Chapter 170: Lab Mouse

In a cave fifty li outside the Konoha Camp.

Lian Ye's Three Tomoe emitted a faint red glow in the darkness, and a Cloud Hidden Special Jonin lay on a stone platform, his limbs tightly bound and unable to break free.

His mouth was wrapped in tape, and his terrified eyes stared at the boy before him.

He had only stepped out to use the restroom when he was suddenly knocked unconscious; when he awoke, he found himself here.

Wuwuwu—

The Cloud Ninja tried to beg for mercy, but could not speak at all.

Lian Ye ignored him, turned around, and began fiddling with the bottles and jars before him, murmuring, "The drug effect is still too strong… I hope this time it works, otherwise I'll have to go out and catch more Lab Mice."

Hearing this, the Cloud Ninja turned his head toward Lian Ye's direction, and a single glance made his eyes widen instantly.

In the corner, several Cloud Hidden Ninja corpses were piled up, their deaths gruesome.

The faces of these corpses showed terror, as if they had endured inhuman torment while alive.

The Cloud Ninja watched the boy's busy silhouette, his body trembling uncontrollably, as if he sensed his own impending fate.

Lian Ye took a specially made bamboo tube from his waist‑mounted Ninja Tool Bag, poured the pale violet liquid into a ceramic jar before him, which contained the nerve‑affecting powder he had synthesized.

As the liquid seeped in, the powder began to emit an eerie glimmer.

"This time…" Lian Ye's eyes flickered as he stared intently at the powder in the jar, "It should be successful, right?"

He carefully lifted the jar and approached the Cloud Hidden Ninja, scooping a handful of powder with his gloved hand.

Wuwuwu— The Cloud Hidden Ninja, upon seeing this, instantly felt a bad omen and began to struggle desperately.

But his limbs were tightly bound; no matter how he struggled, it was futile.

"Don't be nervous; it's just a small experiment, there's no danger to life," Lian Ye whispered soothingly.

As he spoke, he smeared his powder‑covered hand onto the Cloud Ninja's face.

The Cloud Hidden Ninja, hearing this, instinctively glanced at the nearby corpses of his comrades, and his already terrified expression grew even more horrified.

Goddamn, there's no danger!

No danger—then what's up with those corpses in the corner?!

Unfortunately, his mouth was sealed, otherwise he would have loudly complained.

Feeling the powder on his face, the Cloud Hidden Ninja hopelessly closed his eyes.

My life ends!

The imagined pain never arrived, and he opened his eyes in surprise.

Lian Ye saw this, smiled faintly, and said softly, "I told you there's no danger."

But that smile was terribly unsettling in his eyes…

"I'll ask you a few questions now; answer them and I'll let you go," Lian Ye tore the tape off the other's mouth.

"You… really will let me go?!"

"First question: what changes do you feel in your body right now?" Lian Ye, without answering the other's question, asked.

The Cloud Ninja thought the boy before him was unlikely to spare him, but clinging to his last hope, he decided to try…

What if the other actually kept his promise and let him go?

"I feel no changes in my body."

"No changes?" Lian Ye furrowed his brows, falling into thought.

According to his design, any powder that contacts the body temporarily damages the nervous system to varying degrees, the severity determined by how much powder is present.

And damage to the nervous system disrupts the flow of chakra.

This is a toxin specifically meant to counter Body Technique ninjas…

Developing a chakra‑eroding toxin in a short time is clearly unrealistic.

Lian Ye could only settle for a toxin that damages the nervous system.

Logically, once the powder takes effect, the body should show changes.

Could it be… his research failed again?

He grabbed another handful of powder and sprinkled it onto the Cloud Ninja's face, observing his reaction.

"Cough cough cough, what exactly are you trying to do?!" the Cloud Hidden Ninja coughed violently as the powder choked him, inhaling a large amount through his breath.

The powder can seep into the body through the pores, taking effect without needing to be inhaled through mouth or nose.

Of course, directly inhaling it works even better!

Lian Ye stared for a long time without spotting any issue, then sighed helplessly,

"Failed again…."

To ensure experimental accuracy, a "Lab Mouse" that has taken part in the experiment holds no further research value.

After all, no one knows whether inhaled powder might affect the next study.

The Cloud Hidden Ninja sensed danger, his voice trembling, "I… I've answered, can you… let me go?"

Lian Ye removed his glove, smiled, and said, "Of course, I'll send you away right now."

He grabbed the Wuku from the table and, under the Cloud Hidden Ninja's terrified stare, cleanly sliced it away with a single stroke.

Lian Ye stared at the corpse on the stone platform, blood streaming, and murmured softly, "Time to go out and catch another batch of 'Lab Mice' for experiments."

As he said that, he changed into a black combat suit and left the Cave.

………………………

Night, Cloud Hidden Camp.

"Damn, why are the two of us patrolling again today?" a disgruntled Cloud Ninja muttered.

"Don't bring it up; who made us offend the squad leader before?" another Cloud Ninja sighed, "Let's just patrol properly."

The two had offended the squad leader earlier, and ever since have been given the short end of the stick.

Damn, this is the main camp; which fearless guy would dare break in?

You're right, after we finish patrolling this round we'll rest for a while.

At that moment, a rustle suddenly came from the bushes ahead.

"Who?!" Instinctively, the two tightened their grip on their Kunai and cautiously stepped forward to investigate.

They lifted the bushes, and an owl flew out.

"Ha ha, so it's just an owl," the two breathed a sigh of relief.

When they turned around to continue the patrol, they saw a pair of scarlet eyes, glaring conspicuously in the darkness.

The moment their gazes met the eyes, the two were stunned into a daze.

Lian Ye stepped forward, knocked the two unconscious with a single knife strike, then dragged them away from the scene.

……………………

The next day, Yunyin Zhihui Guan Yingzhang.

"Bastard! Where have the patrolling ninjas gone?!" Long-haired Strongman smashed the desk in front of him with a punch and roared at the Deputy Officer before him.

In just one short day, several Cloud Ninjas mysteriously vanished, including two ninjas who were responsible for patrolling the camp.

That shows the culprit is the one who infiltrated the camp!

The Deputy Officer lowered his head, not daring to speak, lest he offend the Commander.

He serves as the logistics captain within the camp, normally responsible for carrying out the Commander's orders and assigning personnel to patrol.

"Increase patrols during this period; if anyone else disappears, I'll have you, Deputy Officer, be the first to go to the front line and kill the enemy!" Long-haired Strongman said coldly.

"Understood, Zhi Qi Guan Da Ren!" the Deputy Officer trembled, quickly agreeing.

Long-haired Strongman clenched his fists in anger, arcs of electricity flickering on his hands.

"Damned guy, I will never let you go!"