Outside the arena.
The group stepped out from the cargo box to find Ayana personally welcoming them, with an unusual smile on her face.
They looked at each other, realizing they had truly survived the fierce battle, and their bodies instinctively relaxed, revealing genuine smiles.
After all, this mission was undoubtedly a rare victory from any angle, and it's expected that the Quicksand Team would reward their heroes. A bright future awaits them.
"You did well."
Ayana specifically praised Baimu, heavily patting him on the shoulder, with a look that said, "You've got potential."
Baimu's performance undoubtedly brought glory to the Quicksand Team Leader, not only striking down the arrogance of the Evil Dog Team but also influencing the eventual outcome of victory to some extent.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Baimu nodded in gratitude, attracting envious glances from the others.
Aside from Ayana and the Quicksand Team's logistics personnel who came to greet them, the exit of the arena was crowded with many members of other organizations.
They pointed and whispered about the survivors, with most of their attention focused on Baimu, exhibiting various indescribable expressions.
It is believed that after today.
Baimu's name will be spread within Pyrite Town in small circles.
Although it might not bring him great fame, it will at least take him from being an unknown lackey to someone with a bit of reputation in Pyrite Town.
Of course, he himself was indifferent to it.
Fame and fortune might be the dream of many low-level thugs, but it has little to do with his pursuits.
Moreover, drawing too much attention is not necessarily a good thing.
Better to keep a low profile in the coming months.
While considering this, he followed the group back to the base camp to have medical staff conduct physical check-ups on him and the Pokémon.
During inquiries, he learned that Yuan Du had extremely luckily survived, and along with several severely injured members, had been taken back to the base early.
However, including Otsuka, there were only six injured persons, counting the five who exited…
Arriving with fifteen people, only eleven survived six hours later.
Four young men and women in their prime lost their lives forever in this barren desert.
Discussing this, the medical staff showed little sadness, and even excitedly described the casualty situation of the neighboring Evil Dog Team—rumor has it only eight of them survived.
Have they become completely numb to the frequent loss of life after such fierce battles?
Baimu remained silent.
Half an hour later.
The neighboring Evil Dog Team sent people to recover their Pokémon, while simultaneously negotiating how to hand over the captured Quicksand Team Pokémon.
"Huh?"
Upon hearing this, he looked somewhat puzzled at the logistics who informed him, "They have our Pokémon?"
Weren't all the Evil Dog Team members defeated? The Pokémon should all be with those other four people!
"Yes."
The logistics nodded, as if understanding his confusion, and quietly explained, "Before the group battle was over, some from the Evil Dog Team used Pokémon to send out the captured and comrades' Pokémon ahead of time.
"There were even those who, sensing defeat, handed the Pokeballs to their Pokémon, instructing them to escape. Of course, we also did similar things."
Wow!
Baimu was stunned, he hadn't thought of such bold actions, sending out loot ahead of time. After all, Jian kept all the Pokeballs he captured, not missing a single one.
Did he not trust people outside, so he didn't send them out?
Or did he have faith in himself?
Following logistics out of the base, the two entered a large tent.
Inside.
A long table was set up in the middle, with members of the Evil Dog Team and those other four teammates sitting on either side, seemingly waiting for quite some time. Inside were a few unfamiliar faces, among which one could be identified as a squad leader from the Quicksand Team through their emblem.
Oddly enough, an Aerial Rotom was present here, its camera focused on all of them.
Monitoring?
Or is it broadcast live?
Baimu curiously looked at the Aerial Rotom, and his arrival immediately drew hostile gazes from the Evil Dog Team, their faces full of hatred and resentment, as if they wished to kill him.
He dispassionately took a seat, knowing that if looks could kill, he would have been torn to shreds long ago; alas, now they seemed like nothing more than the cries of defeated dogs.
The process of recovering Pokémon was straightforward.
Exchange or bid, and negotiate.
Both sides first displayed the Pokeballs they held from the opposing organization.
The Evil Dog Team presented twelve Pokeballs, while the other four from the Quicksand Team displayed eighteen, and Baimu silently took out nine.
"Why only nine!? Wait… Where are Jian's Pokémon!"
Someone from the Evil Dog Team suddenly stood up, shouting angrily, "What kind of trick are you pulling?"
Baimu shrugged and said, "Their whereabouts are unknown."
The casual gesture immediately set off the nerves of the Evil Dog Team members.
"You're talking nonsense!"
"Looking to die! Don't think a few tricks would let you flaunt your victory! I'll kill you!"
They yelled curses, quickly assuming a posture ready to attack, but were halted by a person seated furthest inside.
"Silence!"
That person slammed the table forcefully, overshadowing the curses from the Evil Dog Team members with a thumping explosion, "Don't waste time, if they're gone, they're gone!"
Upon hearing this, Baimu couldn't help but glance at that person, noticing they wore a suit instead of a team uniform.
Is this someone from the event organizers?
Still, one had to admit this person's words carried weight, as the Evil Dog Team members quickly quieted down, glaring at Baimu with clenched jaws, saying bitterly, "I want to exchange!"
"Agreed."
The silent teammates from the Quicksand Team spoke up.
Exchanging Pokémon is as literal as it sounds, directly trading one-for-one; usually, someone with a close relationship with a defeated person chooses to use an exchange to retrieve a friend's Pokémon.
The exchange scenario often occurs more frequently than purchasing.
Baimu watched as his teammates exchanged twelve Evil Dog Team Pokémon for twelve of their own, showing a look of surprise.
Some of these were probably their deceased teammates' Pokémon, traded rather than abandoned…
Why?
To return the Pokémon to the families of the deceased? Or to buy them back for maximum gain? After all, recovery prices are generally much lower.
He desperately hoped it was the former because there's still a bit of humanity in that.
Once exchanges were complete, Evil Dog Team members began offering prices for the remaining Pokémon.
Among them.
Baimu's side had three Pokémon agreed upon for a total price of 300,000 to make the recovery for Huo Wu, carried out by a chubby girl with glasses.
"Here."
Without much hesitation, he handed over the three Pokeballs and took the 300,000 Pokémon Yuan placed on the table.
The transaction caught the attention of others.
Many Evil Dog Team members suspiciously eyed the chubby girl, causing her to hurriedly admit Huo Wu's involvement and state that Baimu's promise was displayed publicly.
—Truly a promise kept!
This led everyone in the tent to look at Baimu in a peculiar manner.
In Pyrite Town, where most people's principles tend to be flexible, there indeed existed someone whose word was solid as a nail.
Baimu remained expressionless.
The deeper one lives in this mire, the more essential it is to uphold one's established principles; otherwise, one might be silently and thoroughly assimilated by this filthy lot.
Huo Wu indeed helped him, and there was no need to break his promise for 600,000.
If he did, how would he differ from a total sellout like Jian?
Of course.
The remaining six should definitely not be sold cheaply.
Price negotiations descended into bargaining, and in the end, Baimu successfully sold them for a total of 2.7 million, meaning each was worth 450,000.
How generous!
He couldn't help but marvel at this.
As for how much his teammates sold theirs for, he wasn't interested, instead beginning to calculate his earnings from this competition, determining his minimum profits.
Four live-stream rewards were 550,000, 2.4 million, 1.56 million, and 5.38 million respectively.
Baimu could claim 30%, equaling approximately 2.967 million. Adding in the Pokémon sales brings the total to over 5.96 million, and, accounting for defeating four enemies, with each bringing at least a 100,000 bonus, it's over 6.36 million.
There are still twelve comrades' Pokémon on hand, excluding Otsuka's three and the deceased three, the remaining six could be sold cheaply at 200,000 each.
The overall total is then 7.567 million!
This doesn't even factor in the victory bonus.
Whoa!
This time, it's a booming fortune!
Baimu was surprised, staring at the imaginary numbers in his palms, as a pauper instantly transformed into a wealthier man!