Feast of the Mortal World, Unexpectedly Arrives!

The next day, Phantom City's bustling market was packed to the brim, yet utterly silent!

For Moonlight Shengshi and six other ninjas had been bound to racks and were being whipped!

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The snake whips lashed across their bodies with heart-wrenching sounds. Even the onlookers clenched their clothes tightly, yet the seven endured without a single cry. Blood streamed through the tears in their garments...

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The burly executioner at the front delivered another ten lashes, wiped away the sweat mixed with Moonlight Shengshi's blood from his face, and said, "Moonlight Shengshi, the City Lord has spoken. As long as you admit your mistake and support the new policies, you will be pardoned!"

"Heh..." Moonlight Shengshi curled his lips in a cold smile and spat bloody saliva onto the executioner's face. "Sasuke Uchiha... he isn't worthy of sharing Lord Shadow's surname!"

"You ungrateful bastard!" The man wiped the spit from his face, raised his whip again, and viciously lashed out. "Still won't talk, huh? Still won't talk!!"

Only after the seven had been beaten into unconsciousness with grievous injuries were they untied and thrown into Phantom City's prison.

The watching citizens dispersed in fearful silence. Only after shutting their doors did they dare whisper among themselves.

"Did you hear... Granny Yamashita, the woman who sold straw hats, hanged herself last night!"

"Did she think there was no way left to live?"

"Those young ninjas only stood up to say a few words for us, and they were beaten half to death. Who will dare stand up for us from now on?"

"Sigh, eat and drink our fill, then do whatever we need to do. At least for now, the fire of these 'new policies' hasn't burned us yet!"

"People eat grains and get sick. Who doesn't