Uchiha Tiehuo was utterly stunned.
Yes.
After Uchiha Kai's explanation, his worldview completely shattered.
He had never imagined that simply arresting a thief could be tied to so many hidden schemes.
Thinking about it made him tremble all over.
Before, he could never figure it out—
why the Police Department worked so diligently, yet their reputation in the village only got worse.
Now he understood.
It was the village elders all along, deliberately suppressing and slandering the Uchiha!
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, his body shaking slightly.
"So that's how it is!" Tiehuo's eyes brimmed with killing intent.
"The village leadership has gone too far."
"How could they use such despicable tricks against the Uchiha?"
"No wonder our reputation has sunk so low over the years."
"Elder Kai, I understand now."
"From today onward, I will follow your orders completely—everything for the sake of the Uchiha!"
Yes.
That was how simple Uchiha minds could be.
He had joined the radicals only because he looked down on the moderates.
But over the years, Uchiha Setsuna had done nothing but spout rhetoric, accomplishing nothing in practice.
The clan's situation in the village had not improved one bit!
Tiehuo had long been dissatisfied with Setsuna, but with no alternative, he had stuck with it.
Now things were different.
Kai's sudden rise gave him new hope.
Not just awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan, the ultimate Uchiha power—
but more importantly, Kai's mind was what truly impressed him.
With just a small incident, Kai instantly sensed the problem, traced the truth in a few steps,
and even devised a counterattack.
That was remarkable!
Add to that Kai's words from last night's clan meeting,
which showed his unusually clear grasp of the Uchiha's predicament—
In summary:
Great power.
Sharp mind.
Ruthless methods.
Tiehuo even began to wonder:
If Kai became clan leader, could he change their fate?
So there was no hesitation.
He knelt again on one knee before Kai—
different from earlier.
This time, he offered his loyalty.
No more radicals.
He would follow Uchiha Kai.
Kai: "…"
His mouth twitched.
Watching Tiehuo kneeling again, he didn't know what to say.
Good grief.
Tiehuo was an elite Jounin in the clan,
with great influence among the radicals.
His loyalty could bring a whole faction to Kai's side.
But… Kai didn't want this!
He just wanted to live lazily, doing as little as possible.
Even becoming Police Minister was something forced onto him.
Seeing this, he even considered telling Tiehuo to go follow Shisui instead.
How nice would it be to just be a hands-off boss?
Why take on more trouble?
But wait.
If he formed his own faction, and later clashed with Shisui,
the two of them could put on a show against each other.
Wouldn't that give Shisui the perfect excuse to beg Hiruzen Sarutobi for more support?
The truth was, Kai was already exposed.
Even if he stayed home quietly, Hiruzen would keep a close eye on him.
On the other hand,
The more silent Kai stayed, the more Hiruzen would suspect him of plotting something secretly.
If that was the case—
Why not take up the banner openly?
That way, Hiruzen would actually be reassured.
Shisui, claiming he couldn't hold back Kai, would have reason to secure more resources from the Hokage.
In the end, the village budget would flow into the clans regardless.
So why not make sure the Uchiha got a bigger share?
Even better—
the fiercer the internal Uchiha drama looked,
the more at ease the village leadership would be.
With the Hokage less on guard, Kazama's plan would be easier to carry out.
As for Tiehuo's loyalty—
That was the least of Kai's worries.
These Uchihas… subtle plotting wasn't their strong suit.
If they had half a brain, Hiruzen wouldn't have pushed them around so badly.
They were blunt, straightforward.
If Tiehuo said he was loyal, he meant it.
Thinking this through, Kai nodded slowly.
"Alright. I understand."
"Since you're on board, do as I say."
"As for those three we caught today—
keep treating them as 'spies' and rough them up.
Just don't kill them."
"My guess is, by tonight, the Hokage himself will come to demand their release."
Tiehuo nodded firmly.
Now that he understood Kai's true intent, he felt far more assured.
Yes.
The Hokage's faction deserved a lesson.
"I understand, my lord!" Tiehuo said after a moment's thought.
"I will handle this matter personally."
"…But if we deal with the Anbu like this, will the Hokage really just let it slide?"
Kai rolled his eyes, staring at Tiehuo with exasperation.
Really? He still didn't get it?
Sighing helplessly, Kai countered:
"Do you even know they're Anbu?"
"Uh… I get it now." Tiehuo nodded.
"Good." Kai continued.
"When the Hokage comes to demand them back, I'll deal with him personally."
Tiehuo nodded again, ready to bow and leave.
But just then, Kai's eyes flickered.
His face grew serious as his mind began turning.
After a pause, he spoke again.
"Wait, Tiehuo."
"…Since you've chosen to follow me, then follow my instructions closely."
"In the Police Department under my command—forget about solving cases. Don't be too diligent."
"Just slack off."
"After all, this village doesn't belong to the Uchiha.
Even if public security collapses, the first to suffer is Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage."
"If villagers come demanding answers—one word: drag."
"When we receive them, smile politely.
If necessary, bow and apologize."
"As for actually doing the job? Keep them waiting."
"Make up excuses—
the case is complicated,
The investigation was difficult.
Anything will do."
"If you really can't come up with something, just say the Police Department hasn't received its funding.
That Uchiha shinobi haven't been paid for months,
so they've all had to take missions or side jobs to make ends meet."
"This excuse works—
the Hokage himself can't dispute it, since it's true the department's budget has been delayed for years."
"Then, explain to the villagers that in the past, the Uchiha even paid out of pocket to cover the shortfall."
"But now, the Uchiha coffers are empty."
"When the situation escalates, submit a formal report to the Hokage—cry poor."
"Ask when the back-pay will finally be given.
And make it clear—
without funds, the Police Department will have no choice but to disband."
"After all, our members have families to feed."
"Once this spreads, let the whole village know:
the worsening public security has nothing to do with us."
"It's entirely because the village refused to fund us."
To read 250+ Advance chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554