Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 132 Heart-to-Heart Talk

Old Zi's family serves hand-pulled pancakes with camel milk for breakfast. The local cuisine is on the salty side, even the milk has a slightly salty taste, but the meat filling in the pancakes is plentiful and filling, and the special sauce is fragrant and has a regional flavor.

Jinlun's initial manners were quite impeccable, and the conversation consisted of rather trivial topics. However, after tasting the pancake, his eyes lit up, and he bluntly inquired whether the sauce recipe could be shared. In this respect, he seemed more like a young man.

"If you like, I can teach you, but I don't know if you have the time," Old Zi said, both amused and exasperated. He had thought the leader was going to bring up the same old issues, such as the instability of Jinchūriki, the safety hazards they posed to the village, and an attempt to persuade him to leave.

"Mmm, it's a deal. This is the most delicious meat sauce I've ever had." The white-haired youth gave a thumbs up, praising it endlessly.

Is it really that delicious? Although it was an amazing taste he had found after traveling around, and he even worked for the shop owner for free for two months to get the recipe. That shop owner... sigh... never mind.

“But we really don’t have time to study right now, a child has gone missing.” Jinlun suddenly became serious and abruptly changed the subject.

Old Zi also said seriously, "Yes, I've heard about it. Are you going to go look for it?"

"Of course, only when the child is found can that family be saved," Jinlun said with certainty.

Lao Zi doesn't think so.

He had witnessed families shattered after losing their children, but far more often, he saw callous parents gradually forgetting their missing children and raising new ones. For ordinary people, simply surviving is difficult enough without the resources to search for a child once they leave the land, let alone expending the necessary manpower and resources. Besides, so many children die each year; why bother searching? Even if they were found, where could abducted children be? Could they even rescue them?

"Excuse my frankness, but perhaps this is unnecessary. If you can't find it, just pretend the child is gone."

The calm chakra reaction erupted for a moment, and Lao Zi raised his head in shock, suddenly realizing that the chakra reaction he had just sensed was not the whole picture! Jinlun had not actually deliberately shown his power, but rather it was because he was too powerful to suppress it all, which revealed only the tip of the iceberg.

Jinlun took a deep breath to calm his chakra fluctuations and said, "I know your identity, and I don't care why you're staying here, nor will I stop you from continuing your seclusion. I just want to know a little bit of information, information that only someone as deeply involved in this country as you could possibly know. This information won't shake the safety of the Land of Earth, but it can save one or more children."

"Little Tuya's parents haven't returned yet; they're still searching in the city and haven't given up. She and you seem to get along well, right? I heard from Batur that she really likes your red hair and comes here every day. Has she ever eaten your pancakes and praised your cooking?"

Under the gaze of those golden eyes, Old Zi awkwardly averted his gaze. The desert days were long, and the sun had already illuminated his window early in the morning. Little Tuya often came at this time, peering through the window. If he wasn't up yet, she would wait quietly for a while, reluctantly leaving only when school was about to open. If he was up, Little Tuya would sweetly call him "Grandpa," hand him the little trinkets she had collected, and then ask with longing eyes for a biscuit in exchange. Because her parents and teachers had all taught her that one cannot gain without effort.

...What terrifying negotiation skills. With just a few guiding words, the child's image and laughter filled his mind, and he almost wavered. But the reason he stopped wasn't because he didn't care about the child, but because...it wasn't worth sacrificing the whole village for a child.

“Lord Kinlun, I have read your philosophy and have indeed seen your respect for every life. But some things are best left unsaid.” Old Purple’s eyes held a hidden pain, but he was an old ninja who had long since become indifferent to life and death. “You are indeed very powerful, and your subordinates are also very excellent ninjas, but most of your followers are ordinary people. Without your protection, they will lose everything they have now.”

"You don't have the ability to fight against a country right now, do you? You can flee at any time, but you can't leave the land, and you can't leave the people who grew up on this land. Is it worth sacrificing all of this for a child?"

Jinlun's eyes seemed to be shining, but that was probably just an illusion. He looked angry and disappointed, which would probably leave a bad impression on him. However, this emotion wasn't directed at him, because he heard the man ask.

"Is human trafficking at the border protected by the authorities?"

Jinlun's face was cold as he stood up and said, "Thank you for the information."

"Wait, where are you going?" Old Zi's intuition told him that something was wrong, so he quickly called out to Jinlun, who was about to leave.

Jinlun didn't turn around and said matter-of-factly, "Of course I'm going to find the child."

"By the way, I ran into the lord of Fuxiu City on my way here. It seems they were buried by a sandstorm. What bad luck."

Old Zi's eyes widened instantly, staring dumbfounded as Jinlun's figure disappeared. He had a premonition that this person... wasn't just after business; what he wanted was probably...

"Lord Kinrin!" Senju Haori's voice was clear and penetrating, and her shout echoed throughout the entire mountain stream.

"You're very fast, Haori. Now I can go out with peace of mind." Kinrin, who had already left the village, waved his hand, and it was clear that he had no intention of stopping to catch up.

A ninja's pace is far faster than a camel or a horse. Upon receiving the order, Yuu ran back without stopping. Fortunately, she was a reanimated being; otherwise, even Senju wouldn't have been able to endure so many trips back and forth. Although she was lively, she knew her place. She could only watch reluctantly as Lord Kinrin left, thinking that once the child was found, the master would surely return him personally, and she would definitely find a chance to take a picture with him.

As a result, she hadn't run back for long when a red-haired man dressed as an Iwagakure ninja came towards her, startling her so much that she almost reflexively drew her sword.

Oh, it's Lao Zi. He startled her. This hidden force has been used very effectively; otherwise, she and Mo Yu wouldn't dare go out together, leaving one of them to guard the village. Wasn't he hiding his identity? Why is he suddenly revealed? Did Lord Jinlun say something? Did Lord Jinlun guess he would make a move?

"Uncle Old Purple? Where are you going?" Yuzhi couldn't help but ask.

"Go keep an eye on your master and tell him not to cause any trouble!" Old Zi said this and then disappeared. Because he knew more about the inside story, he was all too aware of the consequences of Jinlun's reckless behavior!

I definitely need to go and keep an eye on things! It's definitely not that he wanted to help!