The Bait

Feilin Manor.

Li Qingye listened to Chen Jianxiong's report, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk. "Have they arrived? The Chinese Business Annual Meeting? Isn't Harry in Manila? Have him run into Yang Tiancheng, then find a chance to invite him to Philip Farm."

"Understood. I'll arrange it right away." Chen Jianxiong didn't ask why. As a capable subordinate, he knew what he should and shouldn't do.

Watching Chen Jianxiong leave, Li Qingye's expression remained as calm as ever.

I hope you have nothing to do with that matter. Otherwise...

At that moment, in a guest room at the Hilton Grand Hotel, Yang Tiancheng was taking a shower when he suddenly shivered.

Garfield, who had been busy handling the Fernando family's internal affairs, also hurried over to Feilin Manor.

He explained to Li Qingye why he had come.

"Boss, the Xu-A Alliance's efforts to interfere with our expansion in the Visayas Islands are causing us a lot of trouble. Should we..." Garfield said grimly.

Li Qingye shook his head. "That would be too obvious. The recent alliance between the Fernando family and the Lopez family has already caused quite a stir. Leave the Xu-A Alliance alone for now."

"But if we don't deal with them, it'll be difficult to expand across the Visayas Islands."

Li Qingye unfolded a map of Luzon.

The Luzon Archipelago could essentially be divided into three major geographical regions: Luzon Island in the north, the Visayas Islands in the center, and Mindanao Island in the south.

These three regions also formed natural boundaries between the various forces in Luzon.

The map was already marked with the names of the different families and the areas they controlled.

There were seven major islands in the Visayas Islands: Samar Island (13,000 square kilometers), Negros Island (12,700 square kilometers), Panay Island (11,500 square kilometers), Leyte Island (7,213 square kilometers), Cebu Island (4,694 square kilometers), Bohol Island (3,975 square kilometers), and Masbate Island (3,269 square kilometers).

Families of all sizes held power on these islands.

But only the Xu family on Negros Island, and the Abetis family and Duterte family on Cebu Island, were truly capable of standing against the Fernando and Lopez families.

Panay Island was the Lopez family's stronghold. The remaining islands were controlled by medium-sized or small families.

Looking at the map, Li Qingye smiled and asked, "Garfield, what do you think is the most expensive thing in the world?"

"What's the most expensive thing?" Garfield pondered.

"The answer is something free. The gifts fate gives us already have their price secretly marked. You know we're building a garbage recycling plant, a methane plant, and offshore farms. Sometimes, energy and food can also become weapons that kill." Li Qingye spoke calmly.

"You mean...?"

"Do you know about the ABCD Four Great Grain Merchants controlled by America? Just copy what they did to exploit Luzon back then."

Garfield felt a shiver run through him.

"Work with those families, and use our cheap fuel and food to undercut the entire Visayas Islands, even all of Luzon. Once we control energy and food, we can cut off supplies to anyone who refuses to obey."

Li Qingye continued, "At the same time, we need to place more of our people on these islands. When necessary, they can take over."

"I understand." Garfield knew this might leave people across the region destitute, but what did that matter?

In Garfield's eyes, whether someone was a Luzonian, Chinese, Visayan, or Tagalog made no difference. Once everything belonged to the company, they would all share the same identity: employees of Homo sapiens Company.

Now that Garfield knew what to do, he ordered the two families to halt their southward expansion. Instead, they would continue to strengthen their foundations, build more infrastructure, and expand their industrial holdings.

January 28.

Minor New Year on the lunar calendar. At the Winfred Casino Hotel.

Prominent Chinese from across Luzon attended, along with representatives of local families who had good ties with Chinese merchants.

Guests gathered in groups of three and five around tables laden with food and drink, chatting and laughing amid the glittering lights.

As Yang Tiancheng clinked glasses with a young member of the Xu family, he spotted a middle-aged man with a female companion, chatting with the Chinese merchants around them.

Before long, the man made his way over to Yang Tiancheng.

The Xu family member beside him quietly introduced the newcomer. "Brother Tiancheng, this is Mr. Harry from the Fernando family."

Harry seemed to find Yang Tiancheng unfamiliar. He stopped and raised his glass. "Robert, who's this?"

Robert Xu smiled as he made the introductions. "Mr. Harry, this is Mr. Yang Tiancheng, from China. His family runs New Nanyang Company, which has quite a few businesses in Luzon."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "New Nanyang Company? I've heard a lot about it. Hello, I'm Harry Fernando."

The two clinked glasses, and Yang Tiancheng smiled. "Hello, Mr. Harry. I'm Yang Tiancheng. I hope you'll look after New Nanyang Company's business in Luzon."

"Hahaha... Of course." Harry agreed with feigned generosity. Saying things like that cost him nothing. Whether he actually helped later was up to the Fernando family.

They chatted for a while and gradually grew more familiar.

When Harry heard that Yang Tiancheng ran a palm plantation in Borneo, where oil palms covered 180,000 hectares, his eyes lit up.

"Brother Yang, has your company sold its palm oil yet?"

Yang Tiancheng spread his hands helplessly. "We still have 30,000 tons of crude palm oil in storage from last year, and we haven't had many orders this year. Would you be interested in buying some, Mr. Harry?"

Harry already knew all about Yang Tiancheng's palm plantation.

An 180,000-hectare oil palm plantation could produce about 50,000 to 60,000 tons of crude palm oil a year. Last year, palm oil prices had fallen steadily, from nearly 900 US dollars per ton early in the year to around 800. Now they had dropped to about 700 dollars per ton.

That was the bait Harry had laid for Yang Tiancheng.

"My family owns an edible oil factory, so we do need some palm oil. But the price..."

"We can talk about the price. I can offer you a cost price, Mr. Harry. How about 680 dollars per ton?" Yang Tiancheng said quickly.

He was desperate.

He was desperate.

Harry gave a noncommittal reply. "No rush. This isn't the right place to discuss business. Here's my card. We can talk another time."

After handing over his card, Harry left with his companion and went over to speak with other Chinese merchants.

Watching Harry walk away, Yang Tiancheng thought he might not be satisfied with the price. But it was rare to find an interested buyer, and he didn't want to let this chance slip away.

After all, extracted palm oil had to be stored, which cost money, and it had a shelf life. If he couldn't sell it in time, he would have no choice but to offload it cheaply to a biofuel company.

What's more, Yang Tiancheng had always dreamed of returning to the heart of the family business. If he couldn't even run a palm plantation company properly, what reason would his father have to trust him?

Harry had read Yang Tiancheng's state of mind perfectly.

Around ten that evening, after the reception ended,

outside the hotel,

Harry got into his car.

Through the car window, he saw Yang Tiancheng and the Xu family member who had come to see him off. He smiled and waved, but a knowing glint flashed in his eyes. He knew the fish had taken the bait.

Go call in some favors. Then come to me yourself! Heh...

The car started up and sped away, leaving the two men behind, each lost in his own thoughts.

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