They say you shouldn't hit a person who is smiling. Han Sam’s Buddha-like grin was indeed one of his best disguises.
"To what do I owe the honor of Brother Sam gracing my humble abode?" Luo Yuchen asked with a chuckle.
Since you want to play it civilized, I’ll play along with your word games, he thought.
Han Sam smiled. "Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to see the rising star who has been making such waves in the underworld lately?"
Luo Yuchen raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter whether I believe you or not?"
Han Sam seemed taken aback by the reply for a split second, then burst into laughter. "It seems the people in the underworld don't know you well enough. You are not only a man of cold, decisive action, but you are also quite interesting..."
"Interesting or uninteresting depends entirely on the person," Luo Yuchen said with a faint smile. "It’s just like drinking. When you drink with someone you hit it off with, even moonshine tastes good. But if you’re drinking with someone you despise, even the finest vintage tastes like swill. If someone insists on making themselves a nuisance, I’m hardly going to debase myself by trying to entertain them."
He took a sip of his drink, looked at Han Sam, and asked, "Would you agree, Brother Sam?"
Han Sam chuckled. "True, you’ve got a point. I don't care much for drinking with people who make themselves a nuisance either."
He paused, then added with a meaningful look, "And now that you’ve offended Chung Sing Yee, what are your thoughts?"
"When trouble comes, you meet it head-on. If they insist on coming to my doorstep to pick a fight, should I just sit here and take it?" Luo Yuchen replied with a knowing look.
Han Sam nodded, then suddenly said, "What if I told you the Ni Family wants to help you? What do you think?"
"Oh?" Luo Yuchen asked. "How so?"
"Two options," Han Sam said, holding up two fingers. "First, you join the Ni Family. Once you’re part of the family, you’re one of us. We wouldn't just stand by if one of our own were in trouble, would we?"
He paused deliberately, watching for Luo Yuchen’s reaction. Unfortunately, he saw nothing—not a ripple on the young man’s face. He remained as calm as ever. *This young man is no simple character. So composed, so cold-headed!* Han Sam marveled inwardly.
"And the second?" Luo Yuchen asked with keen interest.
"Second, we cooperate. We take down Chung Sing Yee together, and once they’re gone, we split their territory with you," Han Sam said.
Luo Yuchen took a sip of his drink and said, as if joking, "Brother Sam, I’m running a small-time operation here. How am I supposed to cooperate with big shots like you? I’m afraid you’ll just end up swallowing me whole, and I won’t even have a place to cry when it’s all over."
"What kind of talk is that!" Han Sam feigned dissatisfaction. "I came here in person because I’m sincere about this cooperation. I won’t hide it from you—Mr. Ngai really appreciates your talents. If you join the Ni Family, he will surely put you to good use. With your abilities, it won't be long before you make a name for yourself and soar to greatness. It would only be a matter of time before you even surpassed me."
Luo Yuchen gave a playful smile and stared at Han Sam. "Brother Sam, who calls the shots in Dragon Gate right now?"
The question seemed bizarre, but Han Sam understood exactly what he meant. Currently, Luo Yuchen was the sole authority in Dragon Gate; everyone there obeyed his commands. In other words, no one in Dragon Gate stood above Luo Yuchen.
To put it another way, within Dragon Gate, Luo Yuchen held the power of life and death. That absolute, supreme authority was Luo Yuchen’s unique honor. And that was something the Ni Family could never give him. Once Luo Yuchen entered the Ni Family, he would inevitably be under Ngai Kun’s control and constraints. That was an established fact, an immovable reality. Worse, in the early stages, he would likely be subject to the commands and scorn of the other four leaders. Even Han Sam, for a time, would rank above him.
It was the difference between heaven and earth. Sure, joining the Ni Family would offer a larger platform with more room to maneuver, but didn't the current Luo Yuchen have plenty of room to maneuver as it was? If he could just weather the relentless attacks from Chung Sing Yee, Dong Sing, and Hung Hing, he would truly leap over the Dragon Gate, free as a bird and limitless as the sea.
*This young man has grand ambitions,* Han Sam sighed internally. He now knew clearly that his plan to recruit Luo Yuchen into the Ni Family had failed. Given Luo Yuchen’s firm resolve, it was impossible.
"If you were in my shoes, Brother Sam, what would you choose?" Luo Yuchen added, observing the subtle shift in Han Sam's expression.
Han Sam gave a bitter smile. "I don’t have a choice anymore. I can only move forward, step by step, wherever the road leads..."
"The world is unpredictable. Perhaps one day, you’ll be able to choose your own path, Brother Sam," Luo Yuchen said, his words full of hidden meaning.
Han Sam laughed at himself. "I hope your words ring true. If that day ever comes, I’ll be sure to treat you to a drink."
He paused and raised his glass. "I must say, drinking with you is a pleasure. You don’t feel like a man in his early twenties at all. You feel more like a wise, battle-hardened elder. It’s strange, to be honest, but it suits you perfectly."
Luo Yuchen clinked his glass against Han Sam’s, finished his drink, and smiled. "Perhaps it’s just that the underworld ages a man. Even if the body is young, the heart grows old, doesn't it?"
"Haha! That’s how a man of letters puts it! Very apt. It captures exactly what I’ve always wanted to say but never could," Han Sam finished his drink and let out a hearty laugh.
Once the laughter subsided, his face quickly turned serious. "Shall we discuss the second option, then?"
Luo Yuchen looked noncommittal. "I'm listening."
Han Sam began, "Our idea is this..."
***
Half an hour later, Luo Yuchen saw Han Sam out. As he returned to his private booth in the bar, a subordinate rushed in. "Brother Chen, someone else is here to see you. They claim to be from the Baoyi Society."
*Baoyi Society?* One of the kings of Tsim Sha Tsui—people from Wang Bao’s outfit?
It seemed all the big shots had their sights set on him tonight. But after the warning shot he’d fired earlier, he doubted anyone would dare look down on him again.
"Show them in," Luo Yuchen ordered.
His man trotted out and brought the visitor in. It was a middle-aged man with medium-length hair. Luo Yuchen recognized him at once as one of Wang Bao’s right-hand men: A Kin. His full name was Chan Kin, and he had been by Wang Bao’s side for over twenty years. In the Baoyi Society, A Chi handled the violence, but Chan Kin handled the business. In fact, most of the day-to-day operations of the Baoyi Society were run by him.
Luo Yuchen was surprised that even Chan Kin had come in person. Most people would have been ecstatic and flattered, but Luo Yuchen remained perfectly calm.
"Mr. Lok, let me introduce myself. I am Chan Kin of the Baoyi Society..." Chan Kin smiled and reached out to shake hands. He was refined, dressed in a sharp suit, and possessed a breezy, charismatic smile. He didn't look like a gangster at all; he looked like a successful professional.
*A Smiling Tiger,* Luo Yuchen thought. Compared to Han Sam, Chan Kin was far more deceptive, at least in appearance. Han Sam looked like a slippery operator with an inherent aura of villainy. Chan Kin, however, had the air of an elite professional.
What mattered most was the address: "Mr. Lok."
This was the most prestigious title in the underworld of Hong Kong. You couldn't just claim the title of "Mr. X" for yourself; it had to be recognized by others once you reached a certain level of power. Usually, only the heads of top-tier societies were granted such an honor. Luo Yuchen was nowhere near that level yet, but Chan Kin had used the title anyway—a compliment so high it was almost impossible to live up to.
Any normal man would have been trembling with humility. Luo Yuchen just gave a faint smile and replied naturally, "I have long admired your name, Mr. Chan. Seeing you in person, it truly lives up to the reputation. You are a role model for all of us."
*If you want to play games and flatter me, I can play back.*
Chan Kin’s eyes flickered, and he chuckled. "We old guys are getting on in years. We’re no match for someone as young and promising as Mr. Lok. The future belongs to you. We’ll be retiring soon enough."
*Retiring soon,* he implied, *meaning we old dogs are still the ones running the world.*
Luo Yuchen caught the subtext and decided not to waste time with empty pleasantries. "What brings you to see me today, Mr. Chan?"
Chan Kin laughed. "Straight to the point, I like it. Very well, I won't beat around the bush. Our Dragon Head, Brother Bao, appreciates you. He hopes you’ll work with us to build a future together. What do you think?"
It was a smooth pitch, far more sophisticated than Loh Ting Fat’s arrogance. Perhaps the brutal beating Luo Yuchen had handed out to Loh Ting Fat was having an effect—everyone now understood that being arrogant in front of Luo Yuchen had unpleasant consequences. To a certain extent, Luo Yuchen had become synonymous with a madman.
Luo Yuchen shrugged and smiled. "I appreciate the offer from Brother Bao, but I’ve always been used to my freedom, and I lack any grand ambitions. You’ll have to forgive me for declining."