"Brother Sheng, you don't look too good today. Should you see a doctor?" Ah Tung couldn't help asking when he saw GS.
"It's just a cold. What would I need a doctor for?" Gu Sheng waved him off. He couldn't exactly admit his legs had gone weak, could he?
Kong Sang clung to Gu Sheng's arm, snickering beside him.
"Sis-in-law looks even prettier today."
"Where are we going today?"
"Causeway Bay!" Causeway Bay was his turf, and it was also Asia's biggest shopping hub. Of course they would go there to shop.
"I wonder if Uncle Hing's settled things yet. It's been ages without any news. Old people really do take forever with everything!" Gu Sheng grumbled after getting into the car.
He had barely mentioned Uncle Hing when Uncle Hing called.
"I talked to Kei. He agreed. Have someone bring the money over," Uncle Hing said on the other end.
"How much for him?"
"One million. Since we're buying their support, it's one million each." Uncle Hing had no intention of saving Gu Sheng any money.
"Got it. I'll have someone bring it tomorrow." Gu Sheng hung up and asked Kong Sang, "Can we pull a million out of the shop?"
"There's still over two million in the account, and we're taking in sixty to seventy thousand a day," Kong Sang said after thinking it over.
"That's all right, then." Gu Sheng nodded.
Teem-Kwan would be easy to handle. With Uncle Hing included, buying off another four would give him half the votes. Excluding that fence-sitter Brother Kei, he still needed three.
But to be safe, it would be better to secure all four.
Five million for the position of Causeway Bay boss wasn't a bad deal.
Once the shops in Causeway Bay and the other districts opened in a few days, money would pour in every day. He wouldn't have to worry about running short.
When they reached Causeway Bay, Gu Sheng and Kong Sang browsed the shops, with Ah Tung and Silly Fook following behind.
They hadn't gone far when they saw someone running along, waving a knife. "Move! Everybody get out of my way!"
He was clutching a bag in his other hand.
Gu Sheng pulled Kong Sang a step to the side. Just as the robber was about to run past, he suddenly stamped down on the man's foot.
The man went forward. His foot didn't.
Everyone nearby heard a crisp crack.
The robber sprawled on the ground, clutching his ankle and howling nonstop.
The pursuing police officers immediately pinned the robber down, remembering to thank him.
"Don't forget my Good Citizen medal, officer." Gu Sheng swaggered away with Kong Sang.
"You actually helped stop a crime?" Kong Sang looked astonished. As if she didn't know Gu Sheng.
That wasn't remotely like him.
"Fuck, he ordered me to move without even saying 'please.' Since he wanted to act so tough, I obliged him. He can go pick up the soap in prison," Gu Sheng swore.
Kong Sang rolled her eyes. Now that sounded like Gu Sheng.
Ah Tung and Silly Fook snickered behind them.
Once inside the mall, Kong Sang excitedly dragged Gu Sheng through one clothing store after another, asking his opinion on every outfit she tried on.
Gu Sheng soon ran out of patience and sat down to wait.
Ah Tung and Silly Fook watched from the side, commenting on the figures of women passing by.
Gu Sheng turned to follow their gazes, his expression utterly indifferent.
Hah. Just women. What's there to look at?
The next day, Gu Sheng sent Ah Tung to deliver the million to Uncle Hing. He waited another day before going to see Shark Yan.
They met at a teahouse in Tsim Sha Tsui that Shark Yan had opened after getting out of prison.
"You're Shark Yan? I hear you're good in a fight. Come work for me," Gu Sheng said, looking at the man before him.
Shark Yan stood only around 175 centimeters tall, with a burly build, a short, thick neck, and a square face. He was about thirty.
"Not interested. I'm out of the game now," Shark Yan said bluntly.
"Out of the game, and selling drugs instead?" Gu Sheng sneered.
Shark Yan's expression shifted slightly. Few people knew about that. How had this guy found out?
"Relax. I'm not interested in telling the cops. But if I have people smash up your teahouse eight times a day, let's see how you stay in business." Gu Sheng leaned back and crossed his legs.
"Threatening me? You're not qualified. You think you can scare me?" Shark Yan wasn't mild-tempered either. His face darkened as he pointed at Gu Sheng and barked.
"You were still in diapers when I started running the streets!"
Gu Sheng sneered and flipped the table.
"It's been a long time since anyone acted this cocky in front of me. If you want to die, I'll oblige."
Crash!
Shark Yan sprang up, smashed the table apart with a punch, and flung it aside, only to see Gu Sheng close in with a lunging step and unleash Fierce Tiger Climbs the Mountain.
The move was a tiger's forward pounce: one hand drove up toward Shark Yan's chin while the other hooked toward the back of his head.
It was blindingly fast, vicious and sharp, the blows whipping through the air.
Meanwhile, his left foot kicked at Shark Yan's right leg, almost hidden from view.
If the attack landed cleanly, Shark Yan would go down on the spot.
Shark Yan's eyes narrowed. He hadn't thought much of his opponent-a twenty-year-old punk who had only just risen through the ranks, yet wanted to recruit him?
He hadn't expected the kid to be an expert.
He immediately countered with Tiger Claw Front Kick, blocking with both hands and lifting his leg to kick forward. His foot collided with Gu Sheng's, forcing both men back a step.
The instant Gu Sheng regained his footing, he lunged forward with a bracing punch. As his opponent blocked, he closed in, stamped down hard, and drove an elbow toward his chest.
Thud!
His stomp missed, striking the floor with a dull thud.
Shark Yan pulled his foot back, slapped aside the Heart-Piercing Elbow, and retreated several steps. But Gu Sheng kept pressing him, suddenly leaping up with one knee raised and both elbows chopping down like heavy axes.
The attack was so ferocious that no one could doubt it would shatter a skull.
Shark Yan pivoted around to Gu Sheng's side and fired a lightning-fast punch at the hollow beneath his left arm.
In that split second, Gu Sheng's right hand suddenly shot out beneath his own left arm, meeting Shark Yan's fist.
They exchanged several more blows before Shark Yan abruptly pulled back and asked in a low voice, "Bajiquan?"
"What's your connection to One-Line Sky?"
"You know One-Line Sky?" Gu Sheng was a little surprised. The moment he heard the name, he knew who Shark Yan meant.
One-Line Sky, the assassin who defected from the Military Statistics Bureau in The Grandmaster, was a Bajiquan expert.
"Hung Fist. Mak Wing Yan." Shark Yan assumed a Hung Fist stance, his face solemn.
Since they were both practitioners of Chinese Martial Arts, they would settle this the martial arts way.
Shark Yan: ...
The corner of Shark Yan's eye twitched, and he couldn't conceal his anger.
A gun barrel was pointing straight at him.
Gu Sheng had reached behind his waist, and a gun had appeared in his hand.
"You're a martial artist too. Don't you follow any rules at all?" Shark Yan demanded angrily.
"You think you're such a great fighter? What era do you think this is, still pulling that crap?"
"Times have changed, Shark Yan."
"Fight me! If you win, I'll follow you!" Shark Yan roared from deep in his throat.
"Fuck, anyone listening would think you were seventy or eighty. Are you some kind of antique? If you're that desperate to compete, how about weapons? Long spears? I'll run you through with one thrust!" Gu Sheng cursed.
Shark Yan felt another surge of frustration. Bajiquan was most famous for its Six Harmonies Big Spear.
Although they had exchanged only a few blows, his opponent clearly had an extremely solid foundation. His skill with a long spear wouldn't be poor either.
With weapons, Shark Yan really might not be a match for him.
But he still couldn't stomach giving in and following the man just like that.
It was too humiliating.
"I'll count to ten. Either you come with me, or I shoot you dead!" Gu Sheng said, his eyes gleaming viciously.
He genuinely wanted to recruit Shark Yan. The man was really good. They had exchanged only a few blows, but Shark Yan was about as strong as he was.
That made him an exceptionally capable fighter by gang standards.
A real talent!
"Weapons, then. If you win, I'll follow you!" Shark Yan said through gritted teeth. He saw the vicious gleam in his opponent's eyes and knew this bastard really would shoot.
"Sure. Since you chose weapons, you don't mind if I pick the place, right?" Gu Sheng scoffed.
"Ah Tung, find an alley nearby and clear everyone out."
"Shark Yan, where's the nearest martial arts school? Get me a long spear. I don't care what you use."
"Forget it. No fight. I'll follow you. But let's settle the terms first. The pay has to be good, and I want every cent of it," Shark Yan said, deflated and dejected.
This bastard had absolutely no sense of honor.
If Gu Sheng had chosen somewhere else, he could at least have tried.
But once the Six Harmonies Big Spear got moving in an alley, no one could get past it. He wouldn't even be able to get close.
"First you want to fight, then you don't. Change your mind again and I'll shoot you dead!" Gu Sheng put away his gun and walked toward Shark Yan, still cursing.
Suddenly, he raised his knee and brought his elbow crashing toward Shark Yan.
Then he forcibly checked the attack, though Shark Yan still took two hits.
"What the hell are you doing?" Shark Yan demanded furiously.
"Fuck, I thought you were tricking me so you could launch a sneak attack. Didn't expect you to actually give in!" Gu Sheng swore, looking disgruntled.
Shark Yan was furious all over again.
In all his years on the streets, he had met plenty of people, but very few were as much of a bastard as Gu Sheng.
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