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

Chapter 362 Get ready, don't choose the wrong side!
Outside the door, several men dressed in black hurriedly entered the private room. Each of them wore a serious and wary expression, as if something major was about to happen.

“You’ve come at the right time.” Miss Wen looked at them calmly. “We’ve received news about Shen Changqing. He has already begun to take action against us.”

"Action?" Su Hanze frowned. "How could Shen Changqing possibly take direct action?"

“You underestimated Shen Changqing’s methods,” Miss Wen sneered. “He doesn’t want to wait any longer and has decided to wipe you out completely.”

The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains onto the table, illuminating a thick map. The map marked various important locations in Hong Kong: the port, warehouses, restaurants, and even those inconspicuous alleyways.

Every clue, every area, was covered in dense handwriting. Su Hanze leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped, staring at the map. His thoughts, however, had already flown hundreds of kilometers away to Nanling, to the warlord he had never met—Shen Changqing.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Su Hanze didn't turn around, continuing to stare at the map on the table. "Come in."

The door opened, and Xia Xue walked in, holding a letter. She placed the letter on the table and sat down beside her. "Su Hanze, you need to take a look at Miss Wen's news."

The letter was written in a familiar handwriting, neat yet tinged with coldness: "James is dead."

"Dead?" Su Hanze's voice was deep. "How could someone who's dead be in our hands?"

“You heard me right, James is dead.” Xia Xue took a deep breath. “Last night, he was shot dead in his own residence. His death was gruesome. It’s said that he was shot twice in the head.”

Su Hanze didn't respond immediately. He quietly picked up the letter, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Did Shen Changqing do this?" he asked in a low voice without realizing it.

Xia Xue nodded. "That should be it. James has been missing for several days, Shen Changqing must know something about him. James was just a transitional character, his death was not unjust. Shen Changqing won't let him live, because he has already been exposed."

"What was exposed?" Su Hanze asked.

“The entire trading network has been exposed.” A complex look flashed in Xia Xue’s eyes. “If James’ death brings anything, it must be that Shen Changqing has launched a final purge against us.”

"Clean up?" Su Hanze sneered. "Shen Changqing is too hasty. Does he think he can silence them like this?"

“You underestimate Shen Changqing’s ruthlessness.” Xia Xue frowned. “He won’t leave any survivors for us. Miss Wen mentioned that he has been secretly mobilizing all resources to eliminate everyone who knows about this.”

"What did Miss Wen say?" Su Hanze asked.

“Miss Wen said that Shen Changqing will never let this go. Now we must find some of his key figures and sever those connections as soon as possible.” Xia Xue took a deep breath. “But Shen Changqing is not just an individual. He has powerful forces behind him. We cannot fight against him on our own.”

“Then let’s go find them.” Su Hanze’s tone suddenly became resolute. “Find every clue we can, find every possible helper. We can’t just sit and wait for Shen Changqing to come to us.”

Xia Xue was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What do you plan to do? Go find Miss Wen?"

“Miss Wen?” Su Hanze sneered. “She is no longer our ally. She lives for herself, and she will make her choice when the time is right. We should listen to her, but we don’t need to depend on her.”

"So, what's our goal?" Xia Xue asked.

"The target is Shen Changqing." Su Hanze stood up, grabbed a pistol, and said, "His killing of James opened the door to this war. We can no longer stand idly by. Tonight, I'm going to see someone."

"Who?" Xia Xue's eyes widened.

“Another force in Hong Kong.” A resolute glint flashed in Su Hanze’s eyes. “James’ death is probably far more complex than what we see.”

Behind these skyscrapers and dazzling lights lie countless dark transactions. Su Hanze and Xia Xue silently passed through several alleys and arrived at an inconspicuous bar. This bar was located in a corner of Kowloon, and business was slow, with almost no customers.

The bar owner was an honest, middle-aged man who seemed to live an ordinary life, just like many other ordinary people in the city.

"Are you sure you can find the person you want to see here?" Xia Xue asked in a low voice.

“Yes, he was a friend of mine before.” Su Hanze looked at the entrance of the bar and took a deep breath. “He used to be one of Shen Changqing’s lackeys, and later we had some business dealings. Now, he has become Shen Changqing’s enemy.”

"Shen Changqing's enemy?" Xia Xue frowned. "Can such a person be trusted?"

“It’s worth it.” Su Hanze looked at the bar door. “Shen Changqing can’t rely on just one person. The power structure in this city is far from simple. Since he can become Shen Changqing’s enemy, it means he has his value.”

They pushed open the bar door, the dim lighting making the space somewhat gloomy. There weren't many people in the bar; only one or two were drinking with their heads down, appearing somewhat subdued. The bar owner saw them, nodded slightly, and gestured for them to find a corner to sit down.

"Boss, find someone," Su Hanze said softly.

The bar owner nodded, turned around, and disappeared on the other side of the bar.

Ten minutes later, a man in a gray suit walked in. His face bore the marks of time, but a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. The man went straight to Su Hanze and Xia Xue's table and sat down. "Su, I didn't expect it to be you looking for me."

"Old Wang," Su Hanze smiled slightly, "I didn't expect you to still be alive and well."

Old Wang was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Dead? James?"

"He's dead." Su Hanze nodded. "Shen Changqing did it."

Old Wang sneered, "As expected, Shen Changqing has long disliked him. So what are you planning to do this time?"

"Can the clues you have help us find Shen Changqing's Achilles' heel?" Su Hanze's eyes were sharp, and his voice was deep.

Old Wang thought for a moment, then took a sip of his drink: "Shen Changqing's power now extends far beyond that of a mere local warlord. What you know is just the surface. The real Shen Changqing is connected to a much larger force. While Ando isn't entirely under the control of the Hong Kong triads, Shen Changqing's financial backing comes from Japan. Dealing with him alone is impossible." "I know," Su Hanze nodded. "We need a direct breakthrough, a fatal blow that can cripple Shen Changqing."

“Then you’ll have to go find his old subordinates.” Old Wang suddenly lowered his voice. “Shen Changqing has a group of very loyal thugs under his command, some of whom you don’t even know. If you want to break the deadlock, you must break Shen Changqing’s defenses from these people.”

"Former subordinates?" Xia Xue frowned. "Where are they?"

“An underground casino in Hong Kong,” Old Wang said. “However, they’re no longer in business; Shen Changqing has shifted their focus.” He paused, his eyes filled with complex emotions. “Their current mission is to protect Shen Changqing’s hidden assets.”

"Protect property?" Su Hanze pondered. "That's a good starting point."

"But..." Old Wang hesitated, "Shen Changqing's property is not a place that ordinary people can touch. Those people guard it tightly. The security is tight. The only ones who can get in are probably the people you find."

Su Hanze was silent for a moment, then a look of determination flashed in his eyes: "Let's go."

The casino was filled with the stale smell of tobacco. Under the dim lights, all was quiet except for a few low conversations and the clinking of glasses. Su Hanze and Xia Xue sat side-by-side at a corner table, their gazes fixed on a particular corner of the casino. There sat a middle-aged man, impeccably dressed in a leather jacket, a heavy gold ring on his finger, his demeanor as cold and aloof as ever.

"Is he Shen Changqing's subordinate?" Xia Xue asked in a low voice.

“Hmm.” Su Hanze’s eyes were sharp and his voice was deep. “This man used to be Shen Changqing’s deputy. He is shrewd and ruthless, and his methods are no less than Shen Changqing’s. Now, he controls a part of the black market transactions in this casino.”

Xia Xue frowned slightly: "Since Shen Changqing's deputy is so important, we must deal with him tonight."

“Hmm.” Su Hanze’s gaze gradually calmed down, and he said in a deep voice, “Tonight, we’re not just going to negotiate with him, we’re going to let him know that the power behind Shen Changqing isn’t as strong as he thinks.”

Xia Xue nodded: "I understand."

A few seconds later, the clinking of glasses broke the silence in the casino. A man in a dark suit with a noticeable scar on his face walked in, and the atmosphere instantly changed. The man stood at the casino entrance, glanced around, and his gaze settled on Su Hanze and Xia Xue's table. The two exchanged a look, understanding each other perfectly.

The man didn't immediately approach them. Instead, he walked up to the bar owner, whispered a few words to him, and then walked towards the man in the leather jacket in the corner. The man in the leather jacket nodded slightly, and the two whispered a few more words before the man in the leather jacket turned and walked towards Su Hanze's direction.

"He's here." Xia Xue gripped her wine glass tightly, raised her head slightly, and remained calm.

The man in the leather jacket sat down at the table, his sharp gaze sweeping over Su Hanze and Xia Xue, seemingly trying to figure out their identities. Then he spoke: "Are you looking for me?"

Su Hanze remained calm, looking directly at the other person: "Are you Li Wei?"

The man in the leather jacket nodded: "Li Wei, Shen Changqing's right-hand man. I heard you wanted to see me?"

“We have some questions we need your answers to.” Su Hanze’s lips curled up slightly. “You should know who we are.”

Li Wei didn't rush to answer. Instead, he gently picked up the wine glass on the table, took a sip, and frowned slightly. "You should know about Shen Changqing's affairs. My job is precisely to make these things even more unclear. If you just want to know the secrets behind Shen Changqing, I'm afraid you won't have the chance today."

“You’re very smart,” Su Hanze said slowly, “but being smart won’t get you out of this game. You know very well that Shen Changqing is no longer just a warlord; his influence extends to many places. You also know very well that he’s not in a good position right now.”

Li Wei's face darkened, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes: "You're trying to threaten me?"

"Threatening you?" Su Hanze chuckled. "No, no, we're just here to tell you something. Shen Changqing killed James today, and the people behind him won't tolerate any more mistakes from Shen Changqing. Do you think that if you work for him now, you'll be safe when Shen Changqing really gets into trouble?"

Li Wei snorted coldly, a complex look flashing in his eyes: "What exactly do you want?"

“If you want to survive, or even better, you can find a more advantageous position for yourself,” Su Hanze said slowly. “Shen Changqing’s protection is no longer reliable. Do you think he can protect you forever?”

A flash of anger crossed Li Wei's eyes, but he didn't lash out immediately, remaining silent for a few seconds. Finally, he sighed and said in a low voice, "You're right. Shen Changqing is no longer the omnipotent warlord; the situation behind him has changed. What you need to do is break this deadlock, right?"

“That’s right.” Su Hanze’s gaze was sharp, like a cheetah eyeing its prey. “Our targets tonight include not only you, but also your men.”

Li Wei's expression turned somewhat grim. He looked down at the table and said softly, "What do you plan to do?"

“Let us let you know first that Shen Changqing’s fate won’t be any better than James’s.” A cold glint flashed in Su Hanze’s eyes. “Tonight, you and your men had better come with us. Otherwise…”

"Or what?" Li Wei's voice turned low and threatening.

“Otherwise, you will become part of our scheme, just like Shen Changqing.” Su Hanze’s words carried a strong aura. His eyes were fixed on Li Wei, and his tone was icy. “You should understand that how far you can go in this scheme depends on yourself.”

Li Wei clenched his fists, his expression becoming complicated. He looked up at Su Hanze, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes: "You don't understand. This game is not as simple as you think."

“I know.” Su Hanze nodded. “This game is indeed complicated. But I know even more clearly that in complicated situations, those who survive are often the most decisive and calm.”

Li Wei was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "You're very smart, indeed. However, I'm not sure if you can bear the consequences of this gamble."

"Consequences?" Su Hanze smiled slightly. "If you think Shen Changqing can survive, why can't we?"

Li Wei's smile gradually faded. He lowered his head and remained silent for a while before standing up and saying coldly, "Fine, I can help you with whatever you want. But I warn you, Shen Changqing is not someone who can be easily shaken. You'd better be prepared."

Su Hanze also stood up, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Ready? You should be ready too, don't choose the wrong side."

(End of this chapter)