1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 430: Jianghu Storm
End of month.

"The Silence of the Lambs" premiered at the 1024 Cinema.

Zhang Manyu transformed from a vase in "Police Story" to the leading lady of a commercial film, taking on a leading role for the first time.

For audiences in Taiwan, the bloody scenes in this film were deleted. If they want to watch the full version, they can only come to Hong Kong to watch it or buy the disc that was released a few months ago.

For local audiences, it means they can watch the full version of the film directly on the big screen without cutting out any details, which gives them a sense of superiority over audiences from other places.

……

"You know how I feel about you, Madam?"

On the screen,
Hopkins was imprisoned in the cell. He looked at the policewoman Zhang Manyu and smiled. "You carry a high-end leather bag but wear cheap shoes. You look like a bumpkin, a clean, busy bumpkin with a bit of taste. Although you grew up well-fed and well-clothed, you are still the descendant of the poor in the housing estate. You tried your best to get rid of your accent, the pure accent of the walled village. Is your father a worker in the Anderson mine? Does he smell like kerosene lamps? Those boys in the city quickly hooked up with you and touched you in the back seat of the car, but you dreamed of staying in the city and getting promoted in the police department, so you found me."

Zhang Manyu, who had been keeping her elegance, was poked in the sore spot. Her cheeks began to twitch, but she still tried to keep a calm smile, her tone trembling with excitement: "Do you dare to use this kind of insight to examine yourself? Maybe you are afraid to do so!"

Hopkins' tone remained calm: "Once a colleague of yours wanted to investigate me, so I ate his liver with broad beans and red wine. Go back to the police school, little sparrow, fly~fly~fly~"

Zhang Manyu got up and left at a loss. When she passed the cell next to her in the corridor, another prisoner who was doing manual work threw a seed in her face, which stuck to her eyebrows...

……

In this play, Hopkins presented a different style of criminal to the audience for the first time.

Just like when "The Godfather" was released, gang leaders all over the world rushed to imitate Marlon Brando's accent and dress.

In the Hong Kong gangster films before this, which were based on reality, most of the young and dangerous guys were shirtless, pale and skinny, and looked like hooligans. Later, after watching "The Godfather", they began to wear suits and ties to dress up as upper-class gentlemen. Hong Kong films improved accordingly, and then they produced the image of young and dangerous guys who were tall and strong, loyal and affectionate.

"The Silence of the Lambs" represents the rise of another genre, namely the high-IQ crime film with a gentlemanly murderer as the character.

To the extent that later on, criminals in Hong Kong films would feel embarrassed to appear on screen without wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

"Damn! This foreign guy is more ruthless than Li Wen!"

"Li Wen is worried about being caught by the police when making counterfeit money. If he cooperates with Hannibal, he will be invincible!"

"I think Hannibal will eat Li Wen..."

There were whispers in the audience.

Theater corner,

A teenage girl watched the screen as Zhang Manyu had her mask of vanity ruthlessly torn off by Hopkins. She felt the same way and hid her cheap knockoff bag in her arms.

The descendant of a poor family pretends to be a rich and beautiful woman. Her father is a miner. She has been seduced and harassed since she was a child. She wants to find another way to change her fate...

Isn’t this a true portrayal of my life?

"Jiaxin, after watching this play, how about I drive you to Taipingshan for a night ride?"

A man in his thirties next to her had a greasy smile and his dirty hands on Li Jiaxin's shoulders. He had made up his mind that he would get this pretty girl tonight.

Li Jiaxin, who will turn 18 next month, trembled, and then a reproachful smile appeared on her face. Instead of retreating, she moved closer to the man: "Brother Peter, you promised to send me a notice last week, but there has been no movement until now. Did you lie to me?"

"Of course not. The boss of your modeling company is my brother. I can make you famous in a matter of minutes if I ask."

Peter patted his chest and promised, pinched her shoulder with his salty hands, and said with a smile: "But there are too many models in the company, and everyone wants to be on stage. Whoever is sensible should be given a chance~"

Li Jiaxin clenched her fist, naturally knowing what "sensible" meant.

She started working and studying at the age of fourteen, and completed her studies entirely with the income from part-time modeling. She has seen too many chaos in the modeling circle. There are countless examples of female models who could not get any resources the day before suddenly disappearing in the staff dormitory for a few nights, and then appearing on stage one after another and being spotted by film and television companies to enter the entertainment industry. As for what the other party did during those nights they disappeared and why they smelled fishy when they came back, how could she, who is almost eighteen years old, not understand?
"Something happened at home tonight..."

Li Jiaxin said cautiously, looking at the man's profile. Seeing that he frowned, she immediately smiled and said, "How about next Saturday, Brother Peter?"

As she spoke, she gently shook the man's arm.

Peter's expression looked better now, and he said with a smile: "Okay, but you have to think it over carefully. There are too many pretty girls who want to be promoted now. If you hesitate any longer, the opportunity may be snatched away by others."

The movie plot on the screen quickly passed the halfway point.

Li Jiaxin watched the plot of the movie, in which Zhang Manyu was humiliated by another prisoner in the cell by having a seed thrown on her face, which aroused Hopkins' dissatisfaction. He said a few words to the prisoner casually, causing the other party to swallow his tongue and commit suicide. She couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

She had the same experience as the heroine in the movie, but she didn't meet a mysterious male protagonist like Hopkins.

At the end of the film, Hopkins escaped from prison easily, and Zhang Manyu was promoted for successfully arresting criminals based on the clues he provided.

Amid applause from the audience, subtitles rolled on the big screen and the film ended.

In the list of thanks, Hopkins’ title introduction occupies most of the picture:
Thanks to Anthony Hopkins, guest professor of Chunqiu Academy of Performing Arts, Hollywood superstar, and famous English drama actor, for his passionate performance.

"It turns out that the ghost actor Hannibal is a professor. No wonder his acting is so outstanding."

"Chunqiu Performing Arts Academy? Is it a new school that has been promoting itself everywhere recently?"

"Yes, the art school founded by Prodigy Tongyuan will open in September. Chen Shilong, Zhong Chuhong, Wan Ziliang and others have performed on stage..."

Amid the discussions, the reputation of the Chunqiu Academy of Performing Arts was also fermented.

However, the audience in the theater did not leave.

The post-credits Easter eggs have become a regular feature of 91 Entertainment.

This time, a line of text was displayed on the big screen:
Don't go away! There are two more Easter eggs at the end!
In the dim theater, the behind-the-scenes credits rolled halfway, the screen lit up again, and the first Easter egg appeared on the big screen.

……

On the screen, Zhang Manyu, who has been promoted to Senior Inspector, moves skillfully into a ward to interrogate the disfigured suspect played by Liang Jiahui who is lying on the bed.

Liang Jiahui: "When you talked to Mr. Hannibal Lecter, did you feel that you were in tune with him? I did feel that way when I cut off my face."

In Zhang Manyu's stunned and nostalgic expression, scenes of the murder flashed back.

In the strong contrast between light and shadow, half of Hannibal's profile appears in the shadow.

……

The first Easter egg ends, and the second Easter egg follows closely.

But it was not the "Silence of the Lambs" series, but the trailer for Girls' Generation's "High School Musical".

The camera passed over the golden sign of the Spring and Autumn Academy of Performing Arts, and the lively scene of the girl group members singing and dancing revealed a trailer for the summer release of "High School Musical".

Of course, it's not completely irrelevant.
At the end of the trailer, Hopkins appears on the screen as a university professor, walking through the classroom corridor in a suit and tie. Suddenly he stops and looks at the camera, as if breaking through half of the four walls. He smiles slightly and blinks at the camera.

The scene ends here.

"Damn! Ogres invaded the campus. Can this be linked?"

The audience laughed and joked, breaking up the gloomy atmosphere of the cannibal. If it weren't for the fact that "High School Musical" was clearly stated to be a movie for all ages, everyone would have thought it was a story about Hannibal rushing into the Spring and Autumn Academy of Performing Arts and killing everyone.

The crowd gradually dispersed.

Li Jiaxin was still sitting in the audience in a daze, with images of the joyful youth of the girl group Girls' Generation emerging in her mind. Comparing them with her own situation, she couldn't help but feel envious.

"What?"

Peter, who was standing beside me, answered the phone at some point, holding his mobile phone and yelling, "Are you brave enough to come and try this? Fuck you! I'm coming back right now!"

His vulgar words attracted the attention of many people around him.

Li Jiaxin felt inexplicably embarrassed.

Then Peter hung up the phone. He was no longer interested in flirting with the pretty girl next to him. He told her to go back by herself and then hurried out of the theater.

Li Jiaxin looked at the other person's leaving back, breathed a sigh of relief, and got through it again.

But what should I do next week?

The pretty girl frowned in distress, walked out of the theater aimlessly, and came to a convenience store outside.

After hesitating for a moment, he borrowed a phone and dialed the number.

Li Jiaxin held the receiver and asked nervously, "Hello? Is this the Miss Hong Kong Pageant? I am No. 27 Li Jiaxin. When will the list of finalists be announced?..."

…………

"Peter, you came at the right time."

The Yau Ma Tei Jingyi Hall was located in a tea restaurant. When Peter, who had said goodbye to Li Jiaxin and hurriedly arrived, entered the hall, the boss Niu Shixiong had already blown the whistle and gathered dozens of people, filling the entire restaurant.

"Big brother, Brother Xian."

Peter went upstairs and saw Niu Shixiong sitting by the window. Next to Niu Shixiong was a familiar face, Li Xiuxian, the Jingyi veteran who had been cleansed and got ashore.

"Now Xinji and the number are helping the Yizi pile to start a business, and the Xiaozi pile is taking advantage of the situation and even stepped into our chicken coop's territory."

Niu Shixiong said in an unhappy tone: "You take a group of people to Bolan Street to plant the flag. After this is done, I will give you a promotion!"

Peter's heart skipped a beat. He was not as arrogant as he was in front of Li Jiaxin. He said in embarrassment: "The Number Gang has a lot of people in Portland Street. I'm afraid..."

"Shock! Do you want me to lead the troops to cross it myself?" Niu Shixiong glared at him and said, "What's the point of keeping useless people like you?"

Peter smiled and said, "No, why would I scare him? Number, go now!"

I went downstairs in a hurry, and found a group of guys in the restaurant already ready to go.

"Brother Peter, do you want to do something?"

"I've been annoyed by those losers who helped me with my numbers for a long time. This time I'm going to step into Portland Street and beat up those losers!"

"Brother Peter, the boss asked us to follow you. Remember to recruit me when you get a job!"

Blue Lantern and New Four-Nine were so excited that they couldn't wait to make achievements for the society and show off their power.

Peter, the old man, was feeling very nervous.

What level is Ji Liao Jing Yi? It's okay to scare the neighbors and street prostitutes, but he really wants to go to war with one of the three major gangs and step into Portland Street? If Niu Shi Xiong is really capable of such a good thing, does he need to put himself on the stage?
Although he was timid in his heart, Peter still pretended to be calm in front of a group of younger brothers.

"Brothers, do what A-Da tells you to do, stir up filial piety and make the whole place a mess!" He took a deep breath and said fiercely, "Take your weapons and step into Portland Street tonight! Make achievements and make my reputation!"

Blue Lantern and Xin Sijiu were excited, and led by Peter, they all walked to the refrigerator.

After opening the top cover, a bunch of cold beef knives, steel pipes and hatchets were dug out from the ice.

Since the release of the "Feng Yun" comic, Xue Yin Dao has become famous, and the Young and Dangerous gangs have been affected and have become accustomed to freezing the guys.

Peter looked at the group of 'Nie Feng' in their twenties in front of him, and glanced upstairs, feeling vaguely that he had been tricked by Niu Shixiong.

Suppressing his fear, he took the machete handed to him by his younger brother, pointed the blade outwards and said, "Do it!"

By the second floor window.

Niu Shixiong and Li Xiuxian witnessed Peter and his brothers taking to the streets, getting into several vans and heading towards Portland Street.

"Brother Xian, Peter has been following me for ten years. This time he steps into Portland Street, he will probably never come back."

Niu Shixiong rubbed his chin and said with regret on his face.

Unlike the usual horse-showing demonstrations, they came with weapons and were determined to kill people. It was not known whether the dozens of people who entered Portland Street could come back alive.

Li Xiuxian said unconcernedly, "Okay, wait until this is over and the territory is redistributed. I have discussed this with Xu Jiaqiang, and Xinji will give you a few venues as compensation."

"Can my model company get in touch with Sanhe Film Company? If we can bring out a few movie stars, they can sell for a higher price in the future."

"Wow! You are so greedy!" Li Xiuxian rolled his eyes at him and said, "I'll ask for you when I have time. Prepare a few high-quality ones in advance. If Xu Jiaqiang doesn't accept them, I will. Why would I be allowed to be your fellow apprentice?"

"Thank you, Brother Xian~"

"No need. Once your group of Blue Lanterns are dispersed by the Number Gang, Jingyi's elite troops will be able to appear. Then Xinji will join forces with you."

"I know, there has to be an excuse to start a war!"

Niu Shixiong smiled, completely forgetting Peter and his gang, and then asked curiously, "It's understandable that Xinji and Jingyi's family formed an alliance, but why are Hehetu, Lian Gongle, and Lianyingshe also involved?"

Just recently he heard that in addition to his own war with the Xiao character pile of the Number Gang, at the same time, several other character piles in Hong Kong also joined the war, each using different excuses, or even no excuses at all, and directly went after the other character piles of the Number Gang.

Especially Huang Bainian, who belonged to the Yong group of the same number gang, announced that he had severed ties with Hu Xuyong. The Yi group and the De group started fighting against each other.

However, Blind Bing, a veteran of Hehetu, sent his men to lead troops into the territory of Black and White Impermanence of Jiujiang Street for no reason, and the internal faction of Hezitou fell into chaos again.

Zeng Zhiwei of Lian Gongle was approached by Fu Yi Film Company. The boss Gu Lixiong stood up for his student and burned down the set of Fu Yi Studios...

In just a few days, the flames of war spread from a small gang to the three major gangs, and were about to set off a new round of storm in the underworld.

"Ah~ Just do your job, don't ask too many questions."

Li Xiuxian lit a cigarette, turned his head to the side and blew the smoke out of the window. The harmless face of Boss Zhai appeared in his mind.

This added fuel to the fire and set off a huge underworld storm, involving all the big and small gangs in Hong Kong, and was accompanied by a series of shootings.

No matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem as simple as just dealing with Cai Ziming!

(End of this chapter)