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"Miss Alexa, do you know Team Rockets?"
Mr. Mammon pondered for a moment and asked Alexa.
"I've looked up some information; Team Rockets is a very Evil Organization."
Alexa nodded.
Big sister, so you know?
The cameraman swallowed, quietly straightening his lens. He felt himself starting to sweat profusely.
But at this critical juncture, it was impossible to run, so he could only continue the interview.
Otherwise, if he displeased this young man, the cameraman dared not imagine his own fate.
"That's right, Team Rockets is an Evil Organization. In our Kanto, it's an Evil Organization that everyone knows about, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, and even inhumane Pokémon gene experiments—they commit every evil imaginable."
Mr. Mammon said slowly.
"Then why did you join Team Rockets?" Alexa asked the question again.
"As far as I know, you are Mr. Giovanni's eldest son, and Mr. Giovanni is the most respected Gym Leader in the Kanto region. Why would you, raised personally by Mr. Giovanni, embark on such a path?"
"Logically, you should have had an infinitely bright future."
Alexa wasn't just doing it for the show; she was genuinely curious.
After all, Mr. Mammon, who crushed all competitors to win the Indigo Plateau Conference in his debut year, was undeniably in the prime of his life.
And he had an official background!
"Yes, many people have asked me this question, and there are various factors," Mr. Mammon chuckled.
"If I were to go into detail, this story might be a bit long."
"No problem! We'd be happy to be your audience!"
Alexa immediately said eagerly.
"Alright, let me think, where should I start?"
Mr. Mammon made a thoughtful expression.
"When I was very young, my mother passed away, and I originally had a very cute younger brother, but also when I was young, my younger brother was kidnapped and went missing."
"I'm sorry." Alexa gave Mr. Mammon an apologetic look.
So… is it because of an unfortunate childhood? No, it shouldn't be that simple.
"From then on, I vaguely understood that this world is not as beautiful as one imagines; it has a very cruel side."
"My father actually loved me very much; I always sensed that, but he had his own work, he was very busy."
"I could only read books by myself, watch videos by myself, and fall asleep alone in a dark room."
Mr. Mammon continued to narrate, his tone very calm.
But the listeners could not remain calm. Caitlin's faint smile slowly disappeared from her lips as she gazed at the young man under the spotlight.
Platinum gently bit her lip, her emotions somewhat complex at this moment. From a privileged and happy family, she had been a little princess since childhood.
For her, it was difficult to imagine the life Mr. Mammon described.
Mother passed away, brother missing, father busy, living alone.
This…
"My father is a very excellent and dutiful Gym Leader, yes, very excellent and dutiful."
"Influenced by him, my goal from a young age was also to become an excellent Trainer. Later, as I gradually grew up, he gave me my first Pokémon in my life; it was a Shinny Gastly."
"I liked it very much, and it was also very cute and hardworking."
Mr. Mammon revealed a faint smile.
"I took Gastly out of Viridian City. Perhaps for me personally, this journey was actually very meaningful, yet also very meaningless."
"Why do you say that?"
Alexa, who had been listening attentively and silently, couldn't help but ask in confusion.
"What is the meaning of a journey? Is it the journey itself, or the bits and pieces experienced along the way? Or is it the result of reaching the destination?" Mr. Mammon chuckled and counter-asked.
"This…" Alexa was stumped.
"I was also thinking about this question at the time. My journey was very smooth, smoother than I imagined."
"I met my current girlfriend on my journey, I gained more Pokémon companions on my journey, I personally experienced my own growth on my journey, I saw a lot, felt a lot."
Mr. Mammon gently tapped his thigh with his fingers, his eyes somewhat unfocused, as if recalling the past.
"I personally saw Team Rockets members in black uniforms. That was the first time I encountered Team Rockets. They robbed a family, they stole the child's Pokémon from that family, and that child cried very loudly."
"Team Rockets even kidnapped that child, threatening the couple to hand over more money."
"I really don't understand."
"Why are there such people in the world?"
Mr. Mammon said faintly.
Alexa hesitated to speak but still didn't interrupt Mr. Mammon.
"I defeated those Team Rockets members and reported them to Officer Jenny. They still hurled insults at me as they were being taken away."
"I still don't understand."
"They clearly did something wrong, and I corrected and stopped them from continuing to make mistakes, yet they still cursed me."
Mr. Mammon's voice was magnetic and clear, and the entire living room was very quiet at this moment.
"I saved a family, and they expressed their gratitude to me. When they learned that I was Giovanni's son, they were very happy and said that I was indeed Giovanni's son, and that my father had raised a good son."
"I still don't understand, I saved them, what does that have to do with my father?"
"Along the way, this situation has happened many times."
Alexa's heart skipped a beat; something was wrong.
"My journey continued, and I successfully obtained eight badges to participate in the Indigo Plateau Conference."
"I easily defeated all my opponents, and I suddenly realized a problem: perhaps it wasn't that they were too weak, but that I was too strong."
"Perhaps I am that special person."
Mr. Mammon's lips slowly curled into a smile.
"Actually, after I won the Indigo Plateau Conference, on my way back to Viridian City, I encountered a Team Rockets executive and several Team Rockets members."
"That executive recognized me and invited me to join Team Rockets."
"Team Rockets, I encountered them many times on my journey. Every time they were doing evil, they were the maggots of the Kanto underground, the shadow of this world."
Mr. Mammon gently rubbed his fingers.
"I was going to refuse, but Miss Alexa, guess what I saw?"
"What?" Alexa was completely engrossed in the story.
"The same few members of Team Rockets I first encountered were standing behind that executive."
"What?!" This time, Alexa's 'what' had a completely different tone, filled with shock.
"But weren't they… by you?"
"Yes, I was also very surprised. They should have been taken away by Officer Jenny and locked up in jail."
"I asked that executive, and he smiled and said, it's just detention, they have many ways to get people out."
This…!!
Alexa's pupils trembled slightly. She could even imagine the executive's smugness and mockery on his face when he said that at the time.
As for who it was directed at, it cannot be said, cannot be said.
"At that moment, I didn't even know what I was thinking. I asked him another question."
"Why does Team Rockets do so many bad things? Do you know how he answered me?"
Alexa shook her head.
"He said with a playful smile, 'I did it because I wanted to. Do I need a reason?'"
Not only Alexa, but also the cameraman and Viola, their hearts all skipped a beat at this moment.
Did it because I wanted to?
What a lighthearted five words, but what kind of things did you Team Rockets do?!!!
"At that moment, I understood that my feeling as a child was not wrong. This world is not purely beautiful, and this sky is not truly clear and blue."
"Moreover, I think what he said makes a lot of sense. Some things, if you want to do them, you have to do them."
Mr. Mammon tilted his head slightly, his tone still very calm.
"So I accepted that executive's invitation. I joined Team Rockets."
"Why did you make such a decision at that time?"
Alexa was stunned to hear this. She still didn't understand.
Knowing that Team Rockets is so evil, knowing that Team Rockets is the shadow that makes the world imperfect, yet still joining it?
Shouldn't it be destroyed?
"Miss Alexa, do you know? The human heart is the most unfathomable; where there is light, there will inevitably be shadows."
"To completely eradicate Team Rockets, how easy is that? Do you know how massive Team Rockets's scale is?"
"Or rather, what if this Team Rockets is eliminated? The Dark Organization will still be entrenched underground. Today it's Team Rockets, tomorrow it might be the Train Team, the day after tomorrow it might be the Plane Team."
Mr. Mammon chuckled, unable to resist making a joke.
"Instead of eliminating and destroying it, why not completely control it in your hands, what do you think?"
Alexa's head buzzed; she understood!
"This world is not perfect, and this sky will always be covered by dark clouds. People are crying in every region; this is unavoidable."
"Because the shadow of the human heart is so terrifying and strange, that's why we can see various Dark Organizations in Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and so on, in every land."
"How difficult it is to make the world clean again~"
"But if there must be someone who changes the world's pattern."
Mr. Mammon spread his arms, a wild smile appearing on his face.
"Why can't that person be me?"
Yes, if there must be someone who can change the world, why can't that person be me, named Mr. Mammon?
The entire living room fell silent, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Alexa looked at the young man opposite her, feeling goosebumps all over her body at this moment!
Caitlin, this time, was finally not that shallow, teeth-hidden smile. She smiled very happily, very proudly.
Wuwu~! Mr. Mammon!!!
Platinum excitedly clenched her small fists, even wanting to jump up. Mr. Mammon!!
Why is he so handsome!
Serena's eyes were also sparkling at this moment, completely filled with that young man.
Viola tightly pursed her lips; this was truly too…
Alexa kept taking deep breaths, trying to calm her turbulent emotions. This was truly the first time she had experienced such a situation.
Listening to the guest speak, her whole body was covered in goosebumps, but it wasn't from coldness, but a sensation that was indescribable.
It was truly! Truly too exciting!
"Mr. Mammon, you are truly… too great!"
Great! No more words needed!
For a moment, Alexa didn't know what to say, only able to describe him as great.
"Miss Alexa, you flatter me."
"Then, let me reintroduce myself to the audience."
Mr. Mammon humbly replied, a smile still on his handsome face as he looked at the camera.
"Hello everyone, I am Mr. Mammon, the boss of Team Rockets, Mr. Mammon!"