Bounty Station

When Lu Zeming came out of the hall, Shinbu Teiichi accompanied him the whole way, a fawning smile plastered across his face.

"Take your time, mind the step. Yes, that's it—oh! Who threw that roast chicken? Don't let it dirty your shoes!"

The way Shinbu Teiichi spoke, he sounded for all the world like Lu Zeming's lackey.

The people waiting anxiously outside stared at the sight as though they had seen a ghost. Their expressions were priceless.

As if he hadn't noticed, Lu Zeming pointed to the three Mind-Listening Clan ninja who had come with him.

"You three stay here. Once the grain is loaded, return to the village with the convoy."

"Yes!"

Lu Zeming tossed out his long blade, pulled Kumi Uzumaki onto it, and flew toward the border of the Land of Grass.

Shinbu Teiichi stood watching him go, the smile never fading from his face.

Even after Lu Zeming had vanished into the distance, Shinbu Teiichi remained rooted to the spot. The sight frightened everyone.

"Has the clan head been caught in a genjutsu?"

"Very likely!"

"If someone's controlling him with genjutsu, we're in trouble!"

"Who's going to test it?"

At last, one of Shinbu Teiichi's trusted subordinates approached him.

"Clan head, he's gone. Are we going to get revenge?"

Shinbu Teiichi snapped out of his daze and slapped the man across the face.

"Revenge? He's our golden goose! Show him some respect whenever you see him from now on!"

"It's over. The clan head really is under a genjutsu!"

"Bullshit!"

Shinbu Teiichi told them about the distributorship, and the entire clan erupted in astonishment...

By the time Lu Zeming reached the border of the Land of Grass, it was already the next morning.

Standing atop a tall tree, he looked southwest. A great river running east to west cut a vast stretch of grassland into northern and southern banks.

Lu Zeming stood on the north bank. Across the river lay the Land of Rain.

They shared the same sky, yet dark clouds shrouded the far bank. They hung so heavy, like resentment that would never dissipate, that merely looking at them made his chest feel tight.

"Hanzo of the Salamander should still be alive, and Akatsuki probably hasn't turned dark yet. Should I take this chance to make contact?"

Lu Zeming grew lost in thought.

"I found the entrance!"

Kumi Uzumaki's voice broke his train of thought.

"Forget it. Changing the course of events is a gamble. Building up my own strength comes first!"

Lu Zeming jumped down from the tree and followed Kumi Uzumaki around a jumble of rocks. A black stone gate appeared abruptly before them.

After changing their builds and appearances, the two walked through the gate.

Beyond it, stone steps led downward to an iron door. Two guards in armored masks stood before it.

"Ten thousand ryo in currency from one of the great nations per person!"

The guard's voice was cold and devoid of emotion. If Lu Zeming hadn't been able to see their blood vessels and their breathing, he would have thought the two guards were puppets someone had crafted.

Once they paid, the iron door opened automatically.

What lay inside was nothing like Lu Zeming had expected. An ornate three-story building rose against the cliff wall. Countless merchants crowded the space in front of it, some with goods spread on the ground, others beneath makeshift awnings. People of every description wove between them.

What surprised Lu Zeming most was that there were electric lights inside. A magnificent crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire space.

It was the first electric light Lu Zeming had seen since arriving in this world.

He hadn't seen any power lines coming in from outside. Maybe they had a generator here. If he got the chance, he would get one for the village too.

"Let's go in!"

Kumi Uzumaki went in first, and Lu Zeming followed her.

The underground black market was livelier than he had imagined. All kinds of people mingled there: lone travelers in ninja flak jackets, merchants in cloaks that concealed their faces. Lu Zeming even spotted several Konoha Anbu carrying standard-issue ninja tools.

Clearly, everyone here had an understanding. No one asked where anyone came from. Money was all that mattered.

Lu Zeming said quietly, "Let's check inside the building first!"

Kumi Uzumaki nodded. The two of them entered the old building and found sundries and medicinal herbs on the first floor, ninja tools and scrolls on the second, and the black market's core business on the third.

They went straight to the third floor. A row of enclosed rooms lined a long, dim corridor.

Different signs hung outside each room.

Purchases. Consignment. Commissions. Intelligence. Bounties.

Lu Zeming entered the room marked Consignment. Behind the counter, a balding fat man was dozing.

The moment Lu Zeming approached, the man sprang up alertly and put on a practiced smile.

"What would you like to sell on consignment?"

Lu Zeming took a porcelain bottle from his robe and set it on the counter.

"Three Illusion-Breaking Pills."

The fat man frowned. He had never heard of Illusion-Breaking Pills, but he uncorked the bottle all the same.

A dark green pill, lustrous as jade, dropped into his plump hand.

His eyes widened at once, as though he had seen something extraordinary!

"This... I've never seen such potent medicine. Could you tell me what this pill does?"

Lu Zeming briefly explained its effects, then added one more thing.

"You can have one free to test."

The fat man immediately called over an assistant, who took a pill into the back room.

Before long, the assistant returned and reported, "It completely nullifies Genjutsu below B-rank and weakens A-rank Genjutsu by eighty percent!"

The fat boss swallowed and named a figure that made even Kumi suck in a breath.

Eighty million ryo. Eighty million for one pill!

"You can sell them directly to us. If you're unhappy with our price, you can leave them here for auction, though you'll have to wait a while. Our commission would be separate!"

"I need the money now. I'll sell them to you directly!"

"Very well. I'll have the money prepared right away!"

"Wait. Do you have generators here? I'd like to buy a few."

The fat clerk paused, then realization dawned. "You mean Chakra Converters?"

"Oh, right, right!"

"Five million ryo each. How many would you like?"

"Five for now. And find me a few Sealing Scrolls with plenty of space!"

"Happy to be of service!"

One hundred and sixty million ryo. After spending thirty million, Lu Zeming still had a hundred and thirty million left.

Lu Zeming had never felt so rich. Laid out, that much money would fill sixteen large suitcases.

Thankfully, Sealing Scrolls existed in this world. They saved him a great deal of trouble.

Once they left the room, Lu Zeming didn't dare linger. He grabbed Kumi Uzumaki and headed straight for the exit.

He couldn't help it. With that much money on him, everyone looked like a thief.

On the way out, Lu Zeming brushed past a thin, pale man.

Alarm flared in Lu Zeming's heart. He grabbed Kumi Uzumaki and broke into a run.

The thin, pale man watched Lu Zeming's retreating back, greed gleaming in his eyes.

"What an unusual scent. A little familiar... No, not the same. Hiss, hiss, hiss. What an interesting addition to my collection. I can't let you get away!"

As he spoke, the thin, pale man couldn't resist licking his lips.

Strangely, his tongue was long, and its tip was forked.