Chapter 247: Put Them in a Museum as Historical Artifacts
"Lady Mei Terumi?"
A gentle voice came from behind. Mei Terumi turned around and saw the familiar Byakugan, then asked curiously, "And you are?"
"Hyuga Miyuki."
Wearing a construction helmet, Hyuga Miyuki walked over to Mei Terumi, curiously observing her. "Are you here for a tour?"
"Yes." Mei Terumi smiled slightly. "Miss Miyuki, it's a pleasure to meet you. What exactly are you doing?"
Looking at the construction helmet on Hyuga Miyuki's head, Mei Terumi hesitated before voicing her last question.
Is this a job? Or perhaps a unique outfit in the Land of Snow?
"I'm overseeing the terracotta soldiers," Hyuga Miyuki said as she withdrew her gaze and pointed at the passing soldiers. "We've just acquired them recently and can't control them perfectly yet. I need to keep an eye on them to prevent accidents."
Mei Terumi nodded thoughtfully. "These soldiers are Moryo's creations, aren't they?"
She had read intelligence reports about Moryo, especially since the imposing two thousand terracotta soldiers had marched across the Land of Demons' border. Unless the intelligence system was completely blind, they would have investigated this information.
"Correct." Hyuga Miyuki knocked on her construction helmet, making a series of thuds. "As for bringing them to the construction site… consider it early adaptation."
"?"
Mei Terumi looked puzzled.
Hyuga Miyuki coughed lightly and put the helmet back on. "Think about it. War will end eventually, right?"
"Yes."
"The Shinobi world will eventually unify, won't it?"
"Indeed."
"So when that time comes, these terracotta puppet soldiers will need a new purpose. Without war, their usefulness will decline."
"Uh…"
Mei Terumi's eyes widened.
Is that really necessary?
Finding new roles for puppets… This line of thinking is a bit too forward-looking, and she couldn't quite wrap her head around it.
"When the war ends, what comes next is construction. A group of tireless, complaint-free terracotta soldiers makes the best workers. If we build their reputation now, they can seamlessly transition into construction work."
Hyuga Miyuki shared her vision in one breath. "No one can refuse such ideal workers—no one!"
"...Is Miss Miyuki short on funds?" Mei Terumi finally understood: the person before her wanted to squeeze every bit of value out of the puppets, wasting nothing.
"Yes, definitely," Hyuga Miyuki muttered. "But that's not really the point here. I just don't want to waste them. By the time civilian AI develops, these soldiers might be obsolete. Better to cash in early, especially when they're just sitting idle."
The rapid pace of technological advancement had already shown her that soon only the Third Kazekage puppet and the Scorpion puppet would remain as her main combat forces.
In a few more years, when chakra armor reached mass production, the other puppets crafted by Scorpion would lose their value to her.
This realization led Hyuga Miyuki to a painful conclusion.
She had to make the most of these terracotta soldiers now. Otherwise, when technology like Red Queen's advanced to the civilian sector, allowing robots to work autonomously, the only value left for the terracotta soldiers would be their immortality. And what would she have gained from all her efforts then?
Plus, using them now would deepen her understanding of ocular techniques—why not?
The bosses getting cheap labor would be happy, and she would be happy.
A win-win!
"…"
Mei Terumi noticed the workers sneaking glances from afar, their faces faintly showing despair, and she offered a polite smile. "Miss Miyuki, your ideas are very forward-thinking."
Her expression grew contemplative, her tone carrying a hint of encouragement. "Indeed, after the war, reconstruction is key to recovery and development. If your terracotta soldier plan can be implemented, it will greatly accelerate this process."
"However, we also need to consider the maintenance and management of these soldiers. Although they don't die or tire, their actions require precise control and oversight, which I imagine could be a burden for you."
"So, perhaps we should balance work and rest?"
If she had to comment on Hyuga Miyuki's ideas, it felt like someone who had bought an old toy, only to see a better, newer one about to hit the market. But having invested so much in the old toy, she didn't want to waste it and planned to make the most of it before the new toy arrived.
It was a common enough mindset, but wasn't it possible that while both she and the bosses would be happy, a certain group of people might not be so thrilled?
Hyuga Miyuki sensed some underlying message in Mei Terumi's words, but she couldn't quite grasp it. "It's not too bad. I won't be here long, just visiting each morning."
At least she wasn't overdoing it—that was a relief.
Mei Terumi breathed a sigh of relief. "These terracotta puppet soldiers have many uses. They don't need to be limited to construction work."
"Combat training partners, scouting dangerous areas, digging canals… They can do all of that."
Hyuga Miyuki listed dozens of uses for the terracotta soldiers in one breath, clearly having tested all of them.
"In the future, after the war, they can even be displayed as historical artifacts!"
Hyuga Miyuki put her hands on her hips, giving herself a thumbs-up for the idea.
She could become a museum curator, making money without lifting a finger!
Uh… when the war ends, these terracotta soldiers should count as historical artifacts, right?
After all, they had done so much for the country.
Hyuga Miyuki looked at her terracotta soldiers, stroked her chin, and fell into deep thought.
"…"
What else could Mei Terumi say?
She could already imagine the anguished faces of the workers.
Who wouldn't like a group of tireless, complaint-free, and non-gossiping ideal workers?
But this didn't concern her. She was only here to strengthen ties with someone familiar with the Land of Snow's leadership. It was a good thing that Hyuga Miyuki was so talkative.
Afterward, the two continued their conversation for a long time. When the morning's work ended, Hyuga Miyuki led Mei Terumi into the streets, taking on the role of tour guide and introducing her to various aspects.
They wandered until sunset, finally stopping at a high point overlooking the city.
"Have you noticed any unusual movements from the Land of Fire?" Mei Terumi casually brought up the topic when they were alone.
"With such tight defenses, it's easy to discover if you're looking," Hyuga Miyuki replied. Her expression turned serious when discussing state affairs but soon relaxed. "But I don't know much about that. I'm just a ninja who follows orders."
Mei Terumi realized she wouldn't get much information and politely took her leave. "Miss Miyuki, thank you for your hospitality today."
Hyuga Miyuki watched Mei Terumi depart, a smile on her face.
Very kind, very gentle, with such poise, she would surely achieve greatness in the future.
No, Mei Terumi had already achieved greatness, though not yet fully realized. But in time, she would grow to an astonishing degree!
With this thought, Hyuga Miyuki looked down, her gaze falling to her feet, and her smile gradually faded.
(End of chapter)
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