After returning to the Northern Lands, Kakuzu and the others did not go out again. They only rested for a day before helping Orochimaru settle the villagers.
With the addition of thousands of people, the vast Northern Lands gradually became populated, and many shops opened.
Including the original two or three thousand people in the Northern Lands, there are now nearly five thousand residents.
So Orochimaru has been incredibly busy these days, and the sub-district offices under his jurisdiction are even busier.
This forced Orochimaru to increase the number of his Shadow Clone, making one person do the work of a hundred, which kept him extremely busy.
Three days after Kakuzu and the others returned, the ninjas who had gone to the Land of Snow also returned.
This time, not only the residents of the Land of Snow returned, but also those from an unnamed little country.
The combined population of the two countries is a total of five thousand.
This includes not only residents of the ninja village, but also residents of the surrounding villages.
Unlike the Land of Hot Water, where people might be reluctant to leave a place with snow all year round, they would be tempted by a better environment.
That is why Orochimaru dispatched two of his top generals, Hozuki Mangetsu and Ringo Ameyuri.
With a dozen or so Shadow Guard members, a few thousand guards might not be enough, but if you include their native ninjas, it should be about right.
Nadare Rōga Kazahana Dōtō are both people you can command, and there's also the highly prestigious princess Kazahana Koyuki. It's practically impossible for any trouble to arise.
As expected, under the mobilization of Kazahana Koyuki, the villagers of Snow Ninja Village said that they would follow the Queen wherever she went.
So now so many people follow him; the fact that so many people in the harsh, cold Land of Land of Snow has exceeded Orochimaru's expectations.
Fortunately, their technology is advanced, and hundreds of cars drove directly from the Land of Snow.
Even the train was dismantled and several cars were pulled together, followed by a huge crowd of people.
As for Queen Koyuki, she arrived at the village entrance immediately.
"You've grown quite a bit! You must have had a tough journey!"
Orochimaru looked at Her Majesty the Queen as she descended from the airship and spoke gently.
Aside from growing a bit taller, more mature, and a bit more attractive, she hasn't changed much since we first met.
Perhaps it's because she's become a queen, but her noble aura is quite captivating.
"It is my honor to serve you, sir!"
Koyuki bowed slightly to Orochimaru, instantly dispelling her queenly aura.
Among so many juniors, he is one of the few Orochimaru to use the Loyalty Mark.
This is why Orochimaru was so at ease. As the ruler of a country, Orochimaru couldn't just trust her casually, and he didn't have time to cultivate her at that time.
"We're all on the same side, there's no need to be so polite. We still need to maintain the image of the Queen!"
He gently rubbed her little head, the little crown on it swaying back and forth, before she looked up at the long dragon in the distance.
The airship, amidst the Kazahana Koyuki, escorted its people until the Northern Lands came into view, at which point it broke away from the main group and set off ahead.
I hope the environment here hasn't disappointed you!
The two stood side by side looking into the distance, where hundreds of cars drove by in a grand procession, creating a spectacular scene.
This moment made Orochimaru feel a little dazed, as if he had returned to that time and space of his past life.
"Although I have tried my best to appeal to my subjects, there are still some people who disagree with me. It's because I haven't done my job well...!"
At this point, Koyuki's eyes showed some guilt, and she felt somewhat guilty for not being able to perfectly complete the task assigned by Orochimaru.
"You've done a great job. This isn't your fault. It's normal for people to have different opinions."
Even groups of dozens or hundreds of people can have disagreements, let alone groups of thousands.
It seems unlikely that there would be a complete consensus; Orochimaru only branded some high-ranking and respected individuals.
It's impossible to be perfect in every aspect, which was entirely within Orochimaru's expectations.
"Why don't you go down and rest first? I can handle things here."
Hearing that Orochimaru didn't blame her but instead showed concern for her health, Koyuki's eyes softened even more.
"Thank you for your concern, sir. I traveled all the way by airship, so it wasn't tiring at all!"
Koyuki smiled sweetly at Orochimaru, and indeed, there was no sign of fatigue from her long journey.
Just as the two were talking, the procession arrived.
First, the trucks carrying supplies arrived and parked in the open space at the entrance of the village, guided by staff from the Northern Lands.
The driver then got out to register, and at the same time, staff members came forward to count the supplies. The one leading the group was none other than Kakuzu, who looked very excited!
Meanwhile, the villagers of Snow Ninja Village went to the registration office on the other side to register to enter the village.
A figure dressed in white, carrying two swords on his back, slowly approached Orochimaru.
"You must be tired from the journey! Was your trip smooth?"
The newcomer was none other than Hozuki Mangetsu. His white robes were already somewhat yellowed, and he looked travel-worn with some weariness in his eyes.
It wasn't just him; almost everyone who arrived had the same expression.
Orochimaru even saw some patients lying on stretchers or being helped by others.
Long journeys inevitably involve bumps and bruises, and there may even be issues with adapting to the local environment.
Orochimaru had anticipated this, and fortunately, among the ninjas he had sent out earlier were several skilled in medicine.
There are also many Medical Ninja in the Land of Snow, and Orochimaru asked Mangetsu and the others to take special care of them.
"Fortunately, I didn't fail in my mission; things went relatively smoothly!"
Hozuki Mangetsu breathed a sigh of relief, then revealed a smile, his shark-tooth-like teeth standing out prominently.
"Go and rest first! Don't worry about the rest!"
As Orochimaru patted him on the shoulder, Hozuki Mangetsu didn't stand on ceremony and walked straight into the village.
As I passed the village registration office, I happened to see Kisame, who was also dressed in white and carrying Samehada on his back.
The two greeted each other and then started whispering to each other. Orochimaru didn't eavesdrop on their conversation because at that moment, a shout of cursing suddenly came from over.
"Hurry up! You unruly traitors!"
Zabuza impatiently swung the whip in his hand.
"You're already in the village and you're still dawdling around. I think you want to experience the thrill of the Lightning Five-Strikes Whip!"
Before he finished speaking, several sharp, slapping sounds rang out from the crowd.
Orochimaru looked up and saw hundreds of disheveled and wretched people being driven forward by Zabuza.
"I never knew Brother Ghost could be so sun-loving!"
Orochimaru couldn't help but Zabuza, saying that the guy was damn reliable and seemed perfect for this kind of thing.
Looking around, one could see ninjas, civilians, and even quite a few researchers among these people.
These people are really full of personality. It's not surprising, though; what leader in any field doesn't have a bit of arrogance?
Orochimaru himself had to step in on this group, directly branding those who were valuable.
Having no value and being unruly, he can only contribute to Orochimaru's scientific research.
"Tch...! Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Next time, I hope Lord Gold Kage will arrange a more respectable job for me."
Zabuza was extremely frustrated along the way; he wasn't allowed to charge into battle and could only do logistical work.
Thinking about it makes me feel a bit resentful, so I vented all my frustrations on these prisoners!
"Teacher! We're back!"
Just then, several voices rang out again in my ears.