Uchiha Shisui returned to the Konoha Defense Force headquarters with the bail money and found Sora waiting.
"Here's the bail money," he said firmly. "Now I can release my people!"
Sora looked at the money on the table and smiled. "Of course, but I should remind the Vice-Captain that they are criminals now, not your clansmen. Since they fall under the jurisdiction of the Konoha Defense Force, you should avoid showing favoritism."
Uchiha Shisui responded with a straight face and stiff tone, "In my opinion, they are all people who have been wronged, not criminals. So the Captain doesn't need to worry about such private matters. The bail has been paid, Captain. Please let them go."
"Of course. It was just a suggestion. You're free to take it or ignore it. Don't worry, now that the bail is paid, I'll release those criminals immediately. But let me count the money first."
Sora counted the money and found a total of 2 million ryō.
There were now 18 Uchiha ninjas imprisoned in the Root Prison, with an excess of 200,000 ryō.
Sora snapped her fingers.
In the next second, a Root ninja appeared and knelt on one knee before her.
Sora waved her hand dismissively. "Release those Uchiha criminals from prison."
"Yes, Captain!"
The Root ninja disappeared again.
Sora showed a very 'kind' smile and said, "Vice-Captain, you can go collect those criminals now... Oh, I mean your clansmen who are free to go home."
Uchiha Shisui responded with a terse "Hmph," then turned and left the Konoha Defense Force headquarters.
Sora smiled indifferently at Uchiha Shisui's attitude. "He's really gotten worked up."
Uchiha Shisui was a rare upright person among the Uchiha clan who usually treated others with courtesy and respect.
But now, facing Sora, he appeared very rude.
For Sora, however, this response was expected and normal.
If Uchiha Shisui had shown any friendliness toward her, Sora would have needed to re-evaluate whether he was being genuine or had some ulterior motive.
Sora looked at the money on the table and sighed. "It's so easy to get this money. Two million ryō in just one day. What an enormous profit."
Although Sora had mentioned she would hand over part of it to Namikaze Minato for Konoha's construction, these were just empty words.
Even if she didn't give the money, Sora believed Namikaze Minato would be too embarrassed to ask for it.
And if Minato was shameless enough to ask, Sora could simply delay and refuse to hand it over.
Once the money was in her pocket, there was no need to take it out again.
Even for the ninja salaries of the Konoha Defense Force, Sora had to go to Namikaze Minato to get the funds.
One day brought in 2 million ryō, and ten days would be 20 million. It was more than enough to support the Owl Organization.
Thinking of the Owl Organization, Sora wondered about Yahiko, Ye Cang, and Black Hoe Leiya.
She didn't know what Yahiko and the others were doing now.
At that very moment, in a certain sea area far away...
Yahiko and his three companions were drifting through strong winds on a merchant ship.
They had accepted the task of guarding the merchant ship because that sea area was plagued by pirates and wandering ninja.
But Yahiko and the others hadn't expected that shortly after boarding the merchant ship, they would encounter a massive storm.
Now the three of them were in an embarrassing situation, clinging to wooden poles to stay upright as the ship pitched violently in the waves.
Back in Konoha, Uchiha Shisui stood on the only path leading to the Root headquarters.
Unable to approach the actual Root facility, he could only wait there.
Not long after, Shisui spotted a dozen people walking toward him.
Shisui finally smiled, waving at them and calling out, "Over here!"
However, his smile froze immediately.
The dozen clansmen had dull, lifeless eyes and walked toward him like zombies.
Shisui stopped the person in front and asked worriedly, "What's wrong with you? Did they torture you?"
The Uchiha ninja whom Shisui had stopped simply ignored him, walking around him and continuing forward.
Shisui couldn't understand what had happened. Looking at their bodies, he saw no visible signs of physical punishment.
"We weren't tortured..." a voice sounded behind him.
Uchiha Shisui turned around.
It was a clan member he knew well and had a good relationship with.
Shisui asked hurriedly, "Kanjiang, what happened? Why have they become like this?"
Uchiha Kanjiang's eyes revealed pure fear. "We were locked in tiny rooms where we could only stand, with no light at all. We constantly heard strange sounds—like wailing, like animal calls."
His voice trembled. "Those sounds terrified us, making one second feel like an entire day. Since I was locked up for a shorter time, I wasn't affected as deeply, but I definitely don't want to go back in there again."
He looked at Shisui with accusation. "Shisui, aren't you the Vice-Captain of the Konoha Defense Force? Why didn't you help us?"
Facing Kanjiang's question, Shisui opened his mouth but didn't know how to answer.
He wanted to help, but... he simply didn't have the power.
Even when he went to Uchiha Fugaku, the clan leader had told him not to get involved.
Uchiha Kanjiang looked at Shisui with disappointment, then ignored him and followed the group ahead, leaving Shisui standing alone.
The look in Kanjiang's eyes had cut Shisui deeply.
He knew that Kanjiang and the others had misunderstood him, believing he was just a bystander who didn't want to help them.
But Shisui couldn't explain himself, because regardless of any explanation, the fact remained that he hadn't helped them.
And if he tried to explain, his clansmen would only misunderstand him more.
Uchiha Shisui stood there with his head down for a long time.
Eventually, he raised his head again, as if trying to encourage himself, and murmured, "No matter what, I can't just sit here and wait for disaster to unfold. At least... at least I can help one person at a time!"
The next day dawned.
Uchiha Shisui came to the Konoha Defense Force headquarters only once in the morning and left immediately.
His plan to help his people was to patrol Konoha himself. When he found Root Ninja attempting to arrest his clansmen unreasonably, he would intervene immediately.
The Root Ninja quickly reported Shisui's activities to Sora.
Sora smiled contemptuously and said, "How stupid. A Vice-Captain who was specifically appointed to monitor me has so much free time? I feel sorry for Namikaze Minato."
She waved dismissively. "Don't worry about him. He's just one person. He can't help everyone. Just continue following Lord Danzo's plan."
Sora really hadn't expected Uchiha Shisui to do something so foolish. With Uchiha Shisui busy patrolling, the Konoha Defense Force could do whatever she wanted without interference.
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