"Crystal Release: Tunnel Technique!"
With a loud shout, Wu Zhonghe directed his chakra toward the concrete pillars. A sparkling yellow crystal tunnel materialized out of thin air, seamlessly connecting with the structure. The construction crew erupted into cheers as the final section of the tunnel was completed.
Wu Zhonghe grinned sheepishly, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"This segmented construction method is truly ingenious! It's sped up the progress by more than double. Our section is finally done. Now we just need to wait for Big Brother's team to connect with ours. I believe this Sandy Bliss Expressway will be operational in no time. Master, we owe it all to your help!"
"Amitabha. Blessings, blessings. It's only right to contribute to the village. The credit belongs to Shukaku."
Fenfu, ever the picture of serenity, clasped his hands together and bowed gently toward Wu Zhonghe. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, locking onto the top of the tunnel with an intense gaze. Two words escaped his lips:
"Iwagakure!"
Following Fenfu's line of sight, Wu Zhonghe looked up and saw a tall, masked kunoichi standing atop the tunnel. She wore a forehead protector emblazoned with the symbol of Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village).
Scanning the surroundings, Wu Zhonghe realized their small construction crew was now surrounded by nearly a hundred Iwagakure shinobi.
The kunoichi pointed directly at the old monk.
"Kill everyone except the monk."
"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"
Jinghang slammed his hand on the table, his face contorted with anger. Rasa, who had been reporting the situation, stood frozen in fear. Ever since he had known Jinghang, the man had always been witty, composed, and confident. Never had he seen him this furious.
"What's the Intelligence Division even doing? Nearly a hundred Iwagakure shinobi infiltrated the Land of Wind, and you didn't get a single report? And why was Master Fenfu even there?"
Rasa, feeling like a scolded schoolboy, lowered his head and continued his report.
"I received no intel about Iwagakure's infiltration. This might have been a last-minute mission directly ordered by the Tsuchikage, so our informants didn't send any messages. Moreover, they entered through the desert, bypassing our outposts and oasis checkpoints. As for Master Fenfu…"
Rasa swallowed nervously, stealing a glance at Jinghang, who was now studying a map with a grim expression.
"The construction team led by Wu Zhonghe reported that there was a large dune cluster along the midsection of the Sandy Bliss Expressway. They requested Master Fenfu's assistance..."
Jinghang waved dismissively, cutting him off.
"I recall that the construction route for this project was classified as three-star confidential, correct?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then there's a mole. Before I return, you'd better root out this mole. If you can't, don't bother calling yourself the head of the Intelligence Division anymore!"
"Understood! Wait, return? You're going there yourself? No, I…"
Rasa finally caught on, but Jinghang was already changing into his combat gear.
"Stop with the nonsense. Do you even understand what kind of opponent could subdue Master Fenfu? Sending anyone else would be sending lambs to the slaughter. Yecang! Gao Jin!"
Jinghang called out to his aides, and the two immediately entered the room.
"You have ten minutes. Pack supplies for four days, including food and water. We're heading out to intercept Iwagakure. Also, notify Minister Shimizuryū from the Finance Department. Borrow a jonin from their clan; their expertise in bee tracking is unmatched. Have them meet us at the village gate. Move!"
"Yes!"
The two responded swiftly, wasting no time.
"Only taking one squad? That's too risky!"
Rasa protested.
"I'm not an idiot. One squad is obviously not enough. My job is to delay Iwagakure. You, on the other hand, need to mobilize five elite battalions from the standing army. They must depart by sunset today and reach this location within four days."
Jinghang pointed to a spot on the map.
"Understood!"
"I'll have the Shimizuryū jonin leave a trail of bee markers along the way. Just follow them. Now, give me a rundown of the situation at the scene."
As Jinghang fastened his leg guards and arm braces, Rasa handed him his chest plate and continued explaining.
"The construction team had 24 members. Except for one missing person, the rest were all killed. Additionally, there were signs of intense combat at the scene, and we found 16 Iwagakure shinobi corpses. There were also traces of Dust Release being used."
"Dust Release!?"
Jinghang paused, a striking figure flashing through his mind.
"Help me secure this. Tie it tight. Who's the missing person?"
Turning his back, Jinghang let Rasa tie his chest plate.
"The team leader, Wu Zhonghe."
Jinghang thought for a moment, recalling the image of a simple, straightforward young man who often argued with him.
"I remember him. I brought him back from the Land of Fields. Investigate thoroughly! Find him dead or alive! There must be some clues left behind. Don't overlook anything. Alright, I'm heading out."
Fully equipped, Jinghang was about to leave when he suddenly turned back.
"These next few days, village affairs will be handled by Elder Ebizō. Matters that can't be resolved go to the Hearing Committee. If it's still unmanageable, wait for my return."
At the village gate, Yecang and Gao Jin were already waiting, along with a burly middle-aged man carrying a massive yellow beehive on his back.
"Are you from the Shimizuryū clan?"
The man stood at attention and replied, "Jonin Shimizuryū Heiji, First Regiment, Third Battalion of the Standing Army, reporting for duty."
"Good! If Minister Shimizuryū recommended you, you must be reliable. Time is short, so I'll make this brief."
Jinghang pulled out a map, and the three quickly gathered around.
"The incident occurred here. If they want to return to the Land of Earth, they must pass through this chokepoint."
Jinghang's finger landed on a location marked "Seven Wind Pass."
"It's been over 24 hours since the incident. We're equidistant from the target as Iwagakure. To intercept them, we'll need to march at full speed and reach this point within three days. That should give us half a day to rest and set traps. We must hold them off for at least 24 hours. Understood?"
"Understood!"
The three responded firmly.
In the ninja world, forced marches were grueling, requiring over 100 kilometers of travel per day with minimal rest—no more than four hours per day. Such intense exertion tested both physical stamina and chakra reserves.
"Here, take these."
Jinghang handed each of them a small vial.
"This is the first-generation chakra enhancement potion developed by the Silver Sand Pharmaceutical Factory. It's been clinically tested. Each vial contains four doses. Only use it when your chakra is nearly depleted, as it has side effects."
The three carefully stored the vials close to their bodies.
"Alright, let's move out. We'll discuss the details on the way."
With that, Jinghang activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, disappearing in a flash. The three others immediately channeled chakra to their legs, launching into a furious sprint to keep up with the Wind Shadow's pace.
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