Zhong Yi Xin

Chan Kwok Chung stared at him in astonishment. "You want to make a move on A Ji?"

Song Ren paused briefly before speaking again. "Given the current situation, I really don't intend to let him walk out of here unscathed."

Luk Koon Wah's brows twitched, and he finally snapped, "What the hell are you up to again, kid?!"

"We assigned you to get close to the killer A Ji and infiltrate Wong Po."

"If you go after him, how the hell are you supposed to go undercover with Wong Po?!"

Song Ren glanced at him. "Officer, are you really from Major Crimes? You're hot-tempered and impatient. I haven't seen a shred of the calm a police officer ought to have."

Luk Koon Wah rushed forward again and grabbed Song Ren by the collar. "Kid, you're talking back to me now?!"

Chan Kwok Chung grabbed him and shook his head. "Brother Wah, don't."

Only then did Luk Koon Wah swallow his anger. He took a deep breath and released Song Ren. Even the gum in his mouth seemed to have lost its flavor, and he spat it aside.

Chan Kwok Chung looked at Song Ren earnestly. "A Ren, you've changed so much. Is going undercover putting you under a lot of pressure?"

Song Ren gave a noncommittal smile instead of answering. "I'm only stating the facts. On my first day inside, Zhong Yi Xin's people wanted to make a move on me."

"I went easy on them, but that only made those people target me even more brazenly."

"So when trouble came knocking a second time, I chose to give them a more memorable lesson."

"If that still can't keep trouble away, heh—"

At that, he shrugged as if helplessly. Yet it was as though his eyes had ground away every excess emotion, leaving them colder than before.

Chan Kwok Chung frowned. "A Ren..."

Song Ren interrupted him. "There's no helping it."

"In this prison, being merciful to others is practically a crime."

"Besides, how many good people could there be locked up in here? I won't feel the slightest burden about laying hands on them."

Chan Kwok Chung stared at him with furrowed brows. After a long silence, he spoke again. "A Ren, don't go down the wrong path."

Song Ren froze for a moment, then smiled. "You too, Officer."

In Sha Po Lang, Chan Kwok Chung and the Major Crimes officers from Western District would later, because of the death of their original undercover agent—

—and Chan Kwok Chung's impending retirement, choose to take a desperate gamble in their final days.

They pinned the death of undercover A Ren, who had died at the hands of one of Wong Po's lackeys, entirely on Wong Po. To do so, they even resorted to dirty tricks and pushed that lackey off a building.

Unfortunately, they still failed in the end. The movie version had a rather tragic ending too—the main cast was practically wiped out.

After leaving Stanley Prison—

Luk Koon Wah drove as he said to Chan Kwok Chung, "Brother Chung, I feel like there's something off about that kid."

Chan Kwok Chung seemed lost in thought. He remained silent for a long while before replying, "It's fine. We need to trust our own man."

"A Ren... won't betray us."

Luk Koon Wah started chewing a fresh piece of gum and asked casually, "Brother Chung, can that kid really handle Zhong Yi Xin? Zhong Yi Xin has quite a few people in Stanley."

This time, Chan Kwok Chung did not answer.

Back at Stanley Prison, after this brawl, everyone except the seriously injured inmates was collectively thrown into solitary confinement.

The black rooms of Stanley Prison.

They were cramped, dark isolation cells.

Each was only a little over two square meters. Three sides were walls, while the fourth was a windowless iron door. There was also a toilet inside, taking up what little space remained.

The entire isolation cell was extremely cramped, and the stench was sour and foul.

There were no lights inside, not even any spare rays of light filtering in.

The moment Song Ren entered, his expression turned uncomfortable.

He was not afraid of bloodshed. He had a strong heart.

But faced with this uniquely enclosed environment, he felt deeply oppressed on a psychological level.

Even with Chan Kwok Chung's instructions, his punishment in solitary could not be reduced.

For a full twenty-four hours in the black room, apart from the scheduled times when a small hatch in the iron door opened to pass in some simple food, there was no movement at all.

When the solitary cell door opened again, Song Ren's face was pale and his forehead was beaded with sweat.

But when his brown-black pupils suddenly met the sunlight, they contracted sharply.

He lowered his head slightly, concealing the violent urge to tear people apart that the darkness and confinement of the narrow cell had forced out of him.

Two prison guards shoved Song Ren when he did not move. "Hey, get going!"

Song Ren returned to the large shared cell without a word.

Inside, Fat Dog and the others had been loudly chatting away. At the sound of the door opening, they all turned to look.

The room fell silent at once.

Fat Dog and the others quickly looked away, not daring to stare.

Word of Song Ren being thrown into the black room had already spread.

The newcomer in their block was incredibly fierce, taking on several people by himself.

Not only had he pierced Hua Gu's hand, but he had also kicked him into a concussion. A Lang had suffered a broken rib too.

The two of them were still in the infirmary and likely would not be returning anytime soon.

The conflict between Fat Dog and Song Ren was almost out in the open.

They could have privately shaken hands and made peace before, but after he had asked A Ji to stand up for him—

—until there was a result, he could no longer bow his head. Otherwise, it would be his boss's reputation that suffered.

Song Ren did not pay Fat Dog any attention for the time being. A whole day locked in the black room had made it difficult for him to suppress the hostility in his heart.

If he fought someone now, he was afraid he would be unable to control his strength and beat them to death right here.

In full view of everyone, even Chan Kwok Chung would not be able to protect him, no matter how unconditionally he backed him.

Yau Kong Ngau had just returned from the black room as well. He looked thoroughly drained, yet he asked in a joking tone, "Brother Ren, how was it? Could you take it?"

Song Ren looked up.

Yau Kong Ngau met those pitch-black eyes and froze.

The indifference in that gaze was scarcely any different from the desperate criminals he had once arrested.

But after only an instant, a faint smile appeared on Song Ren's face. "It was all right. It was my first time in a place like that. It made me feel worse than I expected."

Yau Kong Ngau explained, "Most solitary cells are like that, but Stanley's black rooms are indeed more extreme."

"They're cramped, without light, and they smell even worse."

Fierce Ghost Ou Man Kwai picked up the thread. "Stanley's black rooms are in a league of their own."

"Fuck, they're dark and narrow, and the smell is fucking disgusting. Stay in there long enough, and it feels like it could drive a man insane."

As he spoke, he looked up at Song Ren. "A Ren, you were seriously badass this time!"

"Word's spread all over the prison. You broke one of A Lang's ribs with a kick, then crippled Hua Gu with another."

He gave Song Ren a thumbs-up. "Your first fight, and you've already made a name for yourself in Stanley."

Only after Song Ren came closer did Fierce Ghost put away his smile and quietly warn him, "But be careful. It's not just Zhong Yi Xin's people who are targeting you now."

"Hua Gu belongs to the Number Gang. That bunch has plenty of men in this block, so watch yourself."

Song Ren nodded. "Thanks."

Fierce Ghost's eyes lit up. He had finally heard this brother thank him. It looked like there might be a chance to win him over.