Somewhere in a natural underground hole covered by wind and sand.
The air in the pit was turbid, filled with the smell of engine oil and some special preservative.
Several wind lanterns were hung on the rock wall, casting a swaying halo of light with blurred boundaries.
It reflects seven or eight figures sitting or standing.
Most of them wore Hidden Sand Village style clothing. Many of them wore tactical goggles on their faces.
Carrying various scrolls and tool kits, he is a member of Hidden Sand Village's elite puppet force.
At this time, in the center of the pit, a drab, palm-sized, lizard-like psychic beast was lying on a flat stone.
His mouth bulged slightly and he spit out a scroll. The captain next to him opened the scroll.
"...Leaf Village Princess Princess Tsunade has confirmed that she has arrived at the frontline camp with her medical elite.
This person is Ninja World's top medical ninja today, Lord Chiyo judges.
Her presence will significantly delay the effectiveness of our poison tactics.
And it may accelerate the development of Leaf Village antidote, in order to maintain pressure and disrupt its rhythm.
Order: All puppet harassment teams will increase the frequency and intensity of their activities from now on.
Focus on attacking its logistics supply lines, especially the medicinal materials and water purification transportation teams.
It is necessary to maximize the consumption of its strength and materials before it can gain a firm foothold.
The specific timing and target can be determined at your own discretion, but the continuity of the harassment must be ensured."
After the captain looked at me Hand Seals, the lizard psychic beast body "popped into a small ball of white smoke and disappeared."
There was silence in the pit for a moment, and a middle-aged puppeteer sitting in the main seat slowly took off his goggles.
Revealing a pair of deep-set eyes, the corners of the eyes have fine wrinkles formed by long-term movement in the wind and sand.
He is the leader of this puppet unit that operates deep behind enemy lines.
"It turns out to be Princess Tsunade from Leaf Village." Scorpion Tail's voice was hoarse, with a texture like metal friction.
"Master Chiyo's judgment is correct, this woman is a big trouble."
"Captain, what should we do next?" asked a younger puppet master next to him.
His fingers unconsciously rubbed a bulging poison sac on his waist.
"Recently, the escort of Leaf Village's transport team has been significantly strengthened, and their routes are often changed. It is not as easy to succeed as before."
The captain sneered and put on his goggles again:
"That's why we need to intensify our efforts.
As soon as Tsunade arrives, Leaf Village's defense center will tilt towards the frontal battlefield where she is.
Instead, there may be a brief period of neglect or adjustment in the defense of the rear supply line, and this is our opportunity."
He stood up and walked to a simple hand-drawn map hanging on the wall of the pit.
Several winding routes and several simple bases are marked with different symbols.
"After the order is passed, all squads will change their raiding mode and give up the attack on large, well-protected convoys.
Change it to multi-channel, small-scale, high-frequency harassment and destruction." His finger crossed the map.
"The focus is here, here... and around this oasis ruins.
Poison the water source points, and bury triggered poison mist traps and self-exploding puppet remains on the only way.
Attack their frontline small supply transfer station."
He turned his head and glanced at his men. "Remember, our goal is to let them.
Every bucket of water and every box of medicinal materials costs more time and manpower to transport to the front line.
Their ninjas are always on guard against attacks from under the sand, unable to rest peacefully.
It consumes their energy and drags down their logistics."
"Isn't she Tsunade good at detoxification and medical treatment?" A hint of coldness flashed in the captain's eyes.
"Then let her and her men be busy dealing with a steady stream of poisoned wounded and contaminated supplies all day long.
Let's see how much chakra and medicine she has to squander."
"Understood!" Several puppet masters responded in unison, with warlike gleams in their eyes.
A few days later, somewhere in a narrow passage between two weathered rock mountains.
A Hidden Sand Village elite puppet team of about six people is like a stone sculpture blending into the environment.
Lurking quietly under the cover of the shadows of the rock walls and the camouflage of the sand.
They had been hibernating here for nearly two hours. The scorching sun at noon burned the sand to a boil, and even the air was distorted by the heat wave.
The captain was half-kneeling behind a rock, with only a pair of eyes exposed through the gap in the goggles.
Staring at the entrance of the passage, next to him was a reconnaissance puppet gerbil painted in the desert.
He is attaching a slender sensing probe to the ground to monitor vibrations in the distance.
"Intelligence shows that a medium-sized supply team from Leaf Village will pass through this shortcut around noon.
Everyone remains on the highest alert and prepares according to the third ambush plan.
The first target is the sand camel carrying medicinal materials, and the second target is the escort ninja.
Prioritize the use of paralyzing poisonous fog and entangled puppets to restrict movement, and be sure to fight quickly and leave no survivors."
"Yes." The team members responded one after another.
Time passes minute by second, at the entrance of the passage.
Except for the quicksand blown by the hot wind and the occasional black shadow of a vulture passing by, there was nothing.
The scheduled time has arrived.
The passage is still empty.
After a few more minutes, some team members also began to slightly adjust their postures under disguise to relieve the numbness caused by lying stiff for a long time.
"Something's wrong." The captain's brows furrowed. The intuition he developed from walking on the edge of life and death for many years made him feel something was wrong.
He once again confirmed the vibrations returned by Sand Rat Puppet, except for the sound of wind and the occasional falling sand.
There was no regular vibration that should be expected from the march of a large group of people.
"The information may be wrong, or the route may be temporarily changed." Scorpion Tail made a decision immediately and kept his voice extremely low.
"It is not suitable to stay here for a long time. Everyone, follow the concealed retreat sequence and prepare..."
His order has not yet been finished.
Sand Rat Puppet, which had been close to the ground, suddenly experienced abnormal fluctuations in the feedback waveform of its sensing probe.
"No!" The captain's pupils suddenly shrank.
"We may have been exposed! Evacuate! Immediately..."
At this moment, a figure was standing quietly on the high ground in the distance.
"Hatake Sakumo..." The captain's heart almost stopped, and a chill instantly ran up his spine.
"We've been ambushed! Everyone, disperse and retreat!!"
The disguise was torn apart instantly, and the figures of the six puppet masters emerged from their hiding spots.
Summon puppets, find cover, and escape.