"Well, letting you go isn't out of the question, but we'll need..."
Kakashi lowered the kunai in his right hand and rubbed his fingers together. Was that a hint?
How could Gato fail to understand? His head bobbed like a nodding machine.
"Yes! Of course, sir! As long as you spare my life, I'll pay you a large sum as thanks."
Luo Mang stepped forward and took over the conversation, raising his eyebrows as he sized Gato up.
"You have zero credibility with us. What if we let you go and you just run off?"
That was practically an outright hint: he had to hand over something first to earn their trust.
Gato understood, but wasn't it a little inappropriate for a student to speak ahead of his teacher? Could he really make that decision? Gato looked toward Kakashi.
Kakashi merely nodded. Understanding that, Gato turned his gaze to Luo Mang and spoke eagerly.
"On the outskirts of the Land of Waves, I have an unoccupied villa..."
He gave them a very specific location, saying he had some gold, silver, and jewels stashed there...
He even revealed that there were a few young slaves and bunny girls there... He said they could take them whenever they wanted, as long as they spared his life.
It was a shocking revelation, one that took a little imagination...
"Um, sir, can you let me go now?"
Gato failed to notice their expressions and asked nervously.
"I've told you about everything you can get your hands on quickly."
"What if you're lying? Naturally, we need to take a look."
A faint smile appeared on Luo Mang's face. He didn't actually doubt Gato. At a life-or-death moment like this, if Gato dared to lie, he wouldn't merely be killed. He would be torn to pieces.