Chapter 38: List of Remnants (Seeking Monthly Tickets, Seeking Recommendations)

Senior Inspector Huang Ye of the O-Unit returned to his office, pulled down the blinds, took out his mobile phone, and dialed Deng Yuchang’s number. "Uncle Deng, I've checked. Lin Tiansheng’s arrest of Hu Xuyong was definitely aimed at you."

Yuen Long District, Ping Shan Township.

As the head of the five great clans of the New Territories, the Deng family boasted a population of hundreds of thousands, surpassing all their neighbors. Their lineage stretched back to the Song Dynasty and consisted of five branches: the first and second branches resided in Dongguan, the fifth in Huaide, while the third and fourth were firmly rooted in the Ping Shan and Kam Tin townships of the New Territories.

Over hundreds of years of land accumulation, the arable land, markets, and mountain ranges of these two townships had all come under the Deng family name. Among them, Ping Shan Township held the most influence, developing a layout of "three walled enclosures and six villages," managing a population of nine villages and sitting on ten thousand acres of fertile land.

Kam Tin followed, overseeing the four major villages of Ha Tsuen, Choi Tung, Tai Po Tau, and Lung Tau Yeuk.

Zhulin Road, inside the Deng Ancestral Hall.

Deng Yuchang sat upright in a grand armchair, clutching his cane and dressed in a long gown. Two juniors were busy cleaning the incense altar before him. After listening to the call, his expression turned grim. "I knew that little punk had no good intentions. He spoke to me just the day before yesterday, and yet he was shot last night. Then, he arrested Hu Xuyong overnight. This series of moves shows he came prepared."

"A bit of amateur trickery, thinking he’s smarter than Zhuge Liang. He’s insane!"

Strategies involving stirring up trouble and using small stakes to gamble for larger ones were things Deng Yuchang had seen far too often in his fifty-some years. The move was an old one, but when executed correctly, it was highly effective.

Therefore, when trouble hit Lin Tiansheng, alarm bells rang in his heart, leading him to reach out to Huang Ye, who was also based in West Kowloon, to buy information. However, Huang Ye was not a remnant of the old guard; he was a genuine, elite officer who had earned his position through exams. He had no connection to the rural gentry of the New Territories and cared little for their internal power struggles. He laughed, "Fine, whether you want to stage a grand opera or hold a fighting tournament, it’s none of my business. Just remember to wire the money to my offshore account. Contact me if anything else comes up."

Deng Yuchang hung up. Two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars for a piece of information was a bargain. Inserting a needle into the police force was no easy task, especially one right beside Lin Tiansheng.

"Ah Liang, come here." Deng Yuchang put away the phone and gestured. A young man wearing a mustard-yellow jacket with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a square face, and calloused hands walked up with a stoic expression. "Grandpa, did you call for me?"

"I asked you before: among the subordinates left behind by those old Chief Chinese Detectives, how many are still serving in the police force?"

Deng Zongliang replied, "Chief Inspector Qiao Jingxing of the Criminal Division, Senior Inspector Zeng Xiangrong of the Commercial Crime Bureau, Senior Inspector Li Jiaxiang of the Special Duties Unit, and female Inspector Hong Baolian of the Public Relations Branch..."

With every name mentioned, Deng Yuchang tapped his cane against the floor. Listening closely, he realized that in the five major police districts and various departments, there were still over fifty officers left from the old guard.

From heads of reporting centers to Chief Inspectors of the Criminal Division, there were public-facing officers and even the paramilitary Special Duties Unit!

This was why Deng Yuchang was willing to spend millions of US dollars to protect these officers who were inclined toward the Deng family, and why he had tried repeatedly to invite Lin Tiansheng to come out of retirement and act as the Deng family’s spokesperson.

Because with them, coupled with the political influence of the Deng clan, they could handle anything from smuggling to murder—as long as they didn't provoke the "Gweilos" (foreigners) too recklessly.

***

The people of the New Territories wanted to break into Hong Kong and Kowloon to expand their power, but they lacked a blade—a good blade!

Deng Yuchang listened patiently to the list before asking, "Apart from those who have taken our money, how many of the remaining ones do you think would support Lin Tiansheng?"

Deng Zongliang’s expression was firm, like a farmer's, yet his mind was sharp. He answered immediately, "Senior Inspector Huang Qixian of the Internal Investigations Division, Senior Inspector Pi Zhibang of the West Kowloon Regional Crime Unit, Senior Inspector Zeng Xiangrong of the Commercial Crime Bureau."

"Senior Inspector An Zhihong of the East Kowloon Uniform Branch, Senior Inspector Zhong Zhihui of the Intelligence Unit, Chief Inspector Pu Yongshi of the Police Tactical Unit, and Chief Inspector Qiao Jingxing of the Criminal Division."

Two Chief Inspectors and five Senior Inspectors.

In the eyes of the Deng family’s core generation, this was all the strength the remnants had left.

However, the fact that they still had two Chief Inspectors holding the line showed just how formidable the Criminal Investigation Department must have been back in the day.

After sharing the news he had just received with the young man, Deng Yuchang asked, "What do you think we should do?"

Deng Zongliang’s expression was steady. "What hasn't been done, simply hasn't been done... No matter what Hu Xuyong says, it won't affect you, Grandpa. The trouble is that it will be hard to win over that group; money won't solve it."

"We could first have our own people seize the authority over the case to gain the initiative. Then, pay the Gweilos off and find a chance to crush him. After all, when he stirred up trouble on Boundary Street last time, he already became a thorn in the Gweilos' side."

Deng Zongming, who had been left by the incense altar, no longer had the heart to clean the dust. He stepped forward quickly and said, "Grandpa, let the Number 14 Gang handle it. Let’s turn the fake act into reality and kill him."

Deng Zongliang slapped his younger brother across the face with full force. "No manners! Did Grandpa ask you?"

Deng Yuchang’s expression was cold as he gripped his cane. "The gangs are dogs, the police are wolves. The nature of a stray dog is to bully the weak and fear the strong; how could they defeat a vicious wolf?"

"I still need those wolves."

Deng Zongming clutched his cheek, his voice full of hidden resentment as he lowered his head. "I’m sorry, Grandpa."

"That’s enough. Ah Liang, you handle it." Deng Yuchang closed his eyes. He felt Lin Tiansheng had a bit of cleverness, but without the protection of Lui Lok, what was he? A "Five-Poison Detective"?

He was just a wolf pup that liked to howl.

***

After seeing his superior off, Pi Zhibang returned to the Regional Crime Unit and signaled for Lin Tiansheng to come to his office. "Hu Xuyong refuses to talk. After forty-eight hours, he’ll be transferred to Lai Chi Kok. The evidence we have now is only enough to prosecute him alone. With the high-priced lawyers hired by the Number 14 Gang, it’ll be hard to get a heavy sentence."

"This grudge..."

Lin Tiansheng said coldly, "I will see this grudge through to the end! Any cases involving the Number 14 Gang or the New Territories Deng family, apply to have them transferred to me."

"We’ll investigate them one by one, case by case. I’ll fight them to the bitter end."

Once the struggle began, it could not stop.

Having finally built up momentum, if he didn't mobilize all the strength of the old guard to its fullest, that power would soon dissipate in the silence.

If he tried to stage another show later, no one would pay attention. This was the result of his discussions with Zhong Zhihui. After all, if he thought he could handle Deng Yuchang in a single act, he was underestimating the title of Justice of the Peace. Fighting a protracted battle, growing through the struggle, and consolidating prestige through victory—that was what he truly needed to do.

Moreover, the banner of revenge was incredibly useful, leaving Pi Zhibang with no reason to refuse. He could only agree: "Fine, I’ll report to the Criminal Division and ask Qiao Sir to step in and transfer the cases to you. We'll play with those bumpkins slowly."

However, playing within the rules meant that if they encountered someone like Hu Xuyong who also understood the rules and refused to talk, the police couldn't pursue a single thread to the end.

Because the Regional Crime Unit had a time limit for detaining a person; they either prosecuted and sent them to a detention center, or they released them. That was the extent of their power. Unless one had enough influence to reach the courts, one couldn't rush the process.

"Thank you, Pi Sir." Lin Tiansheng knew who Qiao Sir was—the sworn brother of Yan Xiong, the Chief Chinese Detective of West Kowloon. Back in the day, Yan Xiong, who was also from Chaoshan, tried to challenge Lui Lok's position but was pushed back by Lui Lok in alliance with the Sun Yee On.

Qiao Jingxing, then the Chief Chinese Detective of Tsim Sha Tsui, was transferred to the Police Academy. He stayed there for six years, far from the center of power, and was promoted to Inspector while in a civilian post.

The ICAC storm did not sweep through the Police Academy, allowing Qiao Jingxing to rise with the wind after his comeback. He was now a Chief Inspector in the Criminal Division, just one step away from being a Superintendent.

Pi Zhibang lit a cigarette and said, "Dinner tonight? There’s a dumpling stall at the Wan Chai Ferry Pier, the taste is quite good. I recommend it."

Lin Tiansheng readily agreed. "Sure, bring Ah Rong and the others, no problem?"

"The more the merrier, it's on me." Pi Zhibang didn't really care about the cost of a few bowls of dumplings.