Pokémon, Ash is going to become a perfect man from now on.

The next morning, Ash received news that the Saint Anne had docked, so he took Blue with him to see it for the first time.

As for Xiaogang, he tactfully indicated that he didn't want to be a third wheel.

However, Ash wasn't actually going to buy tickets; he just wanted to see if he could run into the main character and get a few free tickets.

Luxury cruise tickets aren't cheap. Although Xiaozhi could afford them, he couldn't keep being ripped off knowing the ship was going to sink...

It's more like giving it away for free~

However, to their surprise, when they arrived at the port of Kuye, they found that a large area near Saint Anne had been cleared out, and many people had even put up a cordon!

During this time, many people with ticket stubs came forward to argue, but in the end, they were all sent away.

Xiao Zhi also spotted Jasmine, who was there to gather inspiration, in the crowd. She looked just as listless as Jasmine.

"Jasmine, what exactly happened here?" Ash asked as he approached.

"They said the cruise ship had a malfunction and needed repairs, and basically no one was allowed to get close," Jasmine said helplessly. "I came here early this morning, wanting to draw a picture of it entering the port, but I was stopped and turned away."

"Troubleshooting?" Ash frowned upon hearing this. "The ship was docked perfectly fine, why does it suddenly need maintenance?"

"Who knows, the ship's staff have already started processing refunds, but many of those who received the vouchers are not happy about it and are even saying they will wait here until the Sant'Annu operating company gives them an explanation."

At this point, Jasmine shrugged indifferently: "I don't really care about that anymore, I just wonder what can be drawn from a kilometer away..."

"If your eyesight isn't good enough, you can make up for it with equipment!" Xiao Lan immediately seized the opportunity to say, and actually pulled out a strangely shaped 'telescope' from her backpack!

"I highly recommend this inspection scope that I personally modified. In addition to the standard 8x scope, it also features photography and video recording, infrared imaging, and night vision capabilities. It can even detect special force fluctuations... If you're interested, I can sell it to you at a relatively favorable price..."

"Cough cough~"

"Alright, I'll lend it to you for free." Hearing Xiaozhi's light cough, Xiaolan turned her head and made a face, then shoved the inspection mirror directly into Jasmine's hand.

"This...can you really lend it to me directly?" Jasmine was still a little confused.

"Just take it. Xiao Lan was just joking," Xiao Zhi explained with a smile. "If you can really draw a beautiful picture, remember to let us admire it."

"Okay, if you like them, I'll draw a few more for you~" Hearing what Xiaozhi said, Jasmine happily put away her inspection mirror, said goodbye, and went to find a place to peek at Xiaozhi's paintings.

"Did you make that inspection mirror yourself?" Ash asked curiously after Jasmine left.

He was all too familiar with the thing that Xiao Lan took out; it was definitely the Silver Observation Mirror, the key tool for seeing ghosts in Lavender Town!

"Yes, I bought the telescope at Yuhong Department Store, and then collected some parts myself to make this thing." Xiao Lan nodded. "I'm also planning to sell the prototype and patent to Silver Company if it works perfectly after testing."

"So... you really did give the inspection mirror to Jasmine on purpose."

“Of course!” Blue winked at Ash. “It would be troublesome and a waste of time for us to monitor that ship. It would be better to ask her to keep watch while she’s drawing. As for us, we should definitely keep an eye out for anything that might appear in Vermilion City lately!”

"The extra stuff... could it be?!" In that instant, Ash seemed to understand something.

The sudden announcement of the St. Anne's malfunction is certainly not without reason, and both Xiao Lan and Xiao Zhi are well aware of this.

Xiao Lan clearly realized that the ship was likely trying to smuggle some items out of the ship while it was docked there.

As for Ash, it once again brought to mind storylines outside of the main anime.

According to the special manga, Lt. Surge is actually a member of Team Rocket and the mastermind behind the St. Anne.

This ship appears to be a tourist cruise ship, but in reality, it is secretly transporting Pokémon poached by Team Rocket!

In the original anime series, the ship is now under the control of Team Rocket. They distribute a large number of invitation tickets to lure more people aboard and then steal Pokémon from the tourists!

So... does this mean the ship is really full of poached and smuggled Pokémon?!

The more Xiaozhi analyzed it this way, the more convinced he became that he was right.

But he has no way to verify it now. A cordon has been set up for a kilometer around the cruise ship, and even a temporary wall has been erected, making it completely airtight.

Ash's aura can't cover such a long distance yet, so he can't detect what's inside the ship, and therefore he doesn't dare to make any rash moves.

Reality is different from the original story. If his rash actions lead to the Pokémon on the ship being injured or even dying innocently, it will definitely become a stain on Ash's life!

"It's alright, the real show is just beginning." Seemingly sensing Ash's impatience, Blue suddenly grabbed his hand. "No secrets stay hidden forever. As long as we keep a close eye on them, we're sure to find a flaw!"

"Blue...you're right, the real show is just beginning~" Encouraged by the girl beside him, Ash smiled confidently again.

Based on Xiao Lan's guess, we can deduce that Saint Anne will definitely smuggle the Pokémon out of the ship during its stop... As long as Xiao Zhi and his friends keep a close eye on these people, they will eventually find an opportunity!

...

Back at the Pokémon Center, Ash and Blue were about to discuss their plans when Brock rushed over.

"Does Nanami-neechan need something?" After hearing Brock's infatuated message, Ash dialed Professor Oak's lab number with some skepticism.

However, after contacting Nanami, she told Ash that she had teleported the giant Onix to Sakuragi's lab.

"Why?" Ash asked, puzzled. "Onix was doing just fine in the lab, why would it be reported elsewhere?"

"Because Professor Sakuragi over there is also very interested in it. And the research at the Sakuragi Research Institute is quite unique, so you can take this opportunity to visit it," Nanami explained with a laugh over the phone.

"But, suddenly I have to visit Sakuragi's lab or something..."

"Ash, go take a look." Nanami's gentle expression carried a hint of unspoken concern. "You haven't seen Onix in a long time... I know you've always been reluctant to trade Pokémon, so I talked to Professor Sakuragi. When you're active in Vermilion City, you can temporarily store any extra Pokémon with him."

"Well... okay, thank you, Nanami-neechan." After ending the call, Ash fell into deep thought.

Nanami must have discovered something...

Chapter 47 Sakuragi Lab, Gengar Causing Trouble

In the dead of night at Kuye Port, the boy kept a close watch on the huge cruise ship docked in the harbor, vigilantly refusing to miss the slightest clue.

His enemies were also quite cautious, waiting until late at night before the roar of engines finally broke the silence.

"Are they using a car to transport Pokémon... It's a shame we lost track of them."

Unfortunately, Ash isn't a professional spy, and he doesn't have any Pokémon skilled in reconnaissance, so long-distance tracking is already a challenge for him.

But if he were to unleash his Dragonite to chase after him, it would be far too conspicuous.

Helpless, he could only let the other party's vehicle disappear into the dark alley after a series of twists and turns.

"Tch, next time I'll keep watch from underwater." Ash thought to himself, maybe he could try using Squirtle tomorrow night.

I hope they haven't set up any outposts in the sea, so I can advance underwater and get as close as possible to the cruise ship to assess their situation...

However, even though Ash's start was unsuccessful, his opponent was not having an easy time either.

Since it was the first day of delivery, they weren't very well prepared, and in order to avoid being noticed, they drove very fast.

While passing through a bumpy section of road, several small cages were accidentally thrown out.

...

"Let's go visit Professor Sakuragi."

The following afternoon, after catching up on sleep and calming down after the failed operation the previous night, Xiaozhi took Xiaolan and Xiaogang to Sakuragi Lab.

To be honest, Ash didn't particularly want to go to that place.

After all, no one can be sure what other things might be in that research institute besides normal people.

But Ash couldn't ignore what Nanami said.

He knew that the other party must have discovered that he was blocking the network of the Poké Ball, which was why they immediately brought up Sakuragi Lab to cover for him.

Ash's Pokédex is set to Oak's lab, so when he travels, he can only carry a maximum of six Pokémon with him. If he exceeds the Pokédex, an alarm will sound and he will be automatically teleported away.

In reality, the area of ​​ownership covers the entire town. Therefore, if the area of ​​ownership is temporarily changed to Sakuragi Lab, Ash can legitimately bring all his Pokémon with him when he is active in Vermilion City.

This is Nanami's kind intention, and Ash doesn't want to let her down.

Sakuragi Research Institute is located on a small hill in Konoha City. It was originally an old mansion, which was later bought by Dr. Sakuragi and converted into a research institute.

Walking up the cobblestone path, when Ash and his friends arrived at the entrance of the research institute, Professor Sakuragi was already waiting there.

"Xiao Zhi, welcome."

The refined and cultured middle-aged professor warmly greeted him and shook hands with Xiaozhi formally, showing no disrespect because he was only a ten-year-old child.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Professor Sakuragi."

Ash quickly and politely greeted them, also introducing Blue and Brock... Of course, Brock's infatuation with the beautiful researcher Kikuna will be omitted here~

After the group got to know each other, Professor Sakuragi gave Satoshi a tour of the research institute, but it was just a general introduction to some instruments and research directions.

He hadn't originally planned to discuss any academic topics with the three children, but seven out of ten of his sentences were related to Professor Oak.

This is perfectly normal. Professor Sakuragi was once Professor Oak's student, so he naturally knows the power behind Ash.

"After chatting for so long, you must be eager to see your Onix, right? It's in the park behind here."

After a quick look around, Professor Sakuragi took Ash directly to Sakuragi Park behind the research institute.

Although it's called a park, it's actually a huge area covered by a dome, where Professor Sakuragi has created different natural environments for various Pokémon to live in.

Xiao Zhi admires this.

Creating such a diverse environment, which combines rocky mountains, sand dunes, forests, and flowing water, would be incredibly expensive, but Pokémon would undoubtedly love it.

For example, Ash's Onix is ​​now lying next to the rocky mountain in the very center of the park, occupying the most open and conspicuous position.

"Woo!" Upon seeing Ash, Onix immediately roared joyfully, which startled the entire park, causing almost all the Pokémon to hide in a flash.

"Strange...Are the Pokémon here so shy?"