Hong Kong Storm: The King of Jobs

Chapter 557, Section 147: Humans are complex animals
A-Zai handed the lion's nose to the equipment department staff, asking them to help him maintain it.

I dare not refuse such a gift from an elder!

Guo Guohao had been giving him small favors all along, and A-zai was already used to it. This time, he didn't suspect anything. He didn't drive. The Marriott Hotel was just 200 meters away from the Wan Chai headquarters, so he took a stroll to clear his head.

It's already 2 a.m. The crime scene has been cleaned up. The evidence team and the forensic team acted quickly this time, leaving the paparazzi empty-handed and unable to capture anything.

But these dedicated paparazzi are blocking the entrance to the Wan Chai headquarters, waiting for the Public Affairs Department staff to come out and give the media an explanation.

A-Zai knows all too well how difficult paparazzi can be. He didn't go through the main entrance; instead, he went around in circles and used a side entrance.

After exiting through the small door, A-zai strolled leisurely down the street. The 24-hour convenience store was open, and feeling a bit thirsty, he went in and bought a bottle of chilled Coca-Cola.

He asked the receptionist for a straw, stood at the entrance, drank it all in one gulp, put it in the recycling bin at the entrance, let out a satisfied burp, and continued on his way.

The rule at Hong Kong convenience stores is that there's one price for drinking on the spot and another price for taking the bottle away. The price difference is a full dollar. Of course, if you don't want to pay this dollar difference, you can buy an aluminum can.

Hong Kong people don't like drinking from canned beverages because the production date of the cans is very long, and the gas inside has long since dissipated.

But Coca-Cola in glass bottles is different. The glass bottles are produced by local Hong Kong soda factories, so it's very fizzy, has plenty of ingredients, and is sweet enough.

The brain cannot function without sugar, and so can human happiness.

A-zai walked in the middle of the deserted road, feeling relaxed and thinking about whether he should go to the Marriott Hotel's buffet restaurant for a 599 yuan high-end buffet.

His ex-girlfriend had always wanted to go eat there, but he never had the time. Gangsters don't care about Valentine's Day or Qixi Festival; they're always causing trouble on the streets.

Even after his ex-girlfriend chose to leave and live a comfortable life, they never got to try the Marriott Hotel's upscale buffet together.

Young women crave excitement, but as they get older, they prefer comfort.

Whether it's excitement or comfort, A-zai can't give his ex-girlfriend any of that. Given her family situation, marrying her wouldn't bring her happiness, but rather drag her into a fire pit and treat her like a free maid.

Over the years, my father has been plagued by illness, and his personality has become increasingly eccentric. Even my sister-in-law can't stand him, let alone my daughter-in-law.

The family only has one apartment in the housing estate, which is less than 20 square meters and has to house four people. There is really no room for him to use as a wedding room, unless a bed board is set up in the kitchen.

A-zai feels he's getting old and is prone to overthinking, especially late at night.

It seems he hasn't been drinking enough coffee and hasn't been doing enough work. If he had been fully focused on the case, he probably wouldn't have been having these wild thoughts.

"Drip drip"

The pager on his waist beeped. A took it off and turned off the screen. His pager was an old-fashioned Motorola model that could only send alerts and not transmit message codes.

There happened to be a self-service phone booth nearby, so he quickly walked over, took out a woman's head from his wallet, threw it into the coin slot, and dialed the paging service directly.

It wasn't the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau calling A-Zai, nor was it the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, but rather the person he least wanted to see.

A-zai heard the warning in Mei-feng's message. Although her message was just about caring about her father's health, the subtext was that he should be sensible and share the information about the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau.

After listening to the message, A-zai paused for a second, then asked the pager to leave a message on Mei-feng's pager, saying that his father's condition was not good and that he needed $100,000 in medical expenses.

He also gave Meifeng the Marriott Hotel room number so she could meet and talk.

People always have to think about themselves. Since they've already broken the law, they might as well take advantage of the information they have and make as much money as possible so they won't regret it later.

After leaving a message for Mei-feng, A-zai hung up the phone, put the receiver back, quickened his pace, and headed towards the Marriott Hotel.

Mei-Fung was very happy with A-Zai's offer. A-Zai's position in the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau was very secure, so she could focus on cultivating him, sending him more cases, arranging more information that could be bribed with money, and incidentally stuffing a few high-profile cases into his arms.

Over time, this will help A-zai rise to prominence.

One hundred thousand US dollars, or more than seven hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars, is not a large sum and is acceptable.

Having just snatched a batch of goods from Professor J, Professor A, whom we hadn't seen in a long time, made a move and even appeared at the Wan Chai police headquarters.

The old man immediately got wind of it and couldn't sit still. He called her directly, asking her to find out the truth.

Is it true or false?

It was a feint!
None of this matters. It's like trying to see through a fog or the blind men and the elephant—all just tricks. Just ask someone who has experienced it, and everything will become clear.

Mei Feng put on slippers, opened the large safe, counted out 100,000 US dollars, put it into a handbag, changed her clothes, and left the villa where she was hiding with her bodyguards.

The distance from Mid-Levels to Wan Chai is very short, only 45 minutes.

Mei Feng gave an order for her bodyguards to wait in the car, and then walked alone into the lobby of the Marriott Hotel, took the elevator, and arrived at the room number that A-zai had given her.

The door to the room was not closed. Mei Feng hesitated for a moment, but still went in. However, she put her right hand into the pocket of her trench coat and gripped the women's pistol she used for self-defense.

One should not have the heart to harm others, but one should not be without the heart to guard against others; she still had to keep a backup plan.

Upon entering the room, Mei-Feng did not see A-Zai, but heard the sound of a shower coming from the bathroom.

It seems that Brother A's life has improved, and he can afford to stay at the Marriott Hotel now.

Mei Feng didn't have time to waste with this damn cop. She knocked on the bathroom door and told him to hurry up and shower so as not to waste any more time.

A-zai, who was taking a shower in the bathroom, heard a knock on the door. He quickly rinsed off the soap, put on a bathrobe, slipped on his slippers, and walked out of the bathroom.

Meifeng was sitting in a chair smoking, looking like someone owed her eighty thousand coins.

That damn bastard, he doesn't even have a smile on his face.

A-zai walked out of the room, glanced at the corridor, and only after finding no one on either side did he close the door with peace of mind.

"Is no one following along this road?"

These are turbulent times. This week, a senior inspector from the CID was taken away by the Internal Affairs Department. The official reason was that he had accepted bribes, but A-zai secretly found out that this senior inspector who was taken away by the Internal Affairs Department was also Song Sheng's henchman.

The police are currently cleaning up foreigners, so he'd better be careful if he doesn't want to spend his whole life in jail.

"Don't worry, there wasn't a single car on my way here. If the cops can communicate with spirits, then I have nothing to say."

Mei Feng sneered, thinking that A-zai was making a fuss over nothing.

"Better safe than sorry. If you don't understand this principle, then there's no need for us to cooperate!"

"What number do I need?"

"You'd better not try anything funny. The $100,000 I want can be deposited in HSBC. If you give me a discount on the money, then I'll have to give you a discount on the information."

There's no connection between him and this middle-aged woman. He's been tricked, and he can't blame anyone else. He's just destined to be poor; no matter how much money he earns, it's never enough to fill the hole.

When the Four Great Detectives were in power, he could still make some extra money, but the Four Great Detectives didn't hold their positions for as long as Liu Fu did, and he didn't have many good days.

There is no solution to being destined to be poor.

Meifeng likes straightforward people. She finds it tiring to talk in circles and beat around the bush. So she simply opened her handbag, took out stacks of US dollars, and threw them onto the bed.

"One hundred thousand dollars, not a penny less, all in bundles of twenty-one US dollars. This is extremely valuable in the underworld. Whether you spend it or save it, it's very convenient."

A sat on the bed, casually picked up a stack of US dollars, counted them, and seeing that they were all genuine US dollars, he calculated in his mind that the amount was just right. He nodded and asked directly, "What do you want to know?"

"There are many things I want to know, but they are all secrets you can't answer. Let's not keep things ambiguous. It's getting late, and I want to go home and get some sleep."

"I want to know information about the professor!"

Meifeng patiently smoked her cigarette, taking her time, and casually revealed the answer she wanted to know.

"Professor A and Professor K have been arrested!" "They are now being held in the highest-security, most heavily guarded room."

"Song Sheng's daughter, Song Ci, was also arrested."

"The $100,000 intelligence deal is over. If you want to know the inside story, you need to keep giving me money."

Meifeng was taken aback. She felt that the cop in front of her had changed a lot. It wasn't that he was good or bad, but he was easier to communicate with. Actively talking about money and being passively talked about money were two different things.

She needs an inside man, but even more so an inside man who can communicate well. In Mei Feng's view, this is a good change.

"I feel like it's a bit of a waste to use $100,000 just to confirm what I already know!" Mei Feng said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

A-Zai counted the banknotes on the bed and put them aside. He was a little tired and wanted to end this pointless conversation as soon as possible. He said, "The most common thing in the underworld is information that can't be confirmed."

"Back then, in order to determine the Japanese navy's operational codes, the Allied forces transported people to the South Pacific ship by ship, and many expensive warships were destroyed for no reason."

"My role is to help you confirm the existing intelligence, Sister Meifeng. Of course, I also have other valuable intelligence and details in my pocket. I just don't know if you want to buy them?"

“My father’s medical expenses have been exhausted. If Sister Meifeng is willing to cover the costs of the next three phases of treatment, I am willing to tell you all the information I know.”

Whether you agree or disagree is up to you!

"If you don't want to, you can leave now. I only have three hours left to lie down. After three hours, I have to go back to headquarters and keep working hard!"

A-zai lay on the Simmons bed, yawned, and gave the order to leave.

“We will take full responsibility for your father’s medical expenses. When the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital notified me, it was already evening. I guarantee that the legal remittance will be deposited into your father’s account first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Even if you are exposed, we will continue to deposit money. If your father dies, our deal will be over.”

“But Mei Feng isn’t a pushover. The information you provide needs to be worth more than it’s worth!”

Paying the bills for A-zai's father's nursing home and hospital was part of the deal, something that had been agreed upon beforehand. Even if Mei-feng were despicable, she would not break her promise.

Everyone in the martial arts world knows the importance of a signboard and a reputation; in fact, these two things, reputation and word-of-mouth, are more important than life itself.

Building a prestigious brand requires immeasurable time and manpower; no one would destroy the very foundation upon which they make their living.

A spit can become a nail; you can't lick back the spit you've made on the ground.

“I don’t want money. My younger sister and brother are already grown up and studying in Hong Kong. I can’t find a good private school there. If my family stays in Hong Kong, it would be a burden to me.”

"You need to help me send my younger brother and sister to Australia, get them their residency, and buy them each a small apartment in Sydney. If you can handle it, I can tell you all the information I've recently gathered."

"In the underworld, Sister Meifeng is a woman of her word; she always keeps her promises."

A-zai's eyelids grew heavier and heavier. He coughed and stated his price.

Actually, A-zai's asking price wasn't high. Apartments in Sydney, Australia, aren't expensive. An apartment for one person only costs around 50,000 to 60,000 Australian dollars. Even if you arrange school and cover tuition and living expenses, it only costs 10,000 to 20,000 Australian dollars a year.

Professor A and Song Ci have been caught by the police. These two scoundrels are the new generation within the group and have mastered a lot of the group's secrets.

If the police find out about these secrets, the group's business will become increasingly difficult. Losing manpower is not a problem, but losing a source of revenue is something that no one in the group can accept.

Thinking of this, Meifeng nodded and said decisively, "No problem, I will arrange the school and apartment. After everything is settled, I will buy plane tickets for your two younger brothers to go to Sydney."

"It can be done in half a month at the latest, Brother A. Cherish your time. If your two younger brothers go to Australia, you may not see each other for several years."

"Intelligence has a limited lifespan; if it's delayed, it will become worthless. We must cherish the good times we have now!"

Mei Feng readily agreed, but she also noticed that A-zai was about to fall asleep, so she wanted to end the transaction as soon as possible.

"what"

A-Zai yawned; he was indeed feeling a bit too weak. He sat up straight and said, "Now we can conclude that Professor A, Professor K, and Song Ci are being held captive, because all three are wearing the same clothes."

"The hands and feet of all three of them were bound, and on top of them was a hapless, unlucky fellow."

"I looked at the fingers of the guy who killed the bastard. There were calluses on his fingers, so he must have been a master gunman, and very likely a martial arts master."

A-zai, forcing himself to stay alert, recounted everything he had noticed and also helped Mei-feng with her analysis.

Mei Feng nodded without saying a word and continued listening to A-Zai.

“I will prepare an extra copy when I get the photo. It’s impossible for someone in the martial arts world like this not to be famous. If you take the photo and investigate, you will definitely find something.”

A-zai was quite responsible, pointing out the way to Mei-feng and continuing, "Professor A revealed his secret as soon as they met; the filthy rat who fired the shot was not found."

"But without a doubt, this is definitely a huge scapegoat; they're using someone else to do their dirty work."

"When police officers do their work, they only consider legal facts, not objective facts; they can only proceed according to legal facts."

“Sister Mei Feng, I don’t know who your master is, but I must tell you clearly that you have been put on the list of top suspects and are one of the people that the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) and the Central Police Department (CID) are most concerned about.”

"The five major bases of Wo Luen Shing, the number gang's eight-character stack of the talk ...

"You've made a name for yourself in the martial arts world and your fame resounds far and wide. Congratulations!"

"The intelligence department and the criminal intelligence department are not just sitting idly by; they must have planted spies in your mysterious criminal group."

"Criminal groups should not learn from gangsters. Gangsters are a legacy of history. The five societies of the Hongmen are like cockroaches that can't be killed. They will definitely survive until the day the earth is destroyed."

"But criminal groups are different. Once a criminal group gains notoriety, it is the beginning of its demise."

"By the way, the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau has identified who the judge is. Now it's a three-way selection. If nothing unexpected happens, they should be able to take action and kill the judge soon."

Since Mei-feng had agreed to his conditions, A-zai held nothing back. He had handled a large number of cases, which were very complicated, and he didn't know what Mei-feng wanted. So he could only reveal all the major cases he had handled.

Hearing that even the mysterious judge had been identified by the police, Mei Feng was startled. Once a criminal organization comes under the attention of the state apparatus, its only fate is to be crushed.

"I have told you everything I know!"

"My eyelids are drooping, I really can't stay awake any longer. Please close the door for me when you leave, thank you!"

A-zai couldn't hold on any longer. He closed his eyes and told Mei-feng to get lost.

Having been told to leave, Mei-Feng had no questions to ask, but A-Zai had already closed his eyes, so she could only close the door and leave quietly.

As Mei Feng rode the elevator downstairs, she was in a state of confusion and didn't notice that someone in the Marriott Hotel lobby was watching her. He was holding a newspaper, but his gaze kept drifting towards Mei Feng as she walked briskly.

Upon seeing Mei-Feng leave the Marriott Hotel, the man immediately put down his newspaper and spoke into his in-ear microphone: "Bai Sir, the target, the prostitute, has left the Marriott Hotel. Team Three is already in position outside."

"Call complete!"

The call traveled through the airwaves to Bai Fengxian's ears. She was watching television, and on the screen, Brother A was fast asleep.

"Received. Group Two will follow Group Three. Group Three can only follow for 10 kilometers, across two sections of road. This is an old fox. The people around him are all experienced martial arts masters with counter-surveillance capabilities."

"Two groups of people will take turns tracking, but they cannot get too close to track or engage in offensive tracking."

"action!"

"I need to know where the pheasant's nest is!"

After giving the order, Bai Fengxian put down the walkie-talkie and said to the men in the room, "The recording needs to be done as soon as possible. This is a case from the Internal Affairs Department."

"Brother A is going to be in big trouble this time!"

(End of this chapter)