Chapter 35: The Legacy of the Remnants

That night, Huang Qixian sat on the balcony, phone book in hand, dialing dozens of numbers one by one.

Every favor used is one less in the bank.

In the past, no matter how dire the straits of his old comrades, he had never begged for help. But tonight, he not only begged, he cursed: "God damn it, if you aren't going to be a brother, then you're an enemy."

"Enough talk. One word: are you in or out?"

"Shao Sheng is coming out to rally the troops. Is that enough for you? He’s already an inspector; once he climbs to superintendent, I’ll have someone looking out for me at the top."

"Don't talk about two or three years. Whether it takes five or ten, we have to hold on."

Huang Qixian exhaled a plume of smoke and reached for his teacup to soothe his throat, only to find it empty. His expression went blank, his gaze filled with melancholy.

As Brother Le’s former driver, he was the most natural choice to act as the liaison, to gather the old friends and unite them. But more than three years had passed, and every day, hearts had changed.

There weren't many left.

Perhaps in a few more years, they wouldn't even have enough people to round out a mahjong table.

Fortunately, Ah Sheng’s return, with that relentless drive of his, brought hope. It allowed the remnants to see a glimmer of dawn. In the end, a group of them nodded, agreeing to stand with Ah Sheng.

Put simply: working for Uncle Deng made you a dog; working for Ah Sheng meant continuing the legacy of their brotherhood.

The former meant being a lackey, subject to the whims of others; the latter meant standing as a veteran with a position of high status.

If Ah Sheng truly made his move and rose to the top, those brothers who risked their lives in his time of need would, at the very least, secure the prosperity of their families.

A considerable number still yearned for the glory days, hungering to make a comeback, to seize power once more, and to become the biggest gun in Hong Kong.

...

Rongchang Building.

Shi Zhanpeng bolted out of the elevator, leading his men. His gaze swept the hallway, landing on orderlies carrying two stretchers, surrounded by moaning, wounded thugs. His pupils constricted, his expression tightening.

Reaching the apartment door, he didn't see Lin Tiansheng, only a nurse bandaging wounds for Deng Gengyun. He immediately asked the young man sitting on the sofa, his hands wrapped in gauze: "Where is Inspector Lin?"

Deng Gengyun jutted his chin toward the bathroom.

The sound of a flushing toilet echoed. Lin Tiansheng fastened his belt and pushed the door open. "Brother Peng."

Shi Zhanpeng let out a breath of relief, patted Deng Gengyun on the shoulder, and said, "Are you alright, Inspector Lin?"

"It’s a good thing Gengyun was here." Lin Tiansheng wiped his hands, his expression thoughtful. "It’s a pity, I won't be able to grab a drink with Gengyun tonight."

Shi Zhanpeng composed himself, signaled for his team to take charge of the scene, and then looked at Gengyun, viewing this new recruit with newfound respect.

Twelve blade-wielders, plus a gunman, lying in ambush in the hallway. Only Inspector Lin had his service weapon; Deng Gengyun had just reported for duty today and hadn't even been issued his gun yet.

To take down twelve men with only minor injuries—his combat skills were more than just sharp.

They were monstrous.

Was this the true worth of the Four Great Sergeants?

Shi Zhanpeng had spent years in the New Territories with the uniformed police and had only heard rumors of the big shots in the Criminal Investigation Department. He couldn't quite fit into their circle. Casting a sidelong glance at Gengyun, he said, "We’ll all drink together next time. Do you have any suspicion as to which gang did this?"

Lin Tiansheng shook his head. "I haven't been in the Major Crimes Unit long, so I haven't offended many people. If it’s someone from my past, well, that list is too long."

"Once the boys get the truth, we’ll make sure you get your satisfaction." Shi Zhanpeng offered him a cigarette and looked around the living room. "Nice place. Good location, too."

"It's the last one. I can't give it to you." Lin Tiansheng took the cigarette. A sergeant walked in from outside and saluted. "Inspector Shi, Inspector Lin, we questioned a few of the punks. They all admitted to being from the Yi branch of the 14K."

"Who’s their boss?" Shi Zhanpeng raised an eyebrow.

"The one leading the hit is named Yaoyang, just a low-level soldier. The branch leader is Chui Xi. I called and checked; he’s playing cards at a parlor on Temple Street," the sergeant answered fluently.

Shi Zhanpeng suggested, "Inspector Lin, why don't you rest at home and we’ll go interrogate them tomorrow morning?"

Lin Tiansheng laughed. "Chui Xi? What kind of garbage is that? The Yi branch, eh? Where is Hushu Yong?"

The sergeant looked surprised but immediately replied, "I'll go check."

"Inspector Lin, Hushu Yong is the head of the Yi branch..." Shi Zhanpeng sensed there was more to this, offering a cautious reminder. But Lin Tiansheng’s face darkened, and he said coldly, "It doesn't matter if they touch me, but if they dare touch my brothers, I don't care about a Hushu Yong."

"I’d arrest Ge Shaoxiong without a second thought."

Shi Zhanpeng went silent, finding himself in deep agreement. When you’re on the front lines risking your life, you don't have a wife or family—only your brothers.

A wife will take your pension; your father and mother are lucky if they aren't gambling or whoring your money away. Only your brothers stand by your side, indifferent to money or status.

They are the ones who will rush to the front to block a bullet for you in exchange for a cigarette or a bottle of wine.

Regardless of black or white, good or evil, those in the life-and-death trade only recognize one thing: "Righteousness above all."

"Then let's take them all down!" Shi Zhanpeng waved his hand, ordering, "Find out where Hushu Yong is and get the uniformed division to assist."

Even if Hushu Yong had a thousand followers and massive influence, and even if it risked causing a scene, so what? A Major Crimes inspector had been attacked by his men. Bringing them in for questioning was perfectly reasonable. As for the sentencing or the trial, the higher-ups would handle that. If you work the front lines and you're afraid of gangsters, you shouldn't be in the game.

Just then, Lin Tiansheng looked toward the door with a smile. "No need to bother the uniformed police. My people are here."

Zhang Jinrong arrived at the building with Ma Delong, Liu Yida, and Gao Zucong. Their guns were holstered at their waists. "Boss, you alright?"

Lin Tiansheng stepped forward. "Gengyun, stay here and rest. We have work to do."

Zhang Jinrong gave Deng Gengyun a look, signaling that he’d done well. Shi Zhanpeng walked out with them, pulling out a set of car keys. "Is one car enough?"

"Thanks, Inspector Shi. That’ll do." Lin Tiansheng had a car, but to round everyone up, they needed at least two. The uniformed sergeant returned to the two inspectors. "The Intelligence Unit checked—Hushu Yong is at the Monroe Disco in Tsim Sha Tsui East."

Shi Zhanpeng was slightly surprised by the speed of the Intelligence Unit. In the past, getting those colleagues to do anything was like worshipping a god—it never happened this fast.

Because a Major Crimes inspector had been attacked, they were taking it seriously?

After leading the team downstairs, Lin Tiansheng opened the door of a Chevrolet parked on the side. He looked back at Shi Zhanpeng. "Inspector Shi, you take Temple Street; I’ll take Tsim Sha Tsui East."

"No problem." Shi Zhanpeng was happy to catch a small fish—it helped a colleague solve a problem without getting dragged into the big mess. The big fish was for Lin Tiansheng to catch personally; that would be the real satisfaction.

The two sedans flickered with police lights and blared their sirens, speeding down Nathan Road and killing their way to South Chatham Road, parking unashamedly in front of the disco.

This street was the heart of the Tsim Sha Tsui East district. During the day, it was filled with white-collar workers, bosses, and the wealthy. At night, the ground floors of the office towers lit up with neon signs. High-end discos, whiskey bars, private clubs, and dance halls opened their doors. Unlike Temple Street or Portland Street, which catered to mass entertainment, the people who frequented the nightlife of Tsim Sha Tsui East were respectable people with status and significant means.

The parking valets on the roadside saw the police cars arriving and stood up. One leader started to ask if the officers were just here to have fun, only for Lin Tiansheng to hold up his badge and cut him off ruthlessly: "Major Crimes Unit at work. Be smart."

The leader raised his hands, not daring to block them, and said politely, "Officers, please."