West Prince Edward Road, United Road, Kowloon.
Beneath a building on the street, the ground and first floors had been opened up into a single storefront. It was decked out with lanterns and decorations, a red carpet spread before the entrance, and towering flower baskets packed both sides of the shop. The whole place was bustling with celebration.
Above the storefront hung a high, gilt plaque with a touch of classical elegance: Shark Martial Arts Gym.
"Hi-yah!"
"Ha!"
A chorus of shouts rang out from the street outside.
More than thirty students of the gym, dressed in uniforms emblazoned with "Shark Martial Arts," lined up in formation and performed a powerful routine with disciplined precision. The already narrow United Road was now completely blocked.
Once the students dispersed, firecrackers—tens of thousands of them—crackled to life. Thick smoke rose into the air, and bright red scraps of paper fluttered all over the ground.
After the firecrackers came the pounding of drums and clanging of gongs. A brightly colored Guan Gong Lion leaped in front of Shark Martial Arts Gym. It reared up, advanced in a series of feints, scratched itself, greeted the guests, paid its respects, and showed off its might. The lion's whole string of movements drew cheers from the surrounding crowd.
These days, few shops hired a lion dance troupe for their opening. But the residents who had been relocated to this part of United Road on West Prince Edward Road after Kowloon Walled City was demolished a few years ago were especially fond of traditional lion dances.
The excitement drew more and more passersby, until the street was packed around the shop.
"Champion Mai's coming out!"
"Master Mai, wishing you a prosperous opening!"
"Congratulations, Master Mai!"
Amid a wave of enthusiastic calls and congratulations, a tall man in a black training uniform walked out of Shark Martial Arts Gym.
He stood about six foot one, with thick joints in his hands and feet and a straight back. He looked lean and fit. Though he wore a smile, he gave off a powerful sense of danger.
It seemed that at any moment, he might turn into a shark and devour everyone standing before him.
"Hey, that's Shark Yan, the champion of Hong Kong and Macao. He really does look intimidating in person."
Standing outside the crowd, Fish Head Xu held the flyer and watched Shark Yan greet the guests at the entrance. He couldn't help shuddering as he said to Yang Chu, "Chu-zai, you said you wanted to come see what it was like. You're not actually planning to challenge him on his opening day, are you?"
The flyer did indeed have an absurdly brazen invitation for martial artists from all walks of life to come and exchange techniques. But anyone could see that picking a fight on the opening day would not only be cutting off someone's livelihood, but also humiliating him in front of everyone.
"No rush, Brother Xu."
Yang Chu shook his head and pointed toward the people outside the lion dance. "Take a look at those few."
Fish Head Xu tilted his head and looked where Yang Chu pointed.
Among the crowd gathered around the perimeter, most were curious, impressed, and clapping in approval. But a few people stood out, their faces dark and displeased.
Yang Chu thought there was a chance they would see a real martial arts bout or two at the opening of Shark Martial Arts Gym.
If he did, the trip would be worthwhile.
"Thank you all for taking the time to come and support us. Today, Shark Martial Arts Gym officially opens. We're now accepting students from all walks of life. Anyone interested in learning boxing, training, or getting fit is welcome to sign up—"
After exchanging pleasantries with the guests who had come to support him, Mai Rong'en saw that the time was right and strode to the center of the assembled spectators. He clasped his hands in salute.
"Master Mai!"
Before Mai Rong'en could finish, other voices rang out from the crowd.
"Today's the opening of Master Mai's gym. Why not show us what you can do and open our eyes?"
"Exactly! A few decades ago, opening a martial arts gym meant setting up a challenge ring and letting masters from every school test your mettle."
A few clearly ill-intentioned figures in the crowd shouted loudly to the people around them.
The onlookers who enjoyed stirring things up joined in, and even the guests who had come to support the opening wore smiles as they watched the show.
In the past, Hong Kong Island had been full of martial arts schools. Any martial artist from out of town who wanted to open a school and take on students had to pass three tests and win the approval of masters from other schools.
Nowadays, Hong Kong Island's economy was booming, and no one followed some of those outdated customs anymore. There were plenty of schools run by foreigners and Koreans, but that didn't stop people from using the old tradition as an excuse to stir up trouble.
"Is there anyone in Hong Kong and Macao who doesn't know the name Mai Rong'en?"
Mai Rong'en seemed to have expected this. He looked at the few people in the crowd who were trying to stir things up, and a grim smile appeared on his already fierce face. "Anyone who wants to test my mettle is welcome to try, any time."
When he finished speaking, Mai Rong'en swept his gaze arrogantly over everyone present.
The troublemakers who had started it, along with the representatives of other martial arts schools, promptly shrank back into the crowd and fell silent.
Mai Rong'en's reputation as the champion of Hong Kong and Macao wasn't based solely on titles he'd won in fights organized by a few wealthy men. He'd already made a name for himself in underground bouts, and had even knocked out a Muay Thai champion in a semi-public match.
People could talk all they liked, but when it came to being the first to step into the ring, no one dared.
"Looks like no one wants to test my mettle?"
Mai Rong'en looked around. When everyone present had fallen silent, a faint smile crossed his face. "My promotional poster says it plainly: martial artists from all walks of life are welcome to come and exchange techniques. If anyone wants to step up, I, Mai Rong'en, am right here."
After Mai Rong'en finished speaking, a martial arts instructor in the crowd seemed unable to resist the provocation and stepped forward.
He was a middle-aged man in a traditional long jacket, with a well-proportioned build. He walked out of the crowd and clasped his hands to Mai Rong'en. "I've heard a lot about you, Master Mai. I—"
"Hold on a moment!"
Before the middle-aged man in the traditional long jacket could finish, a hand suddenly reached in from outside the crowd, grabbed his shoulder, and flung him back among the onlookers.
The area outside Shark Martial Arts Gym erupted in an uproar.
Everyone turned to look. A young man with short hair and an enormous backpack was walking unhurriedly through the packed crowd.
"You! You—"
After the middle-aged man in the traditional long jacket was flung into the crowd, several people caught him, and he barely managed to regain his balance. He was about to start cursing, but when he touched the shoulder that had been grabbed, his expression shifted. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
"Has someone else stepped up?"
Mai Rong'en folded his arms across his chest and lifted his chin, watching the scene impassively.
When nothing else happened, he looked haughtily at the short-haired young man standing before him, the enormous backpack on his back. "So you're here to test my mettle and see whether I'm qualified to open a martial arts gym?"
The short-haired young man stood in front of Mai Rong'en and casually tossed his enormous backpack aside. His head had been slightly lowered, but he slowly raised it. "Mai Rong'en, champion of Hong Kong and Macao. A body like steel, a fierce fighting style, and an undefeated record of thirty-nine ring matches. I came to fight you."
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