Out of Prison, Making Plans

The next morning, Wang Yan got up and had breakfast.

He then collected some of his personal belongings from the prison guards. There wasn't much—mainly his ID card and a few thousand Hong Kong dollars.

Then, amid the collective send-off from a group of Guhuozi in the prison, who all fancied themselves righteous men, he walked out through the prison gates.

Just as expected, the moment Wang Yan stepped out of prison, he saw a line of men waiting outside.

There were around twenty of them, fewer than thirty. Counting them carefully, he saw not only that none were missing, but that a few more had joined them.

The men outside saw Wang Yan emerge and hurried to set off the firecrackers they'd prepared in advance to celebrate their boss's release.

Wang Yan walked up to them. They all stood there looking grand and important, then shouted in unison, "Welcome home, Boss!"

Their shout made Wang Yan's scalp tingle. It felt a little too showy, but he couldn't say anything. They'd meant well, after all.

Then Wang Yan's top underling, Li Yun, stepped forward. "Brother Yan, get in the car first. The brothers are all ready to welcome you back."

Li Yun was in his twenties, much younger than Wang Yan. According to the system's memories, he'd joined Wang Yan when Wang Yan was taking over a street. He'd been with him for two years. Li Yun was obedient, brash, and willing to fight, so Wang Yan had promoted him to his right-hand man.

Wang Yan patted Li Yun on the shoulder. "You've put a lot of thought into this, A Yun."

Then he climbed into the first of the battered old vans. The other twenty-odd men got into the vehicles as well, and they set off.

On the way, Li Yun filled Wang Yan in on the state of his men.

Just as Wang Yan had expected, his men had scattered less than a month after he was arrested. The other gangs in the area had swooped in to carve up Wang Yan's street, leaving Li Yun and a few others to struggle to hold on. They'd nearly lost the entire street, but then Wang Yan made a name for himself, and the other forces didn't dare act recklessly. As Wang Yan's reputation grew, those few forces—small outfits that couldn't even compare to a fraction of Wang Yan's strength—realized they couldn't afford to provoke him. They withdrew from his territory one after another and apologized.

Some of the underlings who'd left earlier heard how formidable their former boss had become. After profusely apologizing, they were allowed back by Li Yun.

Wang Yan didn't want to hold any of it against them. When a tree fell, the monkeys scattered. It was human nature, and he could understand.

Wang Yan listened quietly as Li Yun finished explaining. "All right, I've got the general idea."

"We'll talk about the rest tomorrow. Damn, I've been locked up for a year. Today, I'm going to have some fun."

Before long, the van pulled up at a restaurant. A boss who couldn't work his men up wasn't a good boss. Over the meal, Wang Yan gave his underlings an earful, firing them up until they were practically boiling with enthusiasm.

Everyone drank and enjoyed themselves, and nobody came along looking for trouble. Afterward, they headed straight to a nightclub. Wang Yan waved a hand and arranged a girl for each man. Then he left with the two prettiest women. The place was quite reputable, with good safety and security. Wang Yan's body had grown stronger and stronger, and he was naturally vigorous. Besides, he'd been pent up for a whole year and could hardly take it anymore. After a fierce battle, the two beauties were driven back again and again until they begged for mercy.

The next day, Wang Yan went to his base in Tuen Mun.

It was a small shop. The previous owner had borrowed from loan sharks and couldn't pay them back, so Wang Yan had used a bit of trickery to take it as repayment. Later, he fixed the place up and turned it into a storefront. In the underworld, appearances mattered more than anything.

Wang Yan sat in an executive chair he'd found somewhere and listened to Li Yun give him a detailed report. More than anything, he wanted to know how much money he actually had.

The street controlled by Wang Yan was in the out-of-the-way district of Tuen Mun. But Hong Kong Island was small and densely populated. Compared with bustling areas like Central and Causeway Bay, the main difference was that people in his area had less spending power. His street had over a hundred shops, large and small, but what he could collect was nowhere near what the gangs in the heart of Hong Kong Island could bring in.

Li Yun talked for a long while, then handed Wang Yan the ledger.

After looking through the accounts and listening to Li Yun's explanation, Wang Yan had a good grasp of the situation.

His street brought in around eighty thousand a month. After the underlings took their share, there wasn't much left for him. Over the past year, Li Yun and the others had set aside about a hundred thousand for him. Including the money he'd earned from the prison's cut, he had around four hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars at his disposal.

Wang Yan had spent nearly two hundred thousand greasing palms in prison. He'd never been shy about spending. Otherwise, why would he have been able to live so comfortably in prison, with even the guards calling him "Brother Yan"? Being the boss meant spending money.

He waved for Li Yun to leave, then sank into the executive chair and closed his eyes to think.

Wang Yan had more or less figured things out while he was in prison. If he wanted to get a head start and expand quickly, he could only turn to gambling, prostitution, and drugs—or else just rob people outright. But for various reasons, he couldn't do that. He could only rely on his reputation to earn himself some goodwill. His current forces might not even compare to the smallest outfit under some big boss, but his name carried weight. The big shots on all sides would probably at least give him a little respect.

After thinking it over, Wang Yan made a few calls to get Ni Yongxiao's contact information, then dialed him.

"Hello, Ni Yongxiao speaking. Who's this?" Ni Yongxiao's voice came through when the call connected.

"Brother Xiao, it's Wang Yan. Are you free to come out for a drink?" Wang Yan asked.

Ni Yongxiao paused, clearly not expecting Wang Yan to call him. Then he laughed. "Hahaha, the famous Yan Wang is asking me out. Even if I weren't free, I'd make time."

Ni Yongxiao had also been involved in the prison business, which had been thriving and bringing in money hand over fist. As a big shot with a name in Hong Kong and Kowloon, he'd naturally had a stake in it. Though he didn't know why Wang Yan had invited him, he was willing to show him a little respect.

They settled on a time and place, then ended the call with a few pleasantries.

Wang Yan had nothing to do sitting around, and he didn't want to make trouble in the short term. Keeping a low profile was the best way to make money. So he went out in a pair of baggy shorts, a tank top, and slippers, wandering off to inspect his territory—his domain, his kingdom.

He hadn't expected to see what he saw. Under the bright midday sun, people were stealing, fighting, extorting others, and harassing decent women right out in the street. Wang Yan saw one incident after another as he walked along. The whole place was a mess.

His relaxed mood vanished completely. He returned to his base and called his underlings together.

"Brothers, I just went out for a look. To be honest, I'm very disappointed in you."

"A bunch of punks are making trouble openly on our turf. They're slapping me in the face, and yours too."

"Making trouble on our turf affects business on this street. When business is bad, we collect less protection money."

"If we collect less, how the hell are we supposed to make a living?"

"Brothers, they're smashing our rice bowls."

"Brothers, answer me. What should we do about people who won't let us make a living?"

Li Yun was brash, but he wasn't stupid. In fact, he knew exactly how to play to the crowd. He immediately thrust a fist into the air and shouted, "Beat the hell out of them!"

The other underlings caught the excitement and shouted along. "Beat the hell out of them! Beat the hell out of them!"

Wang Yan gave Li Yun an approving look. Li Yun beamed. He'd just taken another step up in his boss's estimation.

"Good. I'm setting a rule."

"From now on, anyone who causes trouble on our turf gets beaten to a pulp."

"And don't harass the shopkeepers. They pay us so we can eat. We should help them as much as we can."

"I want to see a clean, peaceful street. Don't disappoint me. Understand?"

His underlings answered with loud shouts. "Understood!"

"Good. Now split into groups of three and go beat the hell out of those bastards!" Wang Yan led the way out.

The underlings scattered in every direction. Whenever they saw someone causing trouble, they rushed up and beat them without a word. They beat the punks until they were crying for their mothers, then tossed them out onto the neighboring streets.

By the end of the day, the shopkeepers were satisfied, and so were the people out shopping. Everyone on the street had also seen how effective Wang Yan was. The area would be peaceful for a good while.

As long as he could keep things this way, business on his street would definitely thrive.

The time for his meeting with Ni Yongxiao soon arrived. After giving his men a few instructions, Wang Yan headed to the agreed location.

Wang Yan had chosen a well-known restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui. Tuen Mun was quite a distance away, but if you wanted someone to do you a favor, you had to show them respect whether or not they agreed. Wang Yan's reputation and power didn't yet match, so he had to go in person. Otherwise, a single phone call would have been enough.

He arrived at the restaurant, and before long, Ni Yongxiao showed up with several bodyguards. By then, he'd already dealt with the Four Great Dealers under his command and was riding high.

Wang Yan went all out with the formalities, stepping forward and offering his hand. "Brother Xiao, a pleasure to meet you."

Ni Yongxiao shook his hand and laughed. "The pleasure's mine, Brother Yan. Plenty of people want to meet you these days, but they can't get the chance. Hahaha! We'll have to share a couple of drinks later."

Wang Yan glanced at Luo Ji, who was standing behind Ni Yongxiao, then smiled. "It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound, Brother Xiao. You're flattering me. Come on, let's go inside." As he spoke, he gestured for Ni Yongxiao to enter.

Ni Yongxiao didn't stand on ceremony. He left a few bodyguards to guard the entrance, then brought Luo Ji along and followed Wang Yan to a private room inside.

The food and wine were soon served. The two men traded compliments over their meal. Ni Yongxiao could hold his liquor, but Wang Yan was far beyond him. Ni Yongxiao was well educated, while Wang Yan had an exceptional memory. The more they talked, the more they hit it off.

After eating and drinking for a while, Wang Yan asked the waiter to bring a pot of tea, then gave Ni Yongxiao a look that said, "I don't need to say it—you understand."

Ni Yongxiao realized it was time to discuss business. He told Luo Ji to go out and buy a couple of packs of cigarettes, sending him away.

His father, Ni Kun, hadn't even been dead long. Although Luo Ji had worked for his family for five or six years, Ni Yongxiao still didn't dare trust him without question.

After watching Luo Ji close the door and leave, Wang Yan said, "Brother Xiao, you know I just got out. I'm short on resources, so it means a lot that you came."

"We've been getting along well. I won't beat around the bush."

"I've come to ask you for a favor."

"I know you specialize in the drug trade and have plenty of cash on hand. I'm a little short of money, so I'd like to borrow some from you."

"I'll pay you back in six months, with interest of thirty-five percent of the principal. What do you say, Brother Xiao?"

Wang Yan wanted to borrow a sum of money and use it to make more. He had stock market information filling his head. If he seized the right opportunity, he could take a big bite out of the people manipulating the market. Of everyone he could think of, Ni Yongxiao had the deepest pockets. The others might have plenty of money too, but most of it was tied up in property. For cash, he needed a big-time dealer like Ni Yongxiao.

Ni Yongxiao pondered for a long while. Wang Yan quietly sipped his tea and let his food settle, without interrupting him.

At last, Ni Yongxiao looked Wang Yan straight in the eye. "If you ask, Brother Yan, of course I'll help. How much do you need?"

Wang Yan answered without a moment's hesitation. "The more, the better."

Ni Yongxiao watched him quietly, then thought for a moment. "All right, Brother Yan. I've got around ten million US dollars in cash that I won't need in the short term. I'll lend it all to you."

Ni Yongxiao wanted to build goodwill and do Wang Yan a favor. After all, Wang Yan was recognized across Hong Kong and Kowloon as the strongest. He didn't want to offend him.

Besides, Wang Yan had accomplished a great deal in prison. There were plenty of people who'd done time in Hong Kong over the past few decades. Why hadn't any of them succeeded when Wang Yan had? Ni Yongxiao had no idea what Wang Yan planned to do with the money, but after seeing how successful the gambling operation in prison had been, he found himself trusting Wang Yan for no particular reason.

What's more, an interest payment of three and a half million US dollars in just six months was no small sum. There was no way he could earn that much through investments or stocks. The market was only so big; no matter how much stock he bought, he'd still have to sell it off bit by bit. If the money couldn't make more money, it just sat there and bothered him.

Seeing how readily Ni Yongxiao had agreed, Wang Yan knew the man was talking nonsense, but he still offered him some advice. "Brother Xiao, Hong Kong is too small. You should look beyond it. The world is vast, and there's plenty of room to make your mark."

"I'm going to say something I probably shouldn't, but why sell only in Hong Kong?"

"Look at the great United States. What a free country! Its people need you. I can almost smell the ink on those US dollars. What an intoxicating scent!"

Southeast Asia might have been manageable, but Ni Yongxiao couldn't compete with the United States. He'd considered it before, but the gap in power was enormous, and he had no connections there. He didn't discuss any of this with Wang Yan, instead steering the conversation elsewhere without making it obvious.

Wang Yan thanked Ni Yongxiao, and the two chatted about this and that for a while before parting ways.

As he strolled along the road, he watched the neon lights flicker around him and pictured the future he wanted. As Han Chen liked to say, "I, Old Wang, am a man with grand ambitions. I'll make sure you never get the chance to sweep me away."

He put everything else out of his mind, hailed a taxi, and went back to his shabby little house. The system had given it to him, and it had taken him more than ten years of scraping by to earn it.

As soon as Ni Yongxiao got back, he contacted one of his partners, a general in the Golden Triangle. He brought up the matter, got an affirmative answer, and hung up with satisfaction. In a villa worth a hundred million, he sat in a chair worth over a hundred thousand and thought about his father.

As for Luo Ji, after taking Ni Yongxiao home, he immediately contacted his superior, Sir Lu, and reported Wang Yan's meeting with Ni Yongxiao.

After getting the news, Sir Lu was so unsettled he couldn't sit still. He contacted Huang Zhicheng, and the two of them discussed the matter.

Ever since Wang Yan had turned a whole prison into a casino, he'd been placed on the police force's radar and shot straight to the top of its internal watch list. There was no choice; Wang Yan posed too great a threat. He was worse than any kingpin or gang leader. Most criminals only harmed the rich or ordinary people. Wang Yan had gone straight for the roots of the police force. On top of that, he was incredibly strong. Perhaps it also had something to do with the fact that many of them hadn't managed to profit from his operation. Whatever the reason, Wang Yan was extremely well known in the police force.

It was no wonder they were nervous. A tough guy and a drug lord getting together could hardly mean anything good.

Huang Zhicheng and Sir Lu analyzed the situation for a long time but couldn't figure out what it meant. They had no choice but to give up and report it to their superior. Eventually, the news made its way to the police station in Tuen Mun.

The Tuen Mun Police Station had already sent people to keep Wang Yan under surveillance as soon as they learned he'd returned to Tuen Mun. They were on edge. If Wang Yan committed some major crime and they couldn't solve it, they'd be demoted. They all had families to support and were afraid of losing their jobs. What's more, Wang Yan was the most powerful Guhuozi on Hong Kong Island. Who knew if he'd go crazy and kill a police officer? They were scared.

They hadn't said anything when Wang Yan started cleaning up the streets after getting out of prison that day. Keeping the district peaceful was a good thing, after all. But after receiving this new information, they became anxious again. This time, he was really going to make trouble. They had no solution for the moment, so they could only send more people to watch him.

Wang Yan knew nothing about it. He wasn't interested, either.

He knew Luo Ji would pass along the news of his meeting with Ni Yongxiao, but so what? He wasn't doing anything else. And even if he was, they'd need evidence.