Stirring the Pot

"Now that you mention it, it really seems that way. Where did these two guys pop out from? They've been acting inexplicably strange since just now, accusing someone of dine-and-dash with no evidence."

"I knew something was off. So these two were just trying to stir up trouble here."

"Exactly, exactly! I said it before, why would a ninja from a major clan care about such trivial things?"

"I just explained, those two security guards are usually very easygoing. They've always turned a blind eye to many of the irregular small vendors around here. How could they possibly give the shop owner a hard time?"

The surrounding crowd's opinion shifted once again. After all, humans are such creatures; with a little guidance and limited information, they can be made to charge mindlessly towards a target, regardless of whether the outcome is right or wrong. Most people just follow the crowd, a few are there for the entertainment, and the very, very few, well, they are the culprits who orchestrate these charges.

"You... you, you're spouting nonsense! You're just a brat who hasn't even grown his pubic hair, what do you know!" Seeing that the crowd's attention had been diverted, the middle-aged man panicked and yelled at the teenager.

"Huh? That's not right. Weren't you two just here to watch the show? Why are you so invested in this shop owner's business? So responsible?" The teenager rubbed his chin, looking very confused.

"Or perhaps, you two are in cahoots with this boss! Did you conspire beforehand to smear dirt and frame public officials!" The teenager's tone shifted, becoming righteous and upright.

"Speak! What are your intentions!? Are you trying to sow discord between merchants and management!"

The teenager's voice turned cold, a heavy accusation thrown down.

"You're spouting nonsense! We're just righting a wrong when we see one! We can't stand your security team's arrogant and overbearing behavior!" the short-haired man stammered in rebuttal.

"Righting a wrong? Fine, fine, 'righting a wrong.' So you're saying you personally saw them dine and dash?" Uchiha Kai said with a slow smile.

"Uh... that... I don't think so..."

"You don't think so? Then how dare you spout such nonsense! Slandering law enforcement, inciting the masses, and you're a member of a clan! Your actions are a blasphemy against the Will of Fire! What are your intentions!?"

"What?! No, I didn't, I didn't say that!" Hearing the teenager's words, the troublemakers felt a sense of dread. They exchanged glances and their bodies slowly began to shift backward.

"Mr. Shop Owner, you're saying these two security guards ate two skewers of dango but only paid for one, is that correct?" the teenager asked earnestly.

"Yes... yes, I suppose..." The owner turned his head away, not daring to meet the teenager's gaze.

"Haha, it seems the owner can't quite remember. It's okay, it's okay. If you can't remember the transaction, can't you remember your ledger?" The teenager's tone changed, and he rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful.

"If I recall correctly, all merchants on this commercial street, big or small, are required to keep proper ledgers to record every income and expenditure. The record of how many skewers these two ate should be in the ledger, right? Why don't we just check the ledger!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the dango shop owner's face changed dramatically, and he quickly said.

"Um, I don't think we need to check the ledger. Perhaps there's been some misunderstanding... Can we resolve this privately on the side?"

"What! Do you have some difficulty? Why do we need to resolve this privately? That doesn't sound right. After all, if someone wants fairness, we must give them fairness!" The teenager's voice rose a few decibels, and he turned his sharp gaze towards the two who were trying to slip away.

The next second, Uchiha Liu and Uchiha Huohuo, who had reacted, exchanged a glance and nodded. Their figures instantly vanished from their original positions.

"Gentlemen, the matter is not yet resolved, where are you going?" Uchiha Liu appeared behind the two like a ghost, his hands pressing down on their shoulders.

The next second, a scarlet color filled Uchiha Liu's pupils. Two perfectly round tomoe spun and appeared, and a chilling chakra condensed in his eyes, ready to be unleashed.

"Hmph!" The troublemakers' bodies stiffened. They instinctively reached for their waists to grab something but came up empty.

What followed was undisguised malice. Feeling the sense of danger from being locked onto by the Uchiha duo's chakra, they could only give up all thoughts of resistance.

"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare," the short-haired man said with a fawning expression.

Watching the Uchiha duo take action, the teenager nodded slightly, then looked at the bewildered owner and continued.

"Boss, you wouldn't... not have a ledger, would you?!" The teenager's expression was one of feigned surprise.

"Oh dear, operating without a license is a serious matter." As he spoke, the teenager turned to face the large crowd of onlookers, many of whom were local business owners.

"Everyone, please judge this. These two law enforcement officers work tirelessly every day, worrying about everyone's safety, business environment, and even living environment." Uchiha Kai gestured with his chin, his tone becoming somewhat heavy.

"And then one day, they come to a dango shop with incomplete paperwork and a questionable environment. Not only did these two not pursue the matter, but they even patronized its business. And now they're being accused of dine-and-dash?"

"That's outrageous! Is this fair? This is not fair." The teenager shook his head, his tone filled with lament.

"If this incident were to be believed, then those local shops with slightly flawed paperwork would probably..." Uchiha Kai's words trailed off, his tone somewhat grim.

"Damn it! I knew these guys were up to no good from the start. They were acting shifty, they must have been plotting just now on how to frame the security guards!"

"Exactly, exactly! I saw it with my own eyes. Just now, those two were dragging the boss aside, whispering about something!"

When their own interests were at stake, the crowd that had been watching the spectacle couldn't sit still any longer. They started chattering amongst themselves, each one saying something, almost to the point of wanting to lop off the troublemakers' heads.

"Heh heh, don't rush, don't rush everyone, speak slowly, don't be anxious. I believe the public's eyes are discerning. I'll confirm the situation with the boss again before everyone decides what to do. There's no need to rush."

"Boss, you saw it too, right? So many people here can testify. Think carefully." Uchiha Kai paused.

"Slandering two young security guards, risking your shop's closure and facing regulatory action, is it worth it to get a million Ryo from these two? Is that a profit or a loss?" As he spoke, the teenager's eyes seemed to flicker. In the next instant, an invisible wave swept towards the owner.

"Damn it! This meek-looking guy seems honest, but he'd frame security guards for a million Ryo? Is his scalp itching?"

"A million Ryo?! Those two troublemakers are that rich!"

"You rotten rat! Ruining the pot for everyone, don't you fear retribution for harming your peers!" The onlookers' voices ranged from shock to anger.

Hearing this, the owner was startled. Then, a surge of anger, seemingly from nowhere, surged up, instantly breaking through the owner's defenses.

"You're lying! What million Ryo?! They only gave me a hundred thousand Ryo and told me to make things difficult for the security guards who came to buy things later. What is this! I don't want this hundred thousand Ryo anymore, is that okay!"

Hearing this, the teenager smirked.