Courtyard House: First, kill the hypocrites, leave none alive.

Kowloon Walled City, New Territories.

It's called the "New Territories," but it's really just a slightly better place than the old shack—a stand-alone tin shack with two rooms, windows, and even a small living room.

This was changed after the scumbag became the "boss".

Fat Bo is dead, and he has taken over most of the territory in the walled city.

Although he nominally had to listen to Uncle Quan, in this small corner of the city, he was the boss.

Xie Wanying followed him and moved here from that dark and gloomy shack.

It was evening, and the setting sun shone through the window, casting a warm glow on the ground.

Xie Wanying stood in front of the stove cooking, the meat simmering in the pot, the aroma filling the house.

The door opened.

The stag dog walked in.

He didn't look well.

Xie Wanying raised her head and glanced at him.

"What's wrong?"

The dog didn't speak.

He stood in the doorway, staring at the stranger sitting in the living room.

He was a man in his thirties, with dark skin and a lean build. He was wearing a floral shirt, which was open, revealing a long knife scar on his chest.

He sat in the best chair, legs crossed, holding a cup of tea, sipping it slowly.

Seeing the dog enter, he looked up and smiled.

The smile was brief, revealing a set of teeth stained black by betel nuts.

The dog's eyes widened.

"this?"

Xie Wanying walked over from the stove and stood between the two.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

She said calmly, "This is Ruan Biao, from Borneo."

The dog's pupils contracted slightly.

Borneo.

Of course he knew what that place was.

Things are very chaotic in Southeast Asia.

Various forces are deeply intertwined; today you kill me, tomorrow I kill you.

But that place produces gold, rubber, timber, spices—and most importantly, heroin.

A large portion of the heroin circulating in Hong Kong comes from Borneo.

Those large stalls and wholesalers all get their goods directly from those people.

As for newly appointed "bosses" like Sanggou, they only get second-hand or third-hand goods, and have been skinned alive by others.

He has no right to associate with people from Borneo.

But now, a man from Borneo is sitting in his house.

Sipping tea.

Waiting for him.

The dog looked at Xie Wanying.

She stood there with a faint smile on her face and bright eyes.

Suddenly, Sang Gou realized that he could no longer understand this woman.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

Ruan Biao spoke, his voice hoarse and thick with a Southeast Asian accent, "Sit."

His tone made it seem as if he were the master of the place.

The dog felt uncomfortable.

But he didn't say anything.

He walked over and sat down in another chair.

Ruan Biao looked at him, his small eyes filled with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

He said, "I've heard of you."

The dog was stunned for a moment.

"Have you heard of me?"

Ruan Biao nodded.

"Fat Bo's right-hand man. He's been with him for twenty years. Fat Bo is dead, and you've taken over his territory."

He paused.

"Uncle Quan's men."

Sang Gou's expression changed slightly.

"I'm not one of Uncle Quan's men," he said.

Ruan Biao smiled.

The smile was brief, carrying a somewhat ambiguous meaning.

"Aren't you?"

"I am not."

The mute dog said, "I am my own person."

Ruan Biao looked at him but didn't say anything.

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Xie Wanying walked over and sat down next to Sang Gou.

Her hand gently rested on his arm.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

She said, "Mr. Ruan is here to discuss business."

The dog looked at her.

"What kind of business?"

Xie Wanying didn't speak, but looked at Ruan Biao.

Ruan Biao picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

He said, "I want to find a new partner in Kowloon."

The dog's heart skipped a beat.

New partner?

"What about Uncle Quan?"

Ruan Biao continued, "Something happened recently. Thirteen boxes of bullets from my shipment went missing from his warehouse. He compensated me. But I don't want to do business with him anymore."

He put down his teacup.

I want to find someone else.

The dog stared at him, its mind racing.

Uncle Quan's goods are lost?

Thirteen boxes of bullets?

Is Ruan Biao going to change partners?

What does this mean?

This means that Uncle Quan's relationship with Borneo has run into problems.

This means that someone can take advantage of the situation to infiltrate.

mean--

"Mr. Ruan,"

He spoke, his voice slightly strained, "Why did you look for me?"

Ruan Biao looked at him.

"Because you've just taken over."

He said, "Because your territory is small, but your appetite is big. Because you have a woman—"

He glanced at Xie Wanying.

"—Very smart."

The dog fell silent.

He looked at Ruan Biao, at this man from Borneo with a scar on his chest, at those small eyes that stared at him like snakes.

He knew this was an opportunity.

A tremendous opportunity.

But he also knew it was a trap.

Once he accepts Ruan Biao's goods, it's tantamount to turning against Uncle Quan.

Will Uncle Quan let him go?

will not.

Uncle Quan will kill him.

Just like killing Fatty Bo.

"Mr. Ruan,"

He said, "This is a huge matter. I need to think about it."

Ruan Biao nodded.

"You want to."

He said, "I'll wait for you for three days."

He stood up.

I stopped at the door.

He turned around and looked at the mongrel.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

He said, "Over in Borneo, my brother has over two thousand men. They need to eat every day, and they're fighting every day. Where do they get their bullets? From me. If I cut off their supply, they're finished."

He paused.

"So, my goods can't have any problems. If Uncle Quan has problems, I'll stop working with him. If you have problems too—"

He didn't finish speaking.

But the dog understood what that meant.

He nodded.

"I see."

Ruan Biao pushed open the door and went out.

They disappeared into the night.

The room fell silent.

The dog sat motionless in the chair.

Xie Wanying walked over and sat down next to him.

"Mad Dog Bro,"

She said softly, "This is an opportunity."

The dog looked at her.

"Do you know how big of a deal this is?"

Xie Wanying nodded.

"I know."

"Uncle Quan will kill me."

"He will want to kill you."

Xie Wanying said, "But he might not be able to kill him."

The dog was stunned for a moment.

Xie Wanying continued, "Now you have territory and people. It's not much, but it's enough. If Ruan Biao really supplies you, you'll have money, guns, and heroin. At that time, Uncle Quan will have to think twice before he tries to take you down."

She paused.

"Besides, Uncle Quan is in trouble himself now. He lost Ruan Biao's goods, and Ruan Biao won't do business with him anymore. He has to find a new source of goods. Where is the new source? It's in other people's hands. Will other people supply him like Ruan Biao did? Not necessarily."

As the dog listened, its eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"You mean...?"

"I mean,"

Xie Wanying looked at him, "Crazy Dog, you're not Uncle Quan's man. You're your own. You'll turn against him sooner or later. Whether you turn against him now or later, what difference does it make?"

The dog remained silent for a long time.

He looked at Xie Wanying, at this woman, at those bright eyes.

He remembered what she had said.

"You're just a mad dog that Fatbo raised."

"That's all there is to your life."

"Establish your own incense altar."

Now, she's saying the same thing again.

This time, however, it's an even larger incense hall.

"Wanying,"

He spoke, his voice hoarse, "What exactly do you want?"

Xie Wanying looked at him.

"I want to live."

She said, "Live well. No need to hide, no need to be afraid, no need to live at the mercy of others."

The dog didn't speak.

Xie Wanying continued, "Brother Mad Dog, I'm following you not because you're so good to me. It's because you can keep me alive. The better you live, the better I live. So—"

She took his hand.

"We can't let this opportunity slip by."

The dog stared at her for a long time.

Then he nodded.

"I'll listen to you."

Xie Wanying smiled.

The smile was brief, fleeting in the dim light.

But the dog saw it.

He knew that this woman was his lucky star.

It was also his death warrant.

But no way.

He can't live without it anymore.

-

Outside the window, the night in the walled city grew deeper and deeper.

In the distance came the clamor of gambling dens, the shouts of vendors, and the curses of drunkards.

Those sounds blended together, becoming the city's never-ending background noise.

The dog sat inside, smoking, thinking about what had just happened.

Ruan Biao.

Borneo.

goods.

Uncle Quan.

Turn against each other.

He took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled.

Smoke rises under the light.

He didn't know if he had made the right or wrong move.

But he knew that from this day forward, some things could never be undone.