Chapter 47 "Are you satisfied now?"...
Your reaction to this is lukewarm at all; this topic is less important than what you ate for breakfast today.
So you gave a nonchalant "Oh," and then asked, "What's for breakfast today?"
Bai said, "I'll just have to make do with a sandwich for now."
Normally, he would have prepared a special breakfast for you, but now you're in the wild with limited resources. Luckily, you're not picky and are fine with anything. After washing up, you quietly opened your sandwich and ate, while Bai was still packing up the tent. Halfway through your chew, you asked Scorpion, "Don't you need to eat anything?"
You thought the other person wouldn't reply, but he actually did. He said, "I've already cut out for these troublesome and meaningless activities."
It sounds so sophisticated, but it really just means you don't need to eat. You swallow the sandwich, and you still find it hard to imagine what life would be like if you couldn't eat. You feel like life would be less fun, right?
But that's a personal choice, and you respect that. After finishing the last bite of your sandwich, you ask, "So, are you coming with us now? Are we going to the Land of Rope, or do you have a mission to complete?"
"You sound like you're very familiar with the Akatsuki's every move. Did Deidara tell you all this? That guy really has no tact; he told you everything." Sasori seemed to be scolding Deidara, but in reality, Deidara didn't reveal much information to you; most of it was told to you by Obito Uchiha.
It was said in bed.
By the way, it wasn't you who asked him that. Instead, he started rambling on and on about random things afterward, constantly chattering in your ear until you were sick of it. You tried to stop him, but to no avail; he just kept talking. But then you realized that maybe it was because he hadn't talked to anyone in a long time.
Chatting with members of the Akatsuki isn't a real chat; after all, it's chatting with your colleagues. Who can open up to their colleagues like that? You couldn't do that in your past life, let alone this one, so after thinking about it for a while, you understand.
Let Obito Uchiha keep talking. He can say whatever he wants, and you can do whatever you want. The two of you can leave each other alone and achieve a delicate peace to some extent.
So, back to the present, Sasori of the Red Sand really did misunderstand his partner Deidara, but you didn't refute him, so you just let him continue to misunderstand. Anyway, the conflict will be between their own members and won't have much to do with you. You can even watch the show from the sidelines.
In just a few seconds, you've thought about so many things in your mind, but you're still smiling politely on the surface, as if you're listening attentively to Deidara.
"But I won't pose a threat to you. I'm just a businessman who wants to make money. What you do is none of my business." You shrug, glancing at Bai out of the corner of your eye. He has already packed up the tent and stored it in his storage scroll. It looks like you can set off again.
Scorpion said, "The Land of Ropes? What are you going there for?"
You give a perfunctory answer, saying, "Ah... I'm just going on vacation. That's how people who enjoy life are. Don't you like to travel? You can see scenery all over the world and relax your mind and body."
Sasori didn't ask this question to listen to your nonsense. How could he not see that you were just trying to brush him off? I bet only that brat Deidara would be fooled by your little tricks. He said, "Save your breath, I'm not falling for that."
Okay, he's said this more than once already; his lines have a very high plagiarism rate.
You scoff at this, thinking, "Fine, I won't eat it then. It's not like I necessarily need to build a good relationship with him. My employees are all quite capable and obedient. There's no need to hire someone who's rude and has a bad attitude as my employee. I'm just a little curious about whether his puppetry technique can be mass-produced."
You previously heard about Deidara's partner, Sasori of the Red Sand, from him. In Deidara's eyes, Sasori was someone who went against his pursuit of art, but undeniably, he was very powerful and was the strongest puppeteer in the world.
As for puppets... could they serve as the precursors to robots? While researching robots in a world where railways are not yet widespread is somewhat ahead of its time, it's still considered forward-thinking. After all, once society enters a period of development, the tide of the times will be incredibly powerful.
So this time you weren't in such a hurry while traveling, and you were even able to ask him with great interest how many puppets he had made.
"Are you very interested in this?" he asked in return.
"I'm interested in anything that can promote social development," you said.
Scorpion remained noncommittal. Your purpose is very clear. He doesn't dislike people who put their goals out in the open from the beginning. At least it saves some unnecessary beating around the bush and also saves time.
Through the puppet, he looked at your profile. Your appearance was undeniably beautiful. Different people react differently to beauty. Some people want to protect this beauty, while others will feel possessiveness. Sasori of the Red Sand clearly belonged to the latter. In the gaps of his silence, he was thinking about how to make you his own collectible.
First, you can't die in a gruesome way. It's best to use poison, and it should be a poison that won't affect your appearance but will only poison your internal organs. This will make it easier to deal with those internal organs later. Second, there's the preservation of the skin. The more delicate the skin, the more troublesome it is to preserve. Fortunately, he has a lot of experience in this area and has dealt with many such corpses.
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and this applies to any skill, not to mention his innate talent in this area. The combination of these two factors results in his now unparalleled skill in handling corpses.
He's certain he can make your skin perfect, that you'll be the most beautiful one in his collection, and he won't even use you in battle.
You feel Sasori's gaze from the side. Although you can't read minds, you can still read some different emotions from his eyes.
Forget it, the people in this world are all a bit abnormal. You've lived here for about twenty years and you should have understood that by now.
You said, "Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"
Sasori of the Red Sand said, "I just think you would be the most beautiful one if you became my collection."
"Are your collectibles alive or dead?" You can still ask such a curious question. Sasori of the Red Sand chuckled hoarsely and said, "Of course they're dead."
"I see," you said. "But aren't the living more vibrant? Only the living can create endless possibilities and even bring you surprises. You like to control everything so much because something uncontrollable happened when you were a child? Ah... They all say that an unhappy childhood takes a lifetime to heal. Are you healed now? It seems not to me. You are still hiding in the shadows, thinking you can control everything, but in reality, you are no different from your younger self."
You spoke those hurtful words with a smile, and Sasori of the Red Sand, as expected, got angry. Suddenly, a scorpion tail mechanism appeared and pressed against your throat. The next second, the gleaming stinger was about to pierce your throat, but Byakuya reacted quickly and blocked the attack with his dagger. He said unhappily, "What do you want to do—!?"
Sasori of the Red Sand arrogantly commented on Haku's defense, saying, "Your reaction is quite fast, but your strength is insufficient. It seems you're not very wise to have such a brat as your guard."
"Don't start attacking others just because what I said touched a nerve. It only proves that I was telling the truth."
Sasori probably encountered someone who could argue with him so confidently for the first time, but you didn't think you were arguing. At most, you were just telling the truth. However, not everyone likes to hear the truth. Most people find the truth too sharp and harsh, and even Sasori of the Red Sand is no exception.
You said, "If what I just said offended you, then I apologize."
Although your apology lacked sincerity, sounded flimsy and perfunctory, it sounded more like a provocation to Sasori of the Red Sand.
Strangely, he wasn't angry about it at all; in fact, he seemed to be secretly hoping you would say something else. He said, "Was it like this when you were with Deidara before?"
That's different. First of all, Deidara is younger and more beautiful than him. Secondly, Deidara is much easier to deal with. He'll believe anything you say. So, people become more suspicious as they get older, right?
More importantly, Deidara is much easier to talk to, unlike Sasori of the Red Sand who is impervious to reason. You can say, "The answer to this question depends on whether you want to hear the truth or a lie."
Wasn't that clear enough? Sasori of the Red Sand said after a while, "It seems it's different."
"It's good that you have the self-awareness," you said with a smile.
In the latter half of the journey, your relationship with Sasori of the Red Sand improved somewhat, but Haku, who was by your side, still did not relax. He remained on edge, his attention focused on Sasori of the Red Sand, watching his every move. If Sasori made any move that threatened your life, Haku would attack him without hesitation.
Upon arriving in the Land of Rope, before officially entering the capital, you say to Sasori of the Red Sand, "Are you sure you want to enter the capital like this? I don't want others to think I'm with the Akatsuki."
"So now you want to sever ties with the Akatsuki? If Deidara were standing here right now, would you have said the same thing?"
"No, because Deidara changes his clothes without me having to remind him, and he always dresses himself up nicely, unlike you." You admit that what you said was a bit direct, but if you don't speak directly to a character like Sasori of the Red Sand, he might misunderstand it.
The comprehension abilities of the ninjas in this world are truly worrisome. Some have exceptional comprehension skills and are adept at divergent thinking; you are referring to Itachi Uchiha here. Others require you to explain things more clearly, and you are referring to Obito Uchiha here.
Sasori of the Red Sand eventually made some concessions, but all he did was change the Akatsuki cloak covering the puppet, and that was it.
Okay, just think of it as bringing a large pet into the city. If you think about it that way, it makes a lot more sense. After you arrive in the capital, there will be a person in charge to lead you on a tour of the steel smelter. When those people see Bai and Red Sand Scorpion next to you, especially the latter, a little doubt will appear in their eyes, but they will quickly shift their attention to other places.
You walk ahead, listening to the person in charge introduce the iron smelting output and efficiency. You occasionally ask a few questions as you listen. Bai and Sasori, who are lagging behind, also exchange a few words now and then, but the atmosphere of the conversation is not very friendly. Sasori says, "Your bloodline limit is quite rare. I guess she made you her guard because of your bloodline limit, right? But if you ask me, your strength is still far from that of a true master. One day you will be unable to protect her because of your weakness."
Bai said, "You seem to think too little of Mingxi. In reality, although she doesn't have the strength of a ninja, her heart is much stronger than yours and the other Akatsuki members. Didn't you just get angry because of a few words she said? Being swayed by others only shows that your heart isn't that firm either."
Sasori didn't speak, but his silence didn't mean he agreed with what Haku said. He was just thinking about how to kill you without damaging your skin. If he killed you, this guy named Haku would probably break down, right? Then he would definitely enjoy watching the other's expression of collapse.
You, who were walking ahead, suddenly turned around and waved to Bai. Bai ran up to you and asked, "What's wrong?"
"He'll hand over the organized documents to you later. You'll be responsible for checking the data in these documents. Thank you for your help." As you said this, you patted Bai on the shoulder. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll do my best to complete the task you've given me."
The person in charge then said, "Then I'll trouble Mr. Bai to come to the office with me."
Just to be on the safe side, White sent out a clone, while his real body stayed by your side. This was mainly to prevent Sasori from taking the opportunity to attack you. You walked through the factory to the rest area at the back and asked Sasori, "Do you think there are any areas on those assembly lines that need improvement?"
Sasori of the Red Sand, occupying the space next to you, asked, "What do you mean by that?" Are you seeking his advice? But didn't you previously consider him an enemy?
He retorted sarcastically, "I didn't know you liked to seek advice from rogue ninjas."
"So what if someone is a rogue ninja? I won't accept everything someone says just because they are a good person, nor will I deny everything they say just because they are a bad person. Besides, being a rogue ninja is just a matter of perspective."
I don’t know if he understands what you’re saying, but he seems to understand. He said, “Those production lines are too slow. Some steps can be integrated into one.”
See? You said that everyone in the Akatsuki is a talented individual. Sasori can even give you suggestions on how to modify the production line. The efficiency after modifying it according to his suggestions can be increased by 30% or even more. So your attitude towards him has become more amiable. You said, "I will give your suggestions a good consideration."
Scorpion was still puzzled. He said, "Is that all? Is that all you want to ask?"
"Yes, what kind of reward would you like to express your gratitude?"
"I want you."
"Hmm...this won't work."
Sasori of the Red Sand snorted coldly, as if mocking your stinginess, and said, "Then I have nothing else I want."
You shrug. "Okay." But that's what he said himself. It's not that you're unwilling to pay. You're not that stingy. You're always very generous when it comes to money, okay?
As night falls, it's about time for you to rest. You'll be staying in a private room on the top floor, which is dedicated to your needs.
After taking a shower, you take a glass of red wine to the balcony and look down at the city. Not far away is the palace of the daimyo, brightly lit. You squint your eyes slightly, raise your glass, and through the dark red wine, the palace is shrouded in a faint blood-red hue. If you want, the monarch and nobles of this small country are nothing more than your pawns.
A night breeze blew, ruffling the stray hairs on either side of your face. You caught a rustling sound behind you—it was Sasori of the Red Sand. Without turning around, you simply said, "The noise you make when you move like that is loud enough for even an ordinary person like me to hear. Aren't you sure you won't be detected during a battle?"
"So what if they find out? In the end, they'll still die by my hand." Sasori of the Red Sand said it casually, not as an exaggeration, but because he had done it many times before, which was why he was so confident.
Leaning against the balcony railing, you say, "Can't I see what you really look like? Aren't you good-looking? Don't you have any confidence in your appearance?"
"Puppet masters do not need to reveal themselves during battle."
"I know, but this is not the time for battle." As you spoke, you walked towards him, bent down slightly, and gazed at his face, as if looking through the puppet at the real him.
You don't know how much time passed before you straightened up, took a couple more sips of red wine, and suddenly heard a clicking sound. Your lips curled up slightly, and when you turned your head, a red-haired boy appeared in front of you. His elbows and other joints had been modified into the shape of a puppet, but his appearance was still very delicate, especially his eyes.
He looked over, and at the same time walked towards you, saying, "Are you satisfied now?"
You reach out and touch his cheek with your fingertips. His skin is cold and doesn't feel human. You say, "Since you're already going to be transformed into a puppet, why bother maintaining your human form?"
It's just as strange as robots always having to be made in human form.
His eyes moved, making him look more like a doll.
Can I say this? It feels like a large-scale BJD (Ball-Jointed Doll), and the kind that's exquisitely crafted and can sell for a high price.
"Because the transformation hasn't been fully completed yet." He said this with a hint of regret in his voice, as if he were disgusted with himself, who was still human.
You nodded and said, "Then I wish you success soon."
"If you continue to live, one day your body will age, wrinkles will appear on your smooth skin, and even your movements will become slow and sluggish. Can you tolerate yourself like that?"
...Here we go again. The ninjas here really love to drag others into these philosophical discussions. You purse your lips, thinking to yourself that you're not here to be a counselor. You say, "Not necessarily. They might suddenly die before they get old. After all, people don't only die when they get old; they could die at any time."
Scorpion said, "If that's really the case, I'll properly retrieve your body."
No, is that all he can think of? You're discussing the meaning of life, and he's thinking about how to dispose of your body. You're not even on the same wavelength.
You said, "That's probably a bit difficult, because there will definitely be a lot of people attending my funeral."
Sasori of the Red Sand seemed to be seriously considering how high the success rate was in taking your body from those people. According to his investigation of you, the people you contacted included not only members of Akatsuki, but also people from Konoha, as well as ninjas from other villages. Hmm... that's indeed a bit difficult.
"Then we have no choice but to strike first before they do."
That's not the point of discussion, is it? You said, "But people are only truly more vibrant and likable when they're alive, aren't they?"
"Can you still feel warmth, smell flowers, and hear your own heartbeat when you're about to become a doll?"
After saying that, you finish the wine in your glass. To be honest, you think Sasori of the Red Sand must be very capable, but he tends to be extreme in his thinking. If he could work honestly for you, he would be an excellent employee, but that's really hard to achieve.
You return to your room, wash up, and go to sleep. Sasori, who has been transformed into a doll, doesn't need much sleep, so he has a whole night to think about what you said. As dawn approaches, he suddenly catches a bird soaring from the sky. Upon closer inspection, isn't that his partner Deidara?
The other person clearly rushed over, looking travel-worn. They didn't even have time to think before landing, and immediately asked, "Mingxi... how come you're with Mingxi? You didn't already make a move on her, did you? She's not suitable to be your collectible at all!"
"You look so agitated, it's really unsightly," Sasori slapped Deidara's hand away and said, "I don't quite understand what you're saying."
"Wait—so you mean you didn't do anything to Mingxi?" Deidara's eyes widened slightly, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. On his way here, no, he was startled when he heard the news. He didn't care about his next plan and rushed to your side immediately. He wasn't worried about you; he just felt that Sasori of the Red Sand might not be able to control himself.
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