"So..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed the thoughts in his heart, automatically replacing them with a kindly smile as he gently patted Yin Jie on the shoulder. "Then I can rest assured."
"Uchiha Yin Jie, study hard under your teacher! I hope you'll be promoted to jōnin soon and set another record for the village!"
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi putting on that old good-guy act again, Yin Jie knew it was time to perform. After all, he had long possessed the strength of a jōnin.
Thus, an expectant smile appeared on his face at just the right moment, and he immediately replied, "Yes, Lord Hokage! I'll work hard!"
Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no idea what Yin Jie was thinking, nor did he know that Yin Jie was merely humoring him with an act.
So, upon seeing the exact same smile Yin Jie had worn before, he nodded in satisfaction.
After a brief pause, he shifted his gaze to Orochimaru beside him, his eyes flickering with a trace of complexity. "Orochimaru..."
However, just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to say something, he stopped himself. He then waved to the ANBU ninja behind him and Yin Jie in front of him, signaling for them to leave first.
"Everyone, go out first. Yin Jie as well."
He wanted to speak with his prized disciple, Orochimaru, alone.
"Yes!"
The ANBU ninja all bowed, then withdrew from the laboratory. After bowing to both his teacher Orochimaru and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Yin Jie left as well.
No one knew what Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru discussed afterward. Even Yin Jie was unaware of it.
He only knew that afterward, the two ANBU ninja assigned to "watch" Orochimaru were recalled by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the relationship between Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have returned to what it