They Don't Care

Therefore, Uchiha Yan intended to transform his identity from the harshest father figure among the Konoha rabble into a "benevolent father."

This was something he had been laying the groundwork for all along.

What is a "benevolent father"?

The term here was used with quotation marks.

At his core, Uchiha Yan had not changed in the slightest.

He had merely altered his outward appearance, shifting from a stern and ruthless facade to an image that, while still strict, was impartial and efficient at solving problems.

Ever since he had gained enlightenment, Uchiha Yan had been changing bit by bit.

After all, a good person trying to pretend to be a bad person has to consider many things.

But a bad person pretending to be a good person has far fewer scruples.

It is much like someone who spends their days fighting and brawling, treating visits to the police station like drinking water.

If one day, they suddenly start playing computer games at home.

And they stop going out to cause trouble.

Their parents' first reaction would be anxiety and suspicion, wondering if they had committed some massive, irreparable disaster.

But if a month passed and this person was still staying home honestly, even expressing a desire to return to school.

Then their parents would absolutely believe that a prodigal son had returned, worth more than gold.

Uchiha Yan was going to play the part of that returning prodigal son.

The previous Uchiha Yan would beat the Konoha rabble with a wooden stick dipped in iodine at the slightest provocation.

As for why he beat those Konoha rabble.

Please, those Konoha rabble were the very people who had cursed Hatake Sakumo and bullied Kushina and Might Guy when they were children.

If one wanted to start a fight, there were always excuses; it was just that Uchiha Yan's attitude toward those Konoha rabble at the time was comparable to the airborne infantry during the Chun Doo-hwan era.

There was no pay, it was purely a personal hobby; he was enjoying the process of torturing those Konoha rabble.

However, after he gained enlightenment, he shifted from beating the Konoha rabble for no reason to telling them the reason before beating them.

In this way, many of the Konoha rabble even began to feel that Uchiha Yan was actually a law-abiding member of the Konoha Military Police Force.

And personally capturing Orochimaru was the final step in Uchiha Yan's "prodigal son's return."

Uchiha Yan escorted Orochimaru through the gates of Konoha.

Kamizuki Izumo immediately said, "I will go report this to the two advisors."

As Uchiha Yan escorted Orochimaru through the streets of Konoha.

Some of the Konoha villagers and ordinary ninjas who were outside dealing with collapsed houses saw the ninja being escorted by Uchiha Yan and began to discuss it.

"Who is this person, and what did he do? Why is Uchiha Yan the one escorting him?" one of the Konoha villagers asked.

At this moment, an ordinary ninja stared fixedly at Orochimaru.

He said in a trembling voice, "It's Orochimaru. The person Uchiha Yan captured this time is the S-rank criminal, Orochimaru."

Hokage Building, Hokage Office.

Utatane Koharu squinted her eyes as she reclined in the chair that had once been Sarutobi Hiruzen's exclusive seat.

She sighed with emotion, "I never expected that one day, I would be able to sit in this position."

Hearing Utatane Koharu's words, Mitokado Homura was also filled with emotion.

Within their "Konoha F4," Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo had been the most brilliant.

The two of them were quite mediocre.

This mediocrity was not a comparison to Sarutobi Hiruzen, but an objective statement of fact.

And the reason Senju Tobirama had taken them as students in the beginning was actually very simple.

It was because Senju Tobirama had intended to train them as administrative staff from the start.

They had relied on Senju Tobirama, their benefactor, to allow themselves and their respective clans to benefit as a result.

Just as the two were lost in their reflections.

A knock came from outside the door.

Upon hearing the knock, Utatane Koharu hurriedly left the chair.

She sat on the sofa to the side, pretending to be busy with documents.

Mitokado Homura said, "Please, come in."

Kamizuki Izumo walked in at this moment.

He spoke to the two of them, "Advisors, Uchiha Yan requests an audience."

He first deliberated in his heart.

Utatane Koharu's expression had grown somewhat impatient by now.

"What exactly happened to Uchiha Yan? Speak!"

"Is he dead?"

At this moment, Mitokado Homura spoke up at the right time: "Don't be hasty. Think it through before you speak slowly."

The two of them were executing the "good cop, bad cop" routine to perfection.

Kamizuki Izumo finally snapped out of his daze and said, "Reporting to the advisors, Uchiha Yan has captured Orochimaru alive."

"What?"

Upon hearing his words, Utatane Koharu slammed her hand onto the tea table, losing her composure as she exclaimed, "How is that possible? He's just a wet-behind-the-ears brat, how could he possibly..."

Seeing Utatane Koharu's intense reaction, Kamizuki Izumo felt somewhat bewildered.

Wasn't it a good thing that Uchiha Yan had captured the culprit who killed the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen?

Why was this advisor reacting so violently?

Before she could finish, Mitokado Homura hurriedly interjected, "This is a good thing."

Seeing that Utatane Koharu was about to speak again, he quickly shot her a look to make her shut up.

Utatane Koharu also realized she had lost her composure and promptly clamped her mouth shut.

Mitokado Homura looked at Kamizuki Izumo and asked in a kind and amiable tone, "Where is Uchiha Yan now?"

Kamizuki Izumo replied, "Reporting to the advisors, he should be on his way to the Hokage Office."

Mitokado Homura nodded, "Understood. You may go back and get some rest now."

Utatane Koharu added, "Don't let it interfere with your work."

Kamizuki Izumo took his leave and turned to go.

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura remained in the Hokage Office, waiting for Uchiha Yan to come and report.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

There was still no sign of Uchiha Yan.

The two of them exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Mitokado Homura summoned his trusted aide and instructed him to find out what Uchiha Yan was up to.

The aide nodded and turned to leave.

Three hours earlier.

Uchiha Yan was walking along the streets of Konoha, waiting for his achievement to be known and spread.

He then directly changed his route, heading toward the Konoha Military Police Force.

He escorted Orochimaru straight into the prison.

As he deactivated the barrier, Orochimaru sat on the ground, his voice raspy and tinged with amusement, "The Konoha Military Police Prison, belonging to the Uchiha."

"I truly didn't expect you to bring me here."

Uchiha Yan glanced at Orochimaru and said indifferently, "Where did you think I would take you?"

Orochimaru replied, "Naturally, into the hands of those old fossils."

Uchiha Yan scoffed upon hearing this, "You were captured by my own hands; why would I hand you over for them to reap the rewards?"

Hearing Uchiha Yan's response, Orochimaru remarked, "I didn't realize that in the few years since I defected, the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha had become so severe."

Uchiha Yan stated, "To be precise, Konoha has been keeping its hand around the Uchiha's throat, refusing to let them breathe."

"The Uchiha will naturally resist, but it's clear that if they just let go, there wouldn't be any issues. It's a pity that those high-ranking officials in Konoha don't care, or perhaps they are just pretending not to."