Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 390 The Livelihood of Loulan
"This threat must be dealt with immediately!" Koharu Utatane declared decisively. "We absolutely cannot allow them to gain any real power!"

Umino Sasuke chimed in, "That's what I mean too. The Loulan issue must be dealt with first. Compared to those nobles within the country who only know how to fight for power, the puppet army of Loulan is the real, imminent threat. Under these circumstances, the release of the Sand Ninja prisoners must be postponed. No one can guarantee that the released Sand Ninja won't be immediately drawn to the remnants of the Loulan Sand Ninja, thus strengthening the enemy's forces!"

He successfully shifted Koharu Utatane's attention from "releasing the Sand Village ninja to appease the nobles" to "the external threat of the Loulan puppets." In reality, this centipede was not a leader of any remaining Sand Village ninja, but rather a rogue Sand Village ninja. However, those war puppets were real.

“You’re right!” Koharu Utatane was completely convinced, even a little scared. “We almost lost more than we gained! Sasuke, I’m leaving this to you. Make sure to eliminate the threat from Loulan as quickly as possible! As many troops as you need, just mobilize them!”

"Please rest assured, Elder Koharu!" Sasuke Umino stood up, his tone resolute. "I will personally lead the team immediately and will definitely nip the Loulan puppet army in the bud before it takes shape!"

Soon, under the pretext of "responding to the urgent threat to Loulan," Umino Sasuke quickly assembled a rapid reaction force composed of an absolutely loyal elite of the Iron Wall Anbu and a portion of the air force, and left the Daimyo's residence in a grand procession, speeding towards the Loulan Kingdom.

As for the proposal to release the Sand Ninja prisoners, it was naturally no longer mentioned and was shelved indefinitely.

The nobles' wishful thinking failed once again, and they could only watch helplessly as the new bandit army continued to "suppress bandits" on their territory.

Under the guise of "bandit suppression" and "implementation of new policies" by the Jingsha New Army, the aristocratic forces were constantly being forcibly "requisitioned" or "confiscated" under various pretexts. Mines, water sources, and land that originally belonged to the aristocracy were brutally taken over by Sha Chongba, An Lujing, Xin Xie, and others under the pretext of "unified allocation to support the suppression of the rebellion." Any resistance would be labeled as "colluding with the rebels" or "obstructing national policies," resulting in financial ruin or even death. Only the most powerful nobles could resist this trend.

Even the Temple of Wind was not spared. Master Sha Hai attempted to mediate using Buddhist teachings and popular prestige, but the newly appointed "General Ping Sha" Sha Chongba merely grinned.
“Master, we rough folk don’t understand the boundless power of Buddhism. We only know that His Majesty has decreed that everyone in the Kingdom of Wind, regardless of their status or whether they are noble or temple-based, must contribute to the country. The golden Buddha in your temple looks quite heavy. Why not melt it down and use it to pay the brothers’ wages? That would be a way to accumulate merit!”

Although the golden Buddha was ultimately preserved, a large portion of the "temple fields" under the name of the Wind Temple and the granaries offered by believers were forcibly seized, euphemistically called "temporary requisition during wartime".

Master Sha Hai closed his eyes and chanted sutras, almost crushing the prayer beads in his hands, but there was nothing he could do. The tacit approval of Konoha, the edict of the Daimyo, the support of the retired Emperor Genji, and the undisguised military threats from the Sand Bandits formed an insurmountable wall.

All of this confirms the correctness of Umino Sasuke's strategy. By controlling the "legitimate" banner of the Daimyo's substitute, relying on the central authority of the Land of Fire brought by Minamoto no Komyo, the "retired emperor," and allowing the Sand Bandit New Army, the "sharp knife," to tear apart the old network of interests, the old and bloated machine of the Land of Wind is being forcibly dismantled and transformed, slowly and painfully transforming into a direction that is easier for Konoha to control and extract resources from, according to his blueprint.

The power of the old nobles and the Temple of Wind has been continuously weakened, while a new sand bandit warlord class is rising, creating a delicate balance within the country that requires Konoha to arbitrate.

Inside the Daimyo's residence, the shadow clone left behind by Umino Sasuke calmly handled government affairs, working in tandem with Minamoto no Mitsuaki to implement one harsh economic clause after another.

The puppet shadow lurks behind the daimyo's stand-in, intimidating the nobles with ulterior motives. On the surface, the political situation in the Land of Wind is gradually calming down, but in reality, resentment is constantly accumulating under the current, just waiting for a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, Umino Sasuke's true form had already distanced itself from the power struggles of the Daimyo's mansion and led a highly skilled Iron Wall Anbu squad to the outskirts of the Loulan Kingdom.

Behind a vast sand dune, the team came to a silent stop.

In the distance, the outline of the Loulan Kingdom was faintly visible in the sweltering heat. Unlike the generally barren and dilapidated Wind Kingdom, it seemed to be brimming with a strange vitality, and one could even see some tall, brand-new, and peculiar buildings.

Sasuke Umino's gaze swept across the oasis, as if he could directly feel the powerful and magical energy fluctuations deep within the earth.

His expression immediately turned serious. Centipede was nothing but a clown who could be easily destroyed, but the dragon vein involved strange spacetime power, so he had no choice but to be extremely cautious.

Any force involved in time and space must be handled in the safest way possible.

“Nawaki.” Sasuke Umino’s voice was deep and clear.

"Captain!" Senju Nawaki immediately stepped forward, his expression focused, showing none of his usual playfulness.

Years of war and experience in the Anbu had honed that passionate young man who dreamed of becoming Hokage into a calm, capable, and disciplined elite Jonin.

Although his grandfather's Wood Release bloodline limit had not yet awakened, under the catalysis of the Shadow Clone Technique, and with the Senju clan's innate vast chakra and arduous training, his strength had firmly reached the threshold of elite Jonin, making him an absolutely capable member of the Iron Wall Anbu.

"You will lead the Anbu (secret unit) and lie in ambush outside the city, completely sealing off all exits. Aerial reconnaissance will be handled by the Giant Falcon Squadron. Before I give the signal, no one is allowed to leave the territory of Loulan Kingdom, not even a single gerbil! The information about the Dragon Vein must not be leaked in the slightest." Umino Sasuke's orders left no room for doubt.

"Understood! I guarantee not even a fly will get out!" Senju Nawaki replied in a deep voice, his eyes sharp.

He quickly turned around and gave a series of complex and precise tactical hand signals. The Iron Wall Anbu members behind him dispersed silently like ghosts, using sand dunes, rocks and ninjutsu to perfectly conceal themselves and build an impenetrable blockade.

In the distance, on the sand dunes, specially trained desert falcons are well hidden, ready to take off at any moment.

Sasuke Umino nodded slightly in satisfaction at Nawaki's efficient and thorough arrangements. His little brother, who used to need his protection, was now truly capable of standing on his own.

The next moment, Umino Sasuke formed a hand seal, his figure disappeared underground, and he quickly swooped down towards the Loulan Kingdom.

Upon entering the Loulan Kingdom, the scene inside slightly surprised even Umino Sasuke.

The streets were clean, and most of the houses were newly built. Although the style was somewhat peculiar and showed obvious signs of puppet technology, the civilians' clothing and demeanor were far better than those of the residents in other parts of the Wind Kingdom.

Although the people's faces still showed signs of fatigue from their labor, their eyes shone with hope rather than numbness. Vendors were calling out their wares, and children were playing, creating a vibrant scene. Umino Sasuke thought to himself, "This Centipede did indeed have some merit in initially using the dragon vein's energy to improve people's lives. No wonder he was able to deceive the Queen and gain her trust and support."

Compared to the Loulan Kingdom in the original work, which was completely desertified, lifeless, and whose entire population was replaced by puppets, the current prosperity is indeed rare and further highlights the pathetic and hateful state of the Centipede Kingdom after its ambitions expanded.

He did not linger in the market. With his senses fully activated, he easily avoided all the visible and hidden sentries, and like a fish gliding into the water, he silently entered the core area of ​​the Loulan Palace.

Inside the council palace.

The Queen of Loulan sat regally on her throne. She was young and beautiful, and her brows not only displayed the grace of a queen, but also a composure and competence that came with concern for her country and its people that surpassed those of her peers.

She was speaking to a middle-aged man dressed in ministerial robes beside her, her tone filled with sincere gratitude:

"Sir, this year, the traditional trade routes with the Kingdom of Wind have been almost completely cut off. The grain reserves in the country will not last until the next harvest season. If it weren't for your insistence on using the 'Dragon Vein Power' to build underground water conservancy, the people of Loulan would probably have suffered from famine this year. You are a great benefactor of Loulan."

An Lushan bowed slightly, concealing the fleeting smugness and ambition in his eyes, and spoke with great humility: "Your Majesty, you flatter me. All of this is thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune and the blessings of the imperial lineage. I only did what I should have done, but..."

He then changed the subject, revealing a well-placed concern: "Now that the Land of Wind has undergone a dramatic change, the Konoha ninjas have made a strong entry, and their ambitions are obvious. We, the Loulan, are content with our limited territory. Although we have no desire to contend for supremacy, we possess the power of the Dragon Vein, which may attract the covetousness of Konoha. We need to make plans as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, the Queen of Loulan frowned slightly and pondered, "What you say is very true, sir. The Konoha ninjas are indeed a variable. Although the power of the Dragon Vein has benefited our country, its risks have never been far away. Now that our national strength has been initially restored and our people are able to eat and drink, sir, I think that perhaps we should temporarily slow down the development of the Dragon Vein and seal it away temporarily. We should wait for the external turmoil to subside before making further plans. Only in this way can we ensure the safety of Loulan to the greatest extent."

"Absolutely not, Your Majesty!"

Centipede immediately objected, his voice unconsciously rising a few decibels, tinged with urgency, "Now is the crucial moment for us to use the power of the Dragon Vein to make Loulan even stronger! How can we throw the baby out with the bathwater? Although Konoha is strong, we are not without the ability to protect ourselves. You have seen it yourself; the puppet guards I created using the energy of the Dragon Vein are far more powerful than ordinary ninjas. As long as we continue to develop and build a powerful puppet army, then, let alone protecting ourselves, even..."

He seemed to realize his slip of the tongue and quickly changed his words, saying, "Even if we face any threat, we are capable of handling it. Your Majesty need not worry too much."

The Queen of Loulan looked at him quietly, a hint of wariness and disappointment flashing in her eyes. She was no ignorant girl; having worked with An Lushan for several years, she had long noticed that his desire for the power of the dragon vein was growing increasingly intense, and his attitude was becoming more and more assertive.

She had previously believed that this was for the development of Loulan, and that An Lushan was always alone, and that the core technology seemed inseparable from the royal bloodline's communication with the dragon vein, which was why she had always tolerated and cooperated with him. But now, the ambition revealed in his words made her feel increasingly uneasy.

She remained composed, her outward expression still one of compromise: "In that case, we will follow your advice, sir, but we must prioritize safety above all else, and all development must be approached with utmost caution."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Centipede smiled victoriously, bowed smugly, and took his leave.

Once he left the palace and was out of the Queen's sight, the humility and enthusiasm on Centipede's face instantly vanished, replaced by malice and greed.

He glanced back at the palace behind him and cursed under his breath, "Hmph, short-sighted woman! How can you get anything done if you're so timid and hesitant? The power of the dragon vein isn't meant for farming, building canals, or skyscrapers! Once I've completely cracked the secrets of the dragon vein's core and broken free from that damned bloodline restriction... I'll make you the first one to sacrifice!"

He could almost see himself controlling an endless army of puppets to sweep across the ninja world.

However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a voice as cold as a desert night wind rang out unexpectedly from very close behind him: "Sacrifice the flag? Not a bad idea."

Centipede was terrified, his hair standing on end. He didn't even realize when the other party had appeared. He instinctively tried to form hand seals to summon the puppet, but was horrified to find that his body was completely out of his control, and his chakra was frozen.

He struggled to turn his eyes downwards and saw countless runes resembling black tadpoles that had somehow covered his entire body, forming an extremely complex and powerful sealing spell that completely locked away all his power.

With a "thud," he collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud.

A figure slowly walked out from behind him, appearing particularly dazzling in the corridor's lighting.

"The White Blood Demon?!" Centipede recognized the newcomer's features, especially his handsome face and suffocating aura, and fear instantly gripped his heart.

The reason he defected from Sunagakure in advance was largely due to the terrifying performance of the man in front of him on the battlefield. The efficient and ruthless battlefield massacre, especially the killing power against the Sunagakure puppet troops, left him with an indelible psychological shadow, making him unable to sleep at night. In the end, he chose to defect and escape to this remote place.

Sasuke Umino stepped on Centipede's back, applying slight pressure, causing the bones to creak painfully. His tone was full of sarcasm: "I heard that you not only look down on Konoha ninjas, but also think about using your Dragon Vein puppet army to challenge Konoha, and even unify the ninja world? Quite ambitious, Centipede."

The intense pain and extreme fear instantly shattered all of Centipede's psychological defenses. His former ambition and arrogance vanished, leaving only the most primal instinct for survival.

Tears streamed down his face as he shrieked and begged for mercy in a distorted voice: "Demigod, spare me! Spare me! I was blind! My puppetry skills are still useful. I'm willing to surrender and serve you like a slave! I only beg you to spare my life. I know the secret of the dragon vein! I'm of use to you!"

Looking at the centipede at his feet, displaying its ugly behavior and desperately trying to show its value, Umino Sasuke's pure killing intent subsided slightly.

(End of this chapter)