Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

In her heart, her only wish was for the people of Loulan to live happily.

Therefore, she warmly welcomed Konoha's arrival.

Even if Loulan might be assimilated into Konoha in the future, she would be willing to accept it.

Hiruko briefly explained Sara's feelings to Mikoto Uchiha, and seeing Mikoto's thoughtful expression, he didn't say anything more.

After all, Sara was able to accept such terms because she was very clear that Konoha could truly bring a peaceful life to Loulan.

Behind this lies the connection between Minato and Naruto from an unknown time and space, who once saved Roran during a mission.

Sara harbors an indescribable affection for Naruto. Even with her memories sealed, she often dreams of being saved by an unknown hero from Konoha.

Because of her affection for Konoha, she naturally developed a strong liking for the village.

To this day, Sara still keeps the chakra sword that Naruto left her, regarding it as a token of their love, and firmly believes that her dream was real.

For some unknown reason, she lost part of her memory.

In the history of the theatrical version, it was Naruto who traveled through time to return to the future and prevent the destruction of Loulan.

Sara and her family, and even the entire Loulan, all have a story about being saved by the heroes of Konoha in a dream, and they regard that chakra sword as a family heirloom, passing it down from generation to generation.

To put it another way, if Loulan were facing a poor country like the Wind Kingdom that was coercing its sovereignty, Sara would absolutely defend Loulan's sovereignty to the death.

They will not yield even if the country perishes.

Ultimately, it was Naruto's charm that worked in this situation.

However, there's no need to tell Mrs. Mikoto this kind of information.

Hiruko even suspected that Sara might have broken the seal set by Minato after coming into contact with Naruto, and the memory tree in her brain might have begun to revive.

After all, she often dreams about Naruto, so it seems that Minato's sealing technique couldn't completely seal Sara's memories.

This may be related to the power of the dragon vein, after all, the Sara clan has a contractual relationship with the dragon vein.

To some extent, they can be seen as special spiritual mediums, able to communicate with the earth's dragon veins as dragon shamans, thus closely connecting humanity with the earth.

In several theatrical versions, Amaru, the vessel of Zero-Tails, can also be regarded as a special priestess, while the priestesses of the Land of Demons are even more orthodox.

Hinata, the Byakugan princess, also possesses spiritual medium abilities, enabling her to sense Neji's lingering thoughts.

In this light, Naruto, the chosen one, may indeed have an inextricable connection with the priestess.

In the context of Japanese mythology, he may also be associated with the identity of a divine child reincarnated.

Unfortunately, this chosen one, favored by fate, only had Erzhuzi, with whom he was destined to be together for three lifetimes, and wasted too many resources.

However, Hiruko would accept all of this on his behalf.

As a researcher, Hiruko was actually very curious about what kind of existence would be born after the descendants of the alien Otsutsuki clan and the extraordinary bloodline born from the native civilization of the ninja world combined.

Unfortunately, after many twists and turns, Naruto eventually married Hinata Hyuga, who was also a descendant of aliens.

At 11 a.m., the flight from Konoha landed on time at Loulan International Airport.

As soon as Hiruko stepped off the plane, he felt the warm hospitality of the Konoha ninja stationed in Loulan.

The airport has essentially become a branch of Konoha.

Having traveled a long way, Loulan, a desert kingdom, is vast and scattered. Under the scorching sun, everyone put on sunglasses shortly after getting off the plane.

With a group of Konoha ninjas attending to them, the group looked every bit like a gangster boss on a trip.

"Tonight we will have dinner with Queen Sara of Loulan. The alliance is a done deal, there is no need to rush."

“Ms. Sara will officially announce this news to the entire nation of Loulan first thing tomorrow morning,” Hiruko said with a smile to Uchiha Mikoto.

"What we really need to do is to quickly understand the terrain of Loulan, adapt to the desert climate, and at the same time find out about the situation in the surrounding countries."

"At least when we return to Konoha, we need to bring back detailed information so that Minato has a concrete understanding of this desert."

In this vast desert, besides Loulan, the land of wind, there are several other countries scattered among them, like tiny islands in a sea of ​​sand, with countless tribal villages.

Moreover, the desert is teeming with bandits as hungry as wolves.

In this land, the legend of one person destroying a country is not unfounded; most of the weak nations are impoverished people struggling to survive in this desert.

If Konoha wants to use Loulan as a springboard to further penetrate the Land of Wind, it should not be satisfied with subtle assimilation and erosion, but should focus on the entire desert region.

Therefore, these small countries are the best way to utilize them.

Whether it's simple and brutal oppression and exploitation, or subtle and powerful support like that for Loulan, or even domineering conquest and occupation, all are viable options.

While we need to be wary of those jackal-like bandits who may clash with Konoha's interests, they also have their own exploitable value.

To skillfully utilize all available resources, one needs to rely on a large, detailed, and reliable intelligence network.

Of course, intelligence gathering is a long and arduous task.

Unlike other Konoha ninjas, Hiruko could not stay in Loulan for long. His main purpose in coming here was to show Konoha's respect for Loulan.

This also implies that Minato tacitly approved of the Konoha ninja clan obtaining more missions in the desert region and sharing more profits from them.

To some extent, this is also to gain a more advantageous position in the political arena, so that they can be more justified in taking advantage of others.

As for why Mrs. Mikoto came, it was because Hiruko entrusted her with many matters.

Today, Mrs. Mikoto has become a bridge between Hiruko and the Uchiha clan.

Hiruko did not come here to concern himself with family affairs; instead, he requested to adapt to the environment as soon as possible and gather intelligence about the surrounding area.

This is mainly due to considerations of personal professional competence, and also to ensure that no unforeseen accidents occur during the research process.

“I understand. I will have them gather as much intelligence as possible during this time.” Uchiha Mikoto nodded, revealing a gentle smile.

In Mikoto's view, Hiruko was her son Itachi Uchiha's teacher, had a close relationship with Minato, and could even influence the decisions of Konoha's higher-ups.

This is why the family sent her to get close to Birukho.

Unless there are special requirements, she will try her best to complete the tasks assigned by Hiruko.

However, a shadow of gloom ultimately flashed across Mrs. Uchiha Mikoto's eyes.

Hiruko's reputation is well-known in Konoha, and Mikoto has naturally heard of his style and methods.

The fact that Chief Tomokaku was so comfortable letting her contact Hiruko filled Mikoto with sadness and disappointment.

But in an instant, her eyes lit up again.

After all, she knew all too well that Fugaku was capable of sacrificing anyone for the Uchiha clan.

Looking at the sorrowful Uchiha Mikoto, Hiruko felt a strange sense of admiration.

The charm of this mature young woman seemed to attract him in a unique way.

Choza Akimichi looked somewhat troubled, scratching his head as he said, "Gathering intelligence? That's not our Akimichi clan's forte."

"Speaking of which, the intelligence personnel in the dark side should be more professional, but they may not be as adept at cross-border intelligence gathering and infiltration and sabotage against enemy countries."

Moreover, the situation in the Land of Rain is tense right now, and they have no time to attend to us here.

"However, I'm sure the Anbu won't disappoint us either," Hiruko said with a smile.

Yamanaka Inoichi smiled and reassured his companion, "You don't need to worry too much about intelligence issues."

“Your Akimichi clan has unique expertise in engineering and construction; leave the intelligence to us!”

The Akimichi clan's ability to multiply their size allows them to easily clear mountains and dig through the earth. They also possess abundant vitality, and their bodies can change size at will, making them incredibly efficient at their work.

The people of Konoha began to move.

Under the scorching sun, amidst swirling yellow sand, black smoke rises continuously from atop some abandoned ruins in the vast desert.

A strong wind howled past, and a handsome figure gradually revealed its outline.

A handsome young man with red hair, carrying a special scroll, was wandering aimlessly in the desert.

"It's so peaceful and boring, there's not a single one that's good enough to be used as material," the boy muttered to himself, somewhat dejectedly.

He is Sasori of the Red Sand, a genius puppeteer from the Land of Wind, who has profound expertise in puppet making.

In his childhood, several toy puppets he made were picked up by garbage collectors and used as trump cards, which he was always proud of.

His puppet-making skills were unparalleled; he could create puppets of varying abilities based on his mastery of the technology, and even transform the dead into puppets.

Sasori is also the only puppeteer capable of creating human puppets, and these puppets are made while retaining the chakra of the person in life, thus completely preserving all of that person's ninjutsu and bloodline limit.

The strongest human puppet he currently possesses is none other than the unfortunate Third Kazekage.

This is his best collection to date.

Sasori can manipulate him to use various Magnet Release ninjutsu, and he is also highly skilled in poisons.

Almost all of his puppet weapons contain his specially made deadly poison, which is fatal once it penetrates the human body.

In the vast desert, Scorpion controls a large number of powerful puppets with different functions, making him virtually invincible.

He traveled as he pleased, seeking out new puppets whenever he needed them. Wherever he went, villages were destroyed and countries perished; he basically crushed everything in his path.

The small country in the desert had no ability to resist, leaving only ruins, which were gradually buried by the wind and sand, erasing the last trace of its existence.

He had just defeated an ordinary little village, expecting to gain something, but all he got was a pile of garbage.

Looking at the ruins, he was filled with disdain: "How could these ants, barely surviving in the desert, possibly raise the outstanding talents I admire?"

You can't raise a true dragon in shallow waters!

"I heard that people from Konoha have come from Loulan. I hope the quality of Konoha's ninjas is good enough to provide some qualified material," Sasori muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, he leisurely walked against the wind and sand, stepping on the soft sand, heading in a certain direction.

Her fiery red hair fluttered in the wind, exuding a carefree and unrestrained charm.

As a powerful ninja, intelligence gathering is a fundamental skill for him; he is not one of those down-on-his-luck, wandering ninjas.

He has his own exclusive intelligence network, with numerous informants working for him.

Like Orochimaru, he not only had advanced intelligence capabilities, but also owned many of his own strongholds.

One can live quite comfortably on their own, unlike ordinary homeless ninjas who struggle to make ends meet and live in constant fear.

The alliance between Konoha and Loulan was signed with unusually smooth progress the following day.

Queen Sarah cooperated throughout and did not cause any trouble.

Moreover, Sara did not have a strong aversion to Beiliuhu's desire to study the dragon veins of Loulan, which made Beiliuhu's life much easier.