The world begins with Hong Kong movies

Chapter 390 Making money? Not shameful at all! (Seeking monthly votes)

In late September 1990, Wu Feng accompanied the Hong Kong Island sports delegation to the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Beijing, mainland China.

The Hong Kong Island men's football team is the most watched team in the men's football competition of this Asian Games.

Who told them to have just performed so well and gained such fame at the World Cup in Italy?
Wu Feng only played in the first group stage match for Hong Kong Island team. After scoring three goals in the first half, he was substituted off.

Even a complete novice in football can see that the Hong Kong team has a huge advantage.

Whether Wu Feng is there or not, the game can be won easily.

This is because, after being tempered in the World Cup, the Hong Kong team's strength has undergone a complete transformation.

Just one match was enough for professionals to see that the Hong Kong Island team's overall strength surpasses that of all other Asian teams.

It's worth noting that at that time, besides Wu Feng, a superstar player, several other members of the Hong Kong Island team had transferred to teams in the Dutch Eredivisie and English First Division.

That's right, it's the team under Jiang Tiansheng and Wu Feng.

In fact, other Hong Kong Island players have also received offers from European professional teams.

However, after consulting with Wu Feng, they plan to continue to accumulate experience in the Hong Kong professional league for another year before considering playing for a European professional team that is interested in them.

Wu Feng's idea was simple: the pioneers faced the greatest pressure.

The first batch of Hong Kong Island players who went to play for professional teams in Europe should ideally be able to establish themselves and set a good example for their successors.

At the same time, it also allowed the European professional football community to gain an initial understanding of the strength and ability of Hong Kong's top professional players.

Otherwise, unless one possesses exceptional abilities far surpassing their teammates, it's wishful thinking to try to integrate into the team and establish a foothold without gaining the trust of the head coach and the complete approval of their teammates.

That's why it's said that pioneers face the greatest pressure.

Fortunately, the Dutch Eredivisie teams under Chiang Tin-sang and the English League One teams under Wu Fung are more tolerant of players from Hong Kong Island.

But that’s it!
To put it bluntly, what matters most in professional football is still skill.

In a normal timeline, the journey of mainland Chinese players to play abroad actually starts off quite well.

Van Gaal became the team captain at Crystal Palace based on his ability, while Sun Taiyang also became a regular starter at Manchester City.

Later, Li Gang successfully became Everton's starting defensive midfielder. Although Li Datou did not stay, did he really lack the ability to stay?
How could that be? At least he could be a substitute center-back without any problem.

However, Everton was too arrogant towards mainland players and didn't give Li Datou any chance to improve gradually.

Yang Chen and Xie Hui were doing quite well in Germany, which made it possible for Shao Jiayi to come to Germany later.

Unfortunately, the subsequent wave of mainland players failed to live up to expectations, and the malicious obstruction by some clubs caused the overseas player movement to be aborted.

Otherwise, the situation of the Chinese national football team would not have gotten worse and worse.

It is foreseeable that the Hong Kong Island professional football league is about to experience a huge boom.

All professional teams will definitely imitate and learn from Hong Kong Island's style of play and tactics, and their overall training and logistical methods will undergo significant changes.

Under such circumstances, the level of the Hong Kong professional football league is likely to improve significantly in a short period of time.

If this is the case, the Hong Kong Island team players staying will not affect their improvement in strength or their overall abilities.

Putting aside the digressions, all the players from the Hong Kong Island team who participated in the first group stage match, including Wu Feng, who was a key player in the World Cup finals, made their appearances.

Even those players who had already transferred to European professional teams made a special trip back to participate, showing great respect to the mainland players. After that, Wu Feng never played again.

Those players who transferred to European professional teams returned to their respective teams immediately to continue integrating and looking for opportunities.

On the Hong Kong Island side, with a lineup of half starters and half substitutes, they made it all the way to the final of the Asian Games men's football competition.

And their opponent in the final is none other than the Chinese national football team!

Now, this is going to be interesting.

"I won't be playing. As for those players who are playing abroad, there's no need to call them back. Just let the current players play normally!"

"This already shows enough respect to the mainland. If we go any further, we might become an international laughing stock!"

Facing Huo Daheng, who looked conflicted, Wu Feng spoke very frankly.

Hong Kong Island team's strength is undeniable; even with a lineup consisting of half starters and half substitutes, their fighting power is not to be underestimated.

They have all experienced the trials of the World Cup.

If they suddenly perform poorly and end up losing to the national team, it could really make them a laughing stock for the country, which is no joke.

Having been reminded, Wu Feng no longer focused his attention on the Asian Games.

He also has many friends in the capital.

What Wu Feng was most concerned about was, naturally, the normal business dealings with Russia that he had spearheaded and that involved many Hong Kong triads.

Well, the fact that those old men in normal time and space caused such a huge commotion shows just how much profit they could make.

The Hong Kong gang members he brought in were truly wealthy and powerful.

It seems like none of them are spending their Hong Kong dollars as if they were real money.

In mainland China, especially in the north, state-owned factories were buying up everything.

Then, they were transported directly to the border of Russia by train or long-distance bus, and exchanged for various supplies needed in the interior.

All kinds of materials, metal materials, machinery and equipment, finished engineering vehicles, and even transport planes and helicopters were all transported to the inland areas, one train car after another.

Of course, there would also be plenty of gold, diamonds, and other fine materials like leather and wood.

Because it was a legitimate trade, the members of the gang who participated, although very interested, did not touch the firearms from the Russian side.

That's why they made a fortune after exchanging goods of equal value with the mainland.

Various jade raw materials, precious gemstones and pearls from the mainland, exquisite modern handicrafts of all kinds, and even legitimate antique shops in Beijing were all snapped up in bulk by members of wealthy Hong Kong triads.

These items all become much more valuable once they arrive in Hong Kong, and their provenance is clear and verifiable.

At the same time, coastal cities in Guangdong Province, which are directly connected to Hong Kong Island by sea, have launched a vigorous campaign to grow vegetables, various seasonal fruits, and large-scale poultry and livestock.

Moreover, famous wines from the mainland, as well as local fruits and specialties, all became objects of equivalent exchange.

In fact, Qiongzhou launched a "vegetable basket project" ahead of schedule, mainly to facilitate trade with "Hong Kong businessmen".

It involves numerous industries and vast geographical areas, with nearly half of the mainland government agencies operating at full capacity for it.

(End of this chapter)