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

On the morning of January 3, Sha Tin Police Station

As usual, Zhou Yi pushed open the door to the director's office, hung his coat on the coat rack, then sat down at the desk, unscrewed the thermos, and took a leisurely sip of hot tea.

Outside the window, the morning light of Sha Tin had just spilled over the rooftops of the distant factory district, casting a pale golden edge on the half-dead potted green ivy on his table.

Everything was exactly the same as usual. Just like every uneventful morning he had experienced during his thirty years of service in the police force.

However, just as he had turned two pages of the document in his hand, there was a sudden knock on the office door.

"Please come in."

The door was pushed open, and three men in dark suits with serious expressions walked straight in.

The man at the front was about thirty years old, tall and slender, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, holding a document in his hand, and his name tag bore the logo of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and the words: Lu Zhilian, CAC Officer - Upper.

"What brings you here?" Zhou Yi still had that smiling expression, but the fingers gripping the documents tightened slightly.

Without exchanging pleasantries, Lu Zhilian walked directly to the desk, unfolded the documents, and pushed them in front of him: "Mr. Zhou Yi, I am Lu Zhilian, a Class A Integrity Officer of the ICAC. In accordance with Article 10 of the ICAC Ordinance, an investigation is now being launched into you for suspected misconduct in public office and obstruction of justice."

He paused, then spoke calmly and clearly: "We have ample evidence to show that, as the Commissioner of Sha Tin Police Station, you abused your authority on the evening of the 29th of last month to deliberately delay the SWAT team's support order for the Pak Shek Shing riot, leading to the escalation of the situation. Furthermore, you are also suspected of accepting bribes."

"You have been formally arrested in accordance with the relevant laws. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say will be used as evidence in court."

Zhou Yi looked down at the document on the table, his smile gradually fading away.

"...I understand." After a long silence, he squeezed out four words from deep in his throat.

Lu Zhilian tilted his head behind him, and an investigator immediately stepped forward, took out a pair of handcuffs from his briefcase, and neatly fastened them to Zhou Yi's wrists.

When they emerged from the office, the corridor was already packed with onlookers. No one could believe their eyes—Chief Zhou, the usually smiling officer who ate with officers in the cafeteria, had been taken away by the ICAC!

As the elevator doors closed completely, the corridor erupted in chaos, filled with whispers, gasps, and hushed exclamations.

"That...that's Director Zhou?"

"The director... has been taken away?"

"How could this be... He's usually such a kind person..."

"What exactly did you do wrong?"

"The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is here, I'm afraid..."

The news quickly spread from one floor to the next, from the corridor to the duty room, and from the duty room to the changing room, like an invisible ripple spreading through every corner of the Sha Tin Police Station.

On the other hand, compared to Zhou Yi's miserable state, the real mastermind behind it all—Howard—had a much more "dignified" end.

……

Inside the Governor's Mansion, Lu Chen leaned back elegantly on the sofa, while Governor Wilson sat opposite him with a solemn expression.

On the coffee table in front of him was a brown paper bag, revealing a stack of printed documents. Wei Yixin had already read through several pages and was currently holding one of them, his expression somewhat grim.

"Mr. Lu..." Wei Yixin took a deep breath, "I hope Jiahe can keep this matter confidential for the time being."

Wilson knew very well that if the evidence he had about Howard were leaked, the "Return to the Tower" scandal would likely repeat itself. At that point, not only would the Special Branch be out of business, but he, as the Governor of Hong Kong, would probably be packing his bags and leaving.

"Governor, please rest assured," Lu Chen said, taking a sip of his tea. His tone was calm and composed. "If I wanted to expose this, you would probably be seeing the news on television right now."

Wei Yixin's eyelids twitched. He gave him a deep look, then put the document back into the brown paper bag: "What do you want?"

"It's very simple," Lu Chen put down his teacup, a cold glint in his eyes. "Howard must get out of Hong Kong immediately, under whatever pretext you choose. I don't want to see him again. Furthermore... the Special Branch must be completely disbanded and abolished within two years."

Wei Yixin stared intently at Lu Chen for a long time, and finally, he reached out his hand to Lu Chen: "Within two weeks, Howard will receive the official transfer order to leave Hong Kong Island. As for the Special Branch, I need to consult the Prime Minister."

"No problem," Lu Chen stood up and shook hands with him. "I hope the bureaucratic system can be more efficient and I won't have to wait too long."

……

February 4th, Lunar New Year's Eve.

The night sky over Hong Kong Island was illuminated by fireworks, creating a flowing tapestry of colors. The Victoria Harbour was ablaze with lights, filled with the joy and festivity of family reunions.

However, all of this was no longer relevant to Howard.

Just a week ago, he received orders to go to Manchester to serve as the vice principal of a military academy.

At 9 p.m., on the tarmac of Kai Tak Airport, a Boeing plane bound for Manchester was preparing to taxi onto the runway.

Howard stood alone by the gangway, carrying an old dark brown leather suitcase, and took one last look at the night view of Hong Kong Island—the city he had lived in for twenty years, illuminated by fireworks and lights.

Then, he turned and walked into the cabin.

The plane took off into the night, pierced through the clouds, and flew towards the direction where the sun never sets.

Twelve hours later, the plane landed smoothly in Manchester.

Manchester in February is much colder than Hong Kong Island. The sky is leaden gray, like an old sheet of iron pressing down on your head. The red brick buildings on both sides of the street are blackened by coal dust from the industrial era, and the road surface is covered with ice that has not melted from the previous night, which gleams dimly under the streetlights.

After leaving the airport, Howard hailed a taxi and told them about the temporary accommodation he had rented in Manchester in advance.

The car drove through the winter night and finally stopped in front of an old two-story building.

Howard paid the fare, got out of the car with his suitcase, and was just about to take out his keys when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.

Before Howard could turn around, a small, thin figure darted past him from the side and snatched the suitcase from his hand.

"Fxxk! Stop right there!"

Howard, who had been bottling up his frustration and anger on Hong Kong Island, suddenly exploded! He cursed loudly and chased after the pursuer without thinking!

Under the cover of night, the two ran one after the other down the street. Howard, being older, slowed down as he ran, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered.

Finally, the young man plunged into a dark alleyway nearby, and Howard immediately followed him in.

The alley was dimly lit, and the young man had disappeared. His old leather suitcase was left wide open in the middle of the dead end, and the clothes inside were in disarray.

Howard patted his knees and took a couple of breaths, then grumbled as he walked over and bent down to pick up the suitcase.

However, the moment he bent down—the thin young man suddenly sprang out from the shadows in the corner, clutching a gleaming knife in his hand!

Howard was stunned for a moment, and before he could make any defensive move, the first knife had already pierced his abdomen.

"Well--!"

He groaned and staggered back two steps, trying to push the young man away, but the man immediately lunged forward, stabbing him in the chest, abdomen, and ribs with terrifying speed.

"You...you..."

Howard's pupils dilated sharply, and he let out a painful howl as blood seeped from his clothes, spreading a dark patch of water on the ground beneath him.

After stabbing him more than a dozen times, the young man slowly stopped, skillfully took out his wallet from his pocket, and quickly walked out of the alley, disappearing into the February night fog not long after.

Howard slid slowly down the wall to the ground, feeling his body heat slowly draining away. He opened his mouth, trying to call for help, but only blood and foam came out of his throat.

The lights at the alley entrance were still on, illuminating the alley as a rectangular patch of light and shadow. In the distance, the occasional car horn and faint laughter from a bar drifted over, sounding indistinct and like voices from another world, separated by several streets.

Finally, Howard's eyes completely lost focus, and his head slumped limply against his chest.

Howard is dead.

The head of MI5, who had held absolute power in Hong Kong's intelligence community for twenty years, was stabbed more than a dozen times and died a violent death in the streets of faraway Manchester by a "hooligan youth."