The next day.
Evening.
Qian had just led his subordinates in repelling a Mist Ninja assault when he received word that Nara Akimitsu had sent someone to deliver the latest orders.
Without bothering to wipe the blood from his body, Qian went straight to the rear of the position and stepped into a room. Looking at the chunin in front of him, he asked directly, "What instructions does the captain have?"
Hearing this, the Konoha chūnin wasted no words and immediately handed Qian a written order.
Qian examined the order carefully. After confirming there were no problems, he formed a hand seal and removed the sealing tag on it.
Opening the envelope-like object, Qian drew out a slip of paper covered in numbers and symbols.
Clearly, it was a cipher.
Next, Qian would have to translate it himself before he could obtain the real information.
It was not that Nara Akimitsu was making things needlessly complicated, but that the spy who could not be found no matter how they investigated was simply too reckless.
Over the past few days, they had still been frantically stealing secrets.
That forced Nara Akimitsu to be this cautious.
Qian's gaze swept over the cipher on the slip of paper, translating it rapidly in his mind, and he soon obtained the latest instructions.
However, his expression did not change at all from beginning to end. After only a brief moment of thought, he put away the written order, then said to the messenger chunin before him, "I've received the order. You may return and report back."
"Yes, Jonin Qian!"
Hearing Qian's words, the Konoha chūnin did not hesitate at all. He immediately withdrew from the crude wooden building and left the position.
Qian closed his eyes and sensed carefully for a moment. After confirming that