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

Two o'clock in the afternoon.

Temple Street, Chao Hing Kee.

Outside the private room, Ahua took a deep breath and reached out to help Fly straighten his flashy shirt, which still had a bit of ketchup on the collar.

"When you go in later, keep your mouth shut," Ahua said in a low voice, his expression serious. "Even the Twelfth Young Master has to treat this important person with utmost respect. If you offend him, our combined weight of over a hundred pounds won't even be enough to fill his teeth."

"Relax, relax! Boss, you've said it eight hundred times already!"

Although the fly spoke casually and even rubbed his hands excitedly, his darting eyes and slightly trembling legs betrayed his inner tension.

After all, they usually only saw "uncles" of the rank of Grandpa Lin, and even powerful figures like Twelfth Young Master rarely paid them any attention. Now, being suddenly summoned by a "top figure" filled them with both excitement and fear.

"Knock, knock."

Ahua knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Tornado's steady voice came from inside the door.

Ahua pushed open the door and entered cautiously with Fly inside.

The private room was large, but not many people were there.

Aside from the young man sitting in the main seat and Tornado sitting next to him, Twelfth Master was standing respectfully to the side pouring tea. As for Tian Yangyong, who had previously beaten Tony to a pulp, he stood guard in the corner like a statue.

"Master Long! Twelfth Young Master!"

Ahua and Fly immediately bowed and greeted each other with extreme deference.

"Hmm," Tornado nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two with a hint of curiosity before finally settling on the young man sitting in the main seat. "Chen, this is the person you're looking for."

Ahua and Fly instinctively looked up at the man sitting in the center.

young.

too young.

This was Ahua's first reaction. This "big shot" who was praised to the skies by Twelve Young Master looked to be only a few years older than him. He was wearing a high-quality black turtleneck sweater with a trench coat over it, and his handsome features made Ahua, who was also known for his good looks, feel somewhat ashamed.

But then, as if it had discovered a new continent, the fly's eyes widened suddenly, its mouth gaped open, and it almost shouted out loud.

"Holy...holy crap..." Fly pinched Ahua's arm hard, so excited he was incoherent, "Boss! Boss, look! It's him! It really is him!"

"Who is it?" Ahua asked, wincing in pain.

"Newspapers! Television!"

The fly lowered its voice, but couldn't hide its fervor at seeing its idol. "That tycoon who bought Wharf Holdings and the TV station, a billionaire—Lu Chen!"

Over the past year, Lu Chen has been the darling of Hong Kong's news industry. From "business genius" to "media tycoon," Lu Chen's handsome face has become deeply ingrained in people's minds. For small-time hoodlums like Wu Ying, who dream of getting rich every day, Lu Chen is simply a living legend, a walking money-printing machine!

Upon hearing this, Ahua was shocked, terrified, and incredulous.

Why would a tycoon standing on the clouds want to meet with rats from the gutter?

"sit."

Lu Chen put down his teacup, not putting on any airs, but instead revealing a friendly smile.

"Are you Ahua? Is that a fly?"

"Yes...yes! Mr. Lu, I'm Ahua." Ahua answered somewhat hesitantly, unsure of what to do with his hands.

"Hello Mr. Lu! I am Fly! You can call me Little Fly!" Fly said with a fawning expression, as if he wanted to pounce on Lu Chen and polish his shoes.

Lu Chen sized up the two men. Ahua was still quite green, with an unyielding melancholy and a touch of江湖气 (a kind of chivalrous spirit) between his brows; while Wu Ying, played by Zhang Xueyou, was a typical hopeless case, but deep in his eyes was a crazy desire for recognition.

This is the "Double Heroes" of Mong Kok, and also Luk Chen's own fortress in his future plans.

"Don't be nervous," Lu Chen pointed to the chair opposite him, "I invited you here to have a meal and chat."

The 12th Master was very perceptive and added a bowl and chopsticks for the two of them.

The two sat down cautiously, their bottoms barely touching the edge of the chair.

"Ah Hua, I've heard my men mention you. You joined the gang at fourteen, you've killed people for the organization, taken the blame, and served time in jail," Lu Chen recounted, as if reciting a familiar story. "You're skilled, daring, and most importantly—loyal. Even after seven or eight years in a place like Mong Kok, you still live in a tin shack on a rooftop. The little money you earn, besides handing it over to the gang, is all gone to your underlings or cleaning up other people's messes..."

Ahua fell silent.

It's a complex feeling to have your life analyzed so precisely by such a powerful figure.

"Mr. Lu has investigated very thoroughly." Ahua gave a bitter smile. "I'm just a good-for-nothing scoundrel, I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"A scoundrel?" Lu Chen shook his head upon hearing this. "In this world, there aren't many people who can uphold the word 'loyalty.' That's not called being spineless; that's called having principles."

"but……"

Lu Chen's tone shifted abruptly, his gaze sharpening. "Principles can't put food on the table. Your loyalty is misplaced, and you've followed the wrong person. Grandpa Lin is old; he has neither ambition nor strength... He only knows how to gamble with the money you risk your lives for. If something goes wrong, he'll only make you, his underlings, risk your lives to clean up his mess."

Ahua clenched his fist slightly, but did not refute it, because what Lu Chen said was true.

"Mr. Lu, please...please just tell me, what do you want with us?" Ahua raised his head, his eyes resolute. "If there's anything I can do to help, whether it's killing someone or collecting debts, I..."

"Chop someone up?" Lu Chen laughed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I have thousands of professionally trained security personnel under my command. If it really came down to chopping someone up, would it be your turn?"

He pointed to Tian Yangyong, who stood at the door like a javelin.

Ahua glanced at Tian Yangyong and immediately deflated. He had heard on the street that this guy had single-handedly taken down more than a dozen of Tony's men; his own mediocre skills were certainly no match for him.

"Besides, I didn't come to you personally to ask you to do such a low-level thing." Lu Chen leaned forward slightly, and his powerful aura instantly enveloped the two of them.

"I'm not asking you to collect protection money for a few dozen dollars, nor am I asking you to take the blame for the gang. I'm giving you an opportunity, a chance for you to be my spokesperson. How about it? Interested?"

These words were like a spark thrown into a barrel full of gasoline.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

Before Ahua could even speak, Fly beside him jumped up, his face flushed with excitement, "Mr. Lu! He's willing! He's more than willing! Our biggest dream in this life is to do something big with the big boss!"

"Hua-ge! What are you waiting for? Say yes!" Fly shook Ahua's arm frantically. "This is Mr. Lu! We're going to be rich! We'll never have to live in that leaky tin shack again!"

However, Ahua did not agree immediately.

His brows furrowed, and a hint of struggle flashed in his eyes.

"Mr. Lu, I am very grateful for your appreciation."

Ahua took a deep breath and said with difficulty, "But... I'm with Grandpa Lin. When my father died, it was Grandpa who gave me food. Even if Grandpa did some unfair things, I can't break my promise, so I can't switch sides."

"Brother Hua! Are you crazy?!" Fly stomped his feet angrily. "Does Old Ghost Lin even consider you human? Last time you took a knife for him, you paid for all the medical bills yourself! You still believe in loyalty to a boss like that?!"

"Shut up!" Ahua glared at Fly, then looked at Lu Chen apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mr. Lu. Although I, Ahua, am poor, I don't want to be talked about behind my back and called a traitor."

After saying that, he stood up, bowed deeply to Lu Chen, and prepared to leave.

Hearing this, Lu Chen was not surprised at all. After all, if he were to betray his old employer for ambition and money, he wouldn't be Ah Hua.

"stop."

Lu Chen spoke calmly.

Ahua stopped walking without turning around.

"Who said you betrayed me?" Lu Chen picked up his teacup and blew on it gently. "Before you arrived, Twelfth Young Master had already spoken to Grandpa Lin on the phone. I gave Grandpa Lin a 'tea money' fee. Not much, just 500,000."

"Five hundred thousand?!" Fly exclaimed in surprise.

"That's right." Twelfth Master chuckled mockingly. "Your so-called grandfather was grinning so hard when he saw the money that his dentures almost fell out. He said it himself: from today onwards, you, Ah Hua, and Fly have nothing to do with him anymore. He's crossed out your 'bottom line'."

In other words, you are now a free agent.

"What...?"

Ahua was stunned.

He looked at the envelope and felt something inside him shatter.

The "loyalty" he cherished as his life was, in Grandpa Lin's eyes, only worth 500,000. He might even have sold it for 50,000; Lu Chen giving 500,000 was simply too much.

A sense of humiliation at being betrayed, mixed with a feeling of relief and liberation, surged into my heart instantly.

"Brother Hua..." Fly looked at him cautiously, "Grandpa sold you out... So, we don't need to be loyal to each other anymore, right?"

Ahua closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened them.

A fire now ignited in those eyes that had been somewhat bewildered.

Since the old favors have ended, let's serve our new benefactors.

"Mr. Lu."

Ahua stood up, grabbed Wuying, and knelt down as if a mountain of gold and jade were collapsing.

"From now on, my life, Ahua's life, belongs to you."

"Just say the word, and I'll go through fire and water without batting an eye!"

"Me too!" Fly knelt down as well, kowtowing repeatedly.

【Ding--】

[Key plot character detected: Ah Wah (Wah Di)]

[Checking in at the movie "As Tears Go By"]

[Check-in successful.]

[Reward: +1 Free Attribute Point]

【Ding--】

[Key plot character detected: Fly.]

[Checking in at the movie "As Tears Go By"]

[Check-in successful.]

[Reward: +1 Free Attribute Point]

A system notification sounded in my mind.

Lu Chen's heart stirred. He now had three attribute points, so he immediately added two of them to [Charm] and [Affinity] respectively.

moment.

[Charm: Lv5 -> Lv6 (Everyone Loves You)]

【Affinity: Lv5 -> Lv6 (As expected)】

A mysterious feeling flowed through my whole body.

If Lu Chen was previously known for being handsome, wealthy, and domineering, now he possesses an inexplicable "magic."

It's a leadership quality that makes people want to follow and believe in you at first glance. Like an ancient monarch, or a born godfather.

The atmosphere in the private room changed instantly.

Ahua and Wuying, kneeling on the ground, felt that Lu Chen had become even taller and more majestic, as if he were radiating a faint light, which made them feel an urge to worship him from the bottom of their hearts.

Even Tornado, who was sitting next to him, was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

However, Lu Chen did not stop. Instead, he added the last point to his intelligence, finally bringing his intelligence to the maximum level.

[Intelligence: Lv9-> Lv10 (Forbidden Zone of Gods)]

[Evaluation: Your brain has evolved into a biological quantum computer, which you can choose to turn on or off at any time. Once running at full power, everything in the world is no longer a surface appearance to you, but rather deconstructed into the most basic data flow and logical chains. You can deduce the path of a storm by the flapping of a butterfly's wings, and predict the rest of your opponent's life by a single micro-expression. Any conspiracy is as naive as a baby's scribbles in your eyes, and learning any skill is simply "copy and paste" for you.]

[Friendly reminder: This all-knowing "God's-eye view" might leave you feeling deeply bored and lonely, because the world holds no secrets for you anymore. To better enjoy the world, be sure to learn a profound skill—the art of feigning ignorance.]

In an instant, Lu Chen felt as if his brain had experienced a silent nuclear explosion.

There was no severe headache as a side effect; on the contrary, it brought an unprecedented sense of clarity.

Everything around us seemed to slow down.

He could clearly hear the frequency of the waves crashing against the rocks outside the window, smell the layers of every spice in the dishes, and even deduce what the other person was going to say next by observing the twitching of the tornado's micro-expressions.

The previously intricate business plans, stock market charts, and network of relationships in his mind automatically connected into a crystal-clear three-dimensional network at this moment. Every node, every loophole, and every possible variable flowed before his eyes like a data stream.

Is this... the intelligence of Lv10?

Lu Chen exhaled a soft breath, his eyes becoming even more profound. Looking at Ahua and Wu Ying, he nodded with satisfaction. "Get up. This kind of thing doesn't work here. Since you're with me, you're family."

He snapped his fingers.

Tian Yangyong, who was standing in the corner, stepped forward, took out two thick envelopes from his pocket, and placed them on the table.

"Clatter".

A heavy, resonant sound.

"Here's a total of 60,000 yuan," Lu Chen said, pointing to the envelope. "Consider it a small gift for us."

Sixty thousand yuan!

In an era when white-collar workers in Central only earn a little over two thousand dollars a month, this is a huge sum of money!

Fly's eyes widened instantly. With trembling hands, he picked up the envelope, opened it, and found it filled with brand-new "Golden Bulls".

"I'm rich... I'm really rich..." The fly clutched the money tightly to its chest, afraid it would fly away.

Looking at the money, Ahua, though not as distraught as Wu Ying, still found his breathing becoming rapid. With this money, he could pay off all his debts, buy Wu Ying new clothes, and even move to a decent house.

"Take this money, buy yourself some decent clothes, and get yourself cleaned up."

Lu Chen looked at the two of them, his tone calm yet exuding an air of domineering ambition: "You are my face. I don't want my subordinates to look like beggars."

"Take a good rest these few days and recharge your energy." Lu Chen stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling temple street outside. "I'll take you to meet someone in a few days."

"Boss, who are we going to see?" Fly asked instinctively.

Lu Chen turned around, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Hung Hing, Chiang Tin-sang."

Upon hearing the name, Ahua and Fly gasped in shock.

Hung Hing's leader!

That was a big shot they, as lowly thugs, could never even dream of.

Lu Chen walked up to Ah Hua, patted him on the shoulder, and said with great trust, "Ah Hua, I know you have the ability, you just need a stage. In a few days, I'll build you the brightest stage. I hope that from now on, the underground order in Yau Tsim Mong will be under your control."

Upon hearing this, Ahua felt a surge of heat rush to his head. Looking into Lu Chen's eyes, which were filled with trust and ambition, something within him was ignited.

That is a man's ambition, his desire to stand out from the crowd.

"Yes, Mr. Lu!"

Ahua straightened his back, his eyes brighter than ever before. "I will never let you down!"

"Very good," Lu Chen smiled. "Alright, take Fly and go have some fun. Remember to be in good spirits in a few days and don't lose points."

"yes!"