Haunter helped prop up Matori.
A moment later, Matori slowly opened her eyes.
"Eek!"
She immediately bristled, jumping aside and staring at Lu Ye as if he were a suspect.
Lu Ye sighed helplessly.
"I swear, Haunter used Hypnosis on its own… Do you believe me?"
Matori froze for a moment and then shook her head like a rattle drum.
No wonder Boss Giovanni told me to stay vigilant...
Matori shuddered.
First, he lowers my guard with sweet talk, then lets Haunter ambush me…
If I really were carrying a weapon, I might've been taken out already!
She glanced again at Lu Ye's strikingly handsome face.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she adjusted her glasses.
Seeing that her clothes were intact, Matori inexplicably felt a twinge of disappointment...
"So, you're here to invite me to join some organization?"
Lu Ye thought to himself.
Giovanni's secretary? There's only one possibility.
What kind of weird people are these? Even Team Rocket is recruiting me now!
Matori snapped back to reality, her expression serious.
"This isn't the right place to talk… If possible, allow me to visit your home."
While Team Rocket had legal businesses in Donghuang, this wasn't the right setting for negotiations.
Choosing the other party's familiar territory was Matori's way of demonstrating sincerity.
Lu Ye paused.
Take Giovanni's secretary home?!
Why did that sound so bizarre?
"You want me to join Team Rocket," Lu Ye said calmly.
"Forget it. Not happening."
Matori's heart jolted.
Her rank in Team Rocket was high, but she rarely showed her face.
She thought she was well-disguised with a fake identity in Donghuang.
So how did he figure out who she was with just one sentence?
Or had other organizations infiltrated Team Rocket's intel network…?
Shaken, Matori spoke more respectfully:
"Yes, that's my mission here."
Lu Ye sighed deeply.
I'm just a regular gaming content creator!
Sure, Team Rocket has legal enterprises… but joining an evil organization for no reason? That's just dumb.
"Please leave." Lu Ye grabbed his grocery basket.
"I need to get back and cook dinner."
"Haunter, haunter!"
Haunter waved at Matori, humming excitedly at the thought of a hot meal soon.
Matori fell silent, watching Lu Ye's back as he walked away with the basket.
An image of a reclusive master flashed in her mind.
"Mr. Lu Ye!" Matori called out. "We can discuss compensation!"
Lu Ye's eyebrow twitched, but he kept walking.
"We don't even need you to join!"
Lu Ye's expression remained neutral.
"You'll still get paid!"
Getting a paycheck without joining Team Rocket?!
In the dim night, Matori watched the handsome Teacher Lu approach, suddenly feeling nervous.
Lu Ye handed her the grocery basket and said, "Here, hold this. We can talk as we walk."
The elderly security guard yawned in his booth.
Seeing two figures walking in the dark, he grumbled: "This is the second one tonight! Young people these days, ignoring their futures as Trainers and messing around with relationships… such a disgrace!"
Lu Ye's home was a bit run-down, but Matori took it as a sign of careful concealment.
Her respect for him grew.
"Excuse me," Matori said, removing her high heels as she entered in her short uniform skirt.
Lu Ye's expression turned odd as he caught a whiff of the mix of stockings and sweat, discreetly taking half a step back.
Matori's face turned crimson in an instant.
Did he seriously just step back?
Such a small action, yet such a deep cut!
"Eevee!" Eevee grumbled, rolling on the couch in dissatisfaction.
Squirtle had already retreated into its shell, sulking.
"Haunter, haunter!" Haunter didn't mind at all, even licking its Toxic Orb.
"Maybe… I should just stand outside," Matori whispered.
"That works." Lu Ye sighed in relief.
Matori: ???
Wait, that was just a polite offer!
But the words were out. Biting her lip, Matori stood outside, humbled.
"Giovanni said it wasn't necessary, but I believe I should explain his philosophy…"
Considering the free paycheck, Lu Ye tolerated the rambling, nodding now and then.
Matori's speech quickened, her cheeks flushing with excitement.
Lu Ye frowned and waved his hand to clear the air.
Matori deflated like a wilted eggplant.
"And now… the terms Giovanni is offering."
Lu Ye perked up.
Seeing his interest, Matori brightened.
"I can understand… at least a little."
"Really?" Matori's eyes shone.
Lu Ye nodded thoughtfully.
Giovanni was a man of pure conviction.
Compared to Archie's chaotic evil, Giovanni's evil followed a certain order.
He was like Red's opposite, yet their ideals were strangely similar…
Viridian Forest only blessed those it deemed worthy.
Giovanni, who had earned the forest's acknowledgment, might possess a unique form of kindness…
"I admire Giovanni," Lu Ye smiled. "He deserves the title 'Boss Giovanni.'"
Tears welled up in Matori's eyes.
No wonder Giovanni sent me all this way to recruit Teacher Lu.
Trainers attract each other.
Perhaps Teacher Lu shared some of Giovanni's traits.
Clearing her throat, Matori continued: "Your role would be as an instructor, equal to the three executives." She explained, "You'd get full benefits, shares in our legal enterprises, and personnel authority…"
"You wouldn't need to be on call. Just keep uploading your strategy videos."
"Technically, you wouldn't even be an official member. Giovanni set these terms himself."
Adjusting her glasses, Matori added seriously: "No risk at all. Just a simple yes."
Lu Ye pondered.
No obligations, only perks. Who wouldn't be tempted?
But he firmly believed that personal debts were the hardest to repay.
With Giovanni's charisma, he might end up getting sold and still thank them for it.
"This is how you test your recruits?" Lu Ye smirked.
"What kind of recruit can't pass a test like this?"
Matori hesitated, thinking, Well, Kanto almost fell…
"We also offer year-end bonuses…" she added.
"Executives get about 5,000,000 Pokedollars."
Lu Ye coughed.
Matori's face showed regret.
Was it… still too little?
In Team Rocket's prime, bonuses were at least eight figures.
Lu Ye's expression was complicated.
Though 5,000,000 Pokedollars wasn't much compared to his plagiarized content earnings…
It was still 5,000,000 Pokedollars for doing nothing!
Such a bold move made him uneasy.
"I don't plan to join Team Rocket for now," Lu Ye said.
"Please leave."
Since there were no strings attached,
Matori had completed her mission just by delivering the offer.
The terms were simple: Lu Ye would continue uploading videos and enjoy Team Rocket's perks and bonuses.
But as a gaming content creator, he would've done that anyway.
Tempted as he was, Lu Ye rubbed his chin.
He decided to consult some big shots first.
Matori left.
Staring at the closed door, she muttered, "As expected of the Trainer Giovanni values…"
Lu Ye folded his arms, deep in thought.
Then he sniffed the air, his expression twisting.
"Maybe I should hire a cleaning service tomorrow… for some 'fog removal.'"