The news from the Northern Lands reached Orochimaru himself immediately.
Orochimaru's main body was also somewhat surprised when he received the news, not expecting that the two had already secretly gone to the Northern Lands.
"If we had known they would be so proactive, we might have teamed up and gone back together."
He shook his head. It was better to go back first. He was just planning to go to Kirigakure. Now he had saved himself a lot of trouble!
"What's wrong?"
Lying in his hospital bed, Pakura felt a jolt of fear when he saw Orochimaru shake his head.
Because the injury was on her waist, Orochimaru had been taking care of her for the past few days, and the two were no longer as cold towards each other as before.
Not only did they clean her wounds and change her dressings, but they also personally brought her meals at mealtimes.
Orochimaru is about to become the next Kage. As the Kage of a village, he takes good care of his subordinates. Anyone would appreciate that.
If Orochimaru wants to win people's hearts, he wouldn't mind raising his body temperature a bit and becoming a warm-hearted man!
Orochimaru shaking his head wasn't a big deal; their relationship wasn't at the point where they cared about each other's every word and action.
But Orochimaru is taking her pulse right now! What does it mean by shaking his head and frowning?
Is my kidney going to die? Or am I going to die soon?
Little did she know that the Shiro on her neck was hissing and relaying messages from Orochimaru.
"It's alright! The recovery is going well, and you'll be able to get out of bed in a few days."
Orochimaru withdrew his fingers from her wrist; his heart was beating strongly, much better than it had been two days ago.
His complexion was not much different from that of an average person, but his voice was still a little weak.
"You should rest well first, and come back with me in a few days!"
After saying that, Orochimaru got up and walked out. He should eat and drink well; excessive concern is counterproductive.
"Sir, the child you asked us to keep an eye on has started to make strange moves!"
As soon as Orochimaru stepped outside, one of his Orochimaru came up to him to report the situation.
This flood wasn't just for Pakura; there were two little ones waiting for him to save them!
"Lead the way, I'll go there myself!"
In the Land of Water, in a village where it snows all year round.
A three- or four-year-old child, dressed in thin clothes, was huddled in a corner, shivering.
He has been away from home for two or three days, and has hardly eaten or drunk anything during these two or three days.
I had some money on me before, but it wasn't enough to last long.
If nothing unexpected happens, he might really starve or freeze to death on the street.
He could never go back to his original home. Ever since he accidentally revealed his Kekkei Genkai, his father had betrayed him out of a sense of justice.
In the eyes of the villagers, someone with Kekkei Genkai like him was a demon, and his father shared the same view.
His father, along with the villagers, wanted to kill him, this scourge that had been hiding for many years, but his mother naturally tried her best to stop them.
In the midst of the chaos, he witnessed his father kill his mother.
The other villagers not only did not find this behavior outrageous, but instead applauded it.
At that very moment, his Kekkei Genkai erupted, and all the villagers, including his father, were instantly pierced by the Ice Release, turning them into hedgehogs.
At that moment, I felt neither a sense of satisfaction nor a bloodthirsty pleasure.
Some were simply bewildered and apathetic.
Could he hate? Hate himself? Hate his father? Or perhaps these villagers? Or this world?
His grief was more profound than despair; after burying his mother, he had nowhere else to go.
He would rather beg on the streets and wander the streets than return to that home filled with cold and painful memories!
Am I going to die?
In the freezing cold, his figure was too weak to stand up.
Every year, many beggars like him end up on the streets, freezing or starving to death.
Ordinary people coming and going are used to this situation. These days, they often don't even have enough to eat, let alone have enough to help others.
Just as his eyelids grew heavy, and he was about to fall asleep and never wake up again.
A figure appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye.
He initially thought it was just a passerby, but the figure remained firmly in front of him.
Just as he was about to lift his head to see who it was, a warm, large hand landed on his head.
At the same time, the aroma of meat buns wafted to his nose, making him involuntarily swallow.
"You must be starving! Eat it while it's hot!"
The person squatted down and handed him a bag of meat buns, while a pale face with a gentle smile came into view.
The child did not find the smile of the person in front of him frightening; instead, a warm feeling rose in his heart!
Without thinking twice, the child took the bun with trembling hands and couldn't wait to eat it.
"Hehe... Eat slowly! There's still plenty left."
This heartwarming scene stands in stark contrast to the surrounding snowy landscape!
The person appearing here at this moment is none other than Orochimaru, the principal of the Northland Kindergarten!
He couldn't stand the sight of the rich feasting while the poor froze to death on the streets.
The children's charity fund, which had been built up over many years through murder and arson, is now playing its due role.
The dirty, beggar-like beneficiary in front of you is Bai.
Orochimaru had been observing him for some time, and things were developing as they had in the Original Work.
Orochimaru didn't intervene. He was just the director of a homeless children's center. He couldn't stop people from becoming homeless before they even started, could he?
Okay, Orochimaru has been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Living in that kind of family or place might be a little better than it is now, but it would definitely not be better than the future, at least the environment is incomparable.
If it's a happy family, Orochimaru wouldn't mind taking them all in, but let's leave someone like Haku out.
Seeing Shiro wolfing down his food, Orochimaru handed him a water bottle.
Bai didn't stand on ceremony; he was so hungry he was practically rolling his eyes back, and he didn't care about anything else.
Ignoring the slightly hot water, he opened the kettle and gulped down several large mouthfuls.
Only after he finished eating a small bag of steamed buns did he have the mind to look at the kind person who had given him the food.
"Thank you... thank you, Uncle!"
Perhaps because he hadn't spoken in a long time, Haku's voice was a little hoarse, and he looked at Orochimaru with a somewhat timid expression.
"Flowers bloom amidst ice and snow, a peerless beauty resides! What a beautiful child, I need your abilities, would you like to come with me!"
Being needed and recognized is a psychological defense for most children, especially those who have had this experience.
As expected, Haku's eyes lit up instantly after hearing Orochimaru's short sentence.
"Can... can I?"
Seeing his self-conscious and suspicious appearance, Orochimaru felt a pang of heartache. How much had this child been enduring?
"I believe you'll do a great job! If you follow me, as long as I have food to eat, you'll have a bowl to wash... no, I mean, you'll have a bowl of soup to drink!"
If you follow Brother Snake, you won't go hungry for three days straight; you can eat a feast every day!
Without waiting for his reaction, Orochimaru pulled him to his feet.
For a child who lacks his own opinions, the goal isn't to persuade him, but rather to be a strong tree that shelters him from the wind and rain, guiding him forward!
Just as Orochimaru was about to Teleportation away, he suddenly saw a figure walking towards him, shivering and hugging his shoulders.