Hong Kong Movie: At the beginning, Big Boss B asked me to draw the death lottery

Chapter 172 Damn it, they actually tried to collect protection money from me!
"Zeju, today I'm going to teach you something—you coward got to where you are today step by step, and it was never luck you relied on!"

Li Jiacheng's face began to show great displeasure. Over the decades, he had risen from the owner of a plastic flower factory to become a real estate tycoon in Hong Kong. He asked himself if he had ever relied on luck!
Li Zeju finally managed to get his thoughts out, only to have his father reject them outright, which made him feel quite upset.

"Father, as the saying goes, heroes are made by the times."

You said our Li family's success today isn't due to luck, but if it weren't for the British and the mainland..."

"enough!"

Li Jiacheng gave a stern rebuke, then took a deep breath.

"Since you've already done it, let's just wait and see."

Zeju, I actually admire your courage; you can think of things that others cannot.

We can wait and see how things develop, but I have only one request!

Li Zeju's face immediately lit up with joy: "What are your requirements?"

“When you’re planning things in the future, you should always remember to ask me first, so that we can discuss things together, instead of me making decisions without knowing anything about it.”

If you can't even meet this requirement, then you should prepare to leave Cheung Kong Holdings and go to London to manage your investment company!

Li Zeju immediately and excitedly agreed: "No problem, Father!"
-
Three days have passed in the blink of an eye, and the land reclamation project in Silvermine Bay remains suspended because the construction vehicles purchased from Taiwan have not yet arrived.

At night in Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan, the damp sea breeze carries the smell of diesel fuel and salty fish.

Big D stood at the edge of the dock, the cigarette between his fingers flickering in the darkness. Behind him were three brand-new Hitachi excavators, five dump trucks, and a heavy bulldozer, their metal casings gleaming coldly in the dim dock lights.

The person in charge of liaising with Big D was Qiu Zhiyong, a confidant of the Tiger Hall leader of the Triad in Taiwan.

"Brother D, let's check the goods."

Qiu Zhiyong handed a goods list to Da D, and then lit a cigarette himself.

"Damn! It's a perfectly legitimate business, why is it being made to look like it's something shady?"

Big D took the list from Qiu Zhiyong, glanced at it, and his face immediately darkened.

"What's going on? We agreed on twenty excavators, ten bulldozers, and thirty dump trucks, so why did you only send this few?"
"Damn it, the fuel cost for me to drive the boat back and forth isn't even worth it!"

Qiu Zhiyong couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry, I've already notified the supplier in Kobe to ship the goods as soon as possible."

"But we encountered a little trouble along the way..."

"What a hassle, we're not paying!"

"It's not a problem with the suppliers, it's because you and Luen Shing have been making too much headlines in Hong Kong lately."

Now all the gangs in East Asia know that your boss is going against the British.

The Sanwakai in Kobe seized your construction vehicles at the dock. They've told Li Cheng You at the Yangtze River estuary that you and Lian Sheng have to pay at least $50,000 in tolls for each vehicle!

"Fuck your mother! Fifty thousand dollars per car, why don't they just rob it?"

Big D was annoyed and immediately moved closer to Qiu Zhiyong, spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth, and said.

"Why are you only telling me this now?!"

“I was kept in the dark too. I only found out about this when I came to the dock this afternoon to check the goods for you.”

"Isn't your Sanlian Gang the largest gang on Taiwan Island, and doesn't it have connections with Japanese gangs?"

How can you not even handle something this simple!

Faced with Da D's questioning, Qiu Zhiyong couldn't help but feel annoyed.

He was only ordered to work for Wo Luen Shing, and he didn't get a single penny of benefit from it.

If it weren't for the Thunder God's word, he wouldn't bother with these plague-related matters.

Now that Big D dared to question him, he was immediately annoyed and retorted.

"Big D, in Taiwan, if you or the Lian Sheng gang ever need anything, our Sanlian Gang can help you."

But that's in Japan! Damn it, what can we do when the Japanese are causing trouble for you on their own turf? Damn it!!

After being rebuked by Qiu Zhiyong, Da D immediately realized that his tone was inappropriate.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just too anxious."

Seeing that Big D apologized, Qiu Zhiyong's expression softened.

"There's no use in being anxious; these Japanese are the most troublesome."

How about this: if all else fails, we can go to Germany and explore the market there.

Although German machines are not as cheap as Japanese ones, their quality is undeniable.

"Our Triad gang won the bids with the Construction and Planning Department, and we used exclusively German-made components!"

"Wait! By the time the machine arrives from the Germans, it'll be too late!"
Brother, do you think we at Wo Shing want to do business with the Japanese? The key is, we need it urgently!

Qiu Zhiyong shrugged: "Then there's nothing we can do. If it really comes down to it, just pay up..."

"Damn it! Others may not know our leader's temper, but I certainly do."

"If he were willing to pay money to Eguchi Toshiaki of the Sanwakai, I would have devoured all these construction vehicles, bite by bite!"

"What can we do? You're being suppressed by the Hong Kong Island Chamber of Commerce. You can't just take a shovel and pickaxe and dig it up bit by bit, can you?"

Big D gritted his teeth and then took out his phone.

"You don't need to worry about it. Go back to the hotel and wait for me. I'll treat you to a meal later!"

After sending Qiu Zhiyong away, Big D immediately dialed He Yaozong's number.

"Boss, something's happened..."

Over the phone, Big D recounted the entire ordeal to He Yaozong.

Surprisingly, He Yaozong was unusually calm on the other end of the phone.

"You mean the prepayment has already been made? And the supplier isn't taking any action?"

"I handed it over, but I heard from the Sanlian Gang that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has a particularly ambiguous relationship with the local yakuza."

Especially when it comes to local gangs extorting Chinese people, they turn a blind eye.

If we insist on not paying, the supplier may not be able to withstand the pressure and may find another way to ship the goods to us.

It might take a long time..."

"Is the headquarters of this Sanwa-kai located in Shinjuku, Tokyo?"

"Seems to be……"

"Alright then, you can rest in Kaohsiung for a couple of days and wait for my follow-up!"

As He Yaozong spoke, he hung up the phone.

……

Inside a villa on Beacon Hill, Hong Kong Island.

He Yaozong made a phone call and summoned Dongguan Boy over.

“Dongguan boy, I remember you told me yesterday that Dafei, that bastard, was escorting a batch of weapons to Japan.”

If I remember correctly, you told me that this shipment was destined for Eguchi Toshiaki of the Sanwakai, right?

"That's right. The Sanwa Society has recently been fighting with many gangs in Tokyo. Dafei is currently in Tokyo discussing future cooperation with the Sanwa Society. I've already arranged for people to keep a close eye on him."

We can arrest him as soon as he sets off back to Hong Kong Island!

"This isn't about Dafei!"

He Yaozong's eyes were like knives as he slowly said, "Eguchi Toshiaki of the Sanhehui has crossed the line with me."

I heard they've recently been cracking down on a Chinese gang called the Hua Long Hui in Shinjuku. I'm interested in supporting this gang, and ideally, completely wiping out the Sanhe Hui!

The Dongguan guy was very puzzled: "Boss, why would you go and support a Japanese-Chinese gang?"

"Because Jiangkou Licheng intercepted my goods! Dozens of construction vehicles, each demanding a toll of $50,000."

"That damn bastard, he's trying to extort protection money from me! He'll be the one to die!"

He Yaozong paused and continued.

"Right now, Hengyao Real Estate is in dire need of rebuilding. Although the Japanese are hated by some, we still need to purchase a lot of equipment from them."

Japan is a place where gang culture is prevalent. If we don't cultivate a loyal force in Japan, there will likely be even more trouble in the future!

Dongguan boy nodded thoughtfully, but he still didn't know what He Yaozong meant by calling him over.

He could only stare at He Yaozong, waiting for him to continue.

“Listen, Dongguan boy, you should head to Tokyo right now.”

"Find the leader of the Hualong Society in Shinjuku and discuss cooperation with them..."

In the study, Ho Yiu-chung and the Dongguan boy talked for a long time.

Nearly twenty minutes later, Dongguanzi emerged from He Yaozong's study with a grave expression.

The thought of sending Ho Yiu-chung to other countries to cultivate a force loyal to Wo Luen Shing is thrilling.

But if I mess things up, how am I supposed to explain it to He Yaozong?
After shaking his head vigorously, Dongguan Boy decided to stop thinking about it.

As the saying goes, anything is possible with human effort. He came to Hong Kong Island empty-handed with just a phone call from Boss Quan, and within two years he became the head of the Wo Luen Shing Wan Chai.

Recruiting in Tokyo shouldn't be too difficult this time!
Kabukicho Ichiban-gai in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Inside an izakaya, Dafei sat in front of a tatami mat, sipping sake while listening to the young man sitting opposite him.

"Brother Dafei, you sold the guns to those Sanhehui people. Do you know what they're going to do with these guns?"
"It's for fighting our Hualong Society!" "What does that have to do with me? Whoever pays me, I'll sell the gun to them."

As for what they do with the guns, that's none of my business!

Dafei put down his wine glass and glanced at the young man sitting opposite him with a cold smile.

He continued, "Aberdeen, why don't you go and talk to Iron Head? If you offer the right price, I can sell you the gun too!"

"I did send someone to Hong Kong Island to look for you before, but you thought our offer was too low."

But selling your stuff to the Sanhehui (Triads) is a bit too much, isn't it...?

"Hey! I'm happy that you're treating me to dinner, but if you're trying to lower my price, I suggest you shut up!"
Our relationship is merely that of people from the same place in a foreign land; we're not as close as you claim.

Dafei crossed his legs and continued speaking.

"If you don't have money, just keep your head down and be a decent person. Why do you have to try to grab territory like others?"

You need to get this straight, this is Japan. Why would a loser like you, who can't even survive on his own turf, insist on going to fight someone?

Aberdeen remained silent, but a restless, menacing glint began to flicker in his eyes.

This gesture made Dafei cautious, and he immediately changed his words.

"Of course, if you are truly sincere in cooperating with me, the price is negotiable."

I recently acquired a batch of weapons that were about 60% new, but they were all rifles.

"If you're not afraid of being wiped out by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and dare to use long guns in Tokyo, I can sell you these guns at cost price."

Kabukicho Ichiban-gai, Shinjuku, Tokyo
"Brother Dafei, are you serious?!"

"What good would it do to lie to you, you idiot?"
However, you'll have to pay for the shipping. Go and have a good talk with your boss, Tie Tou. If you want to, let me know as soon as possible.

Any later, and I might have sold these guys to someone else.

Soon it was evening.

Iron Head, the leader of the Hualong Society, was leaning back in a chair in a private room of a Chinese restaurant, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his mouth, his eyes looking tired.

On the table in front of me was a pile of leftover edamame shells.

"Brother Ironhead, the Metropolitan Police Department guys are here again."

Aberdeen sat in front of Iron Head and said in a low voice, "They said our shop's fire safety is not up to standard and we have to suspend operations for rectification."

Tie Tou took a deep drag on his cigarette and exhaled a breath of stale air.

This is the third time this month.

Since the Sanwa Society began targeting them, the Metropolitan Police Department's patrols have become unusually frequent—fire safety, sanitation, taxation—any excuse can shut them down for several days.

"That bastard Eguchi Toshinari is trying to force us to our deaths."

Ironhead cursed under his breath.

“There’s something even worse.”

Aberdeen's face was gloomy.

“The Sanhehui members have said that if we don’t pay the ‘management fee,’ the next time it won’t be as simple as just closing down.”

Tie Tou remained silent. He knew the methods of the Sanhehui—they dared to fire shots on the streets of Shinjuku, set fire to shops, and even make disobedient people "disappear."

More importantly, the Sanhe Society's demands went beyond simply requiring them to pay so-called management fees.

Japanese gangsters will not allow Chinese people to have a place to live on the streets of Shinjuku.

These Chinese people can wash dishes, sell roasted chestnuts, or do any kind of illegal work that is not protected by law, but they cannot gather together and form a force that can threaten the interests of local gangs!
"We're out of money."

Tie Tou finally spoke, his voice slightly hoarse.

Aberdeen clenched his fist, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes: "Brother Iron Head, we can't keep putting up with this."

Tie Tou fell silent again. He didn't want to make a big fuss; he just wanted to help his brothers survive.

Aberdeen immediately pressed his advantage: "Brother Iron Head, ever since you came to Shinjuku, all the brothers have respected you and followed your lead!"

Recently, an arms dealer from Hong Kong Island shipped a batch of guns to Japan. I happened to know him, so I took him to an izakaya for a few drinks at noon.

He said he had a batch of rifles that he could sell to us at a low price…

"enough!"

Before Aberdeen could speak, Iron Head interrupted him sharply.

"Aberdeen, are you trying to drive your brothers to the brink of utter ruin?"

I want to help my brothers survive, that's true, but every single one of them must live with dignity, live like human beings!

Aberdeen stopped talking. He felt helpless, but he knew his older brother's temper.

Once he's made up his mind, nothing can sway him.

The atmosphere began to stiffen, and Tie Tou was now caught in a dilemma.

On the one hand, he wanted to find a way for his brothers to make a living; on the other hand, it was his fundamental principle as a person.

He didn't want the Hualong Society to develop into a notorious gang, but he forgot one thing—

Shinjuku, where they lived, was a notorious place where gangs congregated.

Their adherence to their principles made the Hualong Society passive in every situation, making them appear increasingly out of place.

A short while later, a restaurant waiter came in and whispered a few words in Tie Tou's ear.

Tie Tou nodded, dismissed the waiter, and then spoke.

"Aberdeen, a guest from your hometown is coming to visit later. Stay here and help me meet him!"

"Who?"

“People from Hong Kong Island and Luen Shing have contacted me, saying they are willing to help our Wah Lung Society through this crisis!”

Aberdeen's eyes darted around. As a downtrodden man who had come from Hong Kong Island to Tokyo to make a living, he certainly knew what Wo Luen Shing meant in Hong Kong Island.

Why should the people from Wo Shing Shing help us?

"I don't know. If they have ill intentions, then I'll have no choice but to close the door to visitors."

Tie Tou couldn't help but sigh. Of course, he knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

But in this desperate situation, he didn't want to miss any glimmer of hope. Regardless of Wo Luen Shing's purpose, since he was already here, he should at least go and see them.

A moment later, Dongguan boy entered the private room.

"Brother Iron Head, I've heard so much about you."

The man from Dongguan greeted them in fluent English, and then, without saying another word, placed a black leather suitcase on the table.

Tie Tou didn't move, he just stared at him: "Brother, what does this mean?"

"Mr. He heard that you're not having a good time in Shinjuku and would like to make friends."

Aberdeen sat next to Iron Head, but his eyes were fixed on the suitcase.

The Dongguan guy smiled and reached into his suitcase—inside were stacks of brand-new US dollars.

"Mr. Ho instructed me that we and Lian Sheng should help our Chinese brothers who are displaced abroad as much as we can."

Here's two million US dollars. As long as Brother Tietou nods, this money belongs to the Hualong Society.

Ironhead took a deep breath.

What are Mr. He's conditions?

Dongguan Boy sat up straight and said calmly, "Mr. He's condition is very simple—the Hualong Society will completely replace the Sanhe Society in Japan."

In addition, I need to bring three Li Chengs onto the ship before tonight.

"Then the brothers from the Hualong Society will need to lure Jiang Kou Licheng out under the guise of negotiations. I'll handle the rest myself."

Iron Head didn't move, but Aberdeen's breathing became noticeably rapid.

He couldn't help but whisper, "Brother Iron Head..."

Tie Tou raised his hand to interrupt him, then looked at Dongguanzi: "Please tell Mr. He that Hualong Society will handle its own predicament. We appreciate Mr. He's kindness, but we will not do things like kidnapping people!"

Dongguan guy shrugged: "Brother Tietou, take my advice. Jiangkou Licheng is your mortal enemy. There's no room for compromise between you two."

Tie Tou remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his head: "The Hua Long Society is a Chinese business association, not a gang!"

I'm sorry, but I really can't grant your request.

The Dongguan guy raised an eyebrow, seemingly having expected this answer.

He closed his suitcase, stood up, and his gaze fell on the Hong Kong boy beside him.

After exchanging eager glances with Aberdeen, he looked at Iron Head again.

"Brother Tietou, Mr. He said that if you don't do it, someone else will be willing to do it."

If you've thought it through, come find me in room 1216 of the Kai Rui Hotel before 2 PM tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you!

After saying that, Dongguan boy picked up his suitcase, turned around, and left the restaurant's private room.

Seeing that the Dongguan boy left so decisively, the Hong Kong boy could no longer hold back.

He jumped up and looked at Tie Tou.

"Brother Iron Head, what time is it? Why are you still pretending to be high and mighty?"
Are you satisfied with seeing us brothers living like we used to, barely scraping by?!

(End of this chapter)