Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

Similar scenes unfolded almost simultaneously at several police stations in the Yau Tsim Mong district.

"Everyone, hand over your communication equipment."

"Alright, get in the car!"

More than 100 vehicles set off from various locations, forming a spider web that encircled the Tsim Sha Tsui, Yau Ma Tei, and Jordan areas.

Just as the car left, Wang Yaotang's office phone rang, but no one answered. Queiroz cursed under his breath and called A-Jie again. This time, the call was finally answered. "The Film and Television Department reported that your entertainment venues are forcing women into prostitution and requested the police's cooperation in law enforcement. Headquarters has given the order, and the team has set off."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

"Damn it!" Ah Jie frantically asked someone to bring a walkie-talkie to notify the command center, which then forwarded the information to the managers of each venue.

The girls were scattered throughout the venue entertaining the guests, so it was impossible to notify them one by one. All the manager could do was notify the grooms, and let them run as many as they could.

Just as a few people ran out the back door, the flashing lights of police cars came into view. Over twenty nightclubs and KTVs, including Dynasty, Nightfall, Starlight, Starry Sky Nightclub, Jinjiang Metropolis, and Dream Night Metropolis, were surrounded by police cars one after another.

The Film and Television Administration and the police conducted a joint operation, with lights on and officers checking ID cards one by one.

"Friends? What's his name?"

"Can I have a boyfriend I just met? What's wrong with the police? Is it any of their business?"

Hong Kong does not have explicit laws stipulating that 'personal sex transactions' are illegal, so selling sex alone is in a gray area. However, the number of people involved must not exceed two, otherwise it constitutes organized sex trafficking, which is punishable by law.

"You're fishing for rich men, you're fishing for rich men too, you're all newly met rich men!" the policeman sneered. "Now I have reason to suspect that you are involved in organizing prostitution, come with us for investigation."

One by one, the doors to the private rooms in the nightclub were opened, and the police checked each one. The guests all looked very unhappy.

Those who can afford to book a private room are all wealthy people. Not only is it bad luck to have your fun interrupted, but it's also unlucky in itself.

Besides, when there are police officers around, they need to show their identification. They usually act all respectable in public, but now that their dirty side has been exposed, they feel very ashamed and angry.

"How did Caishen Yao manage to set up this event?!"

"Do it if you can, close the door if you can't."

"Damn it, don't call me again!"

"I'm sorry, it's our problem. Someone deliberately caused trouble for our boss." The account manager and the store's general manager all came out, whispering apologies.

"So you're saying I'm just unlucky? If you're in this line of work, you shouldn't cause trouble outside!"

"Just to explain, the responsibility lies entirely with us. The boss said that as an apology, we will give everyone three free meals, and we also guarantee that the police will not leave any records."

"Humph!"

The inspection took more than two hours, and by the time it was over, it was already 11 p.m. A large number of girls were taken away, which attracted paparazzi outside to take pictures like crazy.

The paparazzi are very well-informed. At noon, Wang Yaotang made a comment outside Lai Chi-fai's house, directly targeting the Fang family. That evening, the Fang family retaliated, using official power to cause trouble for Wang Yaotang.

Forget about opening for business today; we'll lose a lot of money. And it's foreseeable that business will plummet in the next few days. The group of people with the highest spending power hates trouble and won't come.

……

"Our initial estimate is that the losses this time will reach around 450 million. However, the most painful thing is that our reputation has been affected, and the associated losses are estimated to be as high as tens of millions. This is a very troublesome matter, you know. People come here to have fun. If they are harassed by the police, then they can't have any fun." The four-eyed guy shook his head.

"Legally speaking, we don't have any trouble. Those girls aren't our people; they were brought by other gangs' grooms. Getting them released is their job."

Wang Yaotang gently patted his thigh, his face expressionless. The actual and estimated losses here were cash flow, not the net profit he received.

Of the more than 70 venues, Tiansheng Entertainment holds 100% control of some smaller shares, but only half of the shares in large and medium-sized entertainment venues such as nightclubs and KTVs.

The girls in the club are controlled by pimps from other gangs, and he pays his underlings relatively high wages, so the profit margin isn't actually that high.

The advantage is that it has provided for the expenses of supporting a large number of subordinates, including a security team of nearly a thousand people.

Of course, there are gains and losses; there are no legal risks, and the money you receive is all clean.

Otherwise, the Fang family's mobilization of political resources to suppress Wang Yaotang would not have resulted in just a slight economic loss.

The same principle applies to other shareholders; these big players seek cooperation with organizations for this reason as well—to avoid legal risks.

"So what if it's a loss?" Wang Yaotang said softly. "I've smeared the Fang family so badly, and their investigation hasn't hurt me this time. I don't think they'll let it go." "Heh, if they want to investigate, then cooperate with them. Arrange for a few reporters to stake out downstairs tomorrow, and I'll give another interview."

"It's good to let them investigate. The Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Commercial Crime Bureau, the tax audit, food safety, etc. Even if there are some minor problems, they can't shake us. Let them see that we are not like those traditional triad forces such as Sun Kee, Tiao Lin, and Sheng Wo, who have a lot of mess to clean up and are therefore afraid of them."

"I'm a law-abiding citizen, why would I be afraid of them investigating!"

"If they can't find anything, then it's my turn to make trouble!"

"Aji, Ajie, let Da Mao and the others go to Pengcheng for a while. Hmm, send Hai Da to Haojiang. There are still some vacant apartments there, let them stay there."

“Okay.” Aji and Ajie nodded.

“Brother Yao, you said you were going to investigate those wine sellers, and there’s news.” Awei took out a large bag of photos and said, “There are too many wine sellers, thousands of them, big and small. After filtering out the small ones and those that are just a front for money laundering, there are more than 200 medium and large ones left. However, we won’t be able to find out if there are any connections between these companies in the short term.”

“I arranged for people to keep an eye on them for a period of time. Among them, more than a dozen companies had triad backgrounds, including Tiao Lin, Sheng He, Xin Ji, Shui Fang, and the four major companies.

"They're involved in smuggling too?" A-Jie asked, somewhat surprised.

"What's wrong with that? They're involved in any gray industry that makes money, just to varying degrees. Sun Kee, Sheng Wo, and Tiao Lin all smuggle wine, whiskey, cigars, cigarettes, and the like northwards, and some even use Hong Kong as a transit point to smuggle these things to Southeast Asia."

“Some of it also flows to small wine companies. If they all honestly pay taxes, how would they make any money?” Awei said with a laugh. “Almost half of it is tax!”

"Does it conflict with us?" Aji asked.

"They all operate within their own territory, and they don't dare to sell openly, so there's no conflict."

"What were the results of the investigation?" Wang Yaotang brought the topic back.

"Those that are too small, too big, or overseas have all been screened out. Our main focus is on the Yau Tsim Mong area. We have identified more than 20 companies with motives, and photos of their bosses and their associates are here."

"Alright, let's find our hero to recognize him tomorrow." Wang Yaotang remembered something and asked with a smile, "By the way, has this great hero been promoted?"

"Give birth my ass, the higher-ups said the promotion period for this year has already passed, and we'll have to wait until next year," Awei scoffed.

“Even if he’s capable, he won’t be promoted for reckless shooting.” Wang Yaotang shook his head. “Besides, once he’s promoted to inspector, he’ll be in the middle management, with a bright future ahead. He’ll start to value his life, so why would he still be willing to work like a slave?”

……

"How can you slander someone's innocence out of thin air!"

A low growl came from Councilor Fang's mouth.

The newspaper article contained Wang Yaotang's analysis, which the reporter then edited and expanded upon. The article never mentioned "experts" once, but anyone who wasn't stupid could tell who it referred to.

The guy surnamed Wang keeps saying he's here to 'bully the orphan and widow,' which seems like he's a real villain. But now, whoever ends up in this situation will be seen as 'bullying the orphan and widow.'

How could you say that!

Even if the Fang family doesn't make a move now, anyone else who tries to take a share of the inheritance will be seen as the Fang family behind it, wanting to get a piece of the pie!

He is simply not a human being!
Yesterday's investigation into the businesses under Wang Yaotang's name yielded no results, and several departments have already expressed their dissatisfaction with the Fang family.

The government is very particular about having a legitimate reason for its actions, and any action must have results. However, merely arresting a few people involved in organizing the sale of silver is really not worthy of such a large-scale operation, and it is also an insult to those who approved and presided over the operation.

Most importantly, if the Fang family does nothing while Wang is so openly jumping around in the media to smear the Fang family, wouldn't that mean the Fang family is afraid of a mere triad member, making them appear weak, like a bubble that can burst at any moment?

If that's really the case, who knows how many people will jump out to test the waters, and that would be a huge problem!

There are only 16 non-official Chinese members of parliament across both councils. Who wouldn't want to sit in that seat?

Even within their own faction, countless people want to bring them down!
He glared fiercely at Fang Mansheng, coldly uttered a sentence, and got up to leave, "Useless and a hindrance!"

Fang Mansheng's face was more pale than ever before, his hands trembled violently, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Angry!

A little voice inside me was screaming, "I didn't do it!"
Okay, they're outsiders framing me, I can tolerate it!

But you are my family, and you fucking don't believe me and are trying to frame me!
Okay, okay, since you all say I did it, then I'll show you!
If Madam Jing and her two children also die at the same time, then the heirs will be Lai Chi-fai's family members in mainland China.

However, given the current situation across the Taiwan Strait, the government is unlikely to assist in the search. Therefore, according to the Intestate Estates Ordinance and the Companies Ordinance, the shares will belong to the government, and the other shareholders of the company can purchase these shares back according to the Companies Ordinance. (End of Chapter)