Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 53 Violent Law Enforcement

Murai glanced at a corner of the envelope.

His eyes flickered.

But he didn't accept it.

Instead, he straightened his face and raised his voice several octaves.

"Mr. Takaya, what do you mean by this?!"

Murai spoke with righteous indignation, his voice so loud that several clerks around him looked up.

"You want to bribe a public official?"

"Are you trying to undermine Konoha's logistical defenses?"

Takaya Jiro was so frightened that his legs went weak and he almost knelt down.

"No, no, no! It's a misunderstanding! This is... this is a donation to the front lines as a gesture of support!"

Murai snorted and flicked the envelope back.

"Take it back."

"Our supplies department will not take a single needle or thread from the villagers."

Takaya Jiro was stunned.

You don't even want 100,000 taels? That's way too much to ask!

Murai picked up the newspaper again and stopped looking at him.

But hidden by the newspaper, he whispered something in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"I heard... your 'Sweetness Department' has close ties with the security forces?"

Takaya Jiro suddenly realized.

So that's where they were waiting.

"The Uchiha clan... they've been cracking down really hard lately." Murai casually flipped through a newspaper page. "My brother-in-law's shop in the shopping district has been shut down."

"Mr. Takaya, you're a smart man."

"Go back and wait for news about that batch of sugar. Maybe half a month, maybe a month, we'll talk about it after we've verified everything."

Takaya Jiro walked out of the supplies department, looking dejected.

……

The backyard of [Ganweichu].

Takaya Jiro slumped in his chair, looking utterly listless.

"That bastard Murai, he's making us help his brother-in-law get a job through connections."

"If we don't handle it properly for him, that batch of sugar will really be withheld for half a month."

"Don't even mention half a month... If that batch of sugar is withheld for a few more days, the dessert shop won't be able to operate, and that will cause dissatisfaction among the Uchiha..."

Sosuke sat opposite him, eating rice balls slowly and deliberately.

"The supplies department didn't do this last time. Why did they suddenly go crazy?"

"You mean, he has someone backing him?"

"Obviously." Sousuke nodded.

How dare a mere clerk in the supplies department block the garrison's supplies?

If there wasn't tacit approval from a higher level, such as Danzo or the advisory group, Sousuke would never believe it, not even if you beat him to death.

"Should we ask the Uchiha for help?" Takaya Jiro asked.

"No need, they'll handle it themselves."

The next day.

The sweet, cloying fragrance was gone from Hongshan Street in the early morning.

A wooden sign hangs at the entrance of [Ganwei Chu].

The handwriting is neat and legible; it was written by Maki.

[Red bean soup sold out today; glutinous rice balls are in limited supply. We apologize for the inconvenience due to ingredient shortages.]

The Uchiha clan members on this street have very punctual biological clocks.

The guards coming off duty usually come here for a bowl of hot red bean soup to wash away the fatigue of a night's patrol.

That was a rare moment in their day when they could let their guard down.

But today, this habit has been broken.

"What happened?"

A young Uchiha Chunin frowned as he looked at the empty counter.

"It's gone by 9 a.m.?"

Maki stood behind the counter, bowed deeply, and spoke with a tone full of apology.

"I'm sorry, sir. We've run out of sugar."

"Then let's go buy it!" the Chunin said, somewhat annoyed. "Isn't there a merchant guild supplying them?"

"The Chamber of Commerce's goods have been seized. Director Murai from the Materials Control Department said that a thorough investigation is needed."

Sosuke walked out from behind the counter.

"Supplies Section? Bastards!"

The young and impetuous Uchiha's eyes instantly turned red, and his anger overflowed.

This is not just a problem with desserts.

Who doesn't know that the "Sweetness Corner" was opened specifically for the Uchiha clan?

This is a slap in the face.

The security detail arrests spies and maintains order, doing the dirtiest and most exhausting work. And yet, even their food supply is choked off by civilian staff from the logistics department?

"I know that Murai."

An older Uchiha man standing nearby spoke coldly.

"Those guys from the dorm transfer advisors. They're all all smiles and bows when they see us, but behind our backs they always try to cut off our supplies."

"Last time our team applied to replace a batch of worn-out ninja tool bags, he also held onto them for half a month."

New grudges and old hatreds.

The shortage of desserts became an outlet for venting frustration.

For the Uchiha clan, this was no small problem.

This is a political issue!

Does the village still consider the Uchiha clan to be one of their own?

……

Konoha Material Control Section.

Murai sat behind his desk, in a good mood.

He held a cup of hot tea in his hand, gazing at the scenery outside the window.

I felt really good yesterday after giving that fat guy from the Takaya Trading Company a piece of my mind.

Although he did not accept the 100,000 taels bribe—because there were too many people in the hall—he enjoyed the thrill of trampling the wealthy merchant underfoot.

"Hmph, a businessman who hangs out with the Uchiha clan..."

Murai sneered.

He was promoted by Xiaochun, the dormitory supervisor.

The meaning above is clear: to give the Uchiha a warning and let them know who is in charge of Konoha.

As long as they don't go too far, such as cutting off their ninja tools or just taking away some supplies, the Uchiha won't be able to cause much trouble.

Not to mention, a mere little bit of white sugar?

Surely the Uchiha wouldn't cause trouble over something so trivial?

Do they even care about their reputation?

Just then.

boom!

A loud bang.

The door to the supplies department was kicked open.

Two heavy wooden doors flew out and crashed into the filing cabinets in the lobby.

The clerks in the lobby were startled; documents were flying everywhere.

The teacup in Murai's hand fell to the ground.

He suddenly stood up and roared:

"Who?! This is a restricted administrative area! Who dares to..."

He shut his mouth.

A row of dark blue figures stood at the entrance.

They all wore high-collared uniforms with round fan-shaped family crests.

What's even more terrifying is that the young man leading the group has red eyes.

Three-tomoe Sharingan.

Those red eyes emanated a chilling aura of chakra.

Uchiha Souji.

"What...what are you going to do?"

Murai's voice trembled.

He is an office worker. Although he is also a Chunin, he sits in the office all year round and his combat ability is seriously lacking.

Faced with a group of menacing elite guards, his legs went weak.

"We received a report."

Sōji strode into the office.

"Someone in the supplies department is suspected of accepting bribes, maliciously detaining the garrison's strategic materials, and disrupting the village's security and stability."

"Section Chief Murai, please come with us."

"Nonsense! This is a frame-up!"

Murai screamed with anger.

"I'm the section chief appointed by the Hokage Building! I'm a dormitory transfer advisor! Your security team has no right to arrest me!"

"I want to see the Hokage! I want to..."

Snapped.

A slap in the face.

Crisp and loud.

Murai was sent flying by Sōji's punch, crashing into the wall. Half of his face swelled up instantly, and two of his teeth were knocked out.

"Obstructing law enforcement is an even more serious offense."

"search!"

At a command.

The four guards behind him rushed in like wolves.

It doesn't look like they're checking accounts; it looks like they're tearing the house down.

The filing cabinet was pushed over, and the drawers were pulled out and turned upside down on the ground.

"Found it!"

One of the team members pulled out two envelopes of different thicknesses from a hidden compartment in Murai's desk.

The team members tore open the envelope.

Colorful banknotes were scattered all over the ground.

"Tsk tsk."

Soji picked up a banknote and patted it on Murai's swollen face.

"Section Chief Murai, what else do you have to say?"

"This...this is..."

There are hundreds of people in the village who can't argue.

Those two envelopes were indeed "express delivery fees" from two major chambers of commerce. In this position, who has done nothing wrong?

But he didn't expect that the Uchiha would actually dare to search.

Moreover, it was a violent search conducted in broad daylight.

"take away!"

Zongsi waved his hand.

Two team members lifted the village well, which looked like a dead dog, and dragged it out.

"The rest, go to the warehouse."

Zongji looked at the other clerk who was also terrified.

"Where is the candy from Takaya Trading Company?"

"In...in warehouse number three..." the clerk said, his voice trembling as he pointed the way.

"move!"

"Move them all to the garrison base. They're our evidence."

Ten minutes later.

Several horse-drawn carriages bearing the insignia of the garrison, loaded with loads of white sugar, swaggered out of the supplies department.

The surrounding villagers and ninjas, witnessing this scene, remained silent in fear.

The Uchiha clan's domineering nature was on full display at this moment.

But oddly enough.

No one came out to stop it.

The members of the secret service watched from the rooftop without moving.

There were shadowy figures moving behind the windows of the Hokage Building, but no orders were given.

Because the chief priest was holding those two envelopes filled with banknotes.

That's irrefutable evidence.

As long as this thing exists, the Uchiha's actions are considered righteous law enforcement.

Even if the methods were a bit crude, it was all for the purpose of rectifying official corruption.