Dusk Encounter with Orochimaru, Crisis Looms

"Long time no see, Haotian." Anko's voice carried a subtle chill, pulling Haotian from his thoughts.

He turned and saw Anko standing behind him, her short purple hair gleaming in the sunlight.

But her usually lively eyes were burning with anger, and her tightly pressed lips revealed her current mood.

And behind her, a familiar figure startled Haotian—Orochimaru.

The dango in Haotian's hand almost fell to the ground.

He never expected to encounter Orochimaru here, one of the legendary, cunning, and terrifying Sannin.

He subconsciously tightened his grip on the wooden skewer, his fingertips turning slightly white.

Orochimaru's gaze swept over him like a venomous snake, with a chilling, probing intensity.

A strange, knowing smile played on his pale face, making his thoughts unreadable.

The air seemed to freeze, an invisible pressure enveloping Haotian, making him feel suffocated.

Anko's anger could no longer be contained. She stepped forward abruptly, pointing at Haotian, her voice trembling, "You... how dare you show your face to me again!" Her Chakra surged, and she was about to attack.

"Anko," Orochimaru's hoarse voice sounded, with a hint of warning, "calm down." He reached out a pale hand and gently placed it on Anko's shoulder, stopping her.

Anko gritted her teeth unwillingly, glared fiercely at Haotian, but still obediently took a step back.

Orochimaru turned to Haotian, a strange light flashing in his golden snake-like eyes. "How interesting. I didn't expect to meet you here, the boy with that special Kekkei Genkai." He paused, the curve of his lips deepening. "I look forward to your future." With that, he pulled Anko and turned to leave, leaving behind a meaningful silhouette.

Haotian stood alone, holding the now-cold dango, but with no appetite.

The afterglow of the sunset fell on him, casting a long shadow.

Beneath his calm exterior, his thoughts churned like waves.

Orochimaru's appearance, and that meaningful "look forward," filled him with an inexplicable sense of crisis.

He looked up at the darkening sky and muttered, "It seems I need to speed things up..." He tossed the wooden skewer into the trash can and turned towards the back door of the Konohagakure Hospital, where some...

special things were piled up.

A resolute look flashed across his face as he pushed open the door leading to the unknown.

"This... is the corpse of a White Zetsu..."

In the cold, damp underground laboratory, a heavy smell of blood permeated the air, the pungent odor of formalin stinging the nostrils.

On the dissection table, a pale White Zetsu corpse was cut open by a sharp scalpel, revealing its strange internal structure.

Orochimaru's gloved hands worked skillfully, scarlet blood dripping from the blade, making a "drip, drip" sound in the metal tray, like a timer of death.

"Tsk, tsk, what a marvelous structure..." Orochimaru lightly touched the White Zetsu's internal organs with his gloved fingertip, feeling the cold, elastic texture, his golden snake-like eyes gleaming with fanatical light.

"Such powerful life force. If only it could be combined with Hashirama Cells..." he muttered to himself, as if performing some forbidden ritual.

Suddenly, the laboratory door was violently pushed open, and a gust of cold wind carrying dust rushed in, breaking the eerie silence of the lab.

"Orochimaru, are you still fiddling with these corpses?" Shimura Danzo's gloomy voice echoed in the empty laboratory. He leaned on his cane, his single eye flashing with a cold light, like a beast ready to devour.

"The war is pressing. Lord Hokage needs your strength!"

Orochimaru looked up, a cold smile appearing on his pale face.

"Lord Danzo, it seems you still don't understand the charm of science." He casually tossed the scalpel onto the tray, making a crisp metallic clatter.

"War? It's just a game for the weak. True power lies in the control of life!"

"Hmph! Your research has crossed the line!" Danzo slammed his cane on the ground, making a dull thud.

"The experiment of merging Hashirama Cells and Sharingan must be completed as soon as possible! Konohagakure needs greater power!"

Orochimaru licked his lips. "Don't rush, Lord Danzo, everything is under my control..."

Danzo snorted coldly and turned to leave. "Aburame Shibi!"

A ninja in a black tight-fitting suit and sunglasses appeared silently behind Danzo, kneeling on one knee.

"Lord Danzo." His voice was low and hoarse, like the chirping of insects.

"Monitor the Zhiwei squad, especially the one named Uchiha Mei and Haotian. Find a way to get them to join Root." Danzo's voice was cold and ruthless, like a judgment from hell.