Information

The Money Exchange was much quieter than the Casino. Everyone wore a mask, and everyone kept their distance from others.

Those who came to a place like this were either Rogue Ninjas or Ninja from various villages gathering intelligence. Everyone had a bounty on their head, and everyone tried to stay away from others.

Here, no one was willing to make a move.

"Because once someone makes a move, they'll be attacked by everyone else."

"The Money Exchange isn't controlled by any single person, village, or clan. It formed naturally as the ninja world developed."

"Rogue Ninjas need a place where they can freely trade, exchange money, and exchange Ninjutsu, allowing them to live freely even while being hunted by their villages."

"And the Five Great Nations and their villages also need something like this, hidden in the shadows, to help them do things that can't be brought into the light."

"Of course, the Money Exchanges in each region are run by locals. The boss here built it together with the Casino."

Uchiha Jie said as he walked with Hinata, and they soon arrived at the lobby of the Money Exchange.

The boss here had excellent taste. Even though it was underground, the place was still luxuriously decorated. The staff serving the masked ninjas were, just like in the gambling house upstairs, beautiful girls with alluring eyes.

Uchiha Jie led Hinata straight to a counter with a sign that read "Intelligence."

"Hello, are you selling information or buying information?" the staff member's voice was exceptionally sweet, as if she had eaten several pounds of sugar.

"I'm both selling and buying. I hope you have enough money to buy my information, and enough information for me to buy." Uchiha Jie's voice completely lacked its usual relaxed tone. Instead, it became deep, hoarse, and even carried a slight resonance.

"In that case, please wait a moment, esteemed guest." The girl curtsied slightly, turned, and pushed open the door behind her. After a moment, she passed through another door and reappeared before Uchiha Jie.

"This way, please." She bowed again and gestured for Uchiha Jie to follow her to a private VIP room.

It wasn't large, but the decor was still extremely luxurious. The sofas were genuine leather, and the table was made of high-quality solid marble. The walls had been treated and inscribed with black runes that could block any Ninjutsu influence and prevent eavesdropping.

Uchiha Jie leaned back on the sofa and patted the seat beside him, inviting Hinata to sit down.

"How has Boss An been lately?" he asked.

"Thank you for your concern, esteemed guest. Boss An is, as his name suggests, doing well in all aspects." The Money Exchange staff member walked to the other sofa and sat down gracefully.

"It's good that he's well. I thought something happening to the Uchiha Clan might affect him." Uchiha Jie nodded.

The staff member smiled elegantly and replied, "Ah, there was some impact at the beginning, but our partners have never been limited to just the Uchiha Clan."

"But the information I have is related to the Uchiha Clan. I wonder if you're interested?"

"You jest. The Uchiha Clan is finished. Their only remaining orphans have become canaries in a cage in Konohagakure, as everyone knows. That hardly counts as information," the staff member said softly.

"I'm not talking about Sasuke Uchiha, but someone else. The one who caused this tragedy: Uchiha Itachi." Uchiha Jie's voice carried a hint of playfulness.

"I have information on Uchiha Itachi, including his whereabouts after massacring the Uchiha Clan."

He clasped his hands, leaned back, and made himself comfortable, almost lying on the sofa. "With his information, you should go and invite Mr. An over now."

"If you truly have information on Uchiha Itachi, then I suppose I should indeed go and invite Mr. An."

The staff member didn't move. She simply smiled as she gazed at Uchiha Jie's fox mask and said, "But if I invite Mr. An over and you don't have the information he expects, it will be very difficult for me."

From the two empty eyeholes of the fox mask, a red light flashed. Uchiha Jie smiled and said, "I think it won't be difficult for you, and you'll even get his reward."

"Yes, esteemed guest, please wait a moment. I'll go find Mr. An right away." The staff member bowed slightly and then left the VIP room.

"Who was that just now?"

Hinata clutched Uchiha Jie's hand. That staff member clearly didn't want to go find her boss, but she had just felt a chakra fluctuation, and then that person left strangely.

"Hinata," Uchiha Jie's voice returned to its usual tone. "Always remember, never do anything in a place like this that might reveal your identity. Wear a mask, and change your voice."

"Even though there are runes here that block chakra, don't use any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu."

"But you just..." Hinata had just opened her mouth when she heard the VIP room door open again.

A bald man in a double-breasted white jacket entered, leading the beautiful staff member from before. The staff member's expression was no longer composed; only anger remained.

Her boss, however, was exceptionally calm. He gripped his cane, and his voice seemed to emanate from his robust belly.

"Your Excellency, using Genjutsu to control my employee in my Money Exchange... isn't that a bit unethical? I think you should try to understand our rules here."

He walked forward slowly, his powerful aura making even Hinata a little scared. She grabbed Uchiha Jie's sleeve, wanting to hide behind her master.

However, her master stood up and walked directly to meet him. He spread his arms and said, "Using those low-level Genjutsu would naturally get me caught and beaten into a meat patty, but Sharingan Genjutsu is different."

Uchiha Jie said this while smiling and hugging Mr. An's sturdy body.

"Haha, Old An, long time no see."

Mr. An also hugged Uchiha Jie tightly, patting his back with his large hand. His steady voice seemed to tremble. The expression of the staff member behind him changed from anger to shock, then to disbelief.

"Haha, I knew you were fine. I was already preparing money to hire Rogue Ninjas to kill Uchiha Itachi."

He laughed heartily, his mouth splitting into a wide grin.

"But then I thought, when would it be more unbelievable in this world than for you, kid, to die?"

Finally, he released Uchiha Jie and turned to the staff member behind him, patting her shoulder. He instructed, "Go to the wine cellar downstairs and bring me those few bottles of good wine that are locked up. The key is in the third empty barrel on the right."

"I want to have a good drink with my old friend."