Konoha's streets were hardly bustling, but there was still plenty of foot traffic.
Xuanye strolled leisurely down the road. The sharp-eyed subordinate beside him immediately pulled out a cigarette and offered it with both hands.
Life as Police Force Captain really couldn't get much sweeter.
His system mission only required him to lead patrols and maintain order on the streets. How he maintained that order was entirely up to his mood.
Early in the morning, he went for a run with Might Guy to warm up.
In the morning, he took his boys out to patrol the streets and collected a little public security management fee along the way.
At noon, he enjoyed a nice nap. If the mood struck him in the afternoon, he took his team to a brothel to have some fun and experience the joys of being rich.
Come evening, he would go tease Kurenai Yuhi, who had grown into her looks, or head to the Anbu to catch Uzuki Yugao.
His days were full and happy.
Sometimes Xuanye genuinely wondered how the Konoha Military Police Force in the original story had managed to become so universally despised.
This was an enforcement agency with real power in its hands!
Back in his previous life, it would have been a powerful department, no question.
It was one thing for ordinary villagers not to flatter and curry favor with them, but they actually dared to give them attitude to their faces?
Simply put, the Uchiha of the past had been too arrogant. They spent their days putting on airs with their noses in the air, treating ordinary people as beneath their notice, and had left themselves with nowhere to go.
But after Xuanye took over, he casually established a few new rules, and public sentiment immediately shifted.
The Police Force's job was public security. All they needed to do was clean the thugs and hoodlums off the streets and build good relationships with the shopkeepers, and their reputation would naturally rise.
The current Police Force was both the living scourge and the guardian deity of Konoha's streets!
As long as a shop paid its monthly public security fee, the Police Force guaranteed its safety. Absolutely no one would dare come wreck the place.
Quite a few shopkeepers even voluntarily lined up to pay at the start of every month for peace of mind.
As for why he collected this money?
Outsiders thought Konoha High Command and the Uchiha merely maintained a facade of harmony, but behind the scenes, they had long since been squeezing the clan's throat.
All the taxes the merchants paid went into the village's public accounts, and the funding that ultimately reached the Police Force wasn't even enough to fill a gap between their teeth.
Konoha High Command's exact words were: "The Police Force is under the Uchiha Clan's control. Naturally, the Uchiha Clan should cover its daily expenses themselves!"
Listen to that. Was that any way for a human being to talk?
They did the work of maintaining security throughout the village, yet the people above wouldn't pay them a penny in wages and expected the Uchiha to work on their own dime?
When Xuanye learned about this, he laughed in anger.
If the higher-ups wouldn't give him money, he would make his own!
Once he started collecting public security management fees, not only did he have money for his own lavish indulgences, but every member of his team had a bulging wallet too.
Following Xuanye meant eating and drinking well every day and earning double their wages. How could the Uchiha under him not be utterly devoted?
As long as their interests were tied together, if he told them to go east, they would never go west.
Besides, the money was collected openly and properly. Xuanye had written the Konoha Public Security Management Regulations himself. They followed the rules, and no one could find the slightest fault.
In the original story, the Uchiha had sat on such an enormous golden goose without even knowing how to wield it as a weapon. All they did was hide in their ancestral hall holding meetings all day. They deserved to get wiped out.
Xuanye blew a smoke ring and casually tossed away his cigarette butt.
A team member beside him immediately offered him a mint. Chewing it, Xuanye glanced at the deputy captain counting banknotes nearby and inwardly reveled in his comfort.
"Captain Xuanye! Deputy Captain Shanyang!"
Just then, a team member came running over in a great hurry.
The deputy captain, Uchiha Shanyang, quickly put away his money pouch and hurried over from nearby.
Xuanye folded his arms without even lifting his eyelids. "Speak."
"Someone's causing trouble at the ninja tool shop on Fourth Commercial Street!"
The team member who had run over gave his report between gasps.
Xuanye frowned. "You have to bother me over something this minor?"
The rules had long since been set in stone. Merchants who paid were under the Police Force's protection.
Anyone who dared act up in their shops could simply be cuffed and thrown in jail. Konoha Prison was right next door to the Police Force building, so arresting someone was hardly any trouble.
"Captain, the troublemaker this time has some pretty powerful connections..." The team member looked troubled.
"All right. I've got nothing else to do anyway. Lead the way."
Xuanye waved a hand, cutting off his rambling.
He wanted to see just which blind fool in Konoha dared tarnish his name.
Fourth Commercial Street wasn't far away.
Xuanye had some recollection of this ninja tool shop. Passing by before, he had seen a little girl with twin buns inside. She was Tenten, who was only four this year.
By the time Xuanye arrived with his full contingent, a ring of villagers had already gathered outside the ninja tool shop to watch.
The shopkeeper wore a miserable expression as he smiled apologetically at a cocky young man.
Uchiha Cong, a team member standing beside Xuanye, leaned close to his ear and explained the situation in a few words.
Simply put, it was a forced sale.
The young man had taken a fancy to a batch of high-quality ninja tools. He hadn't brought enough money but insisted on taking them anyway. When the owner refused to sell at a loss, the young man began throwing his weight around in public.
Normally, a street punk like this would already have been pinned to the ground, polishing their shoes.
But today, Uchiha Cong hadn't dared act immediately, because this young man had family connections. He was an official's son.
Relations between the village and the Uchiha were delicate at present, and Uchiha Cong feared causing a political incident. More importantly, Xuanye had always enforced strict rules: his subordinates had to consult him first whenever they encountered something they weren't sure how to handle.
"You know the rules. Good work."
Xuanye gave Uchiha Cong an approving look.
Uchiha Cong brightened and was just about to offer a few modest words when Xuanye's next remark made his entire body tense.
"Recite article seven of the Konoha Commercial Public Security Regulations," Xuanye said leisurely.
Uchiha Cong immediately thrust out his chest, raised his head, and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Anyone who subjects a protected merchant to a forced transaction shall be detained for fifteen days, compensate the merchant for twice the value of their losses, and pay an additional fine of three hundred thousand ryo to the Police Force!"
His powerful shout instantly drowned out the noise of the entire crowd.
The young man throwing his weight around and the villagers watching all turned to look.
Everyone wanted to see whether the Police Force, which normally took money to handle matters, would still dare intervene when faced with someone tough.
"You know it well."
Xuanye nodded in satisfaction. Without even giving the young man a proper look, he casually pointed:
"Go give him two hard slaps first, then tie him up and take him away. Remember, next time you run into an idiot like this, just follow the regulations. Don't come waste my time."
Hard slaps?
Uchiha Cong froze for a second before instantly realizing that this was one of the captain's catchphrases. It meant a good smack across the face!
"Understood!"
Uchiha Cong gave a vicious grin and walked toward the young man, flexing his hands.
Seeing this, the young man immediately panicked and pointed right at Uchiha Cong's nose as he shouted:
"Just try laying a finger on me! My dad is Hokage Advisor Mitokado Homura! You wouldn't dare hit me even if you had ten times the guts!"
Smack!
A crisp, resounding slap knocked the young man's words right back down his throat.
Mitokado Homura's son?
Uchiha Cong spat.
Never mind some lousy advisor. Even if the Third Hokage's own son were here today, he would slap him all the same as long as Captain Xuanye gave the word!
Smack!
Another vicious backhand sent the young man spinning in place. Half his face instantly swelled like a steamed bun, and he was promptly pinned to the ground and trussed up like a rice dumpling.
Watching this, Xuanye nodded in approval.
These Uchiha boys really were the best. They never hesitated when it was time to get rough. They suited his tastes perfectly.
"A Hokage Advisor's son? His family must have plenty of money to squeeze."
Xuanye rubbed his chin and ordered:
"Take him back and give him a proper reception. Tell Mitokado Homura he can have his son back if he brings ten times the ransom!"
Before you continue