Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 587 Curiosity
Mao Lan approached the two ice sculptures, her brows furrowing slightly.

She could sense that the "ninja's" life force was rapidly waning within the ice, but the manner was strange; it wasn't simply freezing to death, but rather... a break in some kind of internal connection.

Just as she was preparing for further examination.

"Crack...Pfft!"

A muffled cracking sound suddenly emanated from inside the two ice sculptures, and countless cracks appeared on the surface of the solid ice.

Immediately afterwards, the ice sculpture softened and deformed rapidly, and the original human-shaped outline disappeared, replaced by wildly growing, pale and twisted wood fibers!

Almost in the blink of an eye, the two frozen "ninjas" completely lost their human form and transformed into two strange, twisted, pale trees that seemed to have grown and withered in a very short time, standing in the rain and exuding an eerie aura.

"...Plant life form? Or...puppet?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Mao Lan's eyes.

This phenomenon of turning into trees after death is rare even in the fragmented world she experienced.

This explains why they were so vulnerable; perhaps their true form wasn't actually there.

"Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain any useful intelligence."

She muttered to herself, not delving into the meaning behind this anomaly, but simply attributing it to the bizarre nature of the fragmented world.

She turned and went back into the house, speaking to the still-shaken Nagato family.

"The attackers have been dealt with. But it may no longer be safe here, and I suggest you leave the village."

Nagato's father gave a bitter smile.

"Leave? My lord, thank you for your kindness. But...where can we go if we leave here? There is war everywhere outside, and the Land of Rain is rainy all year round. If we leave the house that can shelter us from the wind and rain, we...we may not survive for long."

His wife held Nagato tightly, her eyes filled with despair and fear of the future.

Mao Lan paused for a moment.

She understood their predicament, but that was all.

To her, everything in the fragmented world is a false projection, a resource field for collecting "traces".

Her moral bottom line is not to indiscriminately kill innocent people, but that does not mean she will selflessly protect or save the natives of this world. That would be beyond her scope of duty and meaningless.

"I understand."

Mao Lan's tone returned to its usual coldness.

"You can decide for yourselves. We're leaving."

She looked at Li Zhongren.

Li Zhongren immediately spoke, his face revealing a hint of hesitation and timidity.

"Captain Mao, um... I guess I won't go to Rain City with you. With my current strength, I'd probably just be a hindrance in a place like that. Anyway, collecting 'traces' doesn't necessarily require going to the core area. I'll just explore around here and eventually save up enough 'tickets' to go back."

Mao Lan gave him a scrutinizing look.

This reason sounds reasonable and aligns with a "newbie's" tendency to avoid danger.

She nodded, without insisting.

She took a simple, streamlined pulse pistol from her waist and tossed it to Li Zhongren.

"Carry it for self-defense. If you encounter a danger you cannot handle, prioritize your own safety."

"Thank you, Captain Mao!"

Li Zhongren took the gun, looking both grateful and relieved.

Mao Lan said no more. He glanced one last time at the dilapidated village and the frightened family of three, then vanished into the vast rain.

Li Zhongren weighed the cold energy pistol in his hand, looking in the direction where Mao Lan had disappeared, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his lips.

"For the sake of this gun..."

He whispered to himself.

"If you ever run into Madara in the future, I'll find a way to save your life."

……

In a far-off underground cave, in a dark, damp place shrouded in the enormous shadow of a golem.

Dark, liquid-like shadows slowly seeped from the rock face, coalescing into a pitcher plant-like half-body.

Black Zetsu's hoarse, low voice, tinged with confusion and coldness, reported to Madara Uchiha, who sat beneath the golem, old yet still exuding a terrifying aura.

"Lord Madara, the plan has been unexpectedly disrupted. Two unidentified wandering ninjas appeared in that village. Their strength is... quite strange. They protected that brat from the vortex and... instantly subdued the 'Konoha ninjas' we sent."

"Among them, the ice release used by that woman was extremely strange. Not only did it instantly subdue the White Zetsu clone, but its cold aura also seemed to directly sever the chakra connection between the clone and the main body, causing the clone to go out of control and reveal its wooden form."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, the air in the cave instantly became heavy.

Madara Uchiha's voice was filled with rage!
The reason is also very simple.

His goal was to frame Nagato so that he would direct his hatred towards the Konoha ninjas, but the premature exposure of White Zetsu completely thwarted this plan.

In the future, when Nagato awakens the Rinnegan and sees this scene again, he will immediately realize that this so-called massacre was part of his plan.
"Damn!!"

On the throne, Madara Uchiha slammed his hand heavily on the armrest, smashing it into pieces!
The cave was deathly silent for a moment, with only the heavy breathing of the Outer Path Golem and the rustling of wood chips falling to the ground.

Madara Uchiha's chest rose and fell slightly. His sudden outburst of rage was as fierce as a downpour, but it also subsided just as quickly.

After all, he was Uchiha Madara, who had weathered countless storms and planned for decades.

“Anger… solves nothing.”

His deep voice echoed in the cave, cold and rational.

"The plan has a flaw; we'll correct it."

His Rinnegan gleamed with an eerie light as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons.

The exposure of White Zetsu is fatal.

Just as he thought, the future holder of the Rinnegan would be able to easily see through the true nature of White Zetsu.

Deleting memories?

For someone with the Rinnegan, it is indeed possible.

However, the powers of the Rinnegan resonate with each other, and any powerful genjutsu or memory modification applied to them may be perceived or even broken when Nagato awakens the Rinnegan in the future. At that time, it will only lead to deeper suspicion and backlash, completely backfiring.

"Unless... this piece is completely abandoned and a new container is used."

Ban's voice was devoid of emotion, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

“A descendant of the Uzumaki clan… Besides this brat, are there any other candidates? Talent can be slightly inferior, but the bloodline must be sufficient to bear these eyes.”

He knew all too well that any wishful thinking was fatal when facing a potential holder of the Rinnegan.

This unexpected event forced him to consider alternative plans.

Black Zetsu's shadow twitched slightly, responding in a hoarse voice.

"Yes, Lord Madara. In the Land of Grass, we have monitored another Uzumaki clan member, a woman. She has no living relatives and is currently imprisoned deep inside the prison of Kusagakure. Her blood has extremely strong healing effects and is being continuously extracted and used as a panacea for human beings."

"Oh? Imprisonment...blood extraction..."

Madara Uchiha tapped the new armrest lightly with his fingertips, a calculating glint flashing in his Rinnegan.

"Long-term torture, imprisonment, the pain of losing loved ones... hatred for the Land of Grass, and even for the whole world... such extreme negative emotions are also the breeding ground for the executors of the Eye of the Moon Project..." Although Nagato is the more ideal choice, this unexpectedly appearing vortex woman does not seem to be unusable.

Her experience itself was a seed of hatred.

"Keep an eye on her."

Madara Uchiha gave the order, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"Make sure she's alive, maintain the status quo, I want her to live before she's been 'used' to her limit."

"Yes, Madam Madara."

Hei Jue replied.

After a brief silence, Madara Uchiha slowly stood up. Although he was old, he was not so old that he could not move. Even now, if he went to the ninja world, he would still be one of the top beings. His upright figure still carried an aura of dominance over the world.

A faint sound came from the connection between the golem's pipes and his back.

"The accident on Nagato's side needs to be dealt with. Those eyes... we can't afford any mistakes, and we can't let any potential dangers remain."

His Rinnegan gazed into the void, as if piercing through layers of rock walls, and he saw the dilapidated village in the rain.

"It seems I need to go there myself and take back what rightfully belongs to me."

To ensure the Rinnegan's success and eliminate any unexpected variables in the plan, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

The ice-style female ninja who could instantly freeze and sever the connection with White Zetsu had already left. The remaining boy and the ordinary family of three were no different from ants in his eyes.

This time, there can be no more mistakes.
-
Dividing line

After Mao Lan left, the rain gradually subsided, and rare sunshine pierced through the thick clouds, sparingly shining on the dilapidated village.

Li Zhongren sat on the veranda under the eaves, leaning against a decaying wooden pillar, his gaze seemingly casually falling outside.

Nagato was chasing a butterfly with tattered wings that had appeared out of nowhere in the muddy open space.

The sunlight shone on his bright red hair, giving it a warm glow.

With a rare, childlike smile on his face, he ran, his small figure splashing joyfully in the puddles.

His parents leaned against the door, their faces temporarily free of the shadows and fear of war, looking at their child with a sense of relief.

This heartwarming scene stood in stark contrast to the cold, hard plan racing through Li Zhongren's mind.

Madara Uchiha will definitely come.

Li Zhongren was absolutely certain.

'With the White Zetsu exposed, the plan to frame Konoha has failed. Nagato, this pawn, now knows the truth, and has lost control of Madara, even becoming a threat. Given his personality, he would never allow the Rinnegan to be damaged in any way; personally coming to retrieve it is the safest option.'

The risks are enormous, but the opportunities are equally unprecedented.

Madara Uchiha, one of the pinnacles of this era, the reincarnation of Indra, carries an immense fortune.

The key is to pique his curiosity.

Li Zhongren stared at Nagato's excited and jubilant expression after finally catching the butterfly, but the core of his thoughts remained as cold as iron.

'He has no curiosity. With his strength and ruthlessness, he could kill the four of us the instant he appears, gouge out our eyes, and leave without a word. Only if he believes I possess a secret he cannot understand and must uncover will I have a chance to speak.'

How do you arouse the curiosity of a ruthless warlord who has seen all the ups and downs of the ninja world and believes he is in control of everything?

It has to be something that overturns his understanding.

Li Zhongren's gaze slowly moved, finally landing on a discarded, relatively flat wooden plank in the corner of the corridor.

A bold yet simple plan took shape in his mind.

……

At the border of the Land of Rain, the land rippled slightly, and Madara Uchiha's figure rose silently from it, as if the earth were gently exhaling him.

He was still wearing that old-fashioned red armor, his aged face obscured by shadows.

Guided by Black Zetsu, he accurately located this remote village.

His gaze traversed the distance and landed in front of the dilapidated house, where a red-haired kid was playing in the sunlight, while his parents watched from the side.

A barely perceptible ripple flashed in Madara Uchiha's eyes, but that faint sentiment was instantly covered by a cold resolve.

For a greater peace, for the dream of Infinite Tsukuyomi, the necessary sacrifices are insignificant.

He took a step forward, ready to end it all and take back his eyes.

However, just as he was about to take a step, he suddenly stopped.

The pupils of the Rinnegan contracted slightly.

Almost simultaneously, the black fluid on his shoulder—Black Zetsu—also emitted extremely subtle and unbelievable fluctuations.

Right at the entrance of that dilapidated house, a crooked wooden sign stuck in the mud stood out conspicuously.

There were no complicated patterns or textures on it, only three large, twisted but clear characters written in what could be either charcoal or blood.

Eye of the Moon.

! ! ! !
In an instant, a tremendous shock gripped Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu!

The name!

The name of this plan, which exists only in the deepest part of his heart and could never be known to outsiders!

How would it appear here?

Written by a seemingly ordinary wandering ninja?!
The plan has been leaked!
And the leak was so thorough, so unbelievable!
All the composure and sense of control cracked at this moment.

Madara Uchiha's figure vanished from the spot in an instant.

In the next instant, he appeared like a ghost directly in front of Li Zhongren, who was still sitting in the corridor.

Without any warning, without even a whisper of it.

The Nagato family of three, who had been playing outside, suddenly lost focus and collapsed silently to the ground, falling into a deep sleep. This was a simple illusion cast by Madara to clear the area.

Madara Uchiha's crimson Sharingan locked onto Li Zhongren, his gaze like a tangible blade, carrying an oppressive force capable of driving an ordinary ninja to mental breakdown. He had no habit of wasting words and was about to use the Sharingan's genjutsu to pry open the boy's mind and see what secrets were hidden inside!
however--

Li Zhongren remained seated, his eyes clear, even carrying a hint of expected calm, as if the terrifying power of his eyes that could manipulate people's hearts was merely a passing breeze. The shared space exclusive passive ability took effect directly without activation. Li Zhongren from all worlds could be bewitched by illusions and lose consciousness, but no one could extract any information from their minds.

"The illusion... has failed?"

Madara Uchiha's pupils contracted slightly again.

This time, a genuine, unprecedented curiosity and desire to explore sprouted from the depths of his cold heart like vines.

Can it be immune to Sharingan genjutsu?

Do you also know about the "Eye of the Moon"?
He finally spoke, his voice deep and authoritative, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure.

"Who…are you?"

The plan was successful!

Li Zhongren was certain.

Just as Madara Uchiha opened his mouth to ask the question, the black substance on his shoulder seemed to boil and writhe slightly due to extreme shock and attention. Looking at the two sides of the "mother and child", a brilliant lie that could simultaneously extract the enormous fortune of both of them instantly took shape in Li Zhongren's mind.

He raised his head, a peaceful smile on his face that was neither humble nor arrogant. His gaze first swept over Uchiha Madara, then lingered for a moment on the writhing black Zetsu, as if he had already seen through its true nature.

His voice was clear and steady as he uttered the carefully crafted lie.

(End of this chapter)