As soon as Baki entered, he announced his name and directly stated that the following matters needed to be discussed with the Mizukage privately.
The implication was: "You, the person next to her, get lost!"
Mei Terumī couldn't help but glance at Shinji, her eyes conveying: "You were right, and they came so quickly. What should we do?"
Shinji returned her gaze, "Don't worry, I'm here. Leave it to me. Let's see how I can trick him."
"Ahem..."
Baki saw that the couple in front of him were completely ignoring him and exchanging meaningful glances. He couldn't help but clear his throat to remind them that he was still there.
"You can speak directly about your business. The person next to me is my exclusive consultant. Generally, important matters ultimately require his opinion, so there's no need to be reserved."
The more formal Mei Terumī spoke, the more speechless Baki became.
"Exclusive consultant? Isn't this just the Mizukage's lover she found for herself? No wonder he looks so pale. His workload must be quite high and very tiring."
Thinking this, he felt a tiny bit of envy for some reason.
Of course, these were just his inner thoughts, not revealed on the surface.
He pondered for a moment. Since the other party had said so, there should be no problem. Anyway, he wouldn't say anything explicit. Even if rumors spread, he wouldn't admit it and could even turn the tables.
"It's like this. The Kazekage, remembering the generations of friendship and mutual exchange between our two countries... wishes to further deepen the alliance between Sand Hidden and Mist Hidden."
Baki started off like an experienced diplomat, spewing out all sorts of nonsense.
Although Sand Hidden and Mist Hidden weren't mortal enemies, their relationship wasn't good either. Instead, it was very tense, with frequent friction between them.
These situations all disappeared when Baki spoke. Anyone who didn't know would think their relationship was incredibly good.
Not only was Shinji speechless, but even Mei Terumī frowned slightly.
Seeing this, Baki knew that the Mizukage in front of him didn't like people who lied with their eyes open. So, he immediately changed his tone and said,
"In fact, we in Sand Hidden can also fulfill all the promises Konoha made, and even do better."
"I once heard that the support personnel sent by Konoha to the Land of Water seemed to be mere 'decorations,' always unwilling to exert themselves and only running away when faced with trouble..."
As he spoke, Baki noticed Mei Terumī's expression instantly turn very unpleasant, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.
He immediately felt reassured and gained more confidence for the upcoming persuasion.
He had no choice. Konoha had acted too unethically in this matter. If he didn't seize this opportunity to badmouth Konoha to death and win over Mist Hidden, he would have come here in vain today!
"For this reason, you were very angry and wrote a letter questioning the Hokage. But if it were our Sand Hidden people who went, I guarantee on behalf of the Kazekage that such a situation would absolutely not occur!"
"After all, as the leader of the Five Great Ninja Villages, Konoha values its reputation and face far more than the interests of its allies. In this regard, we Sand Hidden have fewer concerns. Our people are very simple and honest. As long as they are our friends, we will never let our friends go hungry as long as we have a bite to eat."
It must be said that Baki's move was indeed quite brilliant.
While slandering Konoha, he also infinitely elevated himself.
Of course, these were just empty boasts for now. Whether they would be useful at a critical moment remained to be seen. But at least he had shown his stance.
Even Mei Terumī's expression softened considerably upon hearing this, mainly because this respectful attitude was very important.
If she hadn't known his malicious intentions beforehand, she might have actually considered forming an alliance with Sand Hidden.
But now...
"I am aware of the Kazekage's goodwill, and on behalf of the entire Mist Hidden Village, I express our deep gratitude for your willingness to provide us with assistance. However, I wonder what price we need to pay to obtain this help?"
In any world, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
If someone helps you without regard for cost or reward, either they are your parents, or they have ulterior motives, and those motives are significant!
We are all adults; we all know there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Baki was no exception. He smiled and said, "To speak of 'price' might be too strong a word. Actually, all we need is for you, the Mizukage, to stand on our Sand Hidden side during the upcoming Chūnin Exam and not show favoritism to Konoha."
"Afterward, in addition to the promises I just made, there will be more 'compensation' offered. We will never disappoint you, Mizukage-sama."
The true intentions were starting to be revealed!
But the words were still not clearly stated.
Mei Terumī feigned confusion and asked, "Stand on your side during the Chūnin Exam, what does that mean? A mere Chūnin Exam shouldn't require our two villages to unite, should it?"
"That's hard to say..."
Baki said vaguely, "We are also preparing for the unexpected. After all, the venue for this joint Chūnin Exam is in Konoha, the organizer is Konoha, and even the proctors are all from Konoha. It's hard to avoid some unfairness."
"So, if by any chance some friction occurs, we have traveled a long distance and are weak and alone, and will inevitably be unable to resist. But if we unite, our strength will be greater. Then, even if something happens, Konoha wouldn't dare to go too far."
Again, friction, resistance, and alliance...
Baki's hints were quite obvious.
So, under Shinji's subtle signal, Mei Terumī nodded slightly and said, "What you said makes some sense. Actually, after bringing my people here, I was also worried about these issues. In that case, please trouble yourself to inform the Kazekage that I, representing Mist Hidden, agree. But first, we must ensure the safety of the people I brought. Since I brought these people to Konoha, I must be able to take them back safely. I hope the Kazekage can understand."
Upon hearing this, Baki's heart immediately relaxed, and a few sincere smiles appeared on his face. "Please rest assured, Mizukage-sama. We Sand Hidden will not easily put our allies in danger."
Mei Terumī thought to herself, "I'll believe you if I'm a ghost!"
These black-hearted people, each more sinister and cunning than the last!
"It better be..."
Just as the conversation was drawing to a close, Shinji, who had been silent and pretending to be a block of wood, finally spoke.
"Mizukage-sama, I just received a secret report from the village stating that we have encountered another large-scale attack by curse spirits. Although we repelled the curse spirits through unity, a large number of houses and buildings were destroyed, and casualties were heavy. We urgently need a batch of supplies. What do you think..."
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