Chapter 11: Buying Life with Gold

Closing the curtains, Pi Zhibang rubbed his face and smiled obediently. “Young Master Sheng, calm down. Tomorrow when we report to the foreign officers, there will definitely be rewards.”

Lin Tiansheng gave him a cold look. “Mantis shrimp, what’s the meaning of this? You didn’t tell me that Dad Dong was on the ship. Are you trying to trap me?”

He had initially thought that even Pi Zhibang was unaware of the intelligence, but seeing the Serious Crime Division on standby late at night, he realized the police had received information; Pi had deliberately kept quiet.

When in a good mood, he respectfully called him “mantis shrimp,” but otherwise, he was just a “pissing shrimp” from the market!

Pi Zhibang was neither angry nor annoyed. Lighting a cigarette and offering it, he tried to placate him: “Young Master Sheng, we have to put on the whole show. If we don’t get the story right, Uncle Xian and I will get beaten.”

“You just call the old brothers out of hiding, leak a little news, and surely we’ll get something.”

Lin Tiansheng lit his cigarette, crossing his arms with displeasure. “If you can’t even handle small matters, you might as well call me dead now.”

“No, no, sir,” Pi Zhibang apologized verbally but wore a look of entitlement. The era of Brother Le was long gone. Without a new patron for Lin Tiansheng, why would they risk everything to help? They would take it step by step, betting carefully each time.

In the first round, Young Master Sheng performed brilliantly, proving he was still the fearless, daring, and bold Five Poisons Captain he used to be.

“I won’t argue with you. Just do what you’re supposed to. If you fool me again next time, we’re no longer friends,” Lin Tiansheng warned, opening the door and raising his voice, “Let’s go, bastard!”

Pi Zhibang wiped his nose with his index finger and muttered softly, “Guarding the pond for three years, the temper only grows. Oh, must be because there’s no woman around.”

“But he really is a fierce one.”

Lin Tiansheng waved for his men to follow and waited by the minibus stop outside the police station. “Shall we rest at my place first, or go straight to Lam Tin to get the money?”

“It’s still early. Let’s get the money first. Without seeing the cash, the brothers won’t sleep easy,” Zhang Jinrong said, his eyes bloodshot. Ma Delong agreed, “Let’s go to Lam Tin first.”

He Li and Liu Yida nodded in agreement.

Lin Tiansheng hailed a taxi. “Whoever has change sit up front.”

Ma Delong patted his pocket and climbed in without hesitation, heading straight to collect millions in gold. No one minded a few dozen dollars.

“To Tak Tin Estate.”

The driver, recognizing them, saluted and whistled, “Understood, officer.”

The group sat silently along the way, the taxi radio playing a midnight program, the crackling static lending a somber mood.

They gazed out the window at the roadside billboards, neon lights of bars, women smoking at the market building entrance with dragon and phoenix tattoos, and thugs hogging parking spots.

Executives clad in designer brands clutch handbags, rows of luxury cars parked elegantly. Flowing money is the city’s lifeblood, and beneath the drunken stupor lies a world where right and wrong blur amidst fame and fortune.

Cai Qin’s melodious voice flowed gently through the car with the soothing tune of “Forgotten Times.”

“Who is knocking on my window...”

“Who is stirring the strings...”

“Those forgotten times slowly rise from deep within my heart.”

The driver stopped under Block A of Tak Tin Estate, flicked off his passenger badge, and called out, “Eighteen dollars thirty. I’ll take eighteen, sir.”

Lin Tiansheng said, “Add two dollars. We have an extra person.”

“Suit yourself.” The driver shrugged, unwilling to argue with the officer.

Old Ma took out his wallet, pulled out two ten-dollar notes, and placed them in the glove box. Opening the door, he scanned the surroundings cautiously.

Zhang Jinrong sipped his drink, patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. As long as Snake Boss B didn’t double-cross me, the secret vault won’t be known to anyone.”

Ma Delong nodded. “It’s normal to have a backup plan. I just hope when we open the door, we’re not ambushed by a dozen gangsters.”

Lin Tiansheng chuckled. “There are five of us, not one or two. Even if we storm the gang’s lair, they won’t dare act recklessly.”

He Li couldn’t contain his excitement, quickening his pace. He was the first to dash into the stairwell. The others followed, running up five flights via the emergency stairwell without even waiting for the elevator. Only after the fifth floor did they slow, gasping for breath.

At the door of apartment 803, all five were panting, exchanging glances before bursting into laughter.

Liu Yida raised an eyebrow at Zhang Jinrong. “Brother Rong, your health’s failing. Take money and buy two tiger whips to strengthen yourself.”

“Bullshit! Once you have money, the first thing you do is hire two girls for a wild night. They’ll drain you dry,” Zhang Jinrong grunted, sweat pouring down his brow, holding a square flask, still full of vigor.

Lin Tiansheng touched the gun holster at his waist, which held a .38 revolver, nodded decisively. “Breach the door!”

“Bang bang bang. Police inspection, open up!” Zhang Jinrong slammed his fist on the security door. Ma Delong and He Li flanked him, guns ready.

Liu Yida frowned. “Brother Sheng, it’s a deadbolt. We can’t get through.”

Lin Tiansheng opened the fire hose cabinet in the stairwell, grabbed a fire axe, and with a fierce swing struck the security door. “If we can’t open it, we break it!”

With a loud crash, the hollow steel pipe split in two. A tenant opened their door at the end of the hall. Ma Delong immediately shouted, “Serious Crime Division at work! Back off!”

The tenant was startled and quickly shut the door.

Lin Tiansheng swung the axe again. “Damn it!”

After several blows, the double security doors designed to keep thieves out but not the police were broken open.

They stepped inside to find a long-vacant rental unit. Zhang Jinrong ran his hand over the dusty countertop, nodding. “Safe.”

“Find the safe.” The others scattered to search while Zhang Jinrong stayed by the door.

Three minutes later, Lin Tiansheng found a key in the wardrobe — a safe with dual password verification.

Just as Lin Tiansheng prepared to break the lock with the axe, Ma Delong produced a key. “Brother Sheng, try this.”

In their line of work, you’re always ready to run. Keys could easily be kept with the safe. Lin Tiansheng took the key, knelt, and tried it. It fit perfectly. Twisting it, the lock clicked open.

Inside were unmarked, self-melting square gold bars stacked layer upon layer. Also, stacks of Hong Kong dollars, a black Star handgun, and a forged legal passport.

Ma Delong, He Li, and Liu Yida’s faces lit up with wild joy. Zhang Jinrong entered, wearing motorcycle leather gloves, picked up a gold bar, heavy in his hand. He sniffed it, a look of rapture on his face.

“Each weighs 500 grams. Fifty bars in total. Twenty-five kilograms!”

“How much can we get for it?”

He Li swallowed hard, barely able to contain his excitement.

“On the way here, I glanced at a gold shop’s billboard — the market price is 170 HKD per gram. I have contacts who can get us half that price, about 2.1 million HKD. Split six ways, that’s 350,000 HKD each,” Zhang Jinrong reported.

Liu Yida couldn’t help himself. “Three hundred fifty thousand could buy a new home on Prince Edward Road.”

“A big three-bedroom at that!”

They were all police officers, aware that gold and watches are easy to sell on the black market, but middlemen are ruthless. Fresh goods sold in a hurry fetch only about 30% of market value.

Snake Boss B had kept this batch for a long time, making it cleaner, allowing a 10% premium. Getting 50% of market price was possible, especially with Zhang Jinrong’s reputation in the underworld.

Three hundred fifty thousand each—enough to buy their lives!

Ma Delong no longer hesitated and pledged loyalty: “Whatever Brother Sheng says about the split, that’s how we do it.”