Orochimaru watched Yin Jie and Chiyo trade barbs with an amused expression.
Though Yin Jie had always been kind to others in the village and rarely argued with anyone,
as his teacher, Orochimaru knew perfectly well just how sharp his disciple's tongue could be.
To say that he went straight for the throat would not be an exaggeration at all.
Yet Orochimaru had no intention of stopping him.
After all, in a negotiation, taking the wind out of the other side's sails and throwing off their rhythm right from the start was hardly a mistake.
This was called strategy.
However, with the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, Yahiko, acting as the mediator, could no longer sit still. He gave a heavy cough and promptly interrupted Chiyo and Yin Jie's verbal clash.
He absolutely did not want Akatsuki to stumble at the very first step toward realizing its dream.
"Lady Chiyo!"
"Lord Yin Jie!"
"Let's return to the main topic."
When the two turned their eyes toward him, Yahiko spoke in a low voice.
He could not let the two continue confronting each other.
Otherwise, at this rate, before negotiations even began, the two sides would be throwing punches on the spot.
As Yahiko spoke, the tense standoff in the air eased slightly, and everyone else's gazes converged on him as well.
"The war has dragged on to this day. Both Konoha and the Hidden Sand Village have paid a heavy price and suffered grievous losses. I believe you both understand that."
"Since you have already decided to sit down and negotiate peace, there is no need to keep dwelling on these pointless disputes. Why not discuss something of real value instead?"
Yahiko leaned forward slightly. "For example..."
"How to end this war, which benefits neither side."
In Yahiko's view, Konoha possessed