Homo Sapiens

July 3rd.

After a light rain, the heat in Chiang Mai had subsided considerably.

In the depths of a low-key yet elegant courtyard.

Domino had received a directive from headquarters and was currently reviewing intelligence on the Golden Triangle Region. For the past few days, besides acting as a liaison for the Qingye Group, she had been perfecting the intelligence network in Siam and the Golden Triangle.

With the deployment of numerous surveillance insects complete, very little information could escape the watch of this vast network.

Inside the courtyard, she inserted an earpiece-style storage device into her ear. This was one of the latest technological applications updated by the Security Department, primarily aimed at reducing the use of paper documents and thus minimizing leaks.

After all, the core of the earpiece storage device was DNA. Without the help of a core member of the Homo Sapiens Company, it was virtually impossible for outsiders to decrypt its stored contents.

After inserting the earpiece, a virtual projection page appeared before Domino’s eyes. This projection was generated by interfering with her neural signals, making it invisible to others.

On the page, intelligence reports appeared one after another.

[File JSJ80693: Leech Gang. Leader Naukam hijacked a Huaguo transport ship on the middle reaches of the Mekong River on April 15th of this year, killing 13 crew members...]

[File JSJ80706: Leech Gang. Member Mao Xin held a secret meeting on April 16th with Major Bopare of the Siam military (Note: This individual is the head of the border inspection station that discovered the drugs hidden on the transport ship). Content of discussion is unknown...]

[...]

’So that’s how it is. They’ve got some nerve!’ Domino thought, then turned her attention to another series of intelligence reports.

[File XL70638: Suspected Huaguo special envoy discovered in Bangkok...]

’They’ve already reached Chiang Mai?’ Domino looked up and instructed a nearby Soldier, ”Have 506 allocate some surveillance assets to monitor target HG2836 closely. Report to me immediately if anything happens.”

”Yes, ma’am.” The Soldier immediately carried out the order.

...

「On the other side of the city.」

Carrying a heavy responsibility, Gao Gang wound his way through a labyrinth of streets before appearing in front of an old, dilapidated house. After discreetly observing his surroundings, he cautiously knocked on the door.

”Who is it?” a man’s voice asked in Thai.

”A relative from home,” Gao Gang replied in Mandarin.

CREAK. The wooden door swung open quickly. Gao Gang and another operative, Nezha, swiftly slipped inside. The man who opened the door for them was a haggard-looking man with a thick beard.

”Have a seat. I only have plain water, hope you don’t mind,” Fang Xinwu said, lifting a kettle to pour water for the two of them.

”I’m Gao Gang, the leader of the special operations team. This is Nezha,” Gao Gang introduced.

Nezha smiled and greeted him as well.

Fang Xinwu put down the teapot. ”I’m Fang Xinwu, the intelligence officer assigned to the Golden Triangle Region. I already know why you’re here. I will fully cooperate with your work.”

”Thank you.” Gao Gang nodded, then asked, ”Xinwu, do you have any recent intelligence on the ’Leech’?”

Fang Xinwu provided a great deal of detailed intelligence on the Leech Gang. ”...Don’t get careless. I don’t want to be the one collecting your bodies. Naukam seems to have caught wind of something and has been hiding deep within the Golden Triangle lately. I don’t recommend you go in, even if you are professionals.”

”Is there any way to lure the snake out of its hole?” Gao Gang’s brow furrowed. He wasn’t blaming Fang Xinwu; rather, he felt the deadline given by their superiors was too short.

Fang Xinwu shook his head. ”It’s difficult, and very dangerous. I’ll do my best to think of a way.”

”You be careful, too. Contact us immediately if anything comes up.” Gao Gang clapped him on the shoulder, then left with Nezha.

Fang Xinwu watched the two men’s retreating backs, his expression growing increasingly grim. Having operated in the Golden Triangle for so long, he understood the dangers all too well. The special operations team’s tight deadline only increased the difficulty and risk.

...

An hour later, Domino was aware of the content of Gao Gang and Fang Xinwu’s conversation.

At the same time, she also obtained blood samples from all three men. Looking at the mosquito in the cryogenic vial, its abdomen swollen with blood, she quickly had her subordinates record the trio’s DNA in the human gene repository.

This gene repository stored a vast amount of genetic data collected by the Security Department. Whenever necessary, they could retrieve a target’s gene sequence and replicate it.

A creature’s genes also determined its unique pheromonal signature.

Even though they are all human, each individual’s pheromones have slight differences. The genetically modified insects could use these differences to precisely track and identify targets.

Once entered into this gene repository, it meant that a person could never escape the surveillance of the Homo Sapiens Company.

Although Domino had no intention of moving against Gao Gang and his team, it didn’t mean she would forgo monitoring and precautions. The person she was loyal to was Li Qingye, and she only considered matters from the perspective of the Homo Sapiens Company.

She had already prepared a plan for this business with the Leech Gang. Naturally, she wasn’t going to halt her operation just because of the arrival of Gao Gang’s team.

「That night.」

On the surface of the Mekong River, at the border junction of Siam, Lancang, and Hongsawaddy, a small cargo ship carrying miscellaneous goods was moored at a small port in the Golden Triangle.

Armed men carrying AKs were on high alert. The moment the ship docked, they immediately boarded to inspect it.

As one of the local powers, the Ring Snake Gang naturally knew these armed men from the Leech Gang. This small town was one of the inland river ports secretly controlled by the Leech Gang.

This was also an important stronghold for the Leech Gang to monitor the Mekong River.

The Leech Gang’s true main base was located in a small mountain basin 16 kilometers west of the town.

Of course, Naukam, who understood the principle that a cunning rabbit has three burrows, had more than just this one hideout and never stayed in the same place for long.

The Soldier on the cargo ship smiled, handing a cigarette and one hundred US Dollars to a minor Leech Gang leader. He then asked casually, ”No problems, right? Just some small goods.”

The minor leader lit the cigarette and took a drag. ”HUFF... All right. Don’t go wandering around lately. If you end up dead, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

”I’ll be careful.” The Soldier maintained his smile.

Although the Golden Triangle was chaotic, the gangs were fairly restrained toward small-time goods suppliers like them. After all, if they killed or robbed everyone, who would dare to come here to trade in the future?

And with the Golden Triangle’s industrial production capacity being next to zero, many things had to be shipped in from the outside. If the gangs went too far, they could forget about any merchants coming to sell things.

Besides, the Ring Snake Gang was not to be trifled with.

The minor leader led his men off the ship.

And on the ship’s hull, ignored by all, 10 Blood Blade Special Team Soldiers were silently clinging to the bottom.

This was something that required special attention during inland river infiltration. In a navigable waterway like the Mekong River, underwater swimming required avoiding passing ships. Getting accidentally caught in a propeller could be fatal.

They also had to watch out for fishing boats, sand dredgers, and shallow areas with clear visibility. This was an infiltration, after all, and in a river channel that was too shallow and clear, they could easily be spotted by people nearby.

Therefore, they adopted the safest method: attaching themselves directly to the bottom of the ship’s hull.

Under normal circumstances, very few people would notice the bottom of a ship.

By the time the small port had fallen completely silent, it was already past eight o’clock at night. In the extremely undeveloped Golden Triangle, the small town had very few lights.

Except for three searchlights on the roof of the five-story port administration building, there were only a few scattered lights elsewhere.

At that moment, the Blood Blade Soldiers under the hull finally made their move.

A dozen or so minutes later, on a nearby shoal thick with trees, footprints appeared one by one in the mudflats, but there were no figures to be seen.

Having entered optical camouflage mode, the Blood Blade Soldiers were like fish in water in this tropical rainforest environment.

After coming ashore, they took out a Pheromone Tracker. Although Naukam’s blood had not been collected, his son’s had been.