Hong Kong film: The cop backs down, the ladies beg me to check his license.

Chen Xinjian's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

Ye Tian continued in that calm yet compelling tone, "If word gets out that the West Kowloon police officers are using legitimate businesses as cannon fodder in their investigation... what will the media say? Do you need me to find a few reporters I know to give you a proper 'objective report'?"

A fine layer of sweat instantly beaded on Chen Xinjian's forehead, glistening oily under the dim light of the Drunken Dream Hotel. He nodded almost without hesitation, his speech quickening: "Mr. Ye, don't be angry, we'll definitely take responsibility for the loss! However… two million is no small sum, it can't be accounted for all at once. How about this, I'll have someone send one million over first, and the rest, once we get back and interrogate those three Vietnamese guys, determine their guilt, we'll make up the difference immediately, you see…"

Ye Tian removed his hand from his shoulder, even patting it lightly twice, as if brushing away non-existent dust. "Alright, Superintendent Chen is a man of his word." He sat back down in the booth, his tone returning to its previous calm.

Ma Jun stood to the side with a swollen face, grunting as if he wanted to speak, but Chen Xinjian gave him a sharp look and he immediately shut his mouth, though his cheeks puffed out.

Watson followed Chen Xinjian and the others out last. Before leaving, he couldn't help but turn back and glance at Ye Tian one last time. His gaze was complex, containing the bewilderment of surviving a close call, the frustration of a failed mission, and a hint of inexplicable inquiry. Ye Tian was lighting a cigarette, the light illuminating half of his expressionless profile; he wasn't even looking towards the door.

The people were gone, and the decadent lifestyle suddenly felt empty, leaving only the lingering smell of cigarettes and alcohol, a faint stench of blood, and the barely audible bass echoes from the stereo. Ye Tian and Lin Fu were still sitting in that corner booth, the bottle on the table half empty.

Lin Fu poured himself a little more wine, but didn't drink it right away. He held it in his hand and swirled it around, the ice ball hitting the side of the glass with a slight crackling sound. He looked at Ye Tian and asked, "Brother Tian, ​​was that young man with the Vietnamese guy really 'Ghost'?" He used underworld slang for an undercover agent.

"Hmm." Ye Tian took a drag of his cigarette, the smoke blurring his expression for a moment. "Most likely. To deliberately provoke the police in broad daylight and even dare to smash a bottle over someone's head... No one who does shady business normally would be that stupid or that audacious. Unless it's an act, a performance for those three Vietnamese idiots."

Lin Fu frowned and thought for a moment: "Could it be those lunatics from Zhongyixin's gang?"

Ye Tian snorted, his tone undisguisedly mocking, and glanced at Lin Fu: "Zhong Yixin is crazy, not stupid. What good does doing this do, besides getting himself into trouble and being watched by the police 24/7? Zhong Yixin wouldn't even look at the likes of the Vietnamese three brothers. It's not worth the trouble."

Lin Fu clicked his tongue, somewhat impressed: "I didn't expect the police to have laid out such a wide network of informants, even placing people around such minor figures."

"That's their livelihood." Ye Tian slowly stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "It's none of our business, just don't cross the line. Let them fish, we'll do our business."

Lin Fu paused for a moment, leaned forward, lowered his voice, and asked with hesitation and worry, "Brother Tian, ​​what if... something similar happens to those around us...?"

Ye Tian laughed, casually shrugging his shoulders: "So what if they do? What's there to be afraid of? Those scumbags in Causeway Bay always say, 'When you're in the game, one foot is in jail and the other is in a coffin.' Want a peaceful retirement? Dream on."

He picked up his glass, took a sip, and the icy liquid slid down his throat. "As long as we behave ourselves and don't get involved in those high-risk businesses, even if there are 'ghosts' lurking around, they won't be able to find anything on us. Harmony brings wealth, that's the most important thing."

Lin Fu didn't reply immediately. He stared at the swirling liquid in his hand for a while before raising his head with a serious look in his eyes: "Brother Tian, ​​how about... you come back to the countryside with me? Our hometown has beautiful mountains and rivers, and not so much trouble. Maybe we can live a peaceful life there."

Ye Tian was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, his eyes crinkling with fine lines. He reached out and patted Lin Fu's shoulder forcefully: "Alright! When I finally see the light and retire from this life, I'll definitely go with you to the countryside and enjoy a peaceful life."

Lin Fu's face immediately lit up, his eyes crinkling into crescents: "Really? Then I'll ask my dad to clear out that plot of land next to the old house and build a new building with a big yard! So you can live comfortably!"

"Great!" Ye Tian nodded with a smile. "I'll pay for it. We'll hire a couple of helpers to grow some vegetables and raise some chickens. How pleasant!"

The two chatted casually, one sentence after another, as if the earlier fight and the undercover agent's suspicions were just an insignificant interlude in a movie, over and done with. As long as no one was killed, it really wasn't a big deal to them.

West Kowloon Headquarters, Chan Yan-kin's office.

The door was closed, but the sounds of cursing coming from inside could still be faintly heard, like muffled thunder.

"You two still have the nerve to talk? Look at yourselves!" Chan Yan-kin pointed at Ma Jun and Wah Sang, who were standing in front of the desk, his finger almost poking their noses. "One of you has a face swollen like a pig's head, and the other has a bloody head! If word gets out that our people from West Kowloon were beaten up like this by gangsters, where will the police force put their faces?!"

Ma Jun's face was swollen, and his speech was slightly slurred, but he was still very angry: "Officer, I had no choice! Watson pounced on me and poured a bottle over my head. How could I not fight back? Those Vietnamese guys saw through it immediately!"

Watson clutched the hastily bandaged wound on his forehead, the edges of the gauze still stained with a little blood. He stiffened his neck and said, "How can I gain the trust of those three Vietnamese guys if I don't make it look convincing? They're more suspicious than ghosts! Officer Ma went too far; does he really think I'm a thief?"

"I'm heavy? If I didn't hit you hard, you might not be standing here now, but lying in the morgue!" Ma Jun's eyes widened as well.

"Enough!" Chen Xinjian slammed his hand on the thick desk, making a dull thud. The two men immediately fell silent, lowering their heads, but their shoulders were still heaving slightly from their agitation.

Chen Xinjian took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to suppress the fire in his chest. He stared at the two men, his eyes like icicles: "Do you know how much trouble you've caused? Of all places to cause trouble, you had to go to Qingtianlong Ye Tian's territory! And now your tricks have been seen through on the spot!"

Watson looked up, his face showing not only injury but also confusion: "Officer Chen, Ye Tian... why did he see through me? I don't think I gave anything away."

Standing to the side, Ma Jun's swollen face also showed lingering fear and solemnity: "It's said in the martial arts world that Ye Tian has connections everywhere, and I used to think it was just bragging. But this time... I believe it. He saw through Hua Sheng at a glance; he's amazing."

Chan Yan-kin's face darkened further: "Are your brains filled with mush?" He paused, his tone tinged with a complex anger, "Do you even know who the top three donors are on our West Kowloon Headquarters' annual charity donation list?"

Watson subconsciously pursed his lips: "It can't be Ye Tian, ​​can it? Just a local bully..."

"It's him!" Chen Xinjian interrupted him, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "His public identity is the chairman of Qitian Group, a young entrepreneur. He donates millions to our police station every year! He's a major sponsor!"

Watson's mouth gaped open and remained agape for a long time, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Ma Jun's eyes widened as well: "Officer, people with triad backgrounds donating money... we're accepting that? Isn't that against the rules?"

"Triad background?" Chen Xinjian retorted sharply. "Where's the evidence? Did you catch him dealing drugs? Or did you catch him committing murder? His company registration and tax records are crystal clear; his business is legal, and he's actively involved in public welfare! What makes you think he's a triad member? Are you making a judgment based on hearsay?"

He took a breath, his voice lower but heavier: "We're police officers, we act based on evidence. Arresting people is our duty, conviction is the judge's job. If there's no evidence, shut up. Sometimes the higher-ups have to deal with triad members, and how often do the political department associate with local gangsters? Can you say they're also gangsters?"