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

Two o'clock in the morning.

Kowloon Tong, Cumberland Road.

Chen Mei's villa.

This detached house, covering several thousand square feet, is the result of Chen Mei's life's work as the leader of Hung Tai. Although Hung Tai is only considered a second-rate gang among the many triads on Hong Kong Island, mainly making a living by selling "flour" and operating brothels, this does not prevent Chen Mei from living a comfortable semi-retired life.

On the large bed in the master bedroom, Chen Mei (Uncle Mei) was wearing an eye mask and falling asleep with the help of medication.

He's over sixty years old now. In his early, chaotic years, fighting for territory left him with many health problems. Although he's still nominally the head of Hongtai Gang, he's delegated many of the gang's affairs to his son, Chen Tailong, and his henchman, Abao. He's now living a life of luxury, hoping to live a few more years.

However, tonight is destined to be sleepless.

"Ring ring—!!!"

The red secure phone by the bedside suddenly started ringing sharply and urgently, sounding like a shriek from a ghost in the quiet night.

Chen Mei was suddenly awakened from her sleep, her heart pounding, and a strange feeling of palpitation surged into her heart.

He reached out shakily, fumbled for the receiver, and said in a hoarse voice, laced with anger at being woken up, "Who is it? In the middle of the night, is it announcing a death?!"

There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone, followed by the panicked, even choked-up voice of his henchman, Ah Bao:

"Uncle Mei...something's happened! Something terrible!!"

"Night Paris...Night Paris has been massacred!!"

"What?" Chen Mei frowned, her heart skipped a beat, but she remained relatively calm. "The place was raided? Was it Tung Sing or Hung Hing? Where's Tai Lung? Just have him lead some men to fight back, right?"

"Tai...Tai Long...he..." Ah Bao's voice trembled so much it was almost inaudible, "He was beaten to death in the private room on the second floor! Shot between the eyebrows! He died on the spot...on the spot!!"

"boom--!!"

These words struck Chen Mei like a bolt from the blue.

He froze on the bed, the microphone in his hand falling onto the blanket with a "thud".

Taron... is dead?

His only son, who, though good-for-nothing and arrogant, was the sole heir of the Chen family for three generations... died?

"No...it can't be..." Chen Mei's lips trembled, tears streaming down her face. "You're lying to me...you're lying to me!! Tai Long just called me...how could he be dead? Who dares to kill my son, Chen Mei's son?!"

"Uncle Mei, it's true... the body is right next to me..." Ah Bao cried out, "There were only two of them! They were like killing gods, killing more than a dozen of our brothers, then killing the prince and leaving! They didn't even leave a single survivor!"

"Aaaaaah!!!"

Chen Mei let out a mournful cry, a cry of utter despair at the thought of losing his lineage. At his age, he had long since lost his fertility; with Chen Tailong dead, his Chen family was truly extinct!

"Investigate! Investigate for me!!" Chen Mei rolled off the bed, her hair disheveled, looking like a madwoman. "Turn the Nine Dragons upside down! Whoever it is! I'll skin them alive! I'll pull out their tendons! I'll wipe out their entire family!!"

however.

Before he could catch his breath from his anger, before he could gather his gang to seek revenge...

"Ring ring—!!"

The phone rang again.

This time it was another "red stick" (a local security guard) in charge of keeping watch.

"Uncle Mei! Something terrible has happened! Ahua from the Heroes' Hall is leading a hundred men here!"

"Our three nightclubs, five karaoke bars, and several saunas...all of them were smashed!"

"They hacked at anyone they saw, smashed everything in sight! They even set fire to our tent!"

"Heroes' Hall... How dare he cross the line like that!"

Chen Mei gritted her teeth as she muttered those two names.

He certainly knew about the Heroes' Hall, the fastest rising force recently, which was said to be backed not only by Hung Hing but also by the mysterious Big Water Tunnel.

But Hong Tai has always kept to himself and the Heroes' Hall, so why would they go to such lengths? Could it be that he also sent someone to kill his own son?

Chen Mei almost ground his teeth to powder, his mouth filled with the taste of blood. His hands trembled as he dialed Ahua's number.

"Beep...beep..."

The call was connected.

From that direction came a cacophony of smashing sounds, screams, and the background music of heavy metal rock.

"Feed? Who is it?"

"Ah Hua! I'll fuck your mother's ass!" Chen Mei cursed, "The rules of the underworld dictate that wives and children shouldn't be harmed, nor should one's livelihood be cut off! You killed my son and raided my place, are you determined to fight Hong Tai to the death?!"

"Uncle Mei, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want." Ahua's voice remained relaxed. "I didn't kill your son. I was just here to help the big boss clean up the trash."

"The big boss?!" Chen Mei's heart skipped a beat. "Who? I, Chen Mei, have never offended any powerful figures!"

"You didn't offend anyone, but your damned son did."

Ahua's voice turned cold. "Uncle Mei, don't blame me for disrespecting the elderly. Blame your son for being blind and messing with the boss's woman."

"The boss said that everything comes at a price. This night's fireworks display is the boss's... funeral gift to Hong Tai."

"You…" Chen Mei trembled with anger, "Who exactly is that person?!"

"Heh, let's talk about that when you're sure you'll survive tonight."

Ahua sneered and hung up the phone with a "beep".

Half an hour later.

Mong Kok, San Lan Street.

When Chen Mei arrived at Hongtai's largest venue, "Jindu Nightclub," in a fit of rage with her remaining few dozen henchmen.

All that met the eye was ruins.

The once magnificent signboard was smashed to pieces and thrown into the stinking ditch by the roadside. The gate was covered in red paint, and the inside looked like it had been ravaged by a typhoon, with tables and chairs all smashed to pieces, and the floor littered with shards of glass and bloodstains.

Ahua and the people from the Hero Hall had already left, leaving behind only a mess and wounded soldiers still groaning in pain.

"My shop...my money..."

Seeing this terrible scene, Chen Mei's legs went weak and she almost knelt on the ground.

This was Hongtai's biggest cash cow! And just like that, it's gone!

"Uncle Mei! We've seen it in Night Paris too, the Crown Prince..." Brother Leopard ran over, helped Chen Mei up, and hesitated to speak.

"Where is the body?" Chen Mei asked in a trembling voice.

"They've already taken them away by the police. Uncle Mei, we have to get revenge!"

"Revenge? What are you going to use to get revenge?!"

Looking at her men, who were beaten black and blue and had lost all morale, Chen Mei felt a deep sense of despair.

My son died, and I have no male heir.

The venue was shut down, and their source of income was cut off.

Overnight, Hung Tai, who once dominated Kowloon, was crippled, as if his spine had been removed.

"Who exactly is that big boss...?"

Chen Mei muttered to himself, racking his brains but still unable to figure out which powerful figure his good-for-nothing son, who only knew how to play around with women, had offended.

However, the nightmare had only just begun.

Lu Chen's revenge will not stop at gangland feuds.

……

The next morning.

Chen Mei dragged her exhausted body back to the empty mansion.

He sat on the sofa, looking at the temporary portrait of his son placed on the wall, tears streaming down his face.

"Tayron... I'm so sorry..."

Just then.

"Bang!"

The gate to the mansion was violently smashed open.

"Don't move! Police!"

A group of police officers wearing bulletproof vests and carrying submachine guns rushed in and quickly took control of every corner of the living room.

Immediately afterwards, several plainclothes officers wearing suits and badges walked in.

Leading the group was Chief Inspector Chan Kwan (Bourbon) of the West Kowloon Regional Crime Unit.

Behind him followed several plainclothes officers with serious expressions. Their name tags bore three letters that struck fear into the hearts of all gangsters—NB (Narcotics Investigation Department).

"Chen Mei?"

Chen Jun walked up to Chen Mei, looking down at the old woman who had aged ten years overnight, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, sir, what's going on here...?"

"We received reliable intelligence that Hong Tai is suspected of large-scale trafficking of Class I drugs."

Chen Jun pulled out a search warrant and slapped it on Chen Mei's face. "In addition, we also found five kilograms of heroin and a large number of ledgers in the basement of your nightclub."

"What?! Impossible!" Chen Mei jumped to her feet. "Those places were all smashed up last night! Where did the drugs come from?!"

Although Hong Tai was indeed in this business, he was always very careful and never left the goods in the store.

"I don't know about that."

Chen Jun shrugged. "Maybe your men accidentally left it behind? Or maybe... those guys who caused trouble found it for you by accident?"

frame.

This is a blatant frame-up.

But Chen Mei knew she couldn't defend herself no matter what.

Since Lu Chen is determined to destroy Hong Tai, he won't leave him any way out. Last night, when Ahua was sweeping the place, besides smashing things, he also buried some "gifts" for this "big boss".

"take away!"

Chen Jun waved his hand.

Two police officers immediately stepped forward and put cold handcuffs on Chen Mei.

"I'm innocent! I want to see a lawyer!!" Chen Mei struggled and shouted.

"Don't worry, I'll give you a chance."

Chen Jun leaned close to Chen Mei's ear and whispered, "Uncle Mei, remember to teach your son well in your next life. There are some people you can't afford to mess with."

Watching Chen Mei being dragged into the police car like a dead dog, Chen Jun took out his phone and dialed that familiar number.

"Boss, let's close the net."

……

Just as news of Hongtai's demise spread throughout the martial arts world.

In a slightly dilapidated apartment in a public housing estate in Kowloon.

A man with long hair, melancholy eyes, and a somewhat weathered face was sitting at the dining table, watching the morning news.

His name is Wei Jixiang. He used to be a Red Pole in Hongtai. Back then, in order to stand up for the gang, he single-handedly killed dozens of people and saved Prince Chen Tailong. However, he was imprisoned for it, and his wife died unexpectedly, leaving behind only a son, Datou.

After his release from prison, although he was still nominally a triad leader, he had long been marginalized. Chen Tailong was ungrateful and not only did he not appreciate him, but he also suppressed and humiliated him at every turn.

At this moment, Wei Jixiang was peeling an egg for his son, Datou.

On the television, the news anchor is broadcasting:

"...Several gang shootouts occurred in Kowloon last night. This morning, the police launched a swift operation, dismantling multiple strongholds of the triad organization 'Hung Tai' and arresting dozens of key members, including its leader, Mr. Chan..."

Upon hearing this news, Wei Jixiang paused in his egg-peeling motion.

He looked up and stared intently at the television screen.

"Brother Xiang, something's happened!"

At the door, his good brother Shen Sha rushed in, covered in sweat. "Hongtai is finished! Utterly finished! The Crown Prince has been murdered, Uncle Mei has been arrested, and the Hero Hall has swept the entire place!"

"Brother Xiang, things are in complete chaos outside, what should we do? Should we go...?"

"Go to hell."

Wei Jixiang placed the peeled eggs in his son's bowl, took out a tissue, and slowly wiped his hands.

There was no trace of panic on his face; on the contrary, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, eventually turning into a relieved smile.

"It's all over...it's all over..."

Wei Jixiang muttered to himself.

Over the years, he had wanted to leave the underworld for his son's sake. But "it's easy to join but hard to leave." That bastard Chen Tailong kept using the favors he had received in the past to blackmail him, and even threatened him with his son, making it impossible for him to leave.

He originally thought he would rot in this quagmire for the rest of his life.

Unexpectedly, dawn broke overnight.

The mountain that weighed on his head, the Hong Tai that disgusted him to the core, was actually uprooted!

"Brother Xiang?" Shen Sha looked at Wei Jixiang's expression, somewhat bewildered.

"Shensha, inform the brothers below."

Wei Jixiang stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

"From now on, we won't have to collect protection money anymore, and we won't have to park our cars anymore."

"Hongtai is gone, and our debts are paid off."

He turned around and looked at his son, who was eating eggs with gusto, his eyes softening with tenderness.

"Big Head, eat quickly. After you finish eating, Dad will take you to school."

"From now on, Dad won't have to go out to 'work' in the middle of the night anymore."

"Really? Dad?" Big Head looked up, his eyes sparkling.

"real."

Wei Jixiang touched his son's head, tears welling up in his eyes.

Although he didn't know which important figure had made the move, at that moment, he was genuinely grateful to the person who had destroyed Hong Tai.

Hongtai's downfall was Chen Mei's nightmare, but it was Wei Jixiang's rebirth.