Hong Kong film: Rise of Prison Break

Jin Yayao was knocked off the ground for a moment before falling heavily back down.

He couldn't hold back any longer and bent over to vomit violently. Stomach acid, undigested food residue, and saliva splattered on the ground like a fountain, emitting a foul odor.

He knelt on the ground, supporting himself with his hands, convulsing and gagging like a fish out of water, his face turning from red to white and then to blue, almost passing out.

Zhang Wenjie shook his hand as if he had just brushed off some dust.

He casually flicked away the hand that was still on his wrist, the movement natural yet carrying an undeniable force.

Then, as if he had just remembered something, he took out a box of "Double Happiness" cigarettes from his prison uniform pocket, flicked one out, and handed it to Sha Biao, whose smile was slightly stiff.

"Brother Biao," Zhang Wenjie said, lighting a match for himself, first lighting the silly one, then lighting his own, his attitude becoming "polite."

"I'm new here and don't know any better. I was in a bit of a fight yesterday and my head is still a little foggy. I completely forgot to pay my respects to you first. My apologies. My name is Zhang Wenjie, you can just call me A-Jie."

Sha Biao took a deep drag of his cigarette, and using the smoke as cover, quickly adjusted his expression, reverting to his hearty smile: "Hehe, it's alright, it's alright! It's all a misunderstanding! We're all on the same side!"

He exhaled smoke rings, his gaze becoming distant, as if reminiscing: "Speaking of which, your older brother, Smiling Tiger, and I used to have some dealings. When he first started out in this business, he even worked for me as a driver for a while. Tsk tsk, who would have thought that so many years would pass in the blink of an eye, things have changed, and everything is over..."

His words were loaded with meaning; they were both a way of elevating your seniority and a way of pointing out his connection with your older brother, implying that you shouldn't be too arrogant.

Zhang Wenjie seemed oblivious to the underlying meaning, simply smiling and nodding, his attitude appearing very "sensible": "Brother Biao is right. We're all from the same gang, blood is thicker than water. In Stanley, I'll need Brother Biao's help in the future. Whatever Brother Biao says, goes."

The two stood in the corner, puffing on cigarettes and chatting amiably, as if the brief but ruthless show of force they had just witnessed had never happened.

Only Jin Yayao, still convulsing and vomiting in agony on the ground, and the lingering fear and apprehension in the eyes of the surrounding prisoners, silently told the story of what had just happened.

The sun still shone on the exercise yard, but the chill in many people's hearts grew even stronger.

This newcomer, Zhang Wenjie, a Red Strike member of the East Star gang, is not only tough and ruthless, but he also remains composed and unyielding even when dealing with an old fox like Sha Biao.

The waters of Stanley have indeed become even more unfathomable since the intrusion of this dragon from across the river.

"Ah Jie," Sha Biao exhaled a smoke ring, the smoke swirling between the two of them. He spoke casually, but his voice carried the tone of an elder concerned for a younger person, "How many years was he sentenced to? How much compensation... did Camel give you?"

Zhang Wenjie was lighting a cigarette when he heard this, his movements paused slightly, and when he looked up, his face showed just the right amount of bewilderment and a hint of barely perceptible tension: "Five years... resettlement allowance?" He frowned, his voice filled with doubt, as if he were hearing the term for the first time, "What resettlement allowance? There's such a thing?"

"No way?!" Sha Biao's expression instantly became extremely exaggerated. His eyes widened, his eyebrows shot up, and his right hand, holding a cigarette, rose to perfectly conceal the fleeting, venomous smile playing on his lips. But his tone of astonishment was flawless. "Camel is... this stingy now?! Working for the gang, getting framed and sent to a prison, and they didn't even give us a resettlement allowance? Or is it..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice, conveying a sense of shared indignation and implication: "...was it your smiling tiger boss who secretly...swallowed him?"

Sha Biao's facial expressions were extremely well-controlled, conveying surprise, sympathy, and resentment in layers, with his gaze fixed on Zhang Wenjie's face, not missing any subtle changes.

"Brother Biao!" Zhang Wenjie was stunned for a few seconds, as if he was stunned by the sudden information. Then, he seemed to suddenly "wake up", and the blankness on his face quickly faded away, turning into an incredulous astonishment, followed by an uncontrollable anger.

His face turned from pale to ashen at a visible speed, and faint blue veins throbbed beneath the skin of his forehead, as if anger was coursing through them.

"Settlement allowance... how much is the industry standard?" His voice was a little dry, with a suppressed tremor, as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

Silly Biao chuckled to himself; the fish was about to take the bait.

His face showed an even more pained expression. He sighed, patted Zhang Wenjie on the shoulder, and spoke earnestly.

"Ah Jie, you're still young, you don't know the ins and outs of this world. We're out here risking our lives, what are we doing this for? Isn't it for fame and fortune, for a stable life? 'Money makes the world go round,' that saying may be crude, but it's true. Trading a few years of freedom for a hefty settlement allowance to make your family live a better life, it's worth it. In today's market, someone like you taking the blame for the gang and going to jail, it's simply not worth less than 500,000 Hong Kong dollars!"

As he spoke, he carefully observed Zhang Wenjie's reaction. Seeing that Zhang's face was becoming increasingly gloomy and the anger in his eyes was growing stronger, he continued to add fuel to the fire, his tone full of regret for "thinking of you".

"Brother Biao, I feel so sorry for you! Five years of your prime, wasted in Stanley Prison! The outside world is so vibrant, how much has it changed in five years? When you get out, everything will be different, you'll be penniless and powerless, who will even remember you? Your boss, that smiling tiger, is probably living the high life right now, enjoying the resettlement allowance that should have been yours, indulging in debauchery and having fun with some young starlet!"

"Five hundred thousand...the smiling tiger...swallowed it?"

Zhang Wenjie muttered to himself, then suddenly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot and covered with spiderweb-like blood vessels. His chest heaved violently, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

He looked like a hot-blooded young man, nearly driven mad by a profound sense of betrayal and a lust for money, as he let out a low growl from deep within his throat: "You damn smiling tiger!!!"

This roar, filled with suppressed anger and resentment, was particularly clear in the relatively quiet corner, attracting the attention of some nearby prisoners.

"Sigh, young man, don't be so hot-tempered." Sha Biao was smug, but his face was full of the sigh of an "experienced person" and the tolerance of an "elder". He patted Zhang Wenjie's shoulder again, this time with more force, with the meaning of "I'll protect you from now on".

"You're still young and don't understand the dangers of this world. You can't see into someone's heart. But it's okay, from now on in Stanley, I, your brother Biao, will protect you! As for your boss... sigh, let's not talk about it, it'll only hurt."