Intercept

"What?!"

Black Skin Sha looked as though he hadn't heard properly. His gaze swept over the young man with the ponytail, then he abruptly turned around and asked in a low voice, "Which one?"

"The one with the crew cut, carrying a cardboard box."

Ponytail wagged a finger, his gaze fixed on the people in the distance who were busy packing up. His voice grew more certain.

"Damn it!"

Black Skin Sha flung the half-smoked cigarette butt in his hand to the ground. His expression was hard to read—angry or pleased—as he spat viciously. "I looked for days and couldn't find him. And now he's right under my nose."

The man Ponytail had pointed out had crossed paths with him several times that night. He'd even been impressed by the man's slick moves when he stood in for the pretty-boy lead actor, joining the rest of the film crew in applauding and cheering.

"Brother Sha, I'll go bring him over right now."

The few men at Black Skin Sha's side immediately started toward the set to drag him over.

"Wait."

Black Skin Sha stopped them with a raised hand and shook his head lightly. "Don't make a move here. Get in the car first."

After hearing what Black Skin Sha had said earlier about the connection between films and money laundering, the men naturally weren't about to act rashly. They followed him back to the car parked nearby.

"Everyone, check one more time that we haven't left anything behind. If everything's accounted for, we can go."

At the set, the production assistant in charge of various odds and ends made a final check, then called out to the department heads a few times. Before long, the vehicles carrying the equipment and crew began leaving the dock.

It was now well past midnight. Even a bustling metropolis like Hong Kong Island gradually fell quiet after a day of noise and activity.

After they parted from the crew's vehicles, the slightly drowsy Fish Head Xu sat behind the wheel of the beat-up Toyota and yawned. He tried to strike up a conversation with Yang Chu, who was in the passenger seat.

"Chu-zai, you were born for this line of work. You've got great moves and a sharp mind. Quan, the cinematographer, even wants to bring you over to his crew. I'm telling you, he really knows his stuff."

"Mm."

Yang Chu responded softly. He'd learned quite a bit on the set that day, and it seemed a number of big names in the industry had come to work on the film.

He found filmmaking—everything from blocking and set design to acting—quite interesting. It was complicated work, but also creative and artistic. Still, Yang Chu hadn't seriously considered making a long-term career of it.

"By the way, want to find somewhere to grab a late-night..."

After chatting for a few moments, Fish Head Xu asked if Yang Chu wanted to get something to eat. But before he could finish, a bright beam from the rearview mirror suddenly made him squint.

"Who's driving back there? They're right on our tail, and they've got their high beams on!"

Fish Head Xu shouted in irritation.

At some point, a car had appeared behind them, following very closely. Its high beams had suddenly come on.

Yang Chu turned his head slightly and studied the car behind them in the side mirror. "Brother Xu, let them pass."

"Good idea."

A little energy seemed to return to Fish Head Xu's tired face. He slowed down a bit. "Once they're in front, I'll turn on my high beams and shine them right back."

But after Fish Head Xu slowed down, the car behind them didn't overtake. It continued following at the same steady pace.

"Who the hell's messing with me?" Fish Head Xu snapped, seeing that the car wasn't passing them and was still tailing them.

The car behind had left the dock at the same time as them. Fish Head Xu didn't know who was inside, but guessed it was someone from the crew, deliberately tailing him to mess with him.

They used to pull stunts like this all the time when their group of stuntmen went out. They'd have ten or so cars on the road, all doing the same thing.

"Brother Xu, thanks for looking after me these past few days."

Yang Chu took his eyes off the rearview mirror and turned to look at Fish Head Xu, who kept blinking under the high beams. He smiled as he spoke.

Fish Head Xu didn't know who was in the car behind them, but Yang Chu's mind now processed information at a speed far beyond ordinary people's. His ability to take in and sense what was happening around him was just as extraordinary.

He'd noticed someone watching him from a distance at the dock. Then a car had started following them, making him all the more certain.

"Wow, Chu-zai, that's awfully formal all of a sudden. That's not like you."

Fish Head Xu blinked repeatedly as the bright lights stung his crossed eyes, then called out dramatically, "You're not planning to ditch me once you become a big star, are you? I'm telling you, when you make it, I'm coming to work with you!"

"Ha—"

Yang Chu chuckled, turned back toward the road stretching ahead, and slowly closed his eyes.

The two cars continued on for a few more minutes, reaching an empty stretch of road in the Kwun Tong Industrial Zone.

Vroom—

The car that had been following them with its high beams on suddenly sped up and overtook them.

"You bastard, finally lost your patience, huh? Now I'm really gonna blind you!"

Seeing the car pull in front, Fish Head Xu cried out excitedly. He switched on his high beams, ready to give the other driver a taste of his own medicine.

But just then, the brake lights of the car ahead suddenly came on. It pulled in front of them and stopped.

Screech—

Fish Head Xu slammed on the brakes. His body lurched forward with the force, and he almost hit his head on the steering wheel before managing to stop the car.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

The other driver's stunt infuriated Fish Head Xu. He reached to unfasten his seat belt so he could get out and confront him.

"Brother Xu!"

Yang Chu had opened his eyes at some point. He suddenly stopped Fish Head Xu from undoing his seat belt. "Don't get out yet."

"What do you mean, Chu-zai?" Fish Head Xu asked, taken aback by Yang Chu's actions.

Just then, both the front and rear doors of the car ahead opened, and four or five men in suits got out.

"Back up and leave. We'll talk about it later."

Yang Chu patted Fish Head Xu on the shoulder, turned, opened the passenger door, and got out.

"Black Fish Zai!"

As soon as Yang Chu stepped out, Black Skin Sha cracked his neck and ambled toward him, his face full of menace. "You sure have been hard to find!"

"Do you know me?"

Yang Chu stood beside the car, watching Black Skin Sha approach with four of his men at his side. His expression was calm as he asked the question.

Black Skin Sha didn't answer. He merely crooked a finger. A young man with a ponytail stepped forward from behind him and called to Yang Chu, visibly excited. "Black Fish Zai, Brother Cheng's dead. We're all following Brother Sha now."

"Then you're the one who knows me?"

Yang Chu shifted his gaze to the young man with the ponytail.

Ponytail was clearly taken aback by Yang Chu's question, as if he couldn't understand why Yang Chu would ask that.

He was about to say something when Black Skin Sha shoved him aside impatiently and gestured.

"Enough talking. Dao You Cheng still owed my boss several million. He's dead, but the goods are still here. Come on. Take me to them."

As he spoke, two of the capable men behind Black Skin Sha stepped up on either side of Yang Chu and reached out to grab him.