GS had originally planned to find a place in Long Ping Estate to open a boxing gym. But after he took over Tin Shui Wai, Hung Lok happened to have a sizable warehouse there, so he had his men convert it into a gym.
Mantis and the others had spent ten days working on it, and nearly all the equipment was ready.
Two rings stood in the middle, with dozens of punching bags and all kinds of strength-training equipment around them.
Even with over a hundred people training there at once, it wouldn't feel crowded.
"Not bad. You've earned yourselves some credit." GS toured the gym, then vaulted straight into a ring and beckoned to Ah Tung and the others.
"Come up and give it a try."
"Brother S, don't mess with us. We're no match for you," Ah Tung said with a laugh.
"Exactly. One punch from you, Brother S, and you'd be begging me not to die," Ah Bo added.
"Fuck, you're this chicken and you still call yourselves gangsters?" GS cursed.
"Depends who we're up against," Ah Tung said, grinning.
Even Silly Fook, the most honest of the bunch, didn't want to box with GS. He had seen GS fight before. One kick really could leave a man half dead.
They were all afraid their boss might casually throw a kick at them.
"Have you picked a coach yet?" GS asked.
"We have a candidate called Shark Yan. He did a few stretches in prison, then quit the gang life after he got out. He practices Hung Fist, and they call him the Southern Fist King. But we already approached him once, and he wouldn't come."
"The Southern Fist King? That badass? Is he actually any good?"
"He is, Brother S. He once fought more than twenty guys on his own and won," Mantis said from the side.
"So what if he is? Why look for someone who teaches Hung Fist? How many years would that take? By then your hair would be white. You going to hobble out with a cane to beat people up? Find someone who teaches Muay Thai or boxing. Those get results fast," GS said bluntly.
Muay Thai and boxing were the kinds of training that delivered quick results and rapidly improved his men's fighting ability.
"They say Shark Yan's pretty good at boxing too."
"So what? I told you to find a coach, not someone we have to wait on hand and foot. Am I supposed to invite him personally? If he won't come, find someone else."
GS's scolding made Mantis shrink back.
Leaning against the ring ropes, GS thought it over. Shark Yan, the Southern Fist King-those sounded a little familiar.
He recalled a movie with a Southern Fist King, a Northern Leg King, a Grappling King, a Weapons King... and a Martial Arts Maniac.
Kung Fu Jungle?
But so what? Just one Martial Arts Maniac. These days, money, guns, and manpower were what mattered.
GS wasn't particularly interested in Fung Yu-Sau. The man was too obsessive.
Shark Yan, on the other hand, had caught his interest.
Sure, he died as soon as he appeared, but if Fung Yu-Sau had set his sights on him, he must have been a formidable fighter. That was exactly the kind of muscle GS needed.
And he certainly wasn't as obsessive as Fung Yu-Sau, which should make him easier to bring into the fold.
"Call Shark Yan. I want to meet him."
"Brother S, he probably won't come. You'll have to go yourself."
"Putting on that many airs? Give him a call. I'll go see him tomorrow." GS started thinking about beating the shit out of Shark Yan tomorrow.
Putting on airs with me? You must have a death wish.
Come to think of it, didn't Xiahou Wu have a junior martial sister?
"Brother S, phone." Ah Tung handed him the Big Brother Phone.
Big-Eyed Hua's voice came from the other end.
"Brother S, a woman named Ann wants to see you."
"Ann? Who's that?"
"She's pretty." Big-Eyed Hua knew his boss very well and understood what mattered. If the woman hadn't been pretty, he wouldn't have made the call.
"Oh, I remember. Bring her to the gym."
After that night, Ann had quit her job at the Mayflower Nightclub and started helping out at her brother Bik Ham's auto repair shop.
Besides Bik Ham, the shop also had David Chow, Au Ka-Chuen, and Blackie, who had all grown up together.
Just after noon that day, Sex Fiend Hung stormed into the shop with a group of men.
"I'm here today to collect what Bik Ham owes me," Sex Fiend Hung said bluntly.
"What does he owe you?" David Chow asked.
"Brother Hung, let's talk outside." Bik Ham tried to pull Sex Fiend Hung out of the shop, only to be shoved aside.
"Why outside? I'm here for an answer." Sex Fiend Hung slapped Bik Ham on the head twice.
"Don't get rough. How much does he owe?" David Chow asked.
"Thirty thousand," Bik Ham said quietly.
"Thirty thousand was the principal. I lent him thirty thousand, and he said his sister would have dinner and tea with me. Then he stood me up." Sex Fiend Hung sneered.
At those words, David Chow and Ann both stared at Bik Ham in disbelief.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?" David Chow demanded.
"No, he said at first it would just be tea and dinner, but then..." Bik Ham looked panicked.
"Enough, enough. Save the chatter until I'm gone," Sex Fiend Hung said impatiently.
"Thirty thousand, right? Give me two days. I'll sort it out for him," David Chow said.
"Are you stupid? Thirty thousand came with the condition that his sister would be mine..." Sex Fiend Hung sneered and snapped his fingers a few times.
"How much, including interest?" David Chow asked.
"Three hundred thousand."
"You've got three days. Either bring me three hundred thousand or bring me your sister. Otherwise, I'll wipe you all out." Sex Fiend Hung pointed at them, then swaggered off with his men.
After Sex Fiend Hung left, everyone in the shop fell silent.
"Those loan sharks have no humanity. If we don't pay... we can't fight them," Au Ka-Chuen said from the side.
Gentleman Sing had died early, so Au Ka-Chuen hadn't been beaten into a vegetative state yet.
"But where are we supposed to get three hundred thousand? It's not three hundred or three thousand. It's three hundred thousand!" David Chow shouted at Bik Ham.
Bik Ham shrank straight into a corner.
They spent the entire day worrying, but there was still no way they could repay the money. And they absolutely refused to hand Ann over.
"Let me think of something," Ann said, biting her lip.
"What can you possibly do? You're not going to see Sex Fiend Hung," David Chow said firmly.
"I'll ask someone for help. Maybe he can do something." Ann remembered GS telling her that if she ever had nowhere else to turn, she could come to him once.
Ann had been somewhat afraid of Gentleman Sing, but compared with GS, Gentleman Sing was practically a model student.
Compared with Sex Fiend Hung, however, GS might have been fiercer, but at least he was young, stylish, and handsome.
If she had no choice, she would rather choose GS.
Now, Ann followed Big-Eyed Hua into the gym, her nerves on edge. She immediately spotted several men in suits standing around, while GS sat in a chair with his legs crossed and a cigarette between his lips.
"Brother S." Big-Eyed Hua nodded, then stepped aside.
"Brother S," Ann said softly.
"What is it?" GS looked her over with interest.
"My brother borrowed some money. Thirty thousand, but they're demanding three hundred thousand back. Brother S, could you help me?" Ann asked quietly.
"Three hundred thousand. That's a big number. But debts have to be repaid. If you can't afford to pay it back, don't borrow it. How do you expect me to help? Pay three hundred thousand for you?"
"Brother S, could you ask them to take a little less, then lend me some money? I'll definitely pay you back." Ann's voice grew even quieter.
"You think my name carries so much weight that one word from me makes someone knock hundreds of thousands off a debt? Even if it does, that favor alone would be worth more than three hundred thousand, wouldn't it? What are you going to repay me with? Yourself? That could work." GS chuckled.
After a long hesitation, Ann said softly, "I won't marry you."
GS stared at her, dumbfounded. Was this girl innocent or just stupid?
"Are you nuts? Who the fuck said anything about marrying you?"
"I just want to sleep with you!"
"You became a hostess because you wanted money without working too hard, right? But how much were you making? How long would it take you to earn three hundred thousand?"
"You'll be with me for the next year, and I'll take care of that three hundred thousand. After a year, you can do whatever you want."
Ann's eyes reddened. She felt hurt and miserable, her thoughts a tangled mess.
After all, she wasn't a prostitute. At the nightclub, she had only sat with customers.
But she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Who does your brother owe?"
When Ann remained standing there without responding, GS raised his voice. "Who does your brother owe?"
"S-Sex Fiend Hung," Ann answered instinctively.
"Big-Eyed Hua, who's this prick?" GS asked. He knew of Sex Fiend Hung, but not where the bastard operated.
"He's based around Choi Uk. He's got one or two hundred men, mostly running gambling dens and lending money."
"Call your brother. I'll take some men and go with him to see Sex Fiend Hung."
"Ah Tung, go get thirty thousand."
GS gave the order.
Ann stared at him in bewilderment, her eyes red.
"My name is worth more than three hundred thousand!" GS said, pointing at her.
He would have to be crazy to give Sex Fiend Hung three hundred thousand.
He might not even have to pay the thirty thousand-and could make three hundred thousand instead.
Otherwise, there would be no need for him to go personally. Some prick wasn't important enough to warrant that.
Before you continue