Sudden Change

However, this Lord Zhixin did not expect that the bandit leader he looked down upon would dare to put on an act in front of him. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, just keep your mouth shut from now on. You must strengthen the guard over this period! Especially those slaves in the prison—you must watch them well for me! At critical moments, we still rely on them to save our lives."

"Does Lord Zhixin mean... if Konoha ninjas come to trouble us, we should use those hostages as a threat?"

"Exactly. Since those civilians issued the mission, they will definitely mention the hostages. And Konoha ninjas, in order to ensure the mission is completed, must be bound by the mission rules."

"If we are truly unlucky enough to be tracked down by Konoha ninjas, we can only stall for time and contact other consortium ninjas nearby for support. So you must guard the prison well; that concerns your own lives. If the Konoha ninjas rescue the hostages, I will have to retreat alone first, and you lot can pray for your own luck!" Zhixin warned repeatedly in a stern tone, not even hesitating to threaten them.

Nawaki, hiding in the shadows, nodded upon hearing this. It seemed this Zhixin was not entirely a fool; his plan perfectly grasped the weakness of ninjas. If it were a ninja squad without infiltration capabilities, they would easily expose themselves and fall into the trap. However, having encountered Nawaki, this ace spy, his wishful thinking would never succeed.

"With your strength as a Jonin, Lord, you should be able to contend with Konoha ninjas, so why..." the bandit leader asked with a fawning expression.

Zhixin sighed and said, "For a B-rank mission like this, Konoha will definitely have a Jonin leading the team. Although I have the chakra volume and physical constitution of a Jonin, I was only a Chunin when I left the village back then, so I only learned a few C-rank ninjutsu and cannot exert the true power of a Jonin. I have been searching for B-rank or higher ninjutsu scrolls all these years, but unfortunately, ninjutsu of this level are secrets of each village and are rarely leaked. If I encounter a Jonin, I am definitely no match."

"I heard that Lord Baran in the consortium is a Jonin-level rogue ninja. Why doesn't the Lord..."

Before the bandit leader could finish, he was rudely interrupted by Zhixin: "Hmph! That Baran actually wanted me to be his subordinate, with no understanding of seniority! Besides, he is a rogue ninja from Kumogakure and should be skilled in Lightning Release; it is highly likely he doesn't have the Wind Release ninjutsu I need at all. How could I pledge loyalty to him? Once I find the right technique, I will surely defeat him and teach him how to respect his seniors!"

This Zhixin looks to be in his thirties or forties. Judging by his tone, that Kumogakure rogue ninja Baran is at most thirty, which makes him quite a talent. Why did he defect? Could it be related to that incident? Are they remnants of those people? This person must be investigated thoroughly! Nawaki thought, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"But..."

The bandit leader wanted to persuade him further but was interrupted by a wave of Zhixin's hand: "Enough, these matters are not for you to ask about. You only need to follow my orders and guard those hostages well! If there is nothing else, withdraw; I need to rest!"

"Yes, my Lord. This subordinate will take his leave." The bandit leader, understanding Zhixin's temperament, had no choice but to give up and exit the room.

Nawaki felt his luck was too good this time. He had intended to capture a tongue to force out information, but he never expected to overhear the secret discussion between this Sunagakure rogue and the bandit leader. Not only did he clarify the situation of the stronghold, but he also gained extra intelligence.

It would likely be difficult to obtain any more valuable information from here on out. Although this Zhixin was talkative, he was not the type to mutter to himself, so he followed the bandit leader out of the courtyard.

Unexpectedly, just as they reached the gate, the bandit leader suddenly stopped, turned his head, and spat fiercely: "Pah! Bragging about his strength all day! He thinks about running away before even meeting the enemy! And still pretending to be noble? What 'Lord Ninja'? He just has good luck! Every day he only knows how to hide in the courtyard looking at flowers. If it weren't for Lord Baran's orders, the hell would I come to find you! You can just spend your days with those flowers and plants alone!" His face was full of contempt and mockery, showing none of the previous fawning.

Nawaki, who had been startled by him, found his complaints secretly amusing. He hadn't expected this bandit leader to have already been bought off by Baran, which explained why he had spoken well of him earlier. And that seemingly rough Zhixin was actually a lover of flowers? Was it because there were no flowers or plants in the Land of Wind?

However, upon hearing that Zhixin liked to look at flowers without being disturbed, a thought flashed through Nawaki's mind. Perhaps this was an opportunity? Why must he prioritize rescuing the hostages or dealing with the bandits? This rogue ninja appeared to be the strongest presence in the stronghold, but he was also the greatest weakness!

If he did the opposite and secretly captured this Zhixin, then used the Object Transformation technique to take his appearance and imitate his chakra signature, he could not only control the stronghold but also gain a significant advantage in the subsequent operations!

Nawaki's heart pounded with excitement at his sudden idea.

But if I fail, it might alert the enemy and completely blow my cover! Should I go back and discuss it with Torifu Akimichi and the others? No, opportunity knocks but once! Even if I alert the enemy, I can find a way to remedy it, but if my plan succeeds, the benefits are too great!

Having made up his mind, Nawaki took a deep look at the bandit leader walking out of the courtyard, used the Object Transformation technique to silently turn into his likeness, and then swaggered back the way he came.

Zhixin looked at the garden scenery before him with hazy eyes and muttered to himself: "Idiot, do you see this? You said you loved flowers and plants the most, but unfortunately, the Land of Wind is not suitable for planting. Now your wish has been fulfilled by me... unfortunately..."

The muttering Zhixin heard footsteps approaching from not far away and immediately snapped out of his reminiscence. His eyes were sharp as he looked toward the sound, and seeing that the visitor was the bandit leader who had just left, he relaxed slightly. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me if there's nothing important?"

The bandit leader's face was pale, and as he walked quickly toward him, he shouted: "Lord Zhixin! It's bad! We discovered Konoha ninjas at the entrance of the stronghold!"

Due to his extreme panic, the bandit leader slipped as he reached Zhixin and looked as if he were about to lunge onto him.

Zhixin grabbed his arm and asked urgently: "Have they launched an attack? And is there any abnormality at the prison?"

"They have already entered!" the bandit leader said to him with a strange smile.

"What?" Facing the bandit leader's eerie expression, Zhixin immediately became alert and tried to pull away to put some distance between them.

However, his hands were firmly gripped by the other party. At the same time, the chakra in his body began to flow out uncontrollably through his hands, like a bursting dam. In just this short moment, he had already lost a third of his chakra, yet the other's hands seemed to have grown onto him like plants; despite feeling no great strength, he could not break free no matter what.