Although the Mission Department often received eccentric requests, the difference was that those employers were willing to pay handsomely. Even a ninja had to obey when money was involved. After all, ninjas needed to eat too.
But what about those without money?
They went straight to the Police Force.
As Lance Shen had put it, every absurd and petty complaint imaginable ended up on the Police Force's desk. And if the officers dared to ignore them, the villagers would raise such a ruckus that no one would have peace. That was the current reality of the Uchiha Police Force buried under trivial nonsense that drained everyone's patience and sanity.
"I don't think we should turn away the villagers," Shisui Uchiha spoke up, taking the opportunity to voice his stance. "This is our best chance to improve relations between the Uchiha and the people of the village."
From his perspective, the villagers' distrust of the Uchiha was still a lingering scar from the past. Though these trivial matters were tedious, he believed that by helping, they could slowly mend the gap.
"I agree with Shisui. We shouldn't make any drastic changes."
It was Elder Six who had been publicly humiliated by Lance just last night who now seized the chance to oppose him.
"Hmph."
The First Elder scowled in displeasure but didn't immediately speak. Instead, he sat back with arms crossed, waiting to see how Lance would handle these so-called pacifists who always preached moderation.
Then came a sharp, mocking laugh.
"Pfft!"
Lance burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as he tried and failed to hold it in. His reaction drew frowns from everyone around the table.
Shisui's brows furrowed; the young man's behavior was clearly crossing a line. Elder Six, meanwhile, turned livid with rage. His hand trembled as he jabbed a finger toward Lance.
"Lance Shen! What do you mean by that? Are you mocking me?"
"Apologies," Lance said, straightening his face while massaging his cheeks to stifle another laugh. Then he lifted his hand and added with a smirk, "Actually, you can remove the word 'are.' I'm definitely mocking you."
Gasps echoed across the hall.
Even if he had only mocked the elder with sarcasm, it would've been tolerable. But to openly admit it to the elder's face was sheer audacity. It wasn't just a slap to the face; it was a stomp on the man's pride, followed by a contemptuous spit.
"You!"
Elder Six's face flushed red, then purple with fury.
"Lance," Shisui intervened, his tone tight with frustration. "Even if we disagree, that doesn't mean you can behave this way. You could have directed your words at me instead of humiliating an elder."
"You call that a difference in ideals?"
Lance's laughter started anew. He shook his head, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "If that's what you call ideology, then the bar's set way too low."
Uchiha Fugaku, watching from the head seat, felt a headache coming on. Lance had always been a bit of a maverick, but recently, his attitude had grown sharper more confrontational. It was as if he had no filter left at all.
"Disrespectful! Utterly disrespectful!" Elder Six barked, trembling with rage.
"Spare me the theatrics," Lance shot back coldly. "I'm not here to pick fights for fun. But let's be honest this isn't a matter of ideals. It's a matter of stupidity. Blatant, incurable stupidity."
The hall fell silent.
Lance stood, his expression serious now, his voice steady and cutting.
"The villagers' hatred for us didn't appear out of nowhere. It's a result of the Nine-Tails incident. That event changed everything. And let's not forget what the Police Force is. We're a law enforcement division. Our job is to maintain order to do the dirty work no one else wants to touch. That alone makes us unpopular."
He swept his gaze across the room.
"In that situation, you still think wasting manpower and resources to chase lost cats or fetch runaway chickens will somehow earn us their love? That's not noble it's naïve. If we have extra resources, they should go to our own people. Higher wages. Better benefits. Stronger unity. What's wrong with that?"
Lance's voice carried strength and conviction, echoing through the room like a challenge.
"Or do you believe the members of our clan aren't worthy of a better life?"
"I I never said that!" Shisui's composure cracked. He was smart enough to know that Lance had just twisted the conversation into a moral battlefield. If he denied the proposal now, he'd be seen as betraying his own clan.
From the side, the First Elder clapped his hands slowly, smiling in approval.
"Well said! It's good to see there are still young men in this clan who care about their people. You have my full support, Lance."
The hardliners immediately rallied behind the statement. After all, any idea that made the moderates uncomfortable was worth backing in their eyes.
Even the squad captains many of whom weren't aligned with any faction remained silent. This was about their pay, their working conditions. They weren't going to object to that.
Everyone had to eat. Ideals were great, but ideals didn't fill stomachs or pay rent.
Meanwhile, Fugaku felt the situation slipping out of control. He could already foresee where this was heading: more internal conflict, more division. He needed to steer things back before Lance said something truly dangerous.
"Lance," Fugaku interrupted, his voice low but firm. "Raising benefits for our clan members isn't an issue. But have you considered how this will look to the villagers? The Police Force no longer handling minor complaints won't they think we're abandoning our duty?"
Lance's response was immediate and unyielding.
"They can think whatever they want. The strength of the Uchiha doesn't depend on whether people like us. It depends on whether we're strong enough to stand on our own."
He paused, then continued in a calm but cutting tone, "Assign a few clerks to handle the complaints. Have them redirect the nonsense to other departments. If something's too complicated, they can just pass it up the chain. Simple."
He crossed his arms and declared, "As for my squad, we won't waste another minute on petty errands. Whoever wants to handle them can. We're done."
Then, his expression hardened further.
"And another thing," he said, voice rising. "The Police Force's pay and benefits haven't been updated in ages. Are we supposed to keep tightening our belts while we protect this village?"
His glare swept toward Fugaku.
"And those useless clerks who can't even process a recruit evaluation after half a month what's the point of keeping them around? If they can't handle paperwork, they might as well retire and start pig farming!"
The tension in the room grew heavy. Fugaku's face darkened. The administrative staff were his direct responsibility. Lance's words, though harsh, cut deep with truth.
"I'll look into it personally," Fugaku finally said, his tone cold. "And I'll see to it that the issue is resolved."
When the meeting adjourned, the reactions were divided.
The hardliners left grinning, satisfied with Lance's defiance.
The moderates were speechless, drained of energy.
Even Shisui walked out in a daze, unsure how the discussion had spiraled so far beyond his control.
But one thing was clear Lance Shen had shaken the very foundation of the Uchiha Police Force, and the echo of his words would not fade easily.