Chapter 240: Kid, I'm the Hokage!

Kid, why are you going on a mission again?

In the Hokage Office, Feijian frowned tightly as he looked at Lian Ye before him, his tone filled with strong displeasure.

He could no longer recall how many times this kid had gone out on missions.

Each time Lian Ye returned from a mission without even a day's rest, he immediately took another mission, repeating the cycle.

Each outing takes three to five days, but he rests only one night upon return.

That means it takes three to five days, or even longer, before anyone can eat a meal cooked by Lian Ye.

Consequently, during these days Feijian has hardly had any of Lian Ye's meals and can only rely on Soldier's Ration Pills to keep his vitals up.

As for gourmet food?

Lian Ye isn't even in the Village; where would he get gourmet food?

Eating Soldier's Ration Pills every day has made him quite gaunt; at this rate he'll soon be unable to endure it.

Today, by any means, we must find a way to keep this kid.

He only ate one meal last night, which is far insufficient.

I thought Lian Ye could settle down for a while, but the kid rushed to the Task Gathering Hall for a mission as soon as he got up.

Feijian just glanced at the mission details: an S-rank assassination of an enemy nation's wealthy merchant.

This time, without ten days to half a month, he simply won't make it back.

The thought of ten days without gourmet food makes him even less willing to let Lian Ye leave.

Now, just seeing a Soldier's Ration Pill makes him nauseous; he needs daily gourmet food to balance it.

No way—we cannot let this kid leave the Village!

Feijian still can't understand why Lian Ye keeps taking missions.

Could the kid be short of money?

That shouldn't be; an S-rank mission pays around a million taels, and Lian Ye has completed three S-rank missions these days.

Logically, he shouldn't be lacking money…

Then why is he still obsessed with taking missions?

Moreover, he used to take Tuan Cang and Xiaochun on missions, but these past few days he hasn't brought them along.

Feijian's scrutinizing gaze fell on Lian Ye; he always feels the kid is hiding something from him.

"Uncle, the missions are all accepted; you can't just make me give them up, can you?" Lian Ye said calmly, looking at Feijian and helplessly spreading his hands.

Actually, he doesn't want to run out every day, but Madara Uchiha and Senju Hashirama keep sending him to cook for them.

If he continues to leave the Village daily to cook for the two, eventually Feijian will notice.

Moreover, they went from one meal a day to two, and the frequency of calling him to cook keeps rising.

To prevent exposure, he can only inconvenience Feijian.

Lian Ye chooses to take a mission out of the Village; outwardly it's a mission, but in reality he stays beside Hashirama and Madara Uchiha, cooking three meals a day for them.

Madara Uchiha doesn't eat for free; he not only trains him but also helps him complete missions.

With Madara's power, an assassination mission is as easy as drinking water, almost finished instantly.

One mission takes five days, but Madara finished it in half a day; the remaining time he spent as a chef for the two and training with Madara.

Lian Ye naturally never forgets Feijian; each time he returns to the Village he prepares a lavish dinner for him.

That is—body in the Cao camp, heart in Han.

Even though he made a table of gourmet food to make up, that old man still seemed unsatisfied.

To tend to Feijian's feelings, Lian Ye thought of a plan.

He prepared to discuss it with Madara Uchiha and Senju Hashirama—

He can be their chef only three days a week; the remaining days he must return to the Village to cook for Feijian.

He cannot favor one side at the expense of the other.

Lian Ye does this merely to keep his double-dealing hidden.

Otherwise, going out daily for missions, Feijian will eventually sense something amiss.

When the truth is exposed, it will truly be trouble.

On one side are Senju Hashirama and Madara Uchiha, on the other is Feijian…

It puts him in a bind; not cooking for anyone is also bad.

"Do you really have to go out on a mission?" Feijian raised his voice, "Can't you rest a few days?"

It's hard to believe such words came from the Hokage.

He wants Lian Ye to rest a few more days, not keep leaving the Village.

If the kid leaves, who will cook for him?

He can't eat Soldier's Ration Pills every day, right?

He's almost sick of it now.

"Uncle, a ninja can only hone themselves in battle; I think you understand that principle," Lian Ye recited the prepared excuse.

These were the words this old man taught him back then.

Now he repeats them unchanged.

"Work and rest in balance—no need for me to teach you again, right?" Feijian tapped the table with his finger, looking up at him.

If Ri Zhan and a few of Tuan Cang said that, he'd surely welcome it, but Lian Ye—

Absolutely not!

If he leaves, what will he eat?

Moreover, although Lian Ye's strength is great, undertaking an S-rank mission alone still carries considerable risk.

Wanting to get stronger is fine, but you mustn't be impatient, otherwise danger easily arises.

"Getting stronger is a step‑by‑step process; everything requires accumulation, you can't become plump in one bite…" Qianshou Feijian said earnestly.

"Uncle, I rested well yesterday."

Lian Ye sighed helplessly in his heart; after all, Senju Hashirama and Madara Uchiha were already waiting at the Village entrance.

He feared the two would become impatient waiting, so he slipped directly into the Village…

Otherwise, why would he leave so quickly?

Sorry, uncle, this is the last time!

He'll discuss the cooking schedule with the two in a moment.

Lian Ye could never be their Chu Zi every day, right?

He hasn't undergone Fake Death, nor is he a traitor ninja.

Running out every day will eventually arouse suspicion…

He still wants to keep loafing around in Konoha.

Qianshou Feijian heard it, his face a dark line.

He had been talking for ages, his lips nearly worn raw, yet this kid still insisted on carrying out the mission.

"Fine then."

Qianshou Feijian, irritated, waved his hand, signaling Lian Ye to scram.

Why is it so hard to eat good food?

With this kid not around, he'll have to rely on Soldier's Ration Pill to stave off hunger again.

"Uncle, I'll return as soon as possible," Lian Ye said, turning and leaving the office.

Qianshou Feijian watched Lian Ye's departing back, finally sighing helplessly.

This kid has become a Mission Maniac again!

Every day he's either carrying out a mission or on the way to one…

How did he manage to hold on back then?

Back then he could eat Soldier's Ration Pill every meal; why can't he now?

Perhaps that's why moving from simplicity to luxury is easy, but the reverse is hard.

Once accustomed to gourmet food, you can't eat Soldier's Ration Pill.

Hope this kid can return soon…

There are so many Jonin in the Village, yet only Lian Ye keeps going out on missions.

Looks like the rules of the Task Gathering Hall need to be revised.

We must never let this kid go out every day!

Qianshou Feijian took out paper and pen and began revising the Task Gathering Hall's rules—

During peacetime, ninja squads or individuals have their monthly mission acceptance cap increased.

In other words—

No longer can they keep taking missions continuously.

In practice, the new rule doesn't affect ordinary ninja; no one would take missions daily.

As long as the minimum mission completion standard is met, that's enough.

This rule targets a specific person…

Qianshou Feijian stamped the completed document, a smug curve lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Kid, I am the Hokage!"

With that, Konoha's Mission Maniac fell outright.