Chapter 33: The Trap Bet

Outside a concealed rock cave.

Baimu looked up, watching the messenger bird dragging a large cloth sack fly off, finding it hard to imagine that this penguin, barely taller than a person's waist, could carry such a large object.

"This... won't it suffocate?"

It should be breathable, right?

He turned his head to look inside the rock cave; that Hound Squad member had already changed into a Quicksand Squad uniform, though it looked a bit loose on her.

"Good thing the Hound Squad uniform isn't differentiated by gender."

Baimu ignored the other's ugly expression and put on the Hound Squad uniform; although it was a bit tight in various places, it wasn't entirely unacceptable.

"What's the point of you doing this?" the Hound Squad member couldn't help but say, "You've just exposed yourself so carelessly! Do you really think everyone else is brainless?"

"Exposed is exposed, so what."

He smiled and said, "I just need to make that person unable to react for a moment, and of course I need your cooperation."

He had realized during the body search that this person was female.

Although the gender was a pity, there was no helping it; it wasn't easy to capture someone unharmed, and this one was the more cowardly type—usable, so he'd make do.

Moreover, the main reason for keeping this person was the radar function; although he couldn't use the enemy's wristband himself, having the enemy use it themselves was fine.

He had just checked, and the wristband's various functions were still activated, not turned off.

That person said coldly, "What if I don't cooperate?"

"Then don't even think about getting your Pokémon back." Baimu's expression didn't change. "How about I take two of your thumbs while I'm at it?"

"..."

That person fell silent.

Baimu continued, "You should actually feel lucky; if you weren't still useful, your fate would be the same as my teammate's—a tooth for a tooth.

"Oh right, you were trying to take him down earlier? Why? Didn't like the look of him, so you wanted to take him down and beat him up?"

"I would never do something like that!"

The Hound Squad member turned her head away in grievance.

At a time like this, saying she had a sudden burst of kindness wouldn't be believed either, so she simply kept her mouth shut.

Baimu chuckled lightly, "Whether you would or wouldn't doesn't matter. Let's cooperate sincerely; I guarantee you'll leave completely intact, and I can sell your Pokémon back to you at a cheap price."

"... Really?"

"You're free to think I'm lying. Alright, time's about up; let's get ready. There are two minutes until the radar activates."

He draped a cloak over himself, then took a black face mask from his bag and put it on the Hound Squad member, and silently walked out of the rock cave.

The aerial Rotom followed behind the two, recording everything they had just done and said, and transmitted it to the outside world.

It was projected onto various screens.

No matter where they were, audiences began discussing it in small groups.

The focus of discussion was naturally whether Baimu and the female Hound Squad member could fool anyone.

On the arena side, many felt he was being clever with himself, and there was no possibility of being taken in; others felt it was very likely he would be counter-ambushed by having the tables turned on him as he approached.

In short.

Not many people were optimistic about Baimu.

The reason was, of course, that the previous battle hadn't relied on a head-on confrontation; he took down his opponent through a sneak attack, which didn't demonstrate much real strength, and the subsequent handling had no highlights either.

His teammate was in such a miserable state, and you saw it but didn't take off one of the opponent's arms? Boring, utterly boring.

'Too green.'

While giving low evaluations, they ignored the other screens and stared fixedly at Baimu's one.

And in the banquet at Silicium-Beryllium City.

There were slightly more viewers who appreciated Baimu, mostly those who were indifferent to bloody scenes and acted with decisive efficiency.

Although the sneak attack plan was somewhat crude, being able to take down an opponent in such a short time was still worthy of praise.

If it weren't for Mayor Ejin not yet having given the first tip, they would more or less have to show some token gesture.

It should be soon.

They looked at Ejin on the second floor, chatting and laughing with several people, very curious which lucky person would receive such good fortune.

Inside the Quicksand Squad base.

The previous oppressive atmosphere had eased considerably; aside from complaining that Baimu was too merciful, there were no other objections—they were just waiting for the messenger bird to bring the wounded back.

While the Quicksand Squad logistics personnel chatted idly, they inevitably mentioned the 550,000 tip again, guessing who had sent it.

"It must include Big Sis Ayana."

"I think so too; when she went to report just now, her brows were smiling so wide they were about to fly off..."

"Stop talking! Look! Someone's approaching!"

Someone interrupted the discussion, excitedly pointing at the large screen in the distance.

Although there were also smaller projectors inside the base for viewing, they preferred the big one.

The others looked over and saw, in the simplified map at the center of the screen, a flashing red dot approaching another blue dot.

Meanwhile, in the detailed follow-shot, a Hound Squad member was cautiously advancing step by step, and the path she walked was exactly one Baimu had also walked.

In another frame, the female Hound Squad member wearing Quicksand Squad attire leaned against a massive rock, with Baimu and a Larvesta crouching carefully behind it.

The position he was hiding in ensured he couldn't be seen from other directions; lying in wait for the prey to come to him—truly a model among old coins.

The radar's usage opportunity entered countdown.

Outside the arena, gambling-happy viewers opened a betting pool, betting on whether that person would fall for it.

Amid the noisy clamor, only a small portion of people paid attention to battles unfolding elsewhere.

The director was also cleverly shrinking some non-combat footage and enlarging the frames with battles or about-to-happen battles.

The Quicksand Team's logistics personnel had also joined the betting pool, each clutching their betting slips and staring tensely at the screen; they didn't even notice the messenger bird bringing the wounded back, and only turned their heads reluctantly when someone called out.

On the screen.

The moment the radar countdown ended, both sides activated it simultaneously.

The light screen appeared, and both All Baimu and that Hound Team member saw the blinking red dot not far from each of them!

This close!?

Not good, must strike first!

Bang bang!

The Hound Team member immediately opened two Poké Balls, releasing respectively a large, powerfully built Houndoom, and a Houndour with curved ram-like horns on its head resembling a Doberman's.

"Go! That person is right ahead!"

He gave a low shout and charged forward with the two great hounds baying.

When they rounded the jagged boulders blocking the path and the line of sight.

He suddenly discovered a fairly open clearing, like an intersection wedged in the cliff's angle, where a person in a Quicksand Team uniform, face unclear, leaned against a rock, their twisted posture seemingly in great pain.

The Rotom Drone hovered in the air, its lens pointed at the ground.

Just finished fighting someone?

Was that messenger bird earlier sending away one of our side?

A trap? Pokémon lying in ambush? Hmph! At worst, I'll turn the tables on them!

A flurry of emotions flashed through the Hound Team member's mind, and an involuntary wild joy spilled from the corner of his mouth; he abruptly raised his arm, "Battle request! Charge them all!"

"Awoo!"

"Woof!"

Beep.

The wristband gave a low chime, indicating the battle request had been approved, and a responding cry came from the distance as well.

However.

Why does the sound seem to be coming from behind the rock? Did that person toss their wristband to the back?

The Hound Team member watched the two Pokémon lunge forward, his pace instinctively slowing, as some indescribable sense of crisis made his heart pound wildly.

"Come ba—"

"In position!!"