Hong Kong film: Refusing to go undercover, the policeman's path to becoming the richest man.

Chapter 42 Undercurrents of Power and Money

Lin Yaochang suddenly had a feeling—that Suan Bao's death might not be a purely bad thing.

At least, Luo Zhiming finally stood up.

The key is that he is willing to take initiative.

As long as Luo Zhiming is willing to step forward, even if Huihuang and Atian are as close as brothers, they will still obediently follow his orders.

Luo Zhiming added, "Huihuang, you need to be more careful."

Huihuang looked bewildered: "What should I be careful about?"

Luo Zhiming stated bluntly: "We don't know whether there is any connection between Ah Tian and Richard."

Even if it exists, we don't know to what extent it involves.

"If so, then you need to be careful."

"No, we all need to be wary."

Huihuang chuckled twice: "Ah Luo, aren't you being too nervous?" Luo Zhiming's expression was grave: "This is a matter of life and death for our brothers; no amount of caution is excessive."

"I completely lost it! Do you know how I told my sister-in-law? She's pregnant!"

"You're married now. If something happens to you, how will I face your wife?"

The glory suddenly fell silent.

After a long pause, he whispered, "Ah Luo, don't worry, I'll be careful."

Uncle Qian then spoke up: "Ah Luo, according to you, we all have to be on guard?"

Luo Zhiming answered decisively: "Because it's considered a bomb!"

Huihuang frowned: "Suanbao is dead, of course we're sad, but that's how this industry is, it's fate."

"Is it really necessary to be so alarmed?"

Luo Zhiming countered, "Tell me, why was Suan Bao killed?"

Huihuang said, "Isn't it obvious? Richard wants to promote someone who can cooperate."

Luo Zhiming gave a wry smile: "See, you know it yourself."

"If the dragon head is gone, a new one must be chosen."

"Besides Ah Tian, ​​who else would sit in that seat and team up with the foreigners?"

Brilliant roared, "Join forces? They dare to mess with even Brilliant! We'll fight them to the death! What cooperation are we talking about!"

Uncle Qian nodded: "That makes sense."

Luo Zhiming shrugged: "But the question is, do Richard and the others know that?"

Huihuang's expression changed drastically, and his voice trembled: "You mean that as long as it's not Ah Tian who takes over, no matter who's in charge, he'll still make a move?"

Luo Zhiming sighed: "You finally understand."

Huihuang's expression darkened: "But what if Ah Tian himself knows this situation and still continues to associate with them?"

"Doesn't that mean that regardless of whether he was the one who caused the explosion, he's already crossed all lines?"

Luo Zhiming said in a deep voice, "That's exactly right."

Huihuang trembled with rage: "How could Ah Tian do such a thing!"

Luo Zhiming said coldly, "So, now you understand why you need to be careful, right?"

"Do you remember what you just said?"

Huihuang grinned, but his eyes were fierce: "I was brought into Grandpa's by Brother Chang. My status was given to me by the gang and has little to do with Ah Tian."

"If anyone dares to lay a finger on Grandpa, I will never let them get away with it."

"I'll pass on a message to Ah Tian right now, and see what this kid plans to do next."

"If he really gets involved with Richard, I'll be the first to stop him!"

Luo Zhiming frowned and shook his head: "Why are you taking your anger out on Ah Tian?"

"We shouldn't be dealing with him, we should be dealing with Richard."

Huihuang hesitated for a moment: "But Richard is a foreigner and a senior superintendent. It's not easy to take him down, is it?"

Luo Zhiming sneered: "Hiring assassins to do things on the street shows that they aren't that powerful."

"Think about it, if they really had extraordinary abilities, why didn't they just send the police to suppress us?" Everyone was speechless for a moment.

Luo Zhiming's eyes were sharp, and his tone was gloomy: "Richard had better not cross our bottom line, otherwise, we will not let him get away with it."

In a Hollywood restaurant, Tim calmly asked Richard, "You were the one who pulled the strings behind that scandal, weren't you?"

Richard nodded frankly without any hesitation.

"He's not suitable to be the leader; it wouldn't benefit anyone."

"That position is the Three Killings position; anyone who sits there will have a short life."

He looked up at Ah Tian and said calmly, "We're business partners, no need to thank me."

Ah Tian slammed his knife and fork into the table, gritting his teeth and growling, "Are you crazy?!"

"If people find out I'm connected to you, how can I maintain my position at Xinliansheng?"

Richard showed no fear, but instead leaned forward, his forehead almost touching Ah Tian's, and said in a voice as soft as the wind, "You're too slow."

"We must get you to the top position as soon as possible."

"You can't do it on your own."

So we're here to help you.

"You should be thanking me."

He took a small sip of his drink and said calmly, "We don't have time to wait for you to hesitate."

Every day you delay, you're wasting a day's worth of money.

"If you don't want to make money, we can make that clear—there's more than one triad on Hong Kong Island."

There will always be someone willing to cooperate.

Ah Tian's expression changed: "You should at least have informed me beforehand!"

"So I can be prepared!"

"Do you know what? Lin Yaochang just interrogated me, and I almost couldn't take it!"

Richard paused slightly, then asked, "You knew that I arranged for the explosion?"

Ah Tian sneered, "If it wasn't me, who else could it be? Nobody in this world is a fool."

Richard said thoughtfully, "It seems that Lin Yaochang and his group have also noticed."

Ah Tian's lips curled into a slight smile as he countered with, "What do you think?"

Richard shrugged. "What good would it do to know?"

"As long as you can distance yourself from it, Xinliansheng won't do anything to you."

"And I am a senior superintendent."

Unless they want to die, they can't touch me.

Ah Tian remained silent, his fingertips slowly tracing the rim of the cup.

Richard looked at his expression and smiled: "You should be glad you met me."

"I'll take you somewhere later."

Ah Tian responded coldly, "Where?"

"A place that can enchant the soul."

Ah Tian scoffed, "I'm not interested in anything other than money. Nothing can get me addicted except money."

Richard smiled as before: "Trust me."

"You'll get addicted."

Ah Tian stopped talking, and Richard didn't care.

He knew that no matter how calm a person was, they would be completely captivated once they stepped into that place.

The two dined in silence, the atmosphere delicate.

The waiter brought over a bottle of red wine, complete with a decanter, with great respect.

This is a vintage wine specially gifted by the owner—because the two are regular customers here.

After the meal, Richard led Ah Tim through a narrow alley in the old district of Hong Kong Island and pushed open an inconspicuous wooden door.

Behind the door, it was as if another world had opened up before them—a private salon in the English style.

Richard nodded familiarly to the guests.

Ah Tian's pupils constricted, and he could hardly believe his eyes.

Those people were all names he had only seen in the news and newspaper front pages—true tycoons of power, who were now sitting on the sofa talking in hushed tones.

He lowered his voice and asked, "Where exactly is this place?"

Richard led him to a high stool, where the two ordered whiskey and sipped it slowly.

"I told you, this place can drive people crazy."

"There is a saying in China—"

'

"A great man cannot be without power for a day, and a petty man cannot be without money for a day."

"And here, power and money coexist."

"The bigwigs use power to exchange for wealth, and they also use wealth to leverage power."

"Power and money are inherently intertwined; when taken to their extremes, they become an unstoppable force."

"This is the true heart of Hong Kong Island."

"With dozens of people gathered in this room, they'll be the ones to decide the fate of Hong Kong Island."

Ah Tian's throat tightened, and he picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Richard's tone betrayed an undisguised smugness: "I'm a senior superintendent, a high-ranking civil servant from my ancestral home."

"But outside this circle, I'm just a gofer."

"My life depends on this industry."

"If it prospers, my future will be bright, and my wallet will bulge."

He lightly traced two lines on the table with his fingertips, as if he were fiddling with banknotes.

"You used to be involved in a gang, so you weren't qualified to step through this door."

"It was because I brought you into this world that you have achieved your current status."

"But in the end, my words alone are not enough."

"You need to gain the trust of our 'friends'—trust that you can handle things and get things done."

Ah Tian couldn't help but ask, "The friend you're talking about?"

Richard nodded: "Yes, our friend."

"The bigwigs holding key positions in the Hong Kong government, the conglomerates that wield immense power in the market, and the people with real power in various law enforcement agencies."

Ah Tian's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "For example?"

Richard shrugged: "A superintendent like me, the head of investigations at the Independent Commission Against Corruption, a member of the Legislative Council—"

Ah Tian quickly waved his hand to interrupt, "Alright, alright!"

"Don't say any more!"

Richard smiled at him, his eyes filled with approval: "You're clear-headed; people like that live long."

"Some fools just have to keep asking questions until they get to the bottom of things."

"But then again, those who know too much often don't make it to the end."

Ah Tian chuckled twice, his palms already sweating.

Richard said seriously, "We've been cooperating for quite some time now."

"You should also understand how much power we have."

"How many copper coins did you have in your account back then? Not even half a coin."

"Don't even mention savings, you don't even dare to open a proper account."

"You're worried your account will be frozen as soon as you open it, right?"

"But what about now? There are millions of Hong Kong dollars lying in the accounts."

"Every single point is crystal clear and can withstand any investigation."

"Even if we hire top auditors, they won't be able to find a single flaw."

"This is our sincerity."

"If you keep going, I can't guarantee anything, but one day, entering the Legislative Council is not a dream."

Ah Tian believed it.

The images of those people he usually only saw in the news flashed before his eyes—each one lofty and unattainable.

It's heartbreaking to think about, but outsiders call them the "Five Tigers of Xinliansheng," which sounds impressive.

But only he knew that the title was as worthless as paper.

Those who truly hold power wouldn't even glance at him.

At most, they'll call you over when something happens, throw you a couple of bills, and ask you to guard the area or stand guard.

Is this what they call a "gangster boss"?

How different are they from the uniformed security guards at the entrance of convenience stores?

At least the company paid for the medical expenses when someone got into trouble.

If they run into trouble, who will care?

Not uttering a single word!

We invited you here to clean up other people's messes.

If you don't wipe your butt clean and still get beaten up, what else is that but a piece of trash?

A surge of heat welled up in A-Tian's heart.

Richard spoke up at the opportune moment: "If you really want to sit at this table, you have to get your hands on New Union as soon as possible."

"Every day we delay is a waste of money and a loss of power!"

Ah Tian gritted his teeth: "I won't wait any longer, speed things up immediately!"

The ancestral hall of the Sun Luen Shing Association—In Hong Kong Island, any community with a certain foundation will surely have an ancestral hall.

That is their root, and also their bottom line.

Luo Zhiming gathered everyone together again.

He looked at Huihuang: "You called Atian?"

Huihuang looked bewildered: "I already did."

"I also told him that Suanbao was killed by that foreign devil Richard."

"Tell him to be very careful of that guy."

Luo Zhiming pressed further, "When was the call made?"

Huihuang blurted out, "I called him after we came back from the factory."

He took out his phone and said, "Look, the call log is still there."

Although Brilliant was reckless, he wasn't stupid: "What happened?"

Luo Zhiming called out, "Jiaju."

He Jiaju handed over a stack of photos: "As instructed by Brother Luo, I hired a private investigator to keep an eye on him."

Luo Zhiming explained, "We're not police officers; we're not professionals at doing this kind of surveillance."

"Ah Tian knows us too well. If he exposes us, it will be difficult to handle the situation."

Everyone nodded in agreement, secretly admiring Luo Zhiming's meticulousness.

But they didn't know that Luo Zhiming was lying.

He didn't ask Ho Ka-kui to find any detective at all.

He Chu gave him only one order: Survival is the most important thing.

The actual tracking was done by people personally arranged by He Chu.

They are all formidable characters, each a seasoned veteran, and they remain calm and collected.

Luo Zhiming silently forwarded the photo, his voice low: "Everyone, take a look at the date on this photo first." Huihuang took the phone and froze instantly—

In the footage, Ah Tian is chatting and laughing with a foreigner, and the filming took place the day after he made the phone call.

A chill ran down his spine, and he asked in a low voice, "Who is this foreigner?"

Luo Zhiming's voice was muffled: "It was the person who ordered the killing of Suanbao behind the scenes, Senior Superintendent Richard from the Political Department."

"Richard?" Huihuang looked up abruptly, his eyes suddenly sharp. "You mean that Richard?!"

"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Luo Zhiming glanced at him indifferently: "The photo is crystal clear, don't you recognize him?"

Huihuang's face darkened: "I recognize him—this man has been to Atian's place several times before."

"But I still held onto a sliver of hope."

Lin Yaochang stared at the photo and slowly exhaled: "Yes, it's him, there's no mistake."

Huihuang clenched his fists, his teeth grinding: "Brother Chang, give the order. I'm going to settle this score with Atian right now!"

""

"He swore to me on the phone that he would get justice for Suanbao."

"Then he put his arm around the person who killed Suanbao, and they were chatting and laughing."

"This kind of person is a complete traitor!"

Ho Ka-kui interjected coldly, "Richard killed my boss, and Ah Tim is probably secretly overjoyed."

Luo Zhiming immediately glared at him: "Do you even have the right to speak? Shut up!"

He Jiaju shrank back and bowed his head apologetically: "I'm sorry, Brother Huihuang."

Huihuang waved his hand: "No need to apologize."

You're not wrong.

"It's not you who should be bowing your head and admitting your mistake, it's Ah Tian!" He turned to Lin Yaochang, "Brother Chang, should we take action?"

Lin Yaochang squinted and pondered for a moment, then finally shook his head: "Not now."

Huihuang panicked: "He's already like this, how can you still hold back?"

"Do you really expect him to have a change of heart and turn over a new leaf?"

Lin Yaochang flatly denied it: "No."

"My concern is Richard—he's a high-ranking police officer, a prominent figure in the Special Branch."

Upon hearing this, Huihuang was immediately speechless.

They were gangsters, and the other side was a uniformed cop.

It's one thing to curse or argue a little on ordinary days, but do you really dare to tear off the mask and confront them head-on?

At this moment, Luo Zhiming suddenly spoke up: "Don't forget, Richard is from the Political Department."

Lin Yaochang was somewhat puzzled: "Foreigners and high-ranking officials—it's obvious we can't afford to offend them, isn't it?"

Luo Zhiming's lips curled up slightly: "Brother Chang, you have to understand, people like them are completely different from the police in the anti-triad unit."

"How so?"

"The Special Branch has always been marginalized by other police officers, just like our old torture chambers."

Everyone was taken aback by what they heard, and then seemed to be thinking about it.

In the past, gangs did indeed have a punishment hall, which held a very high position, was in charge of law enforcement, and had ruthless subordinates.

Even ordinary members would avoid him.

But why did it disappear later?

Who wants to have a sword hanging over their head all the time? Besides, isn't it a waste to keep a group of top experts locked up in the punishment hall just to enforce family discipline?

Over time, the Hall of Punishments gradually declined. Although it was nominally prestigious, in reality, everyone avoided it like the plague.

Lin Yaochang's eyes lit up: "You mean they can't mobilize other police officers?"

Luo Zhiming nodded slightly: "It can't be adjusted."

"Not only can they not be mobilized, but people also think they are bad luck."

"After all, they're all foreigners, and they're doing shady things."

Lin Yaochang suddenly gave a wry smile: "No wonder—"

"In the past, when they asked me to meet, they never brought many people with them. I thought it was because they were afraid of leaks."

"It turns out it wasn't caution at all, but rather that nobody wanted to associate with them."

Luo Zhiming continued, "So, Brother Chang, we're afraid of them, and they're afraid of us too."

Lin Yaochang and Huihuang were both stunned: "They're afraid of us?"

Luo Zhiming lowered his voice: "They're not clean."

Lin Yaochang suddenly realized: "That's right! They themselves are all dressed in black!"

My emotions calmed down immediately.

"How many transactions have we done with them in the past five years?"

"If they really investigated the amount of flour they used, it would be enough to put them in jail until their hair turned white!"

"Everyone has blood on their hands; no one should try to use the law to pressure anyone else."

"The forces they can actually mobilize are actually quite limited."

Lin Yaochang finally fully understood Luo Zhiming's meaning: "You mean—"

"Are they afraid to alert other police officers?"

Luo Zhiming sneered: "They wouldn't dare."

"These foreign faces are all thieves in police uniforms."

"If we really alert the police, and something goes wrong, the news could leak to legitimate law enforcement agencies, and the consequences would be unimaginable," he warned in a low voice.

"How exactly did Suanbao die?"

Lin Yaochang replied in a low voice, "He was shot to death by someone Richard hired."

Before he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly lit up. "Ah Luo, you've hit the nail on the head."

"The other party is a police officer. If we want to deal with Suanbao, we can use public authority to handle him openly and fairly."

"But they didn't do that."

Instead, they acted stealthily, taking covert routes to carry out their crimes.

Lin Yaochang smirked coldly: "Since you're going to play dirty tricks, what are we afraid of?"

"We are all people of the martial arts world."

Luo Zhiming was still worried: "Brother Chang, we have to be careful that they don't do anything rash when they're desperate."

Lin Yaochang scoffed, "A competition to see who's more ruthless? Compete with us?"

"Ah Chu, what case are you investigating lately?"

Lu Qichang had been studying in seclusion for the time being in preparation for the promotion exam, and today he rarely stepped into the police station.

He Chu casually replied, "A case related to a triad."

He was always frank with Lu Qichang.

He knew this man was loyal and valued relationships; he would never betray his brothers for his own future.

Otherwise, how could Lin Kuangtian have retired peacefully back then?

Lu Qichang took the case file from He Chu, flipped through a few pages, and immediately frowned: "The case of Inspector Luo Zonglun?"

He Chu nodded: "That's right."

After on-site investigation, it was confirmed that Inspector Luo's death was not an accidental car accident, but a premeditated murder.

"The one who did it was Ah Tian from Xinliansheng, and the mastermind behind it was Richard, the foreign police superintendent in the political department."

"And Richard was just a pawn in the whole criminal network."

He told Lu Qichang the whole story.

The latter's face darkened upon hearing this: "Do you have enough manpower?"

"No, I have to come back."

Foreign high-ranking officials in the political department are all involved. Can the few people in Group C handle this?

Lu Qichang immediately decided to give up preparing for the exam and return to the team to provide support.

"No way!" He Chu refused decisively. "The exam is more important."

Lu Qichang exploded: "What kind of hell is this exam?! Are you guys risking your lives for it?!"

He Chu was taken aback: "Who said we were going to fight to the death?"

Lu Qichang pointed at the file and said angrily, "This is a huge network, and Richard is just one link in it. This shows how powerful the forces behind it are."

"This is an unprecedented case. If we fail, your entire team will be wiped out."

"I have to come back."

He Chu looked bewildered: "Brother Chang, you've misunderstood. Our plan from the beginning was never intended to be a direct confrontation."

Lu Qichang was stunned: "In this situation, you're not prepared to fight to the death? How are you going to break this deadlock?"

He Chu smiled and said, "Whoever has a grudge against them, let them go."

Lu Qichang was taken aback: "You mean the New Union Society will stand up for you?"

He Chu shrugged: "What else?"

"Their new leader was just killed, and they have been suppressed by Richard for a long time. The two sides have long been at odds."

"Blood debts must be repaid in blood; they want to settle this score themselves."

"If you don't even dare to flip the table at a time like this, what kind of gangster are you?"

Lu Qichang disagreed: "Relying on those gangsters? We'd rather rely on ourselves."

"Those people talk a big game of chivalry, but deep down they're just after money, aren't they?"

He Chu smiled calmly: "This time is different."

He explained slowly and deliberately, "We have people working at Xinliansheng."

"One is a leading candidate to succeed the leader, and the other is the former leader's most trusted confidant."

Lu Qichang suddenly opened his eyes wide.

He Chu clapped his hands lightly: "Brother Chang, you should go back and study."

"For all of us, you have to take that step too."

"If you don't get promoted, how will we brothers have a chance to get ahead?"

Lu Qichang laughed heartily: "You little rascal, you're really good at scheming."

He certainly understood what those words meant.

Who doesn't want a promotion and a raise?

However, the police force has limited personnel and only a limited number of positions. If the people in front don't move, the people behind can't move an inch.

Even though the West Kowloon Regional Crime Unit has a higher level of personnel than other units, it has recently solved many major cases, and its members have already accumulated a lot of credit.

If the team leader isn't promoted, the people under him will also be stuck.

Before leaving, Lu Qichang patted He Chu's shoulder heavily: "Chu, if you're short-handed, don't hesitate to call me."

He Chu smiled and nodded: "Of course, you are the real leader of Group C."

Lu Qichang smiled.

He understood the weight of those words.

Even though he was temporarily away from his post, his name was still engraved on the flag of Group C.

He Chu said calmly, "We are not in charge this time."

1

"We just need to control the situation from behind the scenes."

"Those who truly stepped forward to take action were the people from Xinliansheng."

"But don't worry, I won't let the brothers of Xinliansheng go into danger alone."

Lu Qichang finally breathed a sigh of relief: "You are the core of Group C. Just tell me what to do, and I will cooperate."

"I understand what you mean. I'll go back and make the arrangements."

"I just hope you can make it go smoothly and without any mishaps."

He Chu smiled slightly: "Leave it to me, no problem."

Lu Qichang was finally relieved.

After he left, He Chu gathered everyone in the conference room.

He cut to the chase: "How's the investigation into Richard's background going?"

Luo Ji stepped forward: "As you instructed, I have already asked an external investigator to get involved."

Abang frowned: "Why not just use our own informants?"

Luo Ji explained, "Richard is a senior superintendent, and using internal resources could easily alert his superiors."

"It's not convenient for us to show our faces in this kind of thing."

Aside from our old buddies in the West Kowloon Regional Crime Unit, we don't trust outsiders.

"Brother Chu suggested that hiring outside professionals would be a safer approach."

"Coincidentally, we also know some reliable private investigators."

Abang nodded and didn't ask any more questions—in fact, he had never questioned He Chu's decision; he was just confirming it routinely.

After all, they are all police officers.

These kinds of covert operations should have been carried out by them personally.

However, He Chu's arrangements were indeed more comprehensive.

Chen Yongren's heart stirred with unease: "If you knew who Brother Chu was looking for, you probably wouldn't feel so secure."

He never expected that He Chu would borrow people from Ni Yongxiao.

Even though he was not optimistic about the private investigator at first, the investigator had uncovered a lot of clues in just a few days.

"Richard came from John Bull. Although he held a high rank, his background was actually quite mysterious."

"Even those in high positions within the police force come into contact with people of a far higher social standing than the average person."

Luo Ji took out a stack of photos and continued, "He joined a very secretive club."

"It's a membership system with extremely high entry requirements; you need at least three official members to vouch for you to join."

"The network of people inside is intricate and complex, encompassing almost all the top figures in various fields of society."

"It includes the political, business, police, and Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) sectors—nothing is left out."

"Plus, there's Ah Tian, ​​who was recruited by Richard,"

"This network has connected both the legitimate and criminal worlds."

Luo Ji, who is usually taciturn, spoke repeatedly today, clearly also intimidated by this intelligence.

Chen Yongren couldn't help but ask, "But how can we conclude that they are a criminal organization based solely on this?"

Yang Jinrong adjusted his glasses slightly and said calmly, "The reason is very simple."

"Richard's status is simply not enough to enter this circle."

Senior superintendent sounds prestigious, but in the eyes of the truly powerful, he's nothing more than a gofer.

They want to befriend powerful figures, at least at the level of chief superintendent or district commander.

As for Richard? In their eyes, he was at most just an ordinary policeman.

If even he could get in, what chance would a nobody in the gang have?

This is extremely abnormal!

Yang Jinrong remained calm and composed: "Hong Kong Island appears free and open on the surface, but in reality it is strictly hierarchical. This is a deeply ingrained reality."

-

Chen Yongren was somewhat puzzled: "Does Hong Kong still have this kind of hierarchical concept?"

Yang Jinrong did not mock him, but patiently said, "Richard is indeed a big shot in our police force."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The political department has always been feared, yet no one dares to easily touch them.

The reason is that all the foreign police officers there are of high rank, either senior superintendents or chief inspectors.

Very few low-ranking police officers are among them.

In terms of rank alone, in the entire Kowloon Regional Headquarters, the only one who wouldn't salute them upon seeing them is probably Inspector Wong.

Even so, Richard still had to bow his head in front of those people.

"Hong Kong Island has a very clear hierarchy: the business sector comes first, followed by the political sector, and then law enforcement and surveillance."

Chen Yongren was speechless.

That's absolutely right.

Luo Ji watched this scene silently, thinking to himself, "Ah Ren is already quite good, but compared to Brother Chu and Ah Rong, he's still a bit lacking."

"They are about the same age, yet the difference is so obvious."

He suddenly felt a bit absurd: "The three of them are the same age, but one is like the mastermind, one is like the strategist, and the other is still groping his way forward."

"It seems I need to find an opportunity to give Ah-Ren some pointers so he can grow up as quickly as possible."

Luo Ji always had mixed feelings about Ni Yongxiao.

After all, he had truly stayed by his side for five whole years, through wind and rain, without ever faltering.

Even after he was transferred to another position, he didn't break off relations with the other party, and they could still nod and exchange pleasantries when they met.

Nowadays, when you visit Ni Yongxiao's large seaside mansion, tea is served as usual, and the hospitality is no less.

The relationship between the two can be described as smooth and steady, with a beginning and an end.

For this reason, out of consideration for their past relationship, Luo Ji had to lend Chen Yongren a hand.

"Ah Rong is right."

"Dragons will not share a nest with snakes."

Richard, an outsider, was able to transcend the boundaries of his status and become sworn brothers with this group of people; there must be something more to him than meets the eye.

"Unless they are all in the same boat and their interests align, who would be willing to back down?"

"otherwise--"

"What gives you, an ordinary police officer, the right to sit in that room on equal footing with those powerful figures?"

Yang Jinrong continued, his tone calm: "As for those who roam the underworld, they have always been regarded as inferior people by them."

"Yet these people can still sit side by side. Don't you find that strange? You should ask—what's their secret?"

Those present were all top officers in the police force. Chen Yongren spoke in a low voice: "They were originally part of the same organization."

Yang Jinrong nodded slightly: "Brother Chu's line of thinking is correct."

"These people simply won't sit together if they don't share common interests."

"The reasoning is very simple."

"Those who can sit around a table must be links in the same criminal chain."

Everyone nodded silently.

He Chu clapped his hands and turned his gaze to the blackboard: "Combining the intelligence we have and comparing it with the known information, the general outline has emerged."

Chen Yongren frowned slightly: "With just this, you can figure out the structure of the entire criminal network?"

He Chu replied decisively, "That's enough!"

He picked up his pen and tapped the blackboard, his voice low but clear: "This gang has a large number of members, but we can roughly categorize them into several types."

"Business, politics, police, ICAC, triads — note that this covers almost every aspect of Hong Kong society."

More importantly, these individuals are all top figures in their respective fields.

"The most crucial point is that they can form a closed loop, with each link interlocking and leaving no gaps."

He slammed the blackboard down again, emphasizing his words: "We all know that the foreigners in the Political Department collect the drugs seized by various branches and police districts and hand them over to Ah Tian of Xinliansheng for distribution."

"This is a known fact, and it's the starting point of the whole thing."

"After Ah Tian finished selling the goods, he transferred the money to Richard."

"Remember, this money is illicit and cannot be brought to light."

"It needs a 'clean' face."

In other words—it needs to be cleared of wrongdoing.

Chen Yongren's heart skipped a beat: "You mean—money laundering?"

He Chu nodded: "Exactly."

"Only through layers of disguise, making the flow of funds elusive, can this money truly circulate."

"Money laundering is by no means easy."

"We need resources, but we also need professional methods."

"Otherwise, the eyes of the Economic Crime Investigation Department and the Independent Commission Against Corruption are not just for show."

Abang crossed his arms and coldly replied, "Unfortunately, there are experts in this kind of work within this group."

He Chu slammed his hand on the blackboard: "Right!"

"Those people weren't ordinary bank executives or seasoned traders; they were all big names in the industry."

"And their mission, to put it simply, is not complicated."

"It's about transferring a sum of dirty money back and forth through countless accounts, using the stock market and financial instruments to create fake transactions, ultimately obscuring the source completely."

"As long as the money can be transferred out of a seemingly legitimate account, it's considered reborn."

"Not to mention the fact that there were people inside the bank secretly cooperating, making the accounts flawless. Who could catch up with that?"

At this point, He Chu's face darkened: "Even if someone really wants to investigate, you have to see for yourself, "The police force has its own people, and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) also has its informants."

"Even—their representatives are sitting in parliament, and the security bureau isn't clean!"

Luo Ji and the others looked up abruptly, exclaiming in unison, "Even the Security Bureau is involved?"

Why is everyone so shocked?

Because the police station is under the jurisdiction of the Security Bureau, the hierarchical relationship is clear.

If even the highest regulatory level has been infiltrated, how deeply is this network hidden? How securely is it buried?

He Chu's eyes were icy: "Even if the police, the anti-corruption commission, and the security forces launch an investigation at the same time, they can cover for each other, suppress the case, and eventually let it go unresolved."

Chen Yongren's Adam's apple bobbed as he asked with difficulty, "For example—?"

Yang Jinrong said in a cold tone, "Just like those foreigners in our police station's political department, if we wanted to investigate this criminal organization, they would definitely be the first to jump out and obstruct us."

"They either make excuses to delay, or they use their power to suppress it directly."

Chen Yongren gasped, looked around, and noticed that Luo Ji and Abang's expressions had also darkened.

He gave a wry smile: "I thought being an undercover agent was difficult enough, but I didn't expect there to be so many unseen obstacles behind it all."

He Chu nodded slightly: "Arong is right, this is precisely their means of self-protection."

"These people have long formed an alliance of interests, using power as a shield to protect their illicit gains." His face darkened as he said this. "No matter how deep their backgrounds are, this time, we must overthrow them."

Everyone stood up in unison and said, "Understood!"

Chen Yongren frowned and asked, "So this group is a mix where the underworld collects the money, the legitimate world provides protection, and then the two sides split the spoils?"

'

He Chu waved his hand: "No, this is just the most superficial link."

Hiss sent another jolt through those present.

Even this scale of operation is just the tip of the iceberg?

He Chu sneered: "How much money can you make from drug trafficking?"

"Don't forget, those gathered behind the scenes are all top-tier figures."

"Gathering so many smart people together just to squeeze profits from drugs?"

"What a waste of talent."

Chen Yongren was about to retort when the string of numbers in his account suddenly flashed through his mind, and he swallowed his words back.

Luo Ji and Yang Jinrong had obviously thought of something as well, and fell silent with solemn expressions. They trusted He Chu's judgment.

The three of them had talked privately and concluded that with He Chu's abilities, there was no need for him to become a policeman.

If I switched to any other industry, my reputation and income would far surpass what I have now.

You could even say that his talent for making money is stronger than his talent for solving cases.

Ah Bong, who was transferred in later and unaware of these things, couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Officer Ho, even the money from drug trafficking isn't worth their attention?"

He Chu nodded firmly: "That's right, that's not the point."