Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

6 a.m., second floor of Hero Bar.

The noise outside had completely subsided, and even the occasional sound of sirens had become distant and indistinct.

In the office, KK was curled up in the corner of the leather sofa, wearing a suit jacket left behind by Ahua. She hugged her knees, and her once bright eyes were now bloodshot, but she dared not close them.

Although the shouts of killing downstairs had stopped for a long time, and although she could hear the rustling sound of brooms sweeping the ground, her heart was still in her throat.

She is waiting.

Waiting for the man who pulled her back from the brink of hell.

"Thump, thump, thump."

The sudden knocking sounded particularly jarring in the deathly still morning.

KK jumped in fright, shrinking deeper into the sofa like a startled rabbit, and asked in a trembling voice, "Who...who is it?"

"It's me, Ahua."

That familiar voice came from outside the door. Although it sounded tired and a little hoarse, it was like heavenly music to KK's ears.

KK's nerves, which had been taut all night, completely relaxed in that instant. Feelings of grievance, fear, and worry welled up inside her, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

She rushed over and frantically opened the locked security door.

The door opened.

The first light of dawn streamed through the corridor windows, illuminating the man standing in the doorway.

Ahua leaned against the wall, seemingly exhausted.

His once crisp coat was nowhere to be seen, and the white shirt underneath was wrinkled and covered with mottled dark red bloodstains—some splattered, others large smears, a horrifying sight. The cuff of his left hand was torn open, revealing a hand wrapped in thick gauze, the blood faintly visible through.

But despite the sweat and dust on his angular face, his eyes shone with an alarming brightness.

It was the relief of surviving a battle like a wild beast, and even more so, the composure of a king after being crowned.

"Are you...are you alright?" KK looked at him covered in blood, wanting to reach out to help him, but then pulled her hand back halfway, afraid of touching his wounds. Her voice choked with emotion as she asked, "Why are you bleeding so much...does it hurt a lot?"

"It's okay," Ahua glanced down at his disheveled appearance, smiled nonchalantly, and used the back of his clean hand to wipe the tear stains on KK's face. "It's all someone else's blood, it's a bit dirty, but it'll be fine after washing."

As he spoke, he pulled a slightly deformed paper bag from his blood-stained pocket, as if by magic.

"On my way back just now, I saw that the tea restaurant at the street corner had just opened."

Ahua opened the paper bag, inside lay an egg tart that, though flattened and with half of its crust broken, still exuded an enticingly sweet aroma.

"Fresh out of the oven, still warm," he handed the egg tarts to KK like a big boy showing off a treasure. "You must have been scared after a whole night of this, right? Have something sweet to calm your nerves."

KK looked at the deformed egg tart, then at the man in front of her who had just fought his way through a bloodbath and was now buying her breakfast.

My heart felt like it had been hit hard by something, a bittersweet feeling.

KK took the egg tart, still warm from her body, and the flaky crust melted in her mouth with the scalding hot egg custard, so sweet it made her want to cry.

"Is it good?" Ahua leaned against the door frame, lit a cigarette, and asked with a smile.

"Delicious... This is the best egg tart I've ever eaten." KK wolfed it down, completely lacking any ladylike demeanor, with crumbs sticking to the corners of her mouth.

Ahua's gaze softened as he looked at her. He went into his office, poured two glasses of water, and the two of them sat on the carpet without any regard for appearances, watching the dawn break outside the window.

"By the way," Ahua exhaled a smoke ring and casually asked, "Why didn't you run away with your classmates last night? It would have been dangerous to stay there."

"My brother said, the most important thing in this world is loyalty!" KK swallowed the last bite of her egg tart. The warmth of the food seemed to dispel her fear, and her fiery "bad girl" spirit returned. She wiped her mouth, puffed out her chest, and said, "I already told you you got into trouble with those thugs to save me. If I ran away, what kind of person would I be?"

"Your brother?" Ahua chuckled. "Did your brother teach you?"

"Yeah! My brother's also from Hung Hing!"

KK said proudly, "Although he's just a nobody now, he's really something! He used to work for Boss B in Tsz Wan Shan, and later he went to Causeway Bay to make his own way in the scene. His name is Tai Fei! Ever heard of him?"

"Cough cough..."

Ahua almost spat out the mouthful of water he had just drunk.

"Da...Dafei?" Ahua stared wide-eyed at KK. "That Dafei who never washes his hair, likes to pick his nose, and speaks with a really loud voice?"

"Oh my! You know my brother?!" KK exclaimed in surprise.

Ah-Wah nodded with a wry smile. He didn't just know him; he'd heard of him from afar. Da-Fei hadn't officially taken office yet, but he was a well-known "eccentric" within Hung Hing, so Ah-Wah had heard rumors about him. Although he seemed crazy and slovenly, Ah-Wah's underlings had told him that Da-Fei was actually incredibly wise and loyal—a rare talent.

"That was close..."

Ahua wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling a wave of lingering fear.

Luckily, I intervened last night. If KK had really gotten into trouble in his place, we're all brothers in Hung Hing. If word got out, how could Ah Wah maintain his standing in the underworld?

But how did Dafei, with his slovenly appearance, have such a beautiful younger sister?

"So she's Brother Dafei's sister." Ahua stubbed out his cigarette. "No wonder she's so bold."

"That's right!" KK proudly raised her chin, then her eyes lit up with admiration as she looked at Ahua. "But Brother Ahua, you're even more amazing! I heard from Feiji and the others that you're already a Red Pole at such a young age? Are you going to be a gang leader someday?"

"Pretty much," Ahua said casually, with a hint of pride from his early success. "As long as we hold these streets, the position of gang leader shouldn't be out of reach."

"Wow! Really!" KK instantly transformed into a fangirl, involuntarily moving closer to Ah Wah. "So you're going to be the big boss of Mong Kok now? Does that mean I can do whatever I want in Mong Kok?"

Seeing KK's adoring, girlish look, Ahua felt a great sense of vanity.

Just as the atmosphere between the two was getting warmer, and KK's face was almost pressed against Ahua's shoulder—

"Bang!"

The office door was suddenly pushed open, or rather, kicked open.

"KK! Where's KK?! Which bastard dares to touch my sister?!"

A rough, hoarse voice, like a broken gong, boomed through the corridor.

Immediately afterward, a man with long hair, wearing a floral shirt, looking dirty but with a fierce expression rushed in. He was covered in sweat, clearly having run all the way here.

He is none other than Da Fei, one of the future leaders of Hung Hing.

"Brother!" KK was startled and quickly stood up from the ground.

"KK! Are you alright?!"

Dafei rushed over, grabbed KK's shoulders, and looked him up and down. His usually cloudy eyes were now filled with anxiety. "Are you missing a piece of flesh? Did that bastard from Dongxing touch you? Damn it, I'm going to chop his whole family up!"

"Hey bro! I'm fine! Be gentle, you're hurting me!" KK slapped Dafei's hand away in disgust.

"It's alright, it's alright..."

Dafei looked her over from left to right, and after confirming that not a single hair of hers was missing, he finally breathed a long sigh of relief, plopped down on the ground, and began picking his nose without any regard for his image.

"You scared the hell out of me... Someone just called me and said you were in trouble in Mong Kok, and that Tung Sing's guys were besieging this place. I ran over here without even pulling my pants up properly."

After saying that, Dafei turned his head and looked at Ahua, who was sitting on the sofa with a half-smile.

At this time, Dafei was just a nobody, while Ahua was already a certified Red Pole, and last night he became a legend, becoming the de facto leader of the Mong Kok gang.

"Ahem... Um, Brother Hua."

Dafei stood up, rubbing his hands awkwardly and wiping his fingers, which he had just used to pick his nose, on his clothes. "I heard about what happened last night. Thank you for saving my sister. I, Dafei, will remember this kindness. From now on in Hung Hing, anyone who dares to mess with you is messing with me, Dafei! Although I don't have much skill yet, I can still take a couple of blows for you!"

These words, though spoken rudely, were extremely sincere.

Ah Hua stood up, patted Da Fei on the shoulder, and didn't put on airs because of his high rank: "KK is your sister, which means she's the sister of everyone in Hung Hing. In my territory, no one can touch her."

"Hehe, Brother Hua is a true friend!" Da Fei grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "If Brother Hua ever needs anything, just say the word! I, Da Fei, may not be very capable, but I'm willing to risk my life!"

"Alright, alright, stop embarrassing yourself here," KK said, giving Dafei a little push, then turned to Ahua with a look of reluctance in her eyes. "Brother Ahua, shall I... go back now?"

"Okay, go back and get some rest, don't wander off," Ahua said gently.

"Um... can I still come to visit you in the future?" KK asked, mustering her courage, her face as red as an apple.

"Of course," Ahua smiled, "you're welcome anytime."

Dafei watched his younger sister's shy and timid appearance from the side, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Go away, go away! Brother Hua just finished a fight and needs to rest. You brat, don't cause trouble here!"

Dafei grabbed KK, who was looking back every few steps, and dragged her out while muttering, "Damn it, girls grow up and leave home... I've already been bewitched after just one meeting..."

……

Eight o'clock in the morning.

Another village villa.

The rising sun painted the sea golden, making it sparkle.

In the master bedroom on the second floor, Lu Chen woke up on time according to his biological clock. He glanced at Ruan Mei and Sophia, who were still fast asleep beside him, but did not wake them. Instead, he carefully pulled out his arm, put on his bathrobe, and went downstairs for breakfast.

About half an hour later, the phone on the dining table rang.

Lu Chen picked up the phone, a predictable smile curving his lips.

"Boss."

Ahua's voice came from the other end of the phone. Although he had been fighting all night, there was no fatigue in Ahua's voice, but rather a sense of excitement.

"How's the battle going?" Lu Chen picked up the black coffee he had prepared and took a sip.

"A complete victory!" Ah Wah reported in a strong and clear voice, "Tung Sing's influence in Mong Kok has been completely eradicated. Big Guy is crippled and is still in a coma in the hospital. We've planted our flag in Mong Kok, covering three streets, and they're all ours now."

"Well done," Lu Chen didn't show much surprise. "I'm very satisfied with the commotion last night. I've already spoken to the police, and they'll handle the cleanup for you. Don't worry."

"Thank you, boss!"

Lu Chen's tone suddenly shifted, his voice becoming serious and deep: "However, Ah Hua, conquering an empire is easy, but maintaining it is difficult. Now that you've taken over Mong Kok, there are some rules I must make clear to you."

Ahua's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously straightened his back: "Boss, please speak."

"I don't care what rules Tung Sing had in Mong Kok before, nor do I care what rules other triads had," Lu Chen said domineeringly, looking at the giant ship slowly sailing across the sea in the distance. "Starting tomorrow, there can only be one rule there, and that is my rule, Lu Chen's rule."

"First, never use powder."

Lu Chen held up a finger, and even through the phone, Ahua could feel the chilling aura emanating from him. "On your turf, anyone who dares to sell drugs, no matter which gang they're from, even if they're the King of Heaven himself, I'll break their arms and legs and throw them into the sea to feed the fish. That's the bottom line. I know this business is extremely profitable, but it's money that leads to the extinction of one's lineage. If you dare to touch it, or let your men touch it, don't blame me for not showing any mercy."

On the other end of the phone, Ahua immediately replied, "Don't worry, boss! I, Ahua, hate that stuff more than anything in my life. Anyone who dares to sell it in my territory, I'll be the first to cripple them!"

"very good."

Lu Chen nodded: "Second, formalization."

"What does 'formalization' mean?" Lu Chen answered his own question, "The old model of collecting protection fees is too low-level and too easy for the anti-gang team to find fault with. We need to change it."

"Starting today, establish a 'Hero Security Service Company,' affiliated with Jiahe Security. Have all your underlings register as security guards for the company. We will sign formal contracts with businesses; remember, we will collect 'security service fees,' not protection fees!"

"We need to issue them invoices and pay taxes to the government on time!"

Ahua on the other end of the phone was stunned.

"Pay...pay taxes?" Ahua stammered. "Boss, we're involved in a gang, do we have to pay taxes?"

"Why don't you pay?" Lu Chen sneered. "Do you want to be a shady thug for the rest of your life, or a respected security company manager in a suit? If you pay your taxes, you'll be a legal taxpayer, and the police will have to think twice before they touch you—but don't worry, I have a million ways to help you legally avoid taxes."

"Furthermore, since we've taken the money, we have to genuinely ensure their safety." Lu Chen's tone became earnest. "Tell your men not to spend their time making a scene and intimidating the merchants. If anyone tries to cause trouble, deal with it immediately; if a merchant encounters trouble, help them immediately. We need to build a good reputation so that those business owners feel this money was well spent! What we need to do is maintain order, not disrupt it. Do you understand?"

Ahua held the phone, and although he couldn't fully digest these advanced ideas for the time being, he was deeply shocked.

"Boss, although I don't quite understand yet, I will definitely do as I'm told!" Ah Wah took a deep breath and answered loudly, "Don't worry, boss, I will make Mong Kok the safest and most law-abiding place on Hong Kong Island!"

"Go ahead, I believe in you."

Lu Chen hung up the phone.

He gazed at the rising sun, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Mong Kok is just the beginning.

He intends to use this model to gradually erode Hong Kong's underworld and establish a gray empire of his own, with strict order and rules.

And Ahua was the first seed he sowed.

Now, the seeds have sprouted. Next, we just need to wait for them to grow into towering trees and then shelter Jiahe from the wind and rain.