Death wiped the debt clean

That evening, Gu Sheng took Big-Eyed Hua and two other underlings with him to accompany Big B to a meeting at Hongxing headquarters.

Chan Ho-nam and his crew went along too.

He had just been promoted in the Initiation Ceremony, after all. Big B had to bring him along to show his face.

"Whoa, Brother B, long time no see! I hear you've got another fine horse in your stable. When are you sending him over to help me?" A man in a green suit swaggered over and put an arm around Big B.

His voice was as hoarse as a crow's.

Although his appearance was slightly different, Gu Sheng recognized Teem-Kwan at a glance. That green suit... a matching hat would really complete the look.

Ba Bi was still alive at this point, and Teem-Kwan and Big B had yet to become bitter enemies.

"Kwan, you've got plenty of talent under you. Why are you still asking me for men?"

"Those guys of mine..." Teem-Kwan laughed it off.

"So this is Pretty S? I'm Teem-Kwan, and you're Pretty S. We were born to be brothers!" Teem-Kwan turned his attention to GS.

Once inside Hongxing's meeting room, Gu Sheng sat down by the wall and sized up the branch bosses.

Hon Ping, Prince, Thirteen Sisters, Fat Lai, Brother Kei, Big B, Teem-Kwan, Dinosaur, Uncle Hing, Ah Chiu, Pretty Ma, and Chan Yiu.

Uncle Hing was the one about to retire, while Ah Chiu was the newly appointed boss of Tsz Wan Shan. Pretty Ma ran Sham Shui Po and had never appeared in the movies.

Nothing much happened at the meeting. Gu Sheng was only there to show his face, and listening from the sidelines soon made him sleepy.

After several yawns, Gu Sheng suddenly remembered something.

If Ba Bi could owe Teem-Kwan twenty million, he must be pretty well-off, right?

Otherwise, Teem-Kwan would never have lent it to him.

Of course, Teem-Kwan dealt in No. 4 Drug—underworld slang for heroin—so he could hardly have lent Ba Bi cash. It was probably twenty million's worth of merchandise.

Still, whatever the case, Ba Bi ought to have plenty of money on hand. Why shouldn't Gu Sheng borrow some?

Death wiped the debt clean, after all. That was an ironclad rule.

He would be a fool not to borrow it.

If the plot changed and Big B didn't send Chan Ho-nam to kill Ba Bi, he could always give them a hand.

After finally waiting out the meeting, he approached Teem-Kwan as he came out. "Brother Kwan, Ba Bi's your sworn brother, right?"

"Yeah. What's up?" Teem-Kwan asked, giving him a sidelong look.

"I've got a business proposition to discuss with him. I was hoping you could introduce us."

Ba Bi might have looked pathetic getting beaten up by a handful of street punks like Chan Ho-nam.

But at the end of the day, he was on Teem-Kwan's level. Without an introduction from Teem-Kwan, Gu Sheng would struggle even to meet him, let alone borrow money.

"Sure. Come find me at the film company tomorrow. You know where it is, right?" Teem-Kwan said casually.

"Mong Kok Qian Kun Films. Everyone's heard of it."

Teem-Kwan was the boss of Mong Kok, one of Hong Kong's busiest districts, so naturally his film company was there.

"That's right!" Teem-Kwan grinned and gave him a couple of pats.

With that settled, Gu Sheng went outside and left by car.

When he got home, Kong Sang, who had been watching television, naturally rose to help him take off his jacket.

"You're back so early today?"

"Nothing to do. I just got back from headquarters, and I couldn't be bothered checking on those street punks. Might as well stay home." Half the evening had passed, yet GS's lower back still ached badly. He really didn't want to wander around outside.

The uncomfortable chairs at Hongxing headquarters had only made things worse.

"What's gotten into you today?" Kong Sang was delighted to hear it.

"When have I ever been bad?" He changed into pajamas and sat on the sofa. Kong Sang leaned against his shoulder, watching television and munching an apple, occasionally feeding him a bite.

The next morning, GS got up, finished his congee, and had an underling drive him to Mong Kok.

Looking at the bustling streets on either side, he felt more than ever that remote Yuen Long's air reeked of cow dung.

The new town was developing nicely, but it still couldn't compare with the central districts.

Somewhere like Tsim Sha Tsui brought in over ten million a month in rent alone.

"A few guys have really made a name for themselves lately. They took out Madman Fai," Big-Eyed Hua said, turning around.

"Madman Fai... that bastard from Hung Lok, right?" GS thought for a moment before remembering who he was: a Hung Lok fighter.

He was pretty capable and could handle himself in a fight. Otherwise, he wouldn't have earned a nickname like Madman Fai.

"Yeah. Madman Fai did plenty for Hung Lok too. Now their people are searching everywhere for those guys."

"They've got guts. Find them when we get back and ask if they want to work for me. Tell them I admire them and I'll protect them," GS said after some thought. He really didn't have many capable fighters under him, just a bunch of useless idiots.

He was planning to recruit a few fighters anyway. Otherwise, he had nobody who could shoulder the load. Surely he couldn't keep going out personally every time as the boss?

"Okay. I'll have my people put the word out when we get back."

"What are their names?"

"I think they're called Ah Tung, Ah Bo, Mantis... They're from our Long Ping Estate."

The names sounded familiar to GS. After thinking carefully, he recalled that they seemed to be from Knife Hand.

"Okay. Put the word out that I want to take them in." GS decided to recruit them first, then observe them to see whether they were useful.

Loyalty mattered most.

Getting hacked with a knife by his own underling like Crow would be far too miserable.

"Anyone else been standing out in the underworld lately?" GS asked.

Those guys from Knife Hand had given him an idea. He ought to start actively recruiting.

"There's a guy in Hung Lok called Fai Chuen. He's been rising fast lately."

Hung Lok again... GS considered it. Their boss is Gentleman Sing, right?

Is Fai Chuen the one from To Be Number One?

If it was that Fai Chuen, he really wouldn't be able to poach him.

Not for any other reason-Gu Sheng was only a Red Pole in a Hongxing branch himself. If Fai Chuen joined him, there would be no room for advancement.

He would at least have to wait until he became a branch boss before trying to recruit him.

They arrived at Mong Kok Qian Kun Films. GS and his companions went upstairs and saw several underlings smoking outside the office.

"We're here to see Brother Kwan. We arranged it with him last night."

They were soon shown inside, where GS saw Teem-Kwan holding a cigar with an arm around a sultry woman.

"Pretty S, what do you think of this film company? Interested?"

"Your business is so big, Brother Kwan. You'd really let someone else have a piece?" GS asked with a smile.

"Come work for me! You'll have a share in this film company too. I'll give you thirty percent!" Teem-Kwan was certainly generous. Although the company made porn films, it was worth at least ten million.

Thirty percent meant several million, a considerable temptation for an ordinary gangster.

"You'll have to ask Big B. If Big B wants me to help you, I'll come help you!" GS passed the decision straight to Big B. Although he coveted Teem-Kwan's business and wanted to come to Mong Kok,

he wanted to come as the boss, not as an underling.

Uncle Hing wasn't far from retirement. Why should he wade into this mess?

"Fuck, you're not sincere at all," Teem-Kwan cursed, sinking lazily back into his chair. "Go on, then. What do you want with Ba Bi?"

"I hear Ba Bi's wealthy and powerful. My business happens to be booming lately, and I need money to expand. Interested in investing some yourself, Brother Kwan?"

If Teem-Kwan was willing to invest, GS certainly wouldn't object.

Money was money, whoever it came from. Why would he turn it away?

As for repayment, I borrowed that money through my own ability. Why should I have to pay it back?

Death wiped the debt clean.

That was the rule Gu Sheng lived by.

"What business?" Teem-Kwan straightened up a little, his interest piqued.

"A property company. Real estate is booming right now!"

"Fuck, you think I don't know what's going on? Property prices are falling! Whatever. Since you've come to me, I'll give Ba Bi a call in a bit. If he wants to lend you the money, he can." Teem-Kwan immediately lost interest.

Last month, the Iron Lady had taken a tumble up north. People in Hong Kong were now jittery, and many were selling off their properties. Gu Sheng had also learned about it through his company recently.

It didn't affect his agency business, though. No matter how far prices fell, people still needed somewhere to live.

Besides, GS knew that property prices would start climbing within a year or two. A little over a decade later, they would practically reach the sky.

If he had money, buying a batch at rock bottom now would net him a fortune a decade or so down the line.

"Brother Kwan, are you shooting anything right now? I'd like to watch." GS had always been interested in filmmaking.

With an opportunity like this, he might as well learn a thing or two.

"Come work for me, and you can watch every day. You can even get in front of the camera yourself! Silly Keung, take him over to have a look."