The event of Quicksand Team's rush on the Evil Dog Team's mining site quickly stirred up a commotion in Pyrite Town.
Although various powers in the town are mixed like a dragon and a snake.
But such large-scale conflicts have not occurred for a long, long time. Everyone is united in squeezing the poor to make money, determined to live in bigger houses, buy stronger Pokémon, and enjoy more advanced technology.
Even if there are struggles from time to time, most are limited to verbal spats and small-scale brawls, always ending in sitting down to talk.
In their eyes, the current battle of a thousand trainers between Quicksand Team and Evil Dog Team is incredible.
Is it necessary to make it so big?
Upon hearing that thousands of peripheral members were mobilized, there's a feeling that Quicksand Team is going insane.
Is it going to further evolve into a full-scale battle between the two great powers?
Hearing this news, the mayor of Pyrite Town felt uneasy, but his main concern was not how many would die in the conflict, but whether the targets for the next quarter and the quarter after could be met.
The output of these two powers is the largest in Pyrite Town. If any problem arises that prevents the target from being met, he will likewise be held accountable.
Therefore.
He contacted Yogo of the Quicksand Team immediately, harshly criticized the former, and expressed his hope that the Quicksand Team would stop here.
Unfortunately, once the arrow is on the string, it's impossible not to let it fly; it's no longer something they can stop even if they want to.
They fight, and Evil Dog Team won't stop either.
In response to the mayor's doubts, Yogo, as the temporary leader of the Quicksand Team, had long sought a legitimate reason for action.
"Those two mining sites belonged to Quicksand Team fifteen years ago, but during the restructuring and chaotic period, Evil Dog Team seized them by trickery. We're just taking back what's ours now."
The so-called righteous teacher does not answer to the bottom populace, yet they need an excuse to face queries from the same or higher classes.
As for whether the situation is as Yogo said, it has become very difficult to discern; the two forces have entangled for years, making many things indistinguishable.
The mayor symbolically agreed and immediately began to ask if the Quicksand Team could complete the target tasks next quarter.
Yogo naturally assured him positively.
Everyone was well aware of what the other was thinking.
Having received a definite response, the mayor quickly hung up the phone and sought out the person in charge on the Evil Dog Team —
The Evil Dog Team is now leaderless; even if one group leaves, it is in chaos, and no one answered his call for a time, leaving him frowning and sighing.
When he finally got in touch with a top cadre, that person couldn't give him a definite response.
The mayor was so angry he could grind his teeth, and could only change to asking what the situation was at the mining site.
Again, he could get no definite answer.
"No, someone must be sent to check it out; they can't be allowed to keep fighting like this." Thinking so, he quickly summoned subordinates to head over to the mining site outside of town.
However.
He didn't realize that as soon as the person he sent stepped out of the mayor's residence, someone followed quickly behind, attacking covertly and efficiently.
"Can't let you go and cause trouble…"
The attacker's face shifted bizarrely, turning into the likeness of the counterpart in an instant.
---
At the mining site.
A large number of miners were being transferred through secret passages to Pyrite Town, confusedly advancing under the yelling of peripheral members with a small amount of personal belongings.
Behind them were cartloads of mineral raw stones seized from the neighboring mine.
Under normal circumstances, floating trailers would be used for transportation, but under current emergency circumstances, there are no hands to spare for guarding the minerals, so moving everything back to Pyrite Town through secret passages is the solution.
Though cumbersome, the secret passage is rudimentary, narrow, cramped, and dark, inferior even to a normal mine shaft.
But it's unavoidable.
The Evil Dog Team's minerals have been hoarded for months, and Quicksand Team's minerals have accumulated as well, leaving no space in the warehouses.
Not to mention the large machinery present.
Disrupting normal operations at the mining site would result in loss —
Indeed.
Even in this urgent situation, where an enemy attack could happen at any moment, the mining site showed no sign of stopping, bustling with activity.
Cutting-edge technology-styled shovels, excavators, and other machinery roared like giant beasts baring their fangs and claws.
"Clunk—"
"You might not be their match now, but you should be able to beat them in the future."
Baimu patted Aggron's thick iron-clad arm. Despite Aggron's gentle and steady personality, as a naturally fierce Pokémon with a penchant for battling, it occasionally held a strong desire to fight.
Like now, eager to have a 1v1 "manly" showdown with the excavator to see if its strength is greater, or if the excavator's horsepower is superior.
Unfortunately, it was doused with cold water by the Trainer before even trying.
"Roar!"
Aggron swished its tail in dissatisfaction.
"Hahaha, alright. There will be a chance for you to compete with it in the future." Baimu consoled with a smile, though with a hint of worry hidden in his expression.
As a colossal Pokémon, the environment of a two-story house was increasingly cramped for it; everything it did felt restricted and constrained.
Moreover, ever since evolving, Aggron's territorial awareness began to awaken; daily, it would accompany Baimu like a king, patrolling the small house and sections one and two of Copper Mill Street.
Doing nothing and merely pacing back and forth tirelessly, as if viewing these areas as its territory.
Also, it noticeably disliked the lack of greenery in the environment of Pyrite Town, spurred on by a deeply ingrained instinct to plant greenery, coaxing Baimu often to buy saplings for planting.
Currently, Baimu Family's backyard not only holds two trees but has gained plenty of shrubs too.
Regarding the environment of sections one and two of Copper Mill Street, Aggron kept encouraging local business owners to plant trees — several people even obliged.
From these small actions, its longing for territory isn't hard to see.
Much like the Huaxia people's agrarian civilization drive to plant something when they see a good field, Aggron longs for a large territory.
In a casual chat, it revealed its desire —
This fellow wants a mountain.
A tall mountain where it can do as it pleases. Ideally, with minerals, but it doesn't really matter — it just wants it as its own.
Viewing Aggron's face from this perspective, its longing for the mining site isn't hard to see, hidden within its blue eyes is an intense emotion.
And wanting to contend with the excavator might mean it sees the machine as an encroaching outsider.
Though, in reality, Aggron is actually the outsider.
"—Baimu! Baimu!"
The sudden call snapped him out of his thoughts.
Turning around, Baimu saw the female driver who once took them to the charity event venue.
"It's time for shift change, gather your team and follow me; some will stay at the mining site, while others will disperse around to watch for attackers."
The female driver Terry wore a hearty smile.
"Terry, do you have any news from the other mining site? I'm eager to know what happened there." Baimu and Aggron approached her together.
"I don't know much about it."
Terry replied, "I heard others mention that the Evil Dog Team, led by their top cadre, defeated another large team — a lot of people probably died, but Lord Liu Ge's reinforcements arrived quickly. It's probably at a standstill now."
"… A lot of people died?"
"Yes, large-scale confrontations inevitably cause collateral damage. Especially when the opponent came furious, bloodshed was normal."
Terry, as if accustomed to it, said, "After a few more times, you won't be surprised."
A thousand-people "large" confrontation…
Baimu was speechless.
He didn't think that reaching this point would result in the Evil Dog Team and Quicksand Team fighting like kids, stopping at merely exchanging shouting and curses akin to singing mountain songs, but was contemplating the motives of Liu Ge and Flop.
If the current situation was orchestrated by them, what is their aim?
Assisting the Quicksand Team in unifying all of Pyrite Town?
Unlikely.
Sigh...
Question: If a superior is a spy, one even more traitorous than a conspirator next door, what should be done?
Waiting online, pretty urgent.