Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Well, well, look at you! So dedicated, you've earned a little extra treat! 🎉

---

Seeing how hard Gary was working, Luo Yuan almost felt bad knowing there were no fossils under that spot.

So, he decided to end the "competition" himself.

Taking a folding shovel from his spatial backpack, Luo Yuan walked toward a nearby rock face where he'd sensed a fossil, under Gary's curious gaze.

After pinpointing the location with psychic power, Luo Yuan plunged the shovel into the dirt.

Swoosh!

A mound of earth was tossed aside as he dug.

With one scoop after another, a pile of dirt quickly accumulated.

Watching Luo Yuan's "wasted effort," Gary couldn't help but chime in, despite their competition.

"Luo Yuan, based on what I've learned these past couple days, there's no way a fossil would be in a spot like that!"

Hoping to keep things fair, he decided to help him out a bit.

But before he'd even finished his sentence, Luo Yuan had already put away his shovel, crouched down, and was brushing off a fossil he'd just dug up.

"What were you saying?" Luo Yuan asked, holding up the fossil with a grin.

"Uh… nothing." Gary nearly choked.

For two days, he'd been trying to dig up a fossil to bring back to his grandpa for research. He'd read books, studied techniques, and carefully scoured the valley.

But after all that effort, he'd still come up empty-handed.

Yet here was Luo Yuan, who'd just randomly dug up a fossil with a few shovelfuls.

Was this what they called legendary luck?

Gary's mouth twitched with frustration.

Luo Yuan could guess what Gary was thinking.

This was the power of a "cheat" (or, in this case, psychic abilities)!

Taking out a small brush, Luo Yuan dusted off the fossil.

"Let's see… Looks like a Dome Fossil."

The fossil had a distinct shell shape, large and well-preserved.

"I heard that the Pokémon Research Institute recently started reviving fossils. The Dome Fossil should bring back a Kabuto."

Gary's envy was through the roof.

Two days of hard work, and he hadn't found a single thing. Comparisons were pointless against a guy like this.

"I lost again… You won this time too," he muttered, looking momentarily downcast before quickly bouncing back. After all, he was used to losing to Luo Yuan by now.

Gary then brazenly sidled up to Luo Yuan.

"Luo Yuan, do you know any special fossil-hunting techniques? I've been digging for two days according to the books, and I haven't even seen a sliver of one."

The other fossil hunters nearby subtly perked up their ears, eager to overhear any secrets.

Luo Yuan rolled his eyes.

It was his psychic power doing the work, so what techniques could he offer?

Instead, he asked, "Do you really want a fossil?"

"Of course!" Gary said, as if it were obvious.

If he didn't, he wouldn't have spent two days here digging up rocks.

"Then follow me."

Luo Yuan scanned the valley with his psychic senses until he located another fossil, then led Gary to the spot, marking a circle on the ground.

"Dig here."

Gary watched him skeptically.

Not just Gary, but everyone nearby who'd been watching found this hard to believe.

Could finding fossils really be as simple as drawing a circle?

Most people didn't buy it.

But trusting Luo Yuan as always, Gary decided to give it a shot.

Gritting his teeth and ignoring the ache in his back, he brought his pickaxe down.

Clang!

The pick struck something hard.

Carefully switching to a smaller tool, Gary brushed away the dirt bit by bit until his first fossil emerged.

"It's… it's really here!"

Everyone who'd doubted Luo Yuan was now staring in disbelief.

Who was this guy? A fossil-finding prodigy, or some kind of human metal detector?

Ignoring the amazed onlookers, Luo Yuan patted the equally shocked Gary on the back. "See? Told you I wasn't kidding."

Gary swallowed, nodding, completely convinced.

---

In the end, Gary left before Luo Yuan did, excitedly planning to send his fossil to his grandpa, Professor Oak, to help with the revival process.

Luo Yuan, however, only appeared to leave the valley.

In reality, he stayed nearby, waiting until nightfall.

Under the cover of darkness, the sky above rippled like a pool of water.

Suddenly, a jet-black airship marked with the bold red "R" of Team Rocket emerged from thin air, descending over the valley.

Thump, thump, thump…

"Sir!"

A squad of Team Rocket grunts in black uniforms quickly approached and saluted Luo Yuan.

These operatives were now his direct subordinates.

"Did you bring the Pokémon I requested?" Luo Yuan asked.

"Yes, sir!"

Luo Yuan nodded. "Then let's get to work. Our target is right here."

He gestured to a spot he'd marked earlier with a flag, the result of his daytime scouting.

Following his command, the operatives sprang into action.

Their squad leader tossed a Great Ball, releasing a massive Onix onto the open ground.

"Onix, use Dig!"

Onix was an expert at burrowing, capable of moving through the ground at speeds of up to eighty kilometers per hour.

With a rumbling crash, its head plunged into the dirt, its long body disappearing underground.

When the noise finally stopped, the grunts peered into the large hole left behind, dropping a few flares down to light it up.

Under the flickering red light, they could see an enormous cavern stretching out below.

"Sir, there's definitely a large space down there!"

Luo Yuan didn't look surprised at all. Both the original storyline and his own psychic probing had confirmed a vast underground area beneath the valley.

"Let's go."

Without hesitation, he jumped into the pit.

Since the rest of the Rocket grunts lacked psychic abilities, some were assigned to guard the surface while the others descended into the cavern with ropes.

Turning on their high-powered flashlights, they illuminated the underground space.

As the lights swept over the scene, the operatives couldn't help but gasp.

"This place is huge!"

The cavern was so vast that even the bright beams of their flashlights couldn't reach the far walls, leaving its limits shrouded in shadow.

It was hard to believe such a massive space existed beneath the Valley of the Clueless.

"What's our next move, sir?" the squad leader asked, turning to Luo Yuan.

"We wait."

"Wait?" The leader looked puzzled, unsure of what they were waiting for.

"That's right. As guests, it's only polite to wait for the host to greet us," Luo Yuan replied, a smile playing on his lips.

---

T/N: Oooh yeah probably ahead of Ash so hmmm

This bonus chapter is like an encore after a rousing performance—totally worth staying for, wouldn't you say? Oh, and don't worry, my lyre's got plenty more tunes to play next time!

But for now, it's time to take a bow. Thank you for the applause (and all that wonderful support). If you're feeling extra inspired, you know where to find me—[patreon.com/WiseTL]. Toss a coin, and who knows? Maybe the next bard will sing your praises!

Now, go forth, Traveler, and revel in the wonders of this world. Until next time! 🍃✨