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

Chapter 360 See you at the dock at four in the morning!

James raised an eyebrow and put down his glass. "What news?"

“Someone is investigating Hongfeng Cold Storage,” Xia Xue said slowly. “They said they found something and are going to give it to Miss Wen.”

James's expression changed, and he abruptly stood up. "Who? Who's investigating?"

"I don't know." Xia Xue shrugged. "I only heard that Miss Wen paid a lot of money to buy dirt on you."

James narrowed his eyes, stared at her for a long time, and then suddenly laughed. "Xia Xue, you woman, you really know how to cause me trouble."

"Trouble?" Xia Xue smiled even sweeter. "I'm helping you, James. Didn't you say I'm the person you trust the most?"

James didn't speak, his gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, then he turned to the two foreigners and said, "You two go back first, and come to the dock first thing tomorrow morning."

The foreigner nodded, got up, and left. Only James and Xia Xue remained in the living room. James walked over, stood in front of her, and whispered, "Xia Xue, you'd better not try anything funny."

"How could I dare?" Xia Xue looked up, her eyes clear and bright. "I've followed you for five years, James, don't you believe me?"

James snorted and patted her cheek. "Believe it or not, we'll see how you do it."

Xia Xue didn't speak again, picked up her wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. James turned and went back to his room, the living room lights going out one by one. Xia Xue sat on the sofa, staring at the empty wine glass in her hand, her eyes gradually turning cold. She knew time was running out.

Meanwhile, Su Hanze had already arrived at the dock. The morning mist hadn't completely dissipated, and several cargo ships floated on the sea. He stood on the shore, lit a cigarette, and his gaze fell on a black cargo ship in the distance. That was James's ship; the cargo would be transported here from the cold storage early tomorrow morning and then shipped to Nanling.

He exhaled a puff of smoke, Xia Xue's words flashing through his mind. James's secret, the illegitimate child, the buyer in Nanling, the big shot surnamed Shen, and that guy named Zhou Sheng. The net was spreading wider and wider, but he felt that the real mastermind was hiding in even deeper places.

Footsteps sounded from the dock. Su Hanze turned around and saw Ahua. He had a cigarette in his mouth and was carrying a bulging cloth bag.

“We’ve made contact with Miss Wen.” Ahua walked over and said in a low voice, “She heard about the cold storage and is willing to pay for it, but on one condition.”

"What are the conditions?" Su Hanze asked.

“She wants to see you.” Ahua exhaled a puff of smoke. “Tonight at eight o’clock, at her house in Happy Valley.”

Su Hanze frowned and stubbed out his cigarette. "What is she trying to do?"

"Who knows?" Ahua shrugged. "That woman is more cunning than a fox. Be careful."

A thin mist shrouded Happy Valley at dusk. The streetlights had just come on, their dim yellow glow spreading in the damp, chilly air. Su Hanze stood before the iron gate of a three-story Western-style building, his hat pulled low, obscuring half his face. He pulled his coat tighter, glanced up at the building's window, and saw the second-floor curtains swaying slightly, as if someone were spying on him. He exhaled and rang the doorbell.

The door opened, and a young woman in a cheongsam peeked out. Her face was lightly made up, but her eyes were as cold as ice. "Mr. Su? Miss Wen is waiting for you."

Su Hanze nodded and followed her into the Western-style building. The living room was carpeted with thick Persian carpets, and several Western oil paintings hung on the walls. A faint scent of sandalwood filled the air. Miss Wen sat on a mahogany sofa, wearing a dark green silk cheongsam, holding a glass of red wine. She was in her early thirties, possessing an indescribable charm, and a faint smile played on her lips.

“Su Hanze.” Miss Wen put down her wine glass and gestured for him to sit down. “You’re quite bold to come see me alone.”

"How could I dare not come when Miss Wen invited me?" Su Hanze sat down opposite him, took off his hat to reveal a sharply defined face. He smiled, took out a cigarette and lit it. "I heard you have conditions. I'd like to hear what they are."

Miss Wen squinted, sized him up for a few seconds, and said slowly, "I heard about the cold storage. Did you take something from James?"

Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke, not denying it. "He took some samples, enough to prove his goods aren't clean."

"Samples?" Miss Wen chuckled, picked up her wine glass and took a sip. "Su Hanze, do you know how much James's goods are worth? Taking some samples won't bring him down."

“I don’t expect to bring him down in one fell swoop.” Su Hanze flicked his cigarette ash, his tone calm. “But I know, Miss Wen, you want him to fall. You provide the money, I provide the effort, a fair trade.”

Miss Wen put down her wine glass, stood up, walked to the window, and drew back the curtains to glance at the street outside. In the twilight, the streets of Happy Valley were unusually quiet. She turned around, her eyes turning cold. "James has deep roots in Hong Kong. How much trouble do you think you can cause on your own?"

“One person can’t do it.” Su Hanze smiled. “That’s why I came to you. Ahua said you’re willing to pay, but there are conditions.”

Miss Wen returned to the sofa, crossed her legs, and the slit in her cheongsam revealed a section of her fair calves. She stared at Su Hanze and said slowly, "My conditions are very simple. You give me evidence of the goods' flow, and I'll give you a sum of money, enough for you to live comfortably in Hong Kong for the rest of your life."

"A lifetime?" Su Hanze raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on his face. "Miss Wen, that's quite a generous offer."

“It’s worth the price,” Ms. Wen said coldly. “James has been running rampant in Hong Kong for the past few years, and even foreigners have to give him some face. I want his life, not for the money, but to settle accounts.”

"Settling accounts?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes. "What accounts do you have with James?"

Miss Wen didn't answer. She picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and stared intently at the glass. A few seconds of silence filled the living room, broken only by the soft crackling of the fire in the fireplace. Su Hanze didn't urge her, slowly smoking and waiting for her to continue.

“Two years ago,” Miss Wen finally spoke, her voice so low it was almost a soliloquy, “my brother was beaten to death at the docks. It was James’s men who did it, saying he stole the goods. I investigated for two years, and it turns out James deliberately released the goods to lure my brother in, and then used the opportunity to get rid of him.”

Su Hanze frowned and stubbed out his cigarette. "What does your brother do?"

“He was a journalist,” Miss Wen sneered. “He wrote a few articles exposing James’s smuggling activities, and then he died a few days later. James thought nobody knew about it, but he forgot that I’m not someone to be trifled with.”

Su Hanze was silent for a few seconds, James's face flashing through his mind. That guy was ruthless; he was capable of doing something like this. He nodded and asked, "The evidence you wanted, I have copies of the ledgers and samples from the cold storage. As for the flow of the goods, Nanling is key."

"Nanling?" Miss Wen was taken aback, her eyes flashing. "James's goods are going to Nanling?"

“Yes.” Su Hanze pulled the ledger out from inside his coat and threw it on the table. “Old Liang’s ledger records James’s transactions over the past few years. The buyer in Nanling is surnamed Shen.”

Miss Wen opened the ledger, glanced at it, and her face gradually darkened. "Surname Shen... In the inland areas, there aren't many important people with the surname Shen."

"You know him?" Su Hanze asked.

Miss Wen didn't answer, closed the ledger, and pushed it back to him. "Keep this. What I need is proof of the goods. Ledgers can be falsified, but the samples aren't substantial enough." "What do you want?" Su Hanze frowned. "I can't take all the goods from the cold storage; James will become suspicious."

“I don’t want the goods in the cold storage,” Miss Wen sneered. “I want James’s ship. Tomorrow morning, his goods will be transported from the cold storage to the dock and loaded onto a ship bound for Nanling. Give me the evidence of the ship, and I’ll give you the money.”

Su Hanze stared at her for a few seconds, then laughed. "Miss Wen, you've got quite the appetite. James's ship is guarded tighter than an iron barrel; how am I supposed to get on?"

“How you do it is your business.” Miss Wen stood up, walked to the wine cabinet and poured herself another glass of wine. “I only care about the results. Su Hanze, if you can’t do it, don’t waste your time here.”

Su Hanze didn't speak, but stood up and put on his hat. "I'll give you a message tomorrow night."

"I hope you won't disappoint me." Miss Wen turned around, raised her glass, and said, "See him out."

A woman in a cheongsam approached and gestured for Su Hanze to leave. He didn't say much, pulled his coat tighter, and walked out of the mansion. The fog outside was thicker, and the streetlights seemed veiled. He lit a cigarette and walked slowly along the street, his mind filled with Miss Wen's words. James's ship, the buyer in Nanling, the important figure surnamed Shen—every thread of this affair felt like a thorn, causing a dull ache in his heart.

Back at the dock, Ahua was already waiting in the car. He had a cigarette dangling from his lips, and the window was ajar, smoke drifting out. Seeing Su Hanze, he opened the car door and asked, "What did Miss Wen say?"

“She wants the evidence from the ship.” Su Hanze got into the car and rubbed his temples. “Tomorrow morning, James’s cargo will be transported from the cold storage to the dock and loaded onto a ship bound for Nanling.”

"A ship?" Ahua whistled. "That's not easy to deal with. James's ship is full of Liu Kun's men, and they're all armed."

“I know,” Su Hanze sneered, “but Miss Wen said that she won’t pay until she gets the evidence.”

"So what do you plan to do?" Ahua started the car, the wheels rolling over the muddy ground with a low rumble.

"Let's find Xia Xue first." Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke. "She'll go back tonight to keep James in check; she should have some news."

“That woman Xia Xue…” Ahua frowned, “You really believe her? She’s been with James for five years, who knows if she’s just acting?”

"Whether she acts or not is not important," Su Hanze said calmly. "She has something on James, so she doesn't dare to turn against him for the time being."

The car pulled into a secluded alley and stopped. Su Hanze opened the car door, jumped out, and turned to Ahua, saying, "Go to the shipyard and keep an eye on Lao Liang. Make sure he doesn't lose the ledgers. I'm going to find Xia Xue."

"Be careful," Ahua snorted. "That James guy has a nose like a dog."

Su Hanze didn't answer, wrapped his coat tighter, and disappeared into the mist of the alley. He walked along a narrow path to the vicinity of James's villa, and saw the three-story building in the distance, its lights still on. He hid in the shadows of the street corner, lit a cigarette, and stared intently at the villa's gate.

Half an hour later, the villa door opened, and Xia Xue came out. She was wearing a black coat and a scarf wrapped around her head, and walked quickly towards the street corner with her head down. Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette and followed her. Xia Xue walked very fast, turning back several times as if to check if anyone was following her. Su Hanze stayed close to the wall, avoiding her gaze, and followed her until they reached a quiet alley.

"Xia Xue," he called softly, and came out.

Xia Xue was startled, turned around, saw it was him, and breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me to death! What are you doing here?"

"I'll wait for you." Su Hanze walked over and offered her a cigarette. "How's James doing?"

Xia Xue took the cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and frowned, saying, "He drank too much tonight and went to sleep. But I heard him talking to Liu Kun on the phone; he knows about the cold storage."

"You know?" Su Hanze frowned. "What did Liu Kun say?"

"They said someone broke into the cold storage and took two packages of goods," Xia Xue said in a low voice. "James was so angry that he smashed a bottle and told Liu Kun to take inventory of the goods on the ship first thing tomorrow morning and personally deliver them to Nanling."

"Personally deliver it?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes. "Will James be at ease if Liu Kun doesn't board the ship?"

“He can’t do anything about it even if he’s worried.” Xia Xue sneered. “Liu Kun said that the cold storage incident might have been done by Miss Wen’s people, and James believed it.”

"Miss Wen?" Su Hanze was taken aback, the image of Miss Wen's ambiguous smile flashing through his mind. "James suspects her?"

“He’s always suspected her.” Xia Xue exhaled a puff of smoke. “Miss Wen has been gathering dirt on James all over Hong Kong these past two years, and James has wanted to get rid of her for a long time.”

Su Hanze was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "When will the cargo on the ship be loaded tomorrow?"

“Before dawn,” Xia Xue said, “Liu Kun will bring people to transport the goods from the cold storage to the dock and load them onto that black cargo ship. James said that there can be no mistakes with this shipment.”

"A black cargo ship." Su Hanze nodded, recalling the ship at the dock. "How many people are on board?"

“A dozen or so.” Xia Xue frowned. “They’re all Liu Kun’s cronies, and they’re all armed. You don’t really want to get on the ship, do you?”

“Go ahead.” Su Hanze sneered. “Miss Wen wants the evidence on the ship, I have to give it to her.”

"Are you crazy?" Xia Xue's eyes widened. "That Liu Kun is ruthless. You're just going to your death if you go up there alone!"

“Who said I’d be alone?” Su Hanze raised an eyebrow and threw away his cigarette butt. “Didn’t you say you had something on James? You’re coming with me on the ship tomorrow.”

Xia Xue was stunned, her face instantly turning pale. "You want me on the ship? If James finds out I'm helping you, I'm dead!"

“If you don’t help me, you’re dead anyway.” Su Hanze stared at her, his voice as cold as ice. “James will find out about the cold storage sooner or later. If you want to live, you have to gamble with me this time.”

Xia Xue bit her lip, remained silent for a long while, and finally nodded. "Okay, I'll go with you. But you have to promise that if anything happens to me, you have to protect me."

“Okay.” Su Hanze nodded. “See you at the dock at four o’clock tomorrow morning.”

Xia Xue didn't speak again, turned and disappeared into the mist of the alley. Su Hanze stood there, lit a cigarette, and stared intently at the distant sea. The night was deep, and the intermittent sound of ship horns from the dock seemed to remind him that time was running out.

As dawn broke, the docks were already bustling with activity. Several trucks were parked beside the cold storage, and Liu Kun, along with a dozen or so men, was directing the loading of wooden crates onto the black cargo ship. Su Hanze hid behind a pile of wooden barrels by the dock, his hat pulled low, a short knife clutched in his hand. Xia Xue squatted beside him, her face pale and her breathing rapid.

(End of this chapter)