Heavy snow began falling from the sky.
Jacob lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and exhaled a slow ring of smoke as he stared blankly out the window at the northern countryside rushing past.
If his superior on this mission really was a Champion... then who could it possibly be?
Since the mission was set in Ice City, that narrowed it down to only two possibilities: Westin, Champion of the North China region, or Indigo, Champion of the Northeast region.
Whichever one it turned out to be, it wasn't exactly good news for Jacob.
Indigo wasn't quite as powerful as Westin, but his strength was still nothing to take lightly.
Still, if Jacob had to choose, he could only hope it wasn't Westin.
Westin was simply too strong — practically unbeatable.
… … … …
The train ride from the Imperial Capital to Ice City took only a few hours.
By the time the train pulled into Ice City station, the sky had already darkened, and the snow was still falling steadily.
The moment Jacob stepped off the train, a bitter wind hit him, and he shivered despite himself.
Even though spring had technically begun, Ice City remained brutally cold.
Standing outside the station, Jacob paused for a moment, uncertain of where to go next.
Just as he was trying to decide, his phone rang inside his bag.
Beep. Hearing it ring, Jacob felt a flicker of tension. He took a breath and answered.
"Hello."
"Ice City Grand Hotel. Use the ID we prepared for you to check in directly." The voice on the other end had clearly been altered, making it impossible to identify.
"Understood."
… … … …
After hanging up, Jacob followed the instructions and made his way toward the Ice City Grand Hotel.
The hotel was one of Ice City's landmark buildings, standing over forty stories tall — one of the tallest in the entire city.
Jacob wheeled his suitcase inside and handed his ID to the front desk.
Moments later, the receptionist returned both his ID and a room key. "Mr. Eldon, correct? You're all checked in. Here's your ID and room key."
"Thank you," Jacob replied.
Eldon — that was the identity assigned to him for this mission.
… … … …
On the twenty-fourth floor, Jacob swiped his key card and stepped into a spacious, immaculate room.
Taking a look around at what the room contained, his frown deepened.
A telescope had been set up, pointed directly at the building across the street.
A laptop sat open and running on the desk.
Just as he was finishing his inspection of the room, the phone rang again.
"Hello," Jacob answered.
"Dragon — that's your codename. I'm your superior. Call me Deer." The voice, altered just like before, gave Jacob no way to guess who was really speaking.
"There's a file saved on the laptop's desktop containing everything we have on the Dragon Sand Society. The password is..."
"The telescope has already been adjusted for you and is aimed directly at Stone Iron's room. As long as he hasn't drawn the curtains, you'll be able to observe his movements."
"The headphones beside the laptop are connected to a listening device planted in Stone Iron's room. Put them on if you want to listen in. Report anything useful immediately."
"One more thing — we've received intelligence that the Dragon Sand Society plans to make a move within three days. Be ready. We'll notify you of the specific details one day in advance."
"Understood."
… … … …
The call ended. Jacob sat down and put on the headphones from the desk. All he heard was silence, which meant Stone Iron was either out or resting at the moment.
He moved to the telescope next and looked through it toward the building across the way.
A young woman in tight yoga pants was stretching by her window, exercising.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged woman busied herself with housework, cleaning diligently.
Two children sat in a bedroom, studying.
Everyone in Stone Iron's household appeared to be home — everyone except Stone Iron himself.
… … … …
After watching for a while, Jacob sat back down on the edge of the bed and began turning the situation over in his mind.
It was becoming clear that the phone Zade had given him wasn't just for communication — it likely had tracking and surveillance capabilities as well.
There was no other explanation for how the voice on the other end always seemed to know exactly where he was.
That only reinforced Jacob's growing suspicion that this mission was anything but simple.
A quiet unease settled over him. The feeling of being watched and controlled from somewhere out of sight left him on edge.
Especially since this whole affair very likely involved Whitney as well.
… … … …
Ice City.
A hidden Pokémon Association base.
Inside a spacious room with the curtains drawn shut and the lights kept dim, rows of electronic equipment filled the space.
Indigo, Champion of the Northeast, sat on the sofa dressed in a formal suit. Beside him stood Fia, the Ice-type Elite of the Northeast region's Four Heavenly Kings, along with Bruce, the Rock-type Elite.
A Champion accompanied by two members of the Four Heavenly Kings — it had been a long time since such a formidable gathering had taken place.
Though Indigo was nearing fifty, he still carried himself with a tall, straight posture, his expression composed and resolute, radiating the quiet confidence of a seasoned leader.
"Everyone has arrived in Ice City. You may begin your operations," Indigo said, looking toward Bruce and Fia.
His voice carried a refined, gentle quality that suited his cultivated bearing perfectly.
Among China's current seven Champions, Indigo was regarded as the most scholarly.
"Bruce..." Indigo turned to the man beside him.
Bruce, around fifty-five years old, was tall and broad-shouldered, with a powerfully built frame.
"You're stronger than Fia, so you'll take charge of investigating Whitney." Indigo then turned to Fia. "Fia was only recently promoted to the Four Heavenly Kings, and her strength is still developing, so she'll handle the investigation into Tomas instead."
"Understood," Bruce and Fia said together, nodding.
"This mission is no small matter," Indigo said, his expression turning serious as he looked between the two of them. "There's even a real risk to your lives, so exercise caution at every step."
"As you're both aware, the latest intelligence confirms that Edwin of the Paradise Group and Whitney of the Dragon Sand Society have already defected to Giovanni's side."
"Giovanni himself was spotted in Golden City, Siam, just before the New Year. It's highly likely the two parties have already struck some kind of agreement, and Edwin may have fully thrown in his lot with Giovanni by now."
"After Edwin... Whitney and the Dragon Sand Society are likely next." Indigo's expression hardened further. "This gives us an opening — a chance to make contact with Giovanni and gather intelligence on him directly."
"Giovanni's past conduct suggests a relatively friendly stance toward China, but we still need to prepare for the worst-case scenario."
"If Giovanni does appear in Ice City, I will personally oversee the investigation and look for an opportunity to make contact. Your task is to investigate the Dragon Sand Society, and use this opportunity to uncover... Whitney's true identity."
… … … …
Ice City. Beneath its calm surface, tension was building.
As night fell, Jacob, exhausted from a long day, prepared to turn in.
He first turned the television's volume up as loud as it would go, then hummed a tune as he wandered toward the bathroom.
The bathroom was the one place Jacob had confirmed, after a careful sweep, had no surveillance equipment.
He turned on the shower and let the hot water run over his skin.
Reaching into his system space, he pulled out his satellite phone and, hidden beneath the noise of the music and running water, dialed Sylvia's number.
"Sylvia... don't say anything, just listen," Jacob whispered. "I'm in Ice City right now, carrying out a classified mission."
"The higher-ups at the Pokémon Association are planning to investigate the Dragon Sand Society, and Whitney specifically. Make sure she hears about this."
"Tell her not to do anything reckless. The Association seems dead serious this time. Tell her to get herself out clean and leave Ice City as soon as possible. She absolutely cannot afford to get caught up in this."
… … … …