Lin Yichen smiled down at the fallen Li Wei. "This guy. I told him there was no reason to fight, but he still insisted." He glanced at Baki. "Foolish or loyal?"
Baki chuckled. "Definitely foolish. Impressive though." He looked at Lin Yichen. "You know why I'm here."
Lin Yichen smiled and handed him a tablet.
Baki looked at the bounty issuer's name. T Group. He handed the tablet back. "Won't giving me this hurt your business?"
Lin Yichen's smile went flat. "Business has been collapsing since King was arrested. The platform still runs under our name but not for much longer. The Mexican cartel has started making moves for the position of King of the Underworld."
Baki nodded. "Can you help me find T Group's headquarters?"
Lin Yichen raised an eyebrow. "T Group is famous worldwide. Try their public headquarters."
Baki nodded and turned to leave.
"Be careful," Lin Yichen called after him. "Some dangerous people are after you."
Baki glanced back. "Good."
Lin Yichen shook his head and tossed a key. Baki caught it without looking. "What's this?"
"Transportation outside."
Baki headed for the exit. Lin Yichen called out one more time. "Baki Hanma! When I need this favor returned, you'd better come through!"
Baki waved without turning back and muttered to himself, "Mexican cartel. I wonder if they're strong."
Outside, a motorcycle was waiting. He smiled and got on.
---
T Group Public Headquarters
Most mercenaries had stopped coming after Baki by now. Word had spread. The ones who hadn't heard were the ones who found out the hard way.
Baki stood in front of the building and watched the entrance. Security checked everyone at the door. Entry required an employee ID card.
He waited until a lone employee came out alone, incapacitated him quickly, and took his card. The photo looked nothing like Baki. He put on a face mask and walked straight to the door.
A guard stopped him and held out his hand. Baki gave him the card. The guard looked at it, then held it up next to Baki's face. "This doesn't match. Take the mask off."
Baki pulled it down.
The guard frowned. "This photo looks nothing like you. Whose card is this?"
Baki looked genuinely offended. "What do you mean it doesn't look like me? I got fit over the last few months. That's it."
The guard hesitated. "You just look a bit more tan now."
"So you're denying my identity because of my skin color?" Baki's voice rose. "I've been exercising outside in the sun every day. Are you being racist right now?"
The guard went pale. "No, no, not at all. I apologize. Please go ahead."
Baki snatched the card back and walked inside.
The junior guard watched him go and leaned toward his senior. "The card says five-foot-eight. Doesn't he look over six feet?"
The senior guard hit him on the back of the head. "Are you calling him short? He probably had a late growth spurt. What do young people say these days? Disappear for three months and transform yourself."
The junior guard rubbed his head. "Should I take three months off too?"
---
Baki stepped into the elevator. Just before the doors closed, a foot stopped them. A woman stepped in carrying a stack of files so tall she could barely see over it. Her hair was half-undone. The stack tilted and Baki caught it with one hand and steadied her with the other.
She looked up at him. "Thank you. Could you press twenty-six?"
Baki pressed it. The elevator moved. The silence stretched until she broke it. "Are you new here? Which department?"
Baki looked forward. "I'm new to the job."
She nodded. "I'm Hana Yuri. Are you Japanese?"
"Yes," Baki said.
Her face lit up. "What a coincidence, so am I! What's your name?"
Baki sighed and thrust his ID card toward her face. She squinted trying to read it before he pulled it back.
"Sorry," she said, a little flustered. "I didn't mean to bother you. It's just rare to meet someone from home."
Baki's expression softened slightly. "You're not bothering me."
The doors opened at the twenty-sixth floor. Hana stepped out and gave a small bow. "Thank you again."
Baki nodded as the doors closed.
Hana sat down at her desk and reached for her keyboard. Then she stopped. She thought about it for a moment. "Wait. Why did his card say Chinese nationality?" She frowned at her monitor. "And the photo was completely different."
---
Baki rode the elevator to twenty-nine. The CEO's office was on thirty and the elevator didn't go that far. He took the stairs.
Three guards were waiting at the top.
One stepped forward. "Hey! Who are you?!"
Baki smiled. "I'm here to see the CEO."
"Do you have an appointment?" the guard demanded. "No appointment, no entry. Turn around."
Baki looked at them for a moment. "I'll give you a choice," he said pleasantly. "Let me in, or I put all three of you on the floor. Either works for me."