Hong Kong film: Rise of Prison Break

I spent my childhood in an orphanage.

How did that fat, bullying administrator, who used to torment them, end up being drowned alive in that abandoned reservoir by the then-skinny Zhang Wenjie in what seemed like a chance "accident" within half a month...?

Afterwards, Zhang Wenjie dried his hands as if he had just swatted a fly, and went about his business, eating and sleeping as usual, his eyes eerily calm.

That calmness, or rather, coldness, was the source of Chung Chu-hsiung's fear.

Later, he became a prison guard. No matter how fierce the prisoner was, he could swing his baton without hesitation, because he knew that no matter how evil those prisoners were, there was still some human struggle or madness left in their eyes.

But Zhang Wenjie was different. The humanity he saw... was more like a carefully crafted mask. What lay beneath that mask, Zhong Chuxiong dared not think too deeply.

It wasn't until recently, when he received that long-lost phone call and heard that familiar yet unsettling voice, that he made a series of arrangements, including tonight's "ruse" and "shortcut to promotion."

With huge profits at hand, doubts about Zhang Wenjie's motives were temporarily suppressed.

Who would refuse a well-paved road to success?

Chung Chu-hsiung stubbed out his cigarette, his face once again plastered with that carefree grin, and walked into the ward.

He picked up a clean porcelain bowl from the cabinet next to him, scooped a full bowl of porridge from the clay pot, and the plump oysters in the porridge were clearly visible.

Then, he handed the bowl of porridge to Ma Zhixiong, who was standing respectfully to the side.

"Zhixiong," Chung Chu-hsiung spoke, his voice low but carrying a hint of suggestion, "would you like... to move up a little further?"

Ma Zhixiong accepted the bowl of hot porridge with both hands. Upon hearing this, his body trembled slightly. He looked up, his eyes instantly blazing with an undisguised burning desire: "Yes! Brother Xiong, I dream about it!"

Of course he wanted a promotion.

He fawned over Zhong Chuxiong, and even knowingly violated the rules, he was willing to lower his posture in front of Zhang Wenjie, a prisoner. Wasn't that all for this reason?

Ambition and desire never died in his heart.

"Very good." Chung Chu-hsiung was very satisfied with his directness. "I like people like you... who are honest enough and know what they want."

"You've been showing up around me a lot lately. Those old foxes in prison, who are too clever for their own good, will probably see you as my 'spokesperson' and 'megaphone' outside. That way, I can use you to do some things later."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over Zhang Wenjie, who was leisurely devouring the oysters in his bowl.

Zhang Wenjie simply focused on eating without making a sound, which in itself was a form of tacit approval and support.

Zhong Chuxiong felt more confident and turned to Ma Zhixiong, lowering his voice: "Has that money... arrived in your account yet?"

Ma Zhixiong immediately understood, carefully placed the bowl of porridge aside, took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his inner pocket, and handed it to Zhong Chuxiong with both hands.

The note contained a string of numbers—the amount—followed by a phone number and a seemingly nonsensical code: 9527.

Zhong Chuxiong glanced at it, and when he saw the amount, his eyes twitched involuntarily, but his face remained expressionless as he nodded in satisfaction.

Ma Zhixiong explained in a low voice, "Brother Xiong, according to the rules, when you make this call, you need to give the amount and the code '9527'. After confirming that everything is correct, you need to provide a bank account number, and the bookmaker will handle it. It usually takes about two days for the money to arrive."

His gaze involuntarily lingered on the astonishing amount for a moment, and his throat felt a little dry.

Millions of dollars in gambling money! He had never seen so much money in his life.

In an instant, a greedy thought slithered out like a venomous snake—if…if this money…

But as soon as the thought popped into his head, he suppressed it firmly.

The fact that such a huge sum of money could be transferred so easily through one's own hands implies a great deal of trust, or... a test.

More importantly, following closely behind Zhong Chuxiong and Zhang Wenjie, what they may receive in the future could be far more than just this one million.

He forced himself to look away and became meek and submissive again.

Zhang Wenjie appeared to be focused on the oysters in his bowl, but in reality, his peripheral vision was constantly fixed on Ma Zhixiong's face, taking in the fleeting expressions of greed, struggle, and then forced restraint in his face.

The fact that he can quickly calm down and weigh the pros and cons in the face of huge temptations... this kid is interesting, but also more dangerous.

Zhang Wenjie quickly finished the remaining porridge in his bowl, then placed the empty bowl aside with a crisp sound.

Zhong Chuxiong took the note, weighed it in his hand, then suddenly chuckled and pushed it back to Ma Zhixiong.

"Zhixiong," Chung Chu-hsiung patted him on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of familiarity, but his words were laced with sarcasm, "You handle this money personally. Remember, the money... whatever you do, don't put it directly into your own account."

"As for who to get through the process, I don't need to tell you, right? After you get the cash, pay back the money you borrowed from those colleagues, principal and interest, with a higher interest rate, you understand what I mean?"

Ma Zhixiong understood immediately. This was a scheme to launder money, win people over, and further bind him to their cause. He immediately straightened his back and said firmly, "I understand! Don't worry, Brother Xiong, I'll handle it perfectly! Thank you for your guidance, Brother Xiong!"

Whether or not one understands the specific operational details is not important; what is important is to make Zhong Chuxiong understand that he understands his intentions and will absolutely obey.

Sometimes, it's good to be a little "blissfully ignorant."

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhang Wenjie watched as Ma Zhixiong deftly cleared away the clay pots and dishes. His diligent yet obsequious manner suddenly seemed familiar, and the image of Brother Crow from a certain movie inexplicably flashed through his mind. Although it was only a slight resemblance, it gave him a strange sense of absurdity and...familiarity.

In this world, all kinds of people will do anything to climb the social ladder.

"Brother Jie, Brother Xiong, if there's nothing else, I'll go back to work now. I'm on duty tonight and have to go on patrol." Ma Zhixiong finished tidying up and bowed politely as he spoke.

He could tell that the two big shots might have more private things to discuss, and he wasn't qualified to listen in. Being a subordinate meant being prepared to be one.

"Wait a minute," Zhang Wenjie suddenly said, his voice calm.

Ma Zhixiong immediately stopped, turned around, and waited respectfully for instructions.

Zhang Wenjie glanced at Zhong Chuxiong, who nodded slightly. Zhang Wenjie then said to Ma Zhixiong, "After you've finished this, keep 50,000 yuan for yourself as a reward for your hard work. Those who work with us will be rewarded for their contributions; we will never mistreat our own brothers."

fifty thousand!

In Hong Kong during the 1980s, this was a considerable windfall!

Ma Zhixiong's heart pounded, but he tried his best to remain calm, bowing deeply: "Thank you, Brother Jie! Thank you, Brother Xiong! I will definitely get things done!" He felt perfectly justified in taking the money. Gambling with his future and even his life, a 50,000 yuan fee was perfectly reasonable.

After Ma Zhixiong left, the ward fell silent again.