The Hand of God Creates the Strongest Hidden Mist Village

Chapter 189 Artists

Is Gouju Cheng very rich now?

The answer is no, they're not that rich.

Although Konoha gave 500 million ryo, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire gave 200 million ryo, and tens of millions of ryo were extorted from those nobles, plus previous savings.

At this moment, Makoto Karimoto's funds are so high that they even exceed the assets of some small ninja villages and countries!

But money comes quickly and goes quickly.

In particular, research on white zodiac animals requires a large sum of money.

However, unlike the bottomless pit of research on Minazuki Yuki's side, the money invested in Minazuki Hyou can be considered an investment. As long as this batch of pure white medicine can be mass-produced and sold on the market, the tens of millions or even hundreds of millions can definitely be earned back in no time!

But for now, this is still an expense.

"The laboratory over there on Scorpion's side is estimated to cost tens of millions of taels of silver to build."

After allocating 30 million taels to Shui Wuyue Bing as start-up capital, Gouju Cheng did a quick calculation and suddenly realized that the money in his hands didn't seem to last that long.

Forget it, money is meant to be spent, I can always earn it back.

There's no shortage of anything in this world, except for a lot of rich and powerful people! As long as you have the ability, why worry about not having money?

Gouju Cheng shook his head, not wanting to think about it any further.

In the days that followed, Gouju Cheng lived a very comfortable life in the village.

I wake up naturally every day, take a stroll around the Water Shadow's office, and see if there's any official business that requires my assistance.

However, most of the time, no, Yagura handles things perfectly on his own, without needing his help at all.

Occasionally, I'd check on the progress of the Pure White Elixir's development at the medical department, wander around the back mountain lab, and chat with Minazuki Yuki about the White Zetsu cell fusion experiment. The rest of the time, I'd either hole up at my residence researching the various new secret techniques I'd acquired, or go to Mei Terumi's place to cook for me.

Really cooking!

Mei Terumi had some reservations about this.

"Can't you cook for yourself?"

One evening, she said this irritably while cooking.

"I don't know how," said Makoto Goji Bean, sitting confidently at the dining table with his legs crossed.

"Then you should learn it."

"I can't learn it."

"—You're just lazy."

"Those who truly understand me are those in the darkness."

Mei Terumi angrily stirred the pot with the spatula a few times, but in the end she still served Makoto a large bowl of rice.

He was living a very comfortable life, so comfortable that Gouju Cheng almost forgot that there was a mess outside waiting for him to clean up.

On the tenth day, a secret letter from the underworld broke the tranquility.

"Lord Cheng."

The ANBU ninja knelt on one knee and presented a scroll with a special seal on it.

"News has come from the Land of Waves that unidentified ninjas are active in the dock area, seemingly searching for someone. They are very strong, and our people dare not approach."

Gouju Cheng took the scroll and casually unsealed it.

The scroll wasn't long, but the last sentence made him raise an eyebrow slightly.

The person left behind a special character: "Eternal".

Eternity?

E-General?

No, it should be scorpion!

This was the secret code that Gouju Cheng and Xie had agreed upon.

After his last encounter with Sasori, they parted ways and formed a cooperative relationship. It seems that Sasori has already arrived in the Land of Waves.

"Pass down the order." Makoto Karatachi stood up. "Prepare the ship. I'm going to the Land of Waves."

"yes!"

The Land of Waves, the dock area.

This once peaceful little maritime nation now presents a completely different picture.

Since being incorporated into the Hidden Mist Village, the Land of Waves' strategic importance has risen dramatically. It now controls the choke point of the Land of Fire's eastern sea area, connecting...

Its location at the crossroads of water and the mainland has made it a focal point of attention for various powers.

The dock was filled with ships of all sizes, including cargo ships carrying supplies, warships carrying ninjas, and a few inconspicuous private vessels that flew special flags.

The air was filled with the salty smell of the sea and the fresh scent of wood. The docks bustled with people: sailors, merchants, ninjas, and porters.

People of all kinds moved about, noisy yet orderly.

Under Kirigakure's deliberate guidance, this once isolated little country is rapidly integrating with the ninja world and beginning to create value for Kirigakure.

Gouju Cheng didn't bring too many people with him.

Alone, dressed in a black robe, he disembarked at the dock like an ordinary traveler and blended into the crowd.

The port area of ​​the Land of Waves was more bustling than when he last visited.

New shops, warehouses, and hotels sprang up like mushrooms after rain, the streets were teeming with people, and the cries of vendors from all over the world rose and fell. The air was filled with the smells of the sea, the aroma of wood, the warmth of food, and the stench of money flowing through the streets.

"What a wonderful place!"

Gouju sighed with genuine admiration.

The Land of Waves' geographical location determines its value—if Kirigakure manages it properly, it can become a trade hub between the Land of Water and the mainland, and even the economic center of the entire East Blue region.

The Third Mizukage personally overseeing the situation here, clearly aware of this.

Gouju Cheng didn't rush to find the scorpion.

He strolled around the dock area, then walked along the main street for fifteen minutes before arriving at Naminocho.

The Land of Waves does not have a daimyo's mansion, but the town of Waves, where Makoto Karatachi signed the negotiation agreement with Hiruzen Sarutobi, gradually became the core of the entire Land of Waves during this period.

It is also the core area where Kirigakure is stationed in the Land of Waves.

The former post station has been converted into a mansion, and the words "Bo no Fu" are still hanging on it.

The guard at the gate was taken aback when he saw Gouju Cheng, and then his expression changed drastically.

"Lord Cheng?!"

"Hmm, is the Third Hokage inside?"

"Yes, yes! I'll report right away—"

"Need not."

Gouju waved his hand and walked straight through the front yard to the main hall.

The layout of the Wave Palace is not large, far less grand than the Water Shadow Building, but it is clean and elegant. Several cherry trees transplanted from the Land of Water grow in the courtyard, and they are in full bloom at this time. The pink and white petals fall gently in the breeze, carpeting the ground.

The Third Mizukage was sitting on the veranda of the main hall, holding a scroll in his hand, seemingly looking at some document. He was dressed in dark casual clothes, his white hair gleaming silver in the sunlight, and his face looked a few years older than when Makoto Karatachi had last seen him, but his eyes were still sharp and piercing.

"Third Generation Leader, it's been a long time."

Gouju Cheng walked over and stood under the eaves.

The Third Mizukage looked up, saw it was him, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then a smile appeared on his lips.

"Hey, isn't this our great hero? What's this? You've finally decided to escape from the Iwagakure battlefield?"

Gouju Cheng coughed lightly.

"The Third Hokage is joking."

"Are you joking?" The Third Mizukage put down the scroll in his hand and looked him up and down. "I've heard about what you've been up to in Konoha and Iwagakure these past few days. You fought Onoki single-handedly, holding the line and forcing Iwagakure to retreat."

"And then there's Dust Release versus Dust Release, how impressive!"

For a moment, Gouju Cheng didn't know what to say.

This old man's information network is incredibly advanced!

"Alright, sit down and talk."

The Third Mizukage pointed to the spot next to him.

Gouju Cheng didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down on the floor.

The location under the eaves is excellent, facing the cherry trees in the courtyard, offering a wide view and a gentle breeze, making it very pleasant.

Shuiying poured him a cup of tea, her movements unhurried and deliberate.

"You've come at the right time. I have something to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Your pure white medical project."

Shuiying put down the teapot and her gaze fell on Gouju Cheng's face.

"That girl Bing mentioned to me a few times that your research has made a breakthrough. The No. 1 drug is ready for mass production, right?"

Gouju Cheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and did not deny it.

"Yes. Drug No. 1, cell repair fluid, is quite effective, the cost is controllable, and it can be mass-produced."

"nice one."

Shuiying nodded slightly, her tone tinged with emotion.

"Our Hidden Mist Village's medical level has always been inferior to that of Konoha. If we can promote the use of the No. 1 drug this time, the injuries suffered by ninjas during missions will definitely be reduced significantly."

"more than."

Gouju Cheng put down his teacup.

"The first dose is just the first step. The second dose will help ordinary people sense chakra. If it is successfully rolled out, the number of ninja in Kirigakure may double in the future."

Shuiying's hand paused slightly.

Double.

That word is too heavy.

Kirigakure has consistently ranked last among the Five Great Ninja Villages, with its biggest problem being its small population. The Land of Water has the smallest population of the Five Great Nations, and Kirigakure's number of ninja has consistently been among the lowest.

If it really can double—

Are you confident?

Shuiying raised his head, a sharp glint in his murky old eyes.

"have!"

"I trust you to handle things."

The Third Mizukage didn't say much; he had already abdicated and handed over the reins to a more capable person. The village now belonged to Yagura and the man in front of him, Makoto Karatachi.

He also believed in Makoto Goji's sense of propriety.

This young man may seem carefree and irresponsible, but he never disappoints when it comes to getting things done.

"You came to the Land of Waves not just to see this old man, were you?" The Mizukage changed the subject, a smile playing on his lips.

"I heard there's an interesting person who's come to the dock area?"

Gouju Cheng did not hide anything.

"Nothing can be hidden from the Third Hokage. Yes. One of my business partners is here.

"Who?"

"Red Sand Scorpion".

The Third Mizukage frowned slightly.

"Sasori, the S-rank rogue ninja of the Sand Village?"

"good."

"What do you want with him?"

"Cooperation." Makoto Karatachi didn't hide anything, briefly recounting his previous contact with Sasori and Sasori's intelligence-gathering abilities during the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Of course, he omitted the part about the White Zetsu project and human research.

The Third Mizukage remained silent for a moment after hearing this.

"I've heard of Sasori of the Red Sand. He's a puppetry genius who, after defecting from Sunagakure, has been wandering the ninja world, his whereabouts elusive and his methods ruthless."

He paused, looking at Gouju Cheng.

"Are you sure you want to cooperate with him?"

"Confirmed." Makoto Karatachi nodded. "Sasori's abilities are exactly what I need right now. As for other aspects—Sunagakure is not a concern. After this war ends, they won't be able to catch their breath for at least ten or twenty years. Besides, we already have a grudge against Sunagakure, so it doesn't matter."

The Third Mizukage gave him a deep look.

"It's good that you know your limits. But—"

"The Land of Waves is now our territory, and any outside forces operating here must be monitored. Sasori of the Red Sand is, after all, an S-rank rogue ninja. If he causes trouble here, it will be quite a problem for us."

"You should understand that the Land of Waves is just the first step. Next, we need to settle in the Valley of Wind Howl, which is crucial."

"I understand." Makoto Karatachi nodded. "I will keep him in check. And his experimental base will not be built in the Land of Waves."

"That's good."

The Third Mizukage asked no more questions and picked up the scroll again.

"Alright, you go ahead with your work. I'll handle things here in the Land of Waves. As for your partner, as long as he doesn't cause trouble, I won't interfere."

"Thank you, Third Generation."

Makoto Karatachi stood up, bowed slightly to the Third Mizukage, and turned to leave the Wave Palace.

As night fell, the hustle and bustle of the dock area gradually subsided.

Makoto Goji changed his clothes and stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the dock area.

The warehouse was small and dilapidated, with mottled walls and a rusty iron gate. It was surrounded by weeds, clearly indicating that no one had been there for a long time.

Gouju Cheng pushed open the iron gate and went inside.

The warehouse was empty and dark, with only a few rays of moonlight filtering through the cracks in the broken roof, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Red hair, a slightly thin boyish figure, and a long black robe.

Red Sand Scorpion.

You're late.

Scorpion's voice was hoarse and flat, revealing no emotion.

"Something came up on the way and I was delayed."

Gouju Cheng walked over, casually pulled over a discarded wooden crate, sat down, and crossed his legs: "How was the journey?"

"It's alright. I've taken care of some things, and Sunagakure is too busy to pay attention to me right now."

"They should be withdrawing their troops by now, since Konoha and Iwagakure have finished their battle."

"With Shukaku in your hands and Iwagakure retreating, they no longer have the strength or courage to fight Konoha to the death. It won't be long before they withdraw from Kikyoyama Castle."

Sasori nodded and said, "Sunagakure's resources can't withstand any more losses. The Daimyo of the Land of Wind is cutting military spending, Granny Chiyo is getting old, and although Rasa can hold things together, he can't support the whole village by himself."

"You seem to pay a lot of attention to Sunagakure. Now that Sunagakure is on the verge of defeat, what are your thoughts?"

'

Seeing that Sasori didn't respond, Makoto Karuta chuckled, took out a scroll from his pocket, and tossed it to Sasori of the Red Sand.

Sasori took the scroll, and with a gentle touch of his fingers on the seal, the chakra threads silently released the seal.

Accompanied by white smoke, several glove boxes appeared in front of Scorpion.

"Here's thirty million taels, consider it your joining fee," Makoto Karatachi said. "Besides that, in the northeast of the Land of Waves, there's an uninhabited island. It's not large, but it's well-hidden, surrounded by reefs, making it impossible for ordinary ships to get close. There's a natural cave on the island, which, with a little modification, can be used as your secret experimental base."

Scorpion's hand holding the scroll trembled slightly, but he didn't immediately open the glove boxes. Instead, he put them back into the scroll and his gaze fell on Makoto's face.

"Thirty million taels of silver for an island."

"You're quite generous."

"When it comes to cooperation, you have to show some sincerity." Gouju Cheng shrugged, his tone casual: "I have high hopes for you. A mere thirty million is nothing to me."

It seems the rumors in the ninja world are true. The reason why Makoto Karatachi interfered in the war between Iwagakure and Konoha and helped Konoha defeat Iwagakure was because he was hired by Konoha and received a large sum of money from Konoha.

But that's not the point. How much money Nengfen makes is their ability. The point is that Gouju Cheng gave him 30 million so casually!

Thirty million is a huge sum of money for anyone!

"What do you want?"

After a moment of silence, the scorpion beast slowly asked.

"My request is very simple." Makoto Koji held up a hand. "You are free to use that unmanned experimental base. Whether you conduct your puppet research or carry out your human experiments, I will not interfere."

"Even if you lack funds or fertilizer in the future, I can still help you!"

"But there are two points."

"First, I need you to share your research projects and data with me."

"Secondly, I also have some projects that I need your help with researching!"

Scorpion was somewhat surprised: "You also have research projects?"

"Of course." Makoto Kuraki grinned. "Otherwise, why do you think I would want to cooperate with an S-rank rogue ninja like you? You're not as handsome as me."

Scorpion ignored his teasing and pondered for a moment.

"What kind of research?"

"It is, of course, related to the human body."

Makoto Kujira didn't hide anything: "You're an expert in human anatomy. I've already seen the Third Kazekage's puppet; it was indeed..."

A masterpiece. To create a human puppet that retains its bloodline limit and possesses such power—that kind of work can be considered art.

"And I also have some research on human bloodlines and bloodlines, which I need your artistic abilities to break through!"

Scorpion's eyes narrowed slightly.

Human experiments related to bloodline and bloodline inheritance.

This is not a new topic. All the major ninja villages are secretly researching it, but progress has been limited. Because the human body is too complex, fusion at the cellular level is extremely difficult. A single mistake can lead to rejection, cell collapse, or even more serious consequences.

However, Makoto Koji said something that really resonated with him.

Art!

"I promise the beast!"