Chapter 1076: Club King Peng Peng

The narrow cave was in utter chaos.

Boluo roared, suddenly swinging his fist at Gousan Dog, but Baimu grabbed his collar and forcibly dragged him out of the cave.

"You're crazy! Do you really want to fight them to the death?"

In his other hand, the polyhedron phone transformed into several tentacles, tightly gripping the four scattered masks.

As the two left, a terrifying rumbling sound and continuous tremors came from inside the cave.

It turned out the enraged two treasure companions had launched indiscriminate attacks, with noisy smoke swirling back and forth, and rubble constantly falling.

He hesitated not a bit, turned back, and threw the ball.

"Rock Collapse! Block the cave entrance for me! Don't let them out!"

"Thud!"

The Super Armored Mad Rhino roared, slamming the ground with both arms, conjuring numerous boulders out of thin air that shot toward the cave!

Polygon Beast II lowered the four masks and similarly released lightning into the cave.

Zzz!!

Lightning exploded with a roar!

The two treasure companions attacked continuously, forcing Gousan Dog and Jizhi Chicken to barely dare to show their heads.

"Is the intensity really that high?"

Baimu frowned tightly.

The strength of the treasure companions might exceed his estimate.

For example, earlier in the cave, he found that using the "electric baton" completely failed to knock down Jizhi Chicken, immediately realizing this was no ordinary opponent that could be defeated by conventional means, and decisively brought Boluo to flee.

Even if he wanted to defeat the opponent single-handedly, human strength alone would likely be insufficient to beat these two fellows; he had to rely on Pokémon.

And in the narrow, cramped cave, not only could Gousan Dog and Jizhi Chicken not unleash their full power, but Polygon Beast II also could not, so they had to leave the cave.

Who would have thought Boluo would be so reckless, single-mindedly seeking a fight to the death with Gousan Dog?

You think you're Ash Ketchum!

Others have the "Cameraman" as a safety net for their fleshly resistance to techniques, but you, Boluo—

Damn it!

Turns out you were counting on him to be the safety net!

Baimu cursed under his breath, then pulled out several bombs from his pocket and hurled them toward the smoke-filled cave.

Only to see two crisp bangs, as golden mist and green mist mixed into the thick smoke.

The barking and crowing gradually faded.

"Where's Eguipeng?"

He looked toward Boluo, who was stumbling to his feet.

The two, usually inseparable, had actually split up? Could something else have happened elsewhere?

Boluo stammered: "Eguipeng... it, it's in the fields, there are magical beasts causing chaos..."

One person and one treasure companion lived in the remote wilderness, relying on the mountains for sustenance, barely scraping by.

To live better, Boluo deliberately cleared several mu of land, planting vegetables and fruit trees to eat.

A few minutes ago, the two habitually went out together to patrol, but unexpectedly discovered Eguipeng had found several "thieves" hiding underground.

Boluo immediately wanted to drive them off, but then suddenly realized this might be a feint to lure the tiger away from the mountain, and hurried back home to the cave behind the courtyard.

He just happened to collide head-on with Gousan Dog and Jizhi Chicken, who were stealing the masks.

What a fortuitous coincidence! As if destined by fate!

"You came back alone? What were you thinking?"

Baimu thought his own sneak attack was already reckless enough, but didn't expect Boluo to be even more reckless.

Boluo dared not argue, muttering incoherently.

Suddenly.

The two turned their heads, seeing the four masks on the ground enveloped in blue light, floating up and silently flying toward the grass.

Hidden in the grass was a lecherous monkey.

It resembled Gousan Dog and Jizhi Chicken, with similar purple chain-like elements on its body.

And the chains were extremely similar to the sticky cake that Tao Hainiang wanted to feed Baimu.

... Control ability?

As Baimu pondered, his body had already lunged toward the masks, snatching them all back.

Wishmonkey flew into a rage, baring its teeth and grinning, its eyes glowing.

"Squeak—"

Suddenly.

It froze in place, expression stiff, slowly turning its head back, its gaze happening to meet a pair of starry eyes.

"Poni~oh?"

Eguipeng darkened his face, his past innocence long gone, vanished without a trace, like the ghostly Johnny staring through the wall in *The Shining*, holding a staff wrapped in thorns.

"Squeak!"

Wishmonkey was shocked and terrified, hastily fleeing backward, its mind beginning to predict the future.

But how could Eguipeng be willing to let it go?

The thorn-vine staff rose, and he brought it down hard on Wishmonkey's skull!

"Poni—ni!!"

【Powerful Whip】!!

Bang!

Yuan Zengyuan was beaten until its eyeballs bulged, and it toppled over "asleep".

Even though it saw through its own future of getting beaten, Eguitong was too fast, so fast it had no way to dodge.

"Bonio!"

Eguitong lifted its stick huffing and puffing, and for a moment Baimu seemed to see fresh blood flowing on it...

An illusion?

When Eguitong ran out happily holding the stick, the clean surface of the staff inexplicably made him breathe a sigh of relief.

From the legends of Beishang Township learned from the future, the Treasure Companions ultimately fell under the ghost's clubs, using their lives to protect Beishang Township.

Yes.

Beaten to death!

One can see just how furious the Eguitong in the legends truly was.

Combined with the situation just now, it's not hard to see that the tragedy occurred because this brute Boluo suffered a mishap fighting two alone.

"Po~"

Eguitong looked at the four masks in Baimu's arms, then turned to look at the messy cave, and instantly understood everything.

Boluo stepped forward concernedly: "Eguitong, are you alright?"

He seemed afraid Eguitong might have an accident, crouching before it and looking at it concernedly.

However.

The one who should have something wrong is Yuan Zengyuan!

Baimu forcibly held back the urge to retort, looking at the giant rocks piled at the entrance, and the cave that had become deathly silent at some unknown time.

"They dug a hole and ran."

Duobian Beast II reminded.

Seeing the only exit blocked by the Super Armored Rhino, and strange smoke spreading into the cave.

Zanzan Dog had no choice but to flee deeper, taking Jizhi Chicken to dig a tunnel and escape.

"No matter, the monk can run but the temple can't!"

He had the Super Armored Rhino go catch the knocked-out Yuan Zengyuan, turned on the Duobian Phone's flashlight, and groped his way along its tracks back the way it came.

Eguitong looked in surprise at the glowing Duobian Phone, "Bonio?"

"The Great Venerable's Envoy is truly extraordinary..."

Boluo couldn't help but say.

He put on a mask himself, put a mask on Eguitong too, and looking at the remaining two masks, after hesitating, said to Baimu: "Envoy... would you and your partner like to try wearing masks..."

"No... hmm? That works too?"

Baimu thought he was going to give the masks to him again, and after hearing it wasn't that, agreed.

Among the remaining two masks, he chose the red Stove Mask, because it felt like a Fire Lion, with a sense of power burning blazingly.

Duobian Beast II didn't like it, and refused.

And compared to the previous two times when tracks were lost halfway, this time Yuan Zengyuan's tracks were quite clear.

Obviously there wasn't time to erase them.

However.

When they reached the end of the tracks, they still couldn't find any trace of Taodailang and them, the ground left with many messy dog paw prints.

"A step too late? Looks like they've already escaped."

Duobian Beast II made the judgment.

Baimu frowned, suddenly looking at the bushes not far away, and saw Guisitong who they'd met on the way up pop out.

"Xusi~"

Its jagged sharp claws pointed toward a certain direction down the mountain, as if reminding them.

Baimu was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Thanks! We're chasing!"

He led the group forward in the direction Guisitong pointed.

Duobian Phone puzzled: "You believe it? What if it's controlled by that guy, or made some kind of deal?"

"Control shouldn't be possible, whether that guy controls people or Pokemon, there'd be obvious traces on him. A deal... I don't think it would."

Baimu had a premonition.

In fact.

Guisitong really wasn't lying; in its view, although none of these guys were any good, among dwarfs it was the tallest.

Baimu who could give it honey to eat was naturally a cut above.

What's more, they looked like they were going to find trouble with that other group, so it should help all the more!

Fight! Fight!

Fight until heaven and earth go dark and both sides are wounded!

Guisitong snickered, it loved nothing more than seeing the guys it hated get unlucky!

——

Mountain path.

Baimu and the others advanced for a while, and in the distance saw the festival venue at the mountain foot brightly lit.

"Actually going this direction."

He keenly realized Taodailang was plotting something wicked.

If they really just wanted to escape, they should stay away from crowds, their current actions...

"Bolo! Your heroic moment is about to arrive!"

Baimu turned his head and said.

Bolo was stunned, "What, what?"

He spoke earnestly to Bolo and Egui Pong: "If the mastermind behind stealing the mask threatens you with the lives of ordinary civilians, what would you do?"

"I..."

Bolo's eyes flickered.

Baimu stated bluntly: "Capture the thief by capturing the leader first! Take the enemy commander directly! Leave the delaying tactics to me! Remember, if you want to live peacefully in Beishang Village, what comes next is crucial!"

Tao Hairong seemed to be targeting ordinary people with his moves, which indeed made him feel a bit troublesome. But if he could get through this, perhaps Bolo's dilemma would also be resolved.

"Ming, understood."

"Boni o~"

Bolo seemed to half-understand, while Egui Pong didn't understand at all.

But the two had a major advantage—

Obedience.

Arriving at the venue.

Since tonight was the final day of the festival, everyone had deliberately stayed up late. To leave time for handling leftover goods and clearing stalls.

But when Baimu and the others arrived here.

Lanterns hung high, candlelight flickering, stalls still displayed various goods, yet everyone had vanished without exception.

A strange atmosphere brewed all around.

"..."

Baimu knew he had guessed correctly, and said to Bolo and Egui Pong beside him: "Listen for my command later, remember to hold your breath."

"Good!"

Bolo nodded.

The next moment.

Figures continuously emerged from both sides of the festival avenue, their postures strange, eyes glowing with purple light, arms bent and swaying up and down like flapping wings, muttering strange words in their mouths.

"Gee bai... gee bai... gee bai..."

"Boni o?"

Egui Pong watched in shock, instinctively raising his spiked staff.

Baimu raised his hand and said: "Hold your breath!"

Bang bang!

Numerous sleep pellets shot toward the feet of the figures, pale blue smoke rising and spreading.

And in his calm gaze, the crowd collapsed one after another.

Indeed, even under Tao Hairong's control, the sleep powder still produced its intended effect.

Baimu shouted: "Come out, Tao Tarou! Your companions are still in my hands! Come out now, and I can still forgive you!"

Persuasion Secret Technique—Activated!

But how could Tao Hairong possibly fall for this move?

The moment he heard Baimu's voice, he had already fallen into fear.

This human's cruelty he had witnessed firsthand.

Moreover, the opponent had mastered a method to render his rice cakes ineffective, and had just easily dealt with a crowd without even using tree fruits!

Tao Hairong gritted his teeth in anger, and even felt dazed from Baimu's sudden interference in his mask theft.

How could this be?

Don't!

Let me go!

"Mee~mee mee!" Tao Hairong tried to slip away silently.

But as soon as he moved, Baimu's eyes beneath the mask snapped open like an eagle's!

"There?"

"Mee!!"

Tao Hairong was so frightened he nearly lost his soul, shouting "Don't come over!" while backing away.

Beside him, the Gouzan Dog and Jizhi Chicken lunged forward, blocking Baimu's path.

"Ow woo!"

"Ooh!"

Their gazes were hostile.

Though the encounter in the cave had been brutal, they believed that fighting in an open space, they might not lose!

Come on!

Touch!

They wore provocative expressions, the Tao Hairong shell on their backs trembling, one rice cake after another flying into their mouths.

In an instant, the Gouzan Dog and Jizhi Chicken seemed strengthened, their aura turning terrifying.

Baimu was about to deploy the Polybeast II to meet them, when he hadn't expected a faster figure!

It was Egui Pong!

Only seen flashing like lightning toward the opponent, enduring the pheromone substance emitted by the Jizhi Chicken's flapping wings, his long staff striking fiercely!

【Thorn Vine Staff】!

Bang!

The Jigglypuff that had still been bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after taking eighteen staff strikes from Baimu was actually one-shotted by a single club blow!

Gouzan Dog raised its brawny foreleg and lunged, but the leaping Eguigui kicked its dog nose first, then swung a club onto the back of its head!

Thud!

"Whine whine whine—"

Gouzan Dog was beaten into a crippled dog; after a few miserable howls it passed out like a dead dog.

What a fierce Eguigui!

Baimu was momentarily speechless.

Although he had long known that this Pokémon which looked so cute possessed extraordinary strength, witnessing it instantly kill two Pokémon with his own eyes still made him marvel involuntarily.

"Momotaro—ran away again?"

Seeing that Momotaro had vanished without a trace, he frowned tightly.

Porygon2 said: "I sent a clone after it! It's running toward the village!"

"This guy's thieving heart never dies."

Baimu knew Momotaro's thoughts well; he had Rhyperior pick up Gouzan Dog and Jigglypuff, then set off once more toward the village's direction.

Meanwhile.

The fleeing Momotaro's face was full of terror.

It had thought Baimu was already terrifying enough; it never expected there to be an even more terrifying one beside him!

"Pip! Pip!"

It panted heavily, trying to suppress the fear in its heart.

Even though the situation was extremely unfavorable to it, it could not abandon its companions and flee just like that.

For one, the mask wasn't in hand; returning empty-handed would surely disappoint Grandpa and Grandma.

For another, without those three companions' assistance, its own journey back wouldn't be so smooth either.

Use Sticky Cake again! Confuse more people!

Momotaro recalled Baimu's companion, that person who had fallen for the trick before; as long as it controlled them on a large scale, there would definitely still be a chance!

There definitely would be!

Momotaro was like a gambler betting everything on a single throw; knowing its probability of defeat exceeded 99%, it still had to gamble on that one percent.

Arrived at Beishang Village.

Relying on the Ghost-type ability to pass through walls at will, Momotaro fed Sticky Cake to everyone it met; after feeding household after household, it continuously accumulated "power."

Upon finding the Dragon-human idly training, it charged forward without hesitation, pouncing at the other's face.

Who knew the Dragon-human had quick hands and sharp eyes, and grabbed it in one grasp!

The sneak attack failed!?

Bai Huahua's white pupils trembled.

"Huh? Momotaro—"

The Dragon-human spoke in puzzlement.

Good chance!

Momotaro seized the opportunity to stuff Sticky Cake into his mouth, then poked his throat, forcing him to swallow the Sticky Cake.

(End of chapter)