Starting from Hong Kong in 1988!

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"Xu Guangkun".

"Which light, which Kun?"

"Upright and honest, turning the tide."

Wow, what a cool name!

"....."

"Xu Guangkun, I see you're quite capable, daring and willing to fight. How about this, I'll give you a chance to follow me, go out and make a name for yourself, what do you say?"

"Being a thug is fine, but you make it sound so nice. By the way, which family are you from?"

"A draw."

"A draw? What good would that do you?"

"At least you have a place to shelter from the wind and rain, isn't that better than you swindling and cheating here, barely making ends meet?"

"not enough."

"Then what else do you want? Money? Women? To tell you the truth, I really don't have any of those."

"Those are too unrealistic."

"What do you want?"

"One carton of cigarettes a week."

"What brand of cigarettes...?"

"Anything that can be drawn is fine."

"That's all? Plenty!"

......

"The term 'navigating the underworld' sounds simple, but there are many intricacies involved. To succeed in it, you need to master three things..."

"I know that! Ruthless, loyal, and has many brothers."

"Bullshit! Bullshit! Bullshit! Where did you hear that rumor?"

"That's what Chan Ho-nam said."

"Chan Ho-nam? Never heard of him. Which punk?"

"..."

"Oh right, where was I? You interrupted me and I forgot."

Three things.

"Yes, this is it. This is the experience I've accumulated over the years. You must remember it."

"Stop arguing, just say it."

"You brat, you're getting impatient! You just wait and see, in this world you have to—"

Be cautious and timid!

Opportunism!

If things turn bad, run!

Did you hear me?

"That's it? No wonder you're still just a lackey after all these years."

"You brat! Do you want a beating?"

"No, you can continue."

"Hmph, so tonight when we're fighting for territory, the two of us will go a little earlier, then stand to the side. When the two bosses start trash-talking, we'll back off. If we win, we'll show our faces early; if we lose, we can run away immediately! Got it?"

"..."

......

"Ah Xu, we can't win, run!"

"..."

"Why are so many people chasing us?"

"How should I know? Run!"

"..."

"I can't run anymore, you should go!"

"Damn it, let's get them later!"

....

"Are you alright, big...brother?"

"Now you know to call me 'Big Brother'? Alright, stop with the long face. It's just a few small cuts. Back in the day, a knife wound stretched from here to here, and I didn't even flinch!"

"I didn't expect you to be such a good fighter."

"Of course, otherwise how could I be your older brother? And why are your hands shaking?"

"Everyone will see the gates of heaven open a few times in their life..."

"What do you mean?"

"There were seven or eight knives pointed at me just now. I thought I was going to heaven."

"You can't get up there; we don't believe in Jesus here."

...

"Brother, you're so tough, why are you always just a lackey?"

"It's safe. Once you get promoted, countless people will be eyeing your head. There are more young people eager to make a name for themselves than fish in a seafood shop."

"what?"

"What? Those hall masters change several every year. I've seen too many."

"But their lives are so much better than ours."

"Glory is only temporary. Living life is not about who moves the fastest, but who goes the furthest."

"If that's the case, why bother getting involved in this kind of life?"

"Because it's easy. Fighting and hacking people is much better than carrying sandbags or applying cement..."

....

"Brother, why are there so many fights lately? Didn't you say you'd only fight once a week? I'm counting, it's been five times this week already!"

"I heard the higher-ups want to take over the gang next door, but that has nothing to do with us. Remember, if there's a fight, stand to the side; if things get out of hand, run."

"learn!"

....

"They're calling for a fight, bro."

"Let's go, let's show our faces first."

....

"Damn it, boss, the leader is keeping an eye on us, we can't go to the back."

"Damn, we must have been hiding in the back too many times, and we got spotted."

"What should we do then?"

"Act according to the situation."

....

"Brother, this is my first time standing in the front row, I'm a little nervous."

"To be honest, I am a little bit too."

....

"Big brother, let's charge!"

"Slow down."

"it is good."

"..."

"Get out of the way!"

"Are you alright, Xu?"

"It's alright, brother. It looks like we can't win. Let's go."

....

"Gently, gently!"

"Tie it tighter, the wound will heal faster. Besides, who told you to take a knife for me? Do you think that little punk could even touch your big brother like that?"

"..."

"Don't you dare take the knife for me anymore, you hear me?"

"Okay, okay."

....

"Brother, I heard that the guy who was watching us last night was the leader's godson. He was hacked to death last night... is that true?"

"It's gone viral, don't you think?"

"Shall we run away first? Hopefully we won't get into trouble?"

"It wasn't just the two of us who ran away."

....

"The gang made the people who fought last night draw lots to see if they could be killed, saying they were to assassinate the boss of the neighboring gang..."

"What? Afraid of being drawn?"

"What if I get infected?"

"I've tried many times and never won. It's your first time, how could you possibly get a chance? Do you think you're the protagonist in one of those novels or biographies?"

...

"I won...the authorities gave me a resettlement allowance..."

"You think you can run away?"

"..."

"Putting aside the fact that countless eyes are watching you now, even if you really run away, where can you go? Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan? Or mainland China? Where aren't there gang members? Tens of thousands of gang members are hunting you down! How can you escape? If they catch you, they'll punish you with family discipline!"

"I heard that no one in the triads dares to enter Kowloon Walled City..."

"Going in means you're truly doomed. You survive nine out of ten missions, but going in means certain death!"

"Can....."

"There are no 'buts,' only 'do.'"

"but......"

"Alright, that's enough. Let's have a drink together tonight, we might not get to again."

"..."

"The resettlement allowance is for you. Try to return it and live a good life."

"So many?! Let's go out and buy a few bottles of good wine; I haven't tried any yet."

"you!"

.....

"You brat, wake up, wake up!"

"..."

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and bandage me up, damn it, it hurts like hell."

"You don't mean...."

"Otherwise, who would kill me for no reason?"

"this....."

"I was drunk, my mind was clouded, I'll never do this again. Stop talking nonsense and get me somewhere to hide, they're chasing me like madmen over there."

"Big brother..."

"Alright, stop fucking getting emotional. You're my only underling. If I don't protect you, who will? Besides, once the dead contract is signed, you'll be set for life. I was just taking advantage of the situation and stealing your opportunity, understand?"

"..."

"Tie me up lightly, tie me up lightly! Damn it, are you trying to strangle me?! Who the hell taught you to tie me like that?!"

"you."

"..."

.....

"The gang leader in Mong Kok is in jail, so when I go back I'll probably take over his position. If I'm lucky, I can hold it for a few years, and maybe even contend for the top leadership role. Once I'm in charge, you'll be the accountant or a money-maker—no chopping people up, just counting the money..."

"Hey, what's with that look? Don't you believe I can be the boss?"

"Believe it, believe it, it's time to change the medicine, brother."

"Easy, you brat!"

....

"Big brother, what are you writing? Let me see?"

"Get out of here! Don't you dare steal it! Damn it!"

"Let me see... Finding a wife, keeping a mistress, bullying the weak, spending money like water, being lazy and gluttonous, settling personal scores, being petty and calculating... What is all this? And you even misspelled all the words, tsk."

"Now that you've been promoted, who knows when you might lose it? Then you won't be able to enjoy yourself anymore?"

"vulgar!"

"Then what do you think we should do when we go back?"

"Seek emotional companionship, demonstrate a strong attitude, enjoy life's pleasures, savor leisure time, uphold personal dignity, and express your true attitude."

"What do you mean?"

"It's the same as what you wrote."

"Depend on."

......

"Brother, we received a letter from the gang saying that things have settled down and they'll send a boat to pick us up later."

"Finally here. I've been lying in bed all this time and my bones are so weak."

......

"Do we need so many people to pick us up? Something feels off."

"You're being overly cautious, you brat."

"I still feel something's not right."

"What's wrong with that? We've secured a dead end. If we don't make a big show of it so the guys below can see it, how will they know that this dead end is a matter of heaven or hell? You still haven't figured it out."

"..."

"Stop thinking about it, let's go."

......

"I've always been on the run before, this is the first time... What's that saying again?"

"Returning home in glory."

"Yeah, yeah, that's it! Hey, Xu, look over there, there are a few seagulls... Damn it! What the hell are you trying to do! Xu, get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

.....

"Damn it, one got away, but I took down five by myself. Ah Xu, aren't I awesome...?"

"Big brother! My stomach! My stomach!"

"What is that? Cough cough cough, my intestines, my intestines are coming out..."

.....

"Ah Xu, I'm so sleepy."

"Hang in there a little longer, we'll be on shore soon."

......

"Ah Xu, do you remember the first time we met?"

"I remember, I cheated you out of money, and you got angry and we got into a fight in the street, but I didn't win."

"Yeah, you dared to fight me, so why were your hands shaking so badly the first time you tried to kill someone? Come to think of it, I led you down this crooked path and almost got you killed several times. Don't you hold a grudge against me?"

"What nonsense are you spouting..."

"Big brother?"

"Big brother!"

.....