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

Chapter 374 Challenging Tang Jingshan
"More things make things more interesting." Su Hanze smiled, stood up, and said, "Let's go. I'll go check out that piece of land this afternoon. See you at the dock tonight."

In the afternoon, Su Hanze returned to the wasteland on the outskirts of the city. This time, he brought a small shovel, dug up a few clods of soil, and examined them carefully. The soil quality was quite good, and the drainage was excellent; planting tobacco should be no problem. He squatted by the field, pondering how to find help. Planting tobacco was no small matter; he needed to find a few trustworthy helpers and avoid Tang Jingshan's spies. Just as he was thinking, he heard footsteps in the distance.

"Who?" Su Hanze turned his head sharply, his hand already reaching for the small knife at his waist.

"It's me." A thin figure emerged from behind the field ridge. He was a young man in his early twenties, wearing a worn-out jacket, with a hint of nervousness on his face. "Brother Sangze, Brother Huang sent me. He said you should watch the land here."

"Who are you?" Su Hanze frowned, sizing him up.

“Ah-zai.” The young man scratched his head. “I work at Brother Huang’s fish stall. He said you might need some help, so I… I want to work for you.”

"Follow me?" Su Hanze sneered. "Son, do you know who I am?"

“I know.” Ah-zai nodded, his voice trembling slightly. “Brother Sangze, who at the docks doesn’t know you? The news of you challenging Master Tang to his face last night has spread far and wide. I… I just want to do something big with you.”

"Something big?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes. "Tell me first, what can you do?"

"I can do anything!" Ah-zai patted his chest. "I used to farm in the countryside. Tobacco, rice, sweet potatoes, what haven't I done? Brother Sangze, if you want to grow something, I can definitely help you."

Su Hanze looked him up and down and nodded: "Okay, come here tomorrow morning, bring your tools, and help me turn this land over. But I'm warning you, kid, working for me isn't easy, you could lose your head at any time."

"So what if I lose my head!" Ah-zai grinned. "It's better than working as a waiter at a fish stall!"

"You've got guts." Su Hanze smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

At nine o'clock in the evening, the wind picked up at the dock, and the waves crashed against the shore. Su Hanze stood behind a pile of fishing nets, staring at the cargo ship in the distance. Ajiu had already boarded the ship, while Xia Xue kept watch at the other end of the dock. Su Hanze lit a cigarette, his eyes fixed on the movements on the ship. Figures moved on the deck; Old Li stood by the railing, still holding that revolver, his face dark and gloomy.

“Sang Ze.” Xia Xue emerged from the darkness and whispered, “Tang Jingshan’s men are here, three of them, with weapons, they came from Hong Kong.”

"From Hong Kong?" Su Hanze frowned. "It seems Tang Jingshan is really anxious. How's Ajiu doing?"

"He's still on the ship," Xia Xue said in a low voice. "He just chatted with Old Li for a long time, so he should be coming out soon."

The words had barely left his mouth when a muffled thud came from the boat, as if something had fallen to the ground. Su Hanze and Xia Xue exchanged a glance, then simultaneously crouched down, hiding behind the fishing net. On the deck, Old Li whirled around and cursed, "Damn it, who?!"

"It's me." Ajiu emerged from the shadows, carrying a burlap sack, her tone relaxed. "Old Li, I just tripped and fell, but I'm fine."

"What are you up to?" Old Li raised his gun, his eyes wary. "Ah Jiu, you'd better not try anything funny."

"Trying some tricks?" Ajiu chuckled, tossing the sack on the ground. "Old Li, you're too tense. I just came to chat with you. I heard you and A-Biao have been getting quite close lately?"

"Who told you that?" Old Li's expression changed, and he pressed the gun forward.

"Don't get excited." Ah Jiu raised his hands. "I just overheard someone at the docks mentioning that you and Ah Biao opened a gambling den in Yau Ma Tei and made a lot of money, right?"

"Bullshit!" Old Li gritted his teeth. "Ah Jiu, if you keep spouting nonsense, I'll shoot you!"

"Shoot me?" Ah Jiu sneered. "Old Li, before you shoot me, think about that 300,000. The Fujian Gang hasn't forgotten. What do you think Master Tang will think of you if he finds out about this?"

Old Li's face turned pale instantly, and the gun in his hand trembled slightly. He gritted his teeth and said, "What exactly do you want?"

"I don't want to do anything." Ajiu shrugged. "I just came to remind you that Master Tang wants to see you tonight, and it probably isn't anything good. You should think about it yourself."

Old Li didn't speak, his eyes scanning Ajiu's face back and forth, and finally he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, come with me to see Master Tang."

Ah Jiu smiled and followed behind Lao Li, walking deeper into the dock.

At night, damp air enveloped the area around the pier, the sea breeze carrying the scent of salt brushed against people's faces, and the waves crashed against the embankment, making a series of low, rumbling sounds.

Su Hanze stood beside the pile of fishing nets, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, fixed on the cargo ship moored not far away. He had just exchanged a glance with Xia Xue, and upon hearing footsteps, he knew that Ajiu had almost completed his task.

"Sangze, Ajiu and Lao Li are walking too fast, we need to catch up quickly," Xia Xue whispered to him from the side.

"Hmm." Su Hanze nodded, his eyes still fixed on the ship. He had a premonition that something unusual would happen tonight.

On the ship, the deck lights gradually came on, and several figures were vaguely visible. Old Li's silhouette appeared somewhat somber under the lights. Ajiu had already disappeared onto the deck; it seemed the two had already engaged in a deep conversation.

"Let's go," Su Hanze whispered to Xia Xue, quickly moving towards the other side of the dock to avoid any potential patrols. They didn't chase after them directly, but instead found a relatively secluded passage and circled around to the other side of the ship. Just then, Ajiu's figure reappeared at the bow of the ship, head down, his steps swift, with Old Li's gloomy face behind him.

"Old Li, don't play dumb." Ajiu's voice came over, "Master Tang won't forget the 300,000 debt, nor will he let you off the hook."

"Ah Jiu, don't force me." Old Li seemed a little impatient, his voice low. "You know Tang Ye's temper. This has nothing to do with me, don't drag me into it."

"Do you think Tang Jingshan would listen to you?" Ajiu sneered. "If Master Tang really believed you, he might already be in your life right now."

Su Hanze observed from behind, calmly assessing the situation. Ajiu's words grew increasingly heated, clearly having successfully pushed Lao Li to the brink of danger.

"Stop talking." Old Li's face grew even darker, and the murderous intent in his eyes intensified. "You know about that 300,000. Master Tang is no pushover, but don't forget, the Fujian gang in Hong Kong is not to be trifled with either."

"You want to threaten me?" A-Jiu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Let me remind you, if Master Tang's spies are watching you, the Fujian Gang might not be able to protect you in time."

Su Hanze's heart skipped a beat; these words were far from simple. It seemed that Old Li was indeed in a predicament in these waters, caught between two forces, unable to extricate himself.

Xia Xue noticed the change in Su Hanze's expression and asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

“Old Li is in a tough spot,” Su Hanze said coldly. “He’s in this state, he won’t give in easily.” “If that’s the case, Ajiu has to find a way to push him to the brink,” Xia Xue said in a low voice. “Otherwise, Old Li will never surrender.”

“Exactly.” Su Hanze nodded, his gaze shifting to the cargo ship not far away. If Old Li was willing to speak up, the situation tonight would change drastically. Thinking this, a determined glint flashed in his eyes.

Just then, Ajiu stepped off the boat, followed by Lao Li, who looked somewhat anxious, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

"They're here," Xia Xue whispered, quickly tugging at Su Hanze's sleeve to signal them to move away.

“We won’t go looking for them,” Su Hanze said in a deep voice. “We’ll wait for them to come looking for us.”

A series of hurried footsteps approached quickly, and Ajiu and Lao Li's figures gradually became clearer. They then stopped where Su Hanze was hiding. Lao Li looked impatient and lowered his voice, saying, "What exactly do you want?"

“Old Li, you’ve said too much,” Ajiu replied coldly. “We’re just here to remind you that Tang Jingshan has a lot of informants. He’s tolerating you this time, but if you continue to drag this out, you know the consequences yourself.”

Su Hanze moved slightly closer, pretending to walk over casually. Upon seeing them, Old Li's expression turned even more unpleasant.

“Sangze.” Ajiu saw Su Hanze and immediately gave a slight nod. “He’s here.”

"What are you talking about?" Su Hanze didn't mince words and walked straight over, staring sharply at Old Li. "Old Li, Ajiu is right, Tang Jingshan is not someone to be trifled with. You don't want to settle the score with the Fujian Gang?"

Old Li's eyes flickered, clearly weighing something, and he lowered his head to ask, "What exactly do you want?"

Su Hanze smiled, not rushing to answer, but looking at Ajiu, who continued, "What we want is something simple and clear, Lao Li." He paused, "You know Tang Jingshan can't tolerate you dragging this out. If you don't make a decision, you might push yourself into an even more dangerous situation."

Old Li's expression changed several times. Finally, he took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, saying, "I know what you mean, but you also know that I can't just give an explanation so easily."

"Confess?" Ajiu sneered. "You're quite the talker, but have you considered what would happen if Tang Jingshan really found out about this?"

Old Li was silent for a moment before finally speaking slowly: "Okay, I can tell you, but you have to promise me you won't make this a big deal."

"This is the path you chose yourself," Su Hanze said coldly. "But you should know that information is not cheap."

Old Li glanced around, seemingly hesitant to continue. Finally, he whispered, "The matter of 300,000 is a grudge between me and Abiao. I embezzled the Fujian gang's payment, and you all know what happened afterward. The reason I dared to do this was because I knew Tang Jingshan would cover for me, but I didn't expect Abiao to do this, secretly plotting against me all along."

Su Hanze frowned slightly. It seemed that A Biao had planned everything all along. That 300,000 yuan debt had probably gotten Old Li into even deeper trouble.

“Go on,” Su Hanze said in a low voice. “If you don’t explain clearly, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

Old Li took a deep breath and continued, "My gambling partnership with A Biao appears to be a business of the Fujian gang, but in reality, A Biao wants to use this opportunity to drag me into it. The reason Tang Jingshan's men are here today is because someone is pushing things along behind the scenes. Things are getting more and more complicated, and Tang Jingshan won't let me off easily."

"I asked you what your plans are, not for you to complain," Su Hanze said coldly, exhaling a puff of smoke.

Old Li raised his head, gritted his teeth, and said, "If I leave, can you guarantee I won't die?"

“Who said you can leave?” Su Hanze stared at him. “You have to stay and cut all the loose threads.”

Ah Jiu interjected, "No one can escape unscathed in this situation. If you don't want Tang Jingshan to plant a landmine under your dining table, you'd better listen to me."

Old Li frowned, his lips twitching a few times, but he didn't speak. His eyes darted back and forth between Su Hanze and Ajiu. He knew that Su Hanze was not a man of empty words. He had risen from the docks to the point where he dared to challenge Tang Jingshan. If this man said he would protect him, he might not be able to, but if he said he would kill him, he really could.

"If you want me to stay, I need to give you an explanation." Old Li finally spoke up. "I have some information on A Biao's side."

"What kind of material?" Su Hanze's eyes sharpened.

Old Li glanced around and whispered, "His gambling den in Macau is actually a money laundering operation. The money is transferred out of Kowloon, goes through Yau Ma Tei, and finally ends up in the Macau casino's account. I have a batch of transfer records that one of my accountants secretly kept. Ah Biao knows about this, but he thought I threw them away."

"Where did you put it?" Ajiu immediately asked.

"The safe is in an old shop in Mong Kok. I can give you the address." Old Li paused, staring at Su Hanze. "If you really want to get rid of Ah Biao, this batch of materials could be half his life."

“I don’t want him to be half-dead,” Su Hanze said slowly. “I want him to be unable to shut up once he opens his mouth.”

“That’s up to you.” Old Li’s eyes darkened. “I’ll give you the lead, but you have to make sure my wife and kids leave Hong Kong. I don’t trust anyone else, I only trust you, Sang Ze.”

Su Hanze didn't speak, taking a drag of his cigarette as if considering. He could tell that Old Li didn't fully trust them, but he had no other choice. This man wasn't stupid; he hadn't gotten this far solely through bravado. He knew when to back down and when to take a gamble.

“Okay.” Su Hanze nodded. “Give me the address, I’ll arrange the people.”

Old Li nodded, took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, and wrote down an address and a six-digit number.

“The password,” he said. “The safe’s. You’d better hurry, I haven’t been there in almost a year, it might be under someone’s watch.

Ah Jiu took the note, glanced at it carefully, then folded it up and put it in the inner pocket of her coat.

Su Hanze didn't look at Lao Li anymore, but turned to Xia Xue and said, "Go to Mong Kok tomorrow morning with two people. Be quick and don't disturb the neighbors."

"Understood." Xia Xue nodded, her voice without the slightest hesitation.

Looking at their seamless teamwork, a complex emotion flashed across Old Li's eyes. In the end, he simply sighed softly, "If something goes wrong, I'll drag Ah Biao down with me."

(End of this chapter)