Uchiha Fugaku pulled open the door, and a small figure immediately squeezed into the room, then naturally closed the door behind him.
The moment the shadowy figure entered the room, Fugaku's Sharingan activated, and he retreated rapidly, putting distance between himself and the intruder.
In his opinion, the shadowy figure who could evade the Konoha Military Police Force's search was no ordinary person, and he could not afford to underestimate him.
"Who are you?"
Although he was somewhat puzzled as to why the other party's figure was so small, Fugaku maintained his necessary vigilance.
Chishimo slowly removed his hood, revealing a fair-skinned, handsome, and delicate face.
Watching the scene before him, Fugaku was startled, both surprised by the person's youth and that he seemed to have seen this person in the Clan before.
"This junior, Uchiha Qianshuang, greets the Clan Head."
Chishimo paid Fugaku a standard junior's respect; he knew that his abrupt intrusion tonight was already quite rude, so he dared not be negligent in other courtesies.
"Uchiha Qianshuang? Since you know I am the Clan Head, how dare you trespass into the Clan Head's residence? What is your crime?"
Uchiha Fugaku exuded a heavy and inviolable aura of authority.
Chishimo quickly cupped his hands, responding with a hint of grievance in his tone, "Clan Head, please calm your anger. This junior means no harm by coming here. I just didn't want my visit today to be exposed to the other seniors, which is why I resorted to this tactic. After all, I have no power or influence; if others found out, how could I escape?"
Upon hearing this, Fugaku's expression noticeably softened, but then he couldn't help but smile wryly.
Judging by this kid's age and the way he entered the door, he was indeed a rare genius, but this kid really thought of himself as a prized commodity, to be fought over by others.
One should know that there were not a few geniuses in Uchiha; while Chishimo was good, he wasn't so exceptional that those Clan elders would condescend to him.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Another series of knocks came from the door.
Chishimo and Fugaku simultaneously looked towards the direction of the door, then exchanged glances.
Fugaku gave Chishimo a questioning look, and Chishimo understood, slowly shaking his head to indicate he knew nothing about the person outside the door.
Fugaku slowly walked to the door, but this time he was cautious and didn't open it immediately. Instead, he asked through the door, "Who is it?"
"Clan Head, I apologize for disturbing you. While on patrol just now, I seemed to see a shadowy figure flash past your door, so I wanted to ask if you noticed anyone with suspicious movements?"
Fugaku looked at Chishimo again, but his authoritative gaze now held a hint of strangeness and a touch of amusement, clearly indicating that if he didn't explain things clearly, he would be pushed out.
Chishimo felt a little helpless inside; who would have thought that this high and mighty Clan Head would have such a mischievous side.
Although he grumbled inwardly, Chishimo's expression remained calm. He lowered his voice and slowly said to Fugaku, "Clan Head, I can help you deal with the issues between the Uchiha and the Konoha higher-ups."
These few short words stirred up a storm in Fugaku's heart, so much so that he didn't even hear the Konoha Military Police Force member outside the door call him twice.
"Cough, cough."
Noticing his Gaffe, Fugaku's old face reddened. He gave Chishimo another deep look before speaking to the outside of the door, "Don't worry, there's no suspicious person here. You might have seen wrong. Remember to get more rest when you go back."
"Yes, thank you for your concern, Clan Head. Since there's nothing, I'll take my leave now." Then, a series of footsteps gradually faded away.
Fugaku turned around again, his gaze unreservedly scrutinizing Chishimo, as if trying to discern something from him, but he found nothing except the respect and calmness on his face.
"Uchiha Qianshuang, follow me!"
Fugaku gave up on observing and walked directly towards the backyard, with Chishimo following closely behind him.
When Chishimo entered the backyard of Fugaku's residence, he saw that the spacious area contained only one figure standing with his arms crossed, his back to him. This figure was like a towering mountain, appearing unapproachable.
After a moment, Fugaku slowly turned around, his eyes blood-red, and a powerful oppressive aura swept towards Chishimo.
Chishimo braced himself, straightened his back, and met Fugaku's gaze with his own equally blood-red eyes, not yielding an inch.
The surprise in Fugaku's eyes flashed and disappeared as he slowly deactivated his Sharingan.
"Two-tomoe Sharingan, it seems I underestimated you. State your purpose, and the matter you just mentioned. If you cannot satisfy me, you will not have the chance to leave here."
Feeling the pressure disappear, Chishimo stretched his slightly sore limbs and bowed to Fugaku.
"Clan Head, I heard that ever since the Second Great Ninja War ended, the Village's higher-ups often ostracize the Uchiha, and even among the common people, the Uchiha's reputation has been declining. Is this true?"
Fugaku nodded, saying nothing more. These matters were already open secrets within the Clan, and he wasn't surprised that Chishimo knew about them. However, Chishimo's next sentence almost made Fugaku lose his composure again.
"I suppose many in the Clan have thoughts of initiating a coup, don't they?"
Seeing Fugaku's increasingly gloomy face, Chishimo inwardly cursed himself for going too far with his teasing. He quickly said, "Clan Head, don't misunderstand. Given the nature of our Clan members, reaching this point is almost inevitable; anyone can guess it. I imagine you, Clan Head, are also conflicted, and I have a way to help you."
"Oh? You can help me with something I can't even figure out myself?" Although Chishimo had given him one surprise after another tonight, he still didn't believe this child could solve such a difficult problem that even he found Tricky.
"Currently, the Uchiha Clan faces two major problems: the ostracization from Konoha's higher-ups and the dissatisfaction of Konoha's populace. The latter is relatively easier to solve; it only requires us to restrain our Clan members' personalities and treat others with kindness, and others will naturally treat you with kindness in return."
"You say it so easily. Back then, the Second Hokage handed the Konoha Military Police Force to the Uchiha Clan, partly to delegate authority, and partly to make us Uchiha the villains, to bear the responsibility of maintaining the Village's order. How can we treat others with kindness?"
Fugaku's expression remained serious; he clearly hadn't heard the answer he wanted.
"Clan Head, have you not realized that you, and indeed the entire Konoha Military Police Force, have fallen into a misconception?"
This question left Fugaku momentarily bewildered.
"Strict enforcement of the law is certainly justifiable when dealing with truly heinous criminals, but for minor mistakes and errors, gentle guidance with a pleasant demeanor is far more effective. And the Uchiha, who have always been proud and aloof, clearly cannot achieve this. This is the true reason why the Second Hokage confidently entrusted the Konoha Military Police Force to the Uchiha!"
At this point, Chishimo's eyes were burning as he stared at the Clan Head before him.
Fugaku's tall frame trembled slightly, then his brows furrowed tightly as he fell into deep thought.
Chishimo did not rush to speak again but watched Fugaku, quietly waiting for him to process the information he had just given him.