It seems that as the long night passed, Hong Kong not only woke up, but for some literate people, seeing the various tabloid news in their hands was already a cause for celebration.
"Teaching Filial Piety and Loyalty: The Hongmen Hung Mun Remains Strong for a Century, Thirty Righteous Men Live On."
"Hong Kong Patriotic Martyr Go to Malaysia to Fight!"
"Starting with the Malaysia Incident: The Origins of Wo On Lok."
A dozen or so Chinese newspapers, large and small, published today almost unanimously discussed the triads they usually avoided like the plague. And this triad was the On Lok On Lok Hall, a Hong Kong triad often referred to as the "Shui Fong" He-prefix gangs the locals, which was involved in a large-scale armed fight in Sai Wan the night before last.
It was also in these newspapers that people learned that the gangsters from Wo On Lok had actually traveled thousands of miles to Malaysia to smuggle rubber tree seeds, and had been caught red-handed by the Malaysia military and police, and were all executed on the spot.
The commentaries and news articles in these newspapers all praised those gangsters who had been Wo On Lok, and those who used to bully men and women were portrayed as outlaw heroes who fought for the country.
However, these praises were met with disdain by ordinary people who went to teahouses for morning tea, and some short-tempered individuals even tore the newspapers to shreds and threw them away in anger.
"You son of a bitch! Patriotic Martyr? You're obviously a fence-sitter! When the Japan attacked Hong Kong, Shui Fong was the first to defect! They helped the Japan build comfort stations and forcibly recruit women! Now that they see China is speaking loudly enough and isn't afraid of Foreign Devil Britain or United States, they're trying to curry favor with them!"
"I think smuggling rubber tree seeds is just about making money. Do you think people from Shui Fong are patriotic? I heard that a single rubber tree seed can be exchanged for a gold bean on the mainland now. It must be that people from Shui Fong are blinded by greed, which is why they took such a risk! They deserve to die!"
"China doesn't need this kind of person's help! That rotten newspaper took bribes from the Shui Fong!"
"Did that damn newspaper editor just arrive in Hong Kong?! Is Shui Fong Patriotic Martyr? They're Collaborator! Let's chip in and buy a hundred or so copies of their newspaper, then burn them in front of their office!"
These angry ordinary people wouldn't dare to go looking for trouble with Wo On Lok, but they could still go outside the newspaper office and curse the newspaper for spouting nonsense.
Ordinary people only read Chinese newspapers, but the headlines of the few English newspapers published locally in Hong Kong are different:
"A member of a Hong Kong illicit organization was executed for smuggling embargoed goods in the Federation of Malaya, drawing attention from the West."
Hong Kong police busted two smuggling cases involving prohibited goods last night. Lin Xiao qia, director of Xizhen Properties, and a Chinese American were taken away by police at Fish Tail Rock Pier late at night to assist with the investigation.
"Lin Xiaohe, a well-known Chinese director of Xizhen Properties, was taken to Yau Ma Tei Police Station last night to assist in the investigation of the murder of several workers. The stock price of Xizhen Properties remains uncertain."
"China is relying on prominent Hong Kong and Macao residents and illicit organizations to absorb contraband from other countries."
"The Labour Department quelled a strike by construction workers yesterday due to unpaid wages."
These English newspapers were clearly more rigorous than Chinese newspapers, providing news with pictures and text, including photos of Wo On Lok and others signing confessions before their execution in Malaysia, photos of Lin Xiao qia and Tang Boqi being surrounded by Marine Police and Customs officers, photos of Lin Xiao qia with Wo On Lok's well-known Da Zui Cai, and photos of Lin Xiaohe being surrounded by police outside the Yau Ma Tei Police Station.
English newspapers such as the South China Times, the Financial Times, the Hong Kong English Commercial Daily, the China Mail, and the Hong Kong Telegraph did not mention in writing any connection between the Lin Family Wo On Lok, who is suspected of smuggling embargoed goods, but the photos they published seemed to subtly suggest everything.
Lu Wenhui sat in the restaurant, finished the last bite of bread, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and glanced at the English newspapers.
These news articles published in English newspapers were something Song Tianyao couldn't have done; it was Pedro Lobo himself who personally sounded the clarion call.
Chapter 408 Lock and Bait
"Mr. Lin! Today's newspaper!" Lawyer Chen, looking conflicted, rushed into the ward with several English newspapers Lin Xiaohe, who was resting with his eyes closed.
Lin Xiaohe took the newspaper from Lawyer Chen, glanced at the headlines, and his expression changed drastically. He instinctively tried to get up, but Yan Hung outside spoke up at just the right moment:
"Mr. Lin, it seems you're feeling better? Why don't you return to the police station to continue your investigation?"
Lin Xiaohe gave Yan Hung a sharp look, a look that made Yan Hung, and he subconsciously put his hand on his waist.
However, Lin Xiaohe ignored Yan Hung and instead got up and walked around the ward, reading all the news about the Lin Family in the newspapers. He then took a deep breath.
"Song Tianyao doesn't have that much power. This is Pedro Lobo's doing. The He Family owns shares in three English newspapers, and they're involved in the Police Force, Customs, and newspapers... They're creating a stir to temporarily stall me and force everyone on good terms with the Lin Family to shut up. I need to... I need to make a phone call first."
Lin Xiaohe tossed the newspaper to Lawyer Chen and strode out of the ward, heading towards Ronnie's office. Yan Hung, trying to stop him again, was blocked by Lai Man-yau, who walked over with a sinister expression and said, "Sergeant Hung..."
Yan Hung blinked anxiously. The fact that he and Lai Man-yau were outwardly enemies but secretly conspired was something only he and Lai Man-yau knew. Their subordinates were completely unaware. He couldn't directly ask Lai Man-yau to step aside. Song Tianyao had instructed that Lin Xiaohe should not be allowed to contact the outside world directly. As long as Lin Xiaohe was trapped, a few lawyers relaying messages would not be as effective as Lin Xiaohe making a phone call himself.
"Get out of the way!" Yan Hung reached out to push Lai Man-yau aside, but Lai Man-yau immediately slapped his hand away. "You dare to cause trouble on my turf?"
The two men stood facing off in the corridor for two minutes, locked in a tense standoff. Yan Hung finally managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth. "Someone ordered us not to let him make the call himself. Lock him up."
"Shouldn't we stall him for time...?" Lai Man-yau hesitated for a moment, Yan Hung had already pushed him aside and walked towards Ronnie's office. When he arrived, Lin Xiaohe seemed to have just finished making a call and was about to dial a second one. Yan Hung quickly walked over and hung up. "Mr. Lin, your lawyer can make these kinds of calls for you, but you can't do it, at least not until twelve hours have passed and you've officially signed bail and left the Police Station."