"——One more round!"
Yoshikawa snapped back from his daze, unwilling to accept defeat.
This loss wasn't just about losing a tooth. Failing to complete the first task and not reclaiming the territory would mean he had no future in front of Chester!
"Let me knock out your teeth first."
Baimu avoided the topic, just locking his target without relenting.
Yoshikawa was seething, gnashing his teeth in anger. If all his teeth were knocked out, how much fighting strength would he have left, and who could he rely on for the next duel?
The group of lackeys behind him that only knew how to cheer him on?
Forget it!
Or maybe... they could let the lackeys fight each other; there might be a chance of winning!
Baimu's underwhelming recruits from the training class had no fighting power whatsoever; he knew this well.
Yoshikawa's thoughts raced like a person falling off a cliff clutching at straws, latching onto this point, "You have to promise me another round!"
Yes!
He had to find a way to make Baimu agree to let the lackeys fight each other!
"Are you trying to back out?"
Baimu frowned, seeing Yoshikawa's face flush with anger and his breath coming in gasps, thinking he must be driven mad, said slowly: "We didn't say we could have another match before the competition. Are you trying to break the rules?"
"On Copper Mill Street, our Crystal Team is the rule!"
The latter was already losing face, ignoring the jeers from other group members, clenching his fist, "Are you going to fight or not? If not, I'll leave, and your big brother's face will be completely lost!"
Idiot.
Now backing out in public, not only have I restored Liu Ge's honor, but you've also lost your big brother's honor.
Baimu silently mocked, with so many spectators and him being the winner, clearly, it was the backtracking Yoshikawa who was becoming the laughingstock.
But this guy was determined to reclaim the territory, willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goal.
The laughter of others might only be fuel for his silent endurance.
Quite absurd.
He couldn't help but show a peculiar smile, saying: "Really? These are rules set by the boss, are you not even putting the boss in your eyes?"
The latter shouted in madness:
"Boss? Besides Chester, what other crap—"
Before the words were out, two lackeys sprang forward in horror, desperately covering Yoshikawa's mouth.
"Big brother! Shh! You can't say that!"
"He's setting you up!"
Yoshikawa initially struggled for a bit but quickly realized that Baimu's 'boss' wasn't referring to what he understood as Cang Zhilang or Liu Ge, but the one at the very top.
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
Yoshikawa glanced around and immediately noticed some people giving him strange looks, inevitably mentioning his disrespect towards the boss in hushed whispers.
One must know that in the Quicksand Team, the boss is like a god. They could engage in internal strife and confront other forces, thriving like this, all due to the boss's immense strength and terrifying connections in Silicon City.
Even the mayor of Pyrite Town must show the boss some respect.
These small fries owed their current status to the boss, so anyone who dared speak ill of the boss would face dire consequences.
"You set me up!"
Yoshikawa vented his anger on Baimu.
"Don't slander the good guys! Everyone heard it. It's only you who's being unreasonable, refusing to admit the wager. Who heard me set you up?"
The latter tilted his head and chuckled, casually waving his hand, "Alright, I'm too lazy to argue with you any further, Mawile."
"Chee-doo!"
A sharp exclamation.
Mawile suddenly turned into a shadow and appeared in front of Yoshikawa, without using any moves, but that iron fist landed hard on his cheek.
Bang!
"Big brother!"
Yoshikawa and his two lackeys couldn't react in time.
The Shuckle that had saved him earlier was still asleep, utterly unprepared for the attack, its head lolling to the side with half of its cracked teeth mixed with blood, falling from its mouth.
"Poof!"
He hung his head, dazed from the nerve-wracking blow.
"Make sure to tell Yoshikawa, I've taken half his teeth, and I'll come back for the rest someday."
Baimu looked at the infuriated and wary Crystal Team members, smiling indifferently, then glanced at the trembling bosses, patted Mawile's head, and said to Cheng Hong and the others: "Let's go."
Cheng Hong and the others exchanged a glance.
"Let's go!"
"A sweeping victory!"
"Someone's going to be in big trouble!"
They shouted and hollered, while the nearby bosses turned paler by the moment.
Things had gotten to this point, something the bosses neither wanted nor dared to witness, but the die was cast. Baimu, despite his youth, was so ruthless and decisive, riding the fence was no longer an option.
Recalling the conditions Baimu offered earlier—
Double the amount.
They couldn't help but shiver.
——
After the dispersal.
Baimu cautioned Cheng Hong and the others that the Crystal Team might cause trouble recently, reminding them not to face problems alone and to inform him promptly.
"There might be some plot at hand. Delaying might let them succeed."
"Understood!"
"Got it!"
Faced with the gleeful response of the group, he swung onto the motorcycle, with Mawile eagerly hopping into the sidecar, "Right, you guys take these."
Baimu handed over the envelopes he had taken from the bosses earlier.
The crowd exchanged glances, none stepping forward to take them.
"What's wrong? Take it! Do you want me to stand here awkwardly with my arm outstretched?" He waved the envelope, eventually handing it to Cheng Hong.
Cheng Hong scratched his head awkwardly, "We all said we'd offer tribute to big brother, we planned to turn these envelopes over to you. Instead, you handed your share to us."
"No need, I'm not short of this couple hundred thousand. You guys need this money more."
Baimu glanced around, "Training consumes quite a lot in a month, right? I guess the upgrade reward is almost gone, take this money.
"You can use it to improve your living conditions or to enhance Pokémon strength. But I hope you don't waste it on frivolous things—though it's okay to play a bit when you have money."
The dazzling world presents many temptations for those starved of entertainment means; even a glimpse today is enough to captivate them entirely.
"I'll periodically test your and your Pokémon's combat strength. Alright, I'm off to report."
Baimu lingered no more, revving the throttle, heading towards the Sand Group's base.
Leaving behind a group of youths clustered around the pile of envelopes, discussing how to divide them.
Underground City.
The familiar office.
Baimu once more met Liu Ge and Gliscor.
But before he could speak, his good brother took the initiative: "Well done, the territories in District One and Two have been thoroughly stabilized."
"...As long as you are satisfied."
He nodded, knowing the other's 'foreknowledge' was normal; who didn't have a pair of eyes on the surface?
Mastering the world's affairs without stepping from the house, and thus scheming grand strategies, is a basic skill of a leader.
And determining which piece of information is distorted is another matter entirely.
"Don't worry about Yoshikawa, it's not his place to seek revenge on you," Liu Ge took a casual sip of tea, "I've been inactive for too long, one or two all think I've disappeared. Take a break during this period; just wait and see."
Baimu's eyes widened slightly, "——Understood!"