Homo Sapiens

Luzon.

Bantun Island.

This former training base for the Blood Blade Special Team had been converted into the Homo Sapiens Company’s second secret research facility.

The Blood Blade Special Team’s training bases were now split into two locations: one in Luzon and the other on an island in southern Hongsawaddy.

The reason for moving the research facility from the Kalaqua Islands was that the Homo Sapiens Company’s presence in Luzon was growing stronger, attracting attention from various parties.

Li Qingye, who understood the principle of having multiple bolt-holes, naturally wouldn’t remain on the Kalaqua Islands.

For added security, he even selected two Soldiers with similar body types and used facial modification technology to turn them into his body doubles.

Li Qingye had also altered his own face. This temporary adjustment was accomplished using a genetically modified parasite, a method that was extremely safe and undetectable by standard medical equipment.

Many Spider Web Managers and Soldiers involved in covert operations now used this method to alter their appearances.

With a new face, Li Qingye registered another new identity in Luzon. Bantun Island had previously been under the Lopez Clan’s name; he simply purchased it through an offshore company.

On the surface, Bantun Island had no connection to the Homo Sapiens Company or the Fernando Clan.

And although the Lopez Clan had joined forces with the Fernando Clan, the two sides maintained an outward appearance of independence and vigilance. At the very least, their subordinates did not consider each other allies.

These multiple layers of disguised identities ensured Li Qingye’s safety.

Even if the Homo Sapiens Company were to be destroyed in Luzon, he would still have the resources to stage a comeback. Although this possibility was minuscule, Li Qingye was not willing to take the gamble.

「...」

Li Qingye looked at the report sent back by Ma Chi.

’Wu Xinlan...’ He looked at the name, unmoved.

Even though she was his childhood sweetheart, and even though she seemed deeply concerned about him, there was no going back.

He had no intention of going to Hongsawaddy to meet her. The Hongsawaddy branch was already being watched by numerous factions, and the purpose of the branch’s plan was precisely to enact revenge and divert some attention.

Besides, he didn’t think there was anything for them to talk about.

Love?

Friendship?

’Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t need such insignificant emotions. Feelings will only interfere with my plans for revenge.’

He silently typed out a command, then had the Internal Affairs Department send the message. Some time ago, the undersea fiber-optic cable had been connected to Siam, Kampuchea, and An Nan.

Tuwah Port was actually very close to Siam, with both on opposite sides of the narrow Kela Isthmus. Communications could be relayed through the intelligence station in Siam.

However, a dedicated undersea cable connecting directly to the southern coast of Hongsawaddy was also in the works. After all, relaying messages through the Siam station was not ideal; it was merely a temporary, emergency measure.

But a while ago, Chen Jianxiong had rejected the plan for the undersea cable to pass through the Malacca Strait.

Li Qingye was well aware of the reasons. The Malacca Strait was too narrow and shallow, and with the heavy ship traffic, using fishing boats as cover would make any anomalies easily detectable.

As for routing it through the straits near Java, that presented numerous problems as well.

After much consideration, Chen Jianxiong submitted another proposal to Li Qingye: the Kela Isthmus plan.

Using plantations as cover, they would lay three fiber-optic cables across the Kela Isthmus region, connecting directly to the southern coast of Hongsawaddy and the Ceylon Ocean.

While this plan carried the risk of being severed, at least they could lay the cables openly under various pretexts.

As long as the Siam intelligence station could handle both the legal and criminal elements in the Kela Isthmus, the problem would be easily solved.

「...」

Tuwah Port.

Wu Xinlan, feeling both excited and uneasy, arrived at Jade Manor. The moment she stepped into the main hall, she saw a much more mature-looking Li Qingye.

Ma Chi, having entered his imitation state, let a complex look flash in his eyes.

Seeing this, Wu Xinlan’s heart was filled with a thousand words she didn’t know how to say. In the end, she could only manage in a trembling voice:

"Are you okay?"

"Long time no see. I’m doing fine." Ma Chi’s gaze returned to a state of calm.

For a moment, Wu Xinlan didn’t know what to say next.

"Have a seat," Ma Chi said as he poured some tea.

Steam carrying the scent of green tea wafted through the hall, but the two remained silent for a long time, and the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

After a while, when the tea had begun to cool, Wu Xinlan finally snapped out of it. She hurriedly took a letter from her handbag and handed it over.

"This is from my uncle. What happened is all in the past, Qingye. Come back! My uncle and Uncle Su are both very worried about you."

Taking the letter, Ma Chi didn’t open it. He set it aside and shook his head. "Forget about coming back. It’s not like the group needs me to manage it anyway. I’m fine here."

"..." Wu Xinlan fell silent for a moment, her thoughts unreadable.

After taking a sip of tea, she finally spoke slowly. "I heard you went missing in San Francisco. I was so worried. Now that I see you’re all right, I can rest easy. Since you don’t want to go back, can I stay here and help you?"

Ma Chi adjusted his glasses. "I don’t have any positions here suitable for someone with a background in semiconductors."

Wu Xinlan was a doctoral candidate in the field of semiconductors.

"That’s okay. I can just do odd jobs. As long as I can help you, I’ll be happy."

Ma Chi shook his head again. "You should go back. I just want to live out the rest of my life quietly here alone. Why waste your best years here?"

"Do you hate me that much?" A look of utter heartbreak appeared on Wu Xinlan’s face.

"No, and there’s no reason to. Go back. Goodbye." After speaking, Ma Chi left the hall directly.

After sitting stunned in the hall for over ten minutes, Wu Xinlan left Jade Manor with tears streaming down her face.

In the second-floor study of Jade Manor.

Ma Chi stood at the window, quietly watching the weeping Wu Xinlan and the bodyguards who had escorted her get into a taxi.

"You really don’t know how to treat a lady, do you?"

A raspy female voice sounded from behind him.

"But it fits the character profile," Ma Chi said, crossing his arms.

Yang Mengjiao casually threw a dart, which landed squarely in the bullseye. "The upper-class folks from those big clans are as disgusting as ever."

"Hasn’t it always been this way? No need to get worked up about it." As Ma Chi spoke, he subconsciously reached for a cigarette, only to quickly remember that the boss didn’t smoke.

Yang Mengjiao seemed to notice his small movement but pretended she hadn’t. "I’m heading to the Kela Isthmus region in a few days to take care of some business. If anything comes up, you and Liu Zhifan follow protocol."

"Understood."

"Right, corporate spies from Coca-Cola and Pepsi have been running rampant in Maudanmen Port lately. Be on your guard."

Ma Chi waved his hand dismissively. "Don’t worry. I’ve already made arrangements. The Ceylon Ocean is deep enough; it won’t mind a few more ’concrete-filled cans’."

Meanwhile.

After leaving Jade Manor and returning to her room at the Seaview Hotel, the heartbroken expression on Wu Xinlan’s face was long gone.

She made an international call.

"Hello, Uncle? It’s me, Xinlan."

"Good work. He didn’t have any extreme reactions, did he?"

A thoughtful look flickered in Wu Xinlan’s almond-shaped eyes. "No, he was very calm. Too calm, in fact. There was an indescribable sense of dissonance."

"Is that so? Did he agree to let you stay?"

"No, he refused."

The person on the other end of the line was silent for a moment. "...It seems he’s extremely wary of us. In that case, you should return to the country as soon as possible."

"Aren’t we going to probe further?" Wu Xinlan asked, unwilling to give up.

"It’s too dangerous. A while ago, the people Du Jianxin sent over went missing in Hongsawaddy. There’s no need to take any more risks. I’ve already expressed our goodwill in the letter."

Wu Xinlan also knew the dangers of staying; her previous offer had just been a test. "Alright. I’ll go to Yangon tomorrow to catch a flight back to Modu."

The two hung up.

Outside the window, a torrential downpour began to fall again.

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