The Development of Hong Kong Movies World

Hong Kong Movies World.

Causeway Bay.

Neon signs lit up one after another in the twilight, turning Nathan Road into a flowing river of color.

The smell of curry fish balls drifted from the food stalls of Yau Ma Tei, mingling with the salty, humid sea breeze from the harbor, yet it could not suppress the faint scent of smoke lurking in the dark alleyways at street corners.

Here, every paving stone was steeped in the stench of money and hid bloodstains that had yet to dry.

Countless people clutched wrinkled Hong Kong Dollars and fought their way in, hoping to gain a foothold in this place where every inch of land was worth a fortune.

Yet few remembered that beneath Causeway Bay's prosperity had always lain foundations built with violence.

Wealth without violence to support it was merely a golden bell hanging around a fat sheep's neck, bound to attract hungry wolves sooner or later.

Lin Yao stood on the second-floor terrace of the Causeway Bay branch, the cigarette between his fingers burned down to the filter. Only when the heat made his fingertips tingle did he come back to himself.

The burning sensation from the two consecutive integrations of power from other worlds still lingered in his body. He looked down at his palm. The old scars around his knuckles had long faded, replaced by solid muscles capable of crushing bricks when he unleashed his strength.

Now, his stamina was enough to let him run three round trips along the shores of Victoria Harbour without stopping for breath. Even if his arm was slashed open, the wound would scab over overnight.

This was perhaps a peak that no human in this world had ever reached.

Half a year ago, Lin Yao had merely been an insignificant punk under Leung Kun, an undercover agent following the branch brothers around night markets to collect protection fees. At most, he could fight a little better than ordinary Triad Thugs, and when beaten, he still had to grit his teeth and endure it.

But after connecting with versions of himself from other worlds, everything changed.

The last time Lianhe Hall from Tsim Sha Tsui came to seize territory, he knocked down more than a dozen of their elite men barehanded. He could still clearly remember the dull thuds of his fists striking human bones.

That battle was also what launched him from a low-level punk into a Red Pole under Leung Kun.

The hierarchy of Hong Kong Island's triad societies had always been strict. Below the branch leader were four ranks: Red Pole, White Paper Fan, Straw Sandals, and Forty-Nines.

Red Poles, also known as "Four-Two-Sixes," were the martial pillars of a branch. Without a few lives on their hands and several hard-fought battles to back them up, no one could hold that position securely.

Lin Yao replaced the muddleheaded Silly Keung from the original story and became Leung Kun's best fighter.

He clearly remembered the day of his promotion. Leung Kun personally tied a red silk sash around him, his Big Gold Tooth gleaming beneath the lights.

"A Yao, from now on, you'll watch over Causeway Bay's turf for me!"

At the time, Leung Kun was worried that he had no capable men under him.

As Hung Hing's Causeway Bay branch leader, he appeared to command the wind and rain, but in truth, Silly Keung was his only capable fighter. Whenever a troublesome territorial dispute arose, he had to personally take up a machete and enter the fray.

For a branch leader, that was both humiliating and dangerous. Lin Yao's arrival was undoubtedly timely help for Leung Kun.

Lin Yao dared to fight and risk his life. Whenever he encountered a tough opponent, he was always at the forefront when seizing territory.

As a Double Red Pole, he had the right to recruit underlings. In only half a month, Lin Yao recruited more than thirty capable Triad Thugs.

He also reclaimed several of Leung Kun's venues that had previously been scattered outside their control, and his influence sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain.

Once the time was ripe, Lin Yao made his move.

He leaked information to Huang Zhicheng in advance that Leung Kun had recently been trafficking drugs at the docks, and the shipment was massive.

Huang Zhicheng had long wanted to take down Leung Kun. He had also always treated Lin Yao as a beast of burden he could order around freely. After receiving the information, he did not consider Lin Yao's safety or cover at all and immediately led a team to intercept them.

That night, the dockyard's container area was pitch-black, lit only by a few emergency lights casting weak glimmers.

Leung Kun and five core subordinates were conducting a transaction inside a container when Huang Zhicheng suddenly stormed in with more than twenty officers. Flashlight beams swept wildly through the darkness as shouts and gunfire erupted in an instant.

"BOOM—"

Flames shot into the sky, and the heatwave shook even the containers.

The next day, every newspaper headline covered the explosion: "Hung Hing Branch Leader Leung Kun Surrounded During Drug Trafficking Operation, Explosion Caused by Gunfight with Police, No Survivors."

"Superintendent Huang Zhicheng Killed in the Line of Duty, Heavy Police Casualties."

Lin Yao sat in a cha chaan teng, looking at the black-and-white photographs of Leung Kun and Huang Zhicheng in the paper as he slowly scooped up a spoonful of pineapple bun with butter.

The rich, sweet butter melted in his mouth, and he had only one thought: Feels good.

One had trafficked drugs, while the other had treated him like a workhorse to be exploited. Their deaths had just helped him truly establish himself in Causeway Bay.

As he put down the newspaper, two other reports caught his attention.

One was about Officer Chan Ka Kui. This young man in police uniform, with determination in his eyes, had arrested the drug lord Chu Tao. Even with several million Hong Kong Dollars laid out on the table before him, he had not touched a single bill. Instead, he had pinned Chu Tao directly onto the table.

The report called Chan Ka Kui a model officer, worthy of emulation by every member of the police force.

The other report was even more interesting. Hong Kong Island tycoon Robinson, dissatisfied with the actions of his son-in-law Lau Yiu Cho, had secretly hired someone to assassinate him.

The assassination failed, and Robinson was arrested by the police for attempted murder and sent to Stanley Prison.

Lin Yao lightly tapped the newspaper with his fingers, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

He clearly remembered that Chan Ka Kui was the protagonist of the Police Story series. Since he had appeared, the other characters from those films definitely existed as well.

Especially Chai Pa, the main villain of Police Story 3—the ruthless drug lord who was eventually betrayed by his own wife. All of his assets were transferred into a Swiss Bank account, and the account number and password had even received a close-up in the film.

He had once been somewhat hazy about that string of numbers, but ever since integrating the powers of other worlds, his mental strength had improved and his memory had become astonishing.

Details he had once been unable to recall were now as clear as if they had been carved into his mind.

He could even remember the scene from the movie: Chai Pa's wife held a slip of paper with the account number "3386776" and the password "1270wku" written on it.

That was a full 330 million USD.

But now was not the right time. The plot of Police Story 1 had only just begun, and there were still several years until the third film. Who knew whether Chai Pa's wife had transferred the money yet?

If he investigated rashly and alerted them, it would only cause trouble.

Lin Yao suppressed the thought and turned his attention back to Robinson's report.

Compared with the distant 300 million USD, the 300 million Hong Kong Dollar Bearer Bonds Robinson had hidden away were much easier to obtain right now.

He remembered clearly that in the original film, Robinson feared Lau Yiu Cho would swallow up his assets, so he had hidden the bonds long ago.

The hiding place was especially tricky: beneath the sand in the pet lizard's tank at Lau Yiu Cho's Villa.

That night, Lin Yao changed into black night clothes and covered his face with a mask, streaking over the rooftops of Causeway Bay like a shadow.

Lau Yiu Cho's Villa sat halfway up a hill. Its security was not bad. Two guards patrolled the entrance, and surveillance cameras had been installed in the courtyard.

But none of that posed any obstacle to Lin Yao.

He avoided the cameras' blind spots, vaulted over the two-meter wall, and landed as lightly as a leaf.

The villa was lit up, and the faint sound of a television could be heard coming from the living room.

Lin Yao pressed himself against the wall and silently slipped onto the second-floor terrace, then climbed down the drainage pipe to the garden on the first floor.

The pet room was in a corner of the garden. Only a small lamp was on inside. He gently pushed open the half-closed door and saw the lizard lying asleep atop a pile of sand in its glass tank.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yao put on gloves and carefully brushed aside the sand bit by bit. Before long, his fingers touched something hard—a sealed iron box.

He opened the box. Inside was indeed a thick stack of bonds, each with a high denomination. Together, they totaled exactly 300 million Hong Kong Dollars.

After taking the bonds, Lin Yao returned the way he came. The entire process took less than ten minutes, and no one in the villa noticed anything.

The next day, he registered an Investment Company on Hong Kong Island under the identity of an "overseas Chinese," then took the bonds to the bank to cash them.

By the time Jiang Tiansheng and Hung Hing's other branch leaders reacted, Lin Yao had already used the money to quietly gather the chaotic Causeway Bay forces left behind after Leung Kun's death.

Some of the punks who had originally followed Leung Kun were recruited by other branches, while others were crushed in street brawls.

Lin Yao was different. He offered good benefits. Following him meant food and money, and they would not be bullied casually.

Before long, most of Causeway Bay's venues had fallen into his hands.

Jiang Tiansheng met Lin Yao at Hung Hing Headquarters.

In the office, Jiang Tiansheng sat on a leather sofa, turning Buddhist prayer beads in his hand as he studied the young man before him.

He knew the "identity" behind Lin Yao had money, but he could not figure out his background.

How could an overseas Chinese suddenly possess the strength to control Causeway Bay?

But Lin Yao handled matters properly. He paid every cent of Hung Hing's required dues and even took the initiative to offer to manage Hung Hing's Causeway Bay businesses.

After weighing the matter repeatedly, Jiang Tiansheng finally decided, "A Yao, the position of Causeway Bay branch leader is temporarily vacant. You'll serve as Acting Branch Leader for now. We'll see how you perform later."

Lin Yao bowed in acceptance, but he had already begun planning his next step.

With 300 million Hong Kong Dollars as startup capital, the first thing Lin Yao wanted to do was establish his own violent organization—a security company.

Before long, Lin Yao acquired a security company on the verge of bankruptcy and renamed it "Starry Security."

Then he set his sights on one man—Lung Wei's personal bodyguard, Li Kit.

Li Kit had originally been a demolition expert on the mainland. He was highly skilled in combat and bomb disposal, but after a mission went wrong and he watched his wife and child die in an explosion, he lost all heart and resigned. Later, he made his way to Hong Kong Island and became movie star Lung Wei's bodyguard and stunt double.

Lin Yao knew Li Kit had always been searching for The Doctor, the man responsible for his wife and child's deaths. That was exactly the leverage he could use to recruit Li Kit.

At Lung Wei's Film Set, Lin Yao met Li Kit for the first time.

At the time, Li Kit was wearing a costume and performing a stunt for Lung Wei, jumping down from a high place. When he landed, he was as steady as a tree rooted in the ground.

Lin Yao walked over and offered him a cigarette. "Master Li, I'm Lin Yao from Starry Security. I'd like to hire you."

Li Kit glanced at him but did not take the cigarette. "I already have a job."

"I know you're looking for The Doctor."

Lin Yao's voice was soft, yet it was like a stone dropped into the still waters of Li Kit's heart.

Li Kit's body stiffened instantly. He whipped his head around to stare at Lin Yao, his eyes full of shock and wariness. "How do you know?"

"Not only do I know, I can tell you where he is."

Lin Yao smiled.

"As long as you work for me for two years, I guarantee you'll find The Doctor after those two years."

Li Kit was silent for a long time. His knuckles turned white from the force of his clenched fists. He wanted to test Lin Yao with an attack, but Lin Yao patted him on the shoulder.

Feeling the overwhelming force in that hand, Li Kit's expression changed. He understood that the man before him was far stronger than he was.

There was no way he could subdue Lin Yao by force and interrogate him about where the information had come from.

Besides, he had searched for The Doctor for so many years without ever finding a clue. Now, Lin Yao had given him hope.

In the end, Li Kit nodded. "All right, I agree."

After recruiting Li Kit, Lin Yao gave him his first assignment: return to the mainland and recruit retired veterans.

Compared to Hong Kong Island's Triad Thugs, veterans who had seen battle possessed greater discipline and could fight better.

Li Kit had extensive connections in the military, and he quickly contacted a group of retired veterans.

Lin Yao offered generous terms: a monthly salary of three thousand Hong Kong Dollars, food and lodging included. Those with special skills could earn even more.

This salary was not considered high on Hong Kong Island, but in the mainland of that era, it was a substantial sum.

Many veterans had families in difficult circumstances. Upon hearing the terms, even though some were doubtful, almost none hesitated before agreeing.

In just one month, Li Kit recruited three hundred retired veterans and even advanced them one month's salary so they could settle their families.

When Li Kit brought the three hundred veterans to Hong Kong Island, Lin Yao personally went to Starry Security's training base.

The training base was in the suburbs, converted from an abandoned factory. Its floor was paved with concrete, and all kinds of training equipment were laid out inside.

Two hundred veterans wore matching camouflage uniforms and stood on the Training Ground. Their postures were as straight as a forest, and even after their long journey, their eyes still carried a soldier's sharpness.

"Hello, Boss!"

At Li Kit's introduction, the veterans snapped into a military salute toward Lin Yao. Their voices were so loud that the air itself seemed to tremble.

Lin Yao stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over every face. Some bore scars, while others were missing fingers. All were heroes who had fought their way through battlefields.

"You've all worked hard."

Lin Yao's voice carried respect.

"You are all heroes who retired from the battlefield, and every one of you is outstanding. But to make future management easier, I will select some captains and instructors from among you."

The veterans' eyes immediately lit up with anticipation.

"There are three hundred of you in total. You will be divided into thirty squads of ten. Thirty captains will be selected, and their monthly salaries will double."

Lin Yao paused and nodded toward several accounting staff members he had hired behind him.

The staff immediately brought out several large suitcases from behind them. When they opened them, they were filled with Hong Kong Dollars.

With the money before them, Lin Yao continued, his words becoming even more powerful in everyone's ears.

"To become an instructor, you must either be skilled in combat or possess a special skill. Aside from Instructor Li, six more instructors will be selected. Their monthly salary will be ten thousand Hong Kong Dollars."

As soon as those words were spoken, seeing the real cash before them, a chorus of sharp breaths rose from the Training Ground.

It was all real. They had thought a monthly salary of three thousand Hong Kong Dollars was already high, but they had not expected captains and instructors to earn even more.

Forget ten thousand Hong Kong Dollars—even six thousand Hong Kong Dollars a month would be enough for them to build an extremely luxurious house back home.

"The selection rules are simple."

Lin Yao's gaze swept over the crowd.

"Those skilled in sniping, demolition, or bomb disposal will compete in their specialties. Everyone else will fight one-on-one. The top six by win rate will become instructors, while seventh through thirty-sixth place will become captains."

The military had always respected strength above all else, and no one objected to the rules.

The selection began quickly, and the Training Ground immediately became lively.

The veterans competing in combat were barehanded, their movements clean and efficient without any flashy tricks. Every punch and kick carried the ferocity honed on the battlefield.

Elsewhere, veterans skilled in sniping held Simulation rifles and fired at distant targets, nearly every shot hitting the mark.

The veterans who understood demolition demonstrated bomb disposal techniques in a secure area, their practiced hands moving so expertly that they dazzled the eye.

Lin Yao stood to one side, carefully observing every person.

When he spotted two familiar faces, his eyes brightened slightly.

One was Li Fu—Li Kit's cousin. He looked seventy percent like Li Kit, especially around the eyes and brows, as though they had been carved from the same mold.

However, Li Fu had an additional faint knife scar on his face, making him look even fiercer.

Lin Yao remembered that Li Fu was the protagonist of The Killer King. He was an exceptional fighter and understood assassination techniques as well.

The other was Wong Kin Kwan. He looked remarkably like Chang Wei, with a tall, powerful build and muscles as solid as iron. During the fights, he knocked his opponent to the ground with a single punch, his eyes carrying a ruthless edge.

Lin Yao recognized him as the villain from The Bodyguard from Zhongnanhai. Originally, he had become an assassin after being unable to find work following his retirement from the military. Now that Lin Yao had recruited him in advance, his fate had changed as well.

More than an hour later, the selection results were announced.

Li Fu and Wong Kin Kwan became two of the six instructors through their exceptional combat skills.

Of the other four instructors, one excelled at sniping, one knew bomb disposal, one had the unique skill of using a wrench to suppress an AK, and one could make powerful bombs when given sufficient materials.

Every one of them had a special talent.

At the same time, all thirty captains were selected, each of them a veteran who had performed well in the matches.

Lin Yao handed out the money directly. Once it was safely in their pockets, smiles spread across all their faces.

Looking at the veterans, whose spirits grew even stronger after receiving the money, Lin Yao calculated his future plans.

With these men, Starry Security had sufficient violent force behind it. It would keep him from exposing too much of his own strength and allow him to truly establish a foothold on Hong Kong Island.

He could steadily build up in secrecy. With enough manpower, he could also investigate whether this Hong Kong Movies World had gods, demons, supernatural phenomena, or anything of that kind. There was no need to rush.