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

The high-security prison in the mid-levels of Kuala Lumpur, with its towering electric fences and grey walls, looked particularly eerie under the clouds.

Guan Caiba sat on the cold wooden bench in the visiting room, looking through the thick bulletproof glass at the woman opposite him—his wife, Cheng Siying, who had a haggard face but a resolute look in her eyes.

"Siying, I'm sorry to have troubled you." Guan Caiba picked up the phone, his voice carrying three parts sincerity and seven parts calculation.

Cheng Siying sneered. Even imprisoned, the aura of a drug lord's wife remained: "Cai Ba, stop acting. If you really cared about me, you wouldn't have sent me to Malaysia to handle that account... Tell me, did you come to see me to save me, or for the bank password?"

Guan Caiba's eye twitched, and he gave an awkward laugh: "Look at what you're saying. Saving you and getting the password aren't mutually exclusive. As long as we get that money, we can go anywhere and make a comeback. Tell me the password quickly so I can arrange the next steps."

Cheng Siying stared into her husband's greedy eyes and said, word by word, "Guan Caiba, we've been married for so many years, I know your thoughts all too well. Get me out of prison, and as soon as I board the plane leaving Malaysia, I'll give you the password. Otherwise, just wait for those hundreds of millions of dollars to rot in the bank!"

"Snapped!"

Cheng Siying abruptly hung up the phone.

Watching his wife's resolute departure, Guanchaiba's face instantly darkened to the point of being almost dripping with water.

He walked out of the prison gates, got into the unassuming pickup truck, and coldly said to Leopard Qiang, who was driving, "Back to the hotel."

……

Inside a high-end hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the air conditioning was blasting, but it still couldn't quell the restless atmosphere inside.

Guan Caiba stood in the center of the living room, with two specially made huge suitcases at his feet. He glanced around at the core members in the room: Bao Qiang, Chen Jiaju who used the alias "Lin Fusheng", and Yang Jianhua with a cold expression.

"Gentlemen, the plan has changed." Guanchai Ba kicked one of the suitcases open.

With a "click," the box popped open, revealing a shocking display of heavy firepower inside.

Chen Jiaju's pupils suddenly contracted. Inside the box were two M72 LAW rocket launchers, a dozen folding AK-47s, and rows of neatly arranged hand grenades and smoke grenades. This wasn't a rescue operation; it was practically a terrorist attack in Kuala Lumpur!

"My wife won't give me the password, and I don't believe in that bullshit Malaysian legal appeal system," Guanchaiba grinned, pulling a rifle from a box. "Two days later, she'll be on her way from prison to the Kuala Lumpur Supreme Court for sentencing. That's our only chance. If the judge dares to sentence her severely, we'll just hijack the prison van on the way to court!"

"Brother Ba, isn't this...isn't this a bit too much of a commotion?" Chen Jiaju swallowed hard, his heart pounding like a drum. He had originally thought it was just a clandestine rescue, but he hadn't expected the other side to have prepared such a large-scale arms operation. If a fight broke out, wouldn't the streets of Kuala Lumpur turn into a meat grinder?

"Big? How can you save people if it's not big!" Guan Caiba's eyes swept over Chen Jiaju with a sinister glint. "Fusheng, are you scared?"

"How could that be, Brother Ba!" Chen Jiaju quickly put on a smile, patting his chest to assure him, "From the day I came out, my life, Lin Fusheng's life, belongs to Brother Ba. Whatever Brother Ba says, I'll charge in!"

"Very good." Guanchai Ba nodded, his tone suddenly turning sinister. "However, for safety's sake, from now until the end of the operation, everyone must work in groups of three. No one can act alone. Understand?"

Although it's said to be for the brothers' safety, it's really just about monitoring each other.

Chen Jiaju and Yang Jianhua exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes. This meant they had no chance to report the scale of the weapons and the hijacking plan to the police.

His eyes darted around, glancing at Yang Jianhua, who was staring intently at the gun, and then at Bao Qiang, whose face was full of scars and who was about to grab a beer.

"Got it, Brother Ba! But we're all going to be on our way to the gates of hell the day after tomorrow, so the pressure is definitely on everyone," Chen Jiaju said with a grin, seemingly carefree. "It's rare to stay in such an expensive hotel, Brother Ba, I'd like to take Brother Leopard and Hua Nu to the bar downstairs for a couple of drinks to relax. Don't worry, we absolutely won't leave the hotel; we'll just stay inside, okay?"

Guan Caiba eyed him suspiciously, his gaze lingering for a moment on Chen Jiaju's face, which was etched with a "streetwise" air. Bao Qiang, standing beside him, swallowed hard, his eyes brimming with barely concealed desire. Guan Caiba knew these desperados needed to vent, and as long as nothing went wrong, he didn't want to play the villain. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, go. Bao Qiang, you're experienced enough; keep an eye on them. They must be back before midnight."

"Okay!"

……

On the hotel's basement floor was a bar called "Blues." Chen Jiaju pulled Yang Jianhua and Bao Qiang to a booth and ordered two dozen of the strongest vodka.

"Come on, Brother Leopard! This meal is on me today. Let's drink three glasses for the great wealth and prosperity we'll have the day after tomorrow!" Chen Jiaju was unusually excited, his glass clinking against the pool table.

Yang Jianhua understood immediately and joined in the toasting.

Although Leopard Qiang was wary, he couldn't resist Chen Jiaju's tricks, a seasoned alcoholic. Besides, he had already developed a lot of trust in "Lin Fusheng" over the past few days. So he accepted all comers, and in no time, he had downed more than half a shot of vodka.

Just as Chen Jiaju was figuring out how to get Leopard Qiang completely drunk, his gaze inadvertently swept over a corner of the bar.

There sat a man with a straight posture, short hair, and sharp, eagle-like eyes. He wore a well-tailored black casual suit, and even while drinking, his back was as straight as a javelin.

Nature nourishes life.

Chen Jiaju's pupils suddenly contracted.

What is he doing here?

Since that battle six months ago, Tian Yangsheng and Chen Jiaju had overcome their mutual prejudice. One was the head of security under Lu Chen, and the other was a daredevil detective in the police force; unexpectedly, they developed a strange mutual respect for each other. In the six months that followed, the two would occasionally meet for a few drinks; their relationship, though not strictly legal or illegal, was extremely deep.

At this moment, Tian Yangsheng also noticed the gaze and turned his head, a perfectly timed "surprise" flashing in his eyes. He was just about to raise his glass in greeting when he saw Chen Jiaju looking terrified, frantically making retreat and "don't know" gestures under the table, his eyes constantly glancing at the drunken Bao Qiang.

Tian Yangsheng immediately "understood" that Chen Jiaju was on a mission, so he withdrew his gaze without changing his expression and naturally turned around to talk to the bartender, as if he had never seen Chen Jiaju before.

Chen Jiaju finally breathed a sigh of relief, glancing gratefully at the figure sitting at the bar with his back to him, thinking to himself: Good brother, you're so in sync!

……

Half an hour later, Bao Qiang was so drunk that his tongue was tied in knots, and he was slumped on the table like a rag doll, snoring loudly.

"Miss Yang, keep an eye on him. I'll be right back," Chen Jiaju said in a low voice.

He first crouched down and slipped to a public phone in a secluded spot in the bar, where he quickly dialed a secret channel on Hong Kong Island.

"Hey! Uncle Piao! This is Ka-Kui! Listen, there's no time to explain! Guanchai has gone mad, he's got his hands on a rocket launcher! On the way to court the day after tomorrow, they're going to hijack the prison van! There are over fifty heavily armed men, requesting backup... What? Interpol can't send a large force in time? And the Malaysian police are dealing with another troublesome case? Holy crap!"

Having failed to get help, Chen Jiaju had no choice but to hang up the phone. Just then, he saw Tian Yangsheng had moved to a different spot and was sitting alone at a round table in the shadows, with an unopened bottle of beer in front of him.

Chen Jiaju hesitated for a moment, but gritted his teeth and walked over.

"Thanks, Brother Sheng. I'm so glad you reacted quickly, otherwise I really would have gone to meet God." Chen Jiaju said with a wry smile, opening a beer and taking a big gulp.

Tian Yangsheng turned his head to look at the disheveled "super cop," a rare smile appearing on his lips: "What should I call you now?"

"Sigh, let's just call him Ka-Kui then." Chan Ka-Kui sighed helplessly. "He's on a secret mission right now. By the way, what brings you to Malaysia?"

"My boss came to Malaysia on business and stayed at this hotel. I'm in charge of security. He's resting now, so I came out for some fresh air."

Looking at Tian Yangsheng's leisurely demeanor, and then thinking about his own undercover life where he could lose his head at any moment, Chen Jiaju's eyes were filled with envy: "We're both errand runners, but your work environment is much better than mine. The general manager of Jiahe Security, your annual salary must be quite high, right?"

Tian Yangsheng nodded: "The boss treats me very well. Jiaju, I'll say it again, don't suffer in the police force. Come to Golden Harvest, I'll let you lead a team, your annual salary will be at least three times what it is now, and you won't have to work so hard."

Chen Jiaju paused for a moment, then laughed heartily and patted the spot on his chest where his police badge used to be: "Thanks, brother. But I'm just a workaholic by nature. I feel uneasy if I don't catch thieves for a day. My ideal is to be a good cop for life, even if I end up only issuing tickets on the street."

Tian Yangsheng looked at him, a hint of respect flashing in his eyes. In this profit-driven era, someone still clinging to that pitiful sense of mission truly deserves respect.

"Everyone has their own path." Tian Yangsheng stood up, took out a small pager with an exquisite design and the Jiahe Security logo engraved on it from his pocket, and quietly slipped it into Chen Jiaju's hand.

"I won't ask about the details of your mission, but I can guess it's going to be very dangerous," Tian Yangsheng said in a very low voice. "This is a new, specially made pager from Jiahe Labs. If you encounter a danger you can't handle, press it. No matter where you are, no matter who the other party is, I will personally bring people to help you. This doesn't represent Jiahe, it only represents me, Tian Yangsheng."

Chen Jiaju took the heavy pager in a daze, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

He immediately thought of Guanchaiba's rocket launchers and made a firm decision.

"Ah Sheng, this matter... I do need your help, but it's a big deal, and your boss has to give his approval," Chen Jiaju said, revealing the whole plan. "Guan Caiba has a rocket launcher, and the launch is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. We can't rely on the Malaysian police right now, so I need a really strong outside help."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Tian Yangsheng's eyes.

"Leading a team to support you...no problem." Tian Yangsheng stood up, patted Chen Jiaju on the shoulder, and said, "Jiahe Security has just set up a branch in Malaysia. We have legal gun licenses and security personnel. I'll report to the boss, and as long as he approves, I guarantee you'll succeed at the courthouse the day after tomorrow."

……

Meanwhile, inside the hotel's penthouse suite.

Lu Chen was wearing a bathrobe, standing in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the dazzling night view of Kuala Lumpur.

The phone rang.

"Boss, the bait has been cast, and the fish have taken the bait." Tian Yangsheng's voice was as steady as ever. "Chen Jiaju has accepted my help. We will be 'on stage' on time for the scene at the courthouse the day after tomorrow."

Looking at the night view, Lu Chen's eyes revealed a calm confidence: "Well done, Asheng. You handled this 'chance encounter' perfectly."

Indeed, this rescue was a precise move by Lu Chen on the chessboard from beginning to end. However, for Tian Yangsheng, although he was carrying out his boss's mission, his desire to help this upright policeman was also a pure and sincere one.

After hanging up the phone, Lu Chen downed his whiskey in one gulp.

"Knock knock knock".

A slightly hesitant but crisp knocking sounded on the door.

Lu Chen smiled without turning his head: "Come in, the door's unlocked."

A young woman dressed in a tight-fitting hunting outfit pushed open the door and entered. This usually imposing Interpol senior inspector seemed rather hesitant at this moment. She walked behind Lu Chen, first earnestly massaging his shoulders, before stammering out her words.

"Um... Chen, I just checked, and the assassin team sent by the Nakajima Group this time might be carrying heavy weapons. Those greenhorns I brought, and those old hands from the Five Lucky Stars, I'm afraid..."

Lu Chen turned around, looking at her with a half-smile, deliberately using his previous words to tease her: "Oh, isn't this the face of Interpol, the imposing Senior Inspector Ya Zi? Back in Man Valley, didn't someone pat his chest and say that protecting witnesses was a trivial matter that didn't require my help?"

The little girl's face instantly turned bright red. Stomping her foot in embarrassment and annoyance, she decided to give up and plopped down on Lu Chen's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and whining, "I don't care! You're my man! Are you going to just stand by and watch me get bullied by those smugglers?"

Lu Chen laughed heartily and took the opportunity to put his arm around her slender waist.

"I can help, but I didn't intend for you to go on this risk alone." Lu Chen's hand wandered upwards, his tone becoming somewhat wicked. "However, Miss Ya, since you're asking for a favor, you should at least offer something, right? Jiahe's mercenaries are very expensive."

Feeling the intense heat emanating from Lu Chen, Ya Zi's face flushed crimson. She leaned close to his ear, her breath barely a whisper, and asked, "So... what do you want in return?"

Lu Chen didn't answer, but gave his answer through his actions.

With a sudden burst of strength, he lifted the child up in his arms and strode toward the enormous European-style bed.

Outside the window, a muffled clap of thunder echoed in the night sky over Kuala Lumpur.

Behind those heavy curtains, the battle between the two had already been ignited.