1985, the year of the great writer, began with Infernal Affairs!

Liu Jianming rose through the ranks at the police station and became a key member of the criminal investigation team.

He wore a crisp police uniform, solved case after case, and was commended by his superiors and respected by his colleagues.

But every night when all was quiet, he would wake up from nightmares, dreaming of Han Chen's gloomy face and the words, "You are mine, and always will be."

One longs to return to the sunlight, yet is forced to hide in the shadows.

One wants to escape the darkness, but has already become accustomed to the light.

Xie Lu wrote very quickly, the pen scratching on the paper, completely immersed in the story.

Chen Yongren watched as Han Chen loaded boxes of smuggled goods onto the ship from the dock warehouse.

The sea breeze was strong, making his hair messy.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and the smoke quickly dissipated in the wind.

Liu Jianming was in his office, staring blankly at the police badge hanging on the wall.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the police badge and reflecting a blinding light.

These two people struggled in the gears of fate, one sinking deeper and deeper, the other climbing higher and higher, yet both drifting further and further away from what they wanted.

This is Infernal Affairs.

Of the eight difficulties, the Avici Hell is the worst.

Those who suffer in the Avici Hell will never die; their long lifespan is the greatest calamity in the Avici Hell.

Xie Lu stopped writing at this point.

He looked up and gazed out the window.

It's very late now, let's stop here for tonight.

three days later.

Early in the morning, when the rooster crowed for the third time, Xie Lu put down his pen.

He sat at his desk with a thick stack of manuscript papers spread out in front of him, the top page bearing the words "Final Chapter".

Xie Lu let out a long sigh of relief.

He has finally finished writing the first part of "Infernal Affairs".

A full 80,000 words.

From Chen Yongren's expulsion from the police academy to infiltrate a triad, to Liu Jianming joining the police force as Han Chen's mole, to the gradual exposure of their identities, the sacrifice of Inspector Wong, Chen Yongren losing contact and becoming a true wandering ghost, to the final climax, Han Chen is eliminated by Liu Jianming, Liu Jianming's undercover identity is discovered by Chen Yongren, and a rooftop confrontation ensues...

Xie Lu rubbed his sore wrists and then his dry eyes.

For the past three days, he has hardly left the house, spending all his time on his manuscript except for eating and sleeping.

Sometimes when he was writing late at night, Wang Yufen would get up to go to the bathroom and see that the light in his room was still on. She would always whisper through the door, "Go to sleep early." Xie Lu would respond, but his pen would not stop.

It's finally finished now.

Attorney Xie went through the manuscript again from beginning to end.

He wrote very carefully, with neat handwriting, clear paragraphs, and almost no corrections.

He marked some places, preparing to polish them further.

Although he had the complete movie plot in his mind, words and images are two different media and need to be converted and adjusted.

For example, those classic lines.

"We agreed on three years, then another three years, then another three years... it's almost been ten years, boss!"

"Give me a chance. I didn't have a choice before, but now I want to be a good person."

"Excuse me, I'm a police officer."

These lines become classics in movies thanks to the actors' performances and the cinematography.

However, in novels, more nuanced psychological descriptions and scene setups are needed to allow readers to experience the same tension.

Xie Lu put a lot of thought into these areas.

He revised it again and again, adjusting the wording, adding and deleting details, until he was satisfied.

By the time the final revisions were completed, it was already bright outside.

The bright sunlight shone in, falling on the manuscript paper and making the ink stains shine.

Xie Lu stood up, stretched, and his joints cracked all over.

Xie Lu walked out of the room. Wang Yufen was cooking breakfast at the stove. When she saw him come out, she was startled: "Why are you up so early?"

"I've finally finished writing today," Xie Lu said, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

"Good, you're done writing. Go wash your face, breakfast will be ready soon."

Xie Lu walked into the courtyard, scooped half a ladle of water from the water vat, and poured it into a basin.

The cool water splashed on my face, instantly dispelling my drowsiness.

Xie Lu carefully washed his face and brushed his teeth before he felt fully awake.

Breakfast consisted of corn porridge with cornbread and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

Xie Lu ate quickly, and after finishing, he put down his chopsticks and said, "Mom, I'm going to the county town today."

"Going to the county town again? What for?"

"Go check with the newspaper office. The article was sent out about ten days ago; they should have a reply by now."

Wang Yufen didn't understand any of this, so she just nodded in agreement: "Then go ahead, be careful on the road."

Xie Lu went back to his room and changed into clean clothes.

"I'm leaving." He pushed his cart out of the yard.

Remember to come back soon!

"knew!"

The mornings in August are quite cool.

Xie Lu did not ride fast.

He was already used to the journey of more than an hour.

The wheels rolled over the dirt road, raising dust, and the poplar trees along the roadside seemed to recede into the distance.

He was still thinking about the sequel to "Infernal Affairs".

The first part is finished, but the story of Infernal Affairs is not over yet.

Ni Yongxiao, who starred in the prequel to Infernal Affairs, portrayed a more classic character than the first Infernal Affairs film.

And Yang Jinrong in the third installment.

......

It was almost ten o'clock when I arrived in the county town.

The streets gradually became lively as state-run stores opened and sales clerks cleaned the entrances.

The green doors of the post office were wide open, and people were going in and out.

Xie Lu rode along the main road for a while, then turned into a small street.

The newspaper office was on the street corner, and its storefront was small.

The door was open, and you could see someone sitting behind the counter inside, looking down at a newspaper.

Xie Lu parked his car at the entrance, locked it, and went inside.

The newspaper owner was sitting behind the counter.

He heard footsteps, looked up, saw Xie Lu, and his eyes lit up instantly.

"Hey! Young man! You've finally arrived!" The boss stood up, his face beaming with smiles. "I was just wondering how to find you!"

Attorney Xie was taken aback: "Looking for me? What's up?"

"Great news! Great news!" The shopkeeper pulled a manila envelope from under the counter and slammed it on the counter: "A reply from *Contemporary* magazine! It arrived a couple of days ago. As soon as I saw it was from Beijing, I knew it must be news about your article!"

Xie Lu's heart skipped a beat.

He took the envelope, which was made of standard kraft paper and had written in pen on it: "To Comrade Xie Lü, Liaobei County Newspaper Office".

The signature reads "Editorial Department of Contemporary, Beijing People's Literature Publishing House".

The handwriting is strong and powerful, clearly written by someone who writes regularly.

"Quick, open it and see!" The shop owner was more anxious than if he had won the lottery, leaning half his body out of the counter.

Xie Lu tore open the seal and pulled out two pieces of paper.

The first document is a formal official letter, with the heading "Editorial Department of Contemporary Literature, People's Literature Publishing House" printed on it. Below is the letter confirming the manuscript's acceptance:

"Dear Xie Lv: Your manuscript 'Infernal Affairs' has been received and, after review, has been decided to be published."

The payment is 20 yuan per thousand words, totaling 600 yuan. Please see the attached withdrawal slip for details.

I hope you will continue your efforts and create more excellent works.

Yours sincerely.

The document was stamped with the official seal of the editorial department of "Contemporary" magazine, and dated August 18, 1985.