Land of Waves
Kakuzu followed Aokawa into the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, noticing that people quickly became busy as they entered the company, rushing to the shelter for safety.
As Kakuzu walked through the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, he felt an indescribable awkwardness. It was a world-renowned large company, so why were there so few people inside?
This was completely unlike what a large company should be like.
Aokawa pushed open the door to the president's office and saw Orochimaru sitting on the sofa, writing something in a notebook.
"Lord Orochimaru, I have successfully acquired the home appliance factory."
Aokawa quickly walked over, took out the acquisition contract, and respectfully placed it on the coffee table.
"You worked hard."
Orochimaru closed the notebook and sealed it in a scroll.
"She… Is she the 'Lord' you spoke of?!"
Kakuzu looked at the girl with pale white skin sitting on the sofa. Hearing Aokawa's address to her, his pupils dilated in shock, feeling extremely absurd and unrealistic, even suspecting that he had inadvertently fallen under a Genjutsu.
This absurd feeling was no less than when the higher-ups of Takigakure ordered him to carry out an impossible assassination mission: assassinating First Hokage Senju Hashirama.
When he realized that Senju Hashirama, who had fought him for a long time and even subtly suppressed him, was a Wood Release: Wood Clone, he knew his assassination mission had failed. He fled back to the Village in a panic, only to be met with the charge of mission failure and severe punishment.
(I remember the plot in the 'It's a Realistic Game' game: Kakuzu disguised himself as a civilian, entered Konoha through the main gate, and then ambushed Senju Hashirama. After fighting for a long time, he realized he was fighting Senju Hashirama's Wood Release: Wood Clone. Kakuzu saw that he had been fighting a Wood Release: Wood Clone for half a day and thought, 'What's the point of assassinating now?' He immediately turned and ran, and Senju Hashirama didn't pursue him.
Throwing a shuriken from 800 li away is a running gag. If a shuriken could be thrown that far, Kakuzu's strength would be too exaggerated.)
"Mr. Kakuzu, this isn't our first meeting."
Orochimaru picked up the acquisition contract from the coffee table, casually glanced at it, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "Well done, Aokawa. From now on, this home appliance factory will be renamed the White Snake Home Appliance Factory."
"Impossible, I've never seen you."
Kakuzu was certain he had never seen Orochimaru; he had no impression of her at all, no memory of ever meeting her.
"Then let's just say you haven't seen me."
Orochimaru put down the acquisition contract, stood up, and looked at Kakuzu, saying, "Mr. Kakuzu. Have you heard of our White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company?"
"Of course, one of the world's most profitable companies. There are quite a few bounties on your company in the black market."
Kakuzu was well aware of the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company's reputation, which was as famous as thunder.
Things like the company that accumulated wealth the fastest in the world, the guardian of women's beauty, the company that created blessings for men, the shimura herbal tea that was extremely popular in aristocratic circles and revered as the midnight divine tea, and so on and so forth—he had heard these things until his ears were calloused.
Bounties on the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company ranged from several million ryo to tens of millions of ryo.
Kakuzu had been tempted, but rather than stealing the company's formulas, he preferred killing people with bounties on their heads in the black market.
"So, Mr. Kakuzu, would you be willing to become a member of the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company?"
Orochimaru sincerely invited Kakuzu, not to become her subordinate, but to become an employee of the White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company.
Not to die for her, but to die for money.
"Me?"
Kakuzu was tempted by Orochimaru's invitation, but he still had doubts about Orochimaru's identity, asking suspiciously, "Are you really the 'Lord' Aokawa spoke of?"
"If Aokawa hasn't pledged loyalty to anyone else, then the 'Lord' he speaks of should be me, that's right."
Orochimaru's figure instantly appeared behind Kakuzu, then immediately appeared in front of the window. This was done almost in an instant; Kakuzu didn't even clearly see Orochimaru's figure.
So fast!
Even the Third Raikage of Hidden Cloud Village doesn't have such speed, does he?
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Kakuzu. He hadn't even noticed how Orochimaru appeared behind him or how she moved to the window. He guessed that this woman named Orochimaru must have used some means to make herself appear so young.
Too cunning!
He was even more cunning than having five hearts!
"Mr. Kakuzu, what do you think?"
Orochimaru smiled slightly; this was the effect she wanted. It was worth the effort of placing Flying Thunder God Technique formulas under multiple floors, even if preparing them was a bit messy. Fortunately, everyone was an insider, so it didn't matter if they saw it.
Given Kakuzu's personality, he might want to test her strength, so she would scare him into not daring to try.
If it came to a real fight, she would just have to call everyone from the Iburi Clan to gang up on him in a righteous mob.
Kakuzu, a well-known bounty hunter in the black market, breaking into White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company to cause destruction? Wouldn't they break his legs for that?
Orochimaru had already thought of reasons for ganging up on Kakuzu. The company employees and surrounding residents had also been evacuated to shelters.
The only real trouble was his Jiongu: Wind Release mask. However, with her mastery of Wind Release, she could still put up a fight against the Jiongu: Wind Release mask.
From the moment Kakuzu walked into the company led by Aokawa, Orochimaru had him completely figured out. She was determined to make him an employee of the company.
Kakuzu, with his diligent and hard-working nature, a Pixiu that only takes in and doesn't let out, was exactly what she needed.
Kakuzu was silent for a moment, then asked in a deep voice, "So, you're inviting me to join the company. What do you want me to do?"
"Are you interested in finance and transporting goods? I think you should know that quite a few unsavory small-time thugs are eyeing my company's products."
The positions Orochimaru wanted to arrange for Kakuzu, besides managing finances, included transporting goods. With Kakuzu's abilities, doing both simultaneously was not impossible.
"Finance and transporting goods?"
Kakuzu wondered if he had misheard. Was there any direct connection between the two?
"Those with more ability should do more work. Especially a talent like you, Mr. Kakuzu. When transporting goods, you can take out many people on the bounty list who are worth money."
Orochimaru clapped her hands and continued, "And the salary I offer you, I think you'll be satisfied."
Smoke condensed into two people carrying briefcases. They opened the briefcases, which were filled with money.
Kakuzu's pupils constricted slightly at the sight of so much money. Then he heard Orochimaru say, "You are not loyal to me, nor are you working for me. You are working for money. Our relationship is purely financial. You don't need to trust me at all; you only need to trust money. Money will never deceive you."
"Alright, I'm willing to join your company and become an employee of White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company. It seems I can earn more money and manage more money in your company."
Kakuzu immediately decided to join White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company.
Everything Orochimaru said before was far less convincing than those last words that moved Kakuzu.
So all my previous words were just wasted on deaf ears?
Orochimaru didn't expect Kakuzu to decide to join just because of that one sentence. She immediately felt she had been wasting her breath and emotions before. It would have been better to just hit him with money from the start, stun him, make him doubt life, and make him actively propose to become a company employee.
Why does Lady Orochimaru value this guy so much?
Aokawa really couldn't see anything exceptional about Kakuzu, other than his body modified by secret techniques.
Could it be... Aokawa thought of Lady Orochimaru's preferences and suddenly understood why Lady Orochimaru was so insistent on Kakuzu joining White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company.
With the person already here, wouldn't it be easy to study him whenever she wanted?
As expected of Lady Orochimaru!
"Mr. Kakuzu, welcome to White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company. Aokawa is the company president, so from today, you will be the company's vice president, also in charge of finance and product transportation."
Orochimaru said with a smile, thinking that she had finally settled Kakuzu. With Aokawa and Kakuzu in the company, she wouldn't have to waste too much time on company matters. She just needed to write suitable proposals based on market research reports, and the rest would be left to them.
"Vice President, huh..."
Suddenly entrusted with such an important role, Kakuzu couldn't help but feel a little excited for a moment. He hadn't felt this way in a long time, but there were still some things he needed to say.
"I don't understand company management. Is it really okay to entrust such an important matter to me at the beginning?"
Kakuzu didn't believe that someone capable of establishing White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company would trust him so easily to hold such an important position.
"Mr. Kakuzu, I believe that for the sake of money, you'll be willing to learn how to do business."
Orochimaru wasn't worried at all. The business wars in this world were much more childish than in another world; it was simply a matter of hiring assassins.
"Aokawa, I'll leave the rest to you."
Orochimaru nodded at Aokawa, and her figure disappeared.
"Please rest assured, Lady Orohimaru!"
Aokawa placed his hand on his chest and replied respectfully.
Soon after, Kakuzu, dressed in a suit, stood by the window, watching the people returning from the shelter. He glanced at Aokawa from the corner of his eye and said, "Were you prepared for a conflict with me all along?"
"Conflict?"
Aokawa, who was sitting at his desk processing documents, looked up at Kakuzu and said, "Lady Orochimaru believed that to get you to join our company, money alone might not be enough; strength also needed to be displayed."
Have I met her before? She seems to know me very well.
Kakuzu muttered to himself; he really had no recollection at all.
"I remember your Iburi Clan's Bloodline Limit has a fatal flaw. How did you overcome it?"
Kakuzu thought of the Iburi Clan's Bloodline Limit.
"It was Lady Orochimaru! Lady Orochimaru solved our clan's Bloodline Limit disease, allowing our clan to leave the dark and damp caves and live normal lives! Lady Orochimaru is our clan's savior!"
Aokawa's emotions were stirred, and his voice was full of gratitude and respect for Lady Orochimaru.
"Bloodline disease..."
Seeing Aokawa so agitated, Kakuzu thought of his respect for Orochimaru, how he had been angered more than once by a casual remark from him, and then he thought of the skincare products sold by White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company.
"Could it be that the products sold by the company...?"
"You're not wrong, those were developed by Lady Orochimaru."
"So that's how it is."
Kakuzu originally worked for money, but now he felt that Orochimaru was a god of wealth who could generate an endless stream of money.
It seems that joining White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company was the right choice.
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