The atmosphere in the carriage became noticeably oppressive on the way ahead. While everyone expressed sympathy for Zhao Guo'an's ordeal, they also belatedly realized the consequences had they been thrown out while the vehicle was speeding.

To sum it up in four words: terrifying upon deep thought.

"Brother Xiao Feng, it's obvious someone is trying to kill us on purpose. Aren't you concerned about who that person might be?" the little girl asked softly.

Su Yuzhuo, sitting on the other side of the aisle, heard the question, looked at Xiao Feng, and asked in surprise, "You haven't told her?"

Xiao Feng did not respond, instead, he gestured to Lu Yao to explain the situation to the little girl.

Previously, they kept it from the little girl, fearing that once she knew, she'd feel pressured. But now, it's unavoidable; they must know who the opponent is, and she needs to be more vigilant, shifting away from the mindset that this is an easy-going trip.

"Is your family a ninja clan?" Xiao Feng casually asked while taking out Fujiwara Keiaki's notebook.

Su Yuzhuo shook her head, "No, our family is best known for sword technique. I'm not very familiar with the ninja profession."

Xiao Feng glanced at Fujiwara Keiaki, who maintained an indifferent demeanor, confirming that Su Yuzhuo was unaware of Fujiwara Keiaki's past as a ninja.

However, Xiao Feng didn't plan to expose this secret. After all, everyone has their own secrets.

After a while, the little girl, having listened to Lu Yao's explanation, scrutinized Su Yuzhuo up and down before placing her small hand on Xiao Feng's forehead and saying, "Brother Xiao Feng, have you got a fever that's made you lose your mind?"

Xiao Feng moved the little girl's hand away and replied irritably, "What do you think?"

"I think so." The little girl nodded earnestly, "You know full well she wants to kill you, yet you still want to help her find the descendant of the divine doctor. If that's not foolish, then what is?

Or is it... you have feelings for her?"

Without waiting for Xiao Feng to respond, she hurriedly added, "Brother Xiao Feng, your sense of aesthetics is off! How am I, Sister Lu Yao, Sister Qingyue, or even Sister Jiang, not better than her? Is it true that home flowers aren't as fragrant as wildflowers?"

"What nonsense is this!" Xiao Feng exclaimed, exasperated, "If we find the descendant of the divine doctor, we can try to have him look at Lin Jiaxuan too. Aren't you quite close with her?"

"Didn't Zhao Guo'an already prepare medicine for Xuanxuan?" The little girl was still unconvinced, "Anyway, I think what you're doing is problematic, to put it in idioms, it's 'nurturing a tiger to invite calamity' or 'letting the tiger return to the mountain', and eventually becoming Mr. Dongguo and the wolf; you save her, and she might end up biting you."

"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing." Xiao Feng reassured her, patting the little girl's head, signaling her to sit down.

The little girl crossed her arms in front of her chest with a sulking expression, completely forgetting an important question she was about to ask.

And that is, how would everyone use the bathroom after this incident?

...

In an abandoned warehouse, Iwakami Shigehiro stood outside the roll-up door, occasionally tossing a golden wheat grain into his mouth, a habit he had when pondering.

After a while, an old woman, who appeared very old with a face full of age spots, walked out from inside.

The old woman wore a large rough cloth robe, leaning on a cane. Her already short stature seemed even lower due to her hunched back.

Yet this person made Iwakami Shigehiro immediately put the remaining wheat into his pocket, place his right hand on his chest, and kneel on one knee, saying, "Lord Uesugi, how is the situation?"

The old woman's name was Uesugi Yumi, and Iwakami Shigehiro's gesture was the highest form of etiquette in the ninja profession, typically reserved for worshipping an upper-level ninja.

The ninja profession has an extremely strict hierarchy, divided into upper, middle, and lower levels.

This hierarchy not only differentiates power but also represents status and discourse power. Upper-level ninjas are elite among elites, and each one is someone to be revered.

Currently, there are so few upper-level ninjas alive in Japan that they can be counted on two hands. Fujiwara Keiaki barely counts as one, and the old woman before him was clearly also an upper-level ninja.

"Couldn't save him." Uesugi Yumi shook her head in response.

A flicker of disbelief flashed across Iwakami Shigehiro's eyes. He seemed surprised that there was someone even this old woman couldn't save. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Was Yamada's death due to poisoning?"

"Strictly speaking, it wasn't poison, but medicine," Uesugi Yumi hunched over and stated, "It was a potent laxative strong enough to cause diarrhea, but the dose was too large, and I arrived too late, so there was nothing that could be done."

Iwakami Shigehiro took a deep breath. Yamada Ichiro was one of his few Middle Ninja, and the two had long developed a tacit understanding over the years. Now, this old friend had died because of diarrhea, which was simply a disgrace!

"Lord Uesugi, please keep Yamada's death a secret. I don't want anyone to know he died in such a manner." Iwakami Shigehiro lowered his head, speaking earnestly.

Uesugi Yumi scoffed, "Hmph, you still have the heart to worry about the dead? You should first concern yourself with your own situation. If it weren't for your terms being enough to move me, I wouldn't have made this trip.

Besides, I won't interfere with your dealings with the Devil's Concentration Camp. Even if they kill you right in front of me, I won't intervene."

Iwakami Shigehiro's heart shuddered. He knew the Devil's Concentration Camp was terrifying, but he never thought it would be fearsome enough to warrant caution from an upper-level ninja like Uesugi Yumi.

It was as if Uesugi Yumi could read Iwakami Shigehiro's mind, she chuckled, "No need to worry too much. They probably won't hold any grudges against you... Now, I need you to repeat your promise once more."

As her voice fell, her eyes burst with a light that was difficult to look directly at, as if ready to kill any moment.

Iwakami Shigehiro dared not delay, hurriedly kneeling again on one knee, "If you, Lord Uesugi, can help me kill Xiao Feng, the Iwagami Clan will provide fresh blood to the Uesugi Clan unconditionally in the future, without fail!"

If Su Yuzhuo were here, she would be stunned. This was tantamount to making the Iwagami Clan a vassal of the Uesugi Clan, all for the sake of the Iwagami Clan's revival.

But the question is, can this kind of revival still be called a revival?

Iwakami Shigehiro hadn't thought about this, not even considering what to do if the Devil's Concentration Camp reneged. He only wanted to fulfill his master's last wish, which was also his lifelong obsession.

Uesugi Yumi nodded with satisfaction, "Leave the matter to me now. Whether you follow me or do something else doesn't matter to me."

"Of course I'll follow Lord Uesugi." Iwakami Shigehiro replied without hesitation. To see an upper-level ninja in action was an opportunity not even most ninjas had seen, one he couldn't miss.

"Then follow me." Uesugi Yumi said blandly, and with a slight lift of her cane, a wisp of white smoke floated away, and her figure vanished.

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