Tony sneered, his expression turning abruptly fierce.
A-Wu felt a chill run down his spine. He glanced around cautiously, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he pulled several rolls of bright red banknotes from his pocket, shoved them into Tony’s hands, and said with a grin: "This is a token of welcome from our Brother Long. He really appreciates you. If you’re willing to switch sides and work for him, he certainly won’t treat you unfairly..."
Tony frowned, weighed the money in his hand, and said in a low voice: "Five hundred thousand? What’s the meaning of this? Trying to buy me off? Trying to make me a turncoat?"
A-Wu laughed. "That’s the wrong way to look at it! Think of it as leaving darkness for the light! A smart bird chooses the right tree to nest in. Since there’s a better option, why hang yourself from just one branch? You get me? Surely you aren’t making much at Dragon Gate. If you come over to Chung Sing Yee, I can guarantee you’ll earn ten, a hundred, even a thousand times more than you have in your hands right now. No one is uninterested in money, right? No one ever complains about having too much. Staying at Dragon Gate, you’re just suffering in a so-called 'second-in-command' position, nothing more than empty, self-consoling garbage. But at Chung Sing Yee, you’ll be getting real money. Which path has a better future? I don’t think I need to spell that out."
Tony seemed moved. He quietly tucked the five hundred thousand into his pocket and cast his gaze downward, lost in thought.
A flash of a smile crossed A-Wu’s face, though his eyes were filled with utter contempt. *Just a poor, small-minded loser who’s never seen the world. Five hundred thousand is all it took to buy you off?*
"So, is it a deal? From now on, you’re one of our own at Chung Sing Yee. When we need you, we’ll come looking! That’s that, no need to see me out!"
Seeing his mission accomplished, A-Wu didn’t dawdle. He patted Tony on the shoulder and walked away with a jaunty air.
However, he failed to see that the moment he turned his back, a strange smile crept across Tony’s face, accompanied by a playful glint in his eyes.
Once A-Wu’s figure had completely disappeared, Tony walked into the back alley, waved away the subordinates who were smoking there, and after carefully checking that no one was around, pulled out his phone and dialed Luo Yuchen.
"Brother Chen, just as you predicted, A-Wu from Chung Sing Yee came to find me."
As soon as Luo Yuchen answered, Tony gave his report.
"How much money did he give you?" Luo Yuchen asked.
"Five hundred thousand..." Tony replied.
"Only five hundred thousand? How stingy," Luo Yuchen muttered with dissatisfaction.
Tony hesitated for a moment before asking: "Brother Chen, so... are we really keeping this money?"
Luo Yuchen replied as if it were obvious: "If someone works so hard to deliver money to your doorstep, why wouldn't you take it? It would be a sin against heaven to refuse free money..."
Tony: "..." *You’re the boss, whatever you say is right.*
*But isn't this a bit too shameless?*
*Well, he likes it, so that’s all that matters.*
"Heh, anyway, from start to finish, he was the one talking and I was the one listening. I never promised him anything. He’s just delusional and full of himself. What an idiot!" Tony chuckled.
Thinking about how A-Wu would act all high and mighty in the future while he pretended to be innocent, Tony couldn't help but laugh out loud again.
"He’s going to go find A Yi and the others next. Tell them to keep their act together and make sure they don't give the game away. While you're at it, teach them how to handle it. Their acting needs to be absolutely perfect, understand?" Luo Yuchen instructed.
Tony nodded. "Got it. I’ll call them right now and make sure they’re fully prepared so they don't mess up the performance."
After a brief pause, Tony couldn't help but laugh again: "Chung Sing Yee are truly such kind-hearted people! Knowing we’re short on cash, they’re actually here to deliver charcoal in the snow! Haha, in this day and age, you don't see good people like that very often..."
On the other end of the line, Luo Yuchen couldn't help but laugh as well.
He had indeed anticipated this move from Chung Sing Yee. However, he had only mentioned it to Tony. If A-Wu had approached anyone else first, given the temperament of Tian Yangzhi and the others, they might have started a fight on the spot. Fortunately, A-Wu must have researched the members of Dragon Gate, so he targeted Tony first.
"Brother Chen, I’ll call them now."
"Fine, go ahead and get to work."
After hanging up, Luo Yuchen’s face still held a smile.
Having gained several million for nothing—while not exactly a massive fortune—it was still a crucial injection of cash for the current Dragon Gate. Just as Tony said, Chung Sing Yee were truly great people!
There was no doubt that this scheme to sow discord and buy people off was cooked up by So-so of Chung Sing Yee. Only she was accustomed to using such tactics to win people over. That woman certainly had her fair share of twisted schemes!
***
Tsim Sha Tsui West. The West District Police Station.
A woman with short hair walked out of the front entrance, looking brisk and capable. She shook her head, loosened her neck, walked straight to the parking lot, and drove away.
Ten minutes later, she arrived at her home.
As she switched on the lights, her eyes suddenly narrowed. Subconsciously, she drew her gun, which rarely left her side, and pointed it toward the sofa.
A man was sitting on the sofa—a young man. Even though it was late at night, he was wearing sunglasses, looking quite incongruous.
"Who are you? Why are you in my house?" the woman asked sternly.
"Lui Mei-chun, currently a senior officer at the Tsim Sha Tsui West Police Station, right?" the man asked, perfectly at ease.
"Who the hell are you?" Lui Mei-chun demanded again.
"If I were you, I’d sit down and we could have a nice, long chat, Madam..." The man didn't seem to care about the gun in her hand at all, his expression entirely relaxed.
Lui Mei-chun took a few slow steps forward, her demeanor cold and her voice icy. "I’ll ask one last time: who are you? Why are you here? If you don't answer, I won't mind pulling this trigger!"
"Feel free to try." The man smiled. "But I advise you not to be reckless. Because if I get even a little bit unhappy, your business with Lian Ho-tung will be all over Tsim Sha Tsui by tomorrow. And the first to be hit hard will be your own station, starting with your direct superior, Liao Zhizong!"
"Who the hell are you?" Hearing the man’s words, Lui Mei-chun shuddered, her hand trembling unnaturally as she held the gun.
This was her deepest, darkest secret, and now someone knew it. She became filled with panic and turmoil. This secret had tortured her for countless nights, leaving her in constant agony. She was terrified of others finding out—especially terrified that if Liao Zhizong learned of it, her career would be over. Worse, she would certainly face prison time. She didn't want to go to jail, and she didn't want to lose her future. But Lian Ho-tung kept a stranglehold on her, and she was forced against her will to betray police intelligence for him.
And yet, the man before her had pinpointed her deepest secret with a single sentence, striking her like a bolt of lightning.
*Silence him!*
That was the first thought that flashed through her mind! The murderous intent in her eyes began to coalesce.
The man seemed to clearly discern her intent, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Madam, you want to silence me? You’d better think carefully first. If I die, your secret will likely be broadcast to the world immediately. Besides..."
"Are you really sure you can kill me?"
The man's words stopped Lui Mei-chun from acting rashly. Seeing his unshakeable confidence, she knew he wasn't bluffing. Killing him might be the very moment her world came crashing down.
"Who are you?" Lui Mei-chun took a deep breath, trying her best to remain calm. She lowered her gun instinctively. If she couldn't kill him, what was the point of holding it? At that moment, she felt a sense of extreme helplessness.
"Tian Yangyi of Dragon Gate!"
The person who had appeared here without a moment’s delay was none other than Tian Yangyi, fresh off dealing with Tricia.
"Dragon Gate? That new gang that just rose up in Sham Shui Po? Tian Yangyi! You’re one of Luo Yuchen’s men!" Lui Mei-chun’s intelligence gathering was quite good; she immediately identified Tian Yangyi’s true background.
Tian Yangyi nodded. "Madam is truly worthy of being a senior officer in the Anti-Triad Unit; your intelligence-gathering skills are quite impressive..."
Lui Mei-chun snorted coldly.
Tian Yangyi didn't mind her attitude. He gestured with his hand, taking control of the situation. "Madam, can we sit down and talk now?"
Lui Mei-chun gritted her teeth and walked slowly to a spot not far from Tian Yangyi to sit down.
"Madam, you might think my goal in coming here is to threaten you. True, I do have that intention, but more importantly, I’m here to help you!" Tian Yangyi said with a smile.
Lui Mei-chun sneered, "A gangster claiming he wants to help me? Should I interpret this as a weasel greeting a chicken for the New Year—with no good intentions?"
Tian Yangyi shrugged. "This 'gangster' makes a living by his own merits. Isn't that better than a cop who acts as an undercover agent only to sell out intelligence?"
"You!" Lui Mei-chun’s face changed dramatically as her sore spot was prodded; she was on the verge of flying into a rage.
Tian Yangyi waved his hand. "Madam, if you want to have a proper conversation, please speak properly. Don't be so snide, otherwise, there’s no way we can continue this chat..."
Lui Mei-chun took a deep breath, staring daggers at Tian Yangyi.
"Enough small talk. Madam, you’ve been wanting to break free from Lian Ho-tung’s control for a long time, haven't you?" Tian Yangyi looked at her meaningfully.
Lui Mei-chun muttered, "So what if I have?"
Tian Yangyi snapped his fingers and chuckled. "If so, then it’s simple. If Lian Ho-tung were dead, would there be anyone left who knows your secret? Oh, apologies, I forgot about us. However, we are different from Lian Ho-tung. He purely wants to get benefits from you without paying anything, but we are different. We will support you in rising to the top. It’s mutually beneficial, isn't it?"
"Kill Lian Ho-tung?" Lui Mei-chun scoffed. "Do you know what you’re saying? I don't need to tell you how powerful Chung Sing Yee is. How would you kill him? What gives you the right to think you can? And how can you guarantee that before you kill him, he won't spill my secret? To be blunt, you’re all delusional!"
"Delusional? Perhaps that’s how outsiders see it. But for you, Madam, isn't this an opportunity? What do you think?" Tian Yangyi replied.
Lui Mei-chun fell silent. It was true—this was an opportunity. If Lian Ho-tung were dead, she might truly be able to escape his control.