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

Chapter 358 Fire! Put out the fire quickly!
"You're going to play like this?" Ahua frowned. "That's too big a gamble."

“I have no other choice.” Xia Xue’s eyes were resolute. “It’s either turn things around or die. I’ve followed James for five years. He has people behind him, and even Miss Wen doesn’t dare to touch him.”

Su Hanze stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.

"Alright, I'll bet with you this time."

Ahua exclaimed in surprise, "Are you crazy?"

“This is our last card.” Su Hanze stood up. “Let her go back. You take Afu to the shipyard; Lao Liang will be waiting for you there. We also need to contact Miss Wen. If she really wants to take down James, she’ll have to bleed a little.”

"where are you going?"

"Hongfeng Cold Storage." A smile appeared on Su Hanze's lips. "I'll go see what that batch of 'fruit' looks like."

"you alone?"

“One person,” he said. “James was keeping an eye on everyone, so nobody paid attention to me. At that moment, he wouldn’t have thought I would dare to raid his hideout alone.”

Xia Xue also stood up, her face pale but resolute. "I'll give you a way out, you give me a way to live."

"Okay." Su Hanze nodded. "Meet me at the back door of the cold storage at midnight tonight."

The night was as dark as ink, and Hong Kong's dock area was shrouded in a damp, chilly mist. Su Hanze pulled his grey overcoat tighter, his hat pulled low, obscuring most of his face. He stood in a narrow alley, leaning against a weathered wall, his gaze sweeping across the back door of Hongfeng Cold Storage not far away. The cold storage's iron gate was tightly shut, a dim yellow light hanging beside it, its glow casting a blurry halo in the mist. In the distance, the intermittent sounds of ship horns echoed from the dock, mingled with the low murmur of waves crashing against the shore.

He glanced at his watch; the hands were just past 11:45. Xia Xue hadn't arrived yet.

Su Hanze lit a cigarette, the light flashing briefly in the darkness. He exhaled a puff of smoke, squinting as he surveyed his surroundings. This place was secluded, surrounded by abandoned warehouses and empty lots piled with junk; few people ever came here. It was precisely this kind of place that was perfect for hiding things that couldn't be brought to light. He remembered Xia Xue's words: the shipment was hidden behind a freezer, exported under the name of a fruit company. Hongfeng Fruit Industry, ostensibly a fruit business, was actually a front; in James's smuggling chain, this place was merely a transit point.

A soft footstep sounded from the end of the alley. Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette, his body tensing slightly. The footsteps grew closer, and a slender figure emerged from the mist. Xia Xue wore a dark cheongsam with a black shawl over it, her hair simply pulled back. She walked quickly, but her steps were so light they were almost inaudible.

"They're here," Xia Xue said softly, stopping in front of Su Hanze with a hint of unease in her eyes. "I wasn't being followed."

Su Hanze glanced at her, making sure no one was behind her, before nodding. "How's James doing?"

“He’s in Happy Valley tonight, having dinner with some foreigners,” Xia Xue said in a low voice. “I told him I was going to see an old friend, and he didn’t ask any questions.”

"Are you sure he believes you?" Su Hanze frowned.

Xia Xue sneered, took out a cigarette, and lit it. The light made her face look somewhat pale. "Whether he believes me or not is irrelevant. I know his weaknesses. He doesn't dare to touch me, at least not now."

Su Hanze didn't press further. Xia Xue's confidence piqued his curiosity, but now wasn't the time to delve into the details. "How do you open the cold storage door?"

Xia Xue pulled a small key from her shawl and jingled it. "I have a way to lock the back door. James's men usually change shifts at midnight, and there's only one guard inside, surnamed Ma, who likes to drink. He's probably pretty drunk by now."

"A lackey?" Su Hanze raised an eyebrow. "That Ma San who works for James on the boat?"

“It’s him.” Xia Xue nodded. “He’s tight-lipped, but not very bright. James kept him in the cold storage because he’s obedient.”

Su Hanze snorted, took the key, and weighed it in his hand. "Don't make a sound once you're inside, just follow me."

Xia Xue didn't speak, only nodded. The two pressed themselves against the wall, silently approaching the back door of the cold storage. Su Hanze tried the key; the lock made a slight click, and the door opened a crack. He pushed the door open; it was pitch black inside, with only a low, rumbling sound of machinery coming from afar, like the sound of freezers running.

The air in the cold storage was frigid, carrying a faint fishy smell. Su Hanze shone his flashlight, the beam casting a thin beam in the darkness. Xia Xue followed behind him, her steps as light as a cat's. They walked along a narrow aisle, flanked by tall shelves piled high with wooden crates and sacks. Su Hanze glanced at them; the crates were labeled "Hongfeng Fruit Industry," with words like "lychee" and "mango" written on them.

"The goods are at the very back," Xia Xue said softly, pointing to an iron door at the end of the passage. "There's a hidden compartment behind that."

Su Hanze didn't answer, quickening his pace. Reaching the iron gate, he tried pushing it; it wasn't locked, but it was incredibly heavy. He exerted some force, and the door slowly opened, revealing a small storage room. Inside were several huge freezers, and some miscellaneous items were piled in the corner. Su Hanze walked over and knocked on the back of a freezer; the sound was dull and solid, without any hollow echo.

"Where is the hidden compartment?" he asked, turning around.

Xia Xue crouched down and pointed to a metal plate at the bottom of the freezer. "We need to pry it open here."

Su Hanze pulled a short knife from his pocket, inserted it into the gap in the metal plate, and pried it open forcefully. The metal plate sprang open, revealing a hidden compartment about half a person's height. It was filled with wooden boxes, none of which were marked. Su Hanze pulled out one of the boxes, pried open the lid, and found layers upon layers of oilcloth bundles inside, emitting a faint medicinal smell.

“Opium,” Su Hanze said in a low voice, unwrapping an oilcloth package containing a dark brown paste. He frowned. “James’s shipment is quite large.”

Xia Xue squatted down beside him, her expression somewhat complicated. "He always does this. He ships the goods from Tokyo, hides them here, and then transfers them to the mainland."

"Mainland China?" Su Hanze was taken aback. "Wasn't it sold to a trading company in Hong Kong?"

Xia Xue shook her head. "Hong Kong is just a transit point. James said that mainland buyers are offering higher prices. He mentioned a place called Nanling."

“Nanling?” Su Hanze frowned. “That place is dirt poor, who would buy this kind of thing?”

“I don’t know.” Xia Xue bit her lip. “James never talks about details, he only says that someone ‘above’ made the arrangements.”

Just as Su Hanze was about to ask another question, a heavy footstep suddenly sounded outside. He immediately turned off his flashlight and pulled Xia Xue behind the freezer. The footsteps grew closer, accompanied by a series of indistinct curses.

"Damn it... this godforsaken place is freezing cold..." a rough, hoarse voice rang out, tinged with drunkenness.

Su Hanze peeked through the crack in the freezer and saw a short, stout man wearing a tattered cotton-padded jacket and carrying a wine bottle. It was Ma San. He staggered into the storage room, humming a tune, completely unaware of the commotion behind him.

Su Hanze gestured for Xia Xue to stay still and quietly went around behind the freezer. Ma San was facing away from him, urinating against the corner of the wall, cursing under his breath. Su Hanze seized the opportunity, pounced on him, covered Ma San's mouth with one hand, and smashed him hard on the back of the head with the hilt of his knife with the other. Ma San didn't even utter a sound before collapsing limply.

Xia Xue peeked out and asked in a low voice, "Dead?"

“He won’t die that easily.” Su Hanze dragged Ma San to a corner, tied his hands and feet with rope, and tore a piece of cloth and stuffed it into his mouth. “He won’t wake up right now.”

Xia Xue breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. "You've seen the goods, what's next?" Su Hanze took two oilcloth bags from the box and stuffed them inside his coat. "We need to take these back and have someone check them. The rest of the goods can't be touched. If James finds anything missing, he'll immediately become suspicious."

"What about the cold storage?" Xia Xue asked. "Ma San will call the police when he wakes up."

“No.” Su Hanze sneered. “He’s so drunk, he won’t remember what happened when he wakes up. By the time he wakes up, we’ll be long gone.”

Just as the two were about to leave, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside, indicating there was more than one person. Su Hanze's expression changed, and he pulled Xia Xue back behind the freezer. The footsteps stopped at the door of the storage room, and a deep voice rang out: "Old Ma! Where are you?"

Su Hanze's heart tightened. He recognized the voice; it was Liu Kun, nicknamed "Scarface," one of James's trusted lieutenants. Liu Kun was ruthless, but not stupid; James entrusted him with many of the dirty work. Why was he in the cold storage tonight?

"Old Ma! Where the hell have you been?" Liu Kun cursed, pushing open the door and walking in. Under the light, the scar running from the corner of his eye to his chin was particularly striking. Behind him were two other people, each carrying a weapon.

Xia Xue gripped Su Hanze's arm tightly, her face pale. Su Hanze patted her hand, signaling her to calm down. He whispered in her ear, "Don't make a sound, just stay with me."

Liu Kun circled the storage room but didn't see anyone. He frowned and cursed, "That bastard went drinking again? Damn it, James said we had to keep a close eye on him tonight, but this guy is unreliable."

"Brother Kun, how about we check the goods first?" one of the subordinates said. "James said this batch of goods needs to be shipped out tomorrow morning."

"Inspect my ass!" Liu Kun spat. "It's freezing here, who the hell is stealing things here? Find Old Ma first!"

Su Hanze held his breath, his mind racing. Xia Xue was right; James was having dinner in Happy Valley tonight, and Liu Kun's presence here meant the goods needed to be moved ahead of schedule. Time was running out; he had to find a way to escape.

"Brother Kun, there seems to be something in that corner over there," another subordinate suddenly said, pointing to the spot where Ma San had fallen.

Liu Kun walked over, looked down, and his expression immediately changed. "Damn it, Old Ma's been kidnapped!"

He drew his pistol abruptly and scanned his surroundings. "Who's here? Come out!"

Su Hanze knew there was no way to avoid it, so he whispered to Xia Xue, "You stay here and don't move. I'll go and distract them."

"Are you crazy?" Xia Xue's eyes widened, and she whispered urgently, "They have guns!"

"No time for nonsense." Su Hanze shoved her, stood up, and slowly walked out from behind the freezer. "Liu Kun, stop calling, it's me."

Liu Kun was taken aback, pointed the gun at Su Hanze, and squinted at him. "Su Hanze? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Just passing by." Su Hanze shrugged, a smile on his face. "I heard there are some good deals here, so I came to see if I could snag some bargains."

"Trying to get a bargain?" Liu Kun sneered. "Do you think I'm stupid? Tell me, who sent you?"

“Nobody asked me to come,” Su Hanze said slowly. “I’m just curious how valuable James’s shipment is, and whether it’s worth my involvement.”

Liu Kun stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. "Su Hanze, you've got some nerve. James said you're as slippery as an eel, keeping you around is a hassle."

"So what do you plan to do?" Su Hanze raised an eyebrow. "Shoot me here?"

Liu Kun snorted, not lowering the gun. "Shooting you is too easy. James said that if we catch you, we'll find out who's behind you."

Su Hanze's heart sank, but he remained outwardly calm. "Then you'd better ask quickly, I don't have much time."

"Enough with the nonsense!" Liu Kun waved his hand, and two of his men immediately stepped forward to tie him up.

Just then, a soft sound, like metal clashing, came from the doorway of the storage room. Liu Kun was startled and turned to look. Su Hanze seized the opportunity, lunged at a nearby shelf, and pushed it hard. The shelf crashed down, scattering wooden crates and sacks all over the floor, raising a cloud of dust.

"Grab him!" Liu Kun roared and fired a shot at the shelf.

Using the dust as cover, Su Hanze quickly darted behind a freezer on the other side. Xia Xue was still hiding there, her face pale with fright. "Are you crazy! They'll kill you!"

"Shut up!" Su Hanze hissed. "Run with me!"

He pulled Xia Xue along, rushing from behind the freezer towards the side door of the storage room. Outside the door was a small passageway leading out of the cold storage; the fog was even thicker, making it almost impossible to see the path. Behind them came Liu Kun's angry curses and hurried footsteps.

"Turn left!" Xia Xue suddenly shouted, "There's an alley over there!"

Without hesitation, Su Hanze pulled her into a narrow alley on the left. The alley was piled with debris, and the air was thick with a stench of decay. The two ran as fast as they could, Liu Kun's curses fading into the distance behind them, but the gunshots continued.

"There are too many of them!" Xia Xue said breathlessly, "We can't escape!"

"Enough with the nonsense!" Su Hanze gritted his teeth and dragged her into an abandoned warehouse. It was pitch black inside, with only a few rays of moonlight filtering through the dilapidated roof. He pushed Xia Xue into a corner and whispered, "Wait here, I'll distract them."

"What are you going to do now?" Xia Xue asked anxiously. "You can't handle them all by yourself!"

“Who said I was going to deal with them?” Su Hanze grinned. “I’m just making sure they can’t find me.”

He pulled a small knife from his pocket, cut open the burlap sack beside him, revealing a pile of hay inside. He grabbed a handful of hay, lit a match, and threw it in. Flames quickly rose, billowing thick smoke. Su Hanze pulled Xia Xue back to the other end of the warehouse and pushed open a broken window.

“Jump!” he whispered.

Xia Xue gritted her teeth, climbed out the window, and landed on the open ground outside. Su Hanze jumped out after her, flames already rising from the warehouse behind them. From afar came Liu Kun's shouts: "Fire! Put it out!"

"Let's go!" Su Hanze pulled Xia Xue and they slipped into another alleyway. They hadn't run far when a black sedan suddenly appeared in front of them, its headlights so bright they could barely open their eyes.

"Get in!" The car window rolled down, and Ahua leaned out, cursing, "You fucking know how to cause trouble!"

Su Hanze breathed a sigh of relief and helped Xia Xue into the car. As soon as the door closed, Ahua stepped on the gas, and the car shot forward.

(End of this chapter)