This was Ye Fan's first time coming to Hana Inuzuka's workplace, mainly because his reputation was poor, and he was afraid of bringing trouble to her.
This time, if Hana Inuzuka had not failed to return home for several days in a row, he would not have made a special trip here.
Before long, Hana Inuzuka appeared in the waiting room. It was clear that she had become much more haggard over the past two days.
"Hua, I didn't interrupt your work, did I?" Ye Fan smiled faintly at Hana Inuzuka as she approached.
"Ye Fan, you came at just the right time. Laiyun's condition is getting worse and worse. I'm afraid it..." Hana Inuzuka suddenly stopped speaking.
Ye Fan could guess that Aoi Inuzuka's departure had dealt Laiyun a severe blow.
"Hua, don't worry. I'll give it a try later and see whether I can persuade Laiyun," Ye Fan said.
"Ye Fan, then I'll take you there now." Hana Inuzuka did not want to waste any time. She was afraid that something might suddenly happen to Laiyun, and if that happened, she would never forgive herself.
Led by Hana Inuzuka, Ye Fan arrived at a hospital room and saw Laiyun lying motionlessly on the floor.
Laiyun was actually a full size thinner than when Ye Fan had last seen it. If this continued, it would not be long before it became skin and bones.
"Laiyun, look who's here?" Hana Inuzuka tried to draw Laiyun's attention, but failed.
Laiyun lay there like a statue, completely motionless. Even after Ye Fan walked to its side, it still showed no reaction at all.
"Ye Fan, I'm worried that if Laiyun keeps this up, it will... Do you have any way to help? I've tried persuading it so many times," Hana Inuzuka said anxiously.
Ye Fan crouched down and checked Laiyun's condition. It truly was terrible. If it continued wallowing in grief like this, it might one day follow Aoi Inuzuka into death.
"Hua, can you let me speak with Laiyun alone?" Ye Fan asked, his expression serious.
"Alright, you two talk!" As Hana Inuzuka left, she also shut the door behind her.
Only Ye Fan and Laiyun remained in the spacious room, making it feel especially desolate.
Once he was sure Hana Inuzuka had gone far enough away, Ye Fan finally spoke. "Are you planning to wait here for death in this state?"
There was no response. Laiyun's open eyes held no focus whatsoever.
Perhaps this was what it meant for the heart to die before the body did.
Ye Fan did not mind and continued on his own. "Dying would be fine too. Not only are you making Hua worry for nothing, you're wasting a lot of resources."
Laiyun still did not react.
Ye Fan suddenly let out a cold laugh and said mockingly, "What a pity. Aoi died such a miserable death, yet even now, no one knows what her killer even looks like."
This time, Laiyun, which had remained completely still, finally reacted.
A fierce glint began to appear in its unfocused eyes, and its slack body tensed at that moment.
"As Aoi's Ninja Hound, instead of thinking about how to avenge Aoi, you've chosen to sink into despair. It seems that killer can secretly celebrate," Ye Fan said, knowing he had found a breakthrough.
Those words seemed to provoke Laiyun. It suddenly rose from the floor, letting out a low, threatening growl.
"So, are you going to keep waiting for death, or are you going to seek an opportunity to avenge Aoi?" Ye Fan stared straight into Laiyun's eyes.
Laiyun's mouth hung open, exposing its sharp teeth as killing intent began to radiate from its entire body.
At that moment, it wanted nothing more than to tear that person to shreds!
It could not die. It could not die yet!
It had to find that person. It had to kill that person. It had to avenge its master!
Hatred successfully awakened its fighting spirit.
Seeing that it was working, Ye Fan simply sat down on the floor beside Laiyun.
"If I were you, I would personally kill my enemy. I would never leave it to someone else," Ye Fan said calmly.
Those words were no lie. That was simply his nature: he dealt with his own enemies himself!
Laiyun began staring directly at Ye Fan. It was grateful that this youth had given it the motivation to keep living!
How could it fall here while its enemy still lived!
"Do you want to hear my advice?" The corners of Ye Fan's lips curved upward as he continued, "If you're smart, the first thing you need to do is recover your health. In your current condition, never mind avenging Aoi—you'd probably have trouble even leaving Konoha."
"Recovering your health does not mean you'll have the means to take revenge. Although I have never met that enemy, you and Aoi together were unable to defeat him. Do you think you can handle him alone? That's right, you're too weak. Once your body has recovered, what you need to do is improve your own strength."
"Once you possess sufficient strength, all that remains is to find that enemy. At that point, you can kill him however you like. Even if you eat him alive and strip him to the bone, no one will be able to stop you!"
"A blood debt must be repaid in blood. Aoi cannot have died for nothing. You will avenge her!"
At that, Ye Fan abruptly fell silent, giving Laiyun time to process his words.
Ye Fan's words pierced Laiyun's heart like knife tips.
Yet at the same time, they were like a spark that ignited Laiyun's blood.
Beast blood boiled!
The enemy had to die!
"Do you understand your situation now?" Ye Fan spoke again. "Don't keep wasting time. Every minute you waste is leniency toward your enemy. Recover quickly. Your enemy is still waiting for you!"
Awooo!
Laiyun threw back its head and howled like a wolf, as though all its emotions had been released through that cry.
Though Ye Fan's words seemed to sting with every sentence, they were powerful medicine. Their effect far exceeded Hana Inuzuka's painstaking persuasion over the past few days.
Laiyun's howl immediately drew Hana Inuzuka over. She rushed in frantically, thinking something had happened, her face full of concern.
But when she saw Laiyun, which had been dispirited for days, standing there with light shining in its eyes, she froze completely.
Oh my god!
How had Ye Fan done it?
Something she had been helpless to resolve for days had been handled by Ye Fan in only a moment.
It was unbelievable!
At that moment, Hana Inuzuka suddenly realized that she needed to reevaluate this younger brother of hers.
"Cooperate with your treatment properly. That's your top priority right now!" Ye Fan gave Laiyun one more reminder.
Even without that reminder, Laiyun surely would no longer be as dispirited as before.
Hana Inuzuka personally escorted Ye Fan out of the veterinary hospital and asked in a tone of earnest inquiry, "Ye Fan, what exactly did you say to Laiyun? Why did it change so much?"
"When someone's heart has died, give them a goal to live for, and they will find the courage to keep living. The same is true for Ninja Hounds!" Ye Fan said casually.
Before you continue