Ryosuke followed Terumi Mei as they walked through the streets of Kirigakure.
Almost every outsider tourist had a booklet of the intelligence reports in their hands. With such widespread circulation, it was clearly the work of the official government.
"This is also one of Yagura's policies?" Ryosuke asked.
Terumi Mei nodded and said, "Ever since taking office, Yagura has been successively issuing many policies. To summarize, it all comes down to two aspects, killing and hoarding wealth. This..."
She pointed at the intel book in Ryosuke's hand.
"This is the smaller part. There's also human trafficking, you've seen that already, and..."
Terumi Mei slightly lifted her chin toward a street near the center of the village.
Because Kirigakure was shrouded in mist all year round, and because the rooftops on that street had been deliberately extended to block out even the sparse sunlight, the entire street was extremely dark.
In the shadows, neon lights lit up one after another, ambiguous and flamboyant. Women of various charms, dressed in luxurious garments, wearing floral hairpins, and with exquisite makeup, stood in rows.
In the middle of the street were all kinds of men, looking left and right, expressions frivolous, like picking out goods, their gazes scanned across the women's faces. Among them were slick-haired, short-statured, fast-talking men constantly soliciting customers.
"Kirigakure has the most prosperous red-light district, not just in the Land of Water… honestly, I think it's the most prosperous in the whole ninja world. Every day, countless men pour in, spending fortunes, just to sleep with an oiran. Among the profits, a portion has to be handed over to Yagura."
This was a huge fortune.
For the red-light district to run this smoothly, Ryosuke could roughly guess the reason.
The high-pressure Bloody Mist policy had caused people's psychological stress to skyrocket, no one knew if they'd be dead tomorrow.
On the other hand, because of Yagura's wealth-hoarding policies, even if it was just a small amount, part of the money flowed into the black market and ended up in the pockets of middle- and lower-level individuals.
With money and stress, s*x was always the simplest form of release.
"Truly Kirigakure earns it, and Kirigakure spends it, not a coin leaves the house," Ryosuke remarked.
Terumi Mei raised her eyebrows and gave Ryosuke a teasing look. "What? Thinking of going in for a look? With your looks, you might not even need to pay, might even earn a bit."
Ryosuke waved his hand. He had no intention of becoming a male host.
"I'm not looking at the women. I'm looking at the ninjas."
In the red-light district, one could spot quite a few ninjas wearing Kirigakure forehead protectors patrolling.
Ryosuke said, "I think I understand now, why even with the Bloody Mist policy, some ninjas still chose to be loyal to Yagura."
From this red-light district to the human trafficking base Ryosuke had destroyed before, huge amounts of money were involved. Yagura only needed to share a portion of it with his subordinates to gain a bunch of die-hard loyalists.
To keep earning continuously, these people would voluntarily protect Yagura's industrial chain.
Anyone who tried to overthrow Yagura's rule, was touching their cake.
Terumi Mei understood what Ryosuke meant and nodded, sighing softly, "To betray conscience for profit, for many people, that's exactly where their 'conscience' ultimately ends up. Outside of Kirigakure, there are plenty of ninjas who want to sell out, but don't even have the channels!"
"From that perspective, Yagura is their savior."
Because the streets were crowded and noisy, the group didn't discuss further. They moved through the crowd and arrived at a hot spring inn.
They went upstairs, entered the room, closed the door. After tea was served, Terumi Mei finally slowly spoke, "According to your intel, Ao used the Byakugan to check Yagura's chakra flow, he really is under a genjutsu."
Rei asked, "Since that's the case, make the intel public, break the genjutsu on Yagura… wouldn't that solve everything?"
"It's not that simple," Terumi Mei replied. "After Yagura took office, his personality changed drastically."
"Many have already been speculating whether he was under a genjutsu. Suppose we step forward and say he's under one and want to break it, what do you think will happen?"
Rei rubbed her chin in thought, her little head practically started steaming, but she still couldn't figure it out.
Sasuke thought for a moment and said, "It would provoke a counterattack from Yagura's die-hard loyalists."
"Exactly."
The die-hards weren't loyal to Yagura, they were loyal to money and power.
If Yagura's genjutsu was broken and the Bloody Mist policy abolished…
What would the die-hards do?
Go back to bitterly risking their heads for mission money?
"If the 'break the genjutsu' suggestion is brought up, and we fail to immediately succeed at the first move, we'll have to face a Kage-level perfect Jinchuriki and all his loyal followers."
Terumi Mei lowered her gaze and said, "As much as I hate to admit it, with just our manpower, even if we win, it would be a tragic victory."
"So, you plan to strike during the graduation ceremony," Ryosuke said, lifting the intel booklet in his hand.
It mentioned that the Daimyo of the Land of Water would personally attend the Kirigakure ceremony, and even place bets.
Terumi Mei took a sip of hot tea and smiled, "You're even sharper than I thought. Yes, the Daimyo, so long as he's present, those who crave wealth and power will have to think twice before acting."
"If all goes well, we break Yagura's genjutsu, happy ending."
"If not, our only enemy will be Yagura. And with you on our side, our odds go up."
Ryosuke held his teacup but didn't smile. He was thinking of one possibility, "What if the Daimyo of the Land of Water is also one of the die-hards?"
Terumi Mei's smile gradually faded.
Yes, that was indeed a possibility, a nightmare she had envisioned alone in the dark many nights.
That corrupt forest governor who bought his position and squeezed the common folk… having the Daimyo's favor, this fact alone revealed the Daimyo's stance.
"And not just that, Yagura's genjutsu was cast by a masked man from the Akatsuki. If you try to break the genjutsu, that masked man might show up too. What will you do then?" Ryosuke asked again.
"If it really comes to that…"
Terumi Mei drank all her tea in one gulp and slammed the cup on the table.
"Then kill."
"From the die-hard followers, to Yagura, to the Akatsuki, and then the Daimyo. In short, whoever stands in the way of Kirigakure escaping this blood mist, becomes part of the blood mist themselves!"
Terumi Mei's gaze was fierce, her killing intent intense, but when she looked into the wide-eyed stares of Sasuke and Rei across the table, she immediately softened.
"If it really comes to that, the situation will be dangerous. We'll be facing the die-hards, Yagura, and the Daimyo's guards, attacks from three forces. Ryosuke, if you want to leave, it's still not too late."
"I really would have left…"
"What? You really were gonna leave!" Terumi Mei's eyes widened.
"If just now you had said something like 'let's take our time and discuss,' I would have left immediately."
Ryosuke looked straight into her eyes, "You're enacting a transformation involving the fate of a nation. If you're filled with hesitation, don't even pull the trigger. Old man Hiruzen Sarutobi is enough, one is plenty."
Terumi Mei took a deep breath and slowly nodded.
"I understand now. I… have made up my mind."
"Then that's good. Next…"
Ryosuke poured her another cup of tea. "Let's talk about the reward."
"What do you want?"
Ryosuke held up three fingers. "I want land, I want people, and I want a promise."
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