Danzo had already crossed the border and disappeared from Ling's Telescope Technique. A small smile played on Ling's lips; this pursuit had been a complete success.
She hoped Danzo would be strong and not easily die at the hands of those Village Anbu, holding out longer and delaying the start of the war.
Ling jumped down from the large rock. Yunyan-酱 had already returned to the Ninja Cat Clan's base with the supplies she intended to sell.
She slowly walked towards Third Hokage's side, collecting the materials that her Shadow Clone had gathered from the Hidden Cloud Village Anbu corpses.
Hiruzen, unlike Ling, didn't leave many alive. Aside from a few for intelligence gathering, everyone else was dead.
This was the normal style of Ninja in the Ninja World; it was either you die or I live. Ling's approach was probably because she didn't harbor much hatred.
Although Irming Yagyu died in a border conflict with Hidden Sand Village, Ling wasn't the original person and hadn't inherited much of the hatred.
The supplies on the Hidden Cloud Village Anbu were not much different from those from Hidden Sand Village, except there were very few poisons and a larger proportion of Ninjato.
There were very few Ninjutsu scrolls, and none that interested Ling, such as the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. However, there was a Lightning Release Ninjato Art, similar to Uchiha's Sword Leap Flame.
Ling had collected all three mainstream Ninjato Arts, and the three complemented each other, making for a good combination.
Third Hokage watched Ling's Shadow Clone collect these supplies, feeling somewhat speechless, but seeing that she buried the bodies, he didn't say much.
Third Hokage also noticed that many of the Hidden Sand Village Anbu were alive, accounting for more than half. He frowned, thinking that Ling was perhaps too soft and merciful for her first time on the battlefield.
"Ling, you are too kind. On the battlefield, killing the enemy is the least risky action. Leaving the enemy alive leaves a hidden danger for yourself and your teammates."
As Uchiha Ling's teacher, Third Hokage naturally had to admonish her about these things. Logically, these concepts would be taught in the Ninja Academy, and then by instructors in the Genin classes.
Unfortunately, Ling had only attended school for a year before Third Hokage pulled her out to work as child labor. Third Hokage thought it was normal for Ling not to know these things.
"Ah? Hiruzen-sensei, these Hidden Sand Village Anbu have all been crippled and had their Chakra sealed by me. There won't be any danger."
It was Ling's first time hearing someone call her kind. In the past, the most common thing she heard was that Uchiha brats were inherently evil. She didn't expect someone to change her reputation today.
"Ling, while your method is safe, it wastes too much of your Chakra. On the battlefield, this is a path to death. Everyone must conserve their Chakra as much as possible to live longer."
Third Hokage's mouth twitched when he heard that Ling had sealed all these Anbu's Chakra. While such an operation was very stable, it was not suitable for the battlefield or even for missions outside the Village.
"Oh, I understand, Hiruzen-sensei. However, I left these Anbu alive for a reason. You'll understand when I explain."
Ling looked at the Jonin from the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans who were walking over, likely curious. They probably wanted to hear what twisted logic Ling would come up with.
"Leaving them alive has three benefits. First, we can read their memories to obtain intelligence, then tell their enemy Village that they have surrendered and pledged allegiance to Konoha. Then, we can reveal some secret intelligence or stage photos of them living happily in Konoha, which can cause hostility or ostracism towards their relatives and friends in the enemy Village."
"When there are few people ostracized, it's nothing, but as more and more enemy Ninja are captured, more and more of their relatives and friends will be ostracized, eventually leading to instability or even internal strife in the enemy Village."
Ling said the first method with a smile, but it also shocked the Jonin and Third Hokage.
"You can do that? Are you a devil? Uchiha brats are truly inherently evil!" These people were probably thinking this at the moment.
But Ling didn't care. Who said war had to be bloody? Attacking the heart was the best strategy. She would just bring some wisdom from her ancestors to the Ninja World natives.
Although Third Hokage felt it didn't quite align with the universal values of Ninja, he had to admit that this method was very effective, especially during wartime. It could cause internal strife among enemies, thereby dissolving the war.
"Cough cough~! Ling explained it very well. What about the second method?" Hiruzen Sarutobi almost pulled out a small notebook to record it.
"The second is, if the enemy Village still insists on waging war, then we can use this as leverage, proclaiming that if they attack, these prisoners will surely die."
"While it might not be useful temporarily, we don't have to execute them. Instead, we can inform their Village that they have been abandoned and then release them back to their own Ninja Village."
"When they return, they're already cripples, so they won't pose a threat to Konoha. And we can use this to shake the morale of the enemy Ninja. They will be further ostracized, rejected, or even monitored by their Village."
"As long as they suffer enough grievances and become sufficiently disappointed with their Village, they can easily become our spies. Perhaps they might even incite riots due to unfair treatment."
Ling felt that these methods were a bit overkill for ordinary Ninja. For example, Pakura could be used, but she would need to be captured first.
Third Hokage and many Jonin were already breaking out in cold sweat. They felt this brat was too insidious. If they were subjected to such treatment, they would probably hate their Village and betray it too.
After all, if you become crippled because of a Village mission, not only do you not receive compensation, but you are also ostracized and slandered, and your friends and family receive such treatment, or your friends and family even hate you, then there is no psychological pressure to betray the Village; instead, there's the pleasure of revenge.
At this moment, Third Hokage, including all the Jonin, felt that they must never offend this black-hearted, adorable little loli.
Otherwise, they might be schemed to death one day without knowing how they died. This was not some adorable, pretty little loli at all; it was a little devil in human skin, with black-hearted cotton filling its beautiful facade.
"As for the third, we can use some of them as guinea pigs for the advancement of Konoha's Medical Ninjutsu, or as builders to lay bricks and tiles, as landmines when encountering traps and Exploding Tag formations, and as cannon fodder to trick Ninjutsu and Exploding Tags when assaulting fortresses."
Ling had truly utilized these people to the extreme, but it also made those Jonin retreat several steps from Ling, leaving the Third Hokage, who wanted to retreat but couldn't, standing out.
"Everyone, I am offering advice for Konoha. You won't dislike me for this, will you? I am also doing this for Konoha's development! You won't ostracize me, will you?"
Ling's eyes welled up with tears, about to spill, as she looked sadly at these people. Are your steps back serious?
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