Homo Sapiens

Another two weeks went by.

By now, autumn had begun in the Northern Hemisphere, but the Luzon Islands, situated in the tropics, remained hot and rainy.

During this time, things were calm within the Homo Sapiens Company. Although Li Jinglan couldn’t stand Fang Xincheng, he knew he couldn’t just fire a member of the management team on his own.

However, as he looked at the hundreds of millions of US Dollars in the company account, and thought of the nearly one billion US Dollars that had previously passed through his hands, the greed in his heart grew uncontrollably.

Then he thought about the budget Fang Xincheng had approved yesterday. Li Jinglan’s expression soured. He could have made at least three million US Dollars from this project, but now he was only getting a little over one hundred thousand.

The thought cut him like a knife.

Then he thought about how the Homo Sapiens Company, with its artificial eel breeding technology, was guaranteed to have immense future revenue. But even if he got a share of the dividends from all that money, it would certainly be a pittance.

’Damn you, Fang Xincheng,’ he cursed inwardly. ’The moment I take control of this company, you’re the first to go.’

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts.

A moment later, he found a name and dialed the number.

”Hello, Mr. Li. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Li Jinglan said with a smile, ”Mr. Watanabe, how have you been lately?”

”Thank you for your concern, Mr. Li. I’m just getting by, making a humble living.”

”Mr. Watanabe, would you be interested in talking about a business deal?”

”Oh? I’m all ears.”

「Two days later.」

The Sea Star Restaurant in Dart Port.

Li Jinglan, his secretary Lime, and Watanabe Mototsugu held a secret meeting.

Inside the private room.

After a few pleasantries, Li Jinglan got straight to the point. ”Mr. Watanabe, I’ve heard your investment company is quite influential in Southeast Asia. I was wondering if you might be interested in investing in the Homo Sapiens Company?”

”Invest in the Homo Sapiens Company?” Watanabe glanced at Li Jinglan, his expression unreadable, before replying, ”That depends on whether it’s worth it. I’m running a small operation, after all.”

”What if the Homo Sapiens Company possesses a low-cost eel breeding technology?” Li Jinglan played his first card.

Watanabe was ecstatic, but he maintained a stoic facade. ”You said ’what if.’ I need a definitive answer, otherwise, I won’t be able to convince my shareholders.”

”The Homo Sapiens Company has already perfected this technology. The eel fry sold a few months ago were produced using this artificial breeding method. I can tell you that the fry distribution companies in Manila and Xiangjiang are both fronts controlled by our company.”

Watanabe already believed Li Jinglan. He countered, ”Since you’ve already achieved mass production, and from what I know, your company’s revenue this year will be no less than one billion US Dollars... it doesn’t seem like you’re short on funds, do you?”

Li Jinglan adjusted his glasses. ”Because the company’s core technology is in the hands of the founder, Jack Zhang. Furthermore, all the shares of the Homo Sapiens Company are in his name. This is a massive market, and everyone wants to get rich.”

”I understand. So, what do you need me to do, Mr. Li?” Watanabe could see Li Jinglan’s greed and dissatisfaction.

”The technology should be hidden in the research base on Kalaqua Island. The problem is, Jack Zhang places immense importance on that island, so I have no way of directly obtaining the technology inside.”

Li Jinglan continued, ”If you, Mr. Watanabe, can have someone... take care of Jack Zhang, then I can take control of the Homo Sapiens Company. After that, we can collaborate deeply and completely monopolize the entire eel fry industry.”

Watanabe was tempted by the proposal. After all, this was an industry with annual profits in the billions of US Dollars.

The two quickly came to an agreement and began discussing the details of their collaboration.

Neither of them noticed, however, the inconspicuous flies on the ceiling of the private room, silently watching everything unfold.

...

Li Qingye stopped writing with his ballpoint pen.

A lanky man reported to him in detail, ”Half an hour ago, Li Jinglan met with an East Japan angel investor named Watanabe Mototsugu at the Sea Star Restaurant in Dart Port. Here is the transcript of their conversation.”

A transcript was placed on his desk.

Li Qingye flipped through it and scoffed. ”A man’s heart is never satisfied, just as a snake tries to swallow an elephant. It seems some people have gotten carried away.”

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. He casually instructed the bald man standing to one side, ”Phil, go and ’invite’ Mr. Watanabe over. Also, execute Protocol 95.”

”Yes, boss!” Phil saluted, then immediately walked out.

...

The Blue Sea Hotel in Dart Port.

Watanabe Mototsugu, who had just met with Li Jinglan, was now discussing the matter with two of his subordinates.

”Mr. Watanabe,” one subordinate began, ”the Homo Sapiens Company’s core technology is in the hands of its founder, Jack Zhang. He’s unlikely to willingly transfer the technology or sell company shares.”

Watanabe Mototsugu, who had a long, horsey face, looked as though victory was already in his grasp.

”He will agree. We have ’friends’ here in Luzon. If he doesn’t know what’s good for him, we’ll just have to show him what reality is.”

The other subordinate asked, ”How should we reply to our side?”

”Wait for the internet to come back online, then send an email back. The network signal in this godforsaken place is terrible...” Watanabe said with contempt.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

The subordinate closest to the door stood up to open it. Seeing a stranger in a black suit outside, he asked with some confusion, ”Who are you?”

”Excuse me, are you Mr. Watanabe? I was sent by Manager Li Jinglan,” the man in the black suit asked in a formulaic tone.

”Oh? I am Watanabe. What does Mr. Li want?” Watanabe Mototsugu asked, puzzled.

The man in black continued, ”Manager Li asked me to bring you gentlemen to dinner. He said he has something important to discuss with you, Mr. Watanabe.”

”I see. In that case, lead the way!” Watanabe Mototsugu had no suspicions.

Watanabe Mototsugu, who was very good at reading people, secretly observed the man in the black suit for a moment but detected nothing unusual in his expression.

The three of them grabbed their phones, laptops, and other belongings, then followed the man in black out of the hotel and into an SUV.

The vehicle started and headed straight for the suburbs, driving for over ten minutes.

Watanabe heard the buzzing of mosquitoes inside the car. In a tropical rainforest climate like Luzon’s, mosquitoes were extremely common insects.

Caught off guard, all three of them—Watanabe and his men—were bitten several times. For a moment, the sound of slapping filled the car. SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

After slapping a few mosquitoes dead, Watanabe’s hand was covered in blood. He asked casually, ”Do you have any tissues?”

”Yes.” The Soldier in the passenger seat smiled and pulled out a tissue.

Just as he took the tissue, Watanabe’s vision started to double. ’What’s happening?’ Before he could even process the thought, he passed out.

The other two men from East Japan also felt their bodies grow heavy, the strength to even lift their arms draining away.

More than thirty minutes later, the SUV arrived at a small, hidden pier.

The Soldiers dragged Watanabe and his two men from the vehicle. A fishing boat was already waiting. Inside its hold were three experimental animal storage containers. The three men were stuffed inside, and the fishing boat quickly vanished into the night.

「Meanwhile.」

At the Blue Sea Hotel, the manager smiled at the bald man and said, ”Thank you for your generous patronage.”

The bald man had just extended the reservation for Watanabe’s group for another two weeks, explaining that they had been picked up by friends to have some fun and that he had been sent to extend the stay so their rooms wouldn’t expire.

This way, the disappearance of Watanabe and his men wouldn’t be easily discovered anytime soon.

As for the other insider, having received Li Qingye’s instructions, they were already on their way to Manila to catch a flight. The official story was a business trip to Xiangjiang, with a side trip to visit family.