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

New World Nightclub, third-floor office.

At two in the morning, the neon lights outside the window were still flashing, casting red and green light and shadows into the room again and again.

The area downstairs has quieted down; the last group of guests has just left, and only a few cleaners are left to tidy up.

Chen Feng sat behind his desk, holding an account book in his hand, slowly flipping through it.

Ah Shui stood in front of him.

"Boss,"

He spoke in a low voice, "There's some movement over there with A-Gui."

Chen Feng didn't look up.

"explain."

Ah Shui said, "He went out late last night. He was alone and didn't say hello to anyone. He went to the 'Golden Phoenix' chicken stall on Temple Street, stayed for half an hour, and then came back."

Chen Feng paused for a moment as he flipped through the account book.

Just for a moment.

Then he continued flipping through the pages.

"Who did he meet at the chicken stall?"

Ah Shui shook his head.

"I asked. The owner of Golden Phoenix said he didn't call any women, he just asked for a room, stayed for half an hour, and then left."

Chen Feng raised his head.

Look at him.

Those eyes were deep and serene.

Do you believe it?

Ah Shui was silent for a second.

Then he shook his head.

"I don't believe it."

He said, "If he doesn't go to the brothel to find women, he must have something else on his mind."

Chen Feng nodded.

He closed the ledger and placed it on the table.

Stand up and walk to the window.

He had his back to Ah Shui.

Looking out the window at the flashing neon lights.

"This person, Ah Gui..."

He spoke, his voice calm, "Not simple."

Ah Shui didn't say anything.

Chen Feng continued, "He gambled for twenty years and can do everything. Carpentry, masonry, repairs—he learned all of those later. But in the beginning, he made his fortune through gambling."

He paused.

"Would someone who's been gambling for twenty years really lose all their money at a gambling den? Would they get pinned against the wall by a few bouncers?"

Ah Shui's eyes lit up.

"Boss, you mean—"

Chen Feng turned around.

Look at him.

"He caused trouble at the gambling den that day on purpose."

Ah Shui's expression changed.

"Intentional? Why?"

Chen Feng walked back to his desk and sat down again.

"To get closer to me."

Ah Shui was stunned for a few seconds.

Then he felt a chill down his back.

"Boss, so what about him now...?"

Chen Feng raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Alright."

He said, "Summon him to see me. I have something for him to do."

Ah Shui was stunned for a moment.

"Now?"

"Now."

Ah Shui nodded.

"clear."

He turned around and strode out.

The door closed behind me.

The office fell silent.

Chen Feng sat there, staring at the closed door.

His face was expressionless.

But he was thinking about something else.

Ah Gui.

Who exactly are you?

-

basement.

The door to the storage room was closed, but a sliver of light shone through the crack.

Ah Gui is still awake.

He sat at his workbench, holding a carving knife, carving a piece of wood.

It was a statue of Guan Yu, already mostly carved, and its eyebrows and eyes bore a striking resemblance to the real Guan Yu.

He carved very slowly and very carefully.

Every stroke was done with great care.

Footsteps came from the stairwell.

Ah Gui paused for a moment.

He raised his head.

The door was pushed open.

Ah Shui stood at the door.

"Ah Gui, the boss wants to see you."

Ah Gui was stunned for a moment.

"Now?"

"Now."

Ah Gui put down his carving knife and stood up.

He glanced at the unfinished statue of Guan Yu.

Then he followed Ah Shui out of the storage room.

-

Third-floor office.

The door opened.

Ah Gui walked in.

Chen Feng sat behind his desk, watching him.

Ah Shui followed behind, standing at the door.

"Ah Shui, you can go out first," Chen Feng said.

Ah Shui was stunned for a moment.

But he quickly nodded.

"Yes, boss."

He left and gently closed the door behind him.

Only Chen Feng and A Gui remained in the room.

A-Gui stood in the center of the room, looking at Chen Feng.

He had a smile on his face, but it was a little stiff.

"Boss, you wanted to see me?"

Chen Feng looked at him.

I glanced at it for a few seconds.

That look in his eyes made Ah Gui feel uneasy.

But he didn't dodge.

He stood there, meeting that gaze.

Chen Feng spoke.

Where did you go last night?

Ah Gui's smile froze for a moment.

It was just a fleeting moment.

Then he returned to normal.

"Boss, I...I'm going to the chicken stall."

Chen Feng looked at him.

"What are you doing at the chicken stall?"

Ah Gui lowered his head.

"Boss, men sometimes..."

Chen Feng interrupted him.

"You didn't call for a woman."

Ah Gui raised his head.

Chen Feng looked at him.

"You asked for a room, stayed there by yourself for half an hour, and then left."

Ah Gui's expression changed.

He looked at Chen Feng, at his expressionless face, and at those unfathomable eyes.

He knew that this person knew everything.

He opened his mouth.

"Boss, I..."

Chen Feng raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Ah Gui,"

He said, "I have a question for you."

Ah Gui's heart jumped.

Chen Feng looked at him.

"Who did you see at the chicken stall?"

Ah Gui remained silent for a few seconds.

He lowered his head.

The room was extremely quiet.

It was so quiet that I could hear the ticking of the wall clock, the faint sounds of the night street noise from afar outside the window, and my own heartbeat.

A long time passed.

Ah Gui raised his head.

He looked at Chen Feng.

A complex mix of emotions flashed in those eyes.

"Boss,"

He spoke, his voice hoarse, "If I tell you, will you kill me?"

Chen Feng looked at him.

"That depends on whether you're telling the truth."

Ah Gui took a deep breath.

Then he spoke.

"Boss, the person I met last night was someone from Tianjin Port."

Chen Feng narrowed his eyes.

"People from Tianjin Port?"

A-Gui nodded.

"Yes. It's the guy who asked me to keep an eye on the docks for the big boss."

He paused.

"They found me."

Chen Feng didn't say anything.

Ah Gui continued, "Last night I went out to see them. They booked a room at the chicken stall and asked me to go over there to talk."

"What are you talking about?"

A-Gui looked at him.

"Talking about you."

Chen Feng's eyes twitched slightly.

Just for a moment.

Ah Gui saw it.

But he didn't stop.

"They want to know,"

He said, "What is your current situation? Where are you located? What kind of business are you running? How many people do you have under you? Who are you dealing with? The more details, the better."

Chen Feng remained silent for a few seconds.

Why would they want to know this?

Ah Gui shook his head.

"I don't know. They didn't say. But I think—"

He paused.

"They might be looking for you."

Chen Feng looked at him.

"Looking for me?"

A-Gui nodded.

"Yes. That big shot has a very long reach. He also has business here in Hong Kong. It's just that he used to deal with Uncle Quan's people. Now that Uncle Quan has fallen and you're in charge, he wants to find out more about you."

Chen Feng remained silent for a long time.

He looked at A-Gui, the man who used to watch over the docks for others in Tianjin Port.

"What did you tell them?"

Ah Gui shook his head.

"He didn't say anything."

He looked at Chen Feng with a sincere gaze.

"Boss, if I had told you, I wouldn't have told you all this."

Chen Feng looked at him.

Looked for a long time.

Ah Gui didn't dodge.

Just stand there and let him see.

A long time passed.

Chen Feng spoke.

"Ah Gui,"

He said, "Do you believe me?"

Ah Gui was stunned for a moment.

"The boss?"

Chen Feng looked at him.

"Do you trust me? Can I protect you?"

Ah Gui remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he nodded.

"letter."

Chen Feng nodded.

He stood up.

I walked to the window.

He had his back to Ah Gui.

"Ah Gui,"

He said, "Next time they contact you, go."

A-Gui was stunned.

"The boss?"

Chen Feng turned around.

Look at him.

"Go. Tell them to find a way to arrange a meeting with them for me."

A-Gui's eyes widened.

"Boss, you want to see them?"

Chen Feng nodded.

"See."

He said, "Since they want to find me, then let them come."

Ah Gui opened his mouth.

"Boss, they..."

Chen Feng interrupted him.

"Ah Gui," he said, "remember this."

A-Gui looked at him.

Chen Feng said, "From now on, you're mine. The past is wiped clean. From now on, you'll listen to me."

Ah Gui remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he nodded.

"Yes, boss."

Chen Feng looked at him.

"Go."

Ah Gui turned around and walked towards the door.

He stopped when he reached the door.

She turned around and glanced at Chen Feng.

"Boss," he said, "you...be careful. Those people are not simple."

Chen Feng nodded.

Ah Gui pushed open the door and went out.

The door closed behind me.

Chen Feng was the only one left in the room.

He stood by the window, looking at the neon lights outside.

People from Tianjin Port.

That big shot.

I want to find him.

Let them come.

He waited.

-

basement.

Ah Gui pushed open the door and went inside.

He walked to the worktable and sat down.

I picked up the unfinished statue of Guan Yu and looked at it for a long time.

Then he picked up the carving knife.

Continue carving.

One moment, one moment.

His hands were very steady.

But in his mind, he was thinking about what had just happened.

The boss wants to see those people.

The boss wasn't afraid of them.

The boss is much scarier than them.

A smile appeared on Ah Gui's lips.

The smile was brief, fleeting in the dim light.

He continued sculpting the statue of Guan Yu.

Acting as if nothing had happened.