Chapter 75: I

Bang— "Damn~ It's those damned guys, making it uncomfortable for us to drink!"

"That's right, why do those people always do annoying things, damn it!"

Inside Muye Cun, at a secluded barbecue stall, seven or eight people in Police Department uniforms crowded together, drinking and swearing.

It was night now, the cold wind howling, and the silhouettes on the street grew sparse.

The stall owner smiled at them, having gone from initial helplessness to now being accustomed, even happily refilling their drinks and dishes.

"Don't they know how hard we work every day for these people? They really don't understand us at all, yet they make sarcastic remarks, those bastards~"

After drinking, they grew more agitated, and the table went "dong—dong" under their pounding.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that; it's a rare chance to relax, everyone, cheers!"

Among them, Hui lifted his cup, his face flushed, and shouted.

The crowd let out strange cries, raised their cups in unison, then downed them, and promptly refilled.

"Ha— it's a pity Captain Tie Huo and a few others have to go to Clan Leader Fugaku's house, otherwise we could all drink together."

"No way, whenever I think of Captain Tie Huo I recall the quarrel at Fugaku's house—how many days have passed without a decision?"

"That's so their style, not decisive at all, all motherly and indecisive."

"Those people are Elders and the Clan Leader, how can you speak of them like that?"

"Useless, what Elders and Clan Leader, they can't solve anything, truly incompetent!"

"Exactly, incompetent!"

Their voices grew louder and they drank more; Hui, chatting with them, suddenly said, "I heard that because of this, Shisui has been continuously helping the clan members."

"Yes, yes, I saw it too; truly Shisui, unlike those guys who just keep arguing and do nothing, not at all like an elder."

"I visited Shisui before; he's great, a powerful and gentle person."

Hui smiled faintly, remarking, "If only someone like that could become the Clan Leader."

The remark stunned them, and someone burst out laughing in agreement, "That's right, Shisui is powerful, gentle to us, and decisive; these past days he's been helping the clan, unlike those guys."

"Hmm hmm hmm, that being said, maybe it's really possible, hahaha~"

"I heard Shisui has a good relationship with the Hokage; if he becomes Clan Leader, perhaps the Police Department won't have so many troubles later."

They laughed and discussed, not avoiding the topic, even fantasizing about Shisui's days as Clan Leader.

"Ha! You all really are sneaking drinks here, that's over the line!"

During the chat, a sudden shout came from behind.

They turned, and it was Tie Huo and a few others who had been sent to the Clan Leader's house on standby.

Tie Huo stood to one side with a grim expression; the others beside him, as if unaware, crowded to the stall and shouted.

"Captain Tie Huo, have a drink together; owner, bring more skewers and draft beer!"

"Got it~"

Hui warmly invited everyone to sit, and only then did he notice Tie Huo's odd expression.

"Huh? Captain, why that look, did something happen?"

Curious, they all turned; Tie Huo sighed, shook his head slowly, and explained, "Tomorrow afternoon there's a clan meeting; we've already notified the other Police Department members, only you few remain, don't get too drunk and forget."

"So it's just a clan meeting, I thought it was something big—who cares, let's drink!"

Tie Huo, seeing this, didn't refuse the invitation and naturally sat down, drinking with the group until late night.

Fortunately, the Police Department members are all ninja; they can stay alert whenever they wish, though most remain in a half‑drunk, half‑awake state unwilling to recover.

After paying, everyone returned to the clan lands and dispersed; Tie Huo watched Hui and the others' departing backs, feeling unusually conflicted.

Let Shisui become Clan Leader?

Such conversation lasted almost the entire drinking session; Tie Huo's mind swirled, sensing something amiss yet finding no reason to object.

After saying goodbye to the others, he walked home; the alley's streetlights flickered, faint cries of children and parents' scoldings echoing.

Suddenly, cheerful voices approached; he hushed his steps and stayed in the shadows.

"I saw Lord Shisui today, what an extraordinary person—both gentle and powerful; just seeing him puts me at ease." "If someone like that became Clan Leader, that would be great."

Another familiar dialogue! Tie Huo watched from the shadows as several clan ninja, reeking of alcohol, passed by; the familiar words weighed on his heart.

He hesitated briefly, then immediately changed direction toward Fugaku's house.

Fugaku, weary for days, had already rested by now.

Yet even so, the moment Tie Huo entered the courtyard, Fugaku's eyes opened.

"Is something wrong?"

A deep voice came, and Tie Huo, half‑kneeling in the hallway, replied, "There are some unsettling rumors within the clan."

Mikoto had also awakened; she moved gently to drape a coat over Fugaku, a hint of worry in her eyes.

Fugaku patted her hand, rose to sit in the courtyard before Tie Huo, listening to his account and speculation.

"Shisui?"

A moment later, Fugaku sighed; his expression remained as calmly as before, yet Tie Huo sensed something unusual in that sigh.

"Should we summon him for questioning? Or"

"No need, don't worry about it, I will handle it."

"Yes!"

After Tie Huo left, Fugaku simply sat quietly in the courtyard; after an unknown amount of time he heard faint footsteps behind him.

Fugaku's gaze flickered, and he rose to return to his bedroom to rest.

"Grandfather, I heard the clan meeting is this afternoon, a good opportunity—should we act? I'm a bit anxious, but I'm ready; in a moment I'll call Itachi and Brother Hui over, Grandfather, keep an eye on Itachi for me; at the meeting just Hui and I will be enough."

Early the next morning, the clan meeting notice arrived for Shisui; due to Sima Yi's earlier warning, his mood was somewhat complicated, and the impending meeting instinctively felt like the right moment.

"No rush, still three steps away, and I recall I said half a month last time; doesn't that mean we still have some time?"

Compared to Shisui's turmoil, Sima Yi was quite calm.

"Still three steps away? Is it really that far off?"

Shisui was shocked; he thought the current situation was excellent, with support from the clan elders, the Police Department, other ninjas and ordinary clan members, and even Itachi chose to help him, making the odds of acting now very high!

"Unless you are at a dead end, you should prioritize stability."

"Alright, then, which three steps?"

Sima Yi gave a light laugh, gently stroked his long beard and explained: "Ignite, leverage, probe, display might, create momentum, force the palace!"

"Huh?"

Shisui was startled, spread his fingers and muttered to himself: "Ignite, leverage, probe, display might, create momentum, force the palace—aren't those six steps?"

Unexpectedly, Sima Yi laughed and said: "The first three are the first step; I feared you wouldn't understand, so I split them. The middle two are the second step, and forcing the palace is the final step."

In fact there is another step: preserve an escape route, for there is a saying that man's plans are inferior to Heaven's, and he must guarantee Shisui's life should they fail.

However, Sima Yi kept it hidden and incorporated it into other actions.

"I'm afraid you won't understand." Shisui lowered his head, feeling deeply struck.

"So what about this afternoon's clan meeting?"

"There will be someone to ignite for you; you only need to wait for the opportunity."

Shisui lowered his head to contemplate, and after a moment seemed to realize, "Ignite for Clan Leader Fugaku?"

"Exactly, just watch his performance, but in my estimation it will bear fruit in as short as three days or as long as five."

Sima Yi also understood the clan meeting's situation; essentially it's just moving the dispute to a larger venue.

Although the radicals are in the majority, given Fugaku's nature he will certainly try every means to maintain balance; with him as clan leader pulling strings behind the scenes, there will be no result in the short term.

"Once Fugaku concedes, that will be our moment to act!"

He reorganized the outline; having written up to this point, Volume One is nearly finished. He thought there was still a bit of excitement, but his mood was complicated—if he wrote in too much detail he'd be called watery, if too fast he'd risk a weak ending.

(End of chapter)