Initial Thoughts

Traveling with the three women, Uchiha Zhuang moved by night and rested by day, sticking to backroads. Whenever they encountered road bandits, robbers, or vicious displaced persons, Uchiha Zhuang would dispatch them one by one without a hint of hesitation, taking the opportunity to scavenge the supplies they had so conveniently delivered. At night, they would try to light a fire by a stream to cook, and for sleep, they would all rest inside a tree hollow Uchiha Zhuang had carved out. After nearly twenty days of continuous trekking, Uchiha Zhuang stood atop a giant tree and could finally see the border watchtowers of the Land of Fire in the distance. That night, after settling the three women, Uchiha Zhuang sped through the darkness toward a Konoha outpost. Upon reaching a point about three kilometers away, he placed his parcel atop the largest tree in the vicinity and carved the Konoha swirl emblem into the trunk. Once finished, he departed rapidly. Less than five minutes later, a squad of Konoha ninja arrived. The lead ninja, possessing the Byakugan, activated his dojutsu to confirm the parcel was safe before ordering no pursuit; border outposts were not combat units and could not abandon their posts at will, especially since the target had shown no aggression—there was no need to bother. He signaled a genin to open the parcel. The moment the letter inside was unfolded, the expressions of everyone present shifted drastically. "Notify the Border Management Office immediately, this is an emergency! We have intelligence of the utmost importance that must be reported at once." With that, the squad immediately rushed toward the border watchtower with the parcel in hand.

Having just returned to where the women were sleeping, Uchiha Zhuang was unaware of the shockwaves he had caused. When the sun hung high, Uchiha Zhuang took the hands of the three women and activated his Space Gate! Once inside the Land of Fire, Uchiha Zhuang hid them in a dense forest while he went into a nearby town to scout the situation. It had to be said that while other small nations were in turmoil and the civilians lived in misery, the civilians in the Land of Fire lived in peace. "Truly the same world, yet heaven and hell coexist," Uchiha Zhuang remarked, watching the bustling streets where chubby, round-faced children ran to and fro. He first went to a clothing store; faced with money, the owner wisely kept his mouth shut and enthusiastically provided Uchiha Zhuang with several sets of clothes for the women and the girl, hoping the noble patron would return again! Afterward, following the shopkeeper's directions, he went to a real estate agency. Surprisingly, buying a house required proof of identity, but renting did not. He spent almost all his money to rent a detached house with a courtyard on the edge of town for six months, and paid extra for the agent to stock the house with plenty of food and daily necessities.

Uchiha Zhuang scratched his head as he walked back. "I'd rather fight a hundred bandits than waste time on this nonsense. Ugh!" Returning to the forest, he dressed the three women and led them toward the house he had just rented. On the way, seeing the prosperity of the town, the crowds, and the endless stream of carriages, the women were dazzled and could barely walk. "Hurry up, stop dawdling!" Uchiha Zhuang said at the right moment, and the women lowered their heads, following slowly behind him. There was no need to be curious; this ninja world was not the peaceful scene depicted in the original story. The Five Great Nations waged war year after year, and the surrounding small nations were inevitably shattered, their common people like weeds. In towns near the border, there were bound to be many refugees, as well as so-called slaves who had sold themselves or been sold by others. The wealthy bought them as servants or playthings. The world never lacked darkness; what it lacked were eyes to see it. Uchiha Zhuang watched all this, his heart unmoved. Having faced the true, tragic plight of civilians in war-torn regions, he realized that for those refugees, being sold was actually a hope, even a craving—they simply wished to survive. Returning to the house specified in the contract, Uchiha Zhuang pushed the door open and walked in, but the women stood at the entrance, trembling with anxiety. It had been years since they had lived in such a courtyard, and seeing it again, the women's eyes turned red, tears streaming down their faces. Uchiha Zhuang ignored them and explored the new residence himself. The house was fully equipped, with three floors above ground and one basement. The top two floors were bedrooms; the master suite occupied the entire top floor, complete with a modern bathroom, a walk-in closet, a small sauna, and a panoramic terrace. The second floor had several guest rooms, while the first floor contained the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and storage room. The basement was a spacious room with colored lighting, cozy and comfortable. It seemed the previous tenants had spent quite a bit of effort on this basement. The house sat on high ground in the residential area, offering a magnificent view of the endless sea of forest and several great mountains in the distance—it was refreshing just to look at. Why did these people not cherish such beautiful nature? Chasing shadows for the sake of desire—how pathetic! Uchiha Zhuang felt a pang of regret. After his musings, he began to conceive the idea of establishing his own organization. It seems it is best for me to take control of this world. Once the women entered, Uchiha Zhuang sat in the courtyard basking in the sun and said, "For now, we will settle down here. I will take care of you for a month, after which I will send money periodically. Do your duties. Go wash up, and there are ingredients in the kitchen—make something good to eat." With that, he closed his eyes to sleep. The women silently went inside. By noon, after a decent lunch, Uchiha Zhuang went upstairs. The three women followed after finishing their chores and began to massage him on the top floor. A life of luxury! Uchiha Zhuang sighed as he rolled over to continue enjoying it. "Give yourselves names," Uchiha Zhuang said lazily. The woman's hands never stopped. "Yes, thank you for your kindness, Master. Please allow me to take the name Hanako." Uchiha Zhuang was slightly surprised; they still held hope for life! Hanako was such a beautiful name. "And the other two?" "Ootama, Tsugutama." After speaking, she cautiously lifted her lowered head to see if Uchiha Zhuang was angry, then let out a sigh of relief. No slave dared to use such elegant names; in the Land of Rivers, female slaves only had names like "Bean, Pole, or Hemp." Uchiha Zhuang didn't know much about it, only finding them pleasant enough. "For this month, serve me well. From now on, start living again." "Hai, Master."

Uchiha Zhuang closed his eyes and immersed himself in the system. The prerequisite mission for the shop had been unlocked over a month ago when he wiped out the bandit stronghold, but Uchiha Zhuang had neither the time nor the energy to pay attention to the mission rewards. Now that matters were settled, he could think it over carefully.