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

Chapter 379 This woman is like a mystery

“Old Ghost’s men are in charge of running errands. The one called ‘Knife’ is a ruthless character. It’s said he used to do shady work at the docks and has dirty hands. There’s also one called ‘Old Cat,’ who handles Old Ghost’s accounts. I heard he has an insider at customs.” Ah Jiu paused. “However, I haven’t figured out Old Ghost’s background yet. This guy is too low-key and rarely shows his face.”

Su Hanze frowned, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "An informant inside customs... This is getting more and more interesting. Keep an eye on Daozai and Lao Mao, see if you can dig up some solid information."

“Understood.” Ajiu nodded. “But Sangze, I have to remind you. Old Gui might not be a simple man. I heard he has connections with some big shots in the provincial capital. If we act rashly against him, we might stir up a hornet’s nest.”

Su Hanze sneered and exhaled a puff of smoke. "A hornet's nest? So what if I stirred it up? Since he dared to mess with me, I'll let him know that I, Su Hanze, am not someone to be trifled with."

Ajiu gave a wry smile and said nothing more. He knew Su Hanze's temperament; he seemed calm, but deep down he possessed a ruthless streak. The two chatted for a while longer before Ajiu got up to leave, leaving Su Hanze alone under the lamp in deep thought.

The next morning, Su Hanze was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door. He rubbed his eyes, opened the door, and saw a strange young man standing there, wearing an inexpensive suit and looking somewhat nervous. "Mr. Su? I'm Cao Ping's man. He sent me to see you."

Su Hanze frowned and glanced at him. "Cao Ping? What is it?"

The young man said in a low voice, "Boss Cao asked me to pass on a message. He said that after talking with you last night, he found out some more information. There will be an internal meeting at customs this afternoon to discuss how to handle your shipment. Boss Cao said that if you want to know more, it would be best to go there in person."

"An internal meeting?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes. "How did Cao Ping find out?"

“Boss Cao has a friend in customs, but I don’t know the specifics.” The young man rubbed his hands together. “He told me to tell you that if you’re going, you’d better keep a low profile and not let anyone recognize you.”

Su Hanze was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, tell Cao Ping I understand."

After the young man left, Su Hanze closed the door, lit a cigarette, and pondered slowly. Cao Ping's message had arrived too timely, making him somewhat suspicious. This man had proactively provided intelligence last night and delivered such important news today—was he genuinely trying to help, or did he have ulterior motives? But right now, he didn't have many options. The customs meeting might be a breakthrough.

In the afternoon, Su Hanze changed into inconspicuous clothes, put on a baseball cap, and drove alone to the town's customs building. The customs building was an old-fashioned three-story building with mottled exterior walls. Several trucks were parked in front, and a few workers were unloading goods. Su Hanze didn't go in directly, but instead found a teahouse nearby, ordered a pot of tea, and observed the building from a distance.

Not long after, he saw several black cars parked in front of the customs building, and several men in suits got out of the cars and went straight inside.

One of the men caught Su Hanze's attention—the man was tall and thin, with a small mustache, and walked quickly, as if he were avoiding something. Su Hanze's heart skipped a beat; wasn't this the guy with the northern accent that Old Liu had mentioned?
He remained impassive, picked up his teacup, but his gaze remained fixed on the man. After a while, several more people came out of the building. Among them, a middle-aged man in a customs uniform smiled and whispered a few words to the man with the mustache. Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, took out his pager, and snapped a picture of the scene.

As evening fell, the crowds at the customs building gradually dispersed. Su Hanze was about to leave when he received a call from Ajiu. "Sangze, I found something. That guy called Daozai appeared near the dock this afternoon, acting suspiciously, like he was waiting for someone."

"Waiting for someone?" Su Hanze frowned. "Keep an eye on him and see who he meets up with."

“I’ve already sent people there.” Ajiu paused. “But there’s something else. Someone was asking about you near the bar, asking about your recent movements. I feel something’s not right.”

Su Hanze's eyes turned cold. "Inquiring about me? Who?"

"I don't know, it sounds like someone from out of town. Sangze, be careful lately, I have a feeling someone is watching us."

"Understood." Su Hanze hung up the phone, his gaze sweeping towards the customs building. Night gradually fell, and streetlights lit up one by one, but his heart grew heavier. The customs matter, the shadow of Old Ghost, and those eyes watching in the dark—it was all like an invisible net, slowly tightening.

It was past nine o'clock at night when he returned to his residence. As soon as he opened the door, he found that there was someone else in the house. In the dim light, a man in a black trench coat sat on the sofa, holding a folding fan and gently fanning himself. When he saw Su Hanze enter, he looked up and revealed a meaningful smile.

"Su Hanze, long time no see." The man's voice was deep, with a hint of mockery. "I heard you've been having a lot of trouble lately, so I came to see you."

Su Hanze's eyes narrowed, and his hand reached for the dagger at his waist. "Who are you?"

The man waved his hand, signaling him to relax. "Don't be nervous, my name is Tang Qi, and I'm not here to cause trouble. On the contrary, I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" Su Hanze sneered. "These days, who would help someone for no reason?"

Tang Qi laughed, stood up, and slowly approached. "Of course, it's not without reason. Su Hanze, I know you're being watched by Old Ghost, and the customs matter is giving you a huge headache. I can give you some information, but on one condition."

"Speak," Su Hanze said coldly.

Tang Qi stopped, closed his folding fan, and looked directly at Su Hanze. "I need you to help me find someone. Someone who is very important to Lao Gui."

Su Hanze frowned and stared at Tang Qi for a moment. "What's your relationship with Old Ghost?"

"Relationship?" Tang Qi smiled slyly. "Not exactly enemies, not exactly friends. All you need to know is that, like you, I don't want Old Ghost to have an easy time."

Su Hanze fell silent. He knew that Tang Qi was no ordinary person. The other party had taken the initiative to approach him with a clear purpose; he obviously wasn't there just for a casual chat. But right now, he did need more clues, even if it meant cooperating with someone of unknown origin.

"Okay." Su Hanze finally spoke, "Who do you want me to find?"

Tang Qi smiled, took a photo from his pocket, and handed it to Su Hanze. "Her name is Yu Xi, she's Lao Gui's woman. But she's recently disappeared, and I need to know where she is." Su Hanze took the photo and glanced at it. The woman in the photo was in her twenties, with delicate features, but her eyes held a hint of coldness. He looked up at Tang Qi. "Why are you looking for her?"

"Don't ask too many questions." Tang Qi waved his hand. "As long as you help me find her, I promise I'll give you the information you want. I can tell you everything about customs and Old Ghost's background."

Su Hanze didn't say anything, but simply put the photo in his pocket. "I'll think about it."

"Don't think about it for too long." Tang Qi smiled, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave. "Old Ghost doesn't have that much patience to wait for you."

The moment the door closed, Su Hanze's gaze fell on the photograph. The name Yu Xi flashed through his mind. He vaguely felt that this woman might be the key to the whole scheme.

The next morning, Su Hanze found Ajiu and briefly explained Tang Qi's situation. Ajiu's expression darkened upon hearing this. "Sangze, this guy's background is unclear. Do you really trust him?"

"I don't believe it," Su Hanze said calmly. "But he knows more than we do. Right now, we have no choice but to take a gamble."

Ajiu sighed, "What do you plan to do about Yuxi's matter?"

"Investigate." Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke. "Send people to the docks, bars, and places where Old Ghost hangs out, and ask if anyone has seen this woman."

Ajiu nodded and turned to make the arrangements. Su Hanze sat at the table, lit a cigarette, and gazed at the street outside the window. He knew that this game had only just begun, and he had already been drawn into an even bigger storm.

Over the next few days, Su Hanze and Ajiu split up. Ajiu, with a few men, searched the town's docks, bars, and underground casinos, trying to find Yuxi's whereabouts.

Su Hanze continued to keep an eye on the customs' movements while secretly observing the man with the mustache. He noticed that this guy appeared at the customs building almost every day, meeting with the middle-aged man in uniform, acting furtively, as if they were passing on some message.

That evening, Ajiu finally brought back a clue. "Sangze, I found out at a small tavern by the dock that Yuxi was there half a month ago. Someone said she was very close to a man named 'Acai,' who seemed to be one of Lao Gui's men."

"Ah Biao?" Su Hanze frowned. "Who is this guy?"

"I don't know much, I only know that he does dirty work for Lao Gui." Ajiu handed over a piece of paper with several addresses written on it. "These are places that A Biao frequents. I've already sent people to keep an eye on them."

Su Hanze took the note and nodded. "Well done. Keep an eye on things, and let me know immediately if there's any news."

Su Hanze sat in a worn-out wicker chair, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers. The smoke rose slowly in the dim light, like the lingering doubts in his mind. Outside the window, the town's night unfolded, the intermittent sounds of ship horns at the dock mingling with the distant noise of bars. He stared at the photograph on the table. Yu Xi's eyes were cold and distant, like a cold stone, unfathomable to him. Tang Qi's appearance was like a pebble thrown into calm water, creating ripples, but also stirring up the silt beneath. He knew this matter wasn't so simple.

Ah Jiu pushed open the door, his clothes reeking of the damp, salty smell of the docks, carrying a bottle of cheap beer. He plopped down, unscrewed the cap, gulped down a large mouthful, and wiped his mouth. "Sang Ze, I sent two of my brothers to keep an eye on that guy, Abiao. He was hanging around a gambling den near the docks tonight, lost a lot of money, and was cursing and swearing, like he was in a bad mood."

Su Hanze looked up and exhaled a puff of smoke. "He's alone?"

“No.” Ah Jiu put down his beer bottle and frowned. “There was a short, fat guy following them, who looked like one of Lao Gui’s men. The two of them sneaked into the teahouse next to the gambling den and left after less than half an hour. I didn’t have anyone follow them too closely, for fear of alerting them.”

"A teahouse?" Su Hanze tapped his finger on the table. "Which one?"

“It’s that ‘Fu Ji’ restaurant by the dock. The owner is a sly old fox; he provides a place for gangsters to talk business.” A-Jiu paused. “Sang Ze, do you think this A-Biao might be related to Yu Xi’s affair?”

Su Hanze didn't answer immediately, his gaze returning to the photograph. Yu Xi, this woman was like a mystery. Tang Qi said she was Lao Gui's woman, but why did she disappear? And why was Lao Gui's subordinate, A Biao, involved with her? And what secrets were hidden in the deal between the mustachioed man and the middle-aged man in uniform at the customs building? His mind was a jumbled mess, but his intuition told him that there must be some connection between these clues.

“Ah Jiu, go to Fu Ji Teahouse yourself tomorrow and try to get some information out of the owner.” Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette, his voice low. “Don’t try to force him; use money to get him to talk.”

Ah Jiu grinned, revealing a roguish air. "Don't worry, I know this stuff. That old fox is greedy for money; give him a few hundred bucks, and he'll sell his entire family lineage."

"Also," Su Hanze paused, "did you find out anything about the people at the bar who were asking me about me?"

Ah Jiu's face darkened, and he shook his head. "Still no leads. I asked a few people, and they all said they couldn't see what the guy looked like. They only know he had a foreign accent, was wearing a gray jacket, and a beanie that covered most of his face. I've already told the brothers to keep an eye out near the bar and report any news."

Su Hanze nodded, stood up, and walked to the window. The streetlights were dim, several drunkards were shouting on the roadside, and the cranes at the distant dock were still creaking. His unease grew stronger, as if an invisible eye was watching him from the shadows. He turned to Ajiu and said, "Don't go out alone these next few days. Take two people with you. Who knows if Old Ghost's gang will try something sneaky."

Ajiu paused for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I understand. Sangze, be careful too. I always felt that Tang Qi was not simple."

"I know." Su Hanze waved his hand. "Go back and rest first, then go to the teahouse early tomorrow morning."

After Ajiu left, Su Hanze sat down again and lit a cigarette. His mind was filled with Tang Qi's meaningful smile. That guy claimed to be "neither enemy nor friend" with Lao Gui—it sounded far-fetched, but Su Hanze had been in the business for so many years; what kind of ruthless characters hadn't he seen?
Tang Qi is the kind of person who never tells the truth, yet he knows a lot of inside information. Did he genuinely want to find Yu Xi, or was he using this opportunity to test him? Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke, deciding to follow Tang Qi's leads one step at a time and see what he could uncover.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Su Hanze set off. He didn't drive; instead, he walked to a long-established noodle shop in town. This noodle shop had been open for decades. It wasn't a large shop, and the tables were greasy, but its advantage lay in its secluded location, tucked away in a corner alley where it wouldn't easily attract attention. He ordered a bowl of wonton noodles, found a seat by the window, but his eyes kept glancing at the customs building across the street.

(End of this chapter)