Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 236 The Direction of Propaganda

The departure time has changed slightly because the director has taken a liking to the history of the Land of Waves' struggle and is doing his best to persuade Tori to cooperate with him. Zabuza, after all, is a ninja; he might be good at construction, but he's not very sensitive to publicity. After a polite conversation, he wanted to politely ask him to leave. After all, Hui's initial strategy was to "keep a close eye on big things" and ensure the organization's top-secrecy at all costs.

Zabuza clearly failed to grasp the deeper meaning behind the simultaneous appearance of two leadership figures at this festival: they were attempting to divide the concepts of East Wind and Radiance among the world.

Dongfeng was indeed a powerful escort agency. However, they had no intention of "taking sides"; they were simply businessmen looking to make money. Businessmen are not bound by national borders or ethnicities; they will always side with the most powerful "wise ruler" who can protect them.

Hui, however, is an extremely dangerous rebel. They are devouring the world with an unprecedented method of rule, taking root, sprouting, and bearing fruit in the corners. By the time the nobles notice, the seeds they have sown have spread throughout the world, and the deeply buried roots are already impossible to eradicate. However, the nobles of today have not yet seen this power; they may still be laughing at the person who wrote that book from somewhere unseen, completely unaware that the vines that strangled them also grew from the soil.

Publicity isn't urgent, but inaction isn't an option either. Once Jinlun took over the negotiations, the director's shrewd ability to judge character immediately revealed this man's unusual nature.

"I've seen most of your works." This statement was half true and half false. Naruto asked the intelligence department to do background checks. They relied on their large numbers to work through the night to finish the director's works and then do the final compilation.

"Your style might not be suitable for telling the history of the Land of Waves." That's true. Because most movies feature a super "evil" villain and a group of righteous heroes who shout "Never give up!", and the heroes' lineage must be prominent—they must be princesses or princes from some country. The whole movie is either searching for magical artifacts or treasures, and then they defeat the villain at the end, and that's it.

This is in serious conflict with Hui's philosophy of "people-oriented and equality for all".

“I know you were drawn to this place by its beauty, which is why you specifically learned about its history. But construction is often tedious and arduous, making it difficult to find the ‘explosive moments’ needed for a film. The people of the Land of Waves have achieved what they have today not through the efforts of one or a few individuals, but through the unity of everyone working towards a common goal and moving forward steadfastly.” Jinlun asked with utmost sincerity, “Can you write a script that reflects the power of the people?”

The director was speechless. In his life, he had encountered difficult clients and disobedient actors, but no one had ever questioned his abilities. Moreover, this person's question hit right where it hurt, leaving him speechless! At this moment, he was even more certain that the person in front of him was an extraordinary individual, because living in an era with ninjas, there was still someone who so firmly believed in the power of ordinary people! This made him both moved and embarrassed.

The touching part is that he himself is just an ordinary person, while the person opposite him is most likely a powerful ninja. It's unbelievable that an ordinary person's strength would be acknowledged by a ninja. The embarrassing part is that he himself doesn't think an ordinary person could have any power, otherwise he wouldn't have made the movie like that.

Suddenly, he remembered his original intention for making movies. Wasn't it because he had a burning desire to show everyone what it was like to be an ordinary person that he had worked so hard until his hair turned completely white? He loved the characters he created and the turning points of ordinary people's lives, but at the same time, he was also sculpted by time, yielding to the market. His characters gradually faded into obscurity and lost their ordinary characteristics.

However, a golden opportunity has now presented itself to him, and he even has a premonition that this film will be his swan song! After it is completed, no monarch on the continent will allow any more of his films to be made.

Because the history of the Land of Waves is a history of trampling the monarch underfoot and returning to the people as the foundation.

"Mr. Jinlun, you are a man of ideals and courage. You must have devoted a great deal of effort to this country. I truly believe that it is a blessing for this world to have a nation like the Land of Waves, and such good fortune should not stop here!"

"I don't know if I can do my best, but I want to spread the hope born on this land! People have the right to know what their lives can be like, the right to know how many of their birthrights have been taken away by those in power." The director spoke with conviction, his eyes shining even through his ever-present glasses. He truly craved this opportunity, longed to draw the most perfect conclusion to his life, so that he could die without regrets.

Jinlun gazed at him quietly for a moment, then smiled gently and said, “I have sensed your determination. May I ask why you are so interested in this place? I recall that you have no record of visiting the library, and you haven’t actually read the latest history book.”

"This isn't my first time here. The best sea view near the Land of Fire used to be right here. But this place didn't become rich because of the sea; instead, it was impoverished year-round, barely surviving. So when I saw the promotional poster, I even thought I was seeing things, which is why I chose this port of call to see it for myself..." The director lowered his hat brim and smiled sheepishly. "Don't laugh at me, but when I came here, I was prepared for the reality to be different from what I saw. But I was captivated at first sight, gathering stories and information everywhere, trying to write the perfect script. I almost forgot about the movie I was about to shoot."

"It wasn't until you pointed out my flaws that I realized my story was still the same as before, hahaha, I really haven't improved at all."

"Don't say that, you just didn't think of it. As the best director in the Land of Fire, do you have any new ideas? Mr. Ren Tai."

Jinlun was chatting happily with director Ren Tai, completely forgetting about the upcoming departure of the film crew. This led to the female lead, who didn't want to go to the Land of Snow, attempting to escape several times, but each time she was quickly found and brought back. She was starting to dislike the universally loved Naruto. Naruto didn't care, as long as no one got lost. He was busy stalling for time for Hui while also looking after the children.

After seeing off the Konoha ninja team, Sasuke finally didn't need to wear makeup anymore. He felt refreshed and strolled around a few more times that day, chasing after Karin and Suigetsu on their way back to the Land of Rice Fields.

The two men had no idea what Sasuke was up to this time, but they forgave him for the time being because of the travel expenses they had sponsored.