"Clang~" A hammer collided with a fingertip, ringing out like metal striking metal, and then... split into two halves.
A pile of gold and silver chunks, bundles of Lini bills, along with crystals and gems... fell out of the hammer's body.
"Ah!" Bai Ling hurriedly squatted down to pick them up.
Bai Zhi looked down at her, then slightly shook her head, "Bai Ling, everyone knows about the Bai Family's Awakening Ability, which has never been of the combat type."
"You've been lugging around that big hammer day in and day out, and I've long found it obtrusive."
"So... this time, just hold your hammer and stay inside the secret base."
Bai Ling didn't even have time to reply; she became like a little hamster guarding its treasure, then painstakingly picked up all the wealth and stored it inside half of the hollow hammer.
The treasure piled up into a little hill inside half the hammer.
She held it and looked at Bai Zhi with a bit of grievance, saying, "Bai, this is my life-saving reserve."
"Who knows, someday I might end up in some remote city, unfamiliar with the place and penniless, this is my foundation for making a fortune!"
"I went through so much trouble to persuade my uncle to make this hollow hammer for me, specifically to safeguard these reserves. How could you just destroy it like that!"
Bai Zhi's lips curled into a slight smile, then she ruffled Bai Ling's hair and said, "Alright, my bad. When I return to Emerald City later, I'll find someone to make you another one."
"As for now, just listen to me."
"This is a Fuser's battle. You all don't need to get involved."
"With me and the three reinforcements from last night, that's enough."
Hearing Bai Zhi's words, Bai Ling wasn't angry anymore.
Looking at Bai Ling, child-like, Bai Zhi smiled and shook her head. Then she raised her head, her gaze distant as she looked at the Investigator and Commissioner on the surveillance screen, deep in thought...
Ten minutes later, Bai Ling and Director Pang brought all the Investigators and Commissioners to the meeting room of the secret base one after another.
Soon after, the two male and one female reinforcements who arrived last night also entered the meeting room.
Upon meeting the Investigators and Commissioners, they all couldn't help but pause for a moment.
Bai Ling stood up confusedly and asked, "Commanders, why have you come too?"
"Aren't you supposed to be dealing with the enemy alongside Bai?"
Hearing her question, the three of them were also slightly puzzled.
"How did we end up here?"
"Lady Bai Zhi told us we are Fusers of support types, and today's frontal battle won't benefit from our participation."
"She and you all can handle the enemy, just have us wait in the meeting room for the results, that's all."
As both sides exchanged words, it became clear something was amiss!
That instant, the three Fusers turned to exit the meeting room, and Bai Ling, forgetting about the money, darted on swift feet towards the door.
But just then, a sudden "Bang!" sounded, and the meeting room door closed shut.
They pushed hard against the door, but it wouldn't budge.
Right after, they felt tremors as if the earth and mountains quaked, suggesting that something dramatic had happened within the secret base.
Seeing this, Bai Ling shouted anxiously, "Bai! Bai! What are you doing?!"
Shortly, Bai Zhi's voice echoed in the meeting room, "Alright, Bai Ling, stop fussing."
"I've sealed the entrance to the secret base."
"Without my key, you won't be able to leave."
"Honestly, I considered fighting side by side with you."
"But... after devising many combat strategies, till I nearly lost my hair, I realized that truly... I can't rely on you all. Hahaha~"
"So, just stay here in peace and wait for the battle to end."
"This place is safe. Without special methods, the enemy won't be able to find the spatial coordinates and thus will never be able to find you."
"Don't make things more difficult for me."
With that, her voice came to an abrupt stop.
All the people in the meeting room looked at each other in dismay.
After a moment, Director Pang wiped the sweat streaming down his forehead and then said, "Lady Bai Zhi, are you taking on the enemy alone because you're concerned about our safety?"
Bai Ling and the three Fusers seemed to realize this as well.
Their expressions turned particularly grim...
Meanwhile, in Greenwater Forest, atop a tree crown 500 meters from the Special Case Team.
The man in the red robe from last night stood on top of the tree canopy, gazing at the rich man's villa.
By his side were two black-robed figures, one burly and tall, the other slender, clearly the "Ferocious Beast" and "Stone Maiden" from their previous encounter.
Ferocious Beast reported to the man in the red robe, "Boss, as per your orders, we've left traces around the Special Case Team to mislead them about our numbers."
"Based on our observations over the past day, it appears that the enemy has not shown signs of fleeing."
"Instead, they seem to be holding their ground."
"We've noticed that Bai Ling and Director Pang are bolstering the morale of the Investigators and Commissioners."
Upon hearing this, the man in the red robe hummed a response and said, "That's to be expected. Bai Zhi's Awakening Ability comes with side effects. She cannot engage in extended battles."
"She must have guessed that we are aware of this and that we wouldn't press in all at once."
"Thus, to deal with our staggered assaults, she inevitably needs others to handle certain enemies without her intervention."
"This allows her to concentrate all her energy on facing the Fusers."