First Entry into the Military Police Force

After the three of them finished introducing themselves, they began their patrol for the day.

Uchiha Lin, Uchiha Yashiro, and Uchiha Tekka walked together along their patrol route. When they reached the intersection in the Konoha commercial district, the sound of arguing amidst the noise became particularly jarring.

A thin, shrewd-looking man and a burly man with a face full of flesh were arguing until their faces were red over an exquisite leather wallet on the ground, attracting a large crowd of onlookers.

This chaotic scene happened to be stumbled upon by the patrol squad of Uchiha Ling, Tekka, and Yashiro, but at almost the same time, another team appeared on the scene.

It was an elite squad of the Military Police Force led by Uchiha Fugaku, the son of the clan head Uchiha Chishin and a rising star among the younger generation.

Uchiha Fugaku's expression was calm, his eyes carrying an innate sense of authority and a hint of imperceptible superiority.

As the son of the clan head, he had long been regarded as the future successor, with personal strength and prestige unmatched among his peers.

Seeing the dispute before him, Uchiha Fugaku frowned slightly. Such petty street squabbles seemed beneath him, but since he had encountered it, it was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate his ability to handle affairs and consolidate his image in the eyes of his clansmen and the villagers.

He signaled his team members to maintain order and then stepped forward steadily.

"What is happening here? Making such a scene and pulling at each other in front of the Military Police Force—what kind of conduct is this!" Uchiha Fugaku's voice carried an unquestionable sense of oppression, instantly subduing the scene.

Upon seeing the police officers, the two men immediately shifted their focus and began complaining to Fugaku, still sticking to their own stories, the content of which remained unchanged:

The thin man claimed to be the owner and could state the approximate amount of money; the burly man insisted he had found it and accused the other of trying to rob him.

Uchiha Fugaku listened calmly, attempting to find flaws in their expressions and words.

His usual method was to apply pressure and psychological deterrence. He first scrutinized the thin man with a sharp gaze: "You say this is your wallet; besides the amount, what other evidence do you have? Are there any documents inside?"

The thin man searched anxiously but only produced a yellowed photograph, claiming it was the most important item, yet it could not immediately prove ownership of the wallet.

Fugaku turned to the burly man, his tone colder: "You say you found it? Where did you find it? Was anyone else around at the time?"

The burly man was clearly prepared; he fabricated a seemingly reasonable location and insisted that no one else was present.

The situation reached a stalemate. Fugaku tried several conventional interrogation techniques, but both men seemed determined, showing surprising "resilience," especially the burly man, who, despite sweat on his forehead, did not loosen his story in the slightest.

As time ticked by, the murmurs from the crowd grew louder, and many began to question the efficiency of the Military Police Force.

"It seems we have no choice but to take you both back to the branch for a thorough interrogation." Uchiha Fugaku finally made his decision.

This was the safest, but also the most time-consuming method, and it would inevitably leave the impression that the Military Police Force was incompetent and could only solve problems through detention.

His expression darkened; this was far from the clean and efficient resolution he had envisioned.

Standing to the side, Uchiha Yashiro watched Fugaku's handling of the situation in silence.

Uchiha Yashiro had always been a staunch supporter of Fugaku, believing that Fugaku's strength, composure, and background made him the best candidate to lead the future of the Uchiha Clan.

But at this moment, seeing Fugaku helpless in the face of such a seemingly simple dispute, forced to resort to such a clumsy and passive approach, a faint sense of disappointment flickered in his heart.

Could the future clan head only handle blades and shadows, unable to cope with situations that required wisdom and insight?

Just then, Uchiha Ling, who had been watching the situation unfold, stepped forward slowly.

He first nodded slightly to Uchiha Fugaku, his tone calm: "These two seem quite stubborn. I have a simple idea that might be worth a try."

Fugaku was feeling troubled, and seeing Uchiha Ling volunteer—despite his complex feelings toward this clansman who had recently been in the spotlight and maintained a delicate relationship with the village's top brass—he was happy to have someone break the deadlock. He nodded: "Ling, if you have a method, by all means, try it."

All eyes turned to Uchiha Ling. Even Uchiha Tekka, who had been growing impatient, looked over with curiosity.

Uchiha Ling walked to the center of the scene and picked up the wallet from the ground with a composed demeanor. He opened the wallet, took out all the coins inside, and placed them neatly on a clean stone slab nearby.

Then, he looked at the two men and said something that left everyone stunned:

"Since you both insist that you are the owner of the wallet and neither can provide evidence that convinces the Military Police Force.

Continuing to argue or taking you back for interrogation will only waste everyone's time.

I have a proposal: in the interest of 'fairness,' we shall divide this money into two equal parts, and you shall each take one.

This is better than bickering here endlessly or going to the Military Police Force to have tea. How about it?"

"Absurd!" "What kind of solution is that?"

"How could an Uchiha officer handle things this way?"

The crowd erupted in an uproar, with questions and doubts rising one after another. Uchiha Fugaku's brow furrowed even deeper; he could not understand this seemingly "wishy-washy" move by Uchiha Ling. It was damaging the prestige of the Uchiha!

However, the subsequent reactions of the two men brought all the questioning to an abrupt halt.

A flash of ecstasy crossed the burly man's face. Although he tried his best to hide it, his impatient expression was fully exposed. He almost scrambled to answer:

"Fine! I agree! Split the money! Split it now!" as if he were afraid the other party would change their mind.

The thin man, however, looked as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned deathly pale, and his body trembled violently with anger and grievance. He pointed at Uchiha Ling, his voice shrill:

"No! Absolutely not! This is clearly my money! Money I earned through hard work! Why should I give half to this robber?! Is this how your Uchiha Military Police Force settles cases?! I don't accept this!"

His agitation and despair stood in stark contrast to the burly man's "reasonableness."

The truth was immediately apparent!

Uchiha Ling no longer looked at the agitated, protesting thin man, but turned to face the burly man who had been so eager to split the money. His gaze suddenly became cold and sharp, as if it could pierce through his soul:

"You, just a moment ago, insisted that you found this wallet and hadn't even had a chance to check what was inside, right?"

The burly man was startled by this sudden cold gaze and questioning, stammering: "Y-yes... that's right..."

"Then," Uchiha Ling picked up the empty wallet, his voice low yet carrying an immense sense of oppression.

"Why were you so eager and agreeable to my proposal of 'splitting' the unknown amount of money inside? It must be because, to you, this is money gained for nothing rather than something saved through your own hard work, which is why this purse isn't yours!"

The burly man was completely stunned, cold sweat pouring down as he opened his mouth, unable to utter a single word. His psychological defenses collapsed entirely under this simple yet lethal strike from Uchiha Ling.

The truth was laid bare for all to see!

Uchiha Ling solemnly returned the wallet and the coins to the thin, small man, who was moved to tears: "My apologies for the grievance you suffered. Please, count it."

The owner expressed his endless gratitude; compared to the stalemate during Fugaku's previous handling of the matter, the outcome at this moment could be called perfect.

The surrounding crowd erupted into heartfelt admiration and applause, showering praise upon Uchiha Ling's wit and fairness, which even led to a shift in their perception of the Uchiha Military Police Force.

Uchiha Fugaku stood where he was, his face turning from green to white.

He had spent ages handling the matter to no avail, yet Uchiha Ling had solved the problem in an instant with a seemingly absurd proposal, while also winning such high acclaim.

This sharp contrast felt like a silent slap across his face.

He could feel the gazes cast by his fellow clansmen becoming complex, some even laced with doubts regarding his competence.

Uchiha Fugaku clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms, but in the end, he said nothing. He merely took one deep look at Uchiha Ling before leading his team away from the scene in silence.

Uchiha Tekka looked at Uchiha Ling; the confusion and slight contempt he had felt earlier had long since vanished, replaced by genuine admiration.

Tekka gave Uchiha Ling's shoulder a firm pat and said in a muffled voice: "Ling, you really are something! That method was brilliant!"

As for Uchiha Yashiro, the waves in his heart were far greater than those of Tekka.

He had witnessed the entirety of Fugaku's helplessness and Uchiha Ling's effortless grace.

He had originally believed that Fugaku's steadiness and orthodoxy were what the clan needed most, but now, he saw another possibility—a capability that was more flexible, more intelligent, and better suited to handling complex situations.

Uchiha Ling possessed not only ability but also profound shrewdness and the skill to precisely grasp the human heart.

This kind of capability was far more important than mere raw strength.

The way Yashiro looked at Uchiha Ling shifted fundamentally for the first time, and the thought that "perhaps he is the more suitable candidate" quietly took root like a seed.