Rumors spread faster than evidence.
Before the order to review legacy access privileges by tier had fully reached every office, people in the village were already talking about the Uchiha.
Some said the Uchiha had forced the Hokage Building to suspend its legacy access privileges.
Some said the Konoha Military Police Force wanted to use an old case to expand its authority.
Others said the events of the Night of the Nine-Tails were being dredged up because the Uchiha were afraid the Masked Man's identity would be uncovered.
These claims needed no coherent logic.
They only needed to be inflammatory enough.
The more inflammatory they were, the more easily they spread through the streets and alleys.
When a young clansman in the Konoha Military Police Force heard them, he could barely contain his anger.
"We're investigating the old shell network. What gives them the right to say we're obstructing the village?"
Fugaku did not let him go out to argue.
"Follow the contingency plan."
The plan had only three rules.
Record the sources of the rumors.
Do not argue with villagers.
Cite only facts confirmed by the Hokage Building in every response.
Those three rules seemed painfully restrictive.
But Gen knew this was the safest approach for now.
What Danzo wanted most was for Uchiha clansmen to clash with villagers in the streets.
Once a clash occurred, new risk reports would overshadow the investigation into the old shell network.
Then no one would first ask why an old identification number had appeared on the eve of the Nine-Tails attack.
They would only say that the Uchiha were stirring up unrest in the village again.
Shisui personally led the street patrols.
He did not take an aggressive stance.
When he encountered people discussing the rumors, he merely had the clansmen accompanying