Chapter 132: Beneath the Counter
The single rooms at the Viridian City Pokémon Center, while indeed more expensive than the shared dormitory options, offered a level of privacy and comfort Xiu appreciated.
More importantly, each room came equipped with a dedicated computer terminal and secure network access – a crucial amenity for someone needing to manage operations remotely.
'The League certainly spares no expense on its flagship facilities,' Xiu noted, comparing the room favorably to the more basic (though still adequate) accommodations back in Fuchsia City.
He and Professor Oak separated after reaching their assigned floor, each retreating to their respective rooms. Xiu quickly unpacked his few belongings, but before he could even power on the room's computer, a knock sounded at his door.
"Xiu? Ready to go?" Professor Oak's voice called from the hallway.
"Coming!" Xiu replied, slightly surprised by the Professor's eagerness.
He opened the door to find Oak waiting, looking refreshed and ready. "Come on," Oak urged. "Let's take a walk around Viridian City while we have the chance. See the sights. Some interesting historical markers nearby, related to the founding of the League, actually."
Xiu, genuinely looking forward to exploring a new city (especially on someone else's dime), readily agreed.
However, just as they stepped out of the elevator into the main lobby downstairs, a middle-aged woman in a senior Pokémon Center administrator's uniform intercepted them, her expression polite but firm.
"Professor Oak!" she greeted him respectfully.
Xiu immediately noticed her uniform was subtly different, more elaborate than the standard staff attire – higher rank, likely the Center's director or lead administrator. Her aura felt… commanding. Clearly someone accustomed to authority. He also vaguely recognized the specific insignia – similar to uniforms worn by Nurse Joy's regional supervisors. 'This must be the Viridian City Joy liaison,' he deduced.
Professor Oak, sighing inwardly but maintaining his public persona, immediately shifted into his 'distinguished scholar' mode. "Ah, Head Nurse," he greeted her warmly, offering a slight, respectful nod. Oak then gestured towards Xiu. "Allow me to introduce my current research assistant, Xiu."
Xiu, feeling slightly out of place but understanding the protocols, offered another polite nod. Nurse Joy acknowledged him with a brief, professional glance before turning her full attention back to Professor Oak.
"Professor," she began, her tone efficient, "your timing is perfect. We have a pre-event briefing scheduled with the other guest speakers and League representatives in the main conference room. And afterward," she added, consulting a datapad, "there's a luncheon hosted by the Viridian City mayor's office."
Hearing the packed schedule of official obligations, Oak glanced sideways at Xiu, a look of genuine helplessness flashing across his face. He clapped Xiu lightly on the shoulder. "Ah, well," he said, forcing a smile, "it seems my plans for a leisurely tour have been… preempted by official duties. You'll have to explore on your own for now, Xiu. We'll reconnect later this evening."
Xiu understood immediately. Oak was trapped. He simply nodded again. "Of course, Professor. Enjoy your meetings." He silently watched Professor Oak get swept away by Nurse Joy towards the administrative wing.
"Sure enough," Xiu muttered quietly to himself as he walked out of the Pokémon Center alone. "Powerful people are always busy. And often, that busy-ness is dictated by others, not their own choice." Still, exploring by himself suited him fine. Less scrutiny, more freedom.
He stepped out into the bustling plaza surrounding the Pokémon Center. The morning sun was bright, the air filled with city sounds. As he paused for a moment, deciding which direction to explore first, his attention was caught by an odd figure lingering near the edge of the square.
Despite the warming late spring weather, the man wore a heavy, dark trench coat, buttoned high, collar turned up. He moved aimlessly, pacing back and forth, his eyes constantly scanning the crowds passing by, darting nervously from face to face. 'Suspicious.'
As Xiu watched, the man's gaze landed on him. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second. Immediately, the man changed direction, walking purposefully towards Xiu.
Xiu felt an instinctive prickle of caution. He stopped walking, subtly shifting his weight, adjusting his stance into quiet readiness. He didn't know this man and didn't like his furtive behavior. If the man showed any sign of hostility… Xiu felt confident he could react decisively, either defending himself or escaping quickly.
But the man's approach wasn't aggressive. He drew closer, glanced around furtively, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially. He started fumbling with the buttons on his coat.
'Oh no,' Xiu thought, bracing himself. 'It can't be an exhibitionist… it can't be!'[1] His hand instinctively moved towards where he usually kept a small utility knife clipped inside his jacket (a habit from his park days he hadn't quite broken), ready to deploy a swift, disabling kick first if necessary.
Just as the man started to pull open his coat, he hissed, "Brother! Looking for something good? Top quality stuff?"
He opened his collar just a crack, revealing not exposed flesh, but rows of books tucked into hidden pockets sewn into the coat's lining.
Xiu froze, his defensive posture instantly dissolving into bewildered amusement. He stared at the books, then back at the man's conspiratorial face, and couldn't help but let out a short, choked laugh. "Brother," he replied dryly, echoing the man's term, "it's just books. Trying to sell encyclopedias? Is business really that bad?"
"Times are tough, gotta be careful," the man – 'Brother Coat', as Xiu mentally dubbed him – whispered back, flashing a knowing grin. He quickly scanned the area again, then subtly displayed more of his wares. "I have the best selection in Viridian City, guaranteed. Latest editions, Illustrated Guides, Skill Compendiums, Breeder Handbooks… you name it, I got it. Or can get it."
Listening to his sales pitch, Xiu felt a jolt of recognition. The phrasing, the emphasis on variety and availability… it sounded suspiciously similar to the sales scripts he had designed for Xiaoyuan back in Fuchsia City.
'Is this… one of our distributors? Or just a competitor using the same tactics?' Playfulness sparked within him. Time for some market research.
"Better prices than the bookstores?" Xiu asked innocently.
"Course! Half price, easy!" Brother Coat declared confidently. "Any book you want, way cheaper."
"So cheap?" Xiu feigned suspicion. "What's the catch? Are they damaged? Missing pages?"
"Nah, nah," Brother Coat reassured him quickly. "Tell you the truth, brother, these are just… factory seconds. Minor printing defects, maybe slight cover damage. That's why they're cheap. Can't sell 'em in the official stores. But the content? Identical. Perfect for reading and studying."
Xiu asked a few more probing questions. The man answered smoothly, confidently, clearly experienced in this illicit trade.
"Look, brother," Xiu finally said, adopting a skeptical tone. "Selling defective goods like this… isn't that illegal? Don't the authorities crack down on this stuff?"
"Defective goods ain't illegal if sold discreetly," Brother Coat countered with a wink. "And yeah, the League inspectors try to catch us sometimes. But they never catch me." He puffed out his chest slightly. "Got connections. Someone higher up looks the other way." He radiated smug confidence.
Xiu laughed inwardly at the man's misplaced pride. 'Connections? Or just lucky so far?' "Aren't you worried," Xiu asked, deciding to push a little, "that I might be one of those inspectors? Undercover?"
Brother Coat just laughed dismissively. "You? Nah, brother, no offense, but you got 'out-of-towner' written all over you. Besides," he added confidently, "I've been working these streets in Viridian for years. I know all the local inspectors by sight. You ain't one of 'em." His confidence returned, though perhaps Xiu's question planted a small seed of doubt. He became slightly more business-like. "So, brother? You buying or just browsing?"
"Buying," Xiu confirmed. "Let me see what you've got."
After a brief negotiation, Xiu selected one advanced Breeder's manual he hadn't yet acquired digitally and paid the agreed-upon price – significantly cheaper than Ōto Books, but still noticeably higher than his own production cost back in Fuchsia.
"Good choice! Come find me again if you need anything else!" Brother Coat pocketed the money enthusiastically, offered a final conspiratorial wink, then melted back into the crowd, already scanning for his next potential customer.
Xiu weighed the newly acquired book in his hand. 'Not a total loss.' Spending a little money to gain firsthand intel on the local 'grey market' distribution network, pricing structures, and sales tactics felt worthwhile.
'Interesting that the price point here is higher than ours.' Perhaps Xiaoyuan's operation, being closer to the 'source' (himself), maintained lower overhead? Or maybe these street vendors added their own significant markup. Risks need rewards, after all.
He flipped through the book. The printing quality was noticeably inferior to his own operation's standards. Minor alignment issues, slightly fuzzy text in places, cheaper paper stock. Sloppy work.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He knew, from Xiaoyuan's reports, that they had established a legitimate 'second-hand bookstore' front here in Viridian City as part of the decentralization plan. He hadn't intended to check on it personally, preferring to maintain distance. But now… curiosity, and perhaps a desire to assess the competition, spurred him on. He quickly recalled the address Xiaoyuan had provided in her last report.
Finding the bookstore took some time. It wasn't located near the Pokémon Center or the main commercial district with the official bookstores. Instead, Xiu found it tucked away on a quiet, ordinary side street, nestled between a laundromat and a small bakery.
He saw the sign hanging above the door from a distance – a simple, stylized image of a half-opened book with gentle waves depicted behind it. The logo he had designed.
[1] *insert Zane from Ninjago meme*