Chapter 636
The Framework of Loyalty, Righteousness, and Trust
Inside a villa in Hong Kong.
Lian Haodong leaned back in his chair, his hands pressing down hard on the cards on the table. His eyes were serious as he slowly stared at the cards that had been revealed by his hands.
The bosses around the round table were all staring at him.
The bespectacled, Mediterranean-looking boss on the left was fondling the curves of his two female companions, staring at Lian Haodong with a half-smile.
"Ah Dong, don't feel pressured. You're a veteran, someone who's fought your way out of Macau. How could you feel pressured by such a small bet?"
Ah Dong's lips moved slightly, and an old man next to him looked at him expectantly.
"I'm betting everything." Ah Dong threw all his bets in.
"I'll take it." The Mediterranean man smiled and pushed the card over, then turned over the card, "A straight."
"Fuck it!"
Enraged, A-Dong slammed his right fist on the table and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his cheeks weakly.
"Excuse me." The Mediterranean man smiled as he gathered all three million in bets on the table.
The old man's expectant gaze turned cold as he stood up, clutching his stomach. "Ouch, my stomach hurts... Um... Ah Dong, come here for a second."
The two walked into the bedroom of the villa at the back.
The old man turned around, took a bag from the wardrobe, and then threw it on the table with a grim expression, staring at Lian Haodong. "You. The check you gave me last time went back on its own. Including tonight's, you owe me a total of twenty million."
"I didn't rush to ask you for that money before, but you can't keep owing me money, can you?"
Lian Haodong crossed his arms, lowered his head, and leaned against the wall. "I'm so sorry."
The old man stared at Lian Haodong and said, "I haven't charged you a single penny of interest, but you've dragged out this 20 million for so long. You can't treat me like a bank."
Lian Haodong stood up apologetically, "I'm so sorry, I'll pay you back with interest next time."
"No need for that. Take this to your older brother."
The old man handed a bag to Lian Haodong, then opened the bedroom door, saying, "I won't see you out."
Lian Haodong nodded and walked out.
-
A yellow Ferrari was parked on the side of the road.
Lian Haodong sat in the car, smoking and gazing into the darkness in the distance.
His gaze swept across the bag on the seat, picked it up and opened it. Inside was a pack of cigarettes, and inside that were ten bags of heroin.
Lian Haodong burst out laughing, "Damn it..."
-
Inside the police office.
The fat man was writing a transfer report when he suddenly paused, looked up, and stared at a policewoman. “Lei Meizhen, how do you write the ‘quan’ in ‘quanzhi’ (power)?”
Lei Meizhen didn't look up. "Wood radical, grass radical, double mouth radical at the bottom... never mind, I'll write it out for you."
After Lei Meizhen finished writing, she took the traditional Chinese character for "power" and handed it to the fat man, saying, "God help me, I hope you don't get transferred to an office job."
The fat man chuckled, "Isn't this just forgetting how to write a character? Don't worry, I can call you if I can't write it. I don't dare go down to the front line anymore. My three daughters are still young and they're getting too old. Going to see the reservoir is the best option for me."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the office fell silent.
They've been with Lian Haolong for seven years. This gang isn't simple; how could it be simple if it survived from the era of Chen Haonan's gangster films?
Moreover, unlike other gangs, this gang actually kills people.
He'll kill anyone.
Everyone was risking their lives.
Liao Zhizhong chuckled, "You guys, can't you have some ambition? The anti-triad unit is all about risking your lives, isn't it? I just came from the serious crimes unit, and that Lu Xuanxin is more motivated than any of you."
The others all glanced at Liao Zhizhong.
"Of course, you've suffered these past seven years, but the gangs in Hong Kong, like the Golden Tiger of Portland Street, have been wiped out a few days ago. As long as we deal with Lian Haolong and his gang, the sky will clear in Hong Kong."
The others remained silent.
Compared to those two behemoths, Lian Haolong is nothing.
One, Tung Ying, loomed over them like the sky, while the other, Hung Hing, had the most underlings.
-
-
Lian Haodong got out of the yellow Ferrari, casually tossed the bag of white powder onto the passenger seat, and walked into the nightclub with a gloomy look in his eyes.
The private room was filled with smoke, and the deafening music almost shattered the walls.
Ah Wu was embracing two female escorts, his thick arms with bulging veins, a cigar dangling from his mouth, and his right hand constantly shaking the dice cup.
"Open it! I don't believe it!" Ah Wu suddenly flipped open the dice cup, revealing three dice: five, six, and six. "Haha! Seventeen points! Drink! All of you, drink up!"
The hostesses giggled as they raised their glasses. One of the voluptuous women, wearing a red miniskirt, brought her glass to Ah Wu's lips and said, "Brother Wu, you're amazing! Here, let me feed you."
Lian Haodong watched this scene coldly, walked to the center of the sofa, sat down, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and drank it all in one gulp.
The burning sensation of the alcohol spread from his throat to his stomach, but it did nothing to dispel the irritation in his heart.
"Brother Dong, why are you drinking alone?" Ah Wu noticed Lian Haodong's unusual behavior, pushed aside the hostess next to him, and leaned closer. "I heard you're having a bad night?"
"Don't even mention it." Lian Haodong poured himself another glass of wine. "Those old foxes, not a single one of them is any good."
Ah Wu chuckled, revealing a set of teeth stained yellow by smoking: "When have we, Zhongxinyi, ever been afraid of those old fogies? Should I take a few brothers to 'have a chat'?"
"What's there to talk about!" Lian Haodong waved his hand impatiently. "That old guy asked my brother to help him sell his goods."
"Live-streaming sales?" Ah Wu's eyes flashed. "What kind of sales?"
Lian Haodong took a small packet of white powder out of his pocket and threw it on the coffee table.
The music in the private room just happened to switch to a slightly slower song, and the whole space suddenly became much quieter.
Ah Wu picked up the package and examined it closely under the light. A smile gradually spread across his face: "Good purity. Where did it come from?"
"That old guy gave me a sample gift, saying it was to offset my 20 million debt," Lian Haodong sneered. "He really thinks I'm his delivery boy."
"This is no small sum." Ah Wu weighed the packet of heroin in his hand. "Brother Dong, do you think Big Brother will accept it?"
Lian Haodong didn't answer, but instead downed another glass of wine.
He knew in his heart that his elder brother, Lian Haolong, had been laundering his business all these years, trying to turn Zhongxinyi from the underworld into legitimate business.
But how easy is this kind of transformation? With so many men to support and so many relationships to maintain, those few nightclubs and restaurants simply aren't enough.
“My brother has been talking about land development in the New Territories recently,” Lian Haodong finally said. “If we can get that land, we can finally settle down.”
"Go ashore?" Ah Wu scoffed. "Brother Dong, can people like us even breathe ashore? Fish that swim in the water become dead fish once they're on land."
Lian Haodong glared at him: "What do you know!"
Ah Wu wisely shut up, but her eyes were full of disapproval.
He put his arm around the hostess again and continued playing his dice game.
Lian Haodong fell into deep thought, his mind replaying the scenes from tonight's card game and the old man's seemingly kind but actually cold expression.
The nightclub closes at 2 a.m.
As Lian Haodong stepped out the door, the night wind carried the salty smell of the sea.
A black Mercedes had been parked next to his Ferrari at some point.
The car window slowly rolled down, revealing a square and dignified face. It was his elder brother, Lian Haolong, the leader of the Loyalty and Integrity Gang.
"Get in the car." Lian Haolong's voice was deep and powerful, leaving no room for doubt.
Lian Haodong hesitated for a moment, but still got into the back seat of the Mercedes.
The driver was Luo Tianhong, whose silver hair stood out starkly in the night. He didn't turn around, but glanced at Lian Haodong in the rearview mirror, his eyes as cold as knives.
"I heard you lost money again." Lian Haolong got straight to the point, his hand holding a string of Buddhist prayer beads, his movements slow and rhythmic.
Lian Haodong lowered his head: "Big brother, I..."
“Twenty million is no small sum.” Lian Haolong interrupted him. “That old guy called me and said you’ve owed him for so long, it’s time to pay him back.”
“He said he would use the goods to pay off the debt.” Lian Haodong took the bag out of the Ferrari and handed it to Lian Haolong.
Lian Haolong took it, opened it, and glanced at it; his eyes suddenly sharpened.
He remained silent for a long time, so long that Lian Haodong could almost hear his own heartbeat.
“You know I’m talking about a real estate project in the New Territories,” Lian Haolong finally spoke. “At this critical juncture, we can’t afford any mistakes. The police are watching closely; they’re not easy to deal with.”
"What about these goods..." Lian Haodong asked tentatively.
"Let Ah Wu handle it." Lian Haolong tossed the bag back to Lian Haodong. "Tell him to be careful; things are getting tense lately."
"yes, Sir."
The Mercedes drove smoothly through the night, passing through Kowloon and heading towards Tsim Sha Tsui.
Looking at the street scenes rushing past the window, Lian Haolong suddenly asked, "Adong, do you still remember when we were little?"
Lian Haodong was taken aback: "I remember some."
“Back then, we lived in cage homes in Mong Kok, with ten people sharing one room.” A rare hint of emotion crept into Lian Haolong’s voice. “You always missed out on food, so I shared half of mine with you.”
“I remember,” Lian Haodong said in a low voice.
“I promised Mom I would give you a good life.” Lian Haolong turned his head and looked directly into his younger brother’s eyes. “Now we have everything: money, power, and status. But Adong, you must remember that these things come quickly and go quickly. One wrong step and you’ll lose everything.”
Lian Haodong felt a pang of shame: "I'm sorry, brother, I've caused you trouble again."
Lian Haolong shook his head and looked out the window again: "You'll come with me to the bidding conference for the New Territories project next week. It's time for you to get involved in some legitimate business."
The car stopped in front of Lian Haolong's villa.
This is a luxury mansion located on the hillside, overlooking the entire Victoria Harbour.
When Lian Haodong got out of the car, Lian Haolong called out to him.
"Also, stay away from that cop. I suspect she's been targeted, otherwise Liao Zhizhong wouldn't be in such a hurry to take action against us." Lian Haolong's voice suddenly turned cold.
Lian Haodong was shocked: "Big brother, how did you know?"
"I know more than you think." Lian Haolong waved his hand. "Go back and get some rest."
As the Mercedes drove away, Lian Haodong stood there, a chill running down his spine in the night wind.
He shook his head, started the Ferrari, and the roar of the engine was particularly jarring on the quiet mountain road.
-
At the same time, the police anti-triad unit's office remained brightly lit.
Liao Zhizhong stood in front of a whiteboard covered with photos and relationship diagrams of the main members of Zhongxinyi.
At the very center was Lian Haolong, radiating out from him were Lian Haodong, Luo Tianhong, A Wu, Guo Ziheng, and others.
“We’ve been monitoring Chung Hsin Yi for seven years.” Liao Chih-chung tapped the whiteboard with his pen. “Seven years is enough for a child to go from elementary school to middle school. But what about us? The evidence we’ve collected isn’t enough to send Lien Hao-lung to prison.”
Silence fell over the office.
The fat man had finished writing his transfer report and was carefully putting it into an envelope.
Lei Meizhen was organizing the documents, but her eyes kept drifting to Lian Haodong's photo on the whiteboard.
“However, the situation is changing,” Liao Zhizhong continued. “Lian Haolong wants to clean up his act and is bidding for land development projects in the New Territories. This is our opportunity; people are most likely to expose their weaknesses during a period of transition.”
"Inspector Liao, we have information that Lian Haodong has recently incurred a large gambling debt." A young police officer raised his hand to report, "The creditor is Uncle Zhou, a veteran of 'Wo Shing'."
Liao Zhizhong's eyes lit up: "Uncle Zhou? That old fox never does business at a loss. He will definitely force Lian Haodong to do something to pay off the debt."
“We overheard a conversation between Uncle Zhou and Lian Haodong, where they mentioned ‘delivering goods.’” A colleague from the technical team pushed open the door and handed over a recording, “but the content was encrypted and we couldn’t hear it clearly.”
Lei Meizhen suddenly spoke up: "Lian Haodong used to work in Macau casinos and knows many smuggling channels. If 'delivery' is needed, it's very likely that it will go through his network of connections."
Everyone looked at her.
Lei Meizhen realized she had said too much and quickly added, "This is the conclusion I reached by analyzing the files."
Liao Zhizhong looked at her thoughtfully and nodded: "Okay, let's start by investigating Lian Haodong's network of contacts. A-Ming, you take a team and keep a close eye on Lian Haodong; Fatty, do me one last favor before you're transferred, check on Uncle Zhou's recent cash flow."
"Yes, sir!"
After everyone had left, Liao Zhizhong called out to Lei Meizhen: "Meizhen, stay for a moment."
Only the two of them remained in the office.
Liao Zhizhong closed the door, turned to look at Lei Meizhen: "You've been in the anti-triad unit for three years, and your performance has always been excellent. But I must ask you, have you had any contact with Lian Haodong?"
Lei Meizhen's expression changed slightly: "Inspector Liao, I don't understand what you mean."
“Eight years ago, when you were still in police academy, you worked at a tea restaurant in Mong Kok,” Liao Zhizhong said slowly. “Back then, Lian Haodong often went to that restaurant. Some colleagues saw you talking.”
Lei Meizhen took a deep breath: "That was a long time ago, I don't remember him at all."
“I hope so.” Liao Zhizhong stared into her eyes. “Remember who you are. You are a police officer. If I find out that you have had inappropriate contact with the person under investigation, I will personally send you to the internal investigation department.”
“Understood, Officer Liao.” Lei Meizhen straightened her back.
After leaving the office, Lei Meizhen went into the restroom and washed her face with cold water.
The person in the mirror looked pale, with a hint of panic in their eyes.
I remember that rainy day when he walked into the tea restaurant, soaked to the bone but still wearing a cynical smile.
I remember he always ordered the same set meal: pineapple bun and iced milk tea. I also remember one time a group of thugs came looking for trouble, and he was the one who stood in front of her…
Lei Meizhen shook her head, trying to banish those memories from her mind.
-
Three days later, at the New Territories land development tender meeting.
Lian Haolong was dressed in a custom-made suit and wore gold-rimmed glasses, making him look more like a successful businessman than a triad boss.
Lian Haodong followed behind him, also dressed in a suit and tie, but his demeanor still exuded a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) air.
"Remember, speak less and observe more," Lian Haolong whispered. "The people who came today are all legitimate businessmen, not the kind of people we usually deal with."
The bidding meeting was held in the banquet hall of a five-star hotel.
Crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow, and waiters carried champagne through the crowd.
Lian Haolong was soon surrounded by several real estate developers, who discussed development plans.
Feeling bored, Lian Haodong walked to the buffet table and took some food.
Just then, he saw a familiar figure: Lei Meizhen.
She was dressed in a black business suit, her hair styled in an elegant updo, and was talking to a middle-aged man.
Lian Haodong was stunned for a few seconds before recognizing her; she looked completely different from how she usually appeared in her police uniform.
Lei Meizhen also saw him, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and looked away as if she didn't recognize him.
"Ah Dong, come here for a second." Lian Haolong called to him from not far away.
Lian Haodong walked over, and Lian Haolong introduced the man in front of him: "This is Director Wang from the Planning Bureau. Director Wang, this is my younger brother, Lian Haodong."
"Young and promising," Director Wang said with a smile, shaking hands, but his eyes held a scrutinizing gaze.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Director Wang was called away.
Lian Haolong whispered to his younger brother, "See? These are the people we're dealing with. Be careful what you say; every word they utter might be a test."
The bidding process went smoothly, and Lian Haolong's company entered the final round of selection.
As he left the hotel, Lian Haolong was in a good mood: "If we can secure this project, Chung Hsin Yi can truly transform itself."
"Congratulations, brother." Lian Haodong opened the car door for him.
Just as the car was about to drive away, Lian Haodong saw Lei Meizhen again through the car window. (End of Chapter)