1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 201 Human Life is Like Grass
"I just want to have sex with you once, without any conditions. Unfortunately, your love for me is too rational, and you are unwilling to give me a hint to do that..."

The driver drove the Rolls-Royce to Kwai Chung Pier with Shen Wei sitting in the passenger seat.

Ye Zhiming and Zhai Yuan were sitting in the back row, and they heard Zhai Yuan humming the song "A-Sneeze" all the way.

He frowned and said, "Don't write such obscene lyrics, be careful not to lead my sister astray."

Zhai Yuan smiled meaningfully and said, "Does your sister need me to lead her astray?"

Ye Yuqing's sneeze song was adapted from the song of the same name by the McGuire sisters in the 1950s. She wrote the bold and explicit lyrics herself and made no secret of her admiration for Zhai Yuan.

It has a similar style to the song "Perverted Girl Missing Someone" by a certain Taiwan sister.

The car stopped near the Tsing Yi Strait, and Ye Zhiming led Zhai Yuan and Shen Wei to the pier on foot.

Zhai Yuan asked: "Can I meet the shipping king?"

Ye Zhiming sneered and said, "For a business worth millions, will the shipping king come here in person?"

Sure enough, when we arrived at the dock, there was only a manager named Liu to receive the three of us.

Seeing Ye Zhiming approaching, Manager Liu took the initiative to greet him with a smile on his face: "Mr. Ye, Hailongxing has not left the port for the past two days, and is waiting for you to come over for inspection."

Ye Zhiming stepped aside and said, "This is my boss, Zhai Yuan. Please talk to him about the details."

"I know, Mr. Zhai from 1024. I am also a loyal audience of your theater. I have bought the diamond card."

Manager Liu was obviously informed of the situation in advance and knew that Zhai Yuan was the real buyer. He smiled and said, "Boss, the weather is nice today. Why don't you go out to sea and try some sea fishing? I'll introduce you to the staff."

Zhai Yuan nodded and said yes, and the group of four stepped onto the Sea Dragon Star on a sampan.

The whistle sounded and the cruise ship sailed out to sea.

"The Sea Dragon Star is a giant cruise ship, seven stories high, with a passenger capacity of 7 people and a speed of 650 nautical miles per hour..."

Moving around the rooms of the cruise ship, Manager Liu introduced the specific situation of the cruise ship to Zhai Yuan and his party.

This Sea Dragon Star, worth six million, is certainly not as big as a 100,000-ton cruise ship, but it is more than enough to be used as a gambling ship.

Under the guidance of Manager Liu, Zhai Yuan quickly understood the structure of the cruise ship.

In Zhai Yuan's opinion, the current internal structure of Hailongxing is still imperfect. Apart from the captain and sailors, it only has a few departments such as the restaurant department, medical department, maintenance department, and security department. After all, before this, it only ran short-distance passenger transport.

But if it is to be converted into a gambling boat, at least the environment should not be worse than that of a casino in Malaysia.

Zhai Yuan observed the cruise ship environment and roughly calculated in his mind that there should be at least necessary entertainment facilities such as bands, cinemas, bars, models, as well as a casino with different games and dealers...

If the capacity of Hailongxing is 650 people, the number of customers coming to consume each time only needs to be controlled at around 100, and the remaining staff must all be used to provide services to these wealthy customers.

Let the wealthy customers experience the feeling of being at home!

"Ye Zhiming said before that the renovation would only cost two to three million, but that was a bit conservative. If there were a few hundred more staff members, their salaries alone would cost over a million per month."

The salary of seafarers is much higher than that of workers on shore. Positions such as captain and first mate earn three to four hundred thousand yuan a year. The monthly salary of waiters on shore is two thousand yuan, which doubles at sea. In addition, they have to pay ten insurances and subsidies according to international labor laws.

"I've invested tens of millions before I make any money, which is enough to buy a small theater."

Zhai Yuan stood on the deck and looked out at the sea. He sorted out the general situation in his mind, then scratched his hair with a painful expression.

Manager Liu took Ye Zhiming to the deck and asked Zhai Yuan with a smile: "Mr. Zhai, what do you think of this Sea Dragon Star?"

Zhai Yuan rubbed his face and forced a smile: "Not bad."

Manager Liu asked tentatively: "Then when do you think we can sign the contract?"

"Any time! Right now!"

Zhai Yuan pretended to be generous in front of Ye Zhiming. He waved to Shen Wei who was standing beside him and asked him to discuss some contract details with Manager Liu.

Ye Zhiming sighed and said, "You spent millions to buy a cruise ship without blinking an eye. It seems that you are determined to win this business."

Zhai Yuan held onto the railing and said calmly, "It's just a small amount of money~"

But my heart couldn't help but bleed.

Pick that star! When the gambling boat is launched, first ask the Feng Shui master to set up a colorful phoenix holding an egg on the boat, hang a bat rat hanging money at the door, and all the dealers must wear red underwear to work...

Kill all!

…………

The registered address of Hailongxing is in Hong Kong. Although the transfer procedures will still take a few days, after the money is paid, the cruise ship can actually be controlled by Zhai Yuan.

It was already dark when we got off the boat.

Zhai Yuan had a seafood dinner on the boat. He thought it tasted good, but the crew members all looked sad.

On the way back, Zhai Yuan did not take Ye Zhiming's ride again, but discussed the remaining matters with Shen Wei alone.

He asked Shen Dazhuang: "How is your contact with the Five Patriarchs of Shaolin?"

Shen Wei was stunned for a moment when he heard the nickname before he reacted and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I can handle Shangguan Yonggan, who has the worst temper. We can leave for Panama at any time."

He knew that Zhai Yuan had spent millions to buy a cruise ship, and that he definitely couldn't avoid this overseas trip, so he felt much calmer.

Zhai Yuan asked curiously, "Can you handle Shangguan Yonggan?"

Shen Wei said: "When he first heard that you were going to start a gambling boat business, he was very rude and wanted to kick me out, but I told him that your movie God of Gamblers was approved by the higher-ups and that this time you were going to start a gambling boat to make money from capitalist corruption, and his attitude immediately changed 180 degrees."

Zhai Yuan heard him rip off his grandfather's tiger skin and coughed: "...You said that, it has nothing to do with me."

"Okay, if Grandpa investigates in the future, I will take full responsibility."

Shen Wei laughed twice and didn't take the matter to heart at all.

At worst, I can make up a lie to Shangguan Yonggan and let that big idiot believe that the gambling boat is a top secret that must not be leaked.

Shen Wei sighed in his heart: Oh! I've been with my boss for too long, and I feel like my bottom line has become much lower.

On a gambling ship, only the five Shaolin masters as security guards are obviously not enough.

In Zhai Yuan's plan, the Five Shaolin Patriarchs are the security captains of the gambling ship, and each of them must have at least a few team members under them.

If a gambling ship wants to take a long route to the high seas, it must select tough guys who dare to risk their lives with pirates.

The local gangs in Hong Kong are all scattered, and most of the so-called red sticks have never even touched a gun, not to mention that Zhai Yuan doesn't trust the people in Xinji.

Therefore, the remaining security guards have to be selected from other places.

Fortunately, Zhai Yuan had a suitable choice in mind. He turned to Shen Wei and said, "Call the five Shaolin ancestors tomorrow, and I will take them to recruit soldiers. Once we have enough people, we will set off to Panama immediately."

Shen Wei asked curiously: "Where are we going?"

Zhai Yuan pursed his lips and said, "Ma'anshan, Baishi Refugee Camp."

…………

In the mid-1970s, a large number of Vietnamese people smuggled into Hong Kong and settled in the Sha Tin District of the New Territories and the Sai Kung Peninsula.

According to incomplete statistics from the Hong Kong government, as of this year, at least 150,000 Vietnamese are illegally staying in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government has set up more than a dozen detention camps to accommodate them. The official name is Whitehead Detention Center, while the public calls it the Whitehead Refugee Camp.

But no matter how many confinement buildings were built, they were still not enough, and large numbers of Vietnamese continued to pour into the city.

In front of a refugee camp in Ma On Shan.

The Toyota pickup truck stopped by the roadside, and Zhai Yuan, Shen Wei and the five Shaolin ancestors got out of the car.

In front of the refugee camp, guards from the Correctional Services Department had been waiting for a long time and greeted them with smiles on their faces.

"Hello, Lawyer Shen. I'm Assistant Gao Yongxin. I spoke to you on the phone yesterday."

"Hello, Assistant Director Gao, this is my boss, Mr. Zhai Yuan."

"Mr. Zhai, I have heard of you for a long time!"

Gao Yongxin, the correctional director who was in his thirties and had two flowers on his shoulders, showed an enthusiastic attitude towards Zhai Yuan and his group, and did not look like a squad commander in the disciplined forces at all.

This is also related to the system of refugee camps.

In Hong Kong movies, it is often said that police officers are punished to "guard ponds", which sounds miserable, but compared with the guarding here, it is nothing.

The departments guarding the refugee camp are divided into the Correctional Department and the Health Department. Managers need to be stationed in the camp 365 days a year, guarding a group of Vietnamese refugees. Not to mention making money, they also have to bear the risk of the camp bombing at any time. Once transferred here, their hopes of promotion are basically cut off and it is difficult to return to the city.

So when Shen Wei called yesterday and said that the boss was coming to reward the guards who maintained stability in Hong Kong, Gao Yongxin and his men were already looking forward to it.

Zhai Yuan was not a problem either. He asked the Five Patriarchs of Shaolin to take down a few boxes of cigarettes and alcohol from the car, and the group of guards started to smile from ear to ear.

He then pulled Gao Yongxin over and stuffed a thick envelope into his hand, saying with a smile, "This is a small token of my appreciation. I will donate it in my personal name to Gao's assistant and your men."

Gao Yongxin took the envelope and roughly touched it, then he felt out at least 100,000 Hong Kong dollars inside. His whole face suddenly smiled like a bright chrysanthemum.

"Lawyer Shen has already told me on the phone that Mr. Zhai, you came here this time to pick a few Vietnamese who have been to the battlefield to form a security team."

Gao Yongxin affectionately pulled Zhai Yuan into the refugee camp, saying, "No problem! It's a blessing from their ancestors that you're willing to feed these piglets. I'll gather them to the playground later. Mr. Zhai, feel free to choose. If you're not satisfied with what's here, I'll bring another batch over from the next camp."

Zhai Yuan smiled and asked, "I'll probably need about thirty of them. Will that be too much trouble?"

"No! No matter how many there are, it's fine!" Gao Yongxin said proudly, "If you take a hundred today, I'll go to the mountain and catch two hundred tomorrow to make up for the number. Those air-conditioned idiots in the city may not come here once a year."

He added, "But there is one thing I want to make clear in advance. These Vietnamese piglets are undocumented illegal immigrants. Just give them food to eat. Don't be so kind as to take them to naturalization. Otherwise, you will be in trouble if they are found out."

Hong Kong has always had a repatriation attitude towards Vietnamese people. It would rather naturalize South Asian policemen than allow this group of people to stay.

Zhai Yuan understood the situation and smiled to reassure him: "I will get them a residence permit in Panama, and then return to Hong Kong."

Gao Yongxin nodded repeatedly: "Panama is good, Panama is good!"

Once I got through to the assistant director of the Correctional Services Department, the rest of the work became much easier.

Gao Yongxin blew a whistle, and thousands of Vietnamese people poured out of the coffin dormitories and lined up neatly on the playground.

The guards, armed with live ammunition, were on high alert, with sniper rifles mounted on the four lookout boxes.

"Mr. Zhai, would you like to try two Vietnamese women first?"

Gao Yongxin saw that the men and women on the playground were clearly distinguished, and asked Zhai Yuan with a smile.

Free Vietnamese girls are probably the only benefit for the guards in Bai Shi refugee camp. They don't even have to force them, as the Vietnamese girls will come up to them and beg them to sow seeds in their bodies in order to get Hong Kong residency.

Zhai Yuan glanced at the group of pale and skinny women, frowned and waved his hand.

Gao Yongxin immediately understood and shouted a few words in Vietnamese, and one third of the Vietnamese girls returned to the coffin dormitory.

Zhai Yuan doesn't need to worry about selecting people, as the Fifth Patriarch of Shaolin is an expert in this area.

Shangguan Yonggan was fooled by Shen Wei and said to Zhai Yuan mysteriously, "So you are an agent sent by the higher-ups to harvest capitalist funds. Don't worry, I know it's inconvenient for you to use your own people, so you picked these monkeys. It's easy to subdue them. I will definitely help you protect the country's assets when the time comes."

Zhai Yuan: “…”

Shen Wei, do you think it’s fun to bully a fool?

When thousands of Vietnamese people learned that if they were selected by Zhai Yuan today, they would not only have the opportunity to have enough food, but also be able to leave the Baishi refugee camp without being deported.

The scene instantly became more terrifying than if one had been injected with chicken blood.

The methods used by the Five Shaolin Patriarchs to select their elite soldiers were also very cruel, and all five of them could speak Vietnamese, so there was no communication barrier.

Armed fights, mutual brawls, gun testing at the shooting range...

Those who can still stand after one round can fight with the five of them again.

Zhai Yuan watched for a moment and then left with a frown. Shen Wei also felt that the scene was too brutal, so he followed him outside to smoke.

Gao Yongxin and his group were watching with great interest: "The five bodyguards that Mr. Zhai brought with him are really capable. I never thought that these piglets could play like this."

By the afternoon, more than a dozen dead bodies had appeared in the Baishi refugee camp.

Human life is like grass.

The guards covered the body with a white cloth as if nothing had happened, then handed it over to the people from the Department of Health, who put it in a black box truck for cremation.

Seeing Zhai Yuan frowning, Gao Yongxin smiled and comforted him, "It's a small matter. I'll talk to the guys at the water police and put the money on the list of people who were killed by machine guns while trying to stow away at sea."

Shen Wei took the several thousand Hong Kong dollars that Zhai Yuan handed to him, slapped them to Gao Yongxin and said, "Buy some gold ingot candles for worship, help!"

Gao Yongxin put the money into his pocket with a smile on his face: "Of course, Mr. Zhai is really kind-hearted..."

…………

8 month 16 day.

The midnight preview of "God of Gamblers" has lasted for a whole week.

With two shows every day, as public opinion fermented and word of mouth spread, the attendance rate of 1024 gradually climbed from the initial 73% to 98%, almost full, even exceeding the data of the midnight show of "A Better Tomorrow" last year.

Shen Wei, the Five Shaolin Masters and thirty Vietnamese were sent to Shanghai Longxing, and they were assigned a few chefs who suited their tastes.

Zhai Yuan stood at the port and watched the cruise ship break through the waves and head towards Panama.

Nine One Entertainment.

After finishing the most important part of the gambling boat, Zhai Yuan put his attention back on "God of Gamblers".

"Uni-Hwa has given us ten theaters this time. Together with 1024 and independent theaters outside, the screening schedule this time should be higher than that of A Better Tomorrow."

After looking at the midnight show data, Zhai Yuan said to Chen Lan, "The premiere is scheduled for two days later, on August 8th. How about posting it? What do you think?"

Chen Lan seemed to be worried about something and was slightly distracted. It was only a few seconds after Zhai Yuan finished asking the question that she responded.

She said with a forced smile, "Okay, everything will be arranged by the boss."

"It's not my arrangement. Sanhe also has a part in this movie."

Zhai Yuan frowned, stared at her and asked, "Did something happen?"

(End of this chapter)