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

January 22, 1983, early morning.

After the rain, the air in Hong Kong was filled with the earthy smell of mud and the salty dampness of the sea breeze. Thick clouds still hung over Victoria Peak, as if foreshadowing that today was destined to be an unsettling day.

At 7:45 a.m., in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island, at a sharp bend in Deep Water Bay Road.

This winding mountain road, connecting the upscale residential area with the Central business district, was sparsely populated at the moment. Towering retaining walls and dense banyan trees on both sides created a natural blind spot at this near-vertical hairpin bend.

"call--"

Dai Fuqiang leaned against a large banyan tree, exhaling a puff of white smoke. He was wearing a loose black trench coat, a baseball cap pulled low over his head, and clutching a fully loaded AK-47 assault rifle tightly in his hand.

Beside him was Hong Jibiao, who was also fully armed and wearing a black hood.

Less than twenty meters ahead at the bend, Fox was sitting in the driver's seat of an unmarked gray van, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, his palms sweating profusely.

As planned, Hung Kai-pang (Hot-Blooded) stayed at the abandoned auto repair shop in Yuen Long, firstly to guard the base and prepare to receive the hostages, and secondly because his "Grim Reaper vest" still needed final adjustments. Therefore, today's on-site arrest was carried out by the three of them.

"Brother Qiang, what time is it?" Hong Jibiao swallowed, his voice trembling slightly. This was the first time he had ever done such a big deal.

Dai Fuqiang raised his wrist and glanced at the Rolex gold watch that had brought him good luck.

"7:55. Young Master Li's car will arrive in about twenty minutes." Dai Fuqiang's voice was as cold as ice. "A Biao, don't let your hands shake. Keep the gun muzzle low, don't accidentally shoot the God of Wealth."

"I...I understand."

Just as the two held their breath, quietly waiting for their prey to fall into the trap.

"Buzzing—"

A deep, rhythmic motorcycle engine sound suddenly came from below the mountain road.

Dai Fuqiang frowned, cautiously poked half his head out, and peered down through the gaps in the leaves.

Two Royal Hong Kong Island Police motorcycles, flashing red and blue lights, were slowly approaching along Deep Water Bay Road. They were two traffic officers wearing reflective vests and white helmets, clearly conducting their routine morning patrol.

Even worse, these two motorcycle police officers seemed to think the morning air was nice, or maybe they wanted to have a smoke to perk themselves up, so they actually parked their motorcycles in a shelter less than 30 meters away from where Dai Fuqiang and his gang were hiding!

One of the mounted police officers took off his helmet and pulled cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Hold!"

Hong Jibiao's eyes instantly turned red. He suddenly pulled the slide of the M1911 pistol with a silencer in his hand, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

"Brother Qiang, we only have a dozen minutes left before the target appears. If these two cops are still here when Li Zeju's car arrives, it will definitely disrupt our operation! I'll take them both out with one shot each!"

As he spoke, Hong Jibiao leaned out to aim.

"Are you fucking insane?!"

Dai Fuqiang grabbed Hong Jibiao's shoulder, pinning him against the tree trunk, and roared in a low voice, "Shoot now? Is your brain filled with shit?!"

"This is Deep Water Bay! Even with a silencer, the sound of gunfire will definitely attract the attention of security at the surrounding mansions! What if Young Master Li's convoy hears the commotion a few kilometers away and turns back? If those two motorcycles lose contact, the radio station will immediately send someone to investigate!"

"What should we do? Just let them smoke here? Time's almost up!" Hong Jibiao was sweating profusely with anxiety.

Dai Fuqiang's brain was working frantically, and his quick wit played a crucial role at this moment.

"Don't panic, the cops are just following the rules. I have a way."

Dai Fuqiang took a deep breath and pulled out his mobile phone from his trench coat pocket.

He quickly dialed 999.

The phone was answered after only one ring.

"999 Emergency Center, how can I help you?" came the operator's mechanical voice.

Dai Fuqiang's expression changed instantly. His previously cold voice turned terrified, even carrying a hint of desperate sobs, as he shouted in a very authentic village accent:

"Officer! Help! Help! There's been a major car accident!!"

"Sir, please calm down and tell me your exact location!" The operator immediately became nervous.

"On Repulse Bay Road! At that big bend near the beach! A fully loaded red minibus and a dump truck have collided head-on! The minibus has overturned down the hillside! People are dead! Lots of blood! Send ambulances and police quickly! Hurry!!"

After shouting at the top of his lungs, Dai Fuqiang hung up the phone and then turned it off.

Repulse Bay Road is less than a ten-minute drive from their current Deep Water Bay Road. They fall under the jurisdiction of the same patrol district.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

A parking area at the bottom of the mountain road.

The mounted policeman, who had just lit a cigarette, suddenly heard a piercing buzzing sound from his walkie-talkie.

"Calling all units in the Southern District: A serious traffic accident has occurred on Repulse Bay Road, involving a public minibus overturning, with potential for numerous casualties! All nearby patrol officers are to proceed to the scene immediately! Repeat, proceed to the scene immediately!"

Upon hearing the emergency call on the radio, the two mounted police officers' expressions changed drastically.

"Roger that! PC3843 and PC4421 are nearby. We'll head there immediately!"

The policeman didn't even bother to stub out his cigarette, which he had just taken a puff of; he threw it on the ground, quickly put on his helmet, and got on his motorcycle.

"Waaaaah—waaaaah—"

The piercing siren suddenly blared, and two heavy motorcycles sped off like arrows, revving their engines and disappearing into the distance at the bend.

Hong Jibiao stared in disbelief as the police car drove away.

"Brother Qiang... that was brilliant!" Hong Jibiao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and gave a heartfelt thumbs up.

Dai Fuqiang sneered, pulled the black hood over his face again, and held the AK-47 to his chest.

"Use your brain more. Violence is for finishing things off, not for starting them."

"Fox! Get ready!" Dai Fuqiang whispered into the miniature headset.

"Roger that, Qiang-ge. The engine's warmed up." Fox's excited voice came through the earpiece.

8:20 a.m.

On Deep Water Bay Road, a black Nissan Presidential Sedan was driving at a leisurely pace.

Inside the car sat Li Zeju, a spirited young man fresh from Stanford University graduation. He sat in the spacious back seat, engrossed in a business plan for Cheung Kong Holdings' expansion into the European telecommunications market. Wearing black-rimmed glasses, he possessed a refined and scholarly air, completely devoid of the arrogant and domineering airs of typical rich kids.

In the front seat, a driver in a black suit was focused on driving. In the passenger seat sat a burly bodyguard with a wary look in his eyes.

"Young master, the sharp bend at Deep Water Bay is just ahead. I'll slow down a bit," the driver said respectfully.

"Okay, no rush, drive steadily." Li Zeju replied gently without looking up.

The Nissan sedan slowly drove into the dark bend of the road, which was shaded by tall banyan trees.

Just as the front of the car had turned halfway!

"boom--!!"

A deafening roar of engines suddenly erupted.

On the right side of the road, which was previously deserted, a gray van suddenly sprang out from the blind spot like a mad bull, and with an extremely domineering drift, it blocked the narrow one-way road in the middle!

"squeak--!!!"

The driver was terrified and slammed on the brakes. The heavy Nissan President screeched violently against the wet road, finally coming to a stop less than half a meter from the pickup truck.

Due to the immense inertia, Li Zeju, who was in the back seat, crashed heavily into the front seat, scattering the documents in his hands all over the floor.

"What's going on?!" Li Zeju exclaimed in surprise.

"Someone's cutting you off! Young master, duck!"

The bodyguard in the passenger seat, being a former elite police officer, reacted extremely quickly. His right hand instantly reached for the pistol tucked inside his suit jacket, while his left hand prepared to press the emergency alarm button on the center console.

However, the opponent's speed was even faster than he had imagined! It was a lightning-fast, precise attack that had been practiced countless times!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three burly men wearing black hoods emerged from the small truck and the roadside woods like ghosts!

Dai Fuqiang took the lead, giving his opponent no time to react. He swung his heavy AK-47, using the sturdy steel butt to smash the windshield and passenger window of the Nissan sedan twice with extreme ferocity!

"Splash!"

Ordinary car window glass without bulletproof coating shattered instantly into countless ice shards.

"Don't move! If you move even slightly, I'll blow your head off!!"

Two dark AK-47 muzzles were pressed firmly against the driver and bodyguard's foreheads from the front and side, respectively.

The cold gun barrel exuded an aura of death.

The bodyguard's hand had just touched the gun handle when he froze. In the eyes peering through the hood, he saw a ruthless, murderous madness. He had no doubt that if he dared to move, the other man would immediately pull the trigger.

"Get off the bus! Hands behind your head! Get off the bus!!"

Hong Jibiao roughly opened the passenger door, yanked the bodyguard out, kicked him in the back of the knee, and slammed him hard onto the asphalt road covered with broken glass.

The fox rushed over and took control of the driver in the same way.

at this time.

Li Zeju, sitting in the back seat, was completely stunned by this sudden and terrifying scene. He was just a business elite raised in a greenhouse; where had he ever seen such a scene of real weapons and ruthless bandits robbing a road?

"Who...who are you? How much money do you want? My father can give it to you! Don't hurt me!" Li Zeju instinctively raised his hands, his voice trembling.

"Young Master Li, I've long admired your name."

Dai Fuqiang opened the back door of the car, looked at the trembling fat sheep, and a ferocious smile curled up at the corner of his mouth under the mask.

He grabbed Li Zeju's suit and tie and roughly pulled him out of the car like a chick.

"Come with us! Your father is indeed wealthy, but we want to speak with him personally!"

Li Zeju was forcibly dragged into the back of the gray pickup truck. Fox immediately put a black cloth bag over his head and tightly bound his hands and feet with professional nylon cable ties.

The whole process was smooth and seamless.

From forcing the truck to stop, to controlling the bodyguards, and then kidnapping Li Zeju.

Twenty-eight seconds!

"Brother Qiang, it's done!" Fox shouted excitedly.

Dai Fuqiang turned around and walked to the bodyguard and driver who were pinned to the ground with their hands tied behind their backs.

He crouched down and gently patted the bodyguard's face, which was filled with fear and humiliation, with the scorching hot barrel of his AK-47.

"Go back and tell Li Chengjia."

Although Dai Fuqiang's voice was very low, it exuded a chilling arrogance.

"His precious son is now in my hands."

"Make him stay home quietly. Don't call the police, prepare some fine Da Hong Pao tea, and wait for me to come and visit."

"If I see a police car in Deep Water Bay, or hear even the slightest hint of trouble..." Dai Fuqiang's eyes flashed with a murderous glint, "you'd better prepare to grab a plastic bag and fill it with your young master's minced meat. Understand?!"

"I...I understand..." The bodyguard gritted his teeth and nodded in humiliation.

"very good."

Dai Fuqiang stood up and waved his hand.

"withdraw!"

The three quickly jumped into the pickup truck. With a roar of the engine, the ghostly truck, carrying the eldest son of the richest Chinese man and the hope of a billion-dollar ransom, quickly disappeared into the rain and mist of Wong Chuk Tunnel.

On the deserted Deep Water Bay Road, only a Nissan sedan with shattered windows and two unfortunate men tied to the roadside remained.

"Waaah...waaah..."

The bodyguard struggled violently on the ground, desperately rubbing the plastic cable ties on his wrists against the rough asphalt. He only managed to break free when his wrists were bleeding profusely.

He immediately untied the driver's rope, and the two of them scrambled onto the already battered Nissan sedan.

"Quick! Back to the mansion! Hurry!!" the bodyguard shouted hoarsely.

The driver's hands were trembling as he started the engine and slammed on the gas pedal.

Less than ten minutes.

The dilapidated car screeched to a halt in front of the ornate iron gate of the Li family mansion at 79 Deep Water Bay.

At this moment, Li Chengjia was sitting in a luxurious restaurant, drinking morning tea while reading the latest edition of Ming Pao.

As a business tycoon poised to become the richest Chinese person, his life is regular and disciplined. But today, he felt a persistent twitching in his right eyelid.

"Bang!"

The restaurant door was violently kicked open.

The bodyguard, his face covered in blood and his clothes torn, stumbled in and fell to his knees on the Persian carpet with a thud.

"Master!! Something terrible has happened!!"

The bodyguard cried out, his voice filled with anguish.

"Young Master...Young Master was kidnapped on the way by several masked thugs armed with AKs!!"

"Clang!"

The blue-and-white porcelain teacup in Li Chengjia's hand fell to the ground and shattered. Scalding hot tea splashed onto his trouser leg, but he was completely unaware.

He stood up abruptly, his once rosy face turning deathly pale, his mind going blank for a moment in the extreme shock.

"What did you say?! Sawakoma...has been kidnapped?!"

In Hong Kong, someone actually dared to kidnap Li Chengjia's son?!

That was his eldest son, the future leader of Cheung Kong Holdings whom he had placed high hopes on and was preparing to take over!

"Yes...yes, sir. They moved too quickly, all armed with long spears. They also left a message..."

The bodyguard, trembling, repeated Dai Fuqiang's words, "They said...you should wait at home, they will...come to visit. If you call the police, they will...kill him."

boom--

Upon hearing this, Li Chengjia felt dizzy.

But after all, he was a business tycoon who had weathered countless storms, and after a brief moment of panic, he forced himself to calm down.

"Keep the news under wraps! Anyone who dares to utter a single word about what happened today will have their entire family wiped out!"

Since the kidnappers came to his door, it meant they wanted something, so his son was safe for the time being. The immediate priority was to keep the news under wraps, prevent others from getting involved, and, most importantly—avoid affecting Cheung Kong Holdings' stock price.

Li Chengjia's mind raced as he roared at the security supervisor who had rushed to the scene, "Call Madam and the Second Young Master back immediately! No one is allowed to leave! Turn on all the surveillance and security systems in the mansion!"

"Yes, sir!" The entire Li family mansion instantly fell into chaos, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Li Chengjia slumped in the chair, his hands trembling slightly.

He didn't know who the other person was, or how much money they wanted. This feeling of being watched by a venomous snake lurking in the shadows filled him with an unprecedented fear.

An hour later, just as the entire mansion was gripped by extreme panic and oppression.

"Ding-dong—"

The electronic doorbell at the villa's entrance suddenly rang.

At this critical juncture, the crisp sound of the doorbell was like a death knell, putting everyone's nerves on edge.

The security supervisor rushed into the restaurant: "Sir... there's someone outside."

"Alone?" Li Chengjia frowned. "Who is it?"

"He wouldn't give his name, he only said..." The security supervisor swallowed hard, "...that he knew where the young master was. And he requested to see you."

A glint of light flashed in Li Chengjia's eyes.

Who else but kidnappers would dare to come alone at this time?

Arrogant! Utterly arrogant to the extreme!

They kidnapped my son and dare to swagger into my headquarters?!

"Let him in." Li Chengjia gritted his teeth, his eyes icy. "Call ten armed men to wait in the living room. I want to see who dares to mess with the Li family!"

……

Three minutes later.

Inside the Li family mansion, in a luxurious European-style living room.

Ten bodyguards dressed in black suits, concealing submachine guns and pistols, lined up on both sides of the hall, as if facing a formidable enemy.

The door slowly opened.

Under the pointing of all gun barrels.

A man wearing a large black trench coat, with his hair slicked back and a cigar dangling from his lips, swaggered in with an extremely arrogant and domineering air.

He seemed completely oblivious to the dark gun barrels around him.

He walked straight to the center of the living room and looked at Li Chengjia, who was sitting on the sofa with a livid face.

"Hands up! Don't move!" the security supervisor roared, and two bodyguards immediately rushed forward to search him.

"Don't touch me."

The man stopped, exhaled a smoke ring, and wore that chilling, sinister smile.

"I have a bad temper. I get nervous easily if someone touches me."

As he spoke, he very slowly unzipped the black trench coat.

"hiss--"

The moment the trench coat opened.

A dozen or so synchronized gasps of surprise rang out from the living room.

Even Li Chengjia, who had been trying to remain calm, suddenly stood up from the sofa, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

C4 plastic explosive!

A whole vest full of C4 explosives!

The red and blue striped wires, the countdown timer flashing red light, and the heart rate monitoring patch pressed tightly against his chest. And, his right hand, tucked into his pocket, gripped the "dead-hand switch" tightly.

"Everyone... everyone back off! Put your guns down!"

The security supervisor's voice trembled, and cold sweat instantly soaked his shirt. He was a soldier; he knew all too well what the explosive charge on that vest meant. If this man loosened his grip even slightly, the entire Li family mansion, including Li Chengjia himself, would be reduced to ashes in an instant!

More importantly, Li Chengjia had just recalled all members of the Li family for safety reasons; if the explosion occurred, the entire Li family would be wiped out.

This guy is a complete madman! A human nuclear bomb!

The bodyguards were so frightened that they all retreated, unable to even hold their guns steady.

Faced with an absolute threat of death, even the most stringent security measures become a joke.

The man watched with satisfaction as the fearful expressions on the faces of those around him faded. He walked over to the multi-million dollar Italian handcrafted leather sofa, plopped down, and comfortably crossed his legs.

He looked at Li Chengjia across from him and revealed an extremely arrogant smile.

"Hello, Mr. Li. It's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for bothering you."

The man flicked the ash from his cigar, his voice echoing in the deathly silent living room.

"Let me introduce myself. My surname is Dai—Dai Fuqiang. My friends in the underworld give me face and call me 'Big Rich Man'."

Seeing Li Chengjia's extremely ugly face, Dai Fuqiang slowly took out the black encrypted mobile phone from his pocket.

"Mr. Li, I know you're very angry right now. But it's okay, just listen to this voice, and it should calm you down by half."

Dai Fuqiang pressed the replay button.

The call was connected.

"Hey, Hothead, put the megaphone right next to our young master's mouth. Let him let his father know he's safe."

A few seconds later, Li Zeju's voice, filled with fear, despair, and sobs, came through the mobile phone.

"Dad!! Dad, save me!! I'm in their hands! They're covered in explosives!!"

"Dad, please don't call the police! If you do, they'll kill me! Help me, Dad!!"

Hearing his eldest son's heart-wrenching cries for help, Li Chengjia's body trembled violently, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He stared intently at Dai Fuqiang sitting opposite him, his eyes filled with anger, humiliation, and resignation.

Dai Fuqiang hung up the phone with satisfaction.

He leaned back on the sofa, arms outstretched, like a king surveying his prey.

"Alright, Mr. Li, now that you've heard everything..."

Dai Fuqiang grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"Now, let's talk about this business."