Had I come to the wrong place?
No, that couldn't be right.
He took two steps back and looked at the sign on the doorframe. The more Yan thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
They were a bunch of troublemakers. Getting them to obey was hard enough; making them polite and courteous was far more difficult.
Yan knew exactly what kind of people made up the Third Squad.
He still remembered what it had been like when he first became their captain.
Taking a closer look, he realized there was an extra person in the break room. Compared to the others, she looked petite and sweet.
"A new recruit?"
You all look like completely different people now.
Yan almost thought the sun had risen in the west.
So they had a new recruit, and a cute girl at that.
Only... why did she look a little familiar?
"Captain."
Izumi, looking somewhat nervous, hurriedly bowed in greeting.
Although she had passed the Personnel Department's screening, whether she could stay in the Police Department still depended on Yan's assessment.
If Yan gave her a poor evaluation, Izumi would have no choice but to leave the Police Department squad and apply to take the assessment again.
It was much like students graduating from the Ninja Academy. Their supervising teacher first had to evaluate them. If the teacher decided their strength, temperament, or other qualities weren't up to par, the graduates would have to go back and repeat a year.
Looking down at the girl, who was tense and ill at ease, Yan was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Are you Uchiha Izumi, Aunt Hazuki's daughter?"
Uchiha Izumi wasn't exactly a native-born Uchiha. She had only returned to the clan partway through her life.
Her mother was Uchiha Hazuki. When she was young, she had married outside the clan. After her husband died, she returned to the clan with Izumi, who then changed her name and began using the Uchiha surname.
To be precise, the mother and daughter weren't in a particularly good position within the Uchiha clan.
"Yes."
Izumi nodded nervously and said, "Mom often talks about you, Captain. After I graduated, she encouraged me to join the Police Department so we could fit in with the Uchiha more completely."
"I see."
Yan finally understood. He'd almost thought his own butterfly wings had changed Izumi's fate, but it turned out the decision had been Uchiha Hazuki's.
Because of her mother, Izumi hadn't joined one of the squads assigned by the academy after graduating. Instead, she had applied to take the Police Department's assessment.
Yan nodded. "Since you chose to join the Police Department, work hard and do your job diligently. I believe the clan members will sincerely accept you and Aunt Hazuki."
"Get ready, everyone. We're going on patrol. Izumi, stick with me and learn the ropes."
It was an old Police Department tradition for the captain to train new recruits. Since Izumi had just joined, Yan was responsible for showing her the ropes.
"Yes, sir!"
The squad members answered loudly.
After Yan entered the office, Zhiyan and the others didn't forget to wink at Izumi.
"Izumi, don't worry. The captain's actually a gentle, kind person. You'll have no trouble passing your assessment."
"I believe I can make it."
Under the pressure, Izumi managed an awkward smile. She was a little nervous, even though her mother had told her many times that Yan wasn't strict.
If the Sixth Elder, lying in the hospital, had heard that, he might have been furious enough to spit blood.
Just as Yan was getting ready to take his people out on patrol, an unwelcome guest arrived at the Police Department.
An unwelcome guest who put everyone in the Police Department on edge.
Leaning on his wooden cane, Danzo slowly entered the Police Department lobby. He paid no attention to how his arrival had silenced everyone around him. His gloomy gaze swept across the room, and he stood in the middle of the lobby, speaking coldly.
"I want to see Uchiha Yan."
He had waited all night, but none of his subordinates had returned.
No matter what, Danzo had to make the trip. He wanted to put Yan in his place and, if possible, get his men back.
It was a matter of pride, and Danzo couldn't afford to take it lightly.
"Looking for me?"
Yan had just come down the stairs and heard him. He turned to look over, curious.
Well, would you look at that. He'd come in person.
The Police Department lobby fell silent. Someone quietly slipped away to notify Fugaku, the clan leader.
Danzo's arrival was no good sign.
At least, it wasn't good news for the Uchiha.
Yan walked down to meet Danzo and gestured to the people around them. "Go on about your business. The Elder Advisor isn't a ghost. Look how scared you all are."
"I have little patience for sharp-tongued brats."
Danzo narrowed his exposed left eye. As a shrewd old man, he could naturally tell Yan was insulting him indirectly.
A dark, oppressive aura spread from Danzo, but it didn't affect Yan in the slightest.
Yan lowered his gaze a little, rubbed his face, and smiled. "Funny, I don't like old men who hide in the shadows either. They're like snakes—always liable to pop out and bite someone. Makes you want to beat them to death with a stick, doesn't it, Elder Advisor?"
So what if he insulted him? As long as he didn't call him out by name, Danzo couldn't exactly bite him over it.
Yan wasn't afraid to fall out with Danzo or pick a fight with him. The old bastard had sent people after him. Why should Yan be polite?
Don't even think about handling me the way you handled Shisui.
At a time like this, the more quietly Yan behaved, the more dangerous things would become for him. If he made a scene, all those eyes would turn toward Danzo. Yan himself would be safer.
A cold glint flashed in Danzo's eye. His hand tightened around his cane.
It was plain that he was furious.
And no wonder. Someone like Danzo was used to looking down on everyone. He couldn't stand being insulted to his face, or even treated with the slightest disrespect.
"You evil Uchiha brat. You're quite something."
Danzo's face remained cold. He paid no attention to the anger and resentment in the Uchiha's eyes. In front of everyone, he pinned the label of "evil" on Yan—and made sure to include the Uchiha name.
"Thank you for the praise, Elder Advisor. But what did you come here for?"
Yan didn't care in the slightest about Danzo's description of him. Instead, he smiled.
"I have a mission to attend to. There are too many rats and snakes lurking in the village's gutters, where they can't be seen. One careless moment and those beasts will jump out and bite someone. The village's security is at stake, so as a Police Department squad captain, I have to take it seriously."
Come on, let's hurt each other. It's not as if you dare attack me in broad daylight.
When it came to insulting people, Uchiha Yan had never feared anyone.
"Where are my men?"
Danzo had insulted Yan, only to get an earful in return, with all sorts of comparisons to rats and snakes thrown at him. Knowing he wasn't good at this sort of thing, he simply got to the point.
"Your men?"
Yan pretended to look confused.
"What men? Why would your people be in the Police Department? Are you sure you haven't got the wrong place? Maybe you should go home and check."
As he spoke, Yan suddenly slapped his forehead.
He hurriedly apologized.
"Sorry, sorry. I forgot that the Elder Advisor has dedicated himself to serving the village and lives alone, with no family."
"Uchiha Yan!!!"
Danzo finally snapped.
Before you continue