Hong Kong Storm: The King of Jobs

Chapter 404, Section 181: Singing a Song to Recognize Brothers
Chi Mengli lay on the stretcher, looking at the ceiling of the ambulance, feeling a little bored.

Sister Lian is a cannon emplaced in the open, a safety device in place; it's all about who makes the move.

If someone is making a move now, it means that you are not safe around you, and someone has become a traitor.

Ruan Wen was both skilled and daring, actually thinking of using the land melon to blackmail him, not giving him a chance to turn the tide. It's a real pity.

The ambulance's ceiling wasn't very nice, and the road conditions were extremely bumpy. Chi Mengli felt like she was sitting on a trampoline, but this bumpy journey only lasted for less than an hour.

The ambulance stopped at an abandoned dock. The ambulance door opened, and two Frenchmen in evening suits carried Chi Mengli's stretcher off and onto the ship.

The plump woman and the driver inside the ambulance did not get out of the vehicle, but stayed inside, quietly watching the handsome young man on the stretcher being carried away.

While her limbs were immobile, her eyes could move. Chi Mengli's eyes slid around 365 degrees, surveying her surroundings, but she had no recollection of anything in her mind.

Hong Kong is neither too big nor too small, and there are many places I haven't been to, so it's not surprising.

Ruan Wen did not board the boat with Chi Mengli. The large speedboat sped forward, its propellers churning the sea and creating waves.

Since there was no immediate danger to her life, Chi Mengli yawned, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Only after the speedboat's engine stopped did he slowly open his eyes and look at the sun about to rise over the sea.

This has been a whole night of trouble!
The effects of the Ten Fragrant Tendon-Softening Powder hadn't worn off yet, and Chi Mengli was still unable to move her limbs. She could only let others do as they pleased. Two foreigners carried her off the speedboat on a stretcher and headed towards the island.

Near the three islands of Hong Kong, there are numerous small islands that used to be the stronghold of the "Big Two" gangs. However, the Zhao, Bao, Xu, and Dong families pooled together an astronomical sum to hire the foreign navy and finally drove these troublesome "Big Two" gangs out of Hong Kong waters.

The two big shots had no choice but to hide in international waters, no longer as arrogant as before.

After all, there are no laws on the high seas. The foreign navy will fire a shot at any ship that Da Tian Er spots.

The accountant of the Clijsters family, wearing a black wool trench coat, stood at the gate of the villa. When he saw Chi Mengli being brought up, he glanced at the Cartier watch on his wrist, nodded, and said to Ruan Wen at the end of the line, "Miss Ruan Wen."

"Once you deliver the last item into the warehouse within the allotted time, your competition with Miss Duffy can proceed as normal. The lady with the higher total bid will be the final winner."

"However, we still need to do a final inventory check. Once we have a clear picture of the goods, we can produce a brochure and send letters to the relevant customers."

After the accountant finished speaking with Ruan Wen, he walked over to Chi Mengli and asked in fluent Mandarin, "Are Professor A and Professor K in your possession?"

Now that things had come to this, Chi Mengli had no reason to hide anything anymore. He decisively shook his head, indicating that he didn't understand what the foreigner was saying, and then said in broken English, "Hello, can you use English?"

(Can we converse in English?)
The accountant, understanding Chi Mengli's subtle humor, immediately chimed in, "I studied law at the University of Oxford, and it was a really pleasant experience!"

Are the two professors in your charge?

In fact, Chi Mengli was lying. He couldn't understand English at all. He said helplessly, "Let's use Mandarin! I'm not very good at English."

"I don't know what nonsense you're talking about. If you're looking for a professor, go to HKU. They're full of bespectacled professors."

"I won't say a word until my lawyer arrives!"

The accountant nodded, indicating that he understood. He clapped his hands and instructed his men to take Chi Mengli down to the warehouse.

When all the staff went to work, the accountant spoke to Ruan Wen, saying, "We can't determine the value of the last item, so the starting price will drop unless Ms. Ruan Wen can provide evidence that Professor A and Professor K are indeed in the possession of the item."

Lowering the starting bid was unacceptable to Ruan Wen, but she didn't argue. Instead, she opened her handbag and took out two photos.

These two photos are a bit blurry, but you can still make out the three people in them: Handsome Sheng, Professor A, and Song Ci.

The accountant was puzzled when he saw the photo; he only recognized the guy who was carried in and who wasn't good at Mandarin or English.

"The man is Professor A, and the woman is Song Sheng's third daughter, Song Ci."

Ruan Wen noticed the accountant's confusion and offered an explanation.

Upon hearing the explanation, the accountant suddenly understood, nodded, put the photo in his pocket, and said with a smile, "As long as the inspection is passed, the starting price will remain the same."

Ruan Wen grinned happily. After a whole night of fussing, she was a little tired and prepared to go back to her room to take a shower and change her clothes.

Being carried on a stretcher, Chi Mengli felt like a roasted pig, which was a very unpleasant sight.

But what happened next made him even more annoyed. These foreigners took advantage of the fact that he was unable to move his limbs and had no ability to resist, and started to grope him.

Height: 1.75 meters.

"Pupils: Light brown." "Temperature normal."

A long series of checks and measurements were taken on Chi Mengli's body. These foreigners were very diligent and produced a complete report.

The hairstylist with scissors noticed that Chi Mengli's hair was a bit long, so he helped to trim it. A complete suit was also brought down.

"The mountain opens at noon today, and all the brothers are overjoyed. We gather at the Moon Palace to raise the flag and discuss our plans in front of the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness."

Despite her aching limbs, Chi Mengli could still sing loudly: "The eldest brother has no freedom to give orders. The brothers in the top four rows who break orders will dig their own holes and jump in. The brothers in the middle four rows who break orders will take their own knives and make their own mistakes."

This is the opening command of the Hongmen. Most of the smaller Hongmen members don't know how to sing it. This one uses the Huangmei opera tune, mixed with a little dialect, which sounds very unpleasant to the ear.

Hongmen disciples are not allowed to recognize each other. When traveling around, they often use wandering Taoist priests or traveling monks. For safety, they have to chant the opening command while walking. After all, in the late Qing Dynasty, once you leave the county town or village, it's like a chicken dinner competition. There are more bandits on the road than wheat stalks.

Without revealing my identity, I simply cannot get through.

Instead, when a member of the Hongmen hears the opening command, he will continue singing to complete the remaining verses. Once the two brothers are reunited, the one with the money will be offered a pot of hot wine, four meat dishes, and two strings of copper coins.

Even if a fellow disciple is not wealthy, one must still offer him a pot of strong tea with salt, five cakes, and a bowl of salted vegetables, and personally see him off when he leaves his territory.

This is why the Hongmen has been able to survive to this day. As long as you can use the same secret code, you're a good brother, and we'll protect you.

The reason why Sicilians were able to dominate America was because early wealthy Italian merchants used religion to establish the Sons of Italy, a society exclusively for Italians, which was all about having a large number of talented people.

The settlement of Italian prisoners of war in the United States was also arranged by the son of an Italian.

The first Godfather's medical treatment was paid for by the American government, but the subsequent homestay job was arranged by the Son of Italy.

This is an even closer-knit organization than Chinatown. If you reach a certain age and have no parents, brothers, or sisters, the Sons of Italy will find you a partner and act as your guarantor for rent. As long as you pay membership fees, are Catholic, and acknowledge your Italian heritage, they will provide you with a livelihood.

Rumors circulate that the Italian experts' raids on the Vietnamese gangs were always orchestrated by the son of an Italian.

Chi Mengli willingly came to the island because he wanted to sing out loud, which was also his last test. However, he did not expect to be caught off guard and fail to kill them all.

He sang it twice at the top of his lungs, and finally, in the corner of the cell, a slightly weak echo could be heard!

“The youngest of the nineties has broken the order, and he will be punished with forty strokes of the red rod. Brothers of the fifth hall, please take up the tent. I will now pass on the order.”

There is a response!

Chi Mengli looked towards the innermost cell and asked the barber who was cutting her hair, "Boss, your skills are pretty good. If you're planning to open a shop in Hong Kong, you can use my name. I guarantee the gangsters won't come knocking on your door to collect fees."

"Excuse me, who's that idiot singing at the very back?"

The hairdresser didn't say a word and continued to do his work. After finishing the hairstyle, he started washing Chi Mengli's hair.

"I beseech the Five Ancestors to serve my sovereign, and the Heavenly Dragon to descend upon my master. May the land of Hong'er and his brothers gather together to destroy the Qing."

Just as Chi Mengli was washing his hair, the Hongmen's Spring Festival Song came from the innermost cell again. This was also a secret code for rendezvous. However, this time he did not answer immediately. A man must be calm and not impatient.

Besides, the effects of the drug on his body hadn't worn off yet, so even if he knew where the target was, he wouldn't be able to help.

They come, the security!
After changing her clothes and getting her hair cut, Chi Mengli was sent to her own cell.

His limbs were still a little numb, and he could move his thumb and big toe, but he pretended that he had not regained consciousness, closed his eyes, and continued to rest.

“Shunxing is harmonious and filial to his parents, and is a selfless person by nature. He has traveled through two capitals and thirteen provinces, and his troops are divided on both sides of the road.”

"You bastard, I never thought you'd end up like this."

"The Heaven and Earth Society! Isn't it a bit late now! What are they doing trying to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming in this day and age!"

Hearing that lousy voice, you know the person speaking is a lousy bastard.

With a wall separating them, Chi Mengli, lacking X-ray vision, couldn't see who lived next door. But judging from the words, it must be some bastard turtle who had a grudge against her. After considering all possibilities, only the Eight-Faced Buddha remained.

"You little brat, do you even know who I am?"

Eight-Faced Buddha stared at the wall, his small yellow teeth grinding together as he suppressed his anger. Compared to Teacher Li, who betrayed him, and the cops who arrested him, he hated this good-for-nothing across from him who had locked him in a coffin even more.

(End of this chapter)