"Brother S said we're clearing Hung Lok out of Tin Shui Wai," Big-Eyed Hua announced loudly as he put down the phone.
"Once we take Tin Shui Wai, everyone's monthly pay goes up by fifty percent!"
That got everyone even more excited.
What was the fastest way to make the boys fight harder? Throw money at them, of course.
Throw enough money around, and morale naturally soared. They could even smash Tung Sing! Never mind Hung Lok.
"Move out!"
Everyone filed outside. The boys squatting or standing along the roadside crowded around as they emerged.
"Get in!" Watching everyone pile into the vans, Big-Eyed Hua suddenly felt his ego swell.
Word had already spread that Gentleman Sing had been captured at the nightclub, and the boys from the surrounding streets were all heading over.
Concrete had been drinking at a bar. When he heard the news, he sneered, "Fuck, getting grabbed on his own turf? Might as well let me take over."
"Boss, what do we do now?" one of Concrete's boys asked.
"What do we do? Go watch the show, obviously." Concrete stood and headed outside with a cold smirk.
Tai Bo Ball, Gentleman Sing's trusted lieutenant, also hurried over with his men.
But before they arrived, GS's men lying in wait in the vans outside jumped out and charged, slashing and wounding quite a few of Hung Lok's boys.
By the time Concrete and Tai Bo Ball arrived, GS and his men were surrounded inside the nightclub.
Hung Lok's foot soldiers filled half the street, sealing off the nightclub completely.
"Who's in charge here?" Tai Bo Ball asked after getting out of his car.
"Me, Brother Tai Bo. They've blocked the entrance, so we can't get in. The boss is still inside!"
Tai Bo Ball walked to the front of the crowd and shouted into the nightclub, "Send out someone who can speak for you!"
Nobody inside paid him any attention.
Tai Bo Ball's frown deepened. He had no idea what Hongxing was up to.
But he soon found out.
Before long, Hongxing's men arrived in Tin Shui Wai and started smashing up venues everywhere, hacking at any Hung Lok men they saw.
Concrete's venues were hit especially hard, with more than half of them wiped out outright.
Concrete, who had only just arrived to enjoy the show, flew into a rage and rushed back with his boys.
Tai Bo Ball cursed. He finally understood what Hongxing was doing.
"Brother S, Concrete's left." One of the boys had been watching the street from the second floor and came in to report.
"Brother Sing, your boys aren't very loyal, are they? Their boss means less to them than a few venues." GS patted Gentleman Sing's face.
But by the time Concrete got back, his men had already been scattered, their morale at rock bottom.
So GS wasn't worried.
If his men still couldn't take the territory under these conditions, they might as well go home and drink milk. What business did they have being gangsters?
"What do you want?" Gentleman Sing asked weakly through the pain. He knew he was finished today, but he still had one hope: that his men could drive Hongxing back.
Then, if these people wanted to leave, they would have to release him.
Once he got back and gathered his men, he could settle the score.
"Take good care of Brother Sing. Ask him where Hung Lok keeps its drugs and money, along with the ledgers and membership lists." GS tilted his head, and Ah Tung and Mantis immediately nodded and dragged Gentleman Sing outside.
He turned, pulled Ann up from the sofa, and put both hands around her waist.
"Come on, dance with me."
"Turn the music up!"
Ann forced a smile, not daring to speak for fear of angering the man in front of her.
She had always thought gangsters were vicious. Only today did she learn what vicious really meant.
GS was merely teasing Ann while waiting for news from outside.
Less than half an hour later, Big-Eyed Hua called, his voice brimming with excitement. "Concrete's men are all finished. What do we do next?"
"Split into two groups. Send the rest of the men to clear out Tai Bo Ball's territory too," GS ordered.
Apart from Gentleman Sing, Concrete was the biggest player in Hung Lok, followed by Tai Bo Ball. Once those two were wiped out, the others would be nothing to worry about.
And Tai Bo Ball was downstairs right now, with no way to command his men.
"Tell the boys downstairs to get ready."
Less than twenty minutes later, seven vehicles raced to the street entrance, and over a hundred Hongxing foot soldiers jumped out.
They caught Tai Bo Ball and the others downstairs completely off guard.
Silly Fook also led his men charging out from downstairs.
Attacked from both sides, with even their boss in enemy hands, Tai Bo Ball had no hope of controlling the situation. Before long, Hung Lok's men were scattered.
Listening to the shouting outside, GS lit a cigarette and summoned the nightclub's manager and madam.
"Know who I am now?" GS sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, the tip of his cigarette glowing and dimming amid the drifting smoke.
"B-Brother S..." the manager said, wiping away his sweat.
"You know too much." GS tilted his head, and Ah Bo grabbed the manager and dragged him toward the door.
"I don't know! I really don't know who you are, boss! Please let me go!" The manager was so terrified he nearly wet himself.
"Mm." GS gave a slight nod, and only then did Ah Bo release him.
"You know what to say when the cops come, right?" GS asked.
"We don't know who did it. It was too dark in the nightclub. We couldn't see anything clearly," the manager said hastily, sweat pouring down his forehead.
"The Hung Lok Society is history. This place belongs to me now. Tell your people to keep their mouths shut. Otherwise, I'll shut them for them." GS regarded the manager and madam with a faint, ambiguous smile. Both nodded repeatedly.
GS leaned close to Ann's ear. "I'll give you a chance. If you've got nowhere else to turn, you can come to me."
If GS remembered correctly, Ann's brother Bik Ham was a compulsive gambler who owed Sex Fiend Hung a fortune. Sex Fiend Hung had demanded Ann as payment.
Of course, it didn't matter if he hadn't run up the debt yet.
GS could give him a helping hand.
GS stood and headed outside. Ah Tung dragged Gentleman Sing out of the next room.
"Did he talk?" GS glanced at Gentleman Sing, who was barely clinging to life. Ah Tung really was a ruthless bastard.
"He talked." Ah Tung looked excited.
"We know where the drugs and ledgers are. Hung Lok only has six million in its accounts. There's another five million or so stashed with the ledgers."
GS curled his lip. An entire gang, and Hung Lok only had that much money?
You're doing this badly while dealing No. 4 Drug? What are the others in the trade supposed to think of you?
It showed just how wide the gap was between Yuen Long and prosperous areas like Causeway Bay and Mong Kok.
"Good work." GS took off his gold Rolex and tossed it to Ah Tung.
"Thanks, Brother S!" Ah Tung hurriedly caught it, his face beaming.
I really picked the right boss. He's so generous. Two hundred thousand!
When GS reached the ground floor, the street was deserted and eerily quiet, wounded men groaning all over the ground. In the distance, Hongxing's men were chasing down Hung Lok's men and hacking at them.
By now, most of Hung Lok's men had been routed. Only a few useless stragglers remained. The outcome was all but settled.
Ah Tung ran off to bring the car around.
After GS got in, Ah Bo and Mantis shoved Gentleman Sing, who was still barely alive, into the car too.
Police sirens sounded in the distance.
"Perfect timing. They timed it just right to come clean up," GS said with a laugh.
Before you continue