A deep, meaningful voice echoed in the small room, clearly reaching Qingyu's ears. The owner of that voice was none other than Yamanaka Yuta, whom he hadn't seen in six months.
Qingyu focused his gaze on the old man.
"Mr. Yuta."
He could sense that Yuta had become significantly thinner. The life force in his body was faint—he looked like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment. Seeing such a drastic change in just half a year was jarring, though perhaps not entirely surprising.
After all, Yuta had spent his life using the Yamanaka clan's Mind-Reading techniques. The mental and physical toll is immense even for the young; for an old man, it was a heavy burden to bear.
"I've come to ask for your help," Yuta said, cutting straight to the chase. He stared at Qingyu with serious eyes. "I hope you'll assist me."
"Help with what?"
Behind his mask, Qingyu's expression remained neutral. This time, he didn't refuse immediately but decided to listen.
There was something about Yuta's aura—a sense that his days were numbered—that made Qingyu hesitate to be blunt. Furthermore, Qingyu was no longer the same person he was six months ago. Half a year of consistent training and countless Chakra Boosts from reading memories had elevated his strength considerably.
However, he still had no intention of "playing hero." If the request involved trouble, the answer would still be no.
"I am investigating the missing persons case in Konoha," Yuta said honestly. He didn't hide anything this time, trusting that even if Qingyu didn't help, he wouldn't breathe a word of it to anyone.
"In the last month, people have been disappearing from the village. It's as if they've evaporated into thin air. No traces, no clues. I suspect a conspiracy behind this. This isn't an official mission; I just want to find the truth and contribute my last bit of strength to the village!"
Yuta's fists were clenched, trembling slightly—a clear sign that his body was failing him.
Holy cow! Qingyu thought. The missing persons case...
He knew exactly what this was. This was the era of Orochimaru's human experimentation. Whether it was the Hashirama Cell research or the quest for immortality via the Living Corpse Reincarnation, people were being snatched from the streets.
First Danzo, now Orochimaru. He was literally running into the two most dangerous entities in the village.
"Mr. Yuta, I can't help you," Qingyu said, shaking his head instantly.
Are you kidding? Orochimaru at this stage had just recently earned the title of Sannin. He was a solid Kage-level powerhouse. You do not mess with him. If it were a minor issue, Qingyu might have helped out of sentiment, but this was a death trap.
"Is your body still... indisposed?" Yuta blinked, surprised by how quickly the rejection came after Qingyu had shown interest.
"It's not a physical issue."
Qingyu took a deep breath and looked Yuta straight in the eyes through his mask. "Mr. Yuta... this case... you should stop investigating it."
He couldn't help but offer the warning. This wasn't about justice or ideals. The end of this trail was Orochimaru. In the current Konoha, who could go toe-to-toe with him? Yuta's investigation was like an egg hitting a rock.
Even if Orochimaru didn't kill him, Danzo would. Every experiment Orochimaru conducted in the village was backed by Danzo. This wasn't just one Kage-level threat; it was two.
"You know something about this case?" Yuta's eyes sharpened with suspicion. He caught a hint of hidden meaning in Qingyu's warning.
"I know nothing," Qingyu lied immediately. "But as you said, this isn't your mission. Therefore, I don't think you should be looking into it."
"Is it really that simple?" Yuta asked, unconvinced.
"It is," Qingyu nodded. "We Anbu ninjas must prioritize our assigned missions. If it hasn't been assigned to you, you shouldn't be doing extra work."
Yuta fell silent. He realized he had misjudged the boy. He previously thought Qingyu hated missions, but looking at his track record with Captain Eaton, the boy was actually a model of strict adherence to orders. Qingyu wasn't being lazy; he was being compliant.
"Sigh..." Yuta shook his head. "If I reported this to Captain Eaton, he would never authorize an investigation. That's why I can't get an official mission. I have no choice but to investigate secretly."
Yuta knew Morino Eaton too well. The missing persons case had caused a stir in the village, and the higher-ups had already intervened. By order of the Third Hokage, the investigation was handed entirely to the Root. The Torture Force was officially out of the loop.
"Qingyu, there's an inside story here. If you help me, we might be able to uncover the truth," Yuta urged.
"Mr. Yuta, let me ask you: in all the years you've spent investigating cases, how many of them didn't have an inside story?" Qingyu countered.
Yuta sighed, a look of bitterness crossing his face. His career in the Torture Force had been full of cases where he knew the truth but was forced to let things go.
"I just want to solve one major case that affects the village before my life ends," Yuta said, his voice laced with regret.
"Rest assured, the case will be solved. But it shouldn't be solved by you," Qingyu said calmly.
Internally, he was thinking: You might be ready to die, but I'm still young! I am not going down with you on this ship.