Chapter 44: The Impoverished Wave Country

Judging from the results, Luo Yi lost a shadow clone within the Cardo Group and got another transformed shadow clone.

The benefits of doing so are obvious.

As for the previous shadow clone, Cardo only treated him as a hostage. They only met twice in a few days. The rest of the time, he was strictly guarded by the samurai bodyguards and was under pure house arrest.

It’s different now. Wherever Cardo goes, the "Hyuga Family Followers" can follow, and there is also a reason to "ensure it is within the range of the sealing technique to avoid the talisman from self-destruction."

Even though everyone, including Cardo himself, knew that he was spying openly.

The carrot is already in Cardo's pocket, and the stick is also following closely. Whether he gets the carrot or the stick depends on his performance.

As for why Luoyi reached such a "deal" with Cardo, there are three purposes:

First, to monitor and pressure Cardo, which I will not elaborate on;

Second, to understand the relevant business and ordinary employees of the shipping company so that he could take over the company after Cardo's death;

Third, it occupies the personnel doing the dirty work under Cardo and prevents Cardo from sending them to harass the construction of the bridge.

As construction progressed, the behavior of gangsters and hooligans became increasingly severe, and in the last few days there were casualties among the construction team members and their families.

Now that the Hyuga family's "deal" is putting pressure on Cardo, he can't do such a stupid thing. The most important thing is to send everyone to find Luo Yi for the Hyuga family.

If you succeed, you will earn a lot of money; if you fail, you may be able to experience for yourself whether the soft fist is really soft or not.

No one except Luo Yi knew that the money was transformed from leaves, and now it has turned into a talisman. Cardo couldn't even find someone to verify its authenticity.

"It's a great deal with no investment... No, no, isn't chakra a cost? I have to pay a "chakra loss fee" when the job is done, and my precious brain cells..."

...

At night, a local cat that could be found everywhere in the town jumped into Dazna's house and climbed in through the half-open window.

"Kitten?" Sakura noticed the nondescript house cat first.

"Don't touch it." Kakashi approached the window and took a look outside, then closed the window. "This cat is..."

"boom--"

This cat was exactly what Luo Yi transformed into.

After leaving Cardo, he kept his appearance as Hiashi and stayed in the town's inn. He then transformed into a cat and returned to Dazna's house. He was extremely cautious along the way.

"Luo Yi! Uh..." Xiaoying exclaimed, then immediately covered her mouth and lowered her voice, "What have you been doing for so many days?"

Sasuke said nothing, but his eyes were fixed on him.

Naruto was nowhere to be seen. He must have gone back to the woods to practice after dinner. He really worked hard day and night.

If nothing unexpected happens, Bai's encounter with the protagonist should happen tomorrow morning.

"To put it simply, I went back to Konoha..." Luo Yi opened with a thunderous roar, and then succinctly shared with his friends the stories that had happened in the past five days, of course only revealing the necessary content.

"It's unbelievable. Apart from anything else, the fact that you can cross the sea on foot is scary." Sakura held her cheek with her hand in shock and doubt.

"Once you can do it easily, you will be able to stand on your own and even lead a class by yourself." Kakashi was almost saying "This is a level that only a jonin can achieve."

He thought he could do it, but he had to rest for a while after getting ashore.

Running on the choppy sea is at least two levels more difficult than walking on the calm lake.

Sasuke couldn't sit still anymore, so he stood up and started putting on his shoes.

"Sasuke, you are not allowed to practice tonight. Necessary rest is also part of ensuring the results of your practice." Kakashi knew what Sasuke was thinking without asking.

"Naruto is still training, why can't I go?" Sasuke couldn't help himself.

Sakura climbed to the top of the tree first before him and Naruto. She was very smart and quickly mastered the trick. Although Naruto was behind him, he was also keeping close to his own record. If he relaxed a little, he would be overtaken.

What's wrong with this kid? His fire-style ninjutsu is weird and his tactical thinking is cunning. Even Kakashi gave him high praise.

This outstanding graduate of the Ninja School felt an exaggerated gap in disappointment. The feeling Luo Yi gave him was familiar and unforgettable.

Sasuke couldn't calm down because he could actually see the shadow of "that man" in him.

"Because..." Kakashi paused, the words "You are excellent" came to his lips but he couldn't say it, "Because Zabuza may have recovered his mobility and is waiting for an opportunity near us. If he attacks while you are training, you and Sakura will need to protect Mr. Dazna."

Kakashi knew that Sasuke was stimulated by Luo Yi, and praising him for his excellence would only be ironic, so he had to give him a task.

"Hmph." Although Sasuke was not convinced, he accepted it anyway and sat down cross-legged against the wall in a depressed mood.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. I've thought a lot these past few days. Once the mission is completed, I'll give you a training plan to help you quickly increase your strength." Luo Yi took out his ten years of hard work and said, "Trust me, I guarantee it."

“…Hmph.” Sasuke couldn’t help but look back when he heard that, but quickly turned his head away.

The old arrogant one.

...

early morning.

What Luo Yi was worried about did not happen. Even if he was far away from the shadow clone that had turned into a follower of the Hyuga family, as long as he was still near Zhuoli who had turned into his Yin-Yang clone, the ninjutsu would not be lifted.

Although maintaining the transformation technique consumes much more chakra than the previous "hostage" shadow clone, it should not be a problem to hold on until tomorrow's decisive battle.

As for the rest, just leave it to time.

After breakfast, Sasuke, who confirmed that Kakashi had recovered, went out to practice with Naruto without any worries; Sakura went to the bridge construction site, responsible for protecting the construction team from thugs; Naruto, probably at this moment, was discussing with the absolutely beautiful boy girl what is an "important person".

Yes, in Naruto's eyes, Haku in a yukata is even cuter than his current sweetheart, Sakura.

If you don’t work hard, you will become a plaything of a man!

After greeting Kakashi, Luo Yi also performed transformation techniques, turning into a common young man in a straw hat and raincoat, and headed to the center of the town to collect information.

He also needed to confirm Cardo's movements since last night.

It is normal for smart people to make decisions and take actions that are difficult to predict; but for people who are stupid to a certain extent, their thoughts, ideas, and actions may also be unexpected.

"Is this... really the most prosperous area in Wave Country?" Luo Yi didn't quite believe his eyes.

It feels like the old world, the impoverished village of my hometown twenty years ago.

Most of the houses were dilapidated, and many were just shacks made of canvas. There were many townspeople walking on the streets, and most of them looked tired and depressed.

Many shelves of various shops along the street are empty, and the appearance of the few goods can even be described as unsightly.

"Huh?" Luo Yi was about to walk around when the back of his shirt was gently pulled.

Looking back, he saw a dirty, skinny beggar child, who pursed his dry and pale lips, stretched out his hands into a bowl shape, and begged from him pitifully.

Luo Yi looked at the little boy who was about the same age as Hua Huo. His palms were covered with dead skin and there was dirt between his fingers. The clothes on his body...the fabric that could barely be called "clothes" was also covered with yellow soil and salt frost.

"Hey... just hold on for a few more days." Luo Yi took out his wallet from his arms and was about to take out a banknote when he felt no less than five bunches of unfriendly gazes. "How about this, little friend, I'll take you to buy some food."

Giving money to a child in public is no different from killing him directly.

Fortunately, in the Wave Country, which was sandwiched between the two, the currency of the Fire Country could circulate freely, and Luo Yi quickly bought three buns for the little boy.

The little boy almost wolfed down the first one, but the bun was too dry and he ate too quickly, so he choked in the middle of the meal.

"Don't be anxious, eat slowly." Luo Yi patted the little guy's bony back.

In the end, he only ate one and stopped when he picked up the second bun, just staring at the steaming bun.

"What's wrong? Isn't it delicious?"

"No, thank you, big brother. I want to take it back to my younger brothers and sisters..."

"Is that so?" Luo Yi stood up and bought three more buns. "I'll go with you and deliver them to your brother and sister."

Here, having food in hand is not much different from having cash in hand. Not to mention giving it to a child, even if Luo Yi becomes a young man, there will probably be many people who want to do something to him.

So not surprisingly, when he followed the little boy into the deserted shantytown, the five thugs who had been following them for a long time surrounded them.

"You look unfamiliar, young man. Let me ask you something. Do you know a little boy named Luo Yi?" The burly man who looked like the leader of the gang asked jokingly.