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Sato spent more than half an hour on his free breakfast, which consisted of a hefty piece of dry bread and a bottle of milk. By the time he finished, it was already a little past nine.
"It's time. It should be busier now," he thought, swallowing the last piece of bread and finishing off the milk, glancing at the time displayed on his Team Rocket watch.
In fact, the public market had opened at nine, but since most Team Rocket members had daily tasks, there weren't many people there early in the morning.
The strength of Team Rocket came from its vast resources, as they owned many businesses across numerous cities, most of which employed Team Rocket members.
In reality, the number of actual combat personnel in Team Rocket was not large; most members served in logistical roles. After all, Team Rocket members were human too and needed to eat, and building armed forces consumed substantial resources. Without sufficient logistical support, they would be left to fend for themselves.
While many might think that dark organizations acquire resources solely through plunder, that misconception is flawed. Plunder is one of the lowest forms of resource collection. Most dark forces, including Team Rocket, excel at creating and nurturing resources alongside any plundering they might do.
For example, the Silver Company, controlled by Team Rocket, the Rainbow Casino, and the amusement park for giant Pokémon created by Sakaki from the anime, all represent lucrative ventures cultivated by Team Rocket.
Currently, Team Rocket's industries were very diversified. Collecting protection fees from the black market was just a small part of their economic sources. The hidden industries operating under the sun were their primary income generators.
This is why Team Rocket's power was so formidable; even the Pokémon League dared not provoke them lightly. Team Rocket had firmly established itself within the League, and if the League attempted to uproot them, it would incur significant damage and possibly cause societal upheaval.
However, due to the sheer number of industries, Team Rocket needed a vast amount of manpower. It was always safer to use their own people, and they also had to compete with the League and other dark forces (operating in competition, engaging in sabotage), leading to significant personnel losses.
Thus, Team Rocket faced a tight situation regarding human resources, which was a key reason they continuously sought to train new recruits. They placed particular emphasis on cultivating top-tier combat personnel.
After all, human resources are the most valuable asset. If even one new recruit turned out to be a top-tier trainer, it would help expand Team Rocket's territory.
In summary, Team Rocket doesn't keep idle members. Nearly every member has assigned tasks to complete daily. This is especially true for logistical personnel, whose work is considerably heavier compared to combat personnel.
Of course, personnel rotation within Team Rocket is quite reasonable. As long as they complete their designated workload, they can finish their shifts early.
At this time, just past nine, it was when Team Rocket members were switching shifts and resting. In the time remaining before the next meal, there would be more people active in the public market within the base.
After placing his tray in the designated area, Sato left the cafeteria alone, making his way to the public market according to the base route map he remembered from yesterday. In fact, the public market was very close to the cafeteria, but due to his limited access, he had to take a longer route.
On the way, Sato saw many Team Rocket members. When he encountered them, he stepped aside to let them pass, as it was customary for lower-ranked members to give way to those of higher rank. If they were direct superiors and subordinates, they had to bow respectfully.
"Wow, someone figured out to come to the public market so quickly! What's your name, newcomer? What Pokémon do you have? By the way, who's your instructor?" As Sato Kaede was about to enter the public market, a female Team Rocket member dressed in a captain's uniform stopped him.
In Team Rocket, personnel are typically ranked as follows: Grunts, Squad Leaders, Platoon Leaders, Battalion Leaders, Elites, Cadres, Senior Cadres, Regional Commanders, and Leaders.
Currently, the highest authority at the underground base in Pewter City was a cadre named Hina, who was a subordinate of Apollo, the regional commander of the northeastern Kanto region.
The captain who stopped Sato was a mature woman, tall and curvaceous, with particularly prominent features. She had long, curly pink hair and was wearing light makeup, showcasing a certain mature charm (her appearance was reminiscent of the older female thief from the anime).
"Hello, Captain. My name is Sato Kaede. The Pokémon I just received is Zubat, and my instructor is Caesar," he replied, lifting his head slightly and speaking with a calm demeanor despite her higher rank.
Upon hearing Sato Kaede's response and seeing his youthful, unruffled expression, the mature captain's amber eyes revealed a hint of surprise, and she looked at him with newfound interest.
"Little brother, don't you think I'm pretty? You're not reacting much at all, which is rather uncute," she said playfully after a few seconds. Seeing him remain unmoved, she leaned in, trapping him against the wall, and spoke in a seductive tone.
Clearly, Sato's nonchalance caused the confident captain to question her allure.
Nearby, some passing Team Rocket members showed envy on their faces, wishing to replace Sato, while women quickly turned their heads and left, murmuring phrases like "shameless."
The captain, Miyamoto Sakura, was 26 years old and had been in Team Rocket for six years. Like Sato, she came from a humble background, but through her efforts, she had risen to the rank of a captain, commanding a platoon.
Despite her current friendly and alluring demeanor, she was known as the "thorny rose" in the Pewter City base and was one of the top platoon leaders in strength. Any Team Rocket member who dared to offend her faced severe punishment unless they outranked her.
Sato's indifference had successfully captured her attention, as she wanted to see if he truly was immune to her charm. She particularly disliked men who pretended to be unaffected.
In all honesty, if it had been another boy of Sato's age, faced with such tempting provocations from Miyamoto Sakura, he would likely have lost control. However, having lived two lives and died once, Sato had long learned to remain mostly unperturbed by beauty.
At the same time, he sensed a hint of deadly threat from Sakura, which extinguished any thoughts of her allure.
The enticing fragrance wafted toward him, and upon seeing her alluring figure again, he couldn't help but swallow slightly. Yet, he tried to maintain his usual calm expression, keeping his eyes steady and serene.
"Hmph, what an unappealing little brother you are. Here, take this. Consider it a welcome gift for being a newcomer. I have high hopes for you," she said after a few seconds, seeing that Sato still showed no reaction. With a resigned expression, she tossed something to him and continued walking away, swaying her hips.
Sato caught the item she threw and found it was a rose-red portable spotlight. A hint of joy flickered in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Thank you for the gift, it will be very useful to me. However, I believe in fair trade; may I ask your name? I'd like to purchase this spotlight at the price listed in the points exchange system," he called out to Sakura, who had already walked a short distance away.
Unfortunately, she ignored him and continued swaying her way forward, glancing back at him with a flirtatious smile before disappearing from his sight.