Homo Sapiens

Siam.

The various Huashang Clans were deeply worried.

This included the Huang Family Group, Supornpani Group, Taixing Steel Pipe Group, Decha Payun Consortium, Xiechengchang Group, Central Group, Zheng Brothers Group, and Charoen Pokphand Group.

They were either using ”business talks” in Malaysia and Xiangjiang as an excuse to leave, traveling to other regions to ”explore new markets,” or simply claiming to be visiting relatives back home.

The major local clans, however, had fewer reservations; in fact, they had long since grown impatient.

Examples included the Wadi Clan behind Gulf Energy Company, the Tisulor Clan behind Bangkok Airways and Bangkok Medical, and the Banyu Clan, a branch of the Zheng Clan.

There was also Alok Loxia, the Tianzhu immigrant behind Doma Chemical Group.

The assets and industries of these people had all suffered severe losses after the rise of the Qiu Yingle Group. With such enormous interests at stake, they naturally weren’t going to take it lying down.

The security-conscious Lu Gong Baiyu didn’t summon the others to his own estate or properties. Instead, he chose to hold a secret meeting on Alok Loxia’s private island.

In this regard, Lu Gong Baiyu was indeed meticulous and cunning.

Alok Loxia’s island was extremely private because the waiters and bodyguards were all fellow immigrants from Tianzhu; there were no outsiders.

「April 11th.」

Lu Gong Baiyu, Alok Loxia, Lapu Teisos, Sawa Wadi, and a guest from Xing Island secretly gathered on this private island.

「Inside the island villa.」

After the waiters served fine wine and delicacies, they quickly withdrew from the dining room.

Alok Loxia raised his glass of juice. ”Gentlemen, our being able to dine together here today is all thanks to the guidance of Lord Shiva...”

Li Peter chuckled and raised a glass of champagne. ”I am also deeply honored to be able to lunch with you all. Cheers!”

”Mr. Li, a toast to you,” Lu Gong Baiyu said, sidling closer with a face full of smiles.

After a short while and a few quick bites, they got down to business.

Li Peter, who had come with instructions from the Black Ship, reminded them with a faint smile, ”Gentlemen, your current situation is not looking good! If this continues, I imagine your families will soon be a thing of the past.”

As the largest branch of the Zheng Clan, the Banyu Clan was naturally aware of its current predicament. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so desperate as to make a deal with the Black Ship, which was akin to striking a bargain with a tiger.

Lu Gong Baiyu’s face flushed with anger. ”Of course I know our current situation. As long as you are all willing to lend me a hand, I will be sure to reward everyone generously for their help.”

Li Peter’s faint smile remained. ”That’s easy to say. It will depend on Mr. Bayu’s sincerity.”

Steeling his resolve, Lu Gong Baiyu immediately moved closer to Li Peter and whispered in his ear, ”I’ve already contacted a number of people. They’re all my old subordinates, but they want some money—preferably in euros.”

”How many?” Li Peter asked with great interest.

Lu Gong Baiyu replied in a low voice, ”173 people. They control about 30,000 men.”

”Thirty thousand men? How about 300 million euros in special aid?” Li Peter knew he had to put up some serious capital. Otherwise, it would be impossible to raise a force, especially since local wages and benefits were quite good at the moment.

Of course, this money wasn’t intended for the common soldiers. It was to buy off the 173 leaders, and for the Banyu Clan.

Hearing the figure of 300 million euros, Lu Gong Baiyu’s eyes instantly lit up. But he wasn’t satisfied and proceeded to make an exorbitant demand. ”Mr. Li, 300 million is too little. Perhaps one billion could guarantee their loyalty.”

But Li Peter was no fool. How could he possibly agree so easily?

The two haggled for a long time before finally settling on 470 million euros in special aid.

Next came the matter of the clans of Alok Loxia, Lapu Teisos, and Sawa Wadi joining forces with the Black Ship and the Banyu Clan to deal with the Qiu Group.

They agreed on their respective roles and how to carve up the Qiu Group’s assets after their success.

They just hadn’t considered the trouble they would bring upon themselves and their families if their actions were exposed.

At that moment, on the ceiling of the villa’s dining room...

...a dozen or so cockroaches were listening in on their loud plotting.

Trying to hold a secret meeting in a territory under the full authority of a Homo Sapiens Company branch was basically courting death.

...

「Thonburi.」

「In Domino’s Yalan Villa.」

She put down her headphones, a cold smile playing on her lips. ’It seems the house wasn’t cleaned thoroughly enough last time. Now we can do another deep clean.’

”Branch Chief, the Black Ship has exposed seven previously undiscovered Converts this time. Should we eliminate them as well?” the head of the Thonburi commercial intelligence station, Zhang Longji, asked in a low voice.

Domino’s eyes were as still as an ancient well. ”Is there even a need to ask? We’ll use their flesh and blood as nutrients to make the Company even stronger!”

”I understand,” Zhang Longji nodded.

Domino narrowed her eyes. ”Don’t be hasty. Let the fish swim into the net first. Once the Black Ship’s few hundred million euros in cash arrives, we’ll catch them all in one fell swoop.”

Although those euros would certainly be difficult to spend in Siam, one shouldn’t forget that the Homo Sapiens Company’s Foreign Affairs Division had branch offices all over the world. Laundering a few hundred million euros would be a piece of cake.

As for the ”old subordinates” Lu Gong Baiyu was secretly colluding with, how could the Homo Sapiens Company possibly give them an opportunity? The security forces in all regions had been almost completely converted to New Humans.

It was obvious that Domino was just playing along, deliberately baiting them to scam their money.

Meanwhile, the major private enterprises, large clans, and foreign-invested companies were already under the strict surveillance of the Internal Affairs Division.

Previously, during the rise of the Qiu Yingle Group, only the forces of the Zheng Clan and the Royal Group, along with a portion of loyalist vassal families of the Zheng Clan, had been purged. The Chinese Merchants and other major local clans had not been targeted.

Although in the series of adjustments that followed, the three major groups under the ”Qiu Clan” had implemented a series of suppressive and divisive measures against other enterprises and major families...

...these suppressive tactics were primarily commercial in nature; there were no direct physical eliminations.

This was a rare opportunity, and Domino naturally wanted to reel in a few more big fish.

Meanwhile, Alok Loxia, Lapu Teisos, Sawa Wadi, and the others were still unaware that disaster was imminent. They were still secretly mobilizing resources and manpower, fantasizing that in a few months, they would be able to command the wind and the rain.

「At the same time.」

「Xing Island.」

「Inside the headquarters of Temasek Investment.」

Tom and several of Temasek Investment’s behind-the-scenes shareholders were also discussing matters.

One of the major shareholders, Li Gu Ming, listened to Tom’s words, his expression turning uncertain.

Tom noticed his concern and a cold sneer appeared on his face. ”Mr. Li, are you planning to refuse America’s friendship?”

”No... No...” Li Gu Ming shook his head. ”I’m just worried about the passage through the Malacca Strait.”

Tom gave a noncommittal shrug. ”What’s there to worry about? The Seventh Fleet will be stationed at Changi Base. We’ll just be preventing a few ships carrying hazardous chemicals from passing through.”

”I...” Li Gu Ming knew he couldn’t refuse and finally nodded. ”Okay, I will cooperate with your side. However, I must also ask that you do your best to maintain normal passage through the Malacca Strait.”

”Don’t worry, Li! You all won’t be losing out this time.”

Hearing this, Li Gu Ming also managed a smile. Temasek, indeed, wouldn’t suffer any losses. Because they had received inside information from the Black Ship, they had made numerous preparations in the international financial markets. All that was left was to wait for the harvest.

「April 20th.」

The American Seventh Fleet arrived at the Malacca Strait and temporarily stationed itself at Changi Base.

At almost the same time, America’s Third Fleet, previously stationed in Hawaii, appeared at the Yokosuka Base in East Japan, temporarily replacing the Seventh Fleet.

America’s Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf in West Asia was rapidly approaching Ceylon, now only about a week’s voyage away.