Taking a few deep breaths, Su Wen forced himself to stay calm and got back into the car.

  He handed the piece of paper to Wu Yan and said to Chen You, “Zhou Wan might be in trouble. Call her and make sure she’s safe.”

  The fact that the Dawn Organization dared to leave the note on Wu Yan’s car meant they weren’t afraid of him knowing. Su Wen didn’t understand why the mastermind was so confident about involving a Gym Leader-level trainer, but it was a good sign—unless Wu Yan was also part of Dawn.

  Wu Yan, shocked after reading the note, excimed, “You guys actually have a ?Z-Crystal? Who’s behind Zhou Wan’s kidnapping?”

  “We don’t know, but it’s probably the Dawn Organization,” Su Wen replied.

  Ignoring Wu Yan’s changing expression, Su Wen called Wang Momo.

  Zhou Wan had been shopping with Wang Momo, so if Zhou Wan was missing, Wang Momo would know something. Su Wen had the contact information of all eight school seed pyers, which came in handy now.

  Chen You’s phone was the first to respond: “The number you have dialed is currently switched off...”

  Su Wen’s call, however, went through after a few rings.

  “Wang Momo?” Su Wen asked tentatively.

  “Su Wen?” came a muffled voice, as if Wang Momo was eating something. “What’s up?”

  Confirming it was Wang Momo, Su Wen said, “Is Zhou Wan with you? Can you put her on the phone?”

  “Zhou Wan?” Wang Momo swallowed her food and replied, “She left in a hurry after checking her phone. I thought you and Chen You called her. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, just needed to talk to her. She’s not answering her phone. I’ll check at school,” Su Wen lied casually before hanging up.

  Wu Yan turned to them and asked, “How did you get involved with Dawn?”

  Chen You gnced at Su Wen, silently asking if they should reveal everything.

  Su Wen’s mind was racing. He knew every decision he made now could determine Zhou Wan’s fate.

  The Dawn Organization wasn’t afraid of Wu Yan knowing, but they didn’t want anyone else near the chemical pnt.

  This could mean one of two things: either Wu Yan was part of Dawn, or they were confident that anyone approaching the pnt would be spotted, even if Wu Yan knew about it.

  The western suburbs, unlike other areas, had been cleared of forests years ago to build factories for the city’s GDP. Later, to protect the environment, most factories were demolished, leaving only an abandoned chemical pnt.

  Now, the western suburbs were mostly ft pins, meaning Dawn must have ?Flying-type Pokémon to monitor anyone approaching the pnt.

  Wu Yan couldn’t possibly be part of Dawn. If he were, he’d have had countless opportunities to capture all three of them and force them to reveal the Z-Crystal’s location.

  Moreover, Su Chuan had said the Dawn Organization had been crippled. If they could still infiltrate someone like Wu Yan, then the Pokémon League might as well pack up and go home.

  After careful consideration, Su Wen expined the whole situation to Wu Yan.

  “You guys,” Wu Yan said, his face full of astonishment, “are something else. At fifteen, you’re doing things I wouldn’t dare at fifty. Your dad told you what Dawn is capable of, and yet you’re still pying with fire.”

  “Teacher Wu, we can talk about this ter. We only have an hour. The priority now is saving Zhou Wan,” Chen You said anxiously.

  Wu Yan straightened up. “Buckle up. You two guide the way. We’ll get the Z-Crystal first and figure things out as we go. Chen You, call the League and report this.”

  With that, Wu Yan smmed on the accelerator, and the car shot forward like a wild horse.

  “What I don’t get is how they pn to leave Xia safely after taking the Z-Crystal,” Su Wen muttered to himself.

  Though Yun City was near the coast, the coastline was heavily guarded. Two hours might not be enough to mobilize Elite-level trainers, but it was enough to tighten border security and prevent anyone from escaping.

  Then it hit him.

  “By water!” Su Wen excimed, smming his thigh.

  The chemical pnt’s waste pipes led directly to the sea. If they had a Pokémon that knew ?Dive, they could easily escape Xia by water.

  Wu Yan realized it too and panicked. “None of my Pokémon are Water-type, let alone know Dive. Chen You, tell the League to send more Water-type trainers to guard the harbor.”

  No wonder Dawn wasn’t worried about Wu Yan knowing. Even with his powerful Pokémon, if he couldn’t block their escape by water, he’d be useless outside the pnt.

  Chen You had already contacted the Yun City Pokémon League. Hearing it was reted to Dawn, the League was immediately on high alert.

  But an hour was too short. The League was in chaos, and the director, Wang, wished he could bash his head against a wall.

  The sudden appearance of the secret realm was bad enough, and now Dawn was causing trouble again. Wang was seriously considering early retirement—his heart couldn’t take this.

  “Mobilize all avaible Water-type and Flying-type trainers! Head to the western suburbs immediately! Contact customs and have them guard the waterways. If Dawn escapes, we’re all done for!” Wang barked orders.

  The chemical pnt wasn’t close. Even with Wu Yan driving like a maniac, by the time Su Wen retrieved the Z-Crystal and arrived at the pnt, only about five minutes remained.

  The electronic screen outside the pnt lit up, showing Zhou Wan tied to a chair, with a figure in a full-body disguise standing beside her.

  Suddenly, the figure spoke, and a synthesized voice echoed outside the pnt: “Heh, thought you’d bail and keep the Z-Crystal for yourselves. Let Su Wen come in alone. Teacher Wu, stay back—you scare me.”

  Chen You got out of the car with Su Wen and shouted at the screen, “Can I come in too?”

  Su Wen kicked him. “Are you crazy? I’ll go in alone.”

  Chen You stayed silent, his eyes fixed on the camera beside the screen.

  “Heh, what a sickening dispy of brotherly love. Fine, come in together,” the bck-cd figure mocked.

  Knowing he couldn’t shake Chen You off, Su Wen nodded to Wu Yan and entered the pnt with Chen You.

  As they walked, Su Wen whispered, “Don’t react to what I say. Stay close to me. He doesn’t seem to care about us, which means he’s confident in his strength. That corner’s a blind spot—attach Rotom to your phone.”

  Chen You’s face remained expressionless, but he subtly drew a circle on Su Wen’s back to acknowledge the pn.

  Inside the pnt, apart from the bck-cd figure and Zhou Wan, who was frantically signaling them to leave, there was another person in a trench coat leaning against a pilr, with a ?Cloyster at his feet.

  Using his Aura, Su Wen sensed the Cloyster’s power—it had recently broken through to Elite level, with over a dozen moves, including ?Dive.

  “Stop looking. Hand over the Z-Crystal, and you can take Zhou Wan with you,” the bck-cd figure urged.

  Su Wen turned his gaze away and smirked. “You dare kidnap Zhou Wan but won’t show your face? ?Qiu Kun!”