An excited heart, trembling hands.
Kakuzu shakily accepted Jinghang's appointment letter. That thin sheet of paper felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in his hands.
"You... trust me this much?"
Kakuzu finally voiced the confusion in his heart.
Jinghang smiled.
"What's not to trust? Though Maki has talent, he excels in civil administration and military affairs but lacks experience in business operations. Besides, he can't handle such a vast enterprise alone. Your performance on Yuexi Peninsula these years has been evident to all. I believe the peninsula's industries will reach new heights under your leadership!"
"But... but I'm a... rogue ninja!"
"Those bastards from Hidden Waterfall are the ones lacking brains!"
Jinghang swept his sleeve domineeringly.
"Back then, Hidden Waterfall sent you to assassinate Hashirama Senju—clearly sending you to your death! You miraculously survived, yet they still wanted you dead! You never wronged Hidden Waterfall—Hidden Waterfall wronged you! Don't worry, after this war ends, I'm going to have a proper reckoning with those scoundrels from Hidden Waterfall."
"Lord Kazekage!"
Kakuzu emotionally bowed to Jinghang.
A true confidant! A confidant! After all these years, the one who truly understood me was this young Kazekage, forty or fifty years my junior. A man dies for his confidant! Just for this trust alone, I'll give my hundred-plus pounds of flesh!
Jinghang warmly helped Kakuzu up.
"With you here, I'm at ease."
In the original manga, Pain used so-called recognition to make Kakuzu spend his own money working for the Akatsuki, completely freeloading off Kakuzu's decades of savings and labor (and his life—in the end, Konan turned his money into fireworks). Now I'm entrusting him with an entire city's economic lifeline—he'd better be devoted to the cause.
"Lord Kazekage, rest assured. Leave Golden Sand Entertainment to me—I guarantee business will flourish!"
Kakuzu thumped his chest.
Jinghang kindly helped Kakuzu up.
"However, there's currently a difficult matter on Yuexi Peninsula. I wonder if..."
"Lord Kazekage, just give the order. Through mountains of blades and seas of fire, Kakuzu won't even furrow his brow."
Kakuzu answered firmly.
"Though it's not mountains of blades and seas of fire, there is real risk involved."
Kakuzu had spent these three months busy robbing money in Fire Country and knew nothing about the changing situation on Yuexi Peninsula.
So Jinghang revealed everything about Maki being detained by Hidden Mist and the trade between Konoha and Hidden Mist.
"I want you to temporarily serve as Yuexi Peninsula's supreme commander, taking over all peninsula defenses. If Hidden Mist ninja attack one day, you must find a way to hold Yuexi Peninsula for me."
Kakuzu didn't rush to answer. He was an old monster left over from Hashirama's era, not some hothead charging forward blindly. His attitude toward problems was obviously more cautious.
"Roughly how many from Hidden Mist?"
Jinghang felt relieved—he'd found the right person. These words sounded reliable.
"According to intelligence, about ten thousand."
Kakuzu frowned. He walked to the hanging large map, carefully studying the Yuexi Peninsula section. He'd worked here eight years and knew every inch of land intimately. Jinghang also moved closer.
"I don't know Hidden Mist's situation, but I know Yuexi Peninsula inside and out. If I were an invader, there are two optimal landing points: Coin Harbor in the south, and Sun Harbor in the center. Both have wide, deep-water docks suitable for large-scale ninja landings. With ten thousand ninja..."
Kakuzu pondered briefly.
"We lack sufficient forces."
This answer somewhat surprised Jinghang.
Before Jinghang could question him, Kakuzu immediately explained.
"Currently, Yuexi Peninsula's combat-ready forces are just the Fourth Division's four thousand regular army ninja and the three thousand tax police I brought this time. The peninsula's local security forces are fine for maintaining order, but they're lacking for this kind of life-or-death decisive battle. We don't know where Hidden Mist ninja will land. If seven thousand ninja are split between two locations, it disperses our defensive strength—we won't be able to hold either position."
"Doesn't Yuexi Peninsula have coastal fortifications?"
Jinghang asked.
"Those coastal fortifications won't be very effective against Hidden Mist ninja skilled in Water Release techniques. If Hidden Mist ninja position their fleet outside the fortifications' range, then use Water Release techniques to create heavy fog blocking visibility while infiltrating with small ninja units, the fortifications' lethality becomes very limited."
Jinghang slapped his forehead.
"Ah, I was too idealistic during the initial design."
Kakuzu's strategic vision was indeed seasoned—worthy of being a powerhouse from the previous era. His questions hit the nail on the head. Decades of experience weren't for nothing.
"In your opinion, how should we defend to ensure safety?"
Yuexi Peninsula was too important—absolutely no room for error.
"Either reinforce with more troops, or we need advance knowledge of Hidden Mist's attack direction!"
"How many reinforcements?"
"At least three thousand, and they must have regular army combat capability."
Jinghang slumped into his chair.
Where am I supposed to conjure up three thousand regular army troops now?
Know Hidden Mist's attack route in advance? They're still hesitating whether to deploy troops at all. Can I predict the future? The intelligence department doesn't have that capability either.
Jinghang got up and looked at the map, his eyes constantly moving between the peninsula's two harbors. Suddenly, inspiration struck.
"Kakuzu, between these two harbors, which is easier to land at?"
"Naturally Sun Harbor—it's closer to Yuexi Peninsula's city center."
Jinghang smiled slightly, immediately forming a plan.
"If ten thousand Hidden Mist ninja attack Coin Harbor, could you command seven thousand and hold them off?"
"Naturally, no problem."
"Then we'll make Hidden Mist attack Coin Harbor!"
Kakuzu was confused—could Hidden Mist ninja follow your orders?
Jinghang looked at Kakuzu.
"After you return, dress the peninsula's two thousand security forces in regular army uniforms and deploy them to Sun Harbor. Have each person create three Shadow Clones daily, drilling day and night at Sun Harbor, constantly strengthening fortifications. Spread word that Sun Harbor is well-armed and impregnable..."
Kakuzu, being who he was, immediately grasped Jinghang's "conspiracy."
"Brilliant! The real seven thousand main force disguised as security troops secretly lurks at Coin Harbor. Hidden Mist will definitely fall for it."
"Exactly."
Jinghang nodded. This was a reverse "Mincemeat Operation." If it could fool the little mustache man back then, fooling Yagura Karatachi now shouldn't be difficult.
"How to spread this information requires careful consideration. Details determine success or failure."
Kakuzu said.
"I have a plan. Shall we discuss it?"
Jinghang whispered in Kakuzu's ear.
Kakuzu listened quietly, his eyes growing brighter.
"Brilliant! This way, Yuexi Peninsula will be absolutely secure."
"I entrust Yuexi Peninsula's safety to you."
Jinghang cupped his hands toward Kakuzu.
"No time to waste—I'll return immediately to make arrangements."
Kakuzu returned the gesture and strode out of the command tent.
...
"Lord Kakuzu, your belongings."
Xuechi Gaoyi handed over the ninja tool pouch.
"Thank you."
Kakuzu accepted the pouch, then seemed to think of something.
"Little brother, take this."
Xuechi Gaoyi waved his hands repeatedly.
"No, no, it's too valuable."
"Hey, I'm not giving it away—I'm trading with you."
"Trading? For what?"
Xuechi Gaoyi asked puzzledly.
"For this."
Kakuzu pointed at Xuechi Gaoyi's ninja headband.
"Ah!"
Xuechi Gaoyi was stunned. Half a pound of gold for a metal plate! You're too extravagant. Are you trying to buy me off? But what's worth buying about me? Every Sand ninja has several spares of these things.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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