Chapter 28: Old Haunt
Two days later, over the coastal region of the Land of Water, a large white bird swept across the sky.
Su Xiao had arrived in the Land of Water riding Didara’s clay bird. From the Land of Rivers to the Land of Water, it had taken only two days, including rest stops along the way.
Su Xiao was unclear who had commissioned this mission. The task itself was simple: incite a civil war in the Land of Water.
To spark a civil war in the Land of Water, the Mist Ninja Village was an unavoidable link.
More precisely, the trio’s main target was the Mist Ninja Village. Only if the village fell into chaos would the Land of Water continue its internal conflict.
Su Xiao’s suggestion was to directly assassinate the Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei. Scorpion opposed this, arguing that assassinating the Mizukage was too risky and that other methods could achieve the same result. Didara reserved his opinion, only caring about explosions; his greatest wish at the moment was to take revenge on Itachi.
The reason the Akatsuki operated in teams of two or three was threefold: first, to prevent arbitrary decisions—there was no leader within the team, and actions required prior discussion; second, to assist each other and increase mission success rates; third, to supervise one another and prevent spies from leaking Akatsuki intelligence, as most members were rogue ninjas.
Now, the three in the team had differing opinions. Su Xiao’s proposal to assassinate Terumi Mei wasn’t purely out of revenge; it was indeed the fastest way to throw the Land of Water into chaos.
…
The trio arrived in the Land of Water at dusk. By the coast, many fishermen were present. Though weary, their faces were lit with smiles, indicating a good day’s catch.
On a wooden crate at the dock, Su Xiao sat holding a skewer of grilled fish. He occasionally tore off a piece for Bubu Wang or took a bite himself.
“Scorpion, since you disagree with my idea, propose a plan.”
Though Scorpion had vetoed his plan, Su Xiao wasn’t upset. He had known from the start that these Akatsuki members wouldn’t follow his orders, and he hadn’t intended to command them.
Scorpion spoke from within the Hiruko puppet.
“According to the client’s intelligence, the Mist Ninja Village is currently divided into two factions: one is the Pro-Peace Faction, the other the Radical Faction. We can weaken the Pro-Peace Faction and let the Radical Faction grow. As for the Fifth Mizukage, we’ll deal with her based on the situation.”
Su Xiao didn’t interrupt Scorpion. After Scorpion finished, Su Xiao spoke.
“Are you sure this is the client’s intelligence? Was it relayed to you by the leader or by Konan?”
Su Xiao stopped chewing on the grilled fish.
“It was Konan. What’s wrong?”
Scorpion noticed Su Xiao’s unusual behavior.
“You should know something about my grudge with the Fifth Mizukage, right?”
“I know a bit. She sent people to hunt you down.”
Su Xiao looked thoughtful, then asked after a moment, “I’m starting to wonder if Konan is trustworthy. If she is…”
Though Su Xiao knew Konan wouldn’t betray the Akatsuki, he still said this.
“So far, Konan is trustworthy.”
Didara also looked at Su Xiao, sensing he had something to say.
“If Konan is trustworthy, then we should kill the client.”
Su Xiao’s words were startling. Both Didara and Scorpion were taken aback.
“Why?”
“The Mist Ninja Village currently has no distinction between Pro-Peace and Radical Factions. Many leaders of the Radical Faction died earlier—I blew them up myself.”
“Huh?”
This time, both Didara and Scorpion became alert.
“First, few people know I joined the Akatsuki. Coincidentally, though I didn’t stay long in the Mist Ninja Village, I’m very familiar with the situation here. I’ve dealt with that woman Terumi Mei. After she took power, she would never allow a Radical Faction to exist. The village’s high-ranking ninjas know this. We can verify it.”
“You mean the client is problematic?”
Scorpion quickly understood Su Xiao’s implication.
“Exactly. Highly problematic. The client provided false information. It might not be just about inciting a civil war, but about making the Akatsuki and the Mist Ninja Village ‘dogs’ bite each other, with the client profiting from it.”
Scorpion and Didara lowered their heads in thought. Every commission required thorough consideration.
The Akatsuki could help other factions eliminate rivals, but they could never tolerate being used.
“Of course, this is just my speculation, based on connecting the client’s intelligence with the current state of the Mist Ninja Village. My earlier proposal to assassinate the Fifth Mizukage was the fastest way to start a civil war. According to the client’s intelligence, the Fifth Mizukage is the leader of the Pro-Peace Faction, right?”
“Correct.”
Scorpion confirmed. This time, all three thought of a possibility. Didara, who had been mostly silent, spoke up. “What’s the mission deadline? How much time do we have left?”
“Three days.”
This was the detailed information Scorpion had gotten from Konan.
“Three days, very tight. The commission fee must be high, right? Even the leader said this was troublesome.”
“It’s dozens of times the fee for intercepting the Land of Rivers’ daimyo. After all, it involves inciting a country’s civil war.”
The three fell silent. After a long while, Didara broke the silence.
“Should we capture a Mist ninja to gather intelligence first?”
“That works.”
“Good idea.”
The three reached a consensus. As for the mission, they would decide after clarifying the situation.
The Akatsuki mostly accepted war-related missions, and traps were not uncommon.
“Who will capture the Mist ninja? At least a jonin. I can’t do it, anyway.”
Didara wasn’t incapable of capturing a jonin, but his fighting style was too loud.
“I’ll go.”
Scorpion said. The three quickly headed toward the Mist Ninja Village, moving cautiously to avoid detection.
The situation was unclear. If things went wrong, their target wouldn’t be the Mist Ninja Village but the client. That was the Akatsuki way.
That night, Su Xiao and Didara waited in an inn at a village near the Mist Ninja Village, while Scorpion slipped out under cover of darkness.
Shortly after Scorpion left, Didara took off his Akatsuki robe and changed into ordinary clothes, seemingly planning to go out as well.
“Bai Ye, I’m heading out.”
Su Xiao was a bit surprised.
“What for?”
“Ahem, some personal business. Don’t tell Scorpion I went out, okay?”
With that, Didara stood up and walked out of the inn.
“I didn’t expect you had a lover in the Land of Water.”
Didara paused, giving Su Xiao a look that only men would understand.
“Don’t blow my cover.”
“Don’t worry. She only knows I’m a clay puppet master.”
With that, Didara left. The young man was off to meet a girl. Su Xiao had wondered earlier how Didara knew there was a village nearby. It seemed the girls of the Land of Water were truly enchanting, able to lure even Didara.
The inn room was left with only Su Xiao, and Bubu Wang—two “single dogs.”
Bubu Wang looked at Su Xiao, its gaze clearly saying, “Master, aren’t you going to find a girl?”
Su Xiao lit a cigarette, his gaze drifting out the window.
“If I happen to run into a female ninja, I’d die a miserable death.”
Su Xiao sometimes couldn’t help but wonder if he was the legendary lone star of doom, destined to bring death to those close to him—like his two sets of parents, though one batch was fake.
Life and death are fated, wealth and honor are in heaven’s hands. Su Xiao didn’t dwell on these thoughts. He only needed to live well today. As for the future, he would let fate take its course.
He pulled out a card the size of a bank card. It was metallic, its surface covered with red patterns.
This was a Scarlet Card—a mage’s Scarlet Card.
“This is more interesting than finding a girl—a chance to grow stronger. What’s with that look? My luck’s been good lately.”
Bubu Wang rolled its eyes.
PS: (A friend invited me for drinks. I didn’t get back until six in the evening. Feeling a bit dizzy now, going to sleep first. Consider this a day off—two chapters.)