Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

"Seeing the child you raised turn out like this, you must be heartbroken, right?"

Turning his gaze away from Xiao Meng, who was leaning against the wall in a classic thug-like squatting position, puffing away on a cigarette, Uchiha Gin looked at Manager Ryu beside him with eyes full of sympathy.
"that."

Unexpectedly, Long, who should have been the father figure, blushed and scratched his head sheepishly.

"Actually, no. To be honest, I'm actually two years younger than Xiaomeng."

"what?"

Looking back and forth at the siblings, whose physiques and appearances were worlds apart, Uchiha Gin had a bellyful of complaints but didn't know where to begin.

Indeed, you can't judge a person too one-sidedly. For example, Xiaomeng initially gave him the impression of being a pitiful, gluttonous little girl, but now, looking at her again, isn't she a total heavy smoker?

While Uchiha Gin was observing Takashi, this seemingly rough but actually shrewd man was also secretly sizing up this strange guest who had suddenly arrived.
Not only did it dare to venture alone into the desolate Hell Valley, but it also showed no fear upon seeing me.
You should know that when he goes out to sell onsen eggs, he always disguises himself as an ordinary passerby before daring to go out on the street, otherwise he would definitely cause a lot of unnecessary trouble.

That's highly suspicious.

Long Xian suppressed his doubts and casually began to speak.

"Where is Gintoki from?"

"The Land of Fire".

Uchiha Gin didn't hide anything; he could tell that Ryu seemed to have some kind of suspicion about him, but this didn't affect the progress of his investigation.

Based on what he had just sensed, he was now basically certain that the honest and law-abiding resort employees in front of him were definitely not the culprits who massacred civilians in the Land of Rain; the real killer was someone else entirely.

"The Land of Fire? I've heard it's a very wealthy country, and it also has the strongest ninja village in the ninja world."

"Actually, it's not as good as you say~ It's all thanks to the contrast with its competitors."

Faced with Ryu's probing, Uchiha Gin displayed the demeanor befitting a citizen of the Land of Fire. Although he appeared humble, he couldn't hide the smile on his lips.

"I wonder how much Gintoki knows about the Uchiha clan?"

Ryu's question was not a test, but a genuine desire to learn from Uchiha Gin, a local, about the current situation of the clan that had once suppressed his ancestors.

"What do you ask for this?"

Uchiha Gin stopped in his tracks, his face showing the expected wariness. Seeing this, Ryu waved his hands repeatedly.

"I was just curious. I always heard my elders talk about this family when I was little."

"I see. As far as I know, the Uchiha clan has little influence in Konoha now and is almost becoming a marginal clan."

"really?"

Upon hearing this answer, a barely perceptible hint of relief appeared on Long's face.

"but."

"But what?"

"Their meat processing plant is doing very well. Their Uchiha pigs are exported overseas, and it's no exaggeration to say they're making a fortune every day."

"."

Have the Uchiha clan stopped using their eye techniques and started selling pork?

And his career is thriving?
Then what about all the hardships we've endured over the years?
Long subconsciously turned his head to look at his tribesmen who were working hard to boil eggs by the hot spring. His heart felt like a large vat of lemon juice had been spilled, and he couldn't have been more sour.

"Huh? Manager Long, why do you have so many abandoned houses? Haven't they been renovated yet?"

Meanwhile, unable to empathize with the envious, Uchiha Gin stood in a desolate area of ​​the resort, looking at the dilapidated old house, and asked in bewilderment,

"here."

"All the guys here have moved away, saying they're going out to make a fortune."

Before Ryu could speak, Xiaomeng, with a cigarette butt dangling from her mouth, rushed in front of Uchiha Gin, explaining the reason with a fawning expression.

"Make a fortune?"

Turning his head to look at Ryu, whose expression was complicated, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow curiously.
"That was a few years ago. At that time, the Jigokudani Resort had just been built, but due to differences in management philosophy, some members chose to leave."

Long nodded and added aloud,
"That Yan you mentioned before, who wanted to stab you, could he be one of the members who left?"

Uchiha Gin looked thoughtfully at the little cutie who was diligently puffing on her cigarette butt.

"Phew~ yeah."
"Xiao Meng! Didn't I tell you not to have anything to do with that guy anymore?"

Upon hearing the name Yan, Long's face darkened, clearly indicating that he didn't have a good impression of this person.

"What does this have to do with me? He was the one who approached me."

Reluctantly, she tossed the cigarette butt, which she couldn't even puff out a drop of smoke, onto the ground and stomped on it a few times. Then, the spoiled little girl looked up and expertly tossed the pot around.
"He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Knowing Yan's thoughts, Long looked worried. Unlike the other members of their clan, Xiao Meng was an important treasure to them.

"Pah! I'm not stupid. They won't even give me a pack of cigarettes, and they think they can hack me with a piece of scrap metal? That fool is dreaming!"

"."

Seeing the little girl reveal her true colors and spew vulgarities, Uchiha Gin's eye twitched violently.
"Alright, there are still guests. Your punishment is to boil five hundred eggs. If you don't finish, you're not allowed to eat any steamed buns."

Long, seemingly already used to Xiaomeng's unconventional tone, waved his hand helplessly.

"A tonic!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Meng pouted, transforming into a soft and adorable little girl, and looked pitifully at Long, who was more than twice her height.
"Say one more word and I'll add another hundred."

"Humph!"

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Gintoki. Please come with me."

After the adorable little girl, her cheeks puffed up like steamed buns, left in a huff, Ryu apologetically reached out and led Uchiha Gin to the hot spring hotel within the resort.

The shop's interior decoration is very retro, or to put it bluntly, rudimentary, which also reflects that the Blood Pool Clan, led by Ryu, is not well-off.

wow~
Long, who was walking ahead, opened a door, and steam carrying a faint smell of rust rushed out. Once the steam dissipated, he proudly pointed to the natural hot spring inside.
"Our Blood Pool Hot Spring is an intangible cultural heritage item; you must experience it."

Blood pool?
Uchiha Gin curiously leaned over and discovered that the Blood Pond Hot Spring that Ryu had mentioned was indeed as its name suggested; the bubbling hot spring water was a dark red.

"This color is really rare!"

He nodded in approval, a hint of understanding flashing in Uchiha Gin's eyes. So the fishy smell he'd detected upon entering the valley came from this hot spring; it must be the scent emanating from some kind of special mineral.

"When are you planning to leave, Gintoki? If you're staying overnight, I'll have someone prepare a room for you right away."

"Manager Long is so hospitable, how could I just pack up and leave like this?"

Uchiha Gin smiled and nodded. There were still some things he didn't understand, so he couldn't just leave like that.

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away. But Gin-san, if we're going to stay at an inn, that'll cost ten thousand taels."

"Oh, I understand, I understand. Consider this money as my advance payment."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Gin pulled out a wad of ten thousand yen bills from his pocket, casually handed them to the astonished Takashi, and waved his hand magnanimously, "Give me any special services you need, and I'll refund any overpayment or charge any underpayment later."

"Yes!"

With a large sum of money in his pocket, Long apologized and left first. He still had the important mission of selling hot spring eggs. Finally, the task of entertaining Uchiha Gin fell to the smoking-barreled fake loli who had been in contact with him.
"Gintoki, thank you so much!"

Looking at the little cutie holding a bathrobe, her face beaming with happiness, Uchiha Gin raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering why she was thanking him.

"If it weren't for you, I would have spent the whole night boiling eggs by the hot spring."

"Then you'd better treat me well."

Taking the beige bathrobe, Uchiha Gin turned and walked into the guest room, turning his head slightly away and speaking with a hint of teasing.

"Don't worry, we'll make you feel right at home!"

Xiao Meng gave him a thumbs up in a serious manner, her fair and delicate face full of earnestness.

wow~
He plopped down into the blood-soaked hot spring, watching the crimson water churn around him, and Uchiha Gin wore an expression of pure enjoyment.
Sure enough, the experience with color is different. Compared to hot springs in other places, this blood pool hot spring is much hotter, which is perfect for his thick-skinned physique.

"Were the killers those who left?"

Scooping up a handful of blood-red spring water, Uchiha Gin narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. From their brief exchange, he already had a rough idea of ​​what was going on.

But these clues alone are not enough. Behind the heinous massacre of civilians under the guise of the Uchiha clan, there must be another unknown mastermind.

"Clang!"

Just as Uchiha Gin was deep in thought, the tightly closed door was suddenly pulled open.

Wasn't he the only guest?

Puzzled, he turned to look at the door behind him. When he saw the short figure slowly walking towards him through the mist, Uchiha Gin's expression froze.
"Who let you in? Get out!"

"Didn't you tell me to treat you well?"

Xiao Meng, now dressed in a light, cool outfit, had a small wooden basin, usually reserved for technicians, on her head. She stood with her hands on her hips, looking defiantly at Uchiha Gin in the pool of blood.
"Is this the kind of hospitality I'm referring to?"

Uchiha Gin, who could vaguely see two pinkish dots, was utterly bewildered. "Why didn't you say this place wasn't legitimate earlier?"
"I have received professional training, and I guarantee you will be satisfied with my technique."

"Change to another one."

No matter what kind of professional training you have, he really wouldn't dare hire this kind of technician; one wrong move and he'd be sent to the furnace.

"Tonics, huh? I want to earn a commission!"

Xiao Meng's face fell. She had finally managed to snag a wealthy client; how could she let him go so easily? If this deal went well, she could earn enough for several months' worth of cigarettes.

"Can I just give you the money and leave?"

"No, I need to accumulate enough hours before I can clock out."

Although she was somewhat tempted, the resort's rules prevented Xiaomeng from making the decision; she could only regretfully shake her head and decline.
"You guys seem pretty professional here."

Scratching his head in exasperation, Uchiha Gin was caught in a dilemma: going out or staying in the hot spring was also problematic.
"Of course, we are a legitimate back scrubber. If it's not clean, you don't have to pay."

Back rub?

If you hadn't told me, I would have thought it was a back massage!

Uchiha Gin blinked, then let out a long sigh of relief. He could accept purely vegetarian service.

"Alright, then you can rub it for me a few times."

"Okay! I'll give you a good scrubbing right away!"

"That doesn't need to be rubbed."

With a dark expression, Uchiha Gin got up and walked out of the hot spring. He sat on a small stool and took off his yukata, revealing a muscular physique resembling that of a cheetah.
Wow~ Yours!

"How's my figure? Not bad, right?"

Hearing the exclamation behind him, Uchiha Gin felt a surge of secret pleasure.
With his physique, if he were willing to go all out, what chance would he have of hooking up with a rich woman?

"Your little tummy is so round!"

"."

"This is my backup power source."

Uchiha Gin subtly inhaled and tightened his stomach, barely managing to conceal the excess fat that was rich in sugar.

"Just give me a back massage, mind your own business."

Xiao Meng pursed her lips upon hearing this, put the wooden basin on her head aside, rolled up her sleeves, gave herself a cheering gesture, picked up the cleaning tools prepared in the basin, and started shoving them at Uchiha Gin's back.
Oh!

"Hiss, what are you holding?"

Feeling a burning sensation from the friction on his back, the pain was comparable to a mosquito bite, but Uchiha Gin couldn't help but gasp when he heard the strange sound of the friction.
"Don't you find it strenuous?"

"Let's put aside whether it's strenuous or not, are you sure you've got the right bath towel?"

Uchiha Gin turned his head and shifted his gaze from the shiny steel wool to Xiaomeng's innocent little face. He shouldn't have provoked this fake loli with the smoking gun, right?

Is it really necessary to use the "rich woman's pleasure ball" to deal with him?
Is there a problem?

Xiao Meng squeezed the steel wool in her hand with a puzzled look, her innocent expression seemingly genuine.

"This is a huge problem, okay?"

"But we always use this when we practice with the Grand Elder!"

"Uh"

Recalling Ryu's hideous scars, Uchiha Gin seemed to understand another side of him that was unknown to others.
The meager income from selling hot spring eggs alone certainly couldn't support the entire resort; Elder Long must have been expanding into some kind of unspeakable side business.

"Be kinder to your elder from now on; he has sacrificed so much for you."

Uchiha Gin, who had instantly concocted a huge scoundrel in his mind, shook his head, picked up the unopened bath towel from the wooden basin, and handed it to Xiaomeng.
"I'm not good at this, this will do."

"Swish~ Swish~ Swish~"

Xiao Meng's body wasn't as frail as Uchiha Gin had imagined. Her little hand, covered in a bath towel, moved with lightning speed, like a motor running, and large patches of dead skin fell off with her skillful movements.

"A little more to the left, yes! That's it, get it!"

Gin Uchiha successfully adapted to the role of a guest and highly praised Xiaomeng's service.
"Hmph~ I told you I'd make sure you were satisfied!"

Little Meng, her face flushed with exhaustion, wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with her elbow and gave a proud hum.
"By the way, why did those people leave before? Your resort is quite stylish, isn't it? If you manage it well, it will definitely be a hit."

In this harmonious atmosphere, it was the perfect time to get information out of him. Uchiha Gin cracked his neck and casually asked, "..."
Speaking of those who left, Xiaomeng paused in her back-scrubbing motion, took off the towel and patted it onto Uchiha Gin's smooth back. She then reached into her back pocket, pulled out half a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and her face was filled with a sigh.

"Phew~ Those guys were shouting all day about rebuilding their family's glory and not wanting to eat steamed buns with bean sprouts anymore, but at night they all packed their bedding and ran away." (End of Chapter)