Chapter 256: Sarutobi Sasuke: Something is wrong. Something is fucking wrong. [Combined Chapter]

While the Senju side was in turmoil because of the low emotional intelligence behavior of the two children and the excessive indulgence of their elders, the Uchiha side had already settled down in the safe house.

After spending some time, they sent away Sanzu who was clamoring to help Ling read the letter but ended up reading a bunch of gibberish. Uchiha Eiji took over the job, and the few of them finally learned the content of the letter - Sanada Yukichi hoped to privately entrust Uchiha to do something through Ling, and the remuneration would be negotiable.

Uchiha Masaki frowned, "If I remember correctly, Sanada should be the surname of the current daimyo, right? Who is this person named Sanada Yukichi?"

Uchiha Eiji also nodded while holding the letter. "Yes, recently, Masaaki and I have been keeping a close eye on the nobles' missions, and I haven't seen you come to take them. How did you get in touch with this line?"

Ling thought seriously for a while and said, "As long as you come into contact with enough strange clients, you will find that your network of contacts is incredibly broad."

"Strange client..." Uchiha Masaki's mouth twitched slightly, "Okay, you don't have to say anything. I don't want to feel sick again when I'm already sick from meeting the Senju."

"Too much - I want to hear what happened to Ling." Uchiha Yingji curled his lips, but did not dwell on it any more. "By the way, can this person's commission be trusted?"

"Only 60%, right?" Ling also looked thoughtful. "But I didn't expect him to contact me first... It seems that our brother ninja clan is very mobile."

"Is it the blood pool?" Uchiha Masaki frowned slightly, his expression gradually becoming unfriendly, "That rubbish noble wants to use us as pawns?"

"Kokichi is not a noble. He is Sarutobi Sasuke whom I mentioned to you before. Their clan is the ninja clan that helped the current daimyo seize power. While he is an important figure in the Sarutobi clan, he also has a close personal relationship with the current daimyo..."

Ling tapped the handle of his staff sword with his fingers, "But when the cunning rabbit dies, the running dogs are cooked; when the birds are gone, the good bows are put away. The current daimyo has been in a high position for many years and has begun to fear the power and rights he gave to the Sarutobi clan - otherwise they should not have found other ninjas to raise as house ninjas.

He came to me this time, most likely hoping that I could use the power of the clan to contain the Blood Pool, so that the Sarutobi clan could regain their status."

"Oh, it's this guy." Uchiha Masaki's frown suddenly relaxed, "But he actually got the surname of Sanada, it seems that he was really favored before."

"Heh, isn't being a dog supposed to please the master?" Uchiha Eiji sneered, "It's really a pity that they and the Hyuga family ninjas can serve their masters as they should."

"I'm not very familiar with the Sarutobi clan, but the Hyuga clan is indeed quite shameful." Uchiha Masaki leaned back in his chair and stretched, "I don't know why their clan is so cautious. A good ninja clan with eye skills has to be taken away by someone else's head ninja."

"Hey, with their twisted system of branching off the main family, it's hard not to be a spineless person, right?" Uchiha Yingji laughed strangely, "Being a spineless person would be fine, but they still insist on saving face - being a dog and still wanting face, isn't that just asking for trouble?"

While the two were discussing the Hyuga clan, Ling was calculating the conversation that might ensue from his meeting with Sarutobi Sasuke.

Although his original purpose was to use Sarutobi Sasuke to separate the main rivals of Senju and Uchiha, he could not reveal any inclination in this regard during the conversation. He even had to show enough rejection to successfully gain the initiative in the conversation.

Only when he took the initiative, and then the clan actually sent people to negotiate with him and make a decision, could he gain more benefits for the clan...

What? You don't really think that two young people like them can do something that affects the clan?

No matter how important their status in the clan is, the behavior of mobilizing clan power will ultimately be discussed in detail by the clan elders of both sides. All they can do is to gain enough voice for their respective clans in the subsequent conversation - this is the advantage of the ninja clan, but also the helplessness of the ninja clan.

"Hey, Ling, this letter says that the other party will come alone, and asks you to decide the time and specific place to meet - when do you want to meet? I'll reply for you."

Ling turned to the direction where Uchiha Eideri was, "The time is the end of this month, right? Winter is about to come, and the Fire Country's ninjas are about to enter a truce period. It will be just right for me to come back to find him after I've been to the Iron Country. You should know the location better than me, so just write down a suitable place for me."

"Then let's go to Baiweiju. There just happens to be a black market bounty point diagonally opposite there." Uchiha Yingsi lowered his head and wrote, "And it is also located in a relatively open and accessible location. It will be very convenient whether we want to kill people and rob goods or escape after the negotiations fail."

"Okay, let's stay here. I'll find a place to stay nearby and wait for him when I come back."

Uchiha Masaki frowned again, "You're going to meet him by yourself?"

"I plan to bring Kensi with me," Ling raised his hand to his chin, "After all, Kensi has been showing off to me a long time ago that his pupil power is just one step away from reaching the kaleidoscope level. I'll see if there's any chance."

Uchiha Yingji, who was really writing a reply, suddenly stood up, "What do you mean? You want to sacrifice for him?"

"Well, even if it is so?" Ling shrugged without giving a direct answer, "Yashu can actually find a way to help Yingsi."

Uchiha Yingji immediately looked at Uchiha Masaki, and shook his head like a rattle the moment he looked into the eyes of his best friend, with a vigilant look on his face, "I'm warning you, if you dare to act out a tragic drama in front of me, I will turn around and turn into you and run naked in the clan territory!"

The corner of Uchiha Masaki's mouth twitched, and his voice was gnashed with teeth, "Then I will turn into you and go to the street to find strong men to act like a hooligan!"

"Uchiha Masaki you are shameless!"

"Who is more shameless?"

"Well, calm down, both of you," Ling said helplessly, "We are all partners, so don't use this method that hurts others and hurts yourself. Otherwise, it will be very embarrassing if the transformation technique is canceled in the middle... So let it go, okay?"

"Humph! It was you, Ling, who was the first to say something strange," Uchiha Yingji curled his lips and crumpled up the paper that was smeared by ink stains. "By the way, what are you doing in the Iron Kingdom? Didn't you ask the clan to make the new weapons?"

"It's a personal commission," Ling's smile softened, "Ban's birthday is coming up soon."

"Speaking of birthdays, yours is coming soon too, right?" Uchiha Masaki calculated the dates in his mind, "It's the beginning of the end of next month, right?"

"Eh? Is November already here so soon?" Ling was stunned, looking a little distressed, "Then it seems that I can only go to the Kingdom of Rivers after the New Year - oh, I really can't be in two places at once."

Uchiha Masaki looked at him with disdain, "Are you really going to the place recommended by that red-haired pervert?"

"Well, Yi said there is an opportunity to become stronger there," Ling laughed, "Besides, even if we get there and just encounter an ambush, it would be a good situation to be able to fight him - Yi is a very good opponent."

Uchiha Masaki and Uchiha Eiji looked at each other, and both tacitly skipped this topic, and began to help Ling analyze the possible conversation scenarios that might arise after the two sides met.

After the discussion ended and the reply was written, Ling also asked the two about many of the nobles' little actions. After confirming that while the two were causing all kinds of trouble for the nobles, they also did not forget to cause some minor but extremely annoying troubles to the nobles who supported Uchiha in order to eliminate suspicion, he set off for the Iron Kingdom to customize a birthday present for his brother two months in advance.

On the way back, Ling wanted to go to the tavern for a drink, but was beaten back by another round of meow punches. He just bought a lot of good wine and put it in a sealed scroll, intending to take it back to drink.

After this back and forth, it was almost the end of the month. Uchiha Kenji had already settled down near Baiweiju with Yata. When he saw Ling, he excitedly hugged him and shouted a few times. He looked very excited. Ling comforted him for a while before he calmed down.

Uchiha Kenji took a few deep breaths to calm himself, but he was still a little excited when he spoke, "Are we going to attack the nobles? To be honest, I've long wanted to try to assassinate those fat pigs who are causing so much trouble!"

"So you should calm down first..."

Ling sighed, looking extremely helpless, and told Uchiha Kenji in detail the person he was going to meet and the things they might discuss.

"Pool of Blood? I seem to have heard someone mention it." Uchiha Kenji was very self-aware of his ability to remember people, so he did not delve into the issue. He just asked Ling again, "So you brought me with you in the hope that I could hide so that I could deal with the possibility of the Pond of Blood following us?"

"Well, after all, you know my current situation. Even if I am capable of dealing with the troubles imposed on me by the other party, it is difficult for me to come to an accurate conclusion."

Ling nodded slightly, "If we really want to list them as another enemy of the clan, we must find out how their pupil skills work and how to restrain them."

"But even if I'm not the one doing this, it's OK, right?" Uchiha Kenji tilted his head. "After all, as long as you can awaken the Sharingan, you will be able to detect movements and chakra to a certain degree. It will be easy to replicate any movements or ninjutsu. Isn't Masaaki nearby? That guy's learning ability is much better than mine. Wouldn't it be better to find him?"

"No, in order to show his sincerity, the other party let me choose the time and location of the meeting, and also said that he would come alone," Ling paused for a moment, "At least before the other party shows hostility, I can't reveal anything to the other party. Even if I am prepared, I have to do it in secret.

Although Masaaki is quite skilled, he has been emotionally unstable recently and is not suitable for this kind of job that requires hiding and waiting for an opportunity. And you, Kenji, have always been good at hiding and are most sensitive to the subtle changes in ninjutsu. I really can't find a more reliable candidate than you at the moment."

Uchiha Kenji snorted and laughed, "That's true. I've never been afraid of anyone in this regard. So I just need to follow you in the dark tomorrow? Observe your actions while paying attention to the pool of blood that may follow?"

Ling nodded, "How about it, can I ask you for help?"

"It's nothing - but you might have to bear with it."

"Hmm?" Ling tilted his head and uttered a confused nasal sound, "Why should I endure it?"

"After all, when I follow my clan members, I always unconsciously release a little bit of aura—" Uchiha Kenji shifted his gaze, "Before, you said you felt uncomfortable when I followed you behind and wanted to chop me."

"...Then you are following me as if I were your enemy."

"How is that possible! You are a companion!" Uchiha Kenji's eyes were filled with condemnation, "Besides, it would be even more uncomfortable for you to be followed with the intention of killing, right?"

Ling: ...That’s right.

The two discussed the matter for a while, and finally came to a fruitless conclusion. They went back to their rooms to rest and wait until tomorrow.

……

Sarutobi Sasuke crossed his arms and looked at the handsome young man who had followed him all the way, with an unpleasant expression, "Blood Pond Sorrow, how long do you want to follow me?"

"Hey - my brother and I just happened to be on the same road as Mr. Sarutobi?" Xue Zhichi Shang smiled, "It's rare that I don't need to take over today, is it wrong for me to come out and relax?"

Sarutobi Sasuke narrowed his eyes, then laughed after a moment, "Oh? I'm sorry for being so abrupt. Where are you going next?"

Xue Zhi Chi Shang reached out and gently tapped his chin, "Hmm - I thought about it, it should be the right side."

"Oh, then please." Sarutobi Sasuke took a step to the left, but he saw the other party following him again after taking two steps, "Aren't you going to the right?"

"Yeah, I want to go to the right." Xue Zhichi Shang was not embarrassed by being caught, "But my brother said we should go to the left."

Sarutobi Sasuke just kept walking forward, and after trying a few times, he found that this person simply wanted to follow him.

This discovery made him look grim - from the very beginning this person's mission was not to protect Sanada Matsutsumi, but to monitor him!

[Yukimura... Is this your order?] Sarutobi Sasuke closed his eyes slightly, and a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, [The Heavenly Family really has no feelings. All those years of friendship and loyalty cannot overcome that slight suspicion. I never thought that one day I would become the object of your suspicion - it seems that I have to change my original purpose a little bit.]

Thinking of this, Sarutobi Sasuke no longer went around in circles with Blood Pond Sorrow, and walked quickly towards Baiwei Ju in the city center. As expected, the moment he opened the door of the shop, he saw Uchiha Ling who was already waiting there.

But before he could say hello, Xue Zhi Chi Shang beside him instantly passed him, and his expression changed, "We finally meet again, Uchiha Ling,"

Ling raised his head slightly, as if he was thinking, and after a moment he couldn't help but laugh, "Ah, you are Shang, right? Nice to see you again, you really left a deep impression on me last time."

"You haven't forgotten me, which is really pleasing—" Xue Zhi Chi Shang laughed, "I have been wanting to see you since we parted that day."

“It’s a real honor.”

Sarutobi Sasuke looked at the two people in front of him who were talking so familiarly with a blank expression - something was wrong, this situation was fucking wrong.