The Hand of God Creates the Strongest Hidden Mist Village

Chapter 161 Reunion with Boss Jin

"Young Master Cheng! You, what are you doing at the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Fire?!"

Boss Jin's eyes widened, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and he remained stunned for a full five or six seconds before he suddenly came to his senses.

He quickly stepped forward, looked around to make sure no one else was paying attention, then pulled Gouju Cheng into the cubicle and pulled down the curtain.

Are you kidding me? This is Makoto Kojima!

Makoto Karatachi, who single-handedly defeated Konoha and forced them to sign a treaty that was almost humiliating, ceding territory and paying reparations.

This guy actually dares to show up in the Daimyo's castle in the Land of Fire! Makoto, are you really not afraid of death?

"Young Master Cheng, this is the residence of a daimyo in the Land of Fire! Your identity—it's far too dangerous!"

"Danger?"

Makoto Kujira chuckled lightly, "Boss Jin, don't talk nonsense. We, Kirigakure, are now allies with Konoha. As the Mizukage's assistant, what danger could I possibly face in the Daimyo's residence in the Land of Fire?"

Upon hearing this, Boss Jin was taken aback, and then the expression on his face became even more interesting.

ally?

Allies my foot!

Although a ceasefire has been reached and a treaty has been signed, with so many people killed and wounded on both sides, how could the hatred be so easily erased?

Moreover, how much Konoha ninja blood is on Makoto Karatachi's hands? Even the Hokage's son died at his hands. Can such hatred be resolved by a treaty on paper?

"Young Master Cheng, you—" Boss Jin smiled wryly, "That's true, but the hatred Konoha harbors for you won't disappear just because the war has stopped. Especially Danzo—"

"Alright, alright."

Gouju Cheng waved his hand, plopped down on a chair in the cubicle, and crossed his legs: "I know what I'm doing. Since I dared to come, I'm not afraid of them recognizing me."

"But you, Boss Jin, I'm quite curious, what brings you here?"

"If I remember correctly, back in the Land of Hot Water, you said you were going to sell that batch of goods to Iwagakure. What, you're not going to Iwagakure anymore, and instead you've opened a branch in Daimyo Prefecture?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Boss Jin's face, but it was quickly replaced by a smug smile.

"Young Master Cheng, you may not know this, but that batch of goods—hehe, it's already been sold."

"Oh?" Makoto Kujira raised an eyebrow. "How many did you sell?"

"This number," Boss Jin said mysteriously, holding up three fingers.

"Three hundred million?"

Gouju Cheng's eyes widened slightly.

"No, no, no." Boss Jin was about to explain when he was startled by Gouju Cheng's words and quickly waved his hands, "Young Master Cheng is joking, three hundred million is too exaggerated. It's almost tripled, two hundred and fifty million!"

Gouju Cheng squinted and looked Boss Jin up and down, making him feel very uncomfortable.

"Two hundred and fifty million—that means you made a profit of one hundred and fifty million from that batch of goods?"

"Ahem—" Boss Jin coughed twice. "Young Master Cheng, please don't misunderstand. This money isn't something I pocketed all by myself. After deducting all the expenses—from bribes, transportation costs, and channel revenue sharing—what I actually got was only about fifty or sixty million."

I'll listen to your boasting!

"Boss Jin is indeed Boss Jin. But how can Onoki have such an appetite, consuming this entire batch of goods in one go?"

This batch of goods isn't large, but at this price, it's quite a lot.

Iwagakure fought Kumogakure in the early stages, Sunagakure in the middle stages, and is now fighting Konoha. Their resources must be almost depleted, yet they still have such an appetite.

Boss Jin chuckled, lowered his voice, and had a smug look on his face.

"Young Master Cheng, you might not believe it, but I sold this batch of goods in two separate batches."

"Two batches?"

"right."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Boss Jin's eyes: "I did sell the first batch to Iwagakure. At the time, Iwagakure was locked in a fierce battle with Konoha, and there was a huge shortage of supplies. As soon as my batch arrived, that old man Onoki personally sent someone to negotiate. There wasn't even much negotiation on the price; he bought it at double the market price!"

Makoto Koji nodded. He understood Iwagakure's predicament; they were indeed in dire need of supplies.

"What about the second batch?"

"The second batch—" Boss Jin's smile became even more sinister.

"I sold it to Konoha."

"What?!"

Gouju Cheng stared wide-eyed at Boss Jin in disbelief.

"You sold it to Konoha?! That shipment was all Konoha-standard weaponry! Do you think they'd accept it?"

"Hehe, Young Master Cheng, you don't know this," Boss Jin said smugly, stroking his non-existent beard. "It's precisely because it's Konoha's standard that it sells so well."

"Think about it, in the war between Konoha and Iwagakure, the biggest losses are in conventional weaponry. The front lines urgently need replenishment, but the production rate in the rear can't keep up. At this time, if someone has a batch of brand-new Konoha standard-issue military equipment at a fair price—"

Will Konoha accept it?

"Of course they will!" Boss Jin slapped his thigh. "Anyone who's not stupid will definitely buy it! Besides, the people who are buying from Konoha won't even ask where this batch of goods came from. It's useless to ask; supplies are scarce, and being able to fill the gap is good enough."

Gouju Cheng was dumbfounded.

Goodness, that was some seriously flashy moves!

Sell ​​the supplies looted from Konoha to Iwagakure to make a profit. Then sell the rest back to Konoha at a higher price to make another profit!

The same batch of goods made money from both sides, and the buyer was a mortal enemy who was at war!

"Boss Jin, you've got this—" Gouju Cheng gave a thumbs up, "Awesome."

"I wouldn't dare accept that, it's all thanks to Young Master Cheng's excellent goods." Boss Jin smiled modestly, but he couldn't hide the pride in his eyes. "Moreover, when I sold them to Konoha, I specially had the markings on those ninja tools remelted, repackaged them, and sold them in batches through several different trading companies to ensure that the source could not be traced."

"Right now, Konoha still thinks this batch of goods came from the black market in the Land of Grass; they have no idea it's the batch they themselves lost!"

After listening, Gouju Cheng remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking.

"Boss Jin, I've figured it out. Your business acumen far surpasses your actual abilities."

"Young Master Cheng, you flatter me, you flatter me." Boss Jin waved his hands repeatedly, but the smile on his face grew brighter and brighter.

"So, Young Master Cheng, what big deal have you come to Daming Prefecture for this time?"

Boss Jin's eyes gleamed with shrewdness.

"Boss Jin, how well-connected are you in the Daimyo Prefecture of the Land of Fire?"

Boss Jin's eyes lit up, knowing that they were about to discuss serious business.

He puffed out his chest, his tone carrying a hint of confidence.

"Young Master Cheng, I'm not bragging. Ever since that deal went through, my reputation in the black market has grown. Now I have connections in the Land of Fire, the Land of Hot Springs, and even the Land of Rivers. As for the Daimyo Prefecture, although I haven't been here long, I've already established several important connections."

He lowered his voice and moved closer.

"Especially those noble lords in Daming Prefecture, some of them like to collect some special items, and they all have contact with me. As long as Young Master Cheng has goods, whether it's regular supplies or rare items, I can find buyers for you."

After listening, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Gouju Cheng's eyes.

"very good."

He stood up, walked to the door of the cubicle, lifted the curtain to look outside, and only after confirming that no one was eavesdropping did he return to his chair.

"I'm here on official business. Boss Jin, since you've expanded your business all the way to Daming Prefecture, you must know the ins and outs of this place. I'm asking you, have any of the noble lords of the Land of Fire had any—'special needs' lately?"

Boss Jin's eyes darted around, and he immediately understood what Gouju Cheng meant.

"Young Master Cheng, are you interested in taking on mercenary missions for nobles?"

"clever."

Makoto Karatachi nodded: "The Hidden Mist Village just defeated the Hidden Leaf Village, and their reputation is soaring. Those cowardly noble lords should be quite willing to spend money for peace of mind right now, right?"

"Absolutely."

Boss Jin nodded repeatedly, but then a troubled expression appeared on his face.

"However, Young Master Cheng, your timing is a bit unfortunate. Recently, there have indeed been quite a few people in the noble circles of Daming Prefecture who want to hire outside help, but the most lucrative spots have already been snapped up by others."

"Oh?"

Gouju Cheng raised an eyebrow: "Who stole it?"

"Naturally, it's someone from the underground gold exchange. I heard that the one looking for the daimyo is an S-rank bounty ninja from the underground gold exchange, with extremely strong abilities."

"Although the Daimyo has guardian ninjas, who would complain about having too much protection? Naturally, they'd agree to take him on. Young Master Cheng is powerful, but he has been an enemy of Konoha before, so competing with him will be quite difficult."

Boss Jin's words made Gouju Cheng raise an eyebrow slightly.

An S-rank bounty ninja working at an underground gold exchange?

Those are ruthless characters who would rather die than be rich, specializing in assassinations, kidnappings, and massacres. Their strength and methods are not to be underestimated. Those who can be personally hired by a daimyo are probably not ordinary S-rank individuals, but rather veteran powerhouses with a formidable reputation in the black market.

"The people running underground gold exchange offices—they're interesting."

Gouju Cheng leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

"However, Mr. Jin, what you said is not quite right."

"wrong?"

Boss Jin was taken aback.

"What's wrong?"

"I was asking about nobles," you said, referring to me as a daimyo. Makoto Karatachi chuckled lightly. "A daimyo is a daimyo, and a noble is a noble. While a daimyo may be the highest-ranking person in the Land of Fire, within the noble circle, there are many who are richer and more afraid of death than him."

They're also more willing to spend money.

Upon hearing this, Boss Jin's expression first showed surprise, then turned into admiration.

"Young Master Cheng truly sees things clearly!"

He gave a thumbs-up, his eyes gleaming: "That's right, that's right, I was mistaken. Although the daimyo holds a prestigious position, they are heavily guarded and their identities are too sensitive, making it difficult to negotiate big deals. The real money comes from local nobles, wealthy merchants, and even some powerful advisors!"

Tell me about it.

"Young Master Cheng may not know this, but although the Land of Fire has Konoha as its military core, the real power to control the country's wealth lies with those great nobles who have inherited their wealth over generations. They own vast territories, control important trade routes, and can even influence the appointment of local officials."

"Konoha suffered heavy losses in this war. On the surface, the nobles are still polite to Konoha, but in secret they are already planning to strengthen their guard."

"After all, in chaotic times, one feels safer with a knife in hand."

After gathering his thoughts, Boss Jin began to explain.

Gouju Cheng nodded; this was just as he had expected.

"Get to the point, what are some things worth paying attention to?"

Boss Jin chuckled, pulled a small booklet, about the size of a palm, from his pocket, opened it, and pointed to the densely packed records inside.

"Young Master Cheng, please take a look. This is the intelligence I've gathered on the nobles in Daming Prefecture over the past few days. Among them, the following are the most noteworthy."

"The first one is Fujiwara Tadayoshi, the head of the Fujiwara family."

"The Fujiwara family is an old noble family in the Land of Fire with a history of hundreds of years. Their territory spans three counties, and they control the largest trade route and iron mine in the eastern part of the Land of Fire."

"This old man is incredibly wealthy, but extremely timid. Last time, when Konoha and Iwagakure were fighting, the front line was still 300 miles away from his territory, and he was so frightened that he fortified his manor overnight and recruited over a hundred guards."

"If he's willing to pay for a Kirigakure ninja as a bodyguard, the price—hehe."

Gouju Cheng's eyes lit up: "Not bad, anything else?"

"The second one is the old lady of the Takeshita family, Takeshita Chizuru."

Boss Jin turned a page: "The Takeshita family is the god of wealth in the Land of Fire," controlling nearly 30% of the country's banks and pawnshops, and is said to be incredibly wealthy. The old lady is over seventy years old, but she is in good health and has a clear mind; she is the true helmsman of the Takeshita family."

"Her son was assassinated by a wandering ninja a few years ago. Although he didn't die, he was terrified. Since then, the old lady has been extremely protective of her family, and she keeps dozens of samurai and ninjas at home year-round."

"Since the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War, the defense of the Takeshita clan has been increasing. If Master Cheng is interested, with your strength, the Takeshita clan has no reason to refuse you."

"This has potential." Gouju Cheng nodded. "Continue."

"The third one is Tsukiko Hidenosuke, the young master of the Tsukiko family."

Boss Jin's expression became somewhat subtle: "However, this young master—is a bit special."

"What makes it special?"

"He's a notorious playboy in the Land of Fire, skilled in everything from eating and drinking to gambling and whoring, but his father is the Grand Councilor of the Land of Fire, wielding real power. The Moonlight family isn't short of money; what they lack is a master who can keep things in check."

"Recently, for some reason, this kid got into a conflict with the underground money exchange. It seems to be about a woman or a turf dispute, and it's caused quite a stir. The underground money exchange has said they're going to teach him a lesson."

"The old man from the Moonlight family was in a panic, searching everywhere for skilled guards."

"If we can take on this order, the price will definitely not be low, but the risk is also high, after all, it's going against underground gold exchange agencies."

After hearing this, Gouju Cheng smiled.

"Underground gold exchange — interesting."

He looked at Boss Jin: "Is there anything else?"

"There are a few more, but they're not as big as these three." Boss Jin closed the booklet. "If Young Master Cheng wants to get involved, these three are the most worthwhile targets."

"If Young Master Cheng needs it, I can give you information on these three companies. You can choose one or two from them and select the best one."

"OK."

Gouju Makoto nodded: "Also, do you have a detailed map of the Daming Palace? I'd like a copy as well."

"what?"

Boss Jin was stunned, and the smile on his face froze.

"A map of the Daimyo Palace?"

He swallowed hard, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes, and whispered, "Young Master Cheng, you...you're going to—"

"Don't worry, we're not going to assassinate a daimyo." Makoto Karatachi waved his hand, looking relaxed. "We're just getting familiar with the terrain, just in case. You know I'm always cautious; I always need to familiarize myself with the environment before going anywhere."

Boss Jin looked at him suspiciously, clearly not quite believing his explanation.

But as a smart man, he knew what he should ask and what he shouldn't ask.

"This—Young Master Cheng, a map of the Daming Palace isn't easy to get." Boss Jin rubbed his hands, looking troubled. "That's the heart of the Fire Kingdom, heavily guarded, and the map is top secret. I have some connections, but getting my hands on something like that—"

"I know it will be difficult."

Gouju Cheng interrupted him.

"That's why I didn't ask you for a precise military deployment map. Just a rough building layout will do."

"The kind that marks the locations of the main palaces, gates, and city walls. Surely that kind of thing can't be top secret, right?"

Boss Jin thought for a moment and then slowly nodded.

"A rough layout like that—it's possible to get your hands on it. Some merchants and officials who have been to the palace might have it."

"That's fine then."

Gouju nodded in satisfaction. "The price is negotiable."

"Young Master Cheng is too kind. You are one of my most valued customers; how could I possibly charge you for such a small matter?"

"I'll arrange for someone to take care of it right away. It should be delivered to you in two days at most."

"Thank you very much then." Makoto Kuraki stood up. "Give me the information on those three nobles tonight. Starting tomorrow, I will visit them one by one."

"visit?"

Boss Jin was taken aback. He thought that Makoto would communicate with the three nobles through him, but he didn't expect that Makoto would actually visit the three nobles directly.

"Young Master Cheng, how do you plan to make your visit?"

"Of course—" Makoto Karatachi grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "A formal visiting card, a formal visit in person."

Boss Jin was dumbfounded.

A formal visiting card? A personal visit?

You, with your mist-hidden and water-shadowed assistant, went to deliver a visiting card to a noble family in the Land of Fire?

This...this is the first time he's ever seen anything like it in all his years in the black market.

"Young Master Cheng, isn't this—isn't this a bit too conspicuous?"

"Showy?"

Gouju Cheng chuckled lightly: "Boss Jin, remember this: sometimes being open and aboveboard is safer than being sneaky."

"I formally visited the nobles of the Land of Fire in my capacity as an assistant to the Mizukage of the Hidden Mist, to discuss a legitimate business of hiring bodyguards. Who dares to touch me?"

After thinking for a moment, Boss Jin's eyes gradually lit up.

Yup!

Makoto Karatachi is no longer the ruthless enemy ninja on the battlefield, but a diplomatic envoy representing the victorious side!

Anyone who dares to touch him is violating the peace treaty, provoking Wuyin, and could even trigger a new war!

Those noble gentlemen are most afraid of trouble, so how could they possibly take on such a hot potato?

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Boss Jin gave a thumbs up. "Young Master Cheng, it's a shame you're not in business with a brain like that!"

"Alright, stop flattering me." Makoto Karatachi waved his hand. "Send the intelligence as soon as possible. Also, prepare several high-quality kimonos and accessories befitting my status. Since we're making a visit, we need to act like nobles."

"Understood! Leave it to me!"

Half an hour later, Makoto Goji returned to the Pine Breeze Pavilion.

Pushing open the door, he saw Hozuki Mangetsu lying listlessly on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Hearing the noise, he sat up abruptly.

"Cheng-ge! You're back! How were you? How were you?"

"It's alright." Makoto Koji casually tossed him a paper package. "Midnight snack, eat it while it's hot."

Manyue took the oil paper package, opened it, and found several delicate pastries inside. As he stuffed them into his mouth, he asked curiously, "So, how's it going? Will we get a big order?"

"What's the rush?"

Gouju Cheng sat down in the chair and poured himself a cup of tea: "We don't start working until tomorrow. Get a good rest tonight, and tomorrow you'll come with me to visit some important people."

"An important person?"

Full Moon's eyes lit up: "What important person?"

"The noble lords of the Land of Fire," Makoto Koji said, taking a sip of tea. "When the time comes, you'll come with me, speak less, and observe more."

If you dare cause me trouble, I'll teach you a lesson.

"Okay, okay." Manyue nodded repeatedly, then asked curiously, "Brother Cheng, can we really get jobs from them?"

"rest assured."

Makoto looked out the window at the outline of the Daimyo Palace, a smile playing on his lips.

"As long as they're not stupid, they'll definitely invite them."

"If I weren't invited, I'd be happy to relax."

As the saying goes, a thief never leaves empty-handed, and my divine hand, Kato Makoto, has never had the habit of returning empty-handed!