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

Chapter 394 Kowloon Walled City?

The two walked together towards a dilapidated warehouse, which was filled with all sorts of goods. Xiao Dao waved his hand, and several burly men began to busy themselves moving the prepared boxes.

"Su Zai, are you ready?" Xiao Dao looked at him, as if confirming something.

"Let's begin." Su Hanze didn't say anything more, just stood there with a resolute look in his eyes.

Several burly men brought over some tools and began dismantling the seemingly ordinary boxes. The contents gradually came into view: bundles of white powder, like ghosts brought from the depths, exuded a mesmerizing aura. Su Hanze frowned, a flicker of unease crossing his mind as he looked at the contents, but he didn't stop. The time had come; it was time to strike with all his might.

"Do it," he said coldly.

Xiao Dao nodded and gestured to his men. After a flurry of activity, flames began to ignite in several places inside the warehouse. The fire gradually spread, engulfing all the goods. The pungent smoke and strong odor seemed to distort the very air around them.

“Sangze,” one day, he received a call from Jimmy, whose tone carried a long-lost warmth, “How have you been lately? I haven’t seen you much these days. There are some things I need to discuss with you.”

Su Hanze chuckled softly, "Jimmy, you know I don't really like interacting with outsiders. What's up with you?"

Jimmy whispered on the other end of the phone, "It's nothing really, just a new business opportunity that I think you might be interested in. You know, I've been doing business in Sham Shui Po for years, and I have some connections operating behind the scenes. Recently, someone contacted me saying they have a batch of rare tobacco leaves to sell—are you involved in this too?"

Su Hanze raised an eyebrow. "Tobacco? How did you know I was making it?"

Jimmy was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "You think you're the only one doing this kind of business in Sham Shui Po? Those black market people have been watching you for a long time. I know you grow tobacco, and others know too, but they don't know who you want to sell to, or how you want to sell it."

"Do you know who they are?" Su Hanze's voice turned cold.

“Yes, I know. This business deal of yours might cause some trouble.” Jimmy’s voice was low and alert. “Some people have been watching you for a long time, and they know more about you than you think.”

Su Hanze immediately became nervous.

Su Hanze hung up the phone, his cold gaze gradually replaced by a complex emotion. He stood in the open space outside the warehouse, the night wind carrying the salty smell of the sea, mixed with the acrid stench of burning goods in the distance. The fire had gradually died down, leaving only a few wisps of smoke rising in the darkness, like some kind of omen. He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and the smoke swirled in his lungs, as if suppressing the lingering unease in his heart.

Jimmy's words echoed repeatedly in his mind. The business world of Sham Shui Po was always a quagmire; everyone wanted a piece of the pie, but anyone could be swallowed whole. Su Hanze wasn't unfamiliar with bloodshed, but he never considered himself the kind of person who would be easily dragged down. He had his own methods, his own bottom line. But now, Jimmy's warning was like a knife, gently slicing through his long-held confidence.

He turned to look at Xiao Dao, who was leaning against a dilapidated truck, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his gaze lazily fixed on the distant sea. The fire in the warehouse was completely extinguished, and several burly men were cleaning up the scene, their movements swift yet careful, as if afraid of leaving any trace. Xiao Dao seemed to notice Su Hanze's gaze, turned his head, and grinned: "What's wrong, Sangze? Feeling bad about burning this shipment?"

Su Hanze ignored his sarcasm, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said calmly, "Jimmy just called and said someone is watching me."

Xiao Dao's smile froze for a moment, then he resumed his nonchalant demeanor: "Who in Sham Shui Po isn't watching you? You've been too high-profile these past few years, so it's normal to attract attention." He paused, a hint of probing in his tone, "But, Jimmy, he's a man who can't keep his mouth shut, how much of what he says do you believe?"

Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, staring at Xiao Dao for a moment. He and Xiao Dao had worked together for many years; while they weren't exactly confidants, they at least trusted each other in business. But Xiao Dao, despite his seemingly carefree and jovial exterior, possessed a cunning that was hard to fathom. Su Hanze knew that Xiao Dao never did anything that didn't make him rich, and he never easily took sides. Xiao Dao had readily agreed to the plan to smuggle goods this time, but Su Hanze always felt that he was holding back something.

"Believe it or not, you'll find out once you check." Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette, his voice as cold as the night sea breeze. "Are the people on your side reliable?"

Xiao Dao shrugged, a meaningful smile on his face: "When have my men ever made a mistake? But you, Sang Ze, this batch of goods burned. What are you going to do next? You can't just quit like that, can you?"

Su Hanze didn't answer, only glanced at him before turning and walking towards his car. The night was deep, the streetlights of Sham Shui Po dim, and roadside vendors were still hawking their wares—cheap fish balls and siu mai—the air thick with the greasy aroma of cooking. He got into his car, started the engine, but his mind was still preoccupied with the "rare tobacco leaves" Jimmy had mentioned. He had never told anyone about his tobacco business; even Xiao Dao only knew the general outline. How did Jimmy know? More importantly, who were those people watching him?

The next morning, Su Hanze drove to an inconspicuous little teahouse in Sham Shui Po. Hidden deep in a narrow alley, the storefront was dilapidated, the lettering on the sign almost illegible from the rain. A few regular customers sat sparsely inside, drinking morning tea and chatting about everyday matters. Su Hanze pushed open the door and went straight to a table in the corner. Jimmy was already waiting there, with a pot of Pu'er tea and two plates of dim sum in front of him.

"You're here early enough." Jimmy looked up, a smile on his face, his tone slightly teasing. "I thought you wouldn't come out until noon."

Su Hanze pulled out a chair and sat down, his gaze sweeping over Jimmy's slightly greasy face. Jimmy was a typical shrewd businessman, smooth and worldly-wise, always wearing a smile, but his eyes always concealed calculation. He and Su Hanze had dealt with each other for many years; they couldn't call each other friends, but at least they could maintain some tacit understanding when it came to interests.

"Enough with the nonsense." Su Hanze poured himself a cup of tea, his voice low. "Make it clear now about what you didn't finish saying on the phone yesterday."

Jimmy's smile faded slightly. He lowered his head and took a sip of tea, as if considering how to begin. After a long pause, he lowered his voice and said, "Sangze, your business in Sham Shui Po is no secret. Your tobacco isn't ordinary; there are quite a few people eyeing it in the market. Yesterday, I heard that someone offered a high price to snatch the goods from you."

Su Hanze frowned slightly, his teacup pausing in his hand: "Who?" Jimmy shook his head: "I don't know exactly who it is. But what I've heard is that these people have a complicated background and might have some connection to Yau Ma Tei. You know, things haven't been peaceful in Yau Ma Tei lately. Several big shots are fighting for territory, and they won't let go of such a rare commodity as tobacco leaves easily."

Su Hanze remained silent for a moment, his gaze growing increasingly cold. He was well aware of the situation in Yau Ma Tei; the local gangs there were deeply entrenched, seemingly peaceful on the surface, but rife with intrigue and conflict behind the scenes. He had been deliberately avoiding direct confrontation with those gangs, but now it seemed trouble had still found its way to him.

"How do you know so much?" Su Hanze stared at Jimmy, his tone tinged with suspicion.

Jimmy gave a wry smile and shrugged. "I've been in this business for so many years, I've got some connections. Don't forget, I don't just do business with you. News travels faster than the wind."

Su Hanze didn't press further, simply lowering his head to take a sip of tea. The tea was bitter, much like his current mood. He knew he couldn't completely trust Jimmy's words, but he couldn't completely disregard them either. The black market in Sham Shui Po was never a clean place; news traveled fast, and so did betrayal. He needed to find out as soon as possible who was watching him.

After leaving the teahouse, Su Hanze didn't go straight back to his residence. Instead, he drove to an old factory near the Sham Shui Po pier. He had rented this place years ago; ostensibly a warehouse for storing miscellaneous items, it was actually a transit point for his tobacco business. The factory's exterior walls were mottled, and the iron gate had a rusty lock, making it seem unremarkable, but the interior held a different story.

He pushed open the door and went inside. In the dim light, several workers were busy at work. They wore worn-out vests, sweat mixed with dust streaming down their faces, as they sorted through a pile of freshly delivered tobacco leaves. These tobacco leaves were no ordinary goods; they came from a remote mountainous area, had undergone special processing, and were golden in color and had a strong aroma—a hot commodity on the black market. Su Hanze stood aside, silently observing, his mind preoccupied with Jimmy's words.

"Boss, this batch of goods has been sorted." A worker walked over, wiped his sweat, and said respectfully, "As you instructed, they have all been packed according to grade."

Su Hanze nodded, his gaze sweeping over the neatly stacked piles of tobacco leaves. This stock was the result of two years of hard work, amassed through complex channels and clandestine sources; even Xiao Dao didn't know all the details. But now, Jimmy's words made him begin to doubt whether his connections were truly as secretive as they seemed.

"Has anyone come to inquire about this recently?" Su Hanze suddenly asked.

The worker paused for a moment, then shook his head: "No, it's usually just a few of us here, I haven't seen any unfamiliar faces."

Su Hanze didn't ask any more questions, simply waving his hand to let the workers continue their work. He turned and walked deeper into the factory, pushing open a hidden door that led to a small office. The office contained only a table and a few chairs, with some miscellaneous items piled in the corner, looking completely unremarkable. But Su Hanze knew that his ledgers and some crucial contact information were hidden here.

He pulled open a drawer, took out a black-covered notebook, and flipped through it. Inside, densely packed with transaction information from the past few years—suppliers, buyers, shipping routes—all were clearly written down. He stared at the names and numbers, trying to find some clues. At which point did Jimmy's group begin to monitor him?
Just then, his phone rang. He glanced down and saw it was an unfamiliar number. Su Hanze frowned, answered the call, and a deep male voice came through: "Boss Su, business has been booming lately."

Su Hanze's eyes instantly turned cold: "Who are you?"

The other party chuckled, his voice carrying an unsettlingly slick tone: "Don't rush, Mr. Su, I'm not here to cause trouble. On the contrary, I have a business deal I'd like to discuss with you."

"What kind of business?" Su Hanze's voice was as cold as ice.

“I’m very interested in your tobacco leaves.” The other party paused, his tone becoming more meaningful. “However, I advise you to be careful. Some people have already started to make trouble for your goods.”

Su Hanze tightened his grip on his phone, countless thoughts flashing through his mind. He suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Speak plainly, don't beat around the bush."

The other party seemed unfazed by his coldness, chuckled, and continued, "Alright, straightforward. I know you have a batch of good goods, and someone in Yau Ma Tei has offered a high price to buy them, but I can offer you better terms. Tomorrow night, at the old teahouse in Kowloon Walled City, let's talk face to face."

Before Su Hanze could respond, the call ended. He stared at his phone screen, his eyes so dark they seemed to drip with malice. Kowloon Walled City was practically a no-go zone in the Sham Shui Po area, a melting pot of all sorts of people, a place even the police were reluctant to set foot in. The other party arranging to meet there was clearly no benevolent individual.

That night, Su Hanze didn't go home, but went directly to Xiao Dao's hideout. It was a billiards hall hidden in the backstreets of Sham Shui Po. On the surface, it was a place for people to relax, but in reality, it was the central hub for Xiao Dao's business. The billiards hall was filled with smoke, and several young men were playing around a table, their laughter and shouts rising and falling. Xiao Dao sat on a sofa in the corner, a bottle of beer in front of him, a cigarette between his fingers.

Seeing Su Hanze enter, Xiao Dao raised his chin, gesturing for him to sit down: "Hey, Su Hanze, what's the rush that's taking you so late?"

Su Hanze didn't sit down, but just stood there, his gaze coldly sweeping over Xiao Dao: "Someone asked me to meet them in Kowloon Walled City tomorrow to discuss business, and they mentioned my tobacco."

Xiao Dao's eyes flickered, and he paused, his cigarette still in his mouth. "Kowloon Walled City? You've got guts. Who made the appointment?"

“I don’t know.” Su Hanze shook his head. “But he knows about my goods, and he also knows that someone in Yau Ma Tei is watching me.”

Xiao Dao whistled, leaned back on the sofa, and smiled meaningfully: "Looks like you've really stirred up a hornet's nest this time. Those guys in Yau Ma Tei are not to be trifled with."

Su Hanze remained silent, only staring at Xiao Dao with a probing look in his eyes. He knew that Xiao Dao's network of information was far wider than his own; almost no news from Deep Waters could escape his notice. But Xiao Dao's half-serious, half-joking attitude made him increasingly uneasy.

(End of this chapter)