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

On the morning of January 3rd, in Tsuen Wan, at a secluded fish raft.

The morning mist hadn't yet dissipated, and the sea was a hazy gray. The fishing raft, with its corrugated iron roof and wooden planks, was moored on the shore, swaying up and down with the murky water.

Big D sat imposingly on a plastic stool at the edge of the fishing raft, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, coldly watching the two dark figures hanging upside down at the far end.

They were two men bound hand and foot with thick hemp rope, their heads down, their faces submerged in the cold seawater, with only their legs sticking out and kicking wildly, splashing water everywhere.

A minute passed, and seeing that the two victims' movements were getting weaker and weaker, Big D waved his hand and said, "That's enough. Don't actually kill them."

Two henchmen grabbed the rope next to them and pulled hard, dragging the two men out of the water.

"Thump!"

Then, the two men were dragged onto the fishing raft like tattered sacks, collapsed onto the wet wooden planks, and coughed violently and intermittently while spitting out mouthfuls of salty seawater mixed with sand.

In the dim light, you could make out the two faces—dark skin, high cheekbones, refugees who had fled from South Vietnam across the sea.

Big D stubbed out his cigarette, strolled over, and kicked the two men hard in the chest with his boot. The two men were sent flying, landing face-up on the wooden plank, their faces filled with terror and bewilderment.

"Damn it!" Big D spat out a mouthful of phlegm, his voice filled with barely suppressed irritation. "You bunch of damn bastards, you really know how to pick your moments to cause trouble! I promised my wife I'd go on a trip to Singapore, and I'd already bought the plane tickets! But you guys, with your antics, have made it impossible for me to go anywhere. I'm stuck here on a fish raft with you bastards, enjoying the sea breeze!"

Big D grew angrier and angrier, and with each word, he unleashed another brutal beating on the two refugees. The two refugees cowered like shrimp, crying and begging in broken Cantonese, "Boss, spare us... Boss, spare us!"

Only after Big D had vented his anger did he bend down, dust off his hands, and turn to his henchman beside him, tilting his head slightly: "Keep asking, see if they know where the other escaped refugees are hiding. If they can't get any information, hang them up and soak them in the water again."

"Yes, Brother D!" The two henchmen responded, dragged the two half-dead refugees to the other end of the fishing raft, pressed them onto the wooden planks, squatted down, and began to question them.

Big D ignored them, turned around, walked out of the fish raft, and got into his Mercedes-Benz.

The car door closed, and Big D took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and completely suppressed his impatience and hostility, replacing it with a respectful expression. Then, he carefully dialed the private number.

"Mr. Lu," the moment the call connected, Big D's face immediately plastered with a fawning smile, even his voice changed tone, becoming sickeningly sweet, "It's me, Ah D... No, no, I just wanted to report to you that I've caught five escaped refugees in Tsuen Wan, and we're interrogating them about the whereabouts of their other accomplices. Don't worry, I'll definitely bring all the escapees to justice before the day after tomorrow!"

Lu Chen's voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with encouragement: "Thank you for your hard work. I'll need to trouble you with this part from now on."

"Of course, of course!" Big D quickly replied. "Mr. Lu, rest assured, I, Big D, will handle this matter perfectly!"

"Yes, I look forward to your performance."

The call was then disconnected.

After hanging up the phone, Big D, clutching his phone, instantly transformed his obsequious expression into fervent ambition! He slammed his hand on the back of the front seat and yelled at the driver, "Drive! To point three!"

"Boss, aren't you going home to be with your wife...?"

"Go home what!" Big D interrupted him, his eyes gleaming with fervor. "Mr. Lu is very satisfied with my attitude. I need to strike while the iron is hot! As long as he gives the green light, then my chances of going back to shore will be slim! Qiang, go check on the other three refugees at point three. I'm afraid those guys will slack off and mess things up while I'm gone!"

"Hey." The driver didn't dare to delay and quickly stepped on the gas. The Mercedes roared toward the next sentry post.

Meanwhile, all the "departments" of the Red Star Society were also bustling with activity.

In the headquarters conference room, Jiang Tiansheng, Jiang Tianyang, and Ahua sat at the table, each holding a mobile phone, waiting for their subordinates' reports.

Jiang Tiansheng's phone rang first. He answered it, listened for a few minutes, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

"We caught three in Yau Ma Tei," Jiang Tiansheng said calmly after hanging up the phone. "They were hiding in an abandoned garment factory and were discovered by the brothers patrolling the streets."

Immediately afterward, Jiang Tianyang's phone rang. After hearing the report, he laughed heartily: "We caught two in Sham Shui Po! They were hiding in a dilapidated attic. They confessed everything after just a couple of slaps with bamboo sticks, and they even gave up the hiding place of another scoundrel."

Ah Hua took the longest to answer the phone. After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "We caught one in Hung Hom and two in Temple Street. However, these are all lone operators who had just escaped and separated from the main group. We couldn't get any information about the whereabouts of the others."

It must be said that these thugs who used to hang out on the streets are skilled fighters and have an exceptional ability to find people. In just one night, they caught eight or nine refugees who had escaped from Baishiying.

It must be admitted that this group of thugs and bullies who used to roam the streets were not only good at fighting and extortion, but also extremely sensitive in finding and arresting people. In just one night, they successively arrested eight or nine refugees who had escaped from Baishiying.

Jiang Tiansheng put his phone back in his pocket, glanced at Jiang Tianyang, and said, "The brothers worked hard tonight. Tell them to hold on for one more day, and once things are done, everyone will get triple their bonus."

"Don't worry," Jiang Tianyang laughed heartily, "Finding people is a skill the underworld uses to make a living."

Besides the triads, the entire police force system on Hong Kong Island is also operating at full speed.

Since yesterday, PTU armored personnel carriers have been patrolling the streets of Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Yau Tsim Mong, and Sham Shui Po, with uniformed police officers and detectives from major police stations also deployed in droves. Every suspicious van is stopped and inspected, and every abandoned construction site is searched by officers with flashlights.

Of course, more importantly, the gray maze that once housed thousands of criminals—Kowloon Walled City—has long been completely flattened and smashed in this timeline.

Without the Kowloon Walled City, a natural haven for crime and filth, the fleeing refugees could only scatter among abandoned factories and construction sites on the outskirts of the city. Under the dual search of the police and gangs, they had almost nowhere to hide.

Just twelve hours after Li Shutang made his pledge at the press conference, police officers and "enthusiastic citizens" across Hong Kong had already arrested more than thirty fleeing rioters.

That seemingly arrogant "thirty-six-hour" promise is becoming increasingly achievable at an incredible pace.

……

Sha Tin Police Station, New Territories.

Inside the detention cell, a dozen or so South Vietnamese refugees were crammed into a small cubicle. Some squatted against the wall and shouted loudly, some hysterically cursed in the South Vietnamese language, and some pounded on the iron bars, making a loud clanging noise that filled the entire detention cell.

In this corner of the prison, Hu Yue was the only one who remained silent.

He leaned against the wall, his legs bent, his arms resting on his knees, listening quietly to the noise around him, his gaze fixed on the ground, like a motionless sculpture.

Just then, the sound of hurried police boots came from the end of the corridor. A guard on duty walked over, pulled out his baton, and slammed it against the iron bars: "Shut the hell up, all of you! What the hell is all this noise about!"

Once the noise subsided slightly, the guard's gaze swept around the cell, finally waving at Hu Yue: "You! Come out!"

Hu Yue was slightly taken aback: "...Me?"

"Stop talking nonsense! It's you! Someone wants to see you!" The guard opened the cell door with extreme impatience.

Although Hu Yue was full of doubts, he obediently got up and followed the guard out. He walked through the corridor, turned two corners, and was finally led to the door of a small visiting room.

The guard pushed open the door and gestured with his chin towards the inside: "Go in."

The visiting room was sparsely furnished, with only a worn-out long table and three wooden chairs. Ah Wei and Xiao Li were sitting close together at the table, while Chen Jiaju leaned lazily against the window with his arms crossed.

"Brother Yue!" Ah Wei stood up excitedly as soon as he saw Hu Yue. "Brother Yue, are you alright?"

A hint of surprise appeared on Hu Yue's usually indifferent face: "Why are you here?"

"We came here specifically to thank you!" Xiaoli stood up as well, her beautiful eyes filled with gratitude. "If you hadn't stood up for us that night, we probably would have been... taken advantage of by those beasts..."

Hu Yue shook his head, forcing a somewhat awkward smile: "It was just something I did to right an injustice; you don't need to take it to heart."

"No way! How can I not repay a life-saving debt?!" Ah Wei shook his head firmly, then took two steps forward and whispered some good news to Hu Yue.

"Brother Yue, there's incredible news! Xiaoli's father, to repay you, secretly slipped some money to an official at the Immigration Department, and they've given in. We'll be submitting the necessary documents to the UNHCR office in the next couple of days, trying to get you a travel quota to a third country as soon as possible so we can arrange your departure!"

Hu Yue shuddered violently, his usually calm eyes lighting up for the first time. He grabbed Awei's hand and asked in a low, excited voice, "...Are you telling the truth?"

He risked his life to cross the ocean to Hong Kong Island in order to obtain a refugee quota to go to America. Unfortunately, he lacked money and connections, which is why he has been wasting his life in the swamp of Pak Shek Camp until now.

"Absolutely true!" Ah Wei nodded emphatically. "Don't worry, as long as the materials are fine, we'll get news soon."

Looking at Awei and Xiaoli's sincere faces, Hu Yue swallowed hard, then bowed deeply to them: "...Thank you."

"Ahem." Chen Jiaju coughed beside him and interjected, "There's not much I can do to help you, but I don't want to see a good Samaritan continue to be crammed into this run-down place."

He walked over and patted Hu Yue on the shoulder: "I've already spoken to the director, and we'll take you to a third-country refugee transition center later. The environment there is better than in the detention center, and the procedures are easier to complete."

Hu Yue glanced at Chen Jiaju and nodded: "Thank you."

"It's nothing," Chen Jiaju said, opening the door to the visiting room and tilting his head slightly towards the corridor. "Let's go, the car's outside."

Of course, the reason why Chen Jiaju was so enthusiastic was not only because he sincerely admired Hu Yue's chivalrous act, but also because Director Zhou had given him a two-day holiday, and Ah Mei happened to be away on a business trip with a tour group. He had nothing to do at home, so he came over to help out.

By the time the four men walked out of the police station, it was already fully light. The morning wind carried a chill, and the streets were already bustling with early risers and open shops.

Chen Jiaju opened the passenger door and gestured with his chin towards Hu Yue: "Get in."

After a reluctant farewell, the patrol car drove south along the streets of Sha Tin, passing through several waking neighborhoods before turning onto a relatively secluded highway.

"Speaking of which... are you a South Vietnamese soldier?" Inside the car, Chen Jiaju asked curiously, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the window sill.

Hu Yue looked out the window at the receding street scene and nodded: "Yes, back then, the South Vietnamese government army forcibly conscripted men from the village and sent them to the battlefield without really knowing what was going on. Later, when the South Vietnamese regime collapsed, in order to avoid being purged, we had no choice but to escape by boat."

Chen Jiaju sighed, not wanting to reopen old wounds, and changed the subject: "Would you mind telling me the real situation inside the White Stone Camp?"

Although Zhou Yi forced him to take a vacation, how could Chen Jiaju, a workaholic by nature, really abandon everything? Last night, he privately asked an informant about the inside story of the Baishiying riot, but the informant was surprisingly tight-lipped. So Chen Jiaju decided to take this opportunity to ask Hu Yue about it—the other party had been in Baishiying for five or six years and must know the place well.

Upon hearing Chen Jiaju's question, Hu Yue remained silent for a moment before whispering, "...Do you have any cigarettes?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Chen Jiaju pulled out a pack of Camel cigarettes from under the central control, handed one over, and lit one for himself.

"Hoo..." Hu Yue leaned back in his seat, took a deep breath, and then explained, "Bai Shi Camp is a mixed bag, roughly divided into two major forces: the Southern Yue Gang and the Northern Yue Gang."

"The North Vietnamese gang was stronger militarily, while the South Vietnamese gang had more people and a better relationship with the guards. Neither side was willing to submit to the other, and fights were commonplace, with people even losing their lives from time to time."

"What?" Chan Ka-kui frowned. "Don't the correctional officers care?"

"Ha...a bunch of illegal refugees without even legal ID cards, what difference does it make if a few die or a few flies die? Who cares?"

Upon hearing Hu Yue's words, Chen Jiaju fell into a heavy silence.

After a long pause, having gathered his thoughts, he spoke again: "So, are you from the South Vietnamese gang or the North Vietnamese gang?"

"No, I didn't join either side."

"That's strange," Chen Jiaju said, quite surprised. "Since you're a South Vietnamese soldier, why don't you join the South Vietnamese gang?"

Hu Yue's lips twitched, revealing a hint of disdain: "Just a bunch of insects who prey on the weak under the guise of being compatriots... Joining them would dirty my hands."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiaju's eyes revealed a hint of admiration. Just as he was about to say something more, suddenly—

"boom!"

A muffled thud suddenly erupted from under the car, which then veered sharply to the left, the steering wheel trembling wildly in Chen Jiaju's hands.

Fortunately, Chan Ka-kui was a skilled driver and quickly regained control of the steering wheel. He released the accelerator, shifted into neutral, and the car slid a short distance on the road before coming to a stop.

"The tire blew out?" Hu Yue sat up straight.

"Okay," Chen Jiaju unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, "You stay in the car and don't move. I'll get out and check."

After getting out of the car, Chen Jiaju went around to the left and squatted down—the front tire had been punctured, the edge of the tire was cracked, the internal steel wires were broken, and it couldn't even be repaired.

Chen Jiaju frowned and glanced back along the road. He saw several dark iron nails scattered on the road, gleaming coldly in the morning light.

His heart sank, and he was about to get up—

"Don't move."

A ghostly figure suddenly appeared behind him! Then a pistol was pressed firmly against Chen Jiaju's lower back, and the eerie voice was devoid of any warmth.