Starting from Hong Kong in 1988!

"Hey bro, is there anything special about this guy that makes him worth befriending?"

As the registrar watched Xu Guangkun's retreating figure, he couldn't help but recall the first impression the guy gave off.

Embarrassed.

Yes, he was disheveled, wearing ill-fitting clothes, with a bruised and swollen face, looking even worse than the other people who had entered the village because they had nowhere else to go.

"It's special in some ways, but not special in others."

After Xu Guangkun walked away, Jiang Lanxin leaned back on the stool, crossed her legs again, and let out a comfortable groan. "How should I put it, I inquired about him today, and he's quite interesting."

The registrar didn't dare look and looked away. "Boss, why are you calling him Xu Guangkun?"

"I reckon you'll hear the name Xu Guangkun tomorrow."

The registrar didn't speak, and Jiang Lanxin didn't expect him to answer either. She said to herself, "Being chased and in an unfamiliar place, using my real name is suicide."

....

"Clatter".

The key traced a graceful arc in the air before falling into the stinking ditch. A cockroach, about the size of a thumb, was startled and crawled out, only to be crushed by Xu Guangkun's foot.

Jiang Lanxin.

Xu Guangkun kept repeating the name as he walked forward.

This woman should recognize him now.

Moreover, Xu Guangkun realized that there was no temporary accommodation at all; it was all the woman's spur-of-the-moment idea.

Judging from the man's attitude, this woman's identity is not simple; she may indeed have great influence in this walled city.

But at least for now, Xu Guangkun has no intention of contacting her.

So regardless of whether the woman was being sincere or not, Xu Guangkun had no intention of going over. Of course, he wouldn't register the marriage three days later either.

Although the rights and obligations stated that all information should be registered so that the committee could investigate thoroughly if someone died, the stronghold would also issue a bounty on that person if someone did it for the sake of a Jianghu bounty.

After walking a short distance, Xu Guangkun stopped and looked at the dense array of signs along the street. He quickly found a shop with less ambiguous lighting amidst the flashing neon lights.

He walked into the shop and said, "Boss, I need to rent a place."

The owner was an elderly woman with white hair, who was reading a book under the light while wearing reading glasses.

Hearing the sound, she looked up at Xu Guangkun and asked, "Alone?"

Xu Guangkun nodded, "Yes."

"500 a month, single room, no toilet, but with a window." The old woman said, taking off her reading glasses, standing up, "It's upstairs, do you want it? Go take a look."

"want."

Xu Guangkun followed him upstairs, the twenty-odd steps passing by in a flash.

"Did you just arrive at the village today?" The old woman pushed open the door. "Take a look and see if you're satisfied."

The room was small, with cracked walls and old-fashioned furniture that looked like it was about to fall apart.

But Xu Guangkun was just looking for a place to sleep and wasn't picky. "This will do."

"The house is paid monthly, no credit. If you need anything, come downstairs to find me." After saying that, the old woman looked at his face and asked, "Did you get this injury in the walled city or outside? I don't want to cause any trouble."

"Outside." Xu Guangkun took out 500 yuan from his pocket, counted it out, and handed it to his mother-in-law. "Please accept this."

"So you've come to the walled city to seek refuge?"

This sounds familiar.

Xu Guangkun thought for a moment and quickly remembered something.

"Grandma," he looked up and stared directly at her, "I've already registered with the committee."

"Oh," the old woman said, bowed her head to put away the money, and walked downstairs as if nothing had happened.

Xu Guangkun shook his head and walked into the cramped room. The bedsheets left by the previous client were still on the wooden bed. There was a sour smell of his son.

Xu Guangkun tossed the bedding onto the floor with a hint of disgust, lay down on the hard bed, and fell fast asleep.

....

The next morning.

"Giggle giggle."

The sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking broke the silence of the village.

The villagers emerge from their homes under the rising sun, laughing and joking as they busily strive to survive; in this small village, everyone has their own tasks to do.

It evokes the atmosphere of the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival".

But no matter how beautiful the artistic conception, it still disturbs one's peaceful sleep.

Xu Guangkun rolled over and covered his ears, but the noisy sound always managed to slip through the gaps between his fingers and into his eardrums.

Xu Guangkun could only sit up and pull back the curtains.

suddenly.

"Mommy, I'm so hungry."

A child's innocent voice rang out from the other side.

....

The houses in Kowloon Walled City were also cramped with buildings and windows squeezed together.

With a distance of less than two meters, Xu Guangkun could easily see the scene inside the house opposite.

The little girl, around four or five years old, sleepily pulled back the curtains and said to the person behind her, "Mommy, I'm so hungry."

"Just bear with it a little longer." The woman, around 25 years old, squatted down to be level with the little girl. "Grandma hasn't come back yet. When she gets back at noon and pays Mommy her wages, Mommy will take you to get a hamburger, okay?"

Xu Guangkun watched quietly, his gaze focused on the woman's face.

until.

"Okay, okay."

The woman smiled, picked up the girl, and unconsciously glanced out the window, her eyes meeting his.

Her smile froze.

A fleeting look of embarrassment crossed the woman's face. After a moment's hesitation, she greeted him, "Hello."

"Hello there."

Xu Guangkun lowered his eyes and turned around.

"Mommy."

The little girl called out again, and the woman turned her gaze away from Xu Guangkun's back: "What's wrong, baby?"

"Mommy, can you tell me the story from yesterday? I won't be hungry if I hear a story."

"Okay." A look of guilt crossed the woman's face as she carried the child back into the house and picked up a book.

The book cover is a yellow hardcover. Perhaps due to its age, the ink on it has faded, but the name can still be vaguely made out.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas, the Classic of Central Mountains, and the Ninth Classic of Central Mountains.

.....

Hong Kong, Mong Kok, Yin Tao's residence.

"Marshal, what brings you here?"

Yin Tao opened the door and looked at the person outside with some surprise.

"I know you're in a bad mood today, so I came over to talk to you."

Second Marshal Dafei walked into the room, casually sat down on the sofa, and handed a cigarette to Yin Tao: "Did those old guys give you a hard time?"

Yin Tao took the cigarette but didn't reply.

"Just the two of us, and you don't even dare to curse?" Dafei gave him a half-smile. "You dare to hire gangsters to kill your own brothers, but you don't dare to curse a few old geezers who're about to die?"

Yin Tao remained silent. Da Fei, feeling bored, went straight to the point: "I might need you to do me a favor."

"What is it?"

Yin Tao asked.

"I might need your big-shot thugs to kill some people for me." Big Fei sat up straight, his tone serious. "The leader is dead. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day; a new leader will inevitably be chosen. Now, Wo Shing only has three marshals left..."

As he spoke, he looked at Yin Tao and said, "If you support me as the person in charge, I will definitely support you in the next election."

Yin Tao squinted and pondered for a while, "Marshal, it's not that I don't want to help you, but I'm simply too busy. My uncles gave me a death order: you must capture Xu Guangkun."

"Arrest? What are we going to use to arrest someone once we're in Kowloon Walled City?" Da Fei waved his hand impatiently. "I don't believe that scoundrel would dare to come out after hiding in the walled city. Come out, and I'll have tens of thousands of brothers with me!"

"We can't kill him!"

"As for your uncle, don't worry. Once I'm in charge, whether you become a hall master or a marshal will be up to me."

Having said all that, Yin Tao had no choice but to nod, even if he wanted to refuse.

.....