Pokémon Detective Case Files

Chapter 356 Interlude - Traces Left by Poison

Chapter 358 Interlude - Traces Left by Poison

Under the deep darkness of night, the Feiyun City Police Station stood like a sleepless lighthouse, its bright lights illuminating the surrounding streets through the windows.

Just as everyone in the police station was busy with the recent poisoning incident involving Servilik, the shrill ring of a communicator suddenly shattered the stagnant atmosphere in the station.

The ringtone came from Officer Jenny's criminal investigation office. The officer stopped checking the entry and exit records, picked up the vibrating communicator, and listened carefully for a while.

"Are you sure? Okay, yes—we have enough manpower—understood, let's not delay, I'll organize people to get it done right away!"

As the call continued, Officer Jenny's tense brows gradually relaxed as she listened to the voice on the other end of the microphone. By the time she put down the intercom, a smile had unconsciously crept onto her lips.

"Was that a call from Detective Hugo and his team?" asked the deputy officer beside the police officer.

"Yes." Officer Jenny nodded when asked. "They are at the United States headquarters now, and it seems that they have obtained more information through their channels that can connect the whole incident."

"Could any of those intelligence reports contain a crucial clue that could solve the mystery of Selvik's death?"

Seeing this, his deputy, Sera, also put down the thick investigation records in her hand, and a look of longing for the end of the workday flickered in the lenses of her square-framed glasses.

"More direct than that."

As Officer Jenny spoke, she deftly clipped her badge to her waist, her eyes radiating confidence and decisiveness. "He's found a way to track down the intruder at the crime scene. If all goes well, we might be able to arrest a witness who can speak out!"

The two of them immediately got up and went out, hurrying through the long corridor.

It was only then that Sera noticed that her superior was heading straight for the police station's toxicology lab.

Looking through the bright glass window, you can see Miss Joy intently recording data at the workbench. Under the cool light, her pinkish-white lab coat gleams with a gentle, pearly sheen.

"It's so late, are you two still working overtime?"

Upon seeing the two police officers enter, Joey, who specializes in toxicology research, was somewhat surprised. She closed her experimental notes and went to greet them.

Upon entering the toxicology lab, the faint scent of reagents lingering in the doctor's hair immediately overwhelmed them, slightly cooling Sera and Officer Jenny's excitement over the intelligence.

Joey's expression was complex as she lowered her eyes. "It's embarrassing to admit, but we haven't made any progress regarding the deadly poison in Selvilik's body. We're not here today for toxicology analysis. Miss Joey, do you have any information on the Flame Queen Lizard, Powder Moth, Crossbat, or Spoon Snake?"

Poison-type Pokémon like Weezing and Slowking.

In the cold light refracted by the blood in the glass container, Officer Jenny recalled the list Hugo had given her on the phone and spoke directly to Nurse Joy. Her voice was exceptionally clear in the enclosed space, "For some reasons, we need to borrow these Pokémon temporarily."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Joey, a toxicologist, looked up and examined the two guests with interest, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

"My research focuses on toxicology, so I've caught quite a few Poison-type Pokémon. Garella Slowking habitats are rather difficult to find, so besides that Pokémon, the others are being kept at a local breeding center back home—but Crobat and Weezing aren't as well-trained as my Toxtricity, so it's hard to say whether they'll be of any use..."

"Okay, it's alright if we're missing one, this is enough!"

Upon hearing that they had gathered most of the Pokémon on the list simply by contacting Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"May I ask what you plan to do with these Pokémon, Miss?" Nurse Joy asked Officer Jenny, unable to hide her joy as she explained, "According to the information Detective Hugo obtained, the thief who stole the victim's Pokémon and belongings at the scene of Selvik's death..."

It's highly likely they were investigating a trainer who possessed these Pokémon. The encounter with the poisoned "Plague Scholar" was probably just an accident; he suspected the deceased held clues about that trainer, which is why he stole most of the evidence from the crime scene.

"I see." Miss Joy tucked a stray pink strand of hair behind her ear, a look of understanding on her face. "It hasn't been too long since the day Selvirick died, so the pursuers probably haven't left Flying Cloud City yet. In other words, if we pretend to be the one he's after, and use those Poison-type Pokémon as bait, roaming around Flying Cloud City—"

"That would likely lead to the capture of the thief who stole the elf and the important evidence, and consequently, the acquisition of the latest information regarding Selvilik's death!"

Officer Jenny pumped her fist in the air, unable to hide the excitement on her face. "These kinds of trackers always prefer to operate covertly, hiding during the day and working at night. If we can spread the false information tonight, maybe we can find out the truth behind this case by tomorrow morning!"

"But sir," Sera said, glancing down at the time with a slight frown, "the process of intercity teleportation is quite complicated, and it's already past midnight. By the time the Pokémon from the breeding center arrive, it will probably be noon tomorrow."

"Don't worry about that," Joey suddenly said from the side, raising her phone screen, which clearly showed the current time.

"Although I currently work in the Unova region, my hometown is in the Kanto region, which is on the other side of the world. There is a time difference between the two places, and it just so happens to be the working hours of the breeding center, so I can have them transfer the Pokémon over immediately. Also, regarding that Galar Slowking, I will contact my classmates in the field of toxicology to see if they can borrow one right away."

The female doctor smiled at Officer Jenny and the other woman, and said, "At the scene of the poisoning, I misjudged the type of toxin..."

This caused your police investigation to go astray; consider this my small compensation to everyone.

After saying that, she turned her phone to face her, her fingers nimbly tapping the screen rapidly, dialing a number for the Fusion Center in Fuchsia City, Kanto Region. "Don't worry, all the Pokémon will be waiting at the police station within half an hour. By the way, since we're luring that pursuer out..."

"Do you need me to send out a Poison Frog to help you fake a battle scene left by a powerful Poison-type Pokémon in this area?"

Officer Jenny and Sera exchanged a glance, silently communicating their thoughts with their eyes, and then nodded at the same time.

"If that's the case, then that would be ideal," the deputy added. "The police station's Pokémon transfer device is located at the back of the corridor in the first-floor lobby. If you can't find it or don't know how to operate it, you can ask nearby police officers. Without further ado, my superior and I will go and prepare the personnel for apprehending the suspect."

Just then, the electronic clock on the wall of the police station corridor ticked gently, the displayed number quietly skipping past three in the morning, as if a silent witness was quietly counting down the seconds for this race against time investigation.