"Eat slower! No one’s going to steal your food!"
Yahiko and Nagato’s eating habits could only be described as terrifying. Chewing seed like an unnecessary step for them. They were shoveling food into their mouths as if their jaws were detached, stuffing it straight down their throats. The sight made Jing Hang gulp involuntarily.
As per Jing Hang’s arrangent, the entire table was devoid of anything green. It was a feast of heavy, greasy dishes—chicken, duck, fish, and pork, all dripping with oil.
At this rate, if they didn’t end up with upset stomachs, it would be a miracle. It seed the food in the Abyss really was subpar. Jing Hang made a ntal note: perhaps it was ti to allocate so funds to improve the Abyss’ provisions.
It didn’t take long before the table was left in utter disarray. The two of them were rubbing their bellies, burping, and their mouths were sared with grease. It seed they only stopped because they physically couldn’t eat any more.
"The damages you caused to Sunagakure," Jing Hang began, "are more or less paid off. I won’t quibble over the small stuff. But there are so things I need to make clear, so you don’t hold any unnecessary grudges."
With that, Jing Hang handed Yahiko a docunt.
Yahiko struggled to sit up, took the docunt, and opened it.
"This is the confession from Higashi Shijin," Jing Hang said frankly. "There are so things you can read here, but keep them to yourself. No one will admit to them, including ."
Yahiko didn’t respond to Jing Hang. Deep down, he felt an inexplicable fear toward the man who had slapped him.
As Yahiko read further, his expression grew more and more shocked.
"Iwagakure never intended to pay the balance!?"
"There’s Konoha’s ddling behind this!?"
"Why is all this happening!?"
The battle at Sunagakure had cost the Akatsuki over half of its "elite" mbers. In the end, it had all been about money. But from the very beginning, Iwagakure had no intention of paying. If it weren’t for Mokujima shalessly extorting three billion as a down paynt, the lives of over six hundred Akatsuki mbers would’ve been utterly worthless.
"The reason is simple," Jing Hang explained. "Agakure’s strategic position is crucial. Both Konoha and Iwagakure want to control it. But your existence beca an obstacle."
Of course, this was a lie Jing Hang made up on the spot, but it wasn’t entirely baseless. Both Konoha and Iwagakure had indeed sent people to contact the Akatsuki. In this sense, the lie was close enough to the truth to be convincing.
"Hah, as if Sunagakure doesn’t have its own designs on us," Yahiko sneered.
"Believe it or not, we did have designs on you in the past. But not anymore," Jing Hang replied earnestly. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have allowed the Hourglass Group to withdraw so smoothly."
"The strategic importance of Agakure is undeniable," Jing Hang continued, "but that’s from the perspective of Iwagakure and Konoha. From Sunagakure’s standpoint, the situation is different."
Jing Hang dipped a finger into his tea and drew a simple map of the ninja world on the table.
"If I wanted to attack northward toward Iwagakure, the route through the Land of Stone is clearly more convenient. The roads are better, and there’s no need to worry about interference from other nations. If I wanted to advance eastward toward Konoha, the sea route from Yuexi Peninsula or the land route through Lishi Fortress would undoubtedly be more advantageous than going through Agakure. These are strategic changes brought about by our recent developnts. From my perspective, Agakure isn’t as important anymore."
This statent was half-true. From a military standpoint, Jing Hang’s analysis was accurate. However, he was only talking about offensive routes. From a defensive standpoint, Agakure was undoubtedly a strategic stronghold, as it was a likely point of entry for enemy invasions. In essence, Jing Hang was playing a ga of semantics.
The effect was remarkable, though. Yahiko and Nagato couldn’t find any flaws in his reasoning.
"Then why are you telling us all this?" Yahiko asked.
"The point is, I don’t harbor any ill will toward you," Jing Hang said, his smile turning slightly cold. "Don’t provoke again, kids. This ti, I’m giving you a little lesson. Next ti, I’ll send you straight to the afterlife."
Yahiko and Nagato instinctively covered their faces.
That expression—it was exactly the sa as when Jing Hang had slapped them.
Nagato opened his mouth to say sothing, but Jing Hang cut him off.
"Don’t bother making promises. I’m a man of action. If there’s a next ti, no matter the reason, I’ll flatten Agakure. If you want to survive in this world, use your brains. Don’t let yourselves be used as pawns so easily."
Jing Hang pointed a finger at Yahiko’s forehead. Yahiko flinched instinctively. Jing Hang chuckled and casually took the docunt back from Yahiko’s hands.
The whole conversation felt like a scene where two street punks were being lectured by a bona fide mafia boss. Afterward, the boss even treated them to a al and imparted so "rules of the underworld." Yahiko and Nagato couldn’t help but feel both humiliated and inferior. At the sa ti, they developed a strange sense of respect and awe for Jing Hang.
What kind of person commands respect and awe? Al Pacino put it best: soone with rules, and who abides by them.
"Can we leave now?" Nagato asked.
"You’re free to go anyti. But your injured companion might need to stay a while longer," Jing Hang replied.
Yahiko looked at Nagato in confusion. Nagato whispered a reminder, "Daibutsu isn’t dead."
Hearing this, Yahiko was overjoyed. He even managed to give Jing Hang a difficult but sincere bow.
"Don’t thank ," Jing Hang said, pulling out a receipt. "Everything cos at a cost. Here’s the bill. I’ve made it very clear—business is business."
Yahiko took the receipt and glanced at it. Thankfully, it wasn’t much—just 800,000 ryo.
After so whispered discussion with Nagato, Yahiko spoke up. "How about this, Lord Kazekage? I’ll take the rest of the brothers back to Agakure to handle affairs, while my companion stays here to take care of Daibutsu. We’ll deliver the 800,000 ryo shortly. Does that work for you?"
Good boy. Jing Hang hadn’t expected Yahiko to be this tactful. Fine, just for that attitude, I’ll give you a discount on the follow-up costs.
"No problem," Jing Hang agreed with a nod.
"Alright then. Now that you’ve had your fill, you’re free to go. I still have to inspect the Abyss Prison, so I won’t be seeing you off."
With that, he got up and left.
Nagato turned to Yahiko. "Yahiko, maybe we really did ss up this ti."
"Yeah, we ssed up," Yahiko admitted. "But what’s done is done. The dead can’t co back to life. At least the Kazekage isn’t too difficult to deal with. This matter is finally settled."
"But what do we do next? The deal fell through, and the village is still in dire straits," Nagato said worriedly.
Agakure probably only had the three billion in liquid funds left. Once that was gone, they’d be bankrupt.
"That’s why I need to return and take charge. Otherwise, Mokujima and Konan won’t be able to hold the fort," Yahiko said.
"Yeah, you should head back quickly."
"By the way, I t a remarkable person in the prison. This person..."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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