings for you… And that little girl, Mai, isn't bad either."
Luther didn't respond to the provocation. Instead, he shifted the topic.
"Before Oleander killed Shiran, they made a deal."
Evergreen picked up a slice of lemon from the rim of his glass and sucked on it. "Let me guess, she wanted to know where I was hiding, right?"
"But she didn't get the answer she wanted. So… Shiran died."
Evergreen paused, then laughed heartily. "No need to test me, I'll be honest. All Dissident activity in Lumiose City has ceased. Everyone's been withdrawn."
That took Luther by surprise.
"So you didn't trust Shiran?"
"He couldn't tell the difference between 'acting' and 'becoming the role.' Years ago, I said we should just take you out of Sinnoh and retrace your parents' steps. That way, we could lure their Pokémon into the open," Evergreen said, visibly disappointed. "But he disagreed. He got too deep into the role. He really thought he was your elder… that he was protecting you."
"Someone who's lost in the act is far too dangerous. We couldn't take that risk. We named ourselves the 'Dissidents' for a reason, we know our place. The Pokémon League is too powerful. Anyone who faces them head-on is doomed."
"So the Dissidents have completely withdrawn from Lumiose… and you show up right in front of me?" Luther looked at him mockingly. "That's kind of hilarious."
"Aside from just chatting, I actually wanted to make a deal with you."
Evergreen's refined face always carried a gentle, calm smile, it made people feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze, very approachable.
This dangerously deceptive charm was something Oleander never mentioned to Luther. If Luther hadn't known Evergreen's background, he would have definitely taken him for a sunny, kind-hearted man.
"A deal?"
"I want your Mismagius," Evergreen said softly. "She's our most perfect experiment so far. A Mismagius that can even use Black Hole, her significance is extraordinary."
Luther snorted with laughter. "Are you dreaming, or are you thinking about peaches? What made you think that's even possible?"
Dreaming, sure, but peaches?
Evergreen noticed that Luther didn't plan to explain that odd phrase. He interpreted it as an insult, but didn't mind.
"Everything has a price. As long as the price is right, things will naturally fall into place."
"You know, Oleander said Shiran used the exact same words before he died."
Evergreen sneered and shook his head. "Someone forced to a dead end will always be limited in what price they can offer. The imbalance of power in a negotiation determines who's in control. He died because he was too stupid."
A line from a movie suddenly popped into Luther's mind.
"So… you think you can give me a reason I can't refuse?"
Evergreen suddenly stood up and walked over to the glass wall.
Through the glass, Luther could see Building B of the Moonloop Shopping Center. The two buildings were connected by a twenty-meter-long glass skybridge.
Luther was in Building A, which focused on Pokémon-related products. Building B sold products for humans.
"At lunchtime, the Moonloop Shopping Center sees around 4,000 peak visitors. Every two floors, there's a glass skybridge connecting the buildings. Just now, I stood by one of the skybridges for a while, on average, about 20 people cross it every minute."
Luther was confused. Why was Evergreen suddenly telling him all this?
"The structure of this mall is very solid. The glass bridges wouldn't easily break from external force or an ambush," Evergreen said with a soft smile as he turned to Luther. "Of course… a lot of things in this world are unpredictable."
"Who knows, what if a berserk Salamence suddenly crashes into one of the skybridges carrying a few Electrode? One big 'boom'… and it all explodes?"
The smile on Evergreen's face made Luther's skin crawl. He was amazed he could even stay this calm right now.
He'd only had brief contact and clashes with Shiran after the man dropped his mask. Because of that, Luther's understanding of the Dissidents had always been blurry.
He knew they were dangerous. But he never imagined they could say something so deranged in such a casual tone.
The skybridges were all stacked vertically. If the top one collapsed, the consequences for the ones below would be unimaginable.
"I overheard just now that the adorable little Mai went over to Building B to pick out some cute clothes, while Cynthia is on this side getting a spa treatment with her Roserade."
"I have some experience with the spa here, it's pretty mid. Cynthia might be dissatisfied and decide to cross the bridge to find Mai."
"Or… Cynthia might actually enjoy the treatment and choose to stay. Then Mai would be the one to come back across the skybridge."
Evergreen returned to his seat and placed a simple communicator on the table.
"No rush. Take your time to think. But keep in mind, girls are unpredictable. If one of them shows up on that bridge… I guess we'll just sit here and enjoy the fireworks together."
Luther looked around.
Laughter. Joyful chatter. Clueless passersby. The nearby skybridge entrance teeming with people.
None of them realized that their lives had been placed as chips on a table by someone they'd never met, someone who was now calmly sipping lemon water.
"I just remembered, flying large Pokémon high in the air is prohibited within Lumiose City limits, right?"
"Yup. If you break the rule, your Pokémon gets confiscated. But no big deal. That Salamence is already losing its mind. Might as well let it go out with a bang."
Oddly, these words should've enraged Luther.
But he felt nothing. Not a single flicker.
His gaze toward Evergreen was calm. Unshaken.
Did something break inside him?
Luther didn't have time to reflect. Instead, he asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll attack you right after the explosion? This is a crowded area. I could shout 'criminal!' and you'd have nowhere to run."
"Even if Cynthia were here, she'd only escort me out of Lumiose City. She wouldn't make a move. I'm quite confident about that," Evergreen said, sounding utterly sure of himself. "If you want to drag innocent bystanders into this, go ahead. That's the privilege of being the bad guy."
Resting his chin on one hand, Evergreen watched Luther with interest.
He loved moments like these, the kind where no matter what someone chose, they'd be forced to sacrifice what they cherished most. That moment of hesitation… confusion… agony.
He had seen it once in Oleander's eyes, and fell in love with the feeling.
Evergreen waited for a long time. Luther's eyes never changed.
Was this… resignation? That expression disappointed him.
Then a faint buzz came through Evergreen's earpiece. His smile turned cold.
"Just got word, Mai bought her clothes and is now heading toward the skybridge."
"Your time is almost up."
(End of Chapter)