Chapter Summaries

Ho Wai-lok and Wong Kwan were sent to Stanley Prison, while proceedings against Cheung Tak Biu and the other officers were indefinitely postponed. A Police Force Headquarters working group arrived at East Kowloon, and Situ Jie recognized that its supposed internal hearing was effectively a promotion selection for Cheung Tak Biu.

• Ho Wai-lok and Wong Kwan were sentenced to life imprisonment, and their assets were frozen and confiscated.
• The case against Cheung Tak Biu and the East Kowloon officers was postponed after Ho Wai-lok was imprisoned and no prosecution followed.
• Yeung Kam Wing led a headquarters working group to East Kowloon Headquarters the day after the trial.
• Situ Jie saw that the group’s members from National Security, Internal Investigations, and Personnel made the hearing resemble a promotion selection for Cheung Tak Biu.
• Situ Jie expected Cheung Tak Biu’s promotion and believed his own support would draw the attention of the senior officers behind him, while Huo Zhaotang’s wife would still owe him a favor.

After Huo Zhaotang’s courtroom arrest, Mrs. Huo needed to repair her family’s relationship with the Police Force, making Situ Jie a valuable intermediary. Yeung Kam Wing relayed his boss’s praise to Situ Jie, then began the working group’s business by requesting Cheung Tak Biu.

• Huo Zhaotang faced at least three years in prison after giving false testimony, and Mrs. Huo had reason to seek Situ Jie’s help repairing ties with the Police Force.
• Yeung Kam Wing told Situ Jie that his boss approved of his stance in court and looked forward to his future performance.
• Situ Jie pledged loyalty to the Police Force and said he would uphold Number One’s principles.
• Yeung Kam Wing asked Situ Jie to arrange for Chief Inspector Cheung Tak Biu to attend the working group’s meeting.
• Situ Jie asked Tam Yu-hong to bring Ah Biao over as the promotion selection procedure began.

Cheung Tak Biu appeared before a Police Force working group over his use of torture during an operation, while Yeung Kam Wing tested whether he regretted his actions. The chapter ended with Cheung Tak Biu about to answer as Situ Jie worried about the operation’s implications.

• Four Police Force officers assembled to oversee Cheung Tak Biu’s internal proceedings, with Yeung Kam Wing holding authority over the hearing.
• Cheung Tak Biu entered in uniform, saluted the officers, and reported to them.
• Yeung Kam Wing welcomed Cheung Tak Biu warmly, while Situ Jie formally introduced the proceedings and the officers dispatched from headquarters.
• Cheung Tak Biu apologized for causing trouble for the Police Force and its officers.
• Yeung Kam Wing asked Cheung Tak Biu whether he regretted torturing Ho Wai-lok, leaving the others to consider how his answer would affect their views of him.

Yeung Kam Wing questioned Cheung Tak Biu about his team’s handling of the operation and advised him to use his resources more carefully. He then announced that the disciplined officers would receive one demerit, leaving Cheung relieved that the penalty would not cost them their jobs.

• Cheung Tak Biu defended his actions, saying he did not regret decisions made to fight crime so long as innocent civilians were not affected.
• Yeung Kam Wing acknowledged the dangers of frontline work but warned that Cheung’s team had caused trouble and needed to conduct operations more carefully.
• Yeung Kam Wing explained that Cheung could have used his connections and police resources to capture Ho Wai-lok and Wong Kwan as well as rescue Huo Zhaotang.
• Cheung thanked Yeung Kam Wing for the guidance and realized that the disciplinary consequences would not be severe enough to end his career.
• Yeung Kam Wing formally ruled that all personnel who violated discipline would receive one demerit.

At an internal hearing, Cheung Tak Biu and Situ Jie accepted responsibility for the Major Crimes Unit’s coercive interrogation, but Yeung Kam Wing announced that the men would still be rewarded. Cheung was promoted to superintendent and given command of the unit, while his colleagues also received promotions or pay benefits.

• Cheung Tak Biu asked to bear the full responsibility for his men, who had acted under his orders.
• Situ Jie also accepted responsibility, saying the pressure he put on the unit had contributed to its excessive methods.
• Yeung Kam Wing said the Police Force needed to uphold its disciplinary decision but would not let its frontline officers lose heart.
• The Personnel Division announced Cheung Tak Biu’s promotion to superintendent and appointment as commander of the Major Crimes Unit, and Yiu Kong-nga’s promotion to chief inspector.
• The other members of Major Crimes A Group received a pay-scale increase or priority in the next promotion selection procedure.

He Wenzhan briefed Zhou Quan on the investigation into the DOA Foundation, including its suspected hidden controller, Cangjing. Zhou Quan ordered the team to keep investigating and protect the operation’s secrecy while Lau Bo-keung and Officer Yang were in Macau.

• He Wenzhan told Zhou Quan that Cheung Tak Biu’s matter had been settled and reported that Happy Tiger and Little Jimmy had been invited to another Underworld Conference by Mr. Gao.
• He Wenzhan described the DOA Foundation’s structure and identified Xu Long, Ghost Eye, and Bucktooth Chiu as Mr. Gao’s trusted lieutenants.
• He Wenzhan reported that Xu Long was an undercover Central Bureau officer and that Ghost Eye might be watching Mr. Gao for a hidden mastermind, possibly the international broker Cangjing.
• He Wenzhan explained that Lau Bo-keung and Officer Yang had gone to Macau to investigate Mr. Gao’s suspected links to the Macau Casino.
• Zhou Quan told He Wenzhan to investigate what lay behind Cangjing and to protect Tan Huanxi’s and Lee Family Jiayuan’s identities through strict operational secrecy.

The chapter described Zhou Tower’s hidden floor as a highly classified National Security Department intelligence and operations command centre, equipped and funded through Zhou Quan’s resources. The TUI Intelligence Network had moved in, and the centre was ready to direct future covert operations under Zhou Quan’s command.

• The chapter revealed that a concealed floor in Zhou Tower housed the National Security Department’s secret command centre.
• The Zhou Foundation, managed by Guan Youbo, was described as a vast financial institution built on high-tech investments and cash reserves.
• Zhou Quan had instructed Guan Youbo to include a secret floor and two underground levels when Zhou Tower was built.
• Zhou Quan designated himself as the centre’s supreme commander, the head of the National Security Department as deputy commander, and the Operations Security Department commander to oversee operations.
• The TUI Intelligence Network moved into the secret centre, which was equipped to support future covert operations.

The National Security Department’s secret intelligence center entered full operation for the first time to support the investigation into the DOA Foundation. Lau Bo-keung opened a joint deployment meeting and asked Yang Jianhua for Mainland China’s views on DOA’s upcoming Underworld Conference.

• Three National Security Department Stealth Armoured Vehicles arrived at Zhou Tower, where Lau Bo-keung, Wong Fuk-wing, Yang Jianhua, Luo Xin, Yeung Kam Wing, Zhuang Ziwei, and Su Kin-chiu entered the secret operations center.
• Pang Yik-hang and Guan Zu welcomed the officers and led them to the intelligence hub, where He Wenzhan, Yeung Chi-lung, and Jing Jinxian were monitoring DOA’s building and surroundings.
• He Wenzhan moved the officers into the soundproof operations conference room, where he and Lau Bo-keung sat side by side as the center’s commander and the operation’s lead officer.
• Lau Bo-keung asked Yang Jianhua what Mainland China’s Interpol Central Bureau thought about DOA’s plans to hold another Underworld Conference.

At the operational briefing, Yang Jianhua proposed that undercover operative Xu Long sacrifice an eye to carry a concealed recorder into the DOA Foundation’s Underworld Conference. He Wenzhan rejected the proposal and assigned Tan Huanxi and Lee Family Jiayuan to handle the evidence gathering while Xu Long prepared for an emergency withdrawal.

• Yang Jianhua explained that the DOA Foundation’s strict security and radio jamming made close-range recording necessary to obtain conclusive evidence.
• Yang Jianhua reported that Xu Long had volunteered to replace one of his eyes with a prosthetic eye containing a Miniature Video Recorder.
• He Wenzhan rejected the sacrifice, saying TUI could gather evidence without it, and noted that Tan Huanxi and Lee Family Jiayuan could enter as honored guests.
• He Wenzhan ordered Pang Yik-hang to tell Xu Long to prepare for an emergency withdrawal and said TUI would take over the remaining tasks.
• He Wenzhan’s team planned to keep Xu Long and Luo Xin near Mr. Gao for now so their withdrawal would not alert the DOA Foundation.

As the DOA Foundation’s Underworld Conference began, He Wenzhan coordinated the Police Force’s operation from a command centre near its headquarters. Every team took position and waited for Tan Huanxi and Lee Family Jiayuan to finish gathering intelligence before the assault began.

• Luo Xin reported that the conference venue had been sealed and she could not contact A Long.
• He Wenzhan ordered all units to report their positions as Pang Yik-hang’s team and the Flying Tigers prepared to assault the DOA Building.
• Gao Wenshan reported that the SDU Flight Team was ready for an aerial assault, while Ling Jing positioned PTU units as reserve support.
• Jing Jinxian reported that the Paparazzi were surveilling the area to watch for forces sent by Cangjing to rescue Mr. Gao.
• He Wenzhan ordered everyone to remain on standby until Tan Huanxi and Lee Family Jiayuan finished gathering intelligence.

Xu Long escaped the DOA Building by parachute after his cover was apparently compromised, and Jing Jinxian’s team retrieved him after a brief firefight with three armed suspects. The gunmen’s presence threatened to alert Mr. Gao, so He Wenzhan ordered the operation to close in on the DOA Foundation.

• Jing Jinxian reported shattered glass on the DOA Building’s top floor and a parachute, identifying Xu Long’s emergency escape.
• Yeung Chi-lung brought up surveillance footage, and He Wenzhan ordered Jing Jinxian to retrieve Xu Long while other departments prepared.
• Jing Jinxian reported that his team had picked up Xu Long and subdued three armed suspects after a brief exchange of fire.
• He Wenzhan ordered the PTU to move in and close the net.

After Tan Huanxi and Lee Family Jiayuan signaled that they had gathered evidence, He Wenzhan ordered the Police Force to raid the DOA Building and arrest the DOA Foundation’s criminal associates. Police teams attacked from the ground and air, killing armed suspects and taking control of the scene.

• Jing Jinxian reported gunfire inside the DOA Building, confirming that the Foundation’s security personnel posed an armed threat.
• Tan Huanxi and Lee Family Jiayuan sent their prearranged messages indicating that they had obtained evidence, and He Wenzhan ordered the operation to begin.
• He Wenzhan ordered the police to seal the building, while specialists disabled its surveillance system and aircraft carried Flying Tigers toward the upper floors.
• Pang Yik-hang led the elevator assault group as police teams advanced by ground and air, using flashbangs to enter the target floor.
• Pang Yik-hang and the other officers shot the criminals who raised handguns, while the unarmed suspects were not immediately targeted.

Pang Yik-hang’s assault groups secured the DOA Building’s top floor in seconds, capturing the criminals attending the Underworld Conference. After confirming the scene was secure, Pang reported the operation’s success to the command center.

• Zhou Quan’s training methods shaped the National Security Department’s elite twelve-man combat team, which joined the Flying Tigers’ Assault Team in the operation.
• The Police Force’s assault teams overwhelmed the criminals on the top floor with flashbangs and secured the scene within seconds.
• As the criminals recovered their senses, Pang Yik-hang ordered them in Chinese and English to raise their hands and lie face down.
• Pang ordered the operatives to cuff and search the suspects, while an officer handcuffed Mr. Gao, the operation’s primary target.
• Pang reported that the scene was secure, the resisters had been shot dead, and the remaining suspects had been taken into custody.

After the successful arrests, the officers returned to Police Force Headquarters to interrogate Mr. Gao and the other criminals, hoping to uncover the hidden hand behind the DOA Foundation. In the first interrogation, Lau Bo-keung introduced Yang Jianhua by her rank and role without revealing her name, while Mr. Gao recognized the senior officers questioning him.

• Pang Yik-hang ordered the PTU to escort the suspects to Tai Kwun, and He Wenzhan and the other senior officers headed back to prepare for interrogations.
• About half an hour later, Lau Bo-keung, He Wenzhan, and Yang Jianhua began questioning Mr. Gao in the National Security Department's major case interrogation room.
• Lau Bo-keung opened by commenting on Mr. Gao's unusual name, and Mr. Gao said he knew the senior officers and was surprised they were interrogating him personally.
• Mr. Gao asked Yang Jianhua who she was, and Lau Bo-keung identified her as a first-class police inspector from Mainland China's Interpol Central Bureau who led the DOA investigation.
• Lau Bo-keung withheld Yang Jianhua's name to protect her confidential identity and to avoid exposing her to possible retaliation from the hidden hand behind DOA.

Mr. Gao weighed whether to cooperate with the Hong Kong Island Police Force as Lau Bo-keung confronted him with evidence of his money laundering and the DOA Foundation’s distrust of him. He remained guarded and ended by asking whether Xu Long worked for the officers, without admitting to any crimes.

• Mr. Gao considered whether to betray Cangjing or take the blame, and decided he was more inclined to cooperate with the Hong Kong Island Police Force.
• Lau Bo-keung described the billions of dollars Mr. Gao had laundered and praised his sophisticated methods.
• Lau Bo-keung revealed that Ghost Eye had received a warning identifying Xu Long as the mole, suggesting the DOA Foundation’s mastermind had planted an agent near Mr. Gao.
• Mr. Gao realized that Ghost Eye’s presence showed the mastermind did not trust him and kept the money laundering procedures under his own control.
• Mr. Gao asked Lau Bo-keung whether Xu Long was one of his officers, while avoiding any admission of guilt.

Lau Bo-keung confronted Mr. Gao with the evidence against the DOA Foundation and pressured him to cooperate against its mastermind. Mr. Gao agreed in exchange for protection and leniency, offering information about the DOA Group and its vast funds as leverage.

• Lau Bo-keung told Mr. Gao that the police had conclusive evidence of his crimes and urged him to expose the DOA Foundation's mastermind.
• Lau Bo-keung threatened to activate the Witness Protection Programme, announce Mr. Gao's surrender, and arrange his release on bail, making him vulnerable to the DOA Foundation.
• Mr. Gao agreed to cooperate but demanded confidential witness protection, an appeal for leniency, and guarantees of his safety in prison.
• Mr. Gao offered to reveal everything he knew about the DOA Group and said Little Ma controlled at least fifteen billion US dollars in liquid funds.
• Lau Bo-keung accepted the first and third conditions, said he would seek approval for leniency, and planned to bring Mr. Gao's offer to Sir Kwan.

Mr. Gao told Lau Bo-keung that Ms. Cangjing controlled the DOA Group and revealed that a hidden figure might be controlling her. He left Lau with evidence of the group’s ties to Yi Tianxing’s JC Group, while admitting that the hidden figure’s identity remained unknown.

• Mr. Gao explained that he had moved the DOA Foundation’s headquarters from America to Hong Kong Island after American law enforcement began preparing covert methods against him.
• Mr. Gao agreed to reveal what he knew in hopes of dismantling the organization behind the DOA Foundation and receiving leniency.
• Mr. Gao identified Ms. Cangjing as the DOA Group’s true controller and said Ghost Eye had been placed beside him to monitor and protect him.
• Mr. Gao told Lau Bo-keung that Ghost Hand oversaw Cangjing’s operational personnel and speculated that an unknown person was secretly controlling her.
• Mr. Gao said the unknown controller might have an unusual connection to Yi Tianxing, since the JC Group supplied most of the DOA Group’s personnel, weapons, and equipment despite having no known cooperative relationship with Cangjing.

Mr. Gao’s disclosures linked the DOA Group to Yi Tianxing and his arms organization, the JC Group, prompting Lau Bo-keung and He Wenzhan to recognize that the case needed their boss’s attention. Mr. Gao chose protection in the National Security Department’s Detention Room, while Lau and Yang Jianhua prepared to brief Big Sir.

• Lau Bo-keung recognized the significance of Mr. Gao’s claims about Yi Tianxing and the JC Group, which the Hong Kong Island Police Force had long prioritized for investigation.
• Lau Bo-keung and He Wenzhan concluded that the possible link between the DOA Group and the JC Group required them to inform their boss.
• Lau Bo-keung offered Mr. Gao a choice between the Detention Room and a National Security Department Safe House, and Mr. Gao chose the Detention Room at Police Force Headquarters.
• He Wenzhan ordered Ah Zu to return Mr. Gao to the Detention Room and keep him under strict watch around the clock.
• Lau Bo-keung told Yang Jianhua they needed to see Big Sir immediately.

Lau Bo-keung and He Wenzhan told Luo Danian that Mr. Gao had linked the DOA Group’s mastermind to Yi Tianxing of the JC Group and offered a lead to fifteen billion US dollars. Luo Danian approved Mr. Gao’s requests, ordered witness protection and efforts to secure the funds, and planned to report the matter with the two officers the next day.

• Lau Bo-keung and He Wenzhan went to Luo Danian’s office after leaving the interrogation room.
• Lau Bo-keung reported that the DOA operation had succeeded and that Mr. Gao had revealed a possible connection between the DOA Group’s mastermind and Yi Tianxing of the JC Group.
• He Wenzhan gave Luo Danian Mr. Gao’s statement, which Luo read before approving the suspect’s requests.
• Luo Danian ordered the officers to activate witness protection and secure the DOA Foundation’s fifteen billion US dollars.
• Luo Danian told Lau Bo-keung and He Wenzhan to report with him to Sir Kwan the next day, and the two officers left to finish the operation’s wrap-up work.

Zhou Quan met with the National Security Department’s core management, who reported that their overnight operation had captured the DOA Foundation’s main suspects and illegal organization leaders. They also revealed that Mr. Gao was helping them trace the hidden mastermind and arrange the transfer of more than fifteen billion US dollars, leaving Zhou Quan stunned by the scale of the case.

• Luo Danian and the National Security Department’s core management gathered in Zhou Quan’s office before work.
• Luo Danian reported that He Wenzhan and Lau Bo-keung had captured the DOA Foundation’s main suspects and the leaders of illegal organizations who entered the territory.
• Luo Danian said Mr. Gao’s testimony implicated a hidden mastermind with possible ties to Yi Tianxing’s JC Group and identified Cangjing as a smokescreen.
• Luo Danian revealed that Mr. Gao and Lau Bo-keung had contacted Ma Latang, who was secretly preparing to transfer more than fifteen billion US dollars from the DOA Group’s accounts.
• Zhou Quan sat up in surprise at the prospect of the enormous funds coming into their hands.