Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

Three o'clock in the morning, in a small wooden house in Xiangshan Village.

Far from the main battlefield of the dock, the sea breeze whistles through the cracks in the dilapidated wooden planks, sounding like a mournful dirge for the deceased.

The room was deathly silent, with only the heavy smell of blood lingering in the air.

"Huff... huff..."

Feng Yuxiu leaned against the moldy wall, his chest heaving violently. His hoodie was torn to shreds by a sharp blade, and his body was covered with several shocking cuts. Blood dripped from his fingertips onto the dusty floor, and his face was swollen like a steamed bun.

But he did not fall.

Those eyes, gleaming with a wild, red light, were still frighteningly bright. They reflected the intense, exhilarating satisfaction he had gained after surviving a life-or-death struggle.

At his feet lay a lifeless corpse.

Tony.

This Muay Thai master, who was once invincible in Wan Chai and a headache for both the police and Hung Hing, was now contorted in a bizarre posture. His sternum was completely collapsed, his limbs were violently broken, and his usually cold eyes were now wide open, pupils dilated, and he died with his eyes wide open, unable to close.

He couldn't believe until his death that there was someone in this world even crazier than him, someone who could break through his proud Muay Thai with pure fists and feet.

"Muay Thai... is nothing special," Feng Yuxiu spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, looked at the corpse on the ground, and a cruel and gleeful smile appeared on his lips. "You lost."

This battle was exhilarating.

However, Feng Yuxiu didn't bask in his victory for long. Although he was a madman, he wasn't stupid. The distant sound of police sirens reminded him that the commotion would soon attract the cops.

"It's time to wrap up."

Feng Yuxiu pulled out a bottle of chemical reagent he had prepared beforehand and skillfully cleaned away the fingerprints and bloodstains he had left behind. This was a compulsory course that the instructors had repeatedly instilled in him at the "Drinkhouse" training camp—murder is an art, and cleanup is a technique.

After cleaning, he took a transparent glass bottle out of his pocket.

The bottle contained a clear liquid, and a simple label was affixed to the bottle—Korn.

Feng Yuxiu knelt down and gently placed the bottle of wine on Tony's forehead.

This is the rule of the "brewing company".

Every "field mission" must be marked with a code name.

"Come find me again in your next life, after you've mastered your kung fu."

Feng Yuxiu glanced at Tony one last time, then turned and limped into the darkness, disappearing without a trace like a lone, proud wolf.

……

Twenty minutes later.

"Bang!"

The rickety wooden door of the shack was violently kicked open.

Ma Jun, carrying a .38 caliber police rifle and reeking of gunpowder, rushed in, followed by several detectives from the Major Crimes Unit holding shields.

"Don't move! Police... huh?"

Ma Jun's roar abruptly stopped.

The beam of the flashlight swept across the room and settled on the gruesome corpse on the floor.

"Boss! It's Tony!" a junior officer exclaimed. "He's dead!"

Ma Jun lowered his gun and strode forward. As a skilled fighter, his pupils contracted sharply after just one glance at Tony's injuries.

There were no gunshot wounds, only blunt force injuries.

Especially the dent in his chest, it was clear that his heart had been smashed by a heavy punch.

"What domineering punching power..." Ma Jun gasped. He had exchanged blows with Tony a few times before and knew how tough this guy was. To be able to beat Tony like this with his bare hands, the opponent must be a top-notch expert.

Immediately afterwards, Ma Jun's gaze fell on the bottle on Tony's forehead.

"Cohen Wine..." Ma Jun's eyes became complicated. "It's them again."

"Boss, what's the meaning of this bottle?" a junior officer who had only been on the job for a few days asked, puzzled.

"A distillery," Ma Jun said in a deep voice, "a mysterious organization that has recently emerged in the underworld. Nobody knows who they are or where they are. They only kill drug dealers, scum, and the most heinous criminals. Each time, a different bottle of liquor is left at the scene."

"Looks like someone helped us tackle the toughest part." Ma Jun stood up and looked out at the night sky.

Although as a police officer he should bring the perpetrator to justice, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction at the result of this act of violence begetting violence.

"Notify the forensic doctor to perform an autopsy," Ma Jun waved his hand, "and call it a day."

……

Early morning, Wan Chai Police Station.

The meeting room was filled with smoke.

"Good! Well done!"

Chief Inspector Wong slammed the thick case report on the table, his chubby face beaming with joy. "Last night's 'Operation Wolf Hunt' was a complete success! Brother Zha was arrested, Ah Hu was killed, and Tony... well, he died in a gangland feud."

"We seized drugs worth ten million, along with a large quantity of heavy weaponry. This is definitely the biggest case this year!"

The meeting room erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Watson, who was sitting in the corner, had changed into a neat police uniform. Although he had dark circles under his eyes, he looked to be in good spirits.

"Watson," Inspector Wong looked at him and nodded with satisfaction, "You've worked hard. Three years undercover, and you've made great contributions. I've already applied to the higher-ups to give you a long leave. When you come back, you'll be promoted directly to probationary inspector."

"Thank you, sir!" Watson stood up and saluted, tears welling in his eyes. Finally, he no longer had to live in fear.

"but……"

Huang Sir then changed the subject, his tone tinged with regret, "The only flaw is that Wang Bao got away."

When Wang Bao was mentioned, Ma Jun, who had been silent all along, suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with resentment.

"That fat bastard is too cunning," Ma Jun said through gritted teeth. "At a crucial moment in the battle, he used the Vietnamese gang to draw fire while he slipped away. Besides, he wasn't carrying any drugs or cash. Even if we catch him later, at most we'll charge him with illegal assembly, and he won't be locked up for more than a few days."

"Yes, Wang Bao is a cunning old fox, meticulous in everything he does." Inspector Wong sighed. "Happy Valley is Wang Bao's stronghold. Although this time he suffered heavy losses, it didn't damage his core... Well, overall, this operation was still a success. Let's all wait for the rewards from above!"

After the meeting.

"Ma Jun, stay for a moment." Inspector Huang called out to Ma Jun, who was about to leave.

After everyone else left, Inspector Wong handed Ma Jun a cigarette.

"Ma Jun, you've also distinguished yourself in this operation. The higher-ups intend to end your probationary period as an inspector early. What are your plans for the future?"

Ma Jun took the cigarette, but didn't light it; he just held it to his nose and smelled it.

His mind was filled with the arrogant image of Wang Bao's retreating figure as he escaped last night.

"Boss," Ma Jun raised his head, his eyes resolute, "I want to go to the Happy Valley Police Station."

"Happy Valley?" Inspector Wong was taken aback, then understood what he meant. "You mean... you want to continue investigating Wong Po?"

"Yes!" Ma Jun crushed the cigarette in his hand. "As long as Wang Bao is not eliminated, the drugs in Wan Chai will never be eradicated. Moreover, I heard that Inspector Chan Kwok-chung of the Happy Valley Major Crimes Unit has been fighting Wang Bao for many years, and I want to go and help him."

Looking at his stubborn subordinate, Inspector Huang remained silent for a moment before finally smiling helplessly: "I knew you were a stubborn mule... Fine. I'll get the transfer order signed for you. But Ma Jun, remember, Wang Bao is harder to deal with than Tony. Try to control your temper when you get there."

"Yes, Sir!"

……

At the same time.

Just as the police were working through the night to eradicate crime.

Ordinary citizens of Hong Kong Island also spent a sleepless night.

However, their sleeplessness was not due to gangs and gunfights, but because of tears.

Because tonight is the finale night of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy"!

7 PM.

The streets of Hong Kong were deserted, with few vehicles. Customer traffic in major shopping malls and restaurants plummeted, except for the television sets in tea restaurants, which were crowded with people.

ATV really went all out this time, airing the last three episodes back-to-back to thank the audience for their support!

On the television screens of countless households, a moving and epic myth is unfolding.

The Moon Worship Cult Leader merged with the Water Demon Beast, unleashing a colossal wave in an attempt to submerge the Nanzhao Kingdom and even the entire world.

Li Xiaoyao, Zhao Ling'er, Anu... the main characters, for the sake of the common people, fearlessly charged towards that invincible enemy.

With all special effects turned on.

Sword energy crisscrossed, and magic filled the sky.

The poignant background music played again, making the audience's blood boil and their palms sweat.

"Kill him! Go, Brother Xiaoyao!"

"Ling'er, please don't get hurt!"

The battle scene was filmed with earth-shattering special effects, leaving the audience thrilled.

However, when the water monster was finally defeated, and everyone thought that the young hero and the princess would live happily ever after,

The scene changes.

On the lakeside covered with fallen peach blossoms, Ling'er was covered in blood, her face as pale as paper, yet she still forced a smile and collapsed into Xiaoyao's arms.

"Brother Xiaoyao... I'm so tired... I want to go home..."

"Okay... let's go home... back to Immortal Spirit Island..." Li Xiaoyao hugged her, tears streaming down his face.

Ling'er's hand slowly fell down.

that moment.

The sad melody of the Cantonese version of "Rain in June" begins.

"A rainstorm has trapped me here..."

in front of the TV.

Countless young girls, housewives, and even grown men burst into tears instantly!

"Wow!! How could this happen!!"

"Ling'er is dead?! How could Ling'er be dead?!"

"Screenwriter! Don't you have a heart?! My Ling'er!!"

The entire island of Hong Kong seemed to be plunged into a collective grief. Tissues were sold out, and some people even had to be hospitalized due to oxygen deprivation from crying so hard.

As the end credits rolled, ATV's hotline was once again flooded with calls.

But this time, they weren't there to buy anything; they were there to "greet" the screenwriter's entire family.

"Hey! ATV? Tell that screenwriter named 'Da Yu' (Lu Chen's pen name) to watch out! I'm sending him razor blades!"

"Give Ling'er back to me! Or I'll smash up your TV station!"

Even more outrageous, a few gangsters from Wutaishan, engrossed in the drama, rushed to the entrance of ATV with watermelon knives, shouting that they wanted to kill the screenwriter. They were eventually driven away by security guards wielding batons.

Although viewers were full of criticism, the ratings spoke for themselves.

……

Central, Golden Harvest Building.

Looking at the data sent by Huang Xizhao, Lu Chen smiled knowingly.

[The finale achieved a peak viewership rating of 91%]

This is a legendary statistic that is unprecedented and will likely remain so for generations to come.

It's safe to say that last night, 90% of people on Hong Kong Island who turned on their TVs were watching "Chinese Paladin".

"Boss, although the ratings have skyrocketed, the audience is very resentful," Huang Xizhao said, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. "Just now, someone even threw a dead rat into the station, saying they wanted to curse the screenwriters... Do you think we should issue a statement to appease them?"

"Need not."

Lu Chen calmly took a sip of red wine. "Tragedy is about tearing something beautiful apart and showing it to people. Only in this way will they remember it for longer... And the fiercer the condemnation, the deeper their love."

"Let's prepare a celebration banquet. And while we're at it, let's spread the word that Li Xiaojun will still be the male lead in the next big drama, 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes'."

"yes!"

……

Broadcast Drive, a television station.

Compared to the revelry at ATV, this place felt like a funeral parlor.

Uncle Shao sat in that large boss's chair, holding the ratings report in his hand, looking as if he had aged ten years.

91%.

This was a number that suffocated him.

TVB's prized prime-time slot was completely overrun last night, with ratings plummeting to single digits.

"Sixth Uncle..."

Fang Yihua stood to the side, not daring to even breathe. She wanted to curse Lu Chen, wanted to curse ATV, wanted to continue arguing... but faced with this undeniable fact, all her words seemed pale and powerless.

"We lost," Uncle Shao took off his glasses and rubbed his temples wearily. "This time, we really lost."

"That Lu Chen, he understands television, and he understands the audience even more. Those special effects, those plots... he's not making a TV series, he's creating a dream. Our old ways are definitely outdated." Uncle Shao sighed, a hint of melancholy flashing in his eyes.

But he was, after all, a film and television tycoon.

After a moment of dejection, his fighting spirit rekindled in his eyes.

"However, it won't be that easy for me, Uncle Shao, to admit defeat," Uncle Shao put his glasses back on, his voice hoarse but carrying a ruthless edge. "Pass down the order: a complete upgrade to the production department, an additional five million in budget. Go poach talent, buy equipment, shoot on location! Tell all the producers that if their next production loses to ATV, they're all fired!"

"This battle has only just begun!"

Outside the window, the night was already deep.

On this night, some died in the darkness, some were reborn in the light, some became gods in tears, and some awakened in defeat.

The spring of 1982 was destined to leave a significant mark on the history of Hong Kong Island.