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Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle…

How to cook a perfect bowl of instant noodles.

First, choose a beautiful spot, meaning somewhere no one can see you.

Second, prepare eggs and ham.

Third, blanch the noodles in cold water, then boil for a minute and a half in boiling water.

Fourth, add the seasonings in strict order.

Orochimaru ate a bowl of mushy instant noodles today too.

Sitting in a cold, candlelit underground cave, he stared blankly at a table full of experimental data.

Where did the problem come from?

I don't know!

Everything seemed normal.

But there was still a problem!

Orochimaru irritably ran his hands through his hair.

When he let go, large strands of black hair were tangled between his fingers.

Hair loss…

I'm sixteen, aren't I?

After a dejected sigh, Orochimaru slumped into his armchair.

"It's too difficult…"

He stared blankly at the cave ceiling, where drops of accumulated water occasionally fell, landing with a dull thud in an iron bucket in a corner of the cave.

Time passed bit by bit…

Each thud was a wasted moment of life.

After a long while, he regained his senses, a touch of sadness appearing on his handsome young face. He stood up and restlessly paced back and forth in the cave.

The time was almost up, the time agreed upon with Mushi-Hime.

So, did he really have no choice but to ask that annoying guy for help?

Speaking of which, Tsunade could probably make that medicine too, right?

Orochimaru thought of this.

Tsunade's silly face, holding her stomach and laughing until tears streamed down her face, appeared in his mind.

Absolutely not to ask that guy for help!

And Jiraiya, forget it, Jiraiya was completely unreliable.

Was there still hope if he honestly went to Konoha Hospital for treatment?

Orochimaru desperately tried to think of ways to save himself.

No way! The Third Old Man would explode!

Hissing, Orochimaru stopped in his tracks.

"All options exhausted!"

A huge sense of powerlessness rose in his heart. Orochimaru slumped down, resting his chin on his hands, propped on the table. His tongue unconsciously flicked out like a snake, then quickly retracted.

On the table, the half-eaten bowl of instant noodles, without ham or egg, still emitted a faint aroma.

I shouldn't have bought that yokan; I ran into her right then.

Otherwise, I could have kept it a secret.

Damn Mushi-Hime!

The water in the kettle was still warm. Orochimaru brewed a cup of elegant and fragrant floral tea with wild chrysanthemums he had picked in the forest.

He took a long, frustrated gulp!

"Hiss-hah—!"

The teacup was placed on the table with a firm but not harsh sound.

He couldn't just give in so easily!

Otherwise, he would never be able to hold his head high again!

But…

Orochimaru stood up, his face cold, and splashed cold water from the iron bucket on his face. He casually wiped it with his sleeve and slowly started pacing in circles.

Calm down, there must be another way.

Orochimaru, you are a true genius; don't give up so easily!

Just then, a small beetle flew in. Orochimaru, with his snake-like cold eyes, stared at the flying beetle.

Insects.

She's here!

My secret base has been exposed!

Can't keep it!

I need to check if there's anything valuable to take with me.

Thinking this, Orochimaru's face turned ugly.

The Insects flew in circles several times in front of Orochimaru, then flew away.

Hesitating for a moment, Orochimaru followed.

The sun was shining brightly in the forest outside. Following the flying Insects, he walked all the way to a riverbank.

Speaking of which, the fish in the river were big and fat, but Orochimaru didn't have time.

On the Naka River, Orochimaru saw Miki skipping stones by the riverbank.

Across the river, Orochimaru looked at Miki on the opposite bank.

Orochimaru didn't speak.

In negotiations, generally, the first to speak is the one who concedes.

Orochimaru didn't want to concede.

Miki ignored Orochimaru, squatted down, picked up a flat, round stone, and threw it towards the middle of the river.

Seven skips…

Clapping the dust from her hands, Miki looked at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru stared back with cold eyes.

"This is the medicine we agreed upon." Miki threw a bottle of medicine into the air.

The small glass jar was full of wiggling, fat-bottomed insects.

Orochimaru looked at the medicine bottle, a primal discomfort starting to rise within him.

However, did he really get it so easily?

As he was thinking, the sunlight in front of him was blocked, and a shadow fell. When he looked up, Miki was already standing right in front of him.

At this moment, Orochimaru realized that this guy was taller than him.

"What do you want?"

Orochimaru looked at Miki warily.

"I've noticed you're a little afraid of me." Miki said, "Why is that?"

"Impossible!" Orochimaru sneered.

"Is that so…" Miki said, "It doesn't matter. Orochimaru, what do you think life is?"

"Then, what do you think it is?" Orochimaru asked coldly.

"Me?" Miki said, "Let me answer your question first, as a reference for you."

"Orochimaru, life is a miracle."

"Whether it's you, or me, every person, everything in this world—flowers, trees, birds, insects, fish, beasts—all of these seemingly ordinary and common things are miracles."

"So what do you think about life now?"

"Life, huh…" Orochimaru mused, then said, "It's something precious."

Indeed, this wasn't *that* Orochimaru, but this was the most fundamental Orochimaru.

Orochimaru, who had not yet undergone the cruel baptism of the Ninja World.

Miki said, "Do you want to join me in appreciating and studying the miracles of life?"

He was invited by a girl.

Orochimaru was not unfamiliar with this, as he was both handsome and cute.

However, as a genius he recognized, Mushi-Hime wouldn't be such a boring woman!

So…

"Can I interpret that as you wanting me to be your subordinate?" Orochimaru said coldly.

Miki paused for a moment. How did this guy interpret it to such an extent?

Do all geniuses have holes in their brains? She was clearly inviting him to work together.

But, never mind…

"Subordinate?" Miki looked Orochimaru up and down and said, "Perhaps a little sister."

"Don't you dare tell anyone about this!" Orochimaru said with a chilling voice.

"Then why don't you silence me?" Miki said, "Try it?"

Currently, Orochimaru's fight with Tsunade was a 50/50, while Tsunade's win rate against Miki was zero.

Without using the Nine-Tailed.

"It won't be that easy to make me bow down!" Orochimaru said coldly, "I won't easily compromise or surrender! This is my ninja way! Even if you threaten me with this! It's useless!"

"Really?" Miki said.

Orochimaru glared at Miki.

Hold it together! Orochimaru!

It's all or nothing now!

Stare…

He couldn't hold it anymore!!!

Drops of cold sweat trickled down Orochimaru's forehead…

"Since you want me to be your subordinate, then let me witness your power, Mushi-Hime."

Orochimaru watched Miki with cold eyes.

As he raised his hand, a long snake crawled out from his sleeve, flicking its cold tongue at Miki.

"I also want to see your Soft Physique Modification." With that, Miki clapped her hands, and a vibrant, dangerous purple quickly spread over her entire body, wrapping around her and burning like flames.

Orochimaru couldn't help but stick out his long tongue, unconsciously licking his dry lips.

"How disgusting." Miki said.

"You're the one!" Orochimaru gritted his teeth.

Then, Orochimaru floated on the river.

Drifting with the current.

Miki, back on the riverbank, stretched.

"Now, I'm the boss."

"Orochimaru."

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle…"

"Didn't you bow down quite beautifully?"

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle…"

He was numb, physically numb.

Meaning poisoned.

Seriously, I manually copied it, the VIP split volume in my phone's background never arrived.

It's on sale, thank you for your support.

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