Hong Kong Film: Short mules have no future, I am in charge of Hong Kong

Chapter 350 You can't afford to mess with James.
As dawn broke, the cargo ship finally docked at a small pier in Jin'ou. Several trucks were parked by the pier, and a few workers in gray shirts were unloading cargo. Su Hanze and his two companions hid their motorcycles in a mango grove near the pier, observing from the shadows. The wooden crates unloaded from the cargo ship, like those in the warehouse, were painted and appeared to be ordinary goods.

“Master Su,” Old Liang said in a low voice, “the box was loaded onto that truck. The license plate was from out of town, like it came from Cambodia.”

"Cambodia?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the truck. The driver was a thin man wearing a tattered straw hat, talking to a man in a suit. The man in the suit had his back to them, so they couldn't see his face, but his gestures were sharp, as if he were giving instructions.

Ahua waved his fan and whispered, "Master Su, that man in the suit looks like Mr. Li. I saw him in the warehouse last night."

Su Hanze nodded, pondering to himself. The goods traveled from Hong Kong Island to Saigon, then to Ca Mau, and now to Cambodia. This route was too long, and there was bound to be some shady dealings involved. He whispered, "Old Liang, go and take a look around the docks and see if you can find out anything. Ah Hua, keep an eye on the trucks and don't let them get away."

The two responded and went their separate ways. Su Hanze remained alone in the mango grove, lit a cigarette, and glanced at the dock. The workers moved the goods quickly; once the truck was full, the driver jumped in, and the engine roared to life. The man in the suit stood by the dock, lit a cigarette, and stood with his back to the river, as if waiting for someone.

Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette and was about to move closer when he suddenly heard a soft sound behind him. He turned around abruptly, his hand already reaching for the dagger at his waist, only to see a thin figure standing under the mango tree, wearing a tattered cloth shirt and a cloth covering his face, revealing only his eyes.

“Mr. Su?” The man’s voice was low and hoarse, with a slight Vietnamese accent. “Don’t move, I mean no harm.”

Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, his hand still gripping the dagger: "Who are you?"

The masked man lowered his voice: "My name is Anan, I'm a messenger at the docks. Someone asked me to pass on a message to you."

"Who?" Su Hanze's tone turned cold as he scanned the surroundings to make sure no one was lying in ambush.

“I don’t know.” Anan shook his head. “He gave me fifty Hong Kong dollars and told me to tell you that you can’t follow the goods. James is watching you.”

Su Hanze's heart tightened, and he stared into Anan's eyes: "James? Did he say who James is?"

Anan shook his head and took a step back: "I didn't say. I was just passing on the message. Mr. Su, this dock is not a good place, you'd better leave."

After saying that, Anan turned and ran, disappearing into the woods in the blink of an eye. Su Hanze frowned, his mind racing. Did James know he was following the shipment? Just who was this guy? The trucks at the dock had already started moving and were heading into the distance. He gritted his teeth, deciding to ignore Anan for now and head towards Lao Liang and Ahua.

Old Liang returned from the dock looking rather grim: "Master Su, the people at the dock are tight-lipped; we couldn't get anything out of them. But I heard that this shipment isn't the first time it's been transported via this route; James's men come every few months."

"Every few months?" Su Hanze frowned. "Are all the goods jade?"

“Not necessarily.” Old Liang lowered his voice. “Some people say that the boxes that came last time contained opium, and the jade was just a cover.”

“Opium?” Su Hanze’s eyes turned cold. He had been in the Hong Kong jade business for many years and had seen his share of the dirty dealings in opium, but he had never heard of the name James before. He whispered, “Ahua, where’s the truck?”

“They headed north,” Ahua said, closing his fan. “I heard the driver shout something, like they were heading to the border.”

"The border?" Su Hanze's gaze darkened. "Old Liang, you and Ahua go rent a boat and keep watch along the river. Don't get too close; James's men are not simple."

"And what about you?" Lao Liang asked.

“I’m going to take a look around the docks.” Su Hanze let out a breath. “Mr. Li is still there. I need to see who he’s meeting with.”

Old Liang and Ahua didn't ask any more questions and turned to find a boat. Su Hanze walked towards the dock alone, mingling among the workers unloading goods, pretending to stroll around. Mr. Li was no longer at the dock; only a few workers were cleaning up sawdust. Just as Su Hanze was about to approach a small hut at the end of the dock, he suddenly heard low voices coming from inside.

"...The goods have already been shipped, James is pressing for them." It was an unfamiliar voice, with a slight Cantonese accent.

"What's the rush?" another voice sneered. "Mr. Li said that the goods won't leave the country until the money is in place."

Su Hanze pressed himself against the wall, holding his breath. The people inside were still talking, their voices growing increasingly urgent.

"Boss Chen is already unhappy, and Smith is watching too. If you ruin James's plans, you'll lose your head."

"James, James!" The Cantonese-accented voice was a little impatient. "Who exactly is he? He's always so mysterious, never even showing his face."

"Don't ask too many questions." Another voice turned cold. "Just do your job well, and you'll get your money."

Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, tapping his fingers on the yellow jade bead. The conversation inside was fragmented; he hadn't heard it all, but the name James pierced his heart like a thorn. Just as he was about to move closer, a shout suddenly came from the dock: "Who's there?"

Su Hanze was taken aback, then turned and walked away, blending into the crowd of workers. The one who shouted was a burly man carrying a wooden stick, with a fierce look in his eyes. Su Hanze lowered his head and walked quickly, avoiding the man's gaze, and circled around to the other side of the dock.

Daylight had broken, and the mist on the river had dissipated considerably. Su Hanze stood by the dock, his gaze sweeping across the distant waterway. Old Liang and Ahua's boats were no longer visible, and the trucks had long since driven away. He lit a cigarette, his mind replaying the conversation he had just overheard. James, opium, the border… behind this deal seemed to lie a vast net, and he had already stepped into it.

"Master Su!" Old Liang's voice came from afar, sounding a bit urgent. Su Hanze turned around and saw Old Liang and Ahua riding over on their motorcycles, both looking rather unwell.

"What's wrong?" Su Hanze frowned.

"We lost track of the ship." Old Liang took a breath. "The cargo ship made a turn halfway and entered a tributary. We didn't dare get too close, for fear of being discovered."

"A tributary?" Su Hanze's gaze darkened. "Which one?"

“They’re heading towards the Cambodian border.” Ahua waved his fan. “Master Su, something’s not right. There are people watching us at the dock. I almost got caught just now.”

Su Hanze remained silent, his gaze sweeping across the river. Cargo ships were changing course, trucks were heading to the border, and James's men were appearing and disappearing unpredictably, making this route increasingly chaotic. He exhaled a puff of smoke and whispered, "Old Liang, go and find out about the shipping routes in Jin'ou, and see who James's men usually contact. Ahua, you're coming back to Saigon with me."

"Back to Saigon?" Ahua was taken aback. "The goods aren't being carried?"

“I’m not following them anymore.” Su Hanze sneered. “The goods are a cover; the people are the key. Boss Chen and Mr. Li, someone has to give me an answer.” The three split up. Su Hanze and Ahua rode their motorcycles back to Saigon along the same route they had come from. On the way, Ahua couldn’t help but ask, “Boss Su, do you really think there’s opium in the goods?”

“It’s hard to say.” Su Hanze narrowed his eyes. “The jade is real, but the opium might also be genuine. James is a man who hides himself too well; I have to find him out.”

Saigon's markets were bustling with activity, the cries of vendors rising and falling. Su Hanze and Ahua mingled in the crowd and found a teahouse to sit down. The teahouse owner, a thin Vietnamese man, smiled broadly, his face full of wrinkles: "Gentlemen, here for tea again?"

Su Hanze nodded and casually tossed a Hong Kong dollar over: "Old Huang, what's new in the market lately?"

Old Huang took the money, his smile becoming even more obsequious: "Mr. Su, that's a good question. A batch of new goods arrived at the Jade Festival yesterday, I heard they came from Hong Kong Island and are selling like hotcakes."

"From Hong Kong?" Su Hanze raised an eyebrow. "Whose goods are they?"

"Who else could it be?" Old Huang lowered his voice. "It's Boss Chen. He was wandering around the market last night, talking to a foreigner for a long time."

"A foreigner?" Su Hanze's heart skipped a beat. "What does he look like?"

"Tall and thin, with a nose as straight as a knife," Old Huang gestured. "His name is Smith, and he even came over for a cup of tea yesterday."

Su Hanze and Ahua exchanged a glance but didn't ask any more questions. Old Huang walked away with the teapot, and Su Hanze whispered, "Smith has reappeared. Ahua, go to the market and see if Boss Chen's men are still there."

Ahua nodded, flicked his fan, and got up to leave. Su Hanze sat alone in the teahouse, lit a cigarette, and glanced at the market. The crowd was bustling, the vendors were hawking their wares, and while it seemed lively on the surface, undercurrents were swirling beneath. He tapped his fingers on the table, calculating his next move.

Not long after, Ahua returned, looking rather grim: "Master Su, Boss Chen's men have left, and we haven't seen them in the market. But I heard that someone caused trouble at the docks last night, and it seemed like they were after Boss Chen."

"Causing trouble?" Su Hanze frowned. "Who?"

"I don't know." Ahua shook his head. "I heard it was a few out-of-towners who brought weapons and almost got into a fight with Boss Chen's men."

Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, the image of Ah Nan flashing through his mind. An out-of-towner, masked, fifty Hong Kong dollars… This was getting more and more complicated. Just as he was about to speak, a man suddenly walked into the teahouse, wearing a gray long gown and a top hat, smiling as he approached him.

"Mr. Su?" The man stopped and said politely, "It's been a long time."

Su Hanze looked up and recognized the man as Mr. Li, the Cantonese guy he'd seen in the warehouse last night. He sneered, "Mr. Li? What a coincidence?"

“Unfortunately,” Mr. Li said, sitting down and taking off his hat. “I came here specifically to see you.”

"Looking for me?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes and tapped his finger on the yellow jade bead. "Just say what you have to say."

Mr. Li smiled and lowered his voice: "Mr. Su, James asked me to pass on a message: you should stop following up on the goods."

Su Hanze's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm: "James? Ha, he's certainly well-informed."

“Very shrewd.” Mr. Li lit a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke. “Mr. Su, Sai Kung is not Hong Kong Island; the waters run deep. If you know what’s good for you, there will be other business opportunities.”

"Business?" Su Hanze sneered. "Mr. Li, what's your relationship with James?"

“It’s alright.” Mr. Li shook his head, his smile meaningful. “I’m just a gofer. Mr. Su, let me give you a piece of advice: you can’t afford to mess with James.”

Su Hanze sat on a wooden stool in the teahouse, tapping his fingers on a yellow jade bead, his gaze sweeping in the direction Mr. Li had left. The clamor of Saigon Market surged like a tide, the shouts of vendors, the haggling arguments, and the sputtering of motorcycles all mingling together, creating an unsettling atmosphere. He lit a cigarette, squinting, Mr. Li's words swirling in his mind. James, someone he couldn't afford to offend? Just who was this man? More than a dozen jade and gemstone mines—everyone in Hong Kong knew how murky this industry was, yet the name James was like a ghost, never surfacing in the circle.

Ahua waved his fan and whispered, "Master Su, Mr. Li is as slippery as an eel. What he said just now sounded like he was trying to scare you, but it also sounded like he was testing you."

"Intimidate?" Su Hanze sneered, exhaling a puff of smoke. "If he were really capable, he would have someone block me directly. Why bother coming here to waste time talking?"

“But James…” Ahua paused, lowering his voice, “Master Su, more than ten mines, that’s a big deal. There are only a few big jade businesses in Hong Kong, where did James come from?”

Su Hanze didn't answer, his gaze falling on the crowd outside the teahouse. The market was bustling with people, some picking up goods, some carrying boxes, some just strolling around—a chaotic scene. He tapped the table and whispered, "Ahua, go to the dock and find Lao Liang. Tell him to stop watching the ships and come back to investigate Mr. Li. A Cantonese man doing business in Saigon—I don't believe he doesn't have some powerful backer."

Ahua nodded, closed his fan, and turned to blend into the crowd. Su Hanze sat alone in the teahouse, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and found the tea bitter as medicine. The conversation from earlier swirled in his mind; the name James weighed heavily on his heart like a stone. More than a dozen mines, jade, opium, border trade… the chain of this business was too long; how many people were involved at the links in the chain?
Old Huang, the teahouse owner, came over with a teapot, his face crinkling with smiles: "Mr. Su, would you like some more tea?"

Su Hanze waved his hand and tossed a Hong Kong dollar over: "Old Huang, have any out-of-towners been causing trouble in the market lately?"

"Trouble?" Old Huang took the money, his eyes lighting up. "Mr. Su, why are you asking this? There was indeed some chaos at the dock last night. I heard that some out-of-towners brought weapons and got into a fight with Boss Chen's men."

"An outsider?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes. "What does he look like?"

"I didn't see clearly." Old Huang shook his head and lowered his voice, "But I heard that the leader was masked, as thin as a bamboo pole, and looked like a local Vietnamese. Boss Chen's men suffered a loss and slunk away."

Su Hanze's heart skipped a beat, recalling Anan he'd encountered in the mango grove last night. Masked, thin, with a Vietnamese accent… Was it the same person? Or another contact of James? He tapped the table: "Old Huang, who has Boss Chen been getting close to lately?"

"Boss Chen?" Old Huang grinned. "He's got a lot of friends. From Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, you name it. I saw him yesterday wandering around the market with that foreigner Smith, whispering to each other, I don't know what they were saying."

"Smith." Su Hanze frowned; that name had popped into his head again. He was about to ask again when Old Huang had already walked away with the teapot to attend to other customers. Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and decided to take a stroll through the market.

(End of this chapter)