The two men who received the order quickly retreated. There was no better day than today, and at their speed, it wouldn't take them half a day to get to the Northern Lands.
Given that it was only recently dark and they would reach their destination in the latter half of the night, it was the perfect time to infiltrate.
Meanwhile, the Northern Lands remained as bustling as ever, completely unaware that a powerful enemy had already set its sights on them.
Even if Orochimaru were still in Akatsuki, it wouldn't make a difference; such confidential information was beyond the reach of someone like him who was just an employee.
The Northern Lands is divided into inner and outer villages, or rather, outer and inner cities.
The inner city was under curfew long ago, but the nightlife in the outer city was just beginning.
It's early spring, and the weather is already warming up. Under the cover of night, the bustling streets are still teeming with people. Many enjoy strolling around at night, and the shopping malls and restaurants are just as lively as during the day.
In addition, since Orochimaru released many popular songs, the entertainment industry in the Northern Lands has entered a period of boom.
At this time, the most bustling places were karaoke bars, the red-light district, and the emerging bar industry.
These industries' stores tend to stay open quite late; they don't close until at least one or two in the morning.
These are also the places where ninjas patrol most frequently. This world is different from the Blue Star of my previous life. If anyone dares to cause trouble, the ninjas are truly willing to kill.
So, despite the bustling activity in the outer city, order was running smoothly, and this kind of vibrant night scene could not be seen in the other Five Great Nations.
If we're talking about places that operate 24/7, or rather, the only place that's allowed to operate 24/7, then that's the Northern Land Tower.
This place is Heaven on Earth, a den of iniquity in the Northern Lands.
The building not only houses a casino, but also foot massage parlors, karaoke bars, and other amenities, attracting many foreign Daimyo come to patronize it.
As one of the key locations in the Northern Lands, it naturally has officials stationed there year-round, and there is at least one such official.
On the 24th floor, a green-eyed ninja was drinking beer and eating barbecue, his fingers constantly swiping.
"97, 98, 100!"
He counted to one hundred, tied the bills together with an eraser, set them aside, and continued counting the scattered banknotes on the table.
This is none other than Kakuzu.
Kakuzu not only doesn't find this repetitive and tedious work boring, but he actually enjoys it immensely.
In the original timeline, Kakuzu was probably the purest member of Akatsuki Kakuzu, because he genuinely did what he was paid to do.
Of course, he is the most likely candidate to do so. If the money offered is enough to entice him, it's not impossible for him to betray the Akatsuki.
Since Orochimaru knew this, he naturally knew how to deal with it. Since Orochimaru liked money, he would make him revolve around money every day.
Kakuzu who has seen a lot of money would probably not be interested in offers from others again, unless they can find a boss as incredibly wealthy as Orochimaru.
Just as he was diligently counting his banknotes, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in!"
Kakuzu spoke without looking up, his hands still moving.
As soon as the door opened, two ninjas dressed in ninja outfits walked in, each carrying a leather suitcase.
"Kakuzu, this is the money collected today!"
As they spoke, the two placed their briefcases on the table. Kakuzu only glanced at them after counting the banknotes in his hand.
"Um!"
"Then we'll head down first!"
Kakuzu simply nodded, and the two of them politely greeted Kakuzu without saying anything else before leaving.
This situation had become commonplace for them, as they both performed the same tasks every day.
The Northern Land Tower became a den of iniquity because it was a treasure trove, bringing in a large sum of money every day. The casino accounted for the majority of the money, followed by the red-light district.
For him, the happiest moment is taking a bite of barbecue, counting a stack of money, and drinking a sip of Golden Spring Beer.
As time passed, the number of customers in the outer city gradually decreased, many shops on the streets closed their doors, and even the late-night snack shops began to shut down.
The only building still brightly lit was the towering Northern Land Tower.
"Alright... let's all go home and get some rest!"
A middle-aged man strolled out of a barbecue restaurant and spoke to his three or five companions.
"Or could you invite me to experience Golden Princess?"
A companion, who was also quite drunk, joked with a laugh, "What thoughts can men have when they're drunk? It's all the same old stuff!"
The Golden Princess they mentioned is a high-end foot massage parlor located in the Northern Land Tower, which reportedly has never received a negative review since it opened.
"Next time, next time! After I close a few more big deals, I'll definitely take you guys to see it!"
The middle-aged man could only reluctantly decline, jokingly saying that Golden Princess was a place where you could imagine the level of spending at a store located in a high-rise building.
He was just a small business owner doing foreign trade. He would have to save up for at least three months' worth of money to go in and spend money once. Just thinking about it made his heart ache.
The friends were just joking with each other; none of them had the spending power, but that didn't stop them from longing for Golden Princess.
"Hehe! I was lucky enough to go with the big boss once, and if you ask me, that technician number 22 was really good..."
Upon hearing the middle-aged man's words, the younger brothers, who had been planning to scatter and go home, immediately gathered around.
"Tell me quickly, tell me quickly, isn't the technique amazing!"
"Are all the girls there very radiant? I heard there are models too. Does that girl named Xika work there?"
When faced with questions from his friends, the middle-aged man's vanity was immediately and greatly satisfied.
As we walked, I recounted the experience to a few people, explaining that techniques are also methods, and foot massage is also a way!
The more they discussed it, the more their desire burned within them. In a moment of impulsiveness, they decided to arrange a second half.
"I remember a foot massage parlor that opens quite late. Although it can't compare to Golden Princess, it's still pretty good. How about..."
After a quick discussion, the group immediately reached a consensus!
This scene was clearly seen by someone who had been there for a while, but was still waiting for another person.
"What a corrupt village!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his body disappeared into another dimension, because the person he was waiting for had arrived.
On the rooftop of the Northern Land Tower, space suddenly distorted, and Obito's figure appeared above.
"You're a bit slow!"
Just as Zetsu poked half his head out from the rooftop, Obito's voice rang in his ears. Zetsu didn't argue, but instead said:
"This village is quite large, and the population is surprisingly large!"
The two climbed to a high vantage point and took in the general landscape of the Northern Lands.
Now, the Northern Lands is no smaller than Konoha, and if you include the surrounding villages, it has become a small town.
"It's nothing but a disorganized mess; its false prosperity will eventually be destroyed!"
Obito's voice rang out again, his tone tinged with disdain, whether he couldn't stand seeing others succeed or was simply too arrogant.
"You audacious little thief!"
Just as the two were surveying the Northern Lands landscape, a furious shout suddenly rang out from below.
The next moment, a ninja dressed in white and wearing a mask flipped onto the rooftop!