Chapter 540: Blood Gate · Stan

Sasori contacted Nagato. After Su Xiao waited for more than ten minutes, Sasori spoke.

"This mission doesn't need to continue."

The mission that the three had been rushing about for several days suddenly stopped. Considering the types of commissions the Akatsuki organization accepted, this situation, while not common, had occurred before.

"Reason."

This kind of situation where a mission was suddenly canceled was very rare; Deidara naturally had to ask for the reason.

"The leader tried to contact the client, but the client disappeared without leaving any traces. Zetsu is responsible for handling this matter."

The Zetsu in Sasori's mouth was Black Zetsu and White Zetsu combined; now the two were one body.

"So can we act freely now?"

Su Xiao prepared to go to the Kirigakure to make some extra money, and by the way, go and greet Terumī Mei.

"No, we are heading to the Sunagakure."

"Sunagakure?"

Su Xiao's heart accelerated. He immediately stabilized his emotions so as not to be seen through by the two.

"Find a safe location. The leader has something for the three of us."

The mission in the Kirigakure was suddenly suspended. Su Xiao smelled a conspiracy in this.

Although not being able to go to the Kirigakure to make a big scene made Su Xiao somewhat disappointed, the upcoming mission made him look forward to it.

He had already participated in two Akatsuki missions, and his performance in both missions had been very good. Moreover, he had discovered that the mission was wrong in advance during the second mission. With Sasori's personality, he would definitely explain to Nagato that it was Su Xiao who discovered the mission was wrong.

Assassinating the Daimyō of the Land of Rivers, fighting the Three Sannin Jiraiya, heading to the Land of Water intending to incite a civil war, and killing a Jōnin of the Kirigakure—these two missions had offended nearly half of the major forces in the Naruto world.

While paying something, one could also obtain something. Now Su Xiao had already obtained the initial trust of the Akatsuki organization.

Of course, Sasori and Deidara would also monitor Su Xiao in subsequent missions, but this wouldn't affect his subsequent plans.

The three stayed away from the Kirigakure. After all, they had killed two Jōnin of the Kirigakure, and the Kirigakure would soon discover it.

Killing two Jōnin made Su Xiao discover one thing: when there were plot characters helping in the battle, the probability of obtaining treasure chests would shrink significantly. Not only treasure chests, but the amount of World's Source would also shrink, just like the Daimyō of the Land of Rivers he killed earlier.

Finding a hidden cave, Deidara beat a bear in the cave until it doubted its life, and the three used the Magic Lantern Body Technique.

It was still the previous gathering location, and the Deva Path Pain was already waiting.

"The mission in the Land of Water was hard work."

The three had made a wasted trip, and the Deva Path gave verbal commendation.

"What is the mission in the Sunagakure? Attacking the Sunagakure?"

Deidara looked at Sasori's phantom while speaking. Sasori was from the Sunagakure.

"Did you investigate the matter I asked you to investigate earlier?"

The Deva Path didn't answer Deidara's question, but asked one back.

"Investigated. The Jinchūriki of the One-Tail Shukaku is named Gaara, the current Fifth Kazekage."

"Very good. Your mission is to capture him alive. You must capture him alive."

The Deva Path gave the order. Although Su Xiao didn't speak, the excitement in his heart was beyond words.

Finally starting. He had joined the Akatsuki organization and traveled the world executing missions, and even offended two major forces, just for the capture of the Jinchūriki today.

"Looks like it's starting, hmm."

Deidara was eager to try. He had only heard of Jinchūriki and had never fought one.

"Sasori, this mission..."

The Deva Path looked at Sasori expressionlessly. Sasori's relationship with the Sunagakure was too deep. If he hadn't defected from the Sunagakure, Sasori would definitely have been able to compete for the position of Kazekage.

One must know that Sasori was the grandson of the "Elder" Chiyo of the Sunagakure. Chiyo's status in the Sunagakure was only below the successive Kazekage. If Chiyo helped Sasori take the position, then Gaara, who had already lost his father and was hated by others, would have no chance at all.

Coupled with Sasori's strength, as well as the deeds of his parents dying for the Sunagakure, his chance of becoming Kazekage was very high.

Unfortunately, Sasori's parents died in battle for the Sunagakure when he was young, which deeply stimulated him. From then on, Sasori began to study how to obtain eternal life, as well as how to transform puppets into beings with life and consciousness.

The reason Nagato let Sasori go to capture the One-Tail was because Sasori was familiar with the Sunagakure; this was an innate advantage.

"No problem. I have a spy in the Sunagakure."

The Deva Path nodded, and the meeting ended there.

Inside the cave, the three opened their eyes.

"Are you kidding me? We have to travel again."

Deidara crafted a large clay bird, and the three of them boarded it, vanishing into the night as they crossed the sea toward the Land of Wind.

Su Xiao was going to capture the One-Tail jinchūriki, Gaara.

……

Within the borders of the Land of Fire, a temporary camp.

This camp had been established not long ago and contained over a hundred tents. The people walking between them were dressed in various styles, sitting together in small groups; some were drinking and chatting, others were playing cards. These were all Qiyuezhe.

Inside the large tent at the center of the camp, a shirtless, burly man sat. His body was covered in scars, and a woman with half-exposed clothing leaned against his chest. The woman's eyes were hazy with desire, and a strange scent permeated the tent; it was self-evident what the two had just been doing.

"Boss."

A man in a black robe rushed into the tent. The man's face was hidden within his hood, and his eyes were like two green ghost fires.

"What is it?"

Someone had suddenly intruded into the tent, and the burly man's gaze was slightly angry. But upon seeing who it was, the burly man pushed away the woman leaning on him, as if pushing aside a doll he had finished playing with.

"Stan, can you damn well change this habitual action of yours? Do you think this is a brothel? You're paying your 'public grain' here!"

The desire in the woman's eyes vanished instantly. Although she was beautiful, the aura of a shrew rushed forward. The burly man, Stan, feigned composure.

This famous leader of the Blood Gate Adventure Group had a secret: he was afraid of his wife.

This couldn't be blamed on Stan; anyone with a wife like this would be afraid. His wife was a woman who could dismantle a Colossal Titan with her bare hands—extremely violent.

"Good day, Sister-in-law."

The man with the ghost-fire eyes hurriedly greeted her.

"Ghost Eye, if there is no urgent matter, then..."

Stan's wife, Ying Lan, stared at Ghost Eye. That gaze clearly meant: if there's nothing, I'll tear you apart.

Ghost Eye swallowed a mouthful of saliva and looked at Stan for help.

"Are you trying to turn the world upside down?"

Stan looked at Ying Lan, and Ying Lan lowered her head, her previous spirit dissipating.

In front of outsiders, Ying Lan gave Stan plenty of face; what Stan said was final. Only when no one was around would she be more overbearing toward him.

The members of the Blood Gate Adventure Group were all terrified of this sister-in-law. If anyone betrayed the group, it was always Ying Lan who would step in to clean house.

"What is it?"

Stan put on a jacket and habitually touched the scar on his face. This was a scar left by someone before he entered the Reincarnation Paradise; it stretched from the corner of his eye all the way to his neck.

"The matter in the Land of Water failed. The disappearance is like a stone sinking into the sea."

"Failed? Did the Akatsuki organization discover it?"

Stan stood up. He feared someone within the Akatsuki organization—that monster who could take on the Hidden Leaf Village alone.

"It's impossible for them to have discovered it. We set up multiple layers of insurance; otherwise, we wouldn't have gone to contact the Akatsuki organization."

Hearing Ghost Eye's words, Stan nodded.

"If it failed, so be it. I was just planning to make a profit in the Land of Water. If it isn't chaotic there, it's not worth going."

Stan didn't intend to stay in the Land of Fire any longer. There were simply too many Qiyuezhe here, and the three large adventure groups were disgusting each other, with no one gaining any profit so far. He prepared to withdraw from the Land of Fire. As for Gulu, he had already given up on that thought; it was simply too hard to find.

"Has that Qiyuezhe who joined the Akatsuki organization been investigated?"

"No."

Ghost Eye lowered his head.

"What about the matter with Zi Mo?"

"Also... also haven't investigated who did it."

Cold sweat seeped from Ghost Eye's temples, and a pressure descended upon his shoulders.

Ghost Eye looked up in terror, his body trembling. At this moment, Stan's eyes turned golden, shining with a light like gold.

"Stan, calm down. Don't kill your subordinate."

Ying Lan gently pushed Stan's back.

"Ghost Eye, get out."

"Yes, yes."

Ghost Eye exited the tent as if fleeing, the look in his eyes somewhat strange.

"Calm down, Stan."

"I am very calm. Ying, go finish off Ghost Eye."

"Why..."

"Finish him off."

"Mm."

Ying Lan didn't ask again and stood up to walk out of the tent, leaving Stan alone inside.

"Ghost Eye, I once said that no matter how many benefits others give you, I will offer triple. What exactly did the God King give you that could make you betray me without a sound?"

Crack! Cracks appeared in the space around Stan, and a golden light faintly shone through them.

Stan, leader of the Blood Gate Adventure Group, once fought the second member of the Phantom Troupe, removing two of the second member's arms and one leg. He ruled the adventure group through force; what he said was law, and whoever disobeyed died.

If it could be said that the God King ruled his adventure group through people's hearts, then Stan was the exact opposite. He didn't care what his subordinates thought; he just slaughtered whoever didn't listen.