Clearly, with Su Xiao team’s speed, Iwagakure Village trying to catch up to them is nothing short of a pipe dream.

Half a kilometer behind Su Xiao and the others, the main force from Iwagakure Village has already met up with Onogi from Shuyan Village.

The reinforcements from Iwagakure Village are led by the father-daughter duo, Huang Tu and Hei Tu. After joining with Onogi, Onogi took over the command.

Onogi, Huang Tu, and Hei Tu are direct relatives. Onogi is Huang Tu’s father, and Hei Tu is Huang Tu’s daughter, making her Onogi’s granddaughter.

No wonder this girl Hei Tu could become the Fourth Tsuchikage. Her family background is too strong. She’s essentially third-generation nobility, with her grandfather being a Tsuchikage, her father the strongest of the second generation Iwagakure Ninja, and with no interest in the position of Tsuchikage.

Onogi commands the main force to grandiosely hunt down Su Xiao and the others. If this main force catches up, Su Xiao is undoubtedly doomed.

Not to mention the combat effectiveness of Onogi and Huang Tu, even the new generation Hei Tu should not be underestimated since she is a female ninja who can succeed as Tsuchikage.

The threat is not just from these three; it also comes from the ninja army behind them.

The pursuit team consists of 10 Jonin, 15 Special Shinobi, and 507 Chunin, with no Lower Ninja.

Onogi divided the pursuit force into three groups. He personally led 6 Jonin as the vanguard, a rapid march unit aimed at catching up with and stalling Su Xiao and the others.

The second echelon of the pursuit team is commanded by Hei Tu, leading 4 Jonin, 5 Special Shinobi, and 150 Chunin, positioned behind the vanguard led by Onogi.

The third echelon is led by Huang Tu with 10 Special Shinobi and 357 Chunin. This is the rearguard, in case the first and second echelon get ambushed. They can provide support at any time. The third echelon carries supplies and can send speed-type Special Shinobi to catch up with the first two echelons to replenish materials.

It can be said that Onogi’s arrangements are almost flawless. These three pursuit forces each serve purposes such as chasing the enemy, encircling the enemy, providing reinforcements, and logistical support, which is clearly a formation used during wartime.

The three pursuit forces not only can hunt down the enemy but also possess counterattacking power even if they are ambushed. Any of these three forces can hold off against 3-4 Shadow Level foes for a long time, with other pursuit forces ready to support at any time.

Onogi, this old man, has experienced the Great Ninja War, and setting up a ninja pursuit formation is second nature to him.

Onogi is so cautious because he knows one thing: the Akatsuki Organization are experts in warfare, so their destructive power cannot be judged by numbers. He has hired the Akatsuki Organization before and knows this all too well.

In addition, Onogi has also made arrangements in Iwagakure Village to prevent the Akatsuki Organization from taking the opportunity to attack Iwagakure Village.

The Iwagakure Chasing Army began to pursue, with the vanguard being the fastest. Not to mention they understand the terrain of the Land of Earth, Onogi’s flying ability is very useful in pursuit.

Not only does Onogi have flying ability, but his granddaughter Hei Tu also possesses it.

The number of Iwagakure pursuit troops is large, but this does not mean they are slow. These are all ninja, and rapid marching is just routine for them.

Su Xiao and his team are escaping ahead, with the Iwagakure main force in pursuit. This made Su Xiao think that karma came too suddenly. Not long ago, he was chasing Mei Terumī and others; now he’s the one being hunted.

There is no doubt that being caught and stalled by any one of Iwagakure’s units spells certain death for Su Xiao and the others. Fortunately, their speeds are not on the same level.

After thirty minutes of pursuit, the distance between the two parties is one kilometer.

After an hour of pursuit, the distance is three kilometers.

After four hours of pursuit, the distance exceeds five kilometers.

On the Gobi Desert under the dark night, Su Xiao sat on a giant rock with a cigarette in his mouth. Nearby, Bubu Wang lay flat on the ground, panting heavily with his tongue out.

Xin was slumped on the ground, somewhat dozing off. Su Xiao had previously discovered that biting Xin could not only heal injuries but also restore some stamina. So during the escape, Su Xiao took another bite on Xin’s back, while Bubu Wang bit Xin’s calf.

A Mu was eager to try, but considering his terrifying 85-point physical attribute, Su Xiao didn’t let him bite Xin, or else Xin might die from life energy exhaustion.

"Water ~"

Weak Xin raised her hand, Su Xiao tossed her a bottle of water. Xin tried to unscrew the cap, but her hands were weak, and she had to use all her strength just to open it.

Xin felt bitter inside. After joining Su Xiao’s team, she went from being full of vitality every day to a ’delinquent girl’. Now she just wants to sleep well.

Snores came through, Xin glanced to the side. It was the Akatsuki Organization member they saved.

Since being rescued, Deidara hadn’t done anything else and fell into a deep sleep. Perhaps even now, he isn’t aware that he has been rescued.

Deidara is not a taijutsu ninja. Even though his physique is stronger than an ordinary person’s, he hasn’t closed his eyes for several days. No wonder his brain is damaged. He was doused with cold water before, and under the rapid change in temperature, developed a severe cold.

This way, Deidara won’t wake up anytime soon, and even though Su Xiao slapped him several times earlier, swelling his face, he still sleeps soundly.

Once Deidara wakes up, Su Xiao has a plan to shake off the Iwagakure pursuit forces. The one thing that puzzles him is how exactly Iwagakure has been locating his position?

They are miles apart, and Su Xiao tried to clear any traces along the way, yet Iwagakure can still keep pursuing, leaving Su Xiao in confusion.

Initially, Su Xiao thought some trick had been played on Deidara, but whether it was Xin’s perception or Bai Jue’s information about the chasing situation, they found nothing unusual on Deidara.

Bubu Wang being tracked seems unlikely. A Mu was also checked with no suspicious findings. As for Su Xiao, Xin and Bai Jue couldn’t perceive Su Xiao’s internal situation due to the aggressiveness of the Blue Steel Shadow Energy inside him.

Su Xiao used Blue Steel Shadow Energy to check himself, finding nothing abnormal. He checked his clothes and weapons as well.

This included Bubu Wang, A Mu, and Deidara. Su Xiao checked them all. Xin is even less of a possibility, being a perceptive type, and since she often got her shirt pulled off to help Su Xiao regain stamina, nothing was found on her.

No one among them was marked or something. Still, Iwagakure could persistently chase them, regardless of how far they were blown away. As soon as Su Xiao and his team stopped, they would quickly be on their heels.

Sitting on the giant rock, Su Xiao pondered. From the current situation, it seems the issue isn’t from their side, but that the enemy has a ninja skilled in tracking.

As Su Xiao was deep in thought, a pitcher plant sprouted in the nearby desert. It was Bai Jue’s clone.

"Iwagakure is closing in again."

Bai Jue wore a broad smile, his tone filled with schadenfreude.