"???!!!"
Hearing the words of the shouting ninja, many people began to hesitate.
It wasn't because they believed Sunagakure's words, but because they worried if the Land of Rivers was truly as the other party described. If that were the case, it would truly be a dead end!
"He Miao! What should we do!"
Shūzi, who had heard the words from inside the house, looked pleadingly at her husband.
"First, go pack our things. No matter what choice we ultimately make, we still have to leave this place!"
"Alright!" Hearing her husband's words, Shūzi replied and went down to start preparing.
In truth, He Miao somewhat believed the words being spoken outside.
This was because they lived on the border.
During the previous war, bandits from the Land of Rivers would occasionally come to raid and take advantage.
They would also frequently hear about people in neighboring villages being targeted and subsequently killed.
However, in the last few days, aside from the refugees who had fled here, there had been no news of bandits.
Only two possible reasons could explain this situation.
First, all the bandits in the Land of Rivers had completely disappeared, leaving none behind—but this was clearly impossible.
Second, they were lying in wait, guarding the border and waiting for their prey—these residents of the Land of Rain—to willingly come to them, waiting for them to gather up all their valuables, and then devouring them in one swoop!
Only these two possibilities existed. Compared to the far-fetched Reason One, He Miao placed more faith in Reason Two. This was also why he had previously told his wife that he knew a small path leading to the Land of Rivers; clearly, if he were to flee to the Land of Rivers, he would definitely take the small path, because the main road was a dead end.
However, he couldn't guarantee that the small path would be safe either!
He simply had no other choice!
But now... it seemed he had a new choice!
It was just that he was afraid to take the risk!
If he were alone, he would definitely take the gamble, but the reality was he had a family!
Should he choose to sneak into the Land of Rivers with his family using the small path, or trust the Sunagakure ninja, trusting the former Lord Hanzō!
For a moment, He Miao was caught in a dilemma.
Time quietly slipped away.
"He Miao~"
A soft call came from beside him.
He Miao snapped out of his thoughts, realizing his wife and son had somehow come to stand beside him.
Beside them were two large bundles and two makeshift weapons: a long blade fashioned from a wooden handle and a kitchen knife, and a long hook assembled from a sickle and wood.
"I'm fine. Are you all prepared?"
"Yes, everything is packed. He Miao, what do we do now!"
"Don't rush, come listen to me..." Saying this, He Miao motioned for his wife and child to come closer and softly explained his deductions and speculations. After all, this concerned the life and death of their entire family; if they chose incorrectly, then everyone... He Miao therefore felt it was necessary for his wife and child to know.
After listening to He Miao's explanation, they all understood the potential results and consequences of the two choices.
"He Miao~ you know, I have always believed in you, just as I always have. So no matter what decision you make, I will stay by your side."
Shūzi stepped forward and spoke softly to her husband, her eyes filled only with affirmation.
"Mhm, I also always believe in Dad. No matter what choice we make, I will protect Dad and Mom."
Little Transparent Great Buddha also spoke up at this time to express his support.
"I know what to do!"
Faced with the complete trust of his wife and child, He Miao revealed a smile that he could not hide.
---
Outside the house.
In the village square.
The previously messy square had now been tidied up by the Sunagakure ninja.
Over a dozen tables and umbrellas were set up in the square, and the tables were densely covered with food and water.
There were also application forms... However, besides the Sunagakure personnel themselves, not a single person from the Land of Rain dared to come forward.
Nearby houses had their doors and windows tightly shut. The refugees were uniformly hiding far away, and some continued heading toward the Land of Rivers. Clearly, they no longer trusted ninja.
"Yūto, do you think anyone will come if we do this?"
The woman sitting next to Yūto, swinging her feet in the air, said this to him.
"Ahem, Muzuki, you should use my title during work. You should call me Captain Yūto, or just Captain."
"Oh, look at you, putting on airs the moment we step outside. I wonder who at home... *Wuwuwu*..."
Before the woman could finish her sentence, her mouth was firmly covered by a large hand.
"Fine, fine, I give up. Call me whatever you want."
"Hehe, that's better. I wonder how Sasori is doing at home—if he's eating properly and studying well."
"Don't worry, with Mother there, you don't need to fret much about Sasori. She's the kind of person who could raise even me to be fat and healthy."
"Alright. I hope this ends quickly. Doesn't that damned Konoha pride itself on peace? How could they do something like this!"
"It's because they were suppressed and humiliated at the start, and now they realize they can't control the situation. Sarutobi Hiruzen is probably having a headache right now. It was originally an opportunity to showcase the strength of a great nation, but they couldn't hold back and ended up creating this mess."
"Sigh, so many people have died in this turmoil, and so many children! Hey, Yūto. Didn't you bring back an unconscious child yesterday? How are they doing? Should we adopt one too, so Sasori has a companion?"
"About that, we should see what the child wants. If we want a companion for Sasori, I think we could actually..."
"Click~"
The sound of a door opening in the distance reached Yūto's ears.
Before Yūto could finish his quiet suggestion, the distinct click, different from the falling rain, interrupted the intimate atmosphere beneath the curtain of rain.
A middle-aged man opened the front door of his house.
It was He Miao.
Although he had mentally prepared himself, the scene after opening the door still made his heart tremble.
The street was completely empty, and the sound of his door opening caused the gaze of every ninja to turn toward him.
He Miao tightly gripped his worn umbrella and, under the scrutiny of the crowd, nervously walked toward the square ahead.
Among those watching were many villagers secretly observing the scene from inside their homes.
The former square had completely changed its appearance; the densely packed food on the tables made He Miao's throat feel dry.
"Sigh~" Seeing this scene, He Miao couldn't help but sigh internally.
Soon, He Miao arrived in front of Yūto.
To be honest, this was the first time he had stood so close to a ninja. He was terrified now; if he hadn't truly run out of options, he wouldn't have come out, because, after all, who doesn't prefer staying in a place that offers a sense of security?
But the truth was, staying home no longer provided safety... "S-sir! How... how can we obtain protection!" He Miao looked at the Yūto before him and said tremblingly. "As long as... as long as my wife and child can survive, I... I am willing to do anything!"
Having said that, he bent down and bowed deeply to Yūto.
"...Actually, there's no need for this."
Seeing the man before him bowing, Yūto was momentarily stunned.
This was the first time anyone had made such a gesture toward him.
He then took a piece of paper from the side and handed it to the man.
"First, fill out this form, then you can go back and pack your things. Once everyone is gathered, you can travel back with us. You can wait nearby, or wait at home. If you are hungry, you can take a portion of food, but each person is only allowed one portion."
After listing the instructions, Yūto's usually gentle face became serious.
"There is one more thing I need to tell you in advance. Protecting you comes with conditions!" As he said this, Yūto clearly saw the man tremble slightly, so he quickly reassured him. "Don't worry, it's nothing dangerous. Our Kazekage had an agreement with your Lord Hanzō regarding three mines located on the Wind-Rain border, so you will be required to work once you arrive there. Rest assured, you won't be digging in the mines; we have better people for that.
Of course, the work provides food and a salary. If you work hard, your family of three won't starve."
"Do you have any other questions?"
He finished speaking.
He Miao's heart immediately settled. If all they had to do was work... that was completely acceptable.
"N-no, none left. Thank you, sir!"
"Good. Then go register over there. Register the number of people who are going. We will call out names to count everyone when we leave."
"Understood, sir."
Before long.
He Miao finished registering the information for his family of three, collected three portions of food, and quickly ran back home.
Under the astonished gazes of the people hiding in the surrounding houses, he safely left the square and returned home with the food.
Immediately afterward, a few bolder villagers also opened their doors and cautiously walked toward the square.