Chapter 36 "Hmm, once his body has recovered..."
"Is this mission to the Land of Jade?" Itachi asked. Sasuke had mentioned the mission to his brother Itachi before setting off. Itachi took it very seriously and even told Sasuke, "That country is famous for gambling on stones, but very few people can win. So there are many desperate people there who have lost everything gambling. So... Sasuke, you'd better be careful."
"Yes, I know." Sasuke responded faintly to his brother's concern. He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked to the door. Uchiha Itachi followed, looking hesitant to speak.
What did his brother want to say to him at this moment? Sasuke looked at his brother quietly, whose gaze was calm as still water. He said, "In short, be careful about everything."
In the end, he still didn't say what he wanted to say? Sasuke lowered his eyes. This time he didn't answer, but he nodded as a response.
Ever since that Uchiha gathering ended and his conversation with his brother about you went nowhere, he felt as if a strange barrier had risen between him and his brother. He understood his brother less and less, and perhaps his brother felt the same way.
But the reason for this is still because of you; he and his brother had a disagreement.
He's pondering why you left, reflecting on what small details he missed. Of course, his brother does the same, but when he reflects, he often carries a hint of resentment, as if you've abandoned him—though that might not be the most accurate description.
Sasuke believes that everything you do has a reason, and that your changes in thought are all traceable.
Mingxi, did you feel like you were always living under someone else's roof for the more than ten years you lived in the Uchiha clan?
That feeling must be unpleasant... So Sasuke went from being confused and even angry that you abandoned him at the beginning, to gradually being able to understand what you did.
If he completely puts himself in your shoes and considers things from your perspective, he will have no way of blaming you.
Ultimately, it's his fault. Why was he so naive before? Why didn't he notice these changes?
Before carrying out a mission outside the village, he had to submit an application to leave the village. He had submitted the application as soon as he received the mission request. The staff at the Hokage Building were very efficient. The permit was approved shortly after he submitted it. He showed the permit to the ninja at the village entrance before leaving the village.
He left the village smoothly, but his mind was still in turmoil, especially after he found your notebook hidden deep in the drawer a few days ago when he was tidying up your room. It contained your artwork from your art class when you were in school.
His father felt that drawing wouldn't be of much help in becoming a ninja, so Sasuke wisely didn't present this seemingly meaningless thing to him. He also rarely showed it to his brother, who was also an excellent ninja. In fact, their whole family were ninjas, but only you, only you, could understand the joy he felt during his drawing lessons.
So he came to you with his painting, snuggled into your arms, and listened to you softly praising how well he had painted.
Aki, that's why I like Aki the most.
He opened the drawer, as if opening Pandora's box, and saw the archives hidden inside, where he had carefully stored away paintings he had long forgotten.
Sasuke felt depressed for several days after seeing this storage book. He longed to see you and ask how you had been all these years. He would be happy if you were doing well, and heartbroken if you were not.
His mind was in turmoil, and his irritability was palpable. So much so that when he stopped at a roadside teahouse to rest and have tea, the staff were too afraid to even breathe in his presence, cautiously asking him what he wanted to order.
“A strong cup of tea, and… mung bean cake, please,” he said.
The teahouse was in a mess. This was typical of teahouses located at the crossroads of different countries. All sorts of people gathered together, some whispering to each other, others shouting that they had found a great job.
"You guys don't know, do you? I heard that my hometown is the country of wine. The wine industry was monopolized by bullies before, and the locals had no choice but to go out and make a living. Now it's all good. I heard that those bullies have been driven away, and I can finally go back to my hometown to work. I prefer growing grapes to being a carpenter."
The man with a burly face beamed with joy. He even urged his companions to visit his hometown, saying, "The climate there is very comfortable and it's a great place to live. I guarantee you'll love it if you go."
Sasuke listened quietly. Just then, the waiter brought a strong tea and a plate of mung bean cakes to the table. "Here you are—your tea and mung bean cakes."
"Oh yeah, I heard that the person who chased away those bullies was a woman."
"Such an amazing woman?"
"Hey—don't underestimate women! The women on our island can easily blast a hole in your head with a gun!"
"Haha, I take back what I just said."
The man continued, "She's just a woman from out of town who says she wants to revive the wine industry on our island."
"So she's a businesswoman?"
"Pretty much, in my opinion he's a great person."
Their conversation was drawing to a close, but Sasuke's thoughts were drawn far away. His intuition told him that the person they were talking about was probably you. He immediately lost his appetite for tea and walked straight to their table, sitting down in the only empty seat.
The other person noticed the Konoha headband on his forehead and muttered, "A ninja from Konoha?"
Sasuke turned his attention directly to the loud-voiced man and asked, "What does that businessman look like? What's his name?"
The man hesitated for a moment, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. It was understandable; they were having a pleasant conversation when suddenly a cold-faced ninja squeezed in. Anyone would be wary in that situation, right?
"this……"
"Don't worry, I mean you no harm." With that, Sasuke looked up and smiled at them. Although the smile was fleeting, it confirmed to the man that Sasuke truly meant no harm. He then continued, "I heard she's a very beautiful woman. I don't know her name, it's something like Ming... Ming something, oh well, anyway, she's a really good person." The man concluded with this remark.
Sasuke's heart skipped a beat for a moment. He could confirm it was you from the other person's words, and he said, "Thank you."
He returned to his seat and quietly drank his tea, settling the bill for the other table of guests before leaving.
Although he really wanted to go to the Land of Wine to find you right now, he still had a mission to complete, and the most important thing was to finish the hostage rescue mission first.
If he could complete the mission quickly, he would have more time to search for you. With this thought in mind, Sasuke didn't stop for long on the rest of the journey, heading to the Land of Jade at his fastest speed.
*
As Sasuke headed to the Land of Jade, you had just finished that banquet, which was held at another manor on the island. This manor was much more luxurious than Yuuko's. You drank a few glasses of wine, and since it was in a wine-producing region, you drank some aged red wine instead of champagne.
The dark red wine, placed in a decanter, becomes even more mellow after being exposed to air. You take a sip and think to yourself that you've come to the right place. Holding your glass, you say, "It would be such a shame if such good wine couldn't be sold all over the country; it would be a loss for everyone else."
Your words brought smiles to the faces of the surrounding guests. You took another sip of wine, which tasted quite good. However, you started to feel a little dizzy, but Bai promptly helped you to sit in the garden outside and enjoy the breeze. You then felt much better.
"I drank too much without even realizing it," you said with a laugh.
"It's okay, I'll make you some hangover soup later."
"There's no need to rush into preparations. It's good to indulge in a little hedonism now and then." After all, this world is still too terrible, and you're not a savior, just an ordinary person, at most an ordinary person with a slightly intelligent mind.
You can't completely stay out of it, and you can't selflessly dedicate everything. You're just an ordinary, mundane person.
Bai pulled your coat tighter to protect you from the night wind, and you gazed quietly at the dark sky in the distance. "The sky is so dark."
"Because it's at night."
"The moon is...dark and gloomy too. Tomorrow will definitely be another unsettling day." You said, and finally leaned on Bai's shoulder and fell into a deep sleep.
By the time Zhishui came looking for you, you had already been asleep for a while. Bai gave Zhishui a look, and the latter immediately understood. He quietly approached you and asked, "When did she fall asleep?"
"Just now, what, do you want to say something to her?" Don't be fooled by his question; he has no intention of relaying the message for this Uchiha. He's just asking politely out of politeness.
Shisui gazed at your sleeping profile with gentle eyes. He said nothing, only quietly shook his head.
It's not good to stay out in the wind all the time, so Bai picked you up and walked towards the guest room, with Zhishui following beside him. After walking for a while, he asked, "When did you start following Mingxi?"
Is he trying to get information out of me? No, no, no, he didn't try to hide anything at all and asked the question directly, so it's not like he's trying to get information out of me.
"I have no obligation to tell you," Bai said, adjusting your position so that your head rested on his shoulder. Zhi Shui pursed his lips; sure enough, he knew Bai wouldn't answer.
Zhishui began to recount what had happened when they spent the New Year together. They had agreed to go see the snow, but it didn't snow until late into the night. You fell asleep while waiting, and in the end, Zhishui carried you back home.
You leaned against his back, feeling light and airy. Halfway there, it started snowing in the dark night sky. Zhishui wanted to tell you that it was snowing, but considering that you were still sleeping, he could only remain quiet for the time being. It wasn't until he took you home that you woke up a little. As soon as you opened your eyes, you saw Zhishui excitedly saying to you, "Mingxi, it's snowing!"
Still half asleep, you let out a flat "oh" before Itachi sent you back to your room.
Zhi Shui still couldn't forget that memory. He remembered every little detail, from the warmth of your breath brushing against the back of his neck as you leaned against him to your drowsy voice.
As Bai listened, he began to frown. Wait a minute, he didn't seem to have said he wanted to hear this guy talk about his feelings for him, did he? Why did he so naturally start talking about his feelings for him? Was it something important? He wasn't interested in it at all.
"What do you mean by all this nonsense?" Bai usually speaks veiledly in front of others, and occasionally he can be exceptionally sharp. This is one of those occasional instances. He has neither the patience nor the interest to understand how much Zhi Shui likes you.
Zhi Shui smiled, her eyes crinkling. "It's nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I once left a mark on her life."
These Uchiha are truly full of confidence, always believing themselves to be unique. Whether it's Uchiha Itachi, Obito, or even this Uchiha named Shisui, they all think they are special.
Bai didn't even blink. He said, "I think you guys seem to think too highly of yourselves, but actually, to Mingxi, you're just a pastime, um... a pastime that lasts only three minutes."
Bai took you back to your room in the manor, covered you with a blanket, and then went to the kitchen to make you a hangover soup. When he brought the hangover soup back to the room, you had already woken up. You looked at the ceiling, and the openwork pattern on the curtains was reflected on the ceiling as small dots by the moonlight.
When you woke up again, you didn't look like a drunk person at all. Your expression was very clear. Your gaze slowly dripped down the ceiling like water, finally landing on Bai. You said, "Huh... the hangover soup is ready so quickly?"
"I didn't expect you to wake up so soon, Mingxi." Bai said, placing the steaming hot hangover soup beside him to cool it down.
You sit up against the headboard and say, "Yeah, I didn't expect it either. It was so sudden... I woke up in an instant, just like that, I fell from the dream into reality without any buffer."
You are nothing like the radiant person you were at the banquet. Your eyes and brows are filled with layers of fatigue. You say, "I feel like I've completely exhausted my social energy."
"Then get a good night's sleep tonight."
"By the way, where's Zhishui?" you asked about his whereabouts. Bai paused in stirring the hangover soup with a spoon, then said, "He should be resting next door. Mingxi, do you want to see him?"
No, you were just asking casually. You fell asleep near the end of the banquet and had no idea what happened afterward. So, while drinking the hangover soup, you asked Bai about what happened next, and Bai answered you in detail.
You feel almost recovered after drinking half of the hangover soup, so you force yourself to stay awake and wash up. Finally, you collapse onto the soft bed, and that's when the day is over.
When you woke up the next day, you saw a note left by Shisui saying that he was going to complete the task you assigned. You had never seen such a hardworking person. Unlike your slight surprise when you saw the note, Bai's eyes swept over the note and he was actually glad that Shisui had left in a sensible way.
Otherwise, his constant presence here will only cause you trouble.
You begin to handle the transfer of vineyard ownership and then discuss local industry development with other estate owners. Time flies by, and you soon receive a reply from Zhishui.
The letter was delivered by a crow, and now whenever you see a crow, you subconsciously wonder if it was raised by Zhishui.
The letter was handed to you, and to express your gratitude, you gave the crow some nuts. It ate them while you read the letter.
The letter was short, but it contained key information. For example, he mentioned the Jade Country in the letter, and the addictive wine that Kado ordered was ultimately delivered to the basement of the Jade Country casino. You can reasonably suspect that Kado wanted to use these spiked wines to control the casino's customers.
To be honest, you're not surprised at all that Kado would do something like this. Rather, it's because most businessmen and powerful people in this world don't care about other people's lives. In their eyes, these are just things that can be used. But you can't do that.
The more principles you adhere to, the more others will see you as an oddball, because your behavior is out of step with them, and they can't be sure when you might cause them harm.
Forming cliques and attacking dissidents is an instinct for this type of person.
You threw the letter into the fire, and it was instantly consumed by the flames and turned to ashes. You turned to Bai and said, "It seems it's time to go to the Jade Kingdom."
You can use this opportunity to disrupt Cado's casino business, or even better, take over his casino altogether.
Thinking about this, you regain your energy and start pondering how best to transform his casino after you take it over. You're not particularly interested in casinos, since those kinds of places easily breed crime. Although you're a ruthless capitalist, you're only slightly ruthless. Most of the time, your methods for developing your businesses are legal and compliant.
As for hiring ninjas to kill one's competitors, that falls under the category of business warfare.
Real-life business battles are not as intricately plotted and strategically planned as depicted in novels. The simplest, most brutal, and most effective method is to directly eliminate the opponent with a swift and decisive strike.
The topic seems to have strayed a bit. Let's get back to the point. You quietly watch the flame die down, then say to Bai, "It's time to go somewhere else. Bai, have you never been to a casino before?"
Bai nodded, but he knew that gambling was one of the pillar industries of the Jade Kingdom. Many gray industries had developed around casinos, with the red-light district being the most superficial gray industry. In addition, there was the rampant use of addictive drugs and various other shady industries. You stroked your chin with your fingers, "Then come with me to take a look."
Before you left the island, Yuko gave you a lot of different flavored cheeses. She held your hand and said, "Will you come back next time?"
Who knows when the next time will be? You look at Yuko's aged face and remember that you were like this in your past life, with the elders in your family holding your hand and asking when you would come back.
Ah... things from your past life are so far away from you.
You said, "I'll try my best."
"Then be careful, and I wish you all the best." With that, Yuko made a praying gesture towards you.
After you take the cheese that Yuko made, you say goodbye to her and head to the pier. There are plenty of tickets available, so you can buy them when you get to the pier.
"I need two first-class cabin tickets." Having bought two tickets for nothing, you pulled your sun hat down a bit, so your entire face was shrouded in shadow.
A white hand came into view, holding two newly purchased tickets. He said, "We can board the ship now."
You responded, and the seasickness medication you had taken beforehand took effect. As night fell, the sea breeze howled, and it was pitch black outside, making you even more reluctant to leave your room. Fortunately, the first-class cabin had all the necessary facilities, and you could even order food directly, which would be delivered to your room by a waiter.
These conveniences make you even less inclined to move. You lie lazily on the soft bed as the ship sails through the dark waves, rising and falling with the tide.
Dinner was a simple slice of bread. Since you didn't have much of an appetite, you just ate some bread slices to get by. The crispy bread slices were spread with cheese that Yuko had given you. You liked the vanilla flavored cheese the most. It was real vanilla, and you could even taste the tiny grains of vanilla.
You're munching on a slice of bread covered in cheese, your mind blank. To be honest, you're a little curious about where Obito went after he suddenly disappeared, but he doesn't usually tell you where he is, so you're too lazy to ask. It just popped into your head a little out of nowhere.
"Would you like some calming tea?" Bai had already brewed some calming tea for you. After eating a slice of bread, you felt a bit greasy because the cheese on top was as thick as your finger joint, and it was very filling.
You took the teacup and then opened the system panel. Come to think of it, you seem to have some businesses in the Rain Country. Ah... your jewelry business sources its goods from there. You never thought of developing your own power in the Jade Country back then. The reason was simple: it was Kado's territory, and you were still in the development stage at that time. It would be unwise to go head-to-head with such an old merchant.
But things are different now; you can start thinking about gradually acquiring other people's businesses.
You're upholding justice by doing this, even though justice is scarce in this world.
You've only drunk half of your calming tea when you close the system panel and sprawl out on your bed like a salted fish. Bai asks if you have a headache. You say you're okay, but the wind outside is too strong, giving you a strange feeling that a storm is about to break.
It looks like they're filming a disaster movie.
You wore earplugs before falling asleep, which slightly reduced your sleep quality, but not by much—maybe 20-30% less.
It was several days later when they arrived in the Land of Jade.
The most exciting thing for you during this journey was the message from the head of the construction team in the Land of Tea, saying that the railway there was finally completed and asking when you would be free to visit. You were so happy that you spun around on the spot. Although Bai did not know the contents of the letter, he was happy to see you so happy. You held Bai's hand and jumped around.
"That's great, we won't have to walk like this anymore." Your tone was cheerful.
"So that letter came from the Land of Tea?" Bai is very familiar with all your plans, and guessed the contents of the letter just from one sentence. You said, "Yes, maybe next time. Let's go see the newly built railway when we have time!"
Bai imitated your jumping and hopping, and the two of you looked like you were doing a tap dance.
Once your excitement subsided a little, and you calmed down, you said, "Now that the railway is a success, the next step is the airplane—!"
When you talk about your plans for the future, your eyes light up. Bai looks at you quietly and thinks that as long as it makes you happy, any price is worth paying.
Because of this good news, you were in a good mood throughout the rest of the journey, and you even hummed a cheerful tune from time to time.
You and Bai arrived at the border of the Jade Kingdom in such a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. The Jade Kingdom has several things it has in abundance: raw stones, casinos, and gamblers.
Every day, tourists from all over the world come here, hoping to be one of the lucky few to win a rare gem or become rich overnight in the casino.
You've seen this kind of thing a lot in your past life; it just goes to show that the commonalities of humanity are the same in every world.
Your purpose in coming to the Land of Jade this time is more for observation. You didn't intend to take action directly, since this is Kado's territory. Simply put, you came to scout the area first, and then take over Kado's territory when the time is right. This approach is obviously more prudent and has a higher success rate.
You and Bai disguised yourselves as tourists. To lower others' guard, Bai changed into women's clothing again. To outsiders, you looked like sisters. You smiled and said to Bai, "I feel like Bai looks better in women's clothes."
Bai replied earnestly, "Does Mingxi need me to dress like this from now on?"
He will actually do it if you just say it. You say, "Ah... that won't be interesting anymore, so Bai, you should wear your everyday clothes normally."
It's fine to do this once in a while.
You've traveled from a small border town to the capital of the Jade Kingdom, which is also a large gambling city. Standing on a hillside outside the gambling city, you gaze into the distance. Although it's still daytime, the gambling city is bustling with activity. Countless people come here with dreams of getting rich quick, but only a handful manage to leave unscathed.
Although you had contact with Kado before, he had never seen your true face. Out of caution, you would disguise yourself when attending important meetings, and this time was no exception. You made some slight changes to your facial features, making you look less eye-catching and the kind of face that people would forget after just one glance. This achieved the effect you wanted.
You and Bai blend into the crowd and head towards the casino. You buy tickets at the entrance. There's an indescribable fragrance in the air of the casino. You frown slightly. Bai says, "This fragrance makes people's nerves excited. If the concentration were any higher, it would make people lose their minds."
Simply put, it's about making those customers emotional, and the consequence of being emotional at the gambling table is often losing all your chips. And that's just the beginning, because even if you lose your chips, the casino will thoughtfully provide loan services, then lead you step by step into the abyss.
You frowned. Fortunately, as long as you don't stay here for too long, this fragrance won't have too much of an effect on you.
The casino has several floors. The first floor offers the most basic gambling options, and you need to obtain VIP status to go to the upper floors.
Bai successfully used illusion magic to bring you to the upper floor. You wouldn't spend money here to get VIP status, since the money you spend will go into Kado's pocket. Letting your opponent make money is harder than killing you.
The benefits of illusion were on full display at this moment. You followed behind Bai without any obstacles. After circling around, you felt that you had scouted the area enough before preparing to go downstairs.
As you walk down the stairs, you suddenly hear Haku exclaim "Huh?" He says he sensed a fluctuation of chakra. You say, "It's not surprising that a few ninjas would be mixed in with this kind of chaotic place."
But Bai's expression was subtle. He had a feeling that this wasn't an ordinary ninja, especially that chakra...
You followed Haku's gaze, and now you finally understand why Haku was acting so strangely. You saw that familiar figure, the one who used to follow you around Konoha, calling your name again and again. That was Sasuke, Itachi Uchiha's younger brother.
"Strange... how did he end up here?" It couldn't be that he's gotten addicted to gambling, could it? Even though you dumped his brother, you actually quite like Sasuke himself. After all, he's much more likable than his brother, speaks more pleasantly, and isn't as enigmatic as his brother.
So if he really goes astray, you feel obligated to pull him back. However, you think it's unlikely he's addicted to gambling; he's more likely here to complete a mission.
"He used his transformation technique to go to the basement," Bai whispered to you, reporting Sasuke's situation.
As for what Sasuke was doing at the casino, let's rewind to a few days earlier, to the time when Sasuke left the teahouse and headed to the Land of Jade.
As his brother Itachi said, gambling on stones is rampant in this country. Not only in the border towns, but also in the capital, there are shops everywhere that cut rough stones. For those gamblers, each time a rough stone is cut is like winning the lottery.
Besides the shops that cut raw stones, there are also various shops that sell raw stones. As soon as the shopkeeper saw that Sasuke was a tourist from out of town, he tried his best to sell him these raw stones, saying, "Don't look down on these raw stones. If you find a top-grade gem inside, you'll be set for life!"
Is that really the case? Actually, just now when Sasuke was passing by a shop that cut rough stones, he happened to see a lucky guy cut open a gem of excellent quality. The gambler burst into tears of joy on the spot, and the shop owner and the people around him were cheering for him. But Sasuke also noticed the eyes hidden in the shadows.
Once someone finds a perfect gem, they will be the target of countless eyes, who will then use every means to entice the owner to hand over the gem.
So even if you win the gamble, whether you'll live to spend the money is still uncertain.
Ignoring the hawkers' cries, Sasuke concealed his presence and quietly arrived at the gambling city in the heart of the capital. Besides the casino, there were various living facilities surrounding the central casino building, all for the gamblers.
I heard that as long as you buy a ticket, you can use all the facilities here for free, but free things are often the most expensive.
Many people think they can control their greed and know when to stop, but in the end they only become nourishment for this gambling city.
From the moment he infiltrated the casino, Sasuke witnessed many people lose everything because of gambling. Their faces were ashen, they couldn't believe they had really lost, and some even went crazy on the spot before being dragged away by the security personnel.
Sasuke watched quietly, his gaze following the security guard.
The casino has over a dozen floors above ground; there are several more underground. According to the information Sasuke gathered, those who were threatened were being held underground. Sasuke followed the hidden passage to the first underground floor, but it was obvious that his mission's objective wasn't there. After all, the underground floor was where guests who had lost money and were emotionally devastated were being held.
As for the guests who were imprisoned as hostages and threatened with money from their families, they should be on a few floors below. Sasuke used his transformation technique to become one of the employees. The original employee was naturally hypnotized by his genjutsu and was now curled up unconscious in a hidden corner.
After transforming into an employee, he no longer needed to hide so carefully. He followed behind the others, watching them use keys to open the iron gates leading to the lower floors.
With a click, the iron gate opened. Based on the conversations of the other employees he had overheard, Sasuke was certain that his mission target was on this floor. He tried to minimize his presence and then hypnotize them all with his Sharingan before they could react.
This greatly reduced the difficulty of the mission. He took the key and opened the door. As soon as he opened the door, a stuffy smell hit him, and the air was mixed with a strong smell of blood. Even Sasuke, who had been mentally prepared, frowned slightly.
Thinking that it would be terrible if the mission target died here, Sasuke went into the room to check on the mission target. Fortunately, he was only unconscious and still had a breath left. He picked up the man and carried him away from there without hesitation.
However, he had underestimated the difficulty of this mission. The moment he stepped out of the room, he was surrounded by four or five ninjas, all of whom were rogue ninjas. The mastermind, Gato, emerged from behind the ninjas, grinning smugly, and said, "Looks like this time it's another Uchiha from Konoha. I've heard that Uchiha Sharingan can fetch astronomical prices on the black market. Perfect, I can make another fortune."
Kado's greedy eyes were fixed on Sasuke's crimson Sharingan.
Hearing what the other party said, Sasuke smirked and said, "Overestimating yourselves? Then we'll see if you have the ability to take my eyes away."
Gato gestured to the rogue ninja beside him and said, "Take him down—"
Sasuke carried the target with one hand, and with the other hand, he took out several kunai from his ninja tool pouch and threw them out cleanly. Several of the kunai pierced the enemy's body.
The boy ducked to avoid the attacks from the others.
Tch, so attacking while carrying a mission target really does affect things... His brows furrowed, and he drew his sword to block the opponent's long blade. The weapons clashed with a short, sharp sound.
Sasuke carried his target and retreated, looking around as he realized that many attacks were difficult to execute in this narrow corridor.
This was a disadvantage that could also be turned into an advantage for him. Sasuke smirked, temporarily setting aside his target, and rapidly formed hand seals, chanting, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique—"
In an instant, the narrow corridor was filled with raging flames. Kado hid behind his men, and one or two of his henchmen were unable to dodge in time and were engulfed by the flames. Kado shouted angrily, "Quickly grab him!"
Capturing him won't be an easy task, so Sasuke leaves behind a fake version of himself and the target created using the Substitution Jutsu to confuse the situation.
When the enemies tried to grab Sasuke by passing through the flames of the Great Fireball, they discovered it was a substitution jutsu. By the time they realized this, it was too late; Sasuke had already escaped with his target.
However, the casino was too large, and after discovering that Sasuke had escaped with the hostages, they immediately went into alert mode and sealed off all the casino's exits.
A gentle female voice came over the loudspeaker, saying, "Please do not panic, everyone. The casino will be conducting a routine fire inspection soon. Please do not leave the area you are in."
"Fire inspection?" Sasuke listened to the announcement without expression. What a lame excuse. Even if all the exits were blocked, there must still be hidden exits for escape.
This sudden fire inspection also aroused your suspicion. You immediately guessed that it was probably because Sasuke had caused some trouble in the basement, which made Gato immediately order his men to seal off the exits. Now, it's difficult for you to escape. However, your situation is not as urgent as Sasuke's, since you just can't leave the casino for the time being.
If Sasuke gets caught, it will be a real problem. Standing by the second-floor railing, you look thoughtfully towards the lobby on the first floor. Bai seems to have read your mind and says, "I'll go help. After all, Sasuke is the boy you like, Mingxi. You can't just stand by and watch him get caught."
Haku's words struck a chord with you. Although you had a falling out with his brother, there was no need to take it out on Sasuke. So you asked, "Are you sure where he is right now?"
Bai blinked slowly, then said, "We can roughly pinpoint his location, but he seems to be moving very quickly."
That's normal; he's trying to save his life.
The shadow clone sent out by Bai was searching for Sasuke's whereabouts. He caught sight of Sasuke, who looked unsteady on his feet and even staggered as he walked.
Was he poisoned? By analyzing Sasuke's actions, Haku determined that he was poisoned, and it was very likely a neurotoxin. In other words, if he didn't get an antidote immediately, he might die.
It seems I'll have to stay at this casino for the time being.
Sasuke, who escaped from the basement, only realized a while later that he seemed to have been poisoned. After thinking it over, he figured that the air in the basement must have been poisonous. The poison was eroding his mind, and his body gradually became heavy. He went from running to walking briskly, and finally his body was swaying. This process took less than two minutes. That's how terrifying the power of neurotoxins is.
In the end, he kept going only through his willpower.
No, I absolutely cannot fall here!
His eyelids felt heavy, and in the last moment before he fell into a coma, he caught a glimpse of a figure in his vision, a somewhat familiar figure...
The next second his consciousness went blank, and he was about to collapse when Haku caught him. Led by Haku's true form, you also arrived here. Looking at Sasuke's purple lips, you said, "He's been poisoned?"
"Hmm, it should be a neurotoxin." Bai said as he took out an antidote from his storage scroll. That's just how he is—always prepared. He had prepared many kinds of antidotes. These antidotes were obtained after you made several donations to Sunagakure. Sunagakure was already short of funds, and its geographical location wasn't great, so few merchants went there to do business. The factories you built there greatly alleviated the local economic pressure.
So you have a lot of antidotes on hand, not just antidotes, but they also send you all sorts of strange poisons, like free gifts with purchase.
The topic seems to have gone off-topic. The key point is that you have a lot of antidotes on hand. Although they may not be able to completely cure the poison in the short term, they can at least ensure that the toxins do not spread.
Haku skillfully injected the antidote into the unconscious Sasuke. As the last drop of antidote was pushed into his veins, you heard a commotion in the distance, presumably Gato and his men coming to find you.
You and Bai exchange a glance. Bai's clone carries the blood-soaked man on its back, while the real Bai supports the unconscious Sasuke. Luckily, you had already walked around the casino. You take Bai directly to the empty guest room upstairs and open the door without any hesitation.
Even though you haven't paid, this casino will likely be yours soon, so what's wrong with you just randomly choosing a room to stay in?
You close the door and analyze the situation. The search outside hasn't stopped yet, and they'll find this place sooner or later. You cross your arms, your face showing no panic but rather complete confidence.
If you were to ask what the most useful skill you learned after becoming a businessman is, it would undoubtedly be the ability to speak to people in a way that suits them, and to persuade others at will, as long as you want to.
Kado, after all, was a businessman. He couldn't possibly turn the entire casino upside down just to hunt down a ninja, because that would offend the VIPs. You had him figured out. When the door to your room was knocked on, you waited a moment before opening it. You flung the door open with a swish, your attitude even more aggressive than the thugs outside. You slightly raised your chin and demanded, "First you said it was a fire drill, now what are you doing knocking on the door? Are you trying to ruin my plans?"
"Listen up, I came to your casino to relax and enjoy myself, not to cause you trouble, understand?"
Your aggressive words right from the start clearly indicate that you're a guest not to be trifled with. Even the thugs could tell the difference, so they exchanged a glance and said in a businesslike manner, "Sorry, but we have to go in and check."
"Okay, but if you don't find anything, then you've offended me."
As soon as you finished speaking, you stepped aside to let them pass. The thugs searched the room and found nothing except some signs of daily life, such as clothes and coats on the tables and chairs, and a dressing bag on the washstand. Knowing they were in the wrong, they left in hushed tones.
You slammed the door shut in annoyance, your face showing no fear, only satisfaction and appreciation for your own acting skills.
It seems you do have some talent for performing.
Bai's voice came from behind you. He said, "Mingxi, would you like to come and check on him?"
You walked from the door to the living room. Just now, Haku hid Sasuke and another man. He only took off his disguise after the thugs left. You walked to Sasuke's side, who was unconscious, and found that he had grown a lot taller in just one or two years.
His once chubby cheeks have become much thinner, and his features have matured, making him handsome. His appearance is quite different from that of his brother Itachi. If you really had to say, you would say that Itachi's appearance is more gentle and refined, while Sasuke's appearance is a delicate one with a strong youthful vigor.
However, their personalities and appearances are completely opposite. Itachi Uchiha is not so gentle, and in your opinion, Sasuke is the gentlest Uchiha.
You bend down and reach out to touch his forehead; it's burning hot. He definitely has a fever. You ask, "Didn't the antidote work?"
"This is normal. It means your body is recovering, and it takes time to eliminate toxins," Bai explained patiently.
You nodded, so I guess Sasuke came here on a mission and then unwittingly fell into Gato's trap.
You sit next to Sasuke, your palm covering his forehead. Sasuke, who had been frowning, relaxes his brow because of your gesture.
Haku observed his changes, his feelings inexplicably complicated. He once thought he was a replacement for Sasuke, but now it seemed he had overthought it. Apart from his black hair, he and Sasuke had nothing in common.
And you seemed more concerned about him. Bai's hand, holding the water glass, tightened slightly. He said, "Mingxi..."
"What's wrong?" You turned around and glanced at him.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking that we shouldn't stay here any longer. We should find a chance to leave."
"Okay, let's leave once he's recovered enough."
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