Hong Kong Film: Short mules have no future, I am in charge of Hong Kong

Chapter 275 Two New Faces

"People from Macau are coming?" Su Hanze put down the report and frowned slightly. "It seems that Young Master Jin wants to play big this time. He is betting on turning the situation around in one go, but he forgot that high-rollers are not the norm. Ordinary tourists and stall owners are our foundation."

Ah Liu looked at Su Hanze and asked tentatively, "Boss, should we do something? For example, send a few people to disrupt the situation, or find a way to make those high rollers afraid to place bets?"

"Stirring up trouble?" Su Hanze glanced at him coldly. "This kind of low-level trick will only expose our weaknesses. Young Master Jin has dug a hole for himself this time. We just need to watch and wait for him to jump in."

"But what if he wins the bet?" Liu was a little worried.

"The risk of a big gamble is too high. One or two comebacks won't save the situation." Su Hanze stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gradually bustling night market outside. "His 20 million investment is essentially a big gamble. If there is a mistake in the gamble, the people on Master Qi's side will not let him go easily."

Ah Liu felt a little relieved after hearing this, but he still couldn't help asking, "So we won't do anything for the next two days?"

Su Hanze turned around and raised a sneer on his face. "Why not? Inform Xiaolong that we will add a special event tonight. We will arrange several street performances after the light show to turn the entire night market into a focal point for tourists. At the same time, tell the stall owners that all stalls participating in the interactive activities will have their rent waived for an additional two weeks."

Ah Liu's eyes lit up: "Boss, this is a good idea! The longer the tourists play here, the more they spend. It will be useless even if the lights in East Bay are brighter!"

"Also," Su Hanze paused, "Have someone keep a close eye on the capital flow in Dongwan, especially the flow of accounts after the high-profile gambling game. If there is anything unusual in their accounts, notify me immediately."

"Understood, I'll arrange it right away!" Ah Liu nodded in agreement and ran out quickly.

At the same time, in the second-floor office of the East Bay Nightclub, Jin Shao was sitting on the sofa with chips and cash in front of him. He looked relaxed, holding a glass of red wine, but there was a hint of sinisterness in his eyes.

"Master, it has just been confirmed that the big gamblers from Macau will arrive early tonight, and the big bet for the day after tomorrow is basically secured." Zhang Hai stood nearby and whispered, "In addition, we have already started notifying the stall owners, telling them that all stalls can be rent-free on the day of the gambling, and the day's profits belong to them."

"Free rent?" Young Master Jin raised his eyebrows. "This little money is nothing. As long as the gamble is successful, stall owners and tourists will come. By then, what will Su Hanze's Xiwan be worth?"

"But..." Zhang Hai hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Master, Master Qi just called and said that our investment is a bit beyond expectations. He hopes that we can see the return as soon as possible, otherwise it will be difficult to explain."

"Reward?" Young Master Jin sneered and put the wine glass heavily on the table. "Seventh Master is afraid that we will lose money, right? Go and tell him that I, Young Master Jin, always have confidence in what I do. After the gambling game is over the day after tomorrow, I will let him see the true value of Dongwan!"

Zhang Hai nodded and was about to leave when he couldn't help asking, "Master, should we put more pressure on the Light Festival in Xiwan? Recently, the stall owners..."

"Stall owner?" Young Master Jin waved his hand dismissively. "Those guys who are greedy for small gains will come here if we give them a little sweetness. As long as we play the game well, the stall owner's heart is not a problem at all."

Zhang Hai didn't dare to say anything more and quietly left the office.

Late at night, the night market in Xiwan was still bustling. The street performance had just ended, and tourists gathered in groups of three or four to buy things at the stalls, while the stall owners were busy and happy. Su Hanze stood on the high platform of the night market, watching all this from afar, with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, but his face still did not look relaxed.

Xiaolong walked over from the crowd and handed him a new report: "Boss, I just found out that the total amount of chips in Young Master Jin's gambling game has exceeded 30 million. This time they are fighting to the death."

"30 million?" Su Hanze took the report and frowned slightly. "It seems that he really put his life on the line."

"Then what should we do?" Xiaolong was a little nervous.

"Wait." Su Hanze said calmly, "30 million is not a small sum. If there is any accident in the gambling game, he will not be able to recover. We just need to stabilize our tourists and stall owners, and leave the rest to time."

The lights in the backstage of the theater were bright. Su Hanze was standing in front of an open map of Hong Kong Island, holding a red pen in his hand, and constantly circling and dotting on the map. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his expression was focused. Ah Liu and Xiao Long stood behind him in silence, occasionally exchanging glances, but did not dare to make a sound to disturb him.

"It's true that Young Master Jin's high-roller gambling attracts high-rollers, but that's also his limitation." Su Hanze suddenly spoke up and looked up at them. "High-roller gambling doesn't rely on tourists, but on the rich people who come to bet. Most of the people he attracts have nothing to do with the stall owner's business, but will make those tourists afraid to approach. The more lively his gambling is, the worse the stall owner's profits will be."

"Boss, how do we take advantage of this?" Xiaolong asked immediately.

"Mr. Jin's high-stakes gambling game will start the day after tomorrow, and the atmosphere will continue to heat up in the next two days. We are doing the opposite, highlighting the civilian and family-oriented characteristics of Xiwan, so that tourists will feel that this place is more suitable for family play, safer and more interesting."

Su Hanze drew a few lines on the map with a pen, marking several core areas of the night market. "Add stalls for parent-child activities, and provide some free games for children, such as scooping goldfish and ring tossing. Tell the stall owners that all stalls participating in the event will have their rent waived for an additional three days."

Ah Liu nodded, and then asked again: "Boss, if we do this, our stall owners' income will be stable, but will Young Master Jin's gambling bet be broken up because of our actions? After all, he doesn't rely on ordinary tourists."

"That's right. He relies on high-rollers and large capital flows." Su Hanze nodded. "So, we have to make sure his high-rollers don't dare to place bets."

"Why not?" Xiaolong was stunned.

Su Hanze smiled lightly, his eyes cold: "Find out the flow of funds behind the high-profile gambling these days, especially those big gamblers from Macau. Are there any suspicions of money laundering behind them? Are the accounts clean? We don't have to intervene directly, we just need to pass the news to the ears of those who should know, and the rest will be dealt with naturally."

Ah Liu's eyes widened: "Boss, do you mean to use Master Qi's hand to kill him?"

"Seventh Master's money also has rules." Su Hanze put down his pen, turned around and looked at Ah Liu, "No matter how bold Young Master Jin is, he can't let the gambling game completely escape Seventh Master's control. Once Seventh Master finds out that someone is playing tricks in his place, Young Master Jin's good days will be over."

Xiaolong nodded and asked quickly, "Then how do we send the message?"

"Keep a close eye on those big gamblers from Macau, and focus on where their money comes from and who they are connecting with." Su Hanze looked calm. "Once you find the problem, send the message anonymously to Qi Ye's channel. Qi Ye's people know how to deal with it better than us." Ah Liu immediately took out his cell phone and started dialing, arranging someone to check.

At the same time, on the top floor of the Dongwan Nightclub, Jin Shao was sitting around a long table with several men in suits. The wine glasses, ashtrays, and chips were all in a mess on the table, and the air was filled with a strong smell of cigarettes. Zhang Hai stood by, looking at Jin Shao nervously.

"Master, the news from over there is that Xiwan's Light Festival has added a new segment tonight, which is especially aimed at family tourists. The stall owners are becoming more and more stable and have not shown any signs of wavering for the time being." Zhang Hai said in a low voice.

Young Master Jin put down the wine glass in his hand, his eyes showing a trace of impatience: "How can these small fights amount to anything? As long as the gambling game starts the day after tomorrow, tourists will naturally come, and the stall owners will also see clearly where they can make more money."

"But Xiwan has always emphasized that stall owners have stable income, and tourists also like the lively family atmosphere..." Before Zhang Hai could finish his words, he was interrupted by Jin Shao.

"Enough! Don't bother me with those little things." Young Master Jin said coldly, "Seventh Master's funds have been received, and the publicity for the big gambling game has also been rolled out. The result the day after tomorrow will be the day of my comeback. As for Su Hanze, how many days can he hold on?"

Zhang Hai wanted to say something but stopped himself, finally swallowed his words, lowered his head and stepped aside.

Young Master Jin sat back in his chair, staring at the chips on the table with a cold look in his eyes, and said coldly: "Su Hanze, do you think you can suppress me with a few light shows? You are dreaming."

As the night deepened, the night market in Xiwan was still bustling, and street performances attracted a large number of tourists to stop and watch. Su Hanze stood on the high platform, watching all this from afar, and Xiaolong beside him whispered: "Boss, our people found something. Among several big gamblers from Macau, two of them had unknown sources of funds, which may be related to underground banks."

"Very good." Su Hanze nodded. "Keep watching closely. Once you find enough evidence, send the news to Master Qi's people."

Xiaolong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Boss, the number of tourists in Dongwan has increased significantly tonight. Some tourists went over there after visiting us. Although the Light Festival is attractive, our consumption level cannot keep up with the level of the high-profile gambling game, so some tourists will be pulled over there."

"The flow of customers is normal, don't worry." Su Hanze's eyes were deep. "What we are doing is to stabilize the foundation of Xiwan and not compete with them for the limelight. As long as there is a problem with Young Master Jin's gambling, we will win."

Xiaolong nodded.

Behind the scenes of the theater, Ah Liu held the phone in one hand and the ashtray in the other, his brows furrowed. "Boss, the people over there sent a message saying that two big gamblers from Macau checked into the high-roller box in Dongwan tonight in advance and brought a cash box with them. The amount... may be more than 30 million, and there may even be more external funds injected."

Su Hanze was looking down at a stall owner's latest data report. When he heard this, he just tapped the table with his fingers, his expression calm. "Dongwan can't support the gambling without external funds. They are anxious and sent people to the scene so early to show confidence to the stall owners and tourists."

"But this 30 million is real money!" Ah Liu's tone was a little anxious, "What if they really attract more stall owners through gambling, and our stalls are no longer stable?"

Su Hanze put down the documents in his hand and looked up at him. "Remember, the bigger the gamble, the easier it is to fail. Young Master Jin is so anxious to put the money in, which means he can't hold on any longer. The more 30 million, the higher the risk. We just need to give him a push."

"Give him a push?" Ah Liu was puzzled. "How do you push him?"

"It's a problem that big gamblers from Macau are bringing unidentified funds into Hong Kong. And when these funds flow through gambling, it will become an even bigger problem." Su Hanze's tone was neither hurried nor slow, but he was confident. "Have someone write a detailed report on these situations, attach the evidence we have, and send it anonymously to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Send another copy to Qi Ye's account office."

Ah Liu was stunned: "Boss, will this offend Master Qi as well?"

"Offended?" Su Hanze smiled, his eyes cold, "Seventh Master's rule is that nothing can happen in his place. If Young Master Jin goes too far and affects Seventh Master's interests, do you think Seventh Master will protect him or himself?"

Ah Liu suddenly understood and nodded immediately: "I understand, I'll arrange it right away!"

On the other side, the light show in the square in front of the theater entered its final round. The crowds of tourists were still enthusiastic. There were long queues in front of the interactive booths. The laughter of children and the shouts of the stall owners were heard one after another. Xiaolong squeezed through the crowd and handed a temporary statistical data report to Su Hanze.

"Boss, tonight's statistics are out." He lowered his voice and said, "The number of tourists has increased by 15% compared to last night, and the average income of stall owners has increased by 20%. But at the same time, some tourists turned to East Bay after the interaction, probably because they were attracted by the publicity of the high-profile gambling game."

"The flow of tourists is normal." Su Hanze took the report, glanced at it, and said calmly, "We don't need every tourist, we just need to retain those who want to spend money. The key is the confidence of the stall owners, which must be stabilized."

"I understand." Xiaolong nodded, then asked hesitantly, "What about tomorrow night? If the gambling game in Dongwan really makes a splash, how should we respond?"

Su Hanze looked at the flowing lights in the square, pondered for a moment and said: "Change the theme of tomorrow night and bring the stall owners into the event. Let them participate in the interactive session, such as showing their own stalls' signature dishes or craftsmanship, so that tourists will feel that Xiwan is not only lively, but also humane."

Xiaolong suddenly realized: "Boss, what you mean is to create a connection between tourists and stall owners?"

"Yes." Su Hanze nodded. "Dongwan relies on money to create excitement, while we rely on people to maintain relationships. These are two completely different paths."

As soon as he finished speaking, the skinny monkey came running over, his face full of excitement: "Boss, Ah Liu's people just sent a message that the big gambler in Macau really has an unknown amount of funds transferred in through an underground bank. The evidence has been sorted out."

"Very good." Su Hanze raised his lips slightly. "Send this evidence out, and let time take care of the rest."

The skinny monkey nodded, turned around and ran to make arrangements.

In the top-floor box of the East Bay Nightclub, Young Master Jin was sitting on the sofa, looking at a thick stack of bills. His expression was a little tired but also revealed a hint of excitement.

Zhang Hai stood by and said cautiously, "Master, tonight's data is out. The customer flow is much higher than expected, and there are two new faces participating in the high-profile gambling game."

(End of this chapter)