Homo Sapiens

Meanwhile.

Inside the Takasugi Sushi Shop in Manila.

After receiving Watanabe Mototsugu’s email, Takasugi Hei was completely unaware that Watanabe had already been taken out.

It wasn’t until half a month later.

On September 11th, Takasugi Hei received a call from Watanabe Mototsugu.

”Senior Takasugi, how have you been?”

”I’m fine. How is the investigation in Dart Port going? Have you found out anything about that company’s background?”

The reply came quickly from the other end of the line: ”We have results, but I need you to come over, Senior. The target seems to be hesitating. I need you to bring some ’good friends’ to help them see reality.”

”Oh? What’s your plan?” Takasugi Hei knew this was in the bag.

”Senior, don’t you know the heir to the Fernando Clan? They have a lot of people in Northern Camarines Province, where Dart Port is, and Southern Camarines Province.”

”The Fernando Clan?” Takasugi Hei frowned. ”That family is difficult to deal with. We’ll definitely have to give them a cut. Is that company worth it?”

”It’s worth it. Senior, it’s best not to report to headquarters just yet. I’m worried they’ll mess things up. Let’s wait until the dust settles, then we can claim the credit from HQ.”

Takasugi Hei thought for a moment. ’If I report this now, the credit might not necessarily be mine in the end.’

After all, the internal politics of the East Japan United Commerce Association were complicated. Takasugi Hei and Watanabe were part of the Furong Association’s faction, and the people from the other financial groups wouldn’t just let them take all the spoils for themselves.

Of course, it was also impossible to completely exclude the other financial groups.

”I need to make some arrangements.”

”Senior, why don’t we bring in Fukuda and Takahashi? It’s more convenient for them. We need to get this done as soon as possible to avoid any complications,” Watanabe advised from the other end of the line.

Hearing this, Takasugi Hei made his decision. It was just as Watanabe had said. Fukuda and Takahashi had simple networks here in Luzon. And even though they were from the Mitsui Group and Quanyin Financial Group respectively, they wouldn’t easily leak information as long as he arranged things properly beforehand.

”I’ll arrange it. I’ll get in touch with the Fernando Clan as soon as possible.”

”Then let’s set a time. How about in three days? We’ll meet at the Sea Star Restaurant in Dart Port.”

”Deal.”

After hanging up, Takasugi Hei summoned his assistant, Takahashi Maesuke, and told him to go notify Fukuda Xin, who was working as a teacher at a Japanese language school, to come over.

Half an hour later, Takahashi and Fukuda appeared in the sushi shop’s backyard.

Takasugi Hei didn’t give them the full details. He only said there was a mission that required their assistance, that they would be leaving the morning after next, and that they should meet at the sushi shop then.

Takahashi and Fukuda didn’t find Takasugi Hei’s deliberate mysteriousness strange. After all, they were intelligence agents, and many missions required secrecy. Since he didn’t elaborate, it was best not to ask questions.

After arranging things with his own men, he immediately invited the heir of the Fernando Clan, Mad Fernando, to the sushi shop.

They met for over an hour and hammered out a rough division of the profits. They also agreed to meet at the sushi shop the morning after next and then travel to Dart Port together.

Time flowed by.

Three days later, at around three in the afternoon, Takasugi Hei’s group of three, plus Mad and five bodyguards, appeared at the entrance of the Sea Star Restaurant in Dart Port.

Watanabe, who had been waiting for some time, appeared at the entrance wearing a hat. He led the group into a private room where they discussed the Homo Sapiens Company over food and drinks.

By evening, two members of the Fernando Clan who held positions in Dart Port also arrived at the private room. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Watanabe arranged for a bus to take them to their hotel.

But as soon as they were all on the bus, venomous mosquitoes swiftly taught them a lesson.

...

Li Qingye’s expression was cold as he looked at the prey in the cage.

Takasugi Hei’s group of three, three members of the Fernando Clan, and five bodyguards.

Standing to one side, the Soldier—Watanabe—waited respectfully for his instructions. Li Qingye commanded, ”Follow the previous arrangement. Return to Manila and keep the remaining intelligence agents stable.”

”Yes, Boss.” Watanabe nodded immediately.

The others also moved quickly.

For instance, the two Fernando Clan members in Dart Port—one was the head of the public security bureau, and the other was the second-in-command of the local tax department.

Using the public security chief’s phone and a voice changer, they sent a message saying he was going to Manila on personal business for about half a month, and that he could be reached by phone if needed.

As for the man from the tax department, he requested a half-month leave, claiming he was going on vacation abroad.

Finally, there was Mad Fernando. His situation was simple. Takasugi Hei had asked him to be discreet, so before he left, he’d told everyone he was going to Dart Port for a vacation and would be reachable by phone.

In truth, the conversation between Watanabe and Takasugi Hei was all part of Li Qingye’s plan. There were even three Soldiers lying in wait near Takasugi’s sushi shop at the time.

If Takasugi Hei had tried to call the East Japan headquarters right after that phone call, he wouldn’t have even been able to get a word out before the Soldiers eliminated him.

Likewise, Takasugi Hei’s conversation with Mad, as well as their every move over the past few days, had been under the Soldiers’ surveillance.

Li Qingye had long prepared other contingency plans. If anything unexpected happened, the goal was to minimize the losses.

Fortunately, everything remained within his control, so the backup plans weren’t needed.

Moreover, Watanabe’s suggestion to cooperate with the Fernando Clan wasn’t a random idea. Li Qingye had chosen them as a target after careful consideration.

Despite their Spanish surname, this family was actually a native clan from Luzon. They had simply adopted a Spanish surname during the period of colonial rule by Spain, a very common practice in Luzon.

The family’s rise to power was steeped in crime and bloodshed.

Even now, in the 21st century, they were still involved in a considerable number of illicit businesses, such as collaborating with Manila’s Fuzhou Gang to scam and kidnap ethnic Chinese. They also secretly controlled three gangs that ran rampant in southern Luzon.

The captured Mad was a notorious scumbag in Manila, nicknamed the ”Human Motor.” He had violated hundreds of women, many of whom were tortured to death.

As for his bodyguards, they were all selected from gangs and had blood on their hands. After all, it was hard to stay clean when working for a scumbag like Mad.

Li Qingye felt no psychological burden whatsoever about using these people for his modifications.

To prevent any complications, the genetic modification of these individuals began immediately. Takasugi Hei, Fukuda Xin, Mad Fernando, and the two other Fernando Clan members were the first batch of test subjects.

As for the less important bodyguards and Takahashi, they were in the second batch.

Five days passed quickly. The modifications were a great success. After all, the technology was constantly improving. They didn’t even lose much of their lifespan; each had at least thirty years left.

Once the genetic modification was complete, the implantation surgery began without delay.

These people were crucial. They were the key to whether the Homo Sapiens Company and Li Qingye could establish a foothold in Luzon. If even one modification failed, the entire plan could spiral out of control.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly. The subjects were all between 30 and 45 years old, which was within the safe range for modification.

Looking at the newly completed Soldiers and the intelligence extracted from their brains, Li Qingye could finally bare his fangs.