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

August 1982, 11, night.

Hong Kong Island, Mid-Levels, Central.

Tonight, the Grand Hyatt Hotel resembles a dazzling diamond set on the shores of Victoria Harbour. Countless spotlights illuminate the hotel building as if it were daytime, and red carpets stretch from the lobby all the way to the street.

After more than a week of extensive publicity, the "Tsar's Jewelry Exhibition" finally opened amidst great anticipation.

This is a carnival for the upper class.

Hongkong Land Chairman Newbikin, dressed in a tuxedo and beaming, stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, welcoming a host of distinguished guests.

"Oh! Welcome, welcome! Sir Guo, your presence greatly honors our humble abode!"

"Consul John, it's been a long time! We must have a few drinks tonight!"

Although Newt G. Kent appeared outwardly calm, he was inwardly overjoyed. Tonight, almost half of Hong Kong Island's top tycoons, celebrities, and political figures had come, and even the Governor's wife had sent a representative.

Looking at the three pieces of Tsarist jewels gleaming in the bulletproof glass case in the hall—Nicholas II's crown, the Empress's diamond necklace, and the ruby ​​scepter—Newbigen seemed to see Hongkong Land's stock price stop falling and start to rise, and he saw the bankers smiling at him again.

"Jiahe? Lu Chen?" Newbijian, holding his champagne, sneered inwardly. "Once Hongkong Land and Jardine Matheson get through this crisis, I'll come after you with interest!"

However, lost in his dream, he was unaware that Death had already quietly raised its scythe.

……

At this moment, outside the hotel lobby.

A black van slowly pulled up to the side of the road.

The car door opened, and kung fu superstar Frankie Lone, dressed in a white suit, stepped out, looking quite drunk. He was also one of the invited guests tonight; after all, such occasions wouldn't be complete without celebrity support.

"How dare you! Why don't you go in and have some fun too!"

Longwei clung to the car door, slurring his words as he shouted to the man in the driver's seat, "There are lots of beautiful women inside! And that...that Tsar's crown, I heard it's worth tens of millions!"

In the driver's seat, Li Jie (Da Dan) remained expressionless. He wore a simple black jacket, his eyes melancholic and deep. As Long Wei's stunt double and bodyguard, he was already accustomed to the loneliness behind the glamorous facade.

"No, the invitation only allows two people. I'll pick you up after we're done," Li Jie said casually. "Drink less and don't cause trouble."

"Tch! Boring!"

Long Wei pursed his lips and staggered into the hotel with the help of his agent.

Li Jie watched Long Wei's figure disappear behind the revolving door, then started the car and prepared to leave.

Just then.

"Ring ring—"

The car phone suddenly rang.

Li Jie frowned. This number was the car's private line, known only to a very few people.

He picked up the phone: "Feed?"

"Li Jie, a former explosives expert, served in the XX unit, but chose to retire due to an accident."

A deep, altered voice came from the other end of the phone; it was none other than Fourth Brother (Rum), the head of Jiahe Intelligence.

"Who are you?" Li Jie's eyes sharpened instantly, and his hand instinctively reached for his waist, even though there was no gun there.

"Who I am is not important; what matters is that I know who you are looking for."

Fourth Brother's voice was calm and cold, "Two years ago, the bomb kidnapping. Your wife, your son... bang!"

"squeak--!!"

Li Jie slammed on the brakes, the tires carving two screech black marks on the asphalt. His breathing quickened instantly, his eyes bloodshot, as if the nightmarish explosion from two years ago was replaying before his eyes.

"Who are you?!" Li Jie roared into the microphone.

"Don't get agitated, I'm here to help you."

Fourth Brother said calmly, "Your enemy, the guy who made the bomb, is right here in the Cointreau Hotel behind you."

"Impossible!" Li Jie gritted his teeth. "I've been looking for him for two years! He couldn't possibly be in Hong Kong!"

"People are mobile, just like money. For robbers like them, Hong Kong Island naturally has things that attract them, such as—Tsar Jewels."

Fourth Brother chuckled lightly, "I know you don't believe me, so listen to this."

There was static on the phone, followed by a clear recording.

It was a man's voice, elegant and gentle, yet tinged with extreme indifference:

"...A person must rely on themselves. Tell my employer that I've accepted this job."

"boom!"

Upon hearing those words, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck Li Jie's mind.

That sound!

That damn proverb!

Even if he were reduced to ashes, he would still recognize him! The last thing that bandit said to him before blowing up his wife and children was this: "A person must rely on himself!"

"Where is he?!" Li Jie's voice was hoarse, like that of a wounded wild beast.

"The top-floor banquet hall. He's planning a shocking heist," Fourth Brother's voice was like a devil's whisper. "Go, Li Jie. Go and get the justice that's rightfully yours. Or... you can continue to run away and be that actor's stand-in for the rest of your life."

"Beep, beep, beep..."

The phone hangs up.

Li Jie's knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel, and they even dug into the leather cover due to excessive force.

He slowly raised his head and stared intently through the windshield at the brightly lit Cointreau Hotel in the distance.

In his eyes, it was no longer a hotel.

It was not a giant arena, but a place burning with the flames of revenge.

"Sizzle—!!"

The van performed a crazy 180-degree drift in the middle of the road, its engine roaring like a beast, and sped toward the nearest police station!

……

at the same time.

Cointreau Hotel, Top Floor Ballroom.

The elegant waltz music was still lingering, and the guests were still clinking glasses.

Sudden.

"Snapped!"

All the lights went out instantly.

Before the guests could even gasp in surprise, the backup power came on, but the light became dim and eerie.

Immediately afterwards, all the exit doors were closed at the same time, and dozens of masked men dressed in black tactical uniforms and carrying MP5 submachine guns emerged from every corner like ghosts.

"Da da da da da—!"

A series of rapid gunshots rang out from the ceiling, shattering the crystal chandelier and sending shards of glass raining down.

The screams instantly echoed through the sky.

Good evening, everyone!

In the center of the stage, a man in a white suit with slicked-back hair elegantly picked up the microphone.

It is indeed a "doctor".

He smiled as he looked down at the trembling tycoons in the audience, as if they were lambs to the slaughter.

"We apologize for interrupting your enjoyment. But please rest assured, we are only seeking financial gain, not murder."

The doctor adjusted his glasses. "As long as everyone cooperates, doesn't run around, and doesn't call the police, we'll leave once we get what we want."

"Of course, if anyone wants to be a hero..."

"Bang!"

The doctor raised his hand and fired a shot, accurately blowing the head off the security captain who was trying to secretly press the alarm.

Blood splattered on the white evening gown of a nearby noblewoman, causing an even louder scream.

"Quiet."

The doctor put a finger to his lips, "I don't like noise."

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.

"very good."

The doctor nodded in satisfaction, then turned to his long-haired, sinister-looking subordinate, Sang Bang, and said, "Take control of the area and bring that Niu Bijian to me."

Then he looked at another tech geek wearing thick-rimmed glasses—the third brother: "Go and crack the security systems of those so-called Tsarist display cases. Remember, we only have one hour."

"Don't worry, boss. I can fix that garbage system in forty minutes." Third Brother chewed his gum, looking disdainful.

At this moment, the entire hotel was completely under the doctor's control.

The lobby, elevators, and monitoring room were all filled with their people. Even the receptionists were replaced by female thugs in uniform.

From the outside, it still looks like a five-star hotel where people sing and dance.

But inside, this place has become a purgatory called "Coindu".

……

Lobby of Cointreau Hotel.

The atmosphere was somewhat delicate at this moment.

Although everything in the lobby seemed normal, a careful observer would notice that the security guards at the entrance had been replaced by a new group of unfamiliar faces, and the receptionists' smiles were stiff as they watched every passerby with suspicion.

Outside the hotel, across the street.

A news van without any markings sat quietly in the shadows.

Inside the car, the beautiful host, Le Huizhen, was idly painting her nails, glancing at her watch every now and then.

"Oh dear, Sister Zhen, we've been waiting here for three hours already," complained the chubby assistant in charge of the camera. "This is the most high-end party in Hong Kong. With such tight security, what kind of accident could possibly happen? And what about that big news your mysterious informant was talking about? Is it even true?"

"Shut up!"

Le Huizhen glared at him, her bright eyes sparkling with excitement. "That whistleblower is... cough cough, anyway, an absolutely reliable big shot! He said there's big news tonight, and it's definitely earth-shattering news!"

"But things are calm now..." The fat man was about to say something.

Shh, look!

A white hatchback, screeching as it braked, drifted across the hotel entrance like a runaway wild horse.

The car door opened, and a man in a black jacket with a cold and stern expression jumped out, followed by a young policeman wearing glasses who looked flustered.

"Isn't that Longwei's bodyguard?" Le Huizhen recognized Li Jie at a glance.

As for the policeman behind him, it was none other than the plainclothes inspector, Agan, who had just been on duty at the police station. Because he was worried about his girlfriend Jayce, who worked as a waitress at the Grand Hotel, he followed Li Jie after hearing his report, even though he was skeptical.

"Fatty! Turn on the camera! Turn it on now!" Le Huizhen keenly sensed the news.

In the lens.

Li Jie was like a black bullet, shooting straight towards the hotel entrance.

Upon seeing this, two thugs disguised as security guards at the entrance immediately stepped forward to stop them: "Sir, the hotel has been booked out tonight for a private banquet. Unauthorized personnel are not welcome..."

"Get out of here!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Jie caught a glimpse of the real waiter's corpse at the counter and realized that the people in front of him were all robbers, so he didn't waste any words.

boom!

A powerful, heavy punch landed directly on the left doorman's temple, and the man collapsed to the ground without even uttering a sound.

Just as the doorman on the right was about to draw his gun, Li Jie spun around and delivered a precise whip kick to his wrist. With a crisp "crack" of bone breaking, the pistol flew out of his hand.

"What's going on?! Assaulting a police officer... no, assaulting a security guard?!"

Forrest Gump, who was following behind, was stunned, but he soon realized that what fell out of the "doorman's" arms was not a walkie-talkie, but a Glock pistol with a silencer!

"Holy crap! There really are bandits?!"

Startled, Forrest Gump instinctively ducked behind a pillar, pulled out his pistol, and began to speak according to procedure.

However, the other thugs in the lobby had already reacted, instantly tearing off their masks and pulling out MP5 submachine guns hidden under the counter.

Da da da da da—!

The glass doors were instantly riddled with holes, shards flying everywhere, and the huge crystal chandelier was also hit by stray bullets and crashed down.

"My God! Is this the Vietnam War?!" Forrest Gump clutched his head, scrambling to avoid bullets. "How dare you? Let's wait for backup from headquarters!"

"By the time reinforcements arrive, we'll be corpses!" Li Jie's gaze locked onto a sightseeing freight elevator located directly above the exhibition booth. It was specially opened to transport exhibits and equipment.

A crazy plan took shape in his mind.

"Cover me!" Li Jie shouted back at Agan.

"Huh? Oh! Okay!" Forrest Gump managed to fire a few shots outside with his .38 rifle.

Although the firepower was pitifully weak, it slightly disrupted the bandits' firepower network.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Jie rushed out of the lobby and got into the white hatchback that Agan had driven.

Then the car roared into the lobby, drifting to where Forrest Gump was.

"Get on the bus!"

"good!"

At this moment, Forrest Gump also demonstrated the qualities of a policeman, leaping directly into the back seat—although his leg was cut by glass, the action was still very cool.

"Hold on tight!"

"boom--!!"

The engine emitted a dying roar.

Li Jie jerked the steering wheel, the car leaving a black arc on the marble floor, dodging a flying grenade, and then ramming at full speed into the slowly closing freight elevator door!

"Are you crazy?! That's an elevator!!"

"Bang!!"

A loud bang.

The front of the car slammed into the elevator door, the huge impact severely deforming the door. Half of the car was stuck inside the elevator car, while the other half was sticking out, the rear wheels still spinning wildly, emitting pungent white smoke.

"Bang!"

The elevator emitted a sickening metallic scraping sound, and the steel cable swayed violently, as if it might snap at any moment.

The thugs in the lobby were dumbfounded. Was this something a human being could do?

"Quick! Press the floor number!" Li Jie's face was covered in blood, but he remained frighteningly calm.

With trembling hands, Forrest Gump frantically pressed the button on the top floor.

The elevator doors slammed shut amidst sparks, snapping the still-flaming exhaust pipe, and wobbled as it carried the half-wrecked car and the two lunatics up to the 63rd floor.

……

Outside the hotel.

Le Huizhen put down the camera, her mouth agape in an "O" shape, unable to close it for a long time.

"Oh my god..."

As she watched the replay of the car crashing into the elevator, the visual impact, so powerful that even Hollywood blockbusters couldn't capture, made her blood boil.

"Fatty! Did you see that?! This is the real big news!"

Le Huizhen blushed with excitement. "Sir, you didn't lie to me! Tonight, the Grand Hotel is really going to become a battlefield!"

"Quick! Contact the station! We need to broadcast live! Live broadcast across Hong Kong!"