klisemfg Chapter 686 Peace
Chapter 686 Peace
Tsunade was amused by his sudden display of "righteous indignation." She glanced at Zhang Hai, a hint of suspicion in her eyes, "What more important mission? Don't think I don't know what you're up to."
Zhang Hai was secretly delighted, knowing that Tsunade's attention had been drawn to his poison. He pressed his advantage, speaking firmly, "The village has been rather unsettled lately. As a member of the Anbu, it's my duty to investigate. White Fang has also been on missions recently, and I'm worried about him..."
"Alright, alright!" Tsunade waved her hand impatiently, her attention completely absorbed by the poison Zhang Hai had created. She picked up two glass bottles, examining them closely, muttering to herself, "This level of purity... perhaps it could be combined with my new antidote..."
Seeing that Tsunade was completely absorbed in her research on poison, Zhang Hai knew this was the best opportunity for him to escape. He quietly took a few steps back, then respectfully said to Tsunade, "Lady Tsunade, I'll go carry out my mission now."
Tsunade didn't even look up, just waved her hand and said, "Go away! Don't get in my way!"
Zhang Hai felt as if he had been granted a pardon and turned to rush out of the laboratory. He ran all the way out of the hospital before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Finally escaped!" He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, a wave of fear washing over him. Lady Tsunade's passion for research was more unbreakable than the Hokage Rock.
Without pausing, he ran straight towards the interrogation department. Professor Baiya usually spent most of his time handling matters in the interrogation department.
However, when he arrived at the interrogation department, he was given some disappointing news.
"Captain Hatake?" The ninja in charge of reception asked with some doubt when he saw Zhang Hai wearing a mask, "Are you here to see Captain Hatake?"
Zhang Hai nodded and said in a deep voice, "Yes, I have an urgent mission to report to him."
The ninja shook his head and said with some regret, "I'm sorry, Captain Hatake just received an urgent mission from the Hokage and has already set off. I'm afraid you'll have made a wasted trip."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai's heart sank. Teacher Baiya had also gone on a mission? This was troublesome. He had originally wanted to seek Teacher Baiya's help, but it turned out that Teacher Baiya was also in dire straits.
He then thought that since White Fang was sent by the Hokage, perhaps he could take this opportunity to go to the Hokage's office and find out what was going on.
"An urgent mission?" Zhang Hai feigned surprise. "Sent by the Hokage? I was sent by the Hokage to find Captain Hatake. He said there's an even more urgent mission that requires his cooperation. Since he's already set off, I'll go directly to report to the Hokage." He deliberately raised his voice, his tone tinged with anxiety and seriousness.
Upon hearing the words "Lord Hokage," the ninja immediately became respectful. "Yes! Please go ahead!"
Zhang Hai didn't linger. He knew that his "baiting the tiger's skin" trick couldn't last long; once discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable. He quickly left the interrogation department and sped towards the Hokage's office.
The Hokage's office is located below the Hokage Rock and is the core power center of Konoha Village. When Zhang Hai arrived at the office door, the ANBU ninjas at the door immediately stopped him.
"Halt! This is the Hokage's office. No one is allowed to enter without the Hokage's permission!" a member of the Anbu ninja said in a deep voice.
Zhang Hai revealed his identity as an Anbu member and said in a deep voice, "I have an urgent mission to report to the Hokage. Please inform him."
The ANBU ninjas, upon recognizing Zhang Hai, showed a hint of surprise in their eyes before stepping aside.
Zhang Hai entered the Hokage's office and saw the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sitting at his desk, holding a scroll in his hand, his brow furrowed. He seemed to be dealing with some thorny official business.
"Lord Hokage." Zhang Hai bowed respectfully.
Hearing the voice, the Third Hokage looked up and saw Zhang Hai wearing a mask. A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. "It's you, Zhang Hai. What's the matter?"
Zhang Hai stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Lord Hokage, I learned that you just assigned White Fang a critical mission. I would like to request permission to accompany White Fang on this mission. I am worried..."
"No need." The Third Hokage waved his hand, interrupting Zhang Hai, and said in a serious tone, "White Fang has already set off. The mission is urgent and cannot be delayed. As a member of the Anbu, if you really want to contribute to the village, go and carry out your duties. As for White Fang's mission, he will take care of it."
The Third Hokage's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Zhang Hai's hopes. He knew that since the Third Hokage had said so, it meant he could no longer participate in White Fang's mission.
However, Zhang Hai did not give up. He knew Tsunade's ability to "exploit" him; if he returned to the lab now, endless research and experiments would await him. He had to give himself a chance to catch his breath.
"Lord Hokage, since I cannot participate in White Fang's mission," Zhang Hai said in a deep voice, his tone tinged with resentment, "then, are there any other missions that can be assigned to me? As a member of the Anbu, I should do my part for the village."
Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage gave Zhang Hai a somewhat strange look. He rarely saw Anbu ninjas volunteer for missions, especially without a clear objective. However, since Zhang Hai was so willing, he had no reason to refuse.
"Oh? You're quite eager, aren't you?" The Third Hokage chuckled, then began searching through the mountain of documents on his desk. He flipped through the scrolls, muttering to himself, "Hmm... this mission requires an experienced Jonin... this requires a ninja proficient in barrier techniques... this..."
Finally, the Third Hokage's hand stopped on a document. He opened it, glanced at it, and his expression became somewhat strange. He first raised an eyebrow, then his lips twitched slightly, and finally he couldn't help but cough lightly before quickly stuffing the document back into the folder.
"Ahem, Zhang Hai." The Third Hokage cleared his throat, his tone carrying a profound meaning, "This mission is indeed very suitable for you. It is a long-term and arduous task that concerns the future of the village, requiring extremely strong patience and perseverance to complete."
He handed the file folder to Zhang Hai, his eyes filled with an indescribable complex emotion, as if to say, "Good luck to you."
Zhang Hai took the file bag, a vague feeling that something was amiss. The Third Hokage's expression was really strange. But he didn't dwell on it, simply saying respectfully, "Please rest assured, Hokage-sama, I, Zhang Hai, guarantee to complete the mission!"