Chapter Thirty-Four: The Plan

The two men, Heitaro Koinu and Onozura, had already fled back to Japan, but Wei Hua still couldn’t relax. The shooting incident had left a deep impression on him; he now realized he was no longer the insignificant, conflict-averse man he had been in his previous life. He had gained a certain standing in this world, his interests now at odds with those of others. His feud with the Black Dragon Society made this clear. Killers didn’t concern him—his body was nearly superhuman, ordinary weapons could not harm him—but what about the people around him? If the gunfire had targeted the three women, would they have been lucky enough to survive? The three women were his friends and also his assistants in business; harm befalling any of them would be a devastating blow. And if, in the future, he reunited with his family back in the homeland, would they be spared from enemy retaliation?

Wei Hua recognized that he needed his own force to protect those close to him. But where could he find such strength? Was he supposed to rely on the Kinoshita family for this? Clearly impossible. Wei Hua would never expose his vulnerabilities to the Japanese. This wasn’t a matter of mistrusting the Kinoshita family; rather, he believed it wise to guard against even those one trusts.

For days, Wei Hua had wrestled with this dilemma. Ordinary thugs were unreliable, useless in the face of danger. Criminals lacked morals—entrusting the three women’s protection to such men would be like inviting wolves into the fold. The best candidates for bodyguard duty were soldiers or specially trained professionals, but in this era of Cold War, those with such training belonged to either the Eastern or Western blocs. Wei Hua couldn’t find them, even if he tried. After much thought, he finally realized there was one place where such men might be found: Vietnam. Yet his plan was not easy to execute, so he called Jesse to discuss it.

“Jesse! I want to find some people to protect the three of you, but these aren’t Americans. If our company sponsors these people for work, would they be able to enter the United States on work visas?”

“Protect us? Why? Where are you planning to find these people?” Jesse asked.

“You know we’ve managed to offend both the Black Dragon Society and the Yamaguchi-gumi—the two most notorious violent gangs in Japan. We inflicted heavy losses on them, so they’re bound to seek revenge. I have to consider hiring bodyguards for you. I’ve thought about this a lot—these organizations are old, tightly organized, with clear divisions of labor. If they want revenge, they’ll send their best assassins. Ordinary bodyguards won’t suffice, so I need real warriors. Only in Vietnam, can you find men who gamble with their lives, men who fit our requirements.”

“But how can we be sure these men will obey us? They’re all killers, fugitives—the kind of people we can’t control. Would we really be safe?”

“I’ve considered this too. We should choose survivors among Vietnamese soldiers who have families. Most of these men are battle-hardened, and handling criminals shouldn’t be a problem. North Vietnam is advancing steadily on the battlefield, and the South Vietnamese government’s prospects are bleak. I estimate that by May, the South Vietnamese government will collapse, leaving large numbers of soldiers and especially officers in dire straits. We can find the people we need among them. If we arrange for their families to be brought out of Vietnam and settled somewhere, their loyalty will be bound to us by their loved ones. What do you think?”

“I think this is a major decision. We should talk to Celine and Mary, see what they think, since it concerns all of us.”

“Alright. You handle the discussion with them. I have some other matters to consider. Let me know the outcome.”

The next evening, Mary entered Wei Hua’s room wearing a seductive nightgown. Wei Hua was lying on the bed reading, and when he saw her, he asked in surprise, “Mary! Why are you dressed like this in my room? Are you lost?”

Mary lifted the covers and slipped in, pressing her delicate body against him. “Lost? I came here dressed like this on purpose. Don’t you like it? Don’t worry—I know what’s on your mind. We’ve already resolved things between us. Jesse has told us what you said, and we think your plan is basically workable. But there are several issues to resolve: first, the number of recruits; second, the criteria for recruitment; third, the problem of settling their families. If we settle them too far away, we risk losing control; too close, and the government might get suspicious. These are seasoned soldiers—the federal government won’t ignore them. If the government gets involved, our goal will be difficult to achieve. I imagine you don’t want to go against the federal government, do you?”

“After talking to Jesse yesterday, I thought it through and refined the plan. About a hundred people should suffice. We may not need that many now, but our company will invest in Japan, and Japan will remain a focus for our investments, so we’ll soon need more staff. As for recruitment criteria: age 25 to 30, must have families, extensive combat experience, preferably with special training. For their families, we could buy estates in Indonesia, Malaysia, or even the Philippines, and settle them there as company employees. This way, their families would be under our control. What do you think?”