EBE Chapter 745 Satisfied
Chapter 745 Satisfied
Satisfied, Zhang Hai prepared to leave, having obtained the answer he sought. However, just as he turned to leave, Orochimaru suddenly called out to him.
"Wait a minute, Zhang Haijun." Orochimaru's voice carried a hint of amusement and mystery. "I have another piece of information here that I think you'll find very interesting."
Zhang Hai stopped, his curiosity piqued. He turned back to the lab table and took the intelligence report from Orochimaru. He opened the report with a hint of doubt, but when he saw its contents, his previously calm expression instantly darkened, and then he couldn't help but chuckle in exasperation.
After reading the intelligence report, Zhang Hai was both angry and amused. Flames instantly erupted from his hand, reducing the report to ashes. His face was terrifyingly grim, but a mocking smile played on his lips. He raised his head, looking at Orochimaru, his tone icy and provocative: "Uncle, if I hadn't blocked your sword just now, were you planning to slit my throat and complete Danzo's mission?"
Orochimaru's face still wore that eerie smile, his golden vertical pupils gleaming with amusement. He didn't deny it, but said unhurriedly, "So you already guessed it. That's right, this information was indeed given to me by Danzo. The conditions he offered were very tempting; he wanted me to kill the ANBU member codenamed 'Night,' which is you."
Although Zhang Hai was furious, he wasn't surprised. After forcibly taking Xi Yan away last time, he had already anticipated that Danzo wouldn't let it go. That old fox was always vengeful and ruthless; he would definitely find every opportunity to eliminate him. He just hadn't expected Danzo to secretly contact Orochimaru and ask him to deal with him. This dramatic turn of events left Zhang Hai somewhat dumbfounded.
Orochimaru looked at Zhang Hai with amusement and relayed Danzo's words: "Danzo said that you have always wanted to kill him, so it is normal for him to fight back. After all, he is not the kind of person who sits and waits for death."
Zhang Hai's eyes instantly turned serious. He looked directly at Orochimaru, his tone calm yet firm: "Uncle, I had my own reasons for killing Danzo. But if you ask, I can give up." He knew that Orochimaru had his own network of connections among the higher-ups in Konoha, and he didn't want his personal grudges to affect his cooperation with Orochimaru.
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's dark golden pupils instantly contracted into thin vertical lines. He stared at Zhang Hai, seemingly judging the truthfulness of his words. After a long while, he slowly spoke, saying each word clearly, "Fine, then give up."
The atmosphere in the room froze instantly, becoming completely silent. A ripple of emotion flickered in Zhang Hai's heart, but his face remained calm. He knew Orochimaru must have had his reasons for making this decision.
"Uncle, you have to give me a reason." Zhang Hai's words broke the silence in the room and eased the tense atmosphere.
Orochimaru's gaze was deep as he slowly said, "Zhang Haijun, you and I are the same kind of people. We both harbor ambitions, crave power, and can't stand staying in Konoha. Danzo may be treacherous, but he is also an ambitious man. He wants to become Hokage, he wants to control Konoha, and he wants to protect the village in his own way. In a way, he is my partner now, and in the future... he may also be your partner."
"A partner?" Zhang Hai murmured the words to himself, a cold glint in his eyes. "He's not worthy." His tone was full of disdain. His hatred for Danzo ran deep; to expect him to cooperate with that old fox was simply a pipe dream.
Orochimaru saw the disdain in Zhang Hai's eyes and advised, "Zhang Hai-kun, don't let hatred blind you. Danzo can do things in Konoha that even Sarutobi couldn't. He secretly controls Konoha's Root and possesses enormous power. In some ways, he can even influence the situation in Konoha more than Sarutobi."
Zhang Hai did not refute. He had to admit that Orochimaru was right. Danzo had deep roots in Konoha, and although he acted covertly, his influence was not to be underestimated. In some aspects, he did indeed fall short of Orochimaru, especially in terms of control over Konoha.
Orochimaru saw Zhang Hai deep in thought and began to seriously consider his options. If Zhang Hai insisted on killing Danzo, what should he do? He had higher hopes for Zhang Hai's potential, believing he would become even more powerful than Danzo in the future. But for now, Danzo was more useful; he could provide intelligence within Konoha and even offer assistance in certain areas. However, if Zhang Hai truly insisted on killing Danzo, he would never risk his life for Danzo. But doing so would disappoint him.
After a long silence, Zhang Hai finally raised his head, a smile returning to his face. But this time, the smile carried a subtle, underlying meaning: "Uncle, since you've said so, I'll make you a promise. As long as he doesn't provoke me, I won't actively seek trouble with him. That's my promise to you, how about it?"
Orochimaru looked at the smile on Zhang Hai's face, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He knew Zhang Hai was a smart man; he could weigh the pros and cons and make the choice that best suited his interests. A satisfied smile appeared on his face as he praised, "I knew you were a smart man. I'm glad we reached an agreement."
Zhang Hai looked at Orochimaru with a pitiful expression. He rubbed his hands together and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Uncle, look how much I've sacrificed for your partner. Shouldn't you show some appreciation and give me something in return?" He knew Orochimaru was in a good mood, so this was the perfect time to speak.
Orochimaru was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then seemed to understand something and helplessly slapped his forehead. He looked at Zhang Hai with amusement, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his golden vertical pupils: "Heh, you kid, you know how to take advantage of a crisis. Tell me, what do you want from me? As long as it's not too outrageous, you can name anything." Although his words carried a hint of boldness, Zhang Hai clearly sensed that he was still holding back and wasn't really saying "anything is fine."
Zhang Hai chuckled inwardly. He thought of Orochimaru's future Kusanagi sword, a divine weapon of immense power, capable of cutting through iron like mud. Moreover, he knew that Orochimaru possessed more than one Kusanagi sword, and could even create more using the Eight-Headed Serpent Technique.