Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 180 Crossing the Border

The next day, Ino and Sakura returned to the checkpoint and began their second attempt, following the pre-arranged script.

"Our client knows he can't go back anytime soon, so he wants to send a letter home asking them to hire some people to harvest the grain. Is that not enough?" Ino shouted loudly, and the bright Konoha insignia on their clothes startled everyone in the room, who all turned to look at them.

"Miss, you can have it mailed; you don't need to go in person..."

"That's why I'm asking you for help," said Sakura, who plays the good cop. "We tried, but they all refused as soon as they saw the address."

More and more people gathered to watch the spectacle, and the clerk at the counter was sweating profusely. After some persuasion and pressure, he finally got his supervisor to come. The supervisor said he would have to check the letter, but after reading it, it turned out to be just a family letter, with nothing strange about it.

"Please, the autumn harvest can't be delayed. We need to get there within three days, or it will be too late. If the client suffers losses, we won't get our payment." Sakura clasped her hands together, her tone sincere.

Ino's attitude was terrible; she said coldly, "Hmph, an ally, huh? Sakura, let's go back and tell your master they bullied us."

"How could I trouble Lady Tsunade with something so trivial..."

"I understand the situation, of course you can pass!" Upon hearing the impressive term, the person in charge quickly stamped the document and respectfully handed it over. Who didn't know the name of the Hokage of Konoha? The orders from above forbade any citizens of the Land of Owls from returning, but didn't specify that even people from the Land of Fire couldn't go. The other party was actually a disciple of the Hokage; they didn't want to affect the relationship between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire over such a small matter. Moreover, he had just received news that the conspicuous group of ninjas had left through the south gate, probably heading towards the heart of the Land of Wind. Letting a couple of lone ninjas pass through shouldn't be a problem, right?

About half a day later, Sakura and Ino arrived at the border of the Land of Owls. Before they could even send a signal, a camel caravan appeared out of thin air behind them. The Flying Thunder God Technique had been repeatedly modified for transporting precision instruments; this version produced minimal vibration, not even disturbing the camels. Ayihan didn't seem particularly shocked, merely staring at the familiar buildings so close by, a hint of envy in her eyes.

"Aren't you afraid?" Kakashi asked.

"Huh? Hehe, I'm getting old, I've seen all sorts of strange things, what's there to be afraid of at this level?" Ayihan said with a hint of wistfulness, "I wish I were a ninja..."

"You're too modest, old man!" Naruto laughed heartily. "We don't have the skills to farm in the desert. If everyone were a ninja, wouldn't we all starve to death?"

Ayhan was amused and laughed as the group of smugglers crossed the border, only to be greeted with an extremely warm welcome. The houses here were nowhere near as grand as those in the Land of Wind, but everyone on the road was smiling. They welcomed them like heroes, carrying colorful cloths and scattered snacks, until each of them was covered in them around the neck and arms. It was only after the border guards painstakingly parted the crowd that they were pulled out.

“I was worried you wouldn’t be able to come back, and I was thinking about whether to ask someone for help.” The general wrapped himself up from head to toe, revealing only his black eyes. Although there was a suspicious pause in his speech, it was basically complete. He didn’t ask how they had smuggled themselves across the border.

Ayihan was still in a daze; he had never been treated so warmly in his life. He clutched the ribbon at his chest and asked, "What... what's going on?"

"Your trip for exchange and study has been reported, and everyone is looking forward to your return. However, the situation is not good recently, and many people are stranded abroad. Everyone is very happy that you have returned safely." The general patiently explained the whole story.

"The situation is bad? The Kingdom of Wind is really going to invade!" Ayihan didn't listen to a word of praise and immediately grasped the key point.

“Direct military action is unlikely, but assassination is very possible.” The general spoke of such a serious matter in a casual tone, as if asking, “Have you eaten today?” He calmly reassured the general, “Don’t worry, their primary target is definitely Bai Shan. That guy won’t die.”

Although it was the truth, that's not how it was said! This reverse comforting only made Ayihan more anxious. Even after traveling for so many days, he didn't intend to stop and was determined to launch an immediate attack on Saville. Even the persuasion of several people was useless.

"Going to Savile is dangerous now. It's confirmed that ninjas from the Land of Wind have infiltrated, and we haven't closed the border." The general finally became serious. The Land of Owls' border actually has a geographical advantage. Most countries wouldn't be foolish enough to march through the desert just to conquer a small country. They only need to guard a few oasis entrances, and they're basically immune to sneak attacks. Under these circumstances, it's actually quite easy to find out if anyone has infiltrated. These five elite Sand Village soldiers entered from different places and were discovered as soon as they entered, but it wasn't exposed. Hui doesn't want a direct conflict with a major power, but that doesn't mean they can't have one. They are waiting and preparing a plan to trap them like turtles in a jar.

Ayihan slammed her hand on the table, not to be outdone. "You said it yourself, it's Mr. Bai Shan who's in danger, not me. I've already wasted too much time, I can't wait any longer! I have to get back to the experimental base immediately!"

It's hard to imagine that a border general would lose in terms of morale, and in the end, he still managed to give them ample supplies and let them continue their journey.

"Is that general really that good-natured?" Ino was quite surprised. "I wonder what he looks like; he must be handsome!"

Sakura knew Ino was a sucker for good looks, but she didn't expect it to be this extreme. "All she showed was her eyes!"

"Those are captivating eyes, and her eyelashes are even longer than mine!"

Naruto was practically bursting with suppressed laughter. He knew that guy was indeed handsome; there were practically no unattractive people in the Uchiha clan. Of course, he wasn't as handsome as Sasuke.

“Che is a very nice and handsome young man. He used to work in the Great Oasis. I guess he was transferred here because of the border issues,” Ayihan explained to his good friend.

"Can someone with that kind of personality really be a good general?" Shikamaru was a little skeptical. Che's approachability completely shattered his preconceived notions about the profession; he had never seen such a down-to-earth general.

Ayihan laughed heartily, offering no explanation, but instead said mysteriously, "Little one, welcome to the Land of Owls."