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Chapter 189: The Arrival at Tea Mountain City and the Wraiths!
Chapter 189: The Arrival at Tea Mountain City and the Wraiths!
Thud! Thud!
When the group led by To Hei finally reached Tea Mountain City, they were struck by the dire state of the place.
The city’s defenses were a mere two meters high and half a meter wide, made of loosely stacked stones. They could barely keep out ordinary beasts, let alone people. Some sections of the wall had gaps, and the dark red stains of blood were all too visible.
Inside the walls, makeshift stone huts, wooden shacks, and thatched cottages stood haphazardly, looking as if they could be blown away by the wind at any moment.
The emaciated civilians, reduced to skin and bones, huddled in various corners, eyeing the incoming ninja forces with a mix of curiosity and fear.
The ninja in the group remained unperturbed, having long grown accustomed to such conditions. Knowing the harsh realities of the shinobi world, they cherished the environment of Konoha, where at least they could live like human beings.
Yes, the demands of the shinobi world were indeed that low—provided one was not a noble. In the shinobi world, nobles were akin to 'Celestial Beings,' striving not to live like humans but to be gods.
None of this mattered to To Hei. He planned to rebuild this place as his base, so the current state was of no concern to him.
As the group reached the top of the central hill, they saw the advance party already in place.
The Honda Trading Company!
Ever since learning that To Hei would be stationed here, the company had been transporting supplies to Tea Mountain City, with their convoys paving the way through the rough terrain.
In the past, the company suffered significant losses on the road, given the genuine dangers of the shinobi world. However, with To Hei’s protection, their convoys now traveled safely. Even the Sand shinobi, seeing the Honda Trading Company’s banner, would think twice before attempting to raid or attack them.
The reason was simple: if they dared to, would they believe that To Hei wouldn’t do the same? The destructive power of a Kage-level shinobi was beyond imagination.
Thus, while the Sand shinobi could attack Konoha’s convoys, they would never dare to do so to the private caravans of a powerful individual. Village affairs were public, but personal matters were private.
Now, you understand why the Honda Trading Company chose to ally with To Hei. The benefits were truly numerous.
However, they were not without their contributions. At least half of their resources were dedicated to To Hei’s cause, whether it was manufacturing 'wooden oxen,' procuring various supplies, or resettling refugees.
The mountains of supplies and food, along with the large number of refugees, were the results of their efforts. In total, there were several thousand people, making the place bustling with activity.
Among them were three thousand young and strong refugees who had recovered significantly. Compared to the emaciated residents of Tea Mountain City, the difference was stark.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t take in more refugees; the challenge lay in selection and transportation. Otherwise, during times of peace, let alone during the Great Shinobi Wars, refugees were plentiful. The nobles of the shinobi world, by treating people like cattle, constantly created refugees, ensuring this group never dwindled.
"Commander To Hei!!"
The company president, Honda Masaru, along with his chubby son Honda Taka and several other executives, came forward to greet them.
"Hmm."
To Hei nodded lightly, acknowledging that the Honda Trading Company had indeed performed admirably, taking a bold risk by investing the majority of their resources in him. It was no wonder they were thriving.
And as for his close friend, Honda Taka, he had taken on the 'long-term mission' of protecting the company president, effectively working for To Hei indirectly.
For a shinobi to retire, they needed the Hokage’s approval, or they had to die or become incapacitated. Honda Taka, of course, couldn’t take those routes, so he had to find a way around it. By paying a high price to have a genin assigned to a C-rank mission, the village, which took a significant cut, could not refuse.
"Alright, you two, settle the people first!"
To Hei turned and issued his command.
"Yes, sir!" they responded in unison.
Sho Rin, the civilian jonin, and a middle-aged man with a rugged, bandit-like appearance, both acknowledged the order.
Indeed, Sho Rin, the civilian jonin, had been assigned to To Hei’s command. He had no resentment about it. In the shinobi world, power was everything, and even though To Hei was much younger, his skills earned him immense respect.
Due to their previous interactions, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Commander, replacing the former Nara Tatsuhito.
The bearded man's name is Nozomu Dora.
He comes from the small ninja clan, the Nobi, and is highly respected among the civilian and ninja forces of the southwestern ninja army. His fiery temper makes him seem more like a samurai than a ninja.
The two of them now serve as the Commander's right and left hands.
One manages internal affairs, while the other oversees the ninja army.
The Honda Trading Company had already prepared the tents and encampments, so all that was left was to distribute them.
"By the way, how many 'Wooden Oxen' did you bring this time?"
After dismissing the ninja army, Dohei followed Honda Katsu to his temporary office and asked about this.
Wooden Oxen!
These are the most important products of the United Fruit Company, which have been in production for a long time.
"We brought two hundred Wooden Oxen and some spare parts, which should be enough for us!"
Honda Katsu answered without hesitation.
Each Wooden Ox is more efficient than a real ox.
They can be powered by human labor, and switching operators allows for longer working hours without worrying about exhaustion.
If any issues arise, the parts can be easily replaced.
With just over a hundred parts, even ordinary people can quickly make the repairs.
"That's good. I'll have you, Hawk, manage the Wooden Oxen and the refugees!"
Dohei scanned the people around him and assigned this task to his close friend.
Even though Hawk wasn't the strongest or the oldest, he was still "one of us" and deserved to be cultivated.
It was the early stages, so any mistakes wouldn't be too serious, and there was plenty of time to grow into the role.
After delegating the tasks, Dohei, the Commander, found himself with nothing to do and returned to his old hobby.
Fishing!
He was still far from mastering Sage Mode and didn't want to rely on the hot springs forever.
About a week later, before Hyuga Aozuki's team arrived, another important group had already reached their destination.
To welcome them, Dohei and Honda Hawk traveled over ten kilometers out of the city.
"Why did you come as well?"
Seeing the man in a black hat with a refined demeanor, Dohei was quite surprised.
This was Ashikaga Sei, the Minister of the Land of Ghosts, the chief assistant to the miko Miroku, who was usually indispensable.
"I have been ordered by Miroku-sama to assist you, Commander Dohei, for a period of time!"
Ashikaga Sei smiled wryly.
He hadn't expected to be sent here to serve.
The good news was that he would return after the initial phase, but the bad news was that this task wouldn't be easy.
He had another secret mission.
To keep an eye on Borei!
Not to do anything, but to remind and supervise Dohei in collecting "Yo."
The direct farmland managed by the mikos of the Land of Ghosts had expanded by over ten thousand acres, and several irrigation ditches had been dug, turning the land fertile.
In the past, even with all their manpower, it would have taken over a decade to accomplish this.
But with Borei, it took less than ten days.
This made them realize just how important Borei was.
Now, Borei was considered a "treasure" of the Land of Ghosts, a fact that was widely acknowledged.
On the journey here, Borei was treated like an ancestor.
"Don't worry, it will have enough Yo for at least six months. I already have a plan for collecting it!"
Dohei made his promise.
With the efficiency of a thousand three-meter-tall terracotta warriors, six months would be enough to transform the land.
"Thank you, Commander Dohei!"
Ashikaga Sei bowed in gratitude.
"Alright, let me introduce you to someone!" Dohei brought out the chubby Honda Hawk. "This is Honda Hawk, the future heir of the Honda Trading Company. You two should get to know each other..."
Since they would be working together, it was natural for them to meet.
Dohei also wanted his friend to know about Borei, as some cover-up efforts would require the cooperation of the Honda Trading Company.
(End of Chapter)
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