Chapter 136: Sang Kun

He Tian and his three companions possessed very legitimate identities. Consequently, there was no need for them to skulk around Jakarta; instead, they checked into a five-star hotel with open confidence and requested a luxurious presidential suite.

"Not as comfortable as home," Chou remarked.

"It will do for now," He Tian said with a smile.

Shen Feng rolled his eyes. To call a presidential suite "just okay" was truly unreasonable.

"What is your plan?" Lazy Cat asked after watching Shen Feng busily calibrate his computer, pace around the suite, and finally flash an "OK" gesture.

"It’s simple. According to the information from the fat man in Hong Kong, no stranger can get close to White Shark Island. We only have two paths. First, sneak in, but the unknown situation of the open sea and the island itself would pose too many difficulties and dangers. Second, go in as businessmen. There are only four of us, so we won't draw any attention. Cat, do you see now why I didn't need to compensate you for the weapons?"

"You don't need weapons," Lazy Cat muttered.

"How could I not? Just a few pistols will suffice—it suits our cover," He Tian said with a snap of his fingers. "Cat, I’ll leave that to you. Of course, get the equipment the little madman needs as well. The location the fat man provided for White Shark Island isn't the most important thing; what matters is their liaison point here in Jakarta. That is crucial."

"My fate is to be a workhorse! This goes against my very nature of being lazy! Xiao Tian, you’ve changed me," Lazy Cat grumbled as he headed out.

"Little Madman, be ready. Your high-tech tracking is vital to us," He Tian said, turning to Chou. "You are our strongest combat force. Be prepared for anything."

***

As the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta was bustling and prosperous. Yet, in any city, no matter how prosperous, there were always dark corners. The instability of Indonesian society provided endless room for these shadows to grow. According to He Tian’s investigation, the White Shark Island drug trade accounted for nearly half of the entire Indonesian market, and their primary hub for controlling these operations was located right here in Jakarta.

After Lazy Cat returned, Shen Feng headed out, not returning until the following day.

"Boss, everything is set," Shen Feng said with a grin.

"Then, once night falls, we begin," He Tian said in a low voice.

The firearms Lazy Cat had acquired were few—merely a pistol for each of them. Still, they inspected the weapons carefully. The reason modern inner-energy practitioners differed from those of the past was their mastery of thermal weapons, which provided an advantage no ordinary person could match. Take He Tian, for instance; with a modern firearm in hand, his combat capability far exceeded what he could achieve with inner energy alone. Of course, the two were interconnected, and to label one as superior to the other would be biased.

After dark, the four of them left the hotel. Driving a vehicle provided by the hotel and guided by Shen Feng, they cut through the bustling city center toward their destination.

"I’ve investigated thoroughly. The person in charge of this hub is holding a meeting with his staff tonight. I don't know the content, but I’ve already installed a tracker on him. I believe once the meeting concludes, it will be our best chance to strike," Shen Feng said.

"The intelligence says this hub also controls a portion of Jakarta’s underworld. Is that accurate?" He Tian asked.

"It should be. No one knows this gang’s connection to White Shark Island, nor that they are actually an outer-tier organization for the island. Boss, this is a massive operation," Shen Feng replied.

"Whether it's massive or not is irrelevant to us. We only need to capture the leader." He Tian didn't share his true purpose with the others. Helping Master Hai? Protecting the Wang sisters? No, it wasn't just that. He Tian’s real goal was to see if he could track down the person who had placed the hit. Even the smallest lead would suffice.

Neither Chou nor Lazy Cat spoke. Strictly speaking, they didn't care if He Tian had other motives.

The car stopped on the outskirts of Jakarta. A red dot blinked steadily on the computer in Shen Feng's hand. Everyone waited in silence.

Sang Kun concluded his meeting for the evening, feeling very satisfied. This quarter’s sales had hit a new record, largely because his subordinates had forced a group of people to "fall in love" with their products—especially the young scions of wealthy families. They were the big spenders. Sang Kun had specifically instructed his men to maintain these new clients and hold their territory firmly against rival gangs.

He was due to report to headquarters soon, which excited him immensely. It meant a potential promotion. Whether it was power or money, everything seemed to be pouring in, so he had been generous with bonuses to boost his men's morale. Drugs, indeed, made money faster than any other business. He swore he had grown to love this trade.

As the meeting dispersed, the various lieutenants left with their bodyguards, leaving only Sang Kun and his personal security detail.

"Let’s go! To the docks!" Sang Kun intended to head to headquarters tonight so he could reach White Shark Island by morning. He couldn't help but speculate on his potential promotion. Would he manage all of Southeast Asia? Expand into Australia? Or perhaps take over the East Asian market? China, Japan, South Korea! His eyes gleamed. That market was far larger than Southeast Asia's, especially China—even with its strict regulations. Apparently, the headquarters’ partner in China was powerful; getting in would be no problem. That meant an endless flow of wealth. He was intoxicated by the thought.

He prepared to order his men to the docks when, suddenly, he felt something was wrong. Having lived in constant danger, he had developed an instinct far superior to the average person. Just as he reached for his pistol, he felt a sharp pain in his wrist. Looking down, he saw a dagger had pierced through it. Simultaneously, several flashes of cold light streaked through the air. To his horror, his hand-picked bodyguards collapsed one by one, each with a small blade embedded in their throat. Death was instantaneous.

"Who's there!" Sang Kun clutched his wrist, trembling. Even now, he saw no one, which filled him with profound dread.

"Boss is the boss. That throwing-knife technique is unparalleled!" Shen Feng said, looking at He Tian with pure admiration. He was envious; though he knew a bit about throwing knives, he now realized his own skills were pathetic by comparison.

"I specialize in assassinations; I don't need that," Lazy Cat said coolly, though his eyes betrayed a hint of envy.

"Strength, wrist power, precision, speed..." Chou laughed. "Tian is excellent in these aspects."

"Sang Kun? It’s a pleasure to meet you," He Tian said, walking into the room with a smile. Ignoring the chatter of his companions, he looked at Sang Kun and spoke in fluent English.

"Who are you?" Sang Kun asked, filled with vigilance.

"Don't worry about who I am. I’m quite lucky; it seems you’re headed to headquarters to report? That’s perfect, as I’m planning to visit your headquarters too," He Tian said cheerfully. "I’m sure you won't mind us tagging along. We’ll be your most loyal bodyguards, protecting you all the way! Of course, you can choose to refuse, but these men here can show you the consequences."

"It seems I have no choice," Sang Kun said, knowing the rules. Things had reached this point; he had no other option but death.

"You’re a smart man. No wonder you’ve climbed to this position," He Tian smiled. "Cat, clean this up. I don't want anyone suspecting that our dear Sang Kun has met with an accident."

"Fine, let's work," Chou waved, picking up two corpses—one in each hand—and walking out.

"Don't be nervous. We have no malice toward you. Killing you serves me no purpose, and you know, who would do something that brings no benefit?" He Tian approached Sang Kun, smiling. "Bear with it; I’ll bandage that for you."

He Tian swiftly pulled the blade from Sang Kun's wrist. As blood splattered, he pulled various items from his bag—Yunnan Baiyao, gauze, and more. Within moments, the wrist was bandaged.

"You will cooperate with us, won't you?" He Tian asked gently.

"What exactly do you want?" Sang Kun asked in a low voice. As a high-ranking underworld figure and drug trafficker, he still possessed a strong heart.

"I have no interest in your organization. I’m only looking for some information and to ask about a recent mission you accepted—specifically, details about the person who placed the order," He Tian spread his hands. "See? Isn't that simple?"

"I will cooperate... but I hope you won't kill me," Sang Kun said, thinking of the many experts and defensive measures at headquarters. Once these people reached the island, they would surely die.