A water-type trainer who specializes in dragon-type water.

In the real world, in the eastern suburbs of Shanghai, this is the only route to the designated transfer point.

The specially designed armored prison van was driving smoothly on the highway late at night.

The trees lining the road cast fleeting shadows under the headlights, and in the distance, the outlines of industrial parks and logistics warehouses were scattered, their lights sparse.

This area is now a semi-rural area of ​​Shanghai. While it's not exactly deserted, it's much quieter than the city center.

According to the leaked route, the convoy will pass through a side road next to a small ecological park, a relatively secluded area with slightly complicated road conditions, considered an "easy ambush" location.

"We are about to enter the designated area. All vehicles, be on high alert." The calm command from the squad leader of the lead vehicle came through the intercom inside the prison van.

Inside the carriage, the smiles on the faces of the elite officers disguised as security guards vanished, and their eyes sharpened.

The other real security guards also instinctively gripped their gun handles tighter.

Zhang Heng pretended that Liao Tianhao was hanging his head and remaining silent as if resigned to his fate, but the rudimentary form of the Super Counter Force had already quietly expanded, and he and his companions remained highly vigilant!

Liao Tianhao remained seated, even under hypnosis.

Everything seemed normal. The convoy drove onto the side road next to the ecological park, where the road narrowed, flanked by dense green belts and the shadows of trees further away.

Sudden--

"Puff puff……"

A very faint, muffled sound, like a giant bubble bursting underwater, came from the ground below the convoy, followed by the strange sound of tires rolling over some unusually soft, sticky substance.

“Squeak——!!!”

A sharp, ear-piercing screech of brakes suddenly erupted! The entire car lurched violently forward!

It wasn't that the driver braked actively; rather, the wheels suddenly got stuck on some extremely soft, almost quicksand-like surface, losing all grip and forward momentum!

"Report! The road surface ahead has become abnormally soft! It's suspected to be due to interference from Ground-type or Ghost-type moves! The vehicle cannot proceed!" The driver's urgent voice came through the communicator.

"Attention everyone, proceed according to the plan!" The squad leader of the guards inside the prison van—a middle-aged man with a resolute face—stood up abruptly. His voice was steady and powerful, without the slightest hint of panic, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

"Team One, Team Two, disembark and establish a perimeter! Team Three, stay behind the vehicle! Move out!"

"Received *7!"

A unified and resounding response rang out inside the carriage.

Apart from the two who remained behind, the other six guards moved with the speed of cheetahs, almost simultaneously opening the emergency exits on both sides of the carriage and leaping out in single file!

The moment they landed, they spread out in tactical formation, back to the prison van, their gun barrels and eyes scanning the dark green belts and woods in all directions with vigilance.

"Come out!" the squad leader shouted, as he and the other team members simultaneously threw out their Poké Balls.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang..."

A series of rapid, short bursts of Poké Ball activation sounds rang out in the silent night sky!

Streaks of white light, like the fleeting bloom of an ephemeral night-blooming cereus, flashed around the prison cart!

Arcanine, majestic and imposing, with a mane of flames surrounding its body.

The Röntgen cat has eyes as sharp as lightning, capable of seeing through illusions.

A large, agile wolfhound with sharp claws and teeth.

There was even a small, exquisite flower-themed ring, surrounded by a healing floral fragrance and a shimmering halo, which quickly flew to the shoulder of a team member, ready to provide healing support at any time.

This is a standard elite combat squad configuration that combines offense, defense, and logistics. Six people and six Pokémon instantly formed a tight defensive line around the stopped prison van.

However, the expected scenario of the enemy directly appearing and launching an attack did not occur.

Their response was a deathly silence, and... a series of chilling "rustling... whispering..." sounds coming from all directions through the green belts, bushes, and shadows of the trees.

The sounds were dense and chaotic, like countless feet dragging along fallen leaves and grass, mixed with the rubbing of clothes, barely audible sobs, and meaningless hoarse sounds coming from throats.

"Watch out! Something's approaching!"

One of the team members growled and shone his powerful flashlight into the nearest bush.

The beam of light pierced the darkness, but the scene it revealed made all the well-trained team members feel a sudden chill run down their spines!

Human figures. Many, many human figures.

They emerged from the edge of the woods, from the park path, from the nearby alleyway... as if sleepwalking, staggering and unsteady on their feet.

There were elderly people in pajamas, with gray hair and wrinkled faces; little girls clutching tattered dolls with vacant eyes; young people in convenience store uniforms who seemed to have just finished their night shifts; and middle-aged couples walking with faltering steps…

They formed a loose but steadily advancing line, moving slowly and resolutely toward the location of the prison van.

Everyone's eyes were rolled upwards, revealing large areas of white, which reflected an eerie and chilling light under the bright flashlight beam.

Their facial muscles were stiff, their mouths were slightly open, and unconscious drool was even dripping from the corners of their mouths. They did not respond to the bright lights or the guards' shouts.

But a chilling "ho...ho..." sound kept emanating from his throat.

"Damn it! They're residents from nearby! They've been apprehended!"

The squad leader gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. One of his worst fears had come true—the enemy was using innocent civilians as human shields and vanguards!

"Captain! What do we do? They...they're not the enemy!"

A young team member's voice trembled slightly, and his gun lowered instinctively. For them, protecting the people was their sacred duty, but pointing their guns at those they controlled was a psychological barrier that was difficult to overcome.

But an even more heartbreaking scene was yet to come.

The residents, who approached like zombies, stiffly and almost uniformly pulled their Poké Balls from their pockets, backpacks, and even pajamas pockets when they were about thirty meters away from the warning circle.

Their movements were clumsy and slow, yet carried an undeniable resolve.

“Wake up…” A team member watched as an elderly woman, who was being controlled, tremblingly raised a Poké Ball, her eyes filled with pity.

"Bang! Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang bang bang—!!!"

The sound of Poké Balls activating was more frequent and louder than before, like popping beans coming one after another!

Dozens of white lights flashed wildly in front of the line of residents! The blinding light almost merged into one, illuminating the area as bright as day!

As the light faded, the scene became even more chaotic and heartbreaking.

Dozens of Pokémon of various shapes and sizes appeared around their controlled masters.

A little horse with a tail that burns with a faint flame, its eyes filled with worry as it looks at its young master.

Eevee was circling around a little girl who stood there blankly, making anxious whimpering noises.

There were hyenas standing in front of the old man, baring their teeth and growling despite their fear.

There was a trumpet bud that tried to gently wrap its vine around its owner's wrist, hoping to wake him up.

And there's Bobo, anxiously circling in the air, emitting a clear chirping sound...

Many of these Pokémon are not designed for battle, their levels are generally low, and they are mostly home-based companions, with some even being just babies.

But the emotional bond between them and their trainers is real. They can clearly sense their trainer's unusual mental state, the worry, anxiety, and helplessness that permeate all Pokémon.

They circled around their owner, rubbing against him and calling out, trying to awaken his blinded soul.

However, the next moment, all the controlled residents, as if pulled by the same invisible thread, began to tremble violently and in unison.

The strange, inhuman syllables squeezed out of the throat eventually coalesced into a cold, rigid, and unyielding command:

"attack……!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a heavy hammer, striking hard into the hearts of all the Pokémon and the guards.

"Ouch——!"

"Beep!"

"Ouch!"

"Wang!"

Despite the confusion, worry, and even resistance, the obedience to the trainer's commands, which is ingrained in the Pokémon's nature, overwhelmed everything at the moment when the trainer was forced to give the order!

Charmander's tail flames shot up with a "boom"; Eevee's body glowed with a Normal-type white light; a fierce glint flashed in Pyogre's eyes; Bellsprout's mouth on its back glowed; Pidgey swooped down, its wings gathering Flying-type energy...

Dozens of Pokémon, each with different attributes and varying strengths, were forced into battle stance at this moment!

A chaotic yet vast amount of attribute energy began to flicker and surge erratically in front of the residents' line!

A chaotic energy field, mixed with sadness, anger, and helplessness, surged like an invisible wave towards the escort team of only six people, who were on high alert but caught in a huge moral dilemma.

On one side are hundreds of innocent residents who may be controlled and their partners who are forced to fight; on the other side are the prison vans and missions that must be protected.

Shoot? Or let it get closer?

The helmeted man and the Eighth Divine Fiend, hiding in the rift in the spirit world, coldly observed the cruel yet effective drama of "human dilemma" that he had personally directed below.