Outside the arena.
With Baimu taking down Jian on the big screen, the crowd went wild.
"Won? Really?"
"You didn't see it? This guy does have some skills."
"Yeah right, it was just a comeback thanks to Pokémon evolution. I could do it too."
"Heh, and was Jian's Obstagoon dropped from the sky?"
"Is this trash from the Evil Dog Team brainless! Such rotten command; first this, then that, and finally whatever, and they wouldn't have lost!"
"I say just rush over and stab that brat, really stupid."
"Can you fly? There are four Pokémon and thirty meters in between the two people!"
"Climb over the wall and go around!"
"You alright?"
The audience in Pyrite Town were frenetically discussing, judging the battle from various angles, some even getting into fights over it.
Ultimately.
Despite many concluding that they could do the same, very few truly underestimated Baimu.
After all, they believed in the principle of the victor being king, the loser a thief.
No matter how much praise, no matter how outstanding the achievements, if you get taken down, it all becomes empty cloud.
The one who survives to the end laughs last.
In the control room.
The leader of the Evil Dog Team, the black-faced man, had already stormed out after smashing the table, leaving behind Ayana laughing recklessly, drawing sideways glances from others.
The two organizations had been adversaries for years, with conflicts small and large numbering over a hundred, even cadres have died, much less squad leaders and ordinary members.
But it was the first time one side singly suffered such a severe setback, losing so much face.
Huh?
The ones Jian took down?
All just insignificant grunts, unable to recover the face the Evil Dog Team had lost.
Back at the base, the black-faced man was both angry and worried.
Jian was a talent highly regarded by the top cadres, dying in such a place would really be hard to account for, as the leader, he would inevitably bear the primary responsibility.
Heaven knows how much blood will be shed this time, if someone makes use of the situation, he might even face some discipline.
"Where's Huo Wu! Get her out to face me!"
The black-faced man shouted angrily, trying to find someone to share the blame.
Ultimately, Huo Wu did betray the Evil Dog Team, helping rival organization members successfully ambush the two.
A rear staff saw him getting angry, cautiously approached, hunched over, and said, "Sir, Huo Wu left on a motorcycle for an examination back at headquarters."
"Left!?"
The black-faced man widened his eyes, kicking the person to the ground, and gritted his teeth looking towards the Quicksand Team base not far away.
If not for the Aerial Rotom observing from the sky, he might have already gone over to kill them.
After thinking it over, he couldn't swallow this easily, so he took out the communicator to start contacting people inside.
"Big brother, you gotta think of a way to save me!"
As soon as the call connected, the black-faced man began to cry for help.
Silicon City.
Banquet hall.
Many distinguished guests talked quietly, their eyes occasionally sweeping towards the second floor.
Someone just splurged three million, giving it to the young man who had won on the big screen, if not for the second-floor host intervening to stop him, that person might have continued tipping.
The crowd couldn't help but be curious about the person called upstairs.
"Does anyone know who that is?"
"You don't know him? He's a famous mining tycoon in the Ore Region! He practically monopolizes the mineral import-export industry of the Ore Region!"
"Monopolizing import-export! That's a huge business!"
"I heard he has some family ties with Lord Ergin."
"One of us... no wonder."
The business owners all showed understanding expressions, looking at the second floor filled with envy.
Silicon City, being renowned as the largest city in the Ore Region, its mayor is almost akin to the King of Ore, his expansive influence makes countless people avoid him.
Perhaps only the group of strong Trainers at Battle Mountain can rival him.
Once the Pokémon Alliance formally establishes, Ergin will most probably smoothly serve as the chairperson of the alliance's executive committee.
To have ties with such a significant individual is truly enviable.
Second floor.
The man envied by many business owners was currently enduring Ergin's scolding.
"Tipping three million to just a commoner? What were you thinking? Is money blown by the wind, and you're wasting it like this!?"
"Because of trust, I handed the mineral business to you, and this is how you thank me?"
"You're no longer young, your son is almost twenty, your father left you with me many years ago, and you still act over something like this!"
"Go back and reflect properly! You're off the chairman position for now... forget it, I'll decide how to deal with you later, but I don't want to see this happen again, get out!"
After words reducing him to the lowest.
The man lowered his head with a response, concealing his indifferent demeanor, and walked down from the second floor.
Behind him came a throng comforting Ergin, with Ergin's iron-willed tone, it was as if he didn't hear it.
Having been alongside Ergin for years, the man knew well the elder's nearly pathological control desire, and insatiable greed for money.
Extremely face-conscious, yet incredibly stingy.
This could be seen from the general tipping amount being restricted, it can't surpass his, it was evident enough.
Had the man not had certain additional privileges, he wouldn't have accomplished something like tipping three million.
Undoubtedly.
The reason the man was called up and scolded, was because he hadn't left Ergin face, interrupting the latter's plan to shine.
After all.
Three million to them is just a drop in the ocean, the important thing is the man is tightly under control.
On the surface, he's a mining tycoon, the reality is many around are Ergin's direct line, controlling everything of his company, the authority he holds isn't much.
Sometimes, he's just a mascot.
Thus.
He knew well his standing wasn't high, and the offended Ergin, was likely already contemplating how to punish him.
Regret? No.
He had long been weary of many things, the moment he saw Baimu defeating Jian, a sudden rush of courage, prompted him to make certain decisions—
"To strive for a bright future for Shanren."
Thinking of his son soon returning from studying abroad, the man—Dennis realized he had nothing he wouldn't wager.
He looked again at Ergin on the second floor, retracting the sharpness in his eyes.
——
Inside the arena.
Baimu tried to stay in the shadows, occasionally hydrating.
He was very thankful Lairon is a Pokémon that doesn't need much water, otherwise he'd have to prepare more water pouches, adding to the burden.
The noon sun was too harsh.
Feeling the heat, he believed the temperature might be over forty-five degrees, the dusty ground so hot it could roast a person.
If Otsuka were just lying under the sun like that, he might suffer from heatstroke.
Do heatstrokes exist in the Pokémon World?
Baimu wasn't sure, and desperately hoped they didn't, fearing Otsuka might get burned into an idiot.
This kid wasn't very sharp to begin with.
"Dora!"
Lairon's call caught his attention.
Baimu leaned forward at the direction indicated by the former's raised head, and suddenly, beneath a giant rock, he saw a figure half hiding in shadow, half exposed to the sun.
Hmm.
It was indeed a person.
His eyesight was quite decent.