As the clock struck midnight, Chu Feng waited with his men and three small trucks at the abandoned building in Lung Shui House Village, Kowloon Tong.
Chu Feng, a cigarette dangling from his lips, blew out a cloud of smoke, watching it dissipate in the cold air.
Behind him stood numerous younger brothers, their waists bulging with large-caliber pistols.
After finishing his cigarette, Chu Feng flicked the butt to the ground, grinding out the last embers with his leather shoes. He turned to Shark Yin and asked:
“Shark Yin, what time is it?”
Shark Yin glanced at his Rolex watch and reported:
“Boss, it’s almost midnight. Wang Jiu and the others should be here soon.”
Fly, standing beside them, his face alight with excitement, couldn’t contain himself. “Boss, with all this firepower we’re getting, do we have any AKs? I’ve seen those big circle gangs on TV use AKs to rob gold shops. They look so badass. I want to get my hands on one too!”
It was a known fact in Hong Kong that big-time gangsters and big circle members often used AKs to rob gold shops. One notorious gangster had even managed to rob five gold shops in ten minutes, even exchanging fire with the Flying Tigers.
These stories had become legend in Hong Kong’s criminal underworld, all true accounts.
Fly, having seen these clips, was filled with an almost perverse excitement. His desire for an AK was palpable.
Fly genuinely loved guns. Some people are simply born to handle them, and his skill with firearms was steadily improving.
However, Fly was fiercely loyal to Chu Feng. If Chu Feng told him to rob a gold shop, he wouldn't hesitate for a second. He'd be the first one in, no questions asked.
Chu Feng looked at Fly and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Fly. We have AKs. You’ll get one later.”
Fly excitedly nodded. “Thank you, Boss.”
Just then, Shark Yin spotted headlights in the distance. “Boss, they’re here.”
Chu Feng glanced over and saw two trucks slowly rolling up and parking in front of them.
The doors of the trucks opened, revealing Wang Jiu, the leader of the Dragon Tiger Society, flanked by seven or eight younger brothers, all dressed in denim jackets.
Wang Jiu wore a pair of brown sunglasses, his hair long, his attire a flamboyant mix of colors. He sported a large gold chain around his neck, the picture of a flamboyant gangster.
He was known for his unique skill, “Hard Qi,” rendering him impervious to weapons. A true martial arts master, he was incredibly confident in his abilities.
Wang Jiu walked up to Chu Feng and, in a seemingly nonsensical fit of laughter, introduced himself. “I’m Wang Jiu from the Dragon Tiger Society. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Chu Feng, sizing him up, chuckled. “I’m Chu Feng, the Hall Master of Loyal Righteous Trust.”
Chu Feng narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Wang Jiu. The man’s habit of wearing sunglasses at night seemed ridiculous, almost like a fool’s game. But Chu Feng knew it was Wang Jiu’s Achilles’ heel. A simple puff of smoke, directed at his eyes, would neutralize his Hard Qi. This weakness was known only to their boss and Chu Feng, kept secret from the world.
This made Wang Jiu constantly wear those sunglasses. Chu Feng, aware of this weakness, wasn’t afraid of any crazy antics from the man.
Once greetings were exchanged, Chu Feng, without wasting any time, prepared for the deal. “Wang Jiu, I want to see the goods.”
“No problem, Chu Lao. ”
Wang Jiu waved a hand, instructing his men. “Open the truck’s cargo bay. Chu Lao wants to see the goods.”
The men nodded in unison. “Yes, Boss.”
They quickly swung open the back of the truck, revealing wooden crates. The weapons were all inside those boxes.
Two of the men used crowbars to pry open two crates, then removed the straw on top, exposing several pistols and AKs.
Chu Feng gestured towards Fly. “Fly, you and the boys go check out the weapons.”
Fly nodded. “Yes, Boss.”
With that, Fly, his face brimming with excitement, practically ran towards the truck. He was about to see the AK he’d been longing for, his hands trembling with anticipation.
Wang Jiu turned to Chu Feng, chuckling. “Chu Lao, I want to see the money too.”
Chu Feng nodded towards Shark Yin, who silently understood. He brought forward a briefcase, opened it in front of Wang Jiu, and revealed a stack of ten million Hong Kong dollars, neatly organized.
Wang Jiu's eyes shone brightly. He turned to one of his men, “Go count it.”
The man nodded. "Yes, Boss."
He began to count the money. Each bundle contained ten thousand Hong Kong dollars, making the counting process quick and easy.
Hong Kong banknotes came in denominations of 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20, and 10 Hong Kong dollars. These bundles were all in the 1,000-dollar denomination, making the task even easier.
Just then, Fly emerged from the truck with his men, an AK in his hand. He pulled back the charging handle, inspecting its quality. There were no bullets in it, though.
The AK, known for its powerful recoil, wasn’t slung over Fly’s shoulder. He held it with one hand, carefully pressing it down. It was clear that he had some knowledge of firearms.
He hadn’t eaten a pig, but he’d certainly seen them run.
Fly turned to Chu Feng. “Boss, these are the real deal! No problem!”
Since acquiring his first firearm, Fly had become obsessed with guns. He'd even bought several books on guns, learning to assemble and modify them himself.
He could tell, at a glance, if a gun was good or bad. If the weapons Wang Jiu supplied were low quality, they wouldn't be worth ten million.
Meanwhile, Wang Jiu's man had finished counting the money. “Boss, the money is all here.”
Satisfied, Chu Feng nodded. "A pleasure doing business with you."
Wang Jiu returned the gesture. "The pleasure is all mine."
Shark Yin and Fly then directed their men to unload the weapons from the trucks and load them into their own small trucks.
Once the unloading was complete, Wang Jiu chuckled. "Chu Lao, we’re friends now. Next time you need guns, I’ll give you a discount.”
“No problem.”
After saying their goodbyes, Wang Jiu departed with his men.
Shark Yin and Fly ordered their men to move the weapons to their private warehouse, keeping them hidden from prying eyes.
…
The next morning, at the Once Upon a Time Finance Company.
Chu Feng sat in his office, sipping coffee and reading the morning paper, a habit he’d picked up. His men always brought him the latest edition.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he saw an advertisement for Yi Fa Trading.
Instantly, he recalled the Yi Fa Trading company from the film “A Tree Grows Tall”. The newspaper ad was recruiting workers.
Yi Fa Trading was an import-export company, and Chu Feng knew its owner was Fang Jiang He, the Fang boss from the film.
A spark ignited in his eyes. The film had shown Yi Fa Trading smuggling electronics and making a fortune. They dealt in massive quantities.
A Hong Kong TV costing 2,000 could be sold for 8,000 in mainland China. A single trip could net them millions. It was a golden opportunity.
Chu Feng was considering his options when he heard a notification from the system.
“System mission: Complete your first business transaction.”
“Reward: Gun Master Level.”
Chu Feng, without a second thought, called out, “Gao Jin.”
The moment the words left his lips, Gao Jin, the Suit-Wearing Thug, appeared and bowed respectfully. “Boss, what are your orders?”
Chu Feng, his eyes narrowed, handed the newspaper to Gao Jin. “Take a look at this ad for Yi Fa Trading.”
Gao Jin nodded, read the ad, and looked back at Chu Feng, confused. “Boss, you seem very interested in Yi Fa Trading.”
Chu Feng nodded. “Yes, Gao Jin. Go invite Fang Boss, the owner of Yi Fa Trading, to meet me. I want to talk to him.”
Gao Jin, without hesitation, nodded. "Yes, Boss."