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

In December 1983, thousands of kilometers away in northern Thailand, in the rainforest known as the "Golden Triangle," a struggle over the distribution of profits related to drugs and death was quietly brewing, carried on the damp smell of the earth.

The rainforest here is shrouded in a thick, impenetrable fog year-round, with various unknown poisonous insects scurrying beneath the decaying leaves. Besides the acrid smell of rotting plants, the air also carries a faint, pungent odor of gunpowder.

This area doesn't belong to the law; it belongs to only one name—Jinsha (Golden Sands).

Jinsha, whose real name was Zhang Qifu, was a man of mixed Han and Shan descent. His early life was a story written in bones and poppy nectar. Jinsha was once an insignificant member of a caravan among the mountain peoples, and later learned how to kill and command troops in the gaps of the Kuomintang remnants. In the midst of the dramatic upheaval in Southeast Asia during the 1960s and 70s, he carved out a state within a state in the deep mountains and forests with an almost beast-like intuition and ruthlessness.

His Shan State Army (MTA) boasted over 10,000 men, equipped with American M16s and Soviet AK-47s smuggled from the black market, and even a small number of light armored vehicles. At its peak, 60% of the world's "Number Four" heroin flowing into the black market originated from this general's laboratory. He once arrogantly sneered at Western journalists trying to infiltrate the country: "I never intended to sell to my own people; I was simply packaging up the illusions those invaders needed and selling them back to themselves."

……

Deep in this rainforest, within a semi-permanent armed camp, the barrels of heavy machine guns gleamed coldly in the dim shade. Groups of mercenaries, clad in camouflage and carrying American carbines, their eyes sinister, chewed betel nuts and warily scanned every inch of the surrounding grass. This was the power center of Jinsha, the heart of the Asian heroin trade.

At this moment, in a stilted bamboo house in the center of the camp, General Jinsha sat on a chair covered with a tiger skin. He was about fifty years old, with slightly graying hair, but it was combed exceptionally neatly. He was playing with a short knife with an ivory handle in his hand, and on the mahogany table in front of him was a pot of fine Pu'er tea. The swirling aroma of the tea contrasted sharply with the bloody smell outside, creating a highly ironic effect.

Opposite him sat a middle-aged man who looked extremely ordinary.

The man wore a faded gray shirt, with an inconspicuous pair of glasses perched on his nose. He was slightly thin, and his skin had a sickly sallow hue due to years of hard work. If you placed him on the streets of Mong Kok, everyone would think he was just an electronics store owner who worried about a few dollars' rent every day.

However, this man's name is Lin Kun, and his nickname is "Ah Kun". He is currently the second largest drug dealer in Hong Kong after the Ni family, and in the future underground rules of Hong Kong, he will be the dealer who understands "supply and demand" the most.

"Mr. Kun, you have a lot of guts." Jin Sha put down his teacup, his ivory dagger twirling deftly between his fingers before striking the table with a "thud," the tip pointing directly at Lin Kun's heart. "In the Golden Triangle, you are the first Hong Konger to dare to walk into my military camp alone to discuss business."

Lin Kun adjusted his glasses, his gaze unmoved by the short knife so close to his face. He didn't even look at the knife, simply staring calmly at Jin Sha: "General, courage doesn't earn you money. I'm here because I can help you solve your troubles, and you can help me earn money to save my life."

Jin Fa let out a low, cold laugh. The two bodyguards behind him suddenly pulled back the bolts of their guns, and the cold muzzles were pressed directly against the back of Lin Kun's head.

"Trouble? I have tens of thousands of fully armed brothers, and an endless sea of ​​poppies. What trouble could I possibly have?"

Lin Kun remained seated, slowly and methodically pulling a bottle of insulin and a syringe from his pocket. Without even asking Jin Sha's permission, he lifted his shirt and injected himself into his somewhat sagging stomach. As the medication was administered, his pale face regained some vitality.

"Your trouble is that your best 'Number Four' (heroin) can't get into Hong Kong now." Lin Kun put away the syringe, his tone devoid of any emotion. "Six months ago, your original agent was Guan Caiba. Unfortunately, that fool was too ambitious. Before he could even establish your channels, he was sent to hell by the Hong Kong and mainland police in Malaysia."

Upon hearing the name "Guan Cai Ba," Jin Sha's face, which had been wearing a fake smile, instantly turned ferocious.

That was his biggest financial loss in recent years. When Guanchai Ba died, he was still owed more than 100 million US dollars in unsettled payments. After his death, his wife Cheng Siying disappeared without a trace—it's unclear whether she died or went into hiding. In any case, the outstanding payment is nowhere in sight.

"The share of Hong Kong Island that originally belonged to you is being devoured little by little by the Ni family," Lin Kun continued, his voice as calm as if he were explaining a market research report. "That young man, Ni Yongxiao, is no simpleton. He abandoned your Southeast Asian sources and instead sourced high-purity cocaine directly from South America for purification. Although the cost is high, his route is secured through Wheelock's containers, making it frighteningly stable. If this continues, a year from now, people in Hong Kong will only know about the Ni family's South American goods. Who will remember your 'Double Lion Globe' brand, General?"

Jin Sha stared at Lin Kun, remaining silent for a long time. He had to admit that this unassuming, sickly man had precisely struck a nerve.

"You want to be my exclusive agent in Hong Kong?" Jinsha slowly drew the short knife from the table, a murderous glint in her eyes. "On what grounds? Just because of your frail physique that looks like you could die at any moment?"

"Because I know every drug dealer in Hong Kong, and because I have a complete drug manufacturing and transportation system, all I lack is a stable supply that can overwhelm the Ni family." Lin Kun finally raised his head, his eyes revealing an extremely restrained ruthlessness. "General, the Ni family is a conglomerate; they prioritize stability. I am a drug dealer; I prioritize profit. Moreover, as far as I know, the Ni family's routes are currently experiencing some minor problems. As long as your goods are pure enough, I can guarantee you that I can drive the Ni family's South American drugs out of Kowloon within three months."

Jinsha didn't speak, but waved to the bodyguards behind her.

The bodyguard pulled a sealed, transparent plastic bag from the shadows; inside were several white powder bricks engraved with stamps.

"This is the best stock this season," Jinsha said coldly. "Take a look. If you can't even tell the difference, then there's no point in continuing this conversation."

Lin Kun took the brick of powder, but unlike ordinary drug dealers, he didn't lick it or burn it with tin foil. Instead, he took out a small balance scale and a simple set of chemical reagent tubes from his pocket.

In this rainforest with an appallingly high illiteracy rate, Lin Kun demonstrated his exceptional professionalism.

He cut off a small piece of powder, placed it in a reagent tube to observe the reaction rate, and then gently fanned it under his nose. The entire process lasted a full ten minutes, his gaze as focused as a surgeon performing a delicate operation.

"The purity is over 99%, and the impurities are filtered out very cleanly. It's a process from Laos," Lin Kun calmly commented, putting away his tools. "But this batch of goods has a drawback: it's too potent. If we distribute it directly to end users, the chances of people dying will increase by 30%, and it won't be good for us to increase our profits either."

Jinsha's eye twitched. He hadn't expected Lin Kun to not only be able to tell the purity of the goods at a glance, but also to be able to determine their origin. This sickly fellow was indeed quite capable.

"If you leave it to me, I'll dilute it to 60% before shipping, and then add a little bit of something from the US. This way, while maintaining its potency, I can also prolong its addictive feedback cycle," Lin Kun said casually. "That way, the buyers will feel like they've got a magic pill, and my profits will double."

Upon hearing that "profits will double again," the scrutiny in Jinsha's eyes gradually began to be replaced by greed.

"Mr. Lin, your professionalism has indeed surprised me." Jinsha finally picked up her teacup and gestured to Lin Kun. "But in this world, professionalism alone is not enough. If you want my exclusive agency, you'll have to prove to me that you not only have brains, but also courage."

Jinsha suddenly pulled a golden revolver from his waist and slammed it heavily on the table.

"There's a bullet inside. Shoot yourself in the thigh. If you don't blink, we're halfway to the deal."

The atmosphere inside the room plummeted to freezing point in that instant.

Lin Kun glanced at the golden revolver, then at Jinsha. Without the slightest hesitation, he reached for the pistol, not even looking at the cylinder, and pressed it directly against his inner thigh.

"Bang!"

The sound of the firing pin hitting empty air.

Empty sound.

Lin Kun's expression remained unchanged throughout, though his breathing became slightly rapid. He placed the pistol back in its place, his tone chillingly calm: "General, my life is meant for this business. If you want to see fireworks, next time you can fire a live bullet."

"Hahaha!" Jin Fa burst into hearty laughter, then slapped Lin Kun on the shoulder. "Good! You've got guts! Lin Kun from Hong Kong, I'll remember you."

Jinsha waved his hand, and his bodyguards brought out a plate of crispy roasted wild game, along with several bottles of expensive French red wine.

"Mr. Lin, I can give you the goods. I can also give you the exclusive agency rights." Jinsha's smile vanished, his eyes turning as cold as a venomous snake. "But before the contract takes effect, I have one additional request. It's a condition, and also a pledge of allegiance."

Lin Kun picked up a napkin and wiped his hands, not even looking up: "Please go ahead."

Jinsha took out two slightly creased photos from his breast pocket and threw them in front of Lin Kun.

Lin Kun lowered his eyes. The photo showed two very young faces, yet filled with fortitude and murderous intent.

One photo shows Chan Ka-kui receiving a medal in front of the Central Police Station. He has a somewhat simple and honest smile, but his eyes are extremely bright.

The other picture shows a refined-looking man wearing gold-rimmed glasses – Ni Yongxiao.

"Chen Jiaju, Ni Yongxiao." Jinsha gritted his teeth and uttered these two names, his tone filled with a deep-seated hatred. "Chen Jiaju not only killed Guan Caiba, but he was also inextricably linked to the deaths of my subordinate Luo Lie."

Mentioning Luo Lie, Jinsha's eyes hardened even more; Luo Lie was a black glove he had painstakingly cultivated. Since Jinsha's arrival, finding buyers and negotiating share allocations no longer required Jinsha's direct involvement; he could remain perfectly hidden behind the scenes, only needing to manage the army. But since Luo Lie's death, he had been forced to personally handle these dirty tasks again.

Of course, mainland police were also involved in the operation, but General Kam Sha chose to ignore them.

"He not only ruined my source of income, but also tarnished General Jinsha's reputation in Southeast Asia." Jinsha leaned forward, the strong smell of his cigar hitting Lin Kun's face. "And Ni Yongxiao, back when Ni Kun was alive, I took good care of the Ni family, but after his father died, he dared to choose another seller..."

"Mr. Lin, if you want to officially become my family, you have to help me remove these two thorns. I don't expect you to kill them both, just eliminate any one of them, and I'll give you a 10% discount on the payments for the next three years."

Lin Kun's fingers gently traced the two photos on the table.

Of course he knew Chan Ka-kui; he was the famous "Hong Kong Island Super Cop," backed by Lam Lui-meng and Uncle Piu, and even the face of the Hong Kong Island police force. And Ni Wing-hau... was currently the biggest drug kingpin in Hong Kong Island, with countless desperate criminals under his command.

However, this 10% discount on the goods is a huge sum of money that could drive Lin Kun crazy, given that his annual turnover can reach one billion Hong Kong dollars.

"General, killing this kind of person will cause a huge commotion." Lin Kun slowly raised his head, his eyes showing no fear, but rather the shrewdness of a businessman. "Especially involving the police. If we mess this up, I won't be able to go back to Hong Kong Island."

"That's why I chose you, Mr. Lin." Jinsha smiled sinisterly. "You're low-key, you're not famous, and no one would ever guess that Hong Kong's most notorious drug lord is a sickly man who owns an electronics store. You have your channels, and I have my resources."

Jinsha took a document out of the drawer and stamped it heavily with his gold seal.

"If you can bring back one of these two heads, or give me concrete news of their death, this agency agreement will be indefinite. Furthermore, I will provide you with an additional force of top-tier armed personnel, under your full command."

Lin Kun looked at the contract that symbolized the highest power in the Golden Triangle, his eyes flashing with a complex light.

He knew this was a gamble with death. Once he took over, he would no longer be just a drug dealer; he would be officially drawn into a quagmire of power he couldn't control.

But Lin Kun was never a content person. Beneath that mediocre exterior lay a heart more greedy and more insane than anyone else's.

"Ten percent of the payment, plus twenty elite gunmen. I'll take Chen Jiaju's life." Lin Kun reached out and shook hands with Jin Sha's large, calloused hand.

"As for Ni Yongxiao, if the opportunity arises, I will bring back his head for you as a gift."

Lin Kun's voice was very soft, yet it carried a chilling certainty.