Enforcement with Warmth, Batons with Force (Seeking Collection, Seeking Follow-up!)

At dusk, Qingguang, Yashiro, and Inabi wore Konoha's dark green vests. Unlike ordinary Ninja Vests, theirs bore the Uchiha Police Force armband on the shoulder.

The base was a shuriken, with an embroidered Uchiha Gunbai emblem at the center.

The vibrant colors, the bustling crowds, the prosperous streets—all proclaimed Konoha's peace and stability.

This was the wealthiest village in the entire shinobi world.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain: Taiwan Novel Network, with a sea of books at your fingertips.]

"Qingguang, your method worked smoothly the day before yesterday, but complaint letters about you started showing up this morning."

"You don't need to keep playing the good guy. They won't understand you." Yashiro walked beside Qingguang, speaking earnestly.

As an Uchiha of the Dove Faction, he could understand Qingguang's actions, but in the Police Force, that approach didn't work on the villagers.

Inabi, walking nearby, shared the same view and nodded repeatedly.

"It's fine. I still had shortcomings these past two days. Getting complaints is normal."

Qingguang was stubborn as a mule right now, still wearing that approachable, gentle smile on his face.

Just as Yashiro was about to persuade him further—

Not far ahead, a noisy argument erupted in front of an izakaya, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

"Yashiro, Inabi, hurry up! There's trouble over there!"

Moving at once, Qingguang reached the scene first, pushing through the crowd.

"Move aside! Police Force business! Don't hang around here if you've got nothing better to do!"

The onlookers scattered a bit, but when they saw Qingguang's smile, they all realized this was the village's newly famous "Smiling Executive Officer."

Because of his gentle attitude, so different from other Uchiha, he had become a hot topic of gossip among the villagers.

Some young women even felt their hearts flutter, drawn to his handsome face and elegant demeanor.

They only stepped back a little; the crowd didn't disperse.

Qingguang paid them no mind. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the troublemaker—a middle-aged man in gray-black silk garments—and on Nawaki beside him, whose face was full of suppressed anger.

"Nawaki, what are you doing here?"

Adopted by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Nawaki had once lived alone in an apartment in the village, but he knew the Sannin. As Tsunade's younger brother, he and Qingguang had crossed paths a few times before.

Nawaki clenched his fists and pointed a single finger at the man across from him, his face flushed red with rage: "This guy—he was badmouthing the Senju Clan in the tavern just now. I told him to shut up, and he cursed me out!"

"What did he say about you?" Qingguang asked, jotting down Nawaki's every word on a scroll as he continued his inquiry.

"He said—he said I..."

Just as Nawaki struggled to repeat the foul words, the drunk staggered up from the ground, swaying, and jabbed a finger at Nawaki's face with utter contempt: "You little brat, don't think you're so great just because you're Hashirama's grandson. How much tax have I paid to Konoha? What have you ever done for the village?"

"I just shot my mouth off a little, and you're already riled up? Hit a nerve, did I?"

"And you!" The drunk wobbled, then pointed his finger at Qingguang.

"Please calm down. You've had too much to drink. I can wait until you're sober to take your statement." Qingguang remained as composed as ever.

Behind him, Yashiro and Inabi had already clenched their fists, itching to knock this unruly villager flat and toss him straight into the Police Force cells.

But they remembered Fugaku's instruction: let Qingguang realize his own mistake, so he could change.

For Qingguang's sake, they held back their fury.

"Sober up?"

"You're an Uchiha? Oh—I get it. You're that Smiling Executive Officer everyone's been buzzing about in the village lately, right?"

Qingguang nodded.

"Hahaha! No backbone at all. You don't even seem like an Uchiha. Come on, hit me. Here, right here."

The drunk thrust his face forward and even patted his own cheek, looking smug.

"Hit me right here. Isn't the Police Force all about violent enforcement? Why aren't you making a move?"

Even the onlookers, hearing this, gritted their teeth in anger and cursed under their breath. But Qingguang still didn't budge.

His smile only stiffened, and his tone grew stern: "Villager, you have now violated Article 12 of the Konoha Village Public Order Management Law—causing a disturbance while intoxicated; Article 18—insulting Konoha's fallen heroes; and Article 24—provoking law enforcement officers."

"I suggest you be more reasonable."

"Hah—so what if I broke the law? It's just a fine, isn't it? You think I can't afford it or something?"

The drunk looked triumphant, swaying his body as if dancing a victory jig.

"And then? I pay the fine, and I go right back to doing whatever I want. What can you do about it? I'll go home and write a complaint letter to report you!"

The moment those words left his mouth, Qingguang's smile vanished completely. His face turned icy cold, and the iron rod tucked behind his back appeared in his hand in an instant.

At a speed no ordinary person could follow, he swung it hard across the drunk's back.

Smack!

One strike was all it took. The drunk didn't even have time to scream. His eyes flew wide open, and he collapsed face-first onto the ground, unconscious.

Qingguang held the iron rod in his hand, wearing the same smile as always, as if nothing had happened.

"Everyone, this person has already been taken away by the Police Department four times before. He paid fines, served his confinement, and was released. Now, refusing to correct his mistakes and committing multiple offenses, he will be imprisoned for two years of rehabilitation."

"Throughout the enforcement process, I maintained a gentle attitude because I didn't want to make things difficult for anyone. Our Police Department is here to solve problems, not to target the people."

"But when faced with such a law-breaking, unrepentant scoundrel, I'll also let him feel the force of the Police Department's baton!"

"Please don't follow his example. Let this be a warning."

At that moment, the gathered crowd immediately erupted in cheers.

Such a kind executive officer, carrying out such a righteous act, handsome in appearance, refined in manner—what reason did they have not to like him?

"That guy usually loves throwing his money around and doing nothing decent. Now he's finally gotten his comeuppance—serves him right!"

The villagers around began sharing their grievances with each other, as if a great vengeance had been satisfied.

After Qingguang handed the criminal over to Inabi and Yashiro, he came before Nawaki.

"Nawaki, thanks for your cooperation."

"Heh heh, Qingguang-ge, so that Smiling Executive Officer was you. I was wondering who it was."

"I'm fine, but this time it was all thanks to you. When are you going to teach me Water Release ninjutsu again? I've been wanting to learn that Water Dragon Bullet of yours for a while."

Qingguang smiled and ruffled Nawaki's hair. "I do know Water Dragon Bullet, but my specialty is still Fire Release ninjutsu."

"If you want to learn Water Release, go find Itsuki-niisan, or Kosuke-senpai."

The former was once Hashirama's right-hand man and the son of Senju Momoka, now the Squad Leader of Konoha's Jonin Squad. The latter was a contemporary of Sarutobi and one of the Second Hokage Tobirama's disciples.

Both had inherited Tobirama's Water Release ninjutsu.