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

Upon hearing this long-unheard title, Little Ma's pupils contracted sharply, and his body tensed instinctively, like a wounded tiger whose wound had been touched.

But soon, he relaxed and gave a self-deprecating bitter smile.

"Little Ma? Heh..." He took the handkerchief, but instead of wiping his face, he casually wiped the oil stains on the ground. "He died long ago at Maple Pavilion. Now there's only a lame parking attendant here, named Mark."

"Yeah?"

Lu Chen looked at him. "If you're really dead, why are you still keeping this trench coat? Why are you still enduring A-Cheng's humiliation here? You're waiting, aren't you?"

Little Ma's wiping motion froze.

"You're waiting for Song Zihao to be released from prison."

Lu Chen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail driven into Xiao Ma's heart.

"You're waiting for an opportunity, a chance to take back everything you've lost with your own hands."

"Shut up!"

Little Ma suddenly raised his head, a long-lost fierce glint finally flashing in his eyes. "My affairs are none of your business! If you don't want to park, get out of the way!"

Faced with Little Ma's outburst, Lu Chen not only didn't back down, but instead smiled.

"Still has a temper; looks like he's not quite dead."

Lu Chen stood up, took out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to him, and then took out his exquisite lighter and lit it with a "snap".

Little Ma looked at the flame, hesitated for a moment, then leaned over, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. The familiar spicy taste made him feel somewhat dazed.

Smoke swirled between the two, blurring Lu Chen's young yet unfathomable face.

"call--"

Little Ma exhaled a long smoke ring, and something seemed to be slowly awakening in his cloudy eyes. He leaned against the pillar beside him, no longer hunched over as before, but straightening his back. Although his limp still made him look somewhat unsteady, the shadow of the once-powerful "Little Ma" was still faintly visible.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Little Ma's fingers, holding the cigarette, were slightly yellowed, stained with engine oil and cheap tobacco. "Judging by your attire, you're probably not short of money or manpower. If you want to hear stories, turn right at the bookstore; there are plenty there."

"I told you, I'm a businessman."

Lu Chen put away his lighter, leaned against the silver Porsche, and calmly scrutinized the down-on-his-luck man before him. "I run a big business, and I'm currently short-handed. I need ruthless people who are loyal, bold, and capable."

"A ruthless person?" Little Ma laughed self-deprecatingly, patting his stiff left leg. "Look at me now, how can I be ruthless? I get out of breath after running two steps. Fighting? I probably couldn't even beat some street thugs."

Little Ma's fingers, holding the cigarette, trembled slightly. He looked down at his deformed left leg, then glanced at the glittering entrance of the nightclub in the distance, his expression complex.

"Come work for me," Lu Chen invited. "Instead of washing cars here, why don't you come with me and try your luck in the world again?"

He lived like a dog for three years in that dark, dreary underground parking lot, every day an ordeal. Seeing Ah Cheng, who used to carry his shoes, now a respectable man, and seeing his former brothers scatter one by one, the fire in his heart never died down; instead, it burned ever brighter. He wanted to prove himself, not to show off, but to tell everyone that he would take back what he had lost.

However, the world is a dangerous place, and he is no longer the hot-blooded young man he once was.

"Work with you?"

Little Ma raised his head, staring sharply at Lu Chen, "What kind of gang are you in?"

Lu Chen smiled. He didn't rush to answer, but instead slowly took out a black bank card from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

"There is one million here."

Lu Chen held the card between two fingers and handed it to Little Ma. "The password is six eights."

Little Ma was stunned.

He looked at the card, then at Lu Chen, and didn't react for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"This is an advance of half a year's salary for you." Lu Chen's tone was as casual as if he were giving you a ten-dollar tip. "Take this money and go to the best hospital to check your leg and see if there's any way to treat it. Even if a complete cure is impossible, with current medical technology, replacing it with a top-of-the-line titanium alloy brace and having a few corrective surgeries will at least allow you to run without looking like a lame duck."

"As one of my people, walking with a confident stride is a basic requirement."

Little Ma's hand trembled violently, and he almost dropped it.

His eyes widened as he stared intently at the card in his hand, then looked up at Lu Chen, his face filled with disbelief.

"One million?!" At the height of his power in the counterfeit money ring, although he handled a considerable amount of money, it was all public funds. Even as a "Double Flower Red Stick" level henchman, his annual bonus was only a few hundred thousand. And now, this young man in front of him, without even saying what he wanted to do, had just thrown over a million?

more importantly……

Little Ma felt like there was a wad of cotton stuck in his throat, making it extremely dry.

He lowered his head, looking at the crippled leg that had caused him so much humiliation. For the past three years, because he couldn't afford treatment, the leg would ache terribly on rainy days, the excruciating pain a constant reminder that he was a cripple.

No one ever cared whether his legs hurt or not.

Those people only cared about how clean his car was; everyone treated him like a useless person.

Little Ma reached out with trembling hands, his fingertips touching the cold card, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"you……"

His throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and his voice choked up. "Aren't you afraid I'll run away with the money? A million... that's enough for me to run away and live comfortably for the rest of my life."

One million is enough to buy several lives, and enough to turn brothers against each other.

Lu Chen looked at him, a warm smile curving her lips.

"I'm not afraid."

"Because I've never misjudged people." Lu Chen pointed to Little Ma's chest. "How could someone who would single-handedly fight his way back to Taiwan for his brothers, and endure three years of humiliation on the streets for revenge, possibly betray his principles for a mere million dollars?"

"Mark, I believe you."

These three words weighed heavier than a million dollars, crashing heavily into Ma's heart.

I believe you.

Over the past three years, he has heard countless "cripples," "useless people," and "beggars," but he has never heard the words "I believe in you."

That long-lost feeling of being respected and trusted was so comforting...so heavy and pleasant.

Little Ma gripped the card tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand. He took a deep breath, abruptly raised his head, and his eyes no longer held the numbness and hesitation of before, replaced by a resolute determination to die for a friend.

"good!"

This single word resonated deeply.

"Boss, from today onwards, I'm selling my life to you!" Little Ma gritted his teeth, tears welling in his eyes. "Just one word, and I'll give my life for you!"

【Ding--】

[Key plot character detected: Mark (Little Ma)]

[Checking in at "A Better Tomorrow"]

[Check-in successful!]

[Reward: +1 Free Attribute Point]

Lu Chen was overjoyed. Sure enough, he could challenge this top-tier character. Without hesitation, he immediately added that attribute to [Strength].

In the treacherous world of Hong Kong variety shows, while intelligence is important, sometimes brute force is the only true measure of success. Especially when it comes to getting someone out of prison, and potentially facing even more intense conflicts.

A surge of heat instantly coursed through his body, and Lu Chen felt his muscles beneath his suit become even more taut, his bone density strengthened at that moment. As he clenched his fist, his knuckles cracked like popping beans, and a sense of powerful control welled up within him.

[Strength: Lv3 (Powerful and Mighty)]

[Evaluation: Your muscle density has increased significantly, and your explosive power has improved markedly. While you're still not as strong as professional boxing champions or gang leaders, you can easily handle three to five ordinary thugs. Now, you can break an average person's nose with a single punch.]

Lu Chen felt the power surging within him, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

"I don't want you to be smashed to pieces, I want you to help me make a lot of money."

Lu Chen patted him on the shoulder, gesturing for him to get in the car.

The two got into Lu Chen's newly bought silver Porsche 930 Turbo, and the car slowly started moving. The luxury car's leather seats and enclosed space isolated them from the outside noise, which also calmed Xiao Ma Ge's emotions a little.

"Boss, what do you want me to do?" Little Ma put the card away, regaining his composure. "You've spent so much money to hire me, what exactly do you want me to do? Don't worry, although I haven't handled a gun in many years, my hands are still very steady."

His words subtly revealed a kind of exuberant confidence.

"You don't need to fire for now..."

Lu Chen shook his head, his voice sounding exceptionally clear amidst the roar of the engine.

"I have a sum of money. A very large sum of money."

Lu Chen turned to look at Little Ma. "This money can't be brought to light; I need to launder it. I know you guys used to make counterfeit money. In the counterfeit money business, besides printing money, the most important part is replacing the fake money with real money and then laundering the dirty money into clean money. You're an expert in this area."

Upon hearing the words "money laundering," Pony Ma gave him a knowing look.

His earlier guess was correct; the young boss was indeed not looking to do legitimate business with him.

But it didn't matter to him. He came from a gangster background, and he wouldn't know how to write copy anyway.

only……

"Boss, you might have the wrong person for this."

Little Ma scratched his head somewhat awkwardly and told the truth, "In the group, I'm mainly responsible for 'delivery' and 'security,' which basically means I'm a thug and bodyguard. As for the money laundering channels and operations..."

He sighed, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. "That was Hao-ge (Song Zihao) in charge. Hao-ge is smart and has a wide network of connections. He used to handle all the group's accounts and money laundering network. I only know the general outline at most. If it were really about handling large sums of money, I'm afraid you would mess it up."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen did not show disappointment. He knew, of course, that Little Ma was a military general who charged into battle, while Song Zihao, currently in prison, was a commander skilled in both military and civil affairs. Therefore, he not only wanted Little Ma, but also wanted to bring Song Zihao under his wing.

"Song Zihao..."

Lu Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel: "I heard he's still in Stanley? How many years was he sentenced to?"

According to the original plot, Sung Tze-ho should have been imprisoned in a Taiwanese prison. However, unlike the movie, in this world, although Sung Tze-ho was still arrested in Taiwan, he was extradited back to Hong Kong Island and is currently serving his sentence in the famous Stanley Prison.

"There are still more than half a year left," Little Ma said immediately, his tone somewhat urgent. "Boss, if you wait for Brother Hao to come out, this matter will be handled flawlessly! You know Brother Hao's abilities; you should know that he supported half of the counterfeit money empire back then!"

"More than half a year? That's too long."

Lu Chen shook his head. "My money can't wait that long. Besides..."

He looked at Little Ma's anxious face through the rearview mirror: "Instead of slowly rotting in the foreigners' prison, it's better to get out sooner so you can reunite."

"Get out sooner?" Little Ma was taken aback. "But Brother Hao committed a serious crime. Although he had a reduced sentence for good behavior, the parole process is very strict..."

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible."

Lu Chen sneered, "For the John government, as long as you have money and connections, there's no prison door that can't be opened. With money paving the way, those greedy foreigners will 'help'..."

Lu Chen's eyes gleamed. Those high-ranking foreigners seemed to have a premonition that Hong Kong was going back, so they were all busy making a fortune. As long as the money was right, it wouldn't be difficult to arrange for a well-behaved prisoner to be granted early parole.

More importantly, this is a sure-fire way to make money.

Rescuing Sung Chi-ho would not only solve the immediate money laundering crisis, but also be a bonus, completely winning over these two most loyal brothers in the underworld. With the talented Sung Chi-ho and Little Ma, plus Shin Yat and Chan Lok-kwan from Kowloon Walled City…

Lu Chen's team was only just beginning to take shape.

"Mark, hold on tight."

Looking at the road sign leading to Stanley Prison, Lu Chen smiled and said, "Let's go pick up your good brother!"

"boom--!!!"

The silver Porsche let out a furious roar, like a silver lightning bolt, breaking through the darkness of the underground parking lot and rushing towards the bizarre and turbulent world of Hong Kong variety shows outside.

Outside the car window, the night wind howled past Tsim Sha Tsui.

Little Ma sat in the passenger seat, one hand out the window, feeling the long-lost wind. A tear slid down his cheek, but was instantly dried by the wind.

Looking at the young and domineering boss beside him, Little Ma felt an unprecedented surge of pride.

The frustration and gloom of the past three years vanished in that moment. He felt as if he had returned to the days when he fought alongside Brother Hao, but this time, he felt that the future would be even more exciting.