Chapter 118 Testing the Waters, Subduing
Half an hour later, Jessie, James, and Meowthth were still stunned in the alley.
They stared dumbfounded at the 110 million League Coins deposited into their League account, their hearts filled with disbelief.
They had never imagined that their tentative attempt to join Xia Mu would result in such a massive transfer of money, with Xia Mu not only knowing everything about them but also trusting them so much.
While 100 million League Coins were for public use and business purposes, the remaining 10 million were funds they could spend freely.
Divided equally among them, each person would receive over 3.3 million League Coins.
This money would not only allow them to live a life free from financial worries but also eliminate any concerns about their future livelihood.
"Do you think we should just run off with all this money?" Jessie suddenly blurted out. She had truly never seen so much money before.
Back in Team Rocket, the most she had ever handled was a few million or tens of millions of League Coins, and the most she had ever received was a bonus of a few hundred thousand League Coins.
Since joining Team Rocket until today, their total income has been at best one or two million, and most of that money has been used for the next mission. So, they've always been in debt, never feeling their wallets are bulging.
Because of Jessie's words, James and Meowthth couldn't help but roll their eyes.
They were much smarter than Jessie; if they were willing to give them this money, it meant they weren't afraid of them running away.
Only Jessie would have such a thought.
Feeling a little uncomfortable under James and Meowthth's gaze, Jessie chuckled dryly and said, "Oh, I was just joking, don't take it seriously." She
then wiped the fine sweat from her forehead.
"Since we've chosen to work for him, we have to abandon our former identities and not even entertain any thoughts! If we run away with the money, we'll still be the same people we were before, greedy for money. What great things can we accomplish then? I have a new goal now, so I will never betray him again," James said earnestly.
He took Xia Mu's words to heart, believing that if he truly achieved great things, his family would no longer be a burden on him.
"That's right, Meowthth. I didn't expect him to understand us so well and trust us so much. Just for this much money, our combined budget over the years doesn't even reach one percent. Since we can't find a sense of belonging in Team Rocket, let's start over. With our abilities, we can definitely make a comeback and become people everyone respects, Meowthth," Meowthth exclaimed.
He had initially been somewhat resistant, feeling that as a Team Rocket member, he had always strived for promotion and shouldn't betray them.
Now, truly feeling trusted and entrusted with important responsibilities, this was far more meaningful than continuing to be a Team Rocket member.
Even without any foundation now, they had money, Meowthth, and starting over was a new path for them.
This was Meowthth's thought.
"So what should we do now?" Compared to James and Meowthth, Jessie's naiveté was on full display.
She usually had many ideas, but when it came to crucial moments, she was completely lost.
Her rise in life had been so sudden that no one could react in time.
"Right now, shouldn't we change our clothes? After all, this uniform no longer suits us." James suggested, and Meowthth agreed.
Never before had they felt there was anything wrong with their clothes; they used to be proud of them.
It was only after their recent encounter with Cassidy and Butch that they learned their uniforms had long been discarded by Team Rocket, realizing they were no longer valued.
"Buying clothes? That's great! I haven't been shopping in ages!" Jessie said expectantly.
But the next second, her stomach rumbled, along with James and Meowthth's.
"Before we buy the new gear, let's go out for a big celebration."
"Agreed, Meowth!"
...
In the sky, hidden in the shadows, Xia Mu watched Team Rocket's trio's performance with great satisfaction.
They didn't surprise him, nor did they disappoint him.
The best way to test people's hearts is to directly tempt them with money.
The fact that they could resist such a large sum of money showed that Jessie, James, and Meowthth all had their bottom lines.
Although Jessie said he'd run away with the money, it was just talk; he wouldn't actually do it.
"I really don't understand. If you really want them as your subordinates, can't I just use my psychic powers to modify their memories?" Mewtwo was very puzzled.
She felt that all these tests were less effective than simply modifying memories.
That's how she modified Nurse Joy's memories and did many things.
In his view, to make someone absolutely loyal, you had to modify their memories, making them obey you from beginning to end.
Hearing Mewtwo's words, Xia Mu smiled faintly and said, "If you do that, you're manipulating others. What I need isn't a mindless work machine, but people with thoughts and ideas!"
Mewtwo frowned slightly, still unable to understand: "It's just modifying memories, not complete control..."
Before he could finish, Xia Mu interrupted, "Don't think it's that simple. If even this requires modification, if everyone around me is subdued by modifying memories, then wouldn't I be living in a false world?" Stunned by
these words, Mewtwo seemed to suddenly realize that this behavior was indeed wrong.
It was like doing something absurd without putting in any effort, just to get something.
Xia Mu was also telling Mewtwo that everything must be done with a down-to-earth approach, not just doing whatever one wants.
"Let's go, we should go home," Xia Mu said, pulling Mewtwo out of his reverie.
Mewtwo nodded, and then the two of them went straight home.
Actually, they weren't far from home; traveling straight through the air, it was even closer.
Back home, the backyard renovations were complete, and a temporary shelter was set up in the house by the central lake.
It was a specially built supply depot for caring for the Pokémon, and because the house was spacious and well-equipped, it became a convenient location for the research institute.
Xia Mu, led by Sonia, participated in the activity, and the two chatted happily about when they would embark on their trip.
Mei Xing and Mu Zi, who initially had a strong liking for Xia Mu and even showed interest in getting closer, kept their distance after seeing the relationship between Sonia and Xia Mu, abandoning their lingering feelings.
Xia Mu was completely unaware that he had unknowingly missed out on two stunning beauties.
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(End of Chapter)