Chapter Summaries

Gu Sheng faced Gaden in a church duel and used his Danger Sense and Prediction abilities to defeat him before killing Heinrich as well. He left with the duel’s pistols and a warning reputation among the gathered organizations, then returned to the hotel to await Gianna.

• Gu Sheng changed into a purple suit, accepted Ah Ye’s steel bracer, and arrived at the church with his men.
• Gu Sheng provoked the Hell's Angels outside the church, then exchanged taunts with Heinrich before the duel began.
• Gu Sheng survived Gaden’s shots and wounded him twice, while deliberately holding his fire during both exchanges.
• Gu Sheng shot Heinrich as he tried to leave, won the duel, and took the two pistols from the table.
• Ahmed said the Hell's Angels would not openly wage war over the witnessed duel, and Gu Sheng left with Gianna’s dinner promise.
• Gu Sheng returned to the hotel, lost patience during a card game, and later welcomed Gianna when she arrived.

After returning from Morocco, Gu Sheng learned that Ding Yao had secured the Ma Family’s businesses and that fighting between Small Wah Kee and Hell’s Angels had escalated in Malaysia. A Governing Council representative arrived in Hong Kong Island and assessed the strength of Gu Sheng’s control over Causeway Bay before going to meet him.

• Gu Sheng returned to Hong Kong Island after his Morocco trip, joked about his night with eight women, and complained that Sing Tao Daily was giving away free newspapers.
• Ding Yao told Gu Sheng she had taken over the Ma Family’s assets, though she still needed to split up some businesses and handle attention from Taiwan’s financial regulator.
• Gu Sheng learned that Small Wah Kee and Hell’s Angels were fighting in Malaysia, and he considered sending bombs to their leaders while telling Blackie to monitor events without drawing attention.
• A representative of the Governing Council arrived in Hong Kong Island, observed the security network in Causeway Bay, and concluded that he must not anger Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng negotiated with Al Gramont over the High Table’s expansion into Hong Kong, then devised a plan to profit from the Kowloon Hotel and Hong Kong Island Development Limited. He opened his new office and prepared to sign a major contract with Ding Yao’s people.

• Al Gramont asked Gu Sheng to help establish a Continental Hotel and manage other High Table businesses, while Gu Sheng withheld any firm promise of support for the second-tier seat holders.
• Gu Sheng learned that He Zhang’s Hong Kong Island Development Limited owned the Kowloon Hotel and ordered inquiries into its publicly traded shares.
• After learning the company had a large free float, Gu Sheng planned to drive down its stock price and buy shares cheaply while finding another way to acquire the hotel.
• Gu Sheng met Yue Qiqi, a lawyer, in the elevator on his way to inspect his new Kowloon office.
• Gu Sheng approved the completed office and ordered Leung Siu-tong to hire receptionists and secretaries.
• Ding Yao’s people arrived with a contract, and Gu Sheng prepared to sign it at his new office.

Gu Sheng took ownership of Oriental Press and stabilized the newspaper’s operations, then learned that Multitech International had taken a deposit and a shipment of digital watch chips meant for Si Hai Trading. He and Ding Yao agreed to pursue a joint Taiwan-Hong Kong electronics trading venture, while Gu Sheng also set his sights on a Commercial Plaza under construction in Kowloon.

• Gu Sheng signed the contract transferring Oriental Press to him after Tin Yeung-sang and the others subdued the four Sanlian Gang men sent by Ding Yao.
• Gu Sheng visited Oriental Press, reassured its staff, arranged for Tin Tin Daily to print its papers, and ordered newsstands on his turf to sell Oriental Daily alongside Tin Tin Daily.
• Gu Sheng inspected Si Hai Trading and learned that Multitech International had kept a ten-million deposit and diverted a shipment of digital watch chips.
• Gu Sheng called Ding Yao, and they discussed seeking shares in Multitech International and forming a trading company to control electronics supplies from Taiwan to Hong Kong Island.
• Gu Sheng reviewed Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s properties and decided to target its Commercial Plaza in Kowloon.

Gu Sheng launched a scheme to drive down Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s stock, while the He Family investigated an explosion at Kowloon Plaza and the disappearance of its general manager. He Qing contacted Gu Sheng at her cousin’s request, and he teased her by suggesting a café run by one of his mistresses.

• Oriental Daily and Tin Tin Daily targeted Sing Tao Daily, prompting Hu Xian to consider negotiating with Gu Sheng rather than selling him shares or suing.
• Gu Sheng ordered two brokers to buy Hong Kong Island Development Limited shares once the price fell to his target and had them watched to prevent leaks.
• Gu Sheng’s men kidnapped general manager Zhang Zhaohe and his driver, then an explosion struck the sixth floor of Kowloon Plaza.
• He Zhang asked He Yongfeng to check for short selling, then told He Qing to ask Gu Sheng what he knew.
• Gu Sheng waited for Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s stock to fall further, and He Qing called to ask for his help.
• Gu Sheng suggested meeting at Akina Café, which He Qing knew was run by one of his mistresses, so she demanded another location.

Gu Sheng investigated the Kowloon Commercial Plaza bombing and Zhang Zhaohe’s disappearance for He Qing, while also looking into a deadly cash-in-transit robbery. When his men spotted Johnny Wong’s men collecting weapons, Gu Sheng passed the lead to Officer Wei and arranged to monitor both Wong and the police.

• He Qing told Gu Sheng that a deliberate explosion had hit her uncle’s Kowloon Commercial Plaza and that Zhang Zhaohe had disappeared, and Gu Sheng agreed to investigate for ten million.
• Gu Sheng sent Leung Siu-tong’s men to question Johnny Wong about the explosives, but Wong denied supplying them and ordered Ah Zhui to collect goods from a warehouse.
• Leung Siu-tong reported that robbers had killed several officers and stolen thirty million US dollars in a Central cash-in-transit robbery, and Gu Sheng ordered his men to track them.
• Tin Yeung-sang told Gu Sheng that Wong’s men were loading crates at Mingxin Hospital, so Gu Sheng called He Qing and then informed Officer Wei about Wong’s shipment.
• Gu Sheng told Officer Wei that the truck had reached a processing factory in Sai Kung, withdrew his men after police arrived, and asked Ah Man to watch Wong and the Police Force.

Officer Wei monitored the Processing Plant while news of Zhang Zhaohe’s disappearance drove Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s shares sharply down, and Gu Sheng prepared to buy them. Gu Sheng’s men found Johnny Wong’s hidden weapons, while a police raid disrupted a weapons deal and Wang Jianjun confronted Johnny Wong in the name of Gu Sheng.

• Officer Wei left the Processing Plant stakeout and read newspaper reports linking Zhang Zhaohe’s disappearance to Hong Kong Island Development Limited.
• He Zhang declined to hold a press conference, mobilized funds to buy shares, and learned that Gu Sheng had prompted the newspapers to publish the reports.
• Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s shares fell nearly twenty percent in one day, and Gu Sheng ordered his men to begin buying them.
• Gu Sheng visited Jenny at the hospital, then found Johnny Wong’s hidden weapons cache and ordered his men to guard it.
• Ah Long watched as police interrupted Ah Zhui and Hara Aonami’s weapons exchange at a Sai Wan pier, triggering a gunfight.
• Wang Jianjun’s men stormed Johnny Wong’s villa, and Wang told the wounded Johnny Wong that Gu Sheng was dissatisfied before shooting him.

Officer Wei investigated the bloody dockside arms deal, but Johnny Wong’s death and the disappearance of his weapons left him with more questions than answers. Gu Sheng dismissed the police accusations, arranged a bombing in Germany, and left Officer Wei furious after dropping a flowerpot behind him.

• Officer Wei arrested Ah Long after the dockside gunfight and learned that Johnny Wong had been killed at his villa.
• He Qing and He Xin discussed Gu Sheng’s role in Johnny Wong’s death and worried that the bombing investigation would stall.
• Gu Sheng grew angry when rivals began buying Hong Kong Island Development Limited shares, then asked Sophia to bomb the Hell’s Angels in Germany.
• He Qing met Gu Sheng, who assured her that he could trace the people behind the bombing and dismissed concerns about his share purchases.
• Officer Wei confronted Gu Sheng about Johnny Wong’s missing arms depot, but Gu Sheng accused the He Family of having a motive for the Kowloon Commercial Plaza bombing.
• Gu Sheng watched Officer Wei leave and dropped a flowerpot behind him, then claimed his hand had slipped.

Gu Sheng visited Jenny, then exploited the troubles at Hong Kong Island Development Limited to buy its falling shares while planning further attacks and considering how to raise the stock price. After a fire and another explosion at the He family’s construction sites, He Yongfeng offered rewards for information, and Gu Sheng spread the offer while preparing to approach the He family.

• Gu Sheng visited Jenny after her hospital discharge, took her out to eat, and spent the evening with her.
• A fire damaged Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s construction site, causing its share price to fall as Gu Sheng’s people bought millions of shares.
• Gu Sheng considered making a larger profit from the stock decline and began looking for a listed company of his own.
• Xiao Chun and his men planted explosives at another He family construction site, damaging a load-bearing column and prompting He Yongfeng to offer large rewards for information.
• Gu Sheng spread word of the reward while his people continued buying the stock, then planned to speak with the He family about restoring its price.

Gu Sheng expanded Hongxing’s security operations in Thailand, cultivated a relationship with Superintendent Lin, and recruited Chan Ka-kui for a police publicity film. At a Hongxing meeting, he promoted Ah Bo, discussed another film based on the Kowloon Hotel case, and offered his men chances to expand overseas before heading to Thirteen Sisters’ first KTV opening.

• Yi Jian asked Gu Sheng for more men in Pattaya, and Gu Sheng promised to send five hundred.
• Gu Sheng visited Superintendent Lin, secured Sai Wan Police Station’s support for a film, and arranged for Chan Ka-kui to advise and appear in it.
• Gu Sheng appointed Ah Bo to replace Chui Gai as Yuen Long’s regional manager at a Hongxing meeting.
• Brother Kei proposed a film about the Kowloon Hotel case with Lung Wai playing Gu Sheng, and Gu Sheng suggested finding a better match and inviting Da Dan as an adviser.
• Gu Sheng offered his men opportunities in Thailand and Malaysia, but the district bosses declined to leave Hong Kong.
• Thirteen Sisters invited everyone to the opening of her first KTV, and Gu Sheng agreed to attend.

Gu Sheng arranged Zhang Zhaohe’s rescue and staged the scene to make Jincheng Security appear responsible, while He Qing came to ask about the kidnapping. Her cousin He Yongfeng angered Gu Sheng, who attacked him and began considering the He Family inheritance.

• Gu Sheng confirmed that 461 million shares had been bought at $1.30 each, then arranged for Wang Jianjun to lure Vietnamese men to Hong Kong Island for the rescue operation.
• Wang Jianjun’s team rescued Zhang Zhaohe after eight days, staged the scene with Vietnamese corpses, and took Zhang to the police station as newspapers praised Jincheng Security.
• He Qing called Gu Sheng late at night to ask about the kidnapping, but he smashed his phones and threatened her for waking him.
• He Qing visited Gu Sheng with He Yongfeng, and Gu Sheng slapped He Yongfeng after he demanded that Gu Sheng release her.
• He Qing revealed that He Yongfeng was her cousin, but he rejected Gu Sheng’s attempt to smooth things over, so Gu Sheng kicked him into a wall and wondered whether marrying He Qing could give him a share of the He Family inheritance.

Gu Sheng staged Ah Wu’s shooting of He Yongfeng, then used the police interview to deny responsibility while intimidating the He Family. He sent Ah Wu to Malaysia with money and promised to bring his son there, leaving the conflict with He Yongfeng unresolved.

• Gu Sheng beat and taunted He Yongfeng, then handed Ah Wu a pistol and prompted him to shoot He Yongfeng in the leg.
• Ah Wu claimed the shooting was his own doing and fled, while Gu Sheng threatened He Yongfeng and insisted the incident had nothing to do with him.
• Police arrived and took Gu Sheng to the station, where he joked through questioning and denied ordering the shooting.
• He Qing asked Gu Sheng how he would resolve the dispute, but he dismissed her concerns and returned to his bar.
• Ah Wu returned to Gu Sheng, who paid him and arranged for him to go to Malaysia, promising to bring his son and help him settle there.

He Xin warned He Zhang that Gu Sheng was too dangerous to confront directly, then negotiated an end to the dispute over He Yongfeng and secured Gu Sheng’s agreement to become engaged to He Qing. The chapter ended with He Xin explaining Hong Kong Island’s powerful families to Gu Sheng as they prepared to become relatives.

• He Xin told He Zhang that Gu Sheng had the men and nerve to destroy anyone who retaliated, and He Zhang agreed that a direct clash was not worth the risk.
• He Xin revealed his plan to marry He Qing to Gu Sheng, and He Zhang agreed that Gu Sheng should answer for the arrangement.
• Gu Sheng welcomed Ah Wu’s son, Guan Youbo, and told Silly Fook to look after him while advising his men to invest in Hong Kong Island property.
• He Xin met Gu Sheng at a teahouse, urged him to end the dispute with the He Family, and proposed finalizing his relationship with He Qing.
• Gu Sheng agreed to the engagement and promised to visit the injured He Yongfeng with He Qing the next day.
• He Xin described Hong Kong Island’s major families to Gu Sheng, who listened and memorized the information.

Gu Sheng asked He Xin to help restore Hong Kong Island Development Limited’s share price and buy the Kowloon Hotel, while steering suspicion toward the High Table. He later took He Qing to visit the hospitalized He Yongfeng and declared that he was letting him off, leaving He Qing embarrassed and He Yongfeng furious.

• Gu Sheng told He Xin he had bought several hundred million in Hong Kong Island Development Limited shares, blamed the attack on the He Family on the High Table, and asked to buy the Kowloon Hotel.
• He Xin investigated the High Table and learned from a Macau Island contact that it was a powerful criminal organization active in Europe and the Americas.
• Gu Sheng drove He Qing recklessly to the hospital, then tried to blame her for speeding until she used a phone call to settle matters with the traffic cop.
• Gu Sheng visited He Yongfeng with He Qing and claimed that, as a broad-minded man, he would let him off.
• He Yongfeng angrily pointed Gu Sheng toward the door, while He Qing covered her face in embarrassment.

Gu Sheng bullied He Yongfeng into ending their dispute, beat down his bodyguards, and then focused on his stock-market plans and a date with Li Xinxin. He Zhang concluded that the He Family was being targeted after an explosion at Si Hai International’s property management headquarters and called the Police Force Commissioner.

• Gu Sheng stopped himself from attacking He Yongfeng, but knocked out both of He Yongfeng’s bodyguards when they tried to show him out; he then left with He Qing and mocked her in Portuguese after she cursed him in the language.
• Gu Sheng told Leung Siu-tong he might push He Yongfeng harder next time, asked for a young policewoman to be picked up, and remembered his meal with Li Xinxin.
• Gu Sheng met Li Xinxin, reassured her about his stock investments, and took her shopping while arranging other matters by phone.
• He Xin advised He Zhang to sell Gu Sheng the Kowloon Hotel and said they might need Gu Sheng’s help against the High Table; He Zhang agreed reluctantly.
• An explosion struck Si Hai International’s property management headquarters that evening, and He Zhang called the Police Force Commissioner the next morning, convinced the He Family was being targeted.

Gu Sheng discussed taking over as New Method College’s director and outlined his harsh plan to improve the school, then investigated a police ambush that may have been arranged by Superintendent Cheung. At dinner at He Xin’s mansion, Gu Sheng surprised He Qing by playing the piano beautifully, leaving her astonished.

• Li Xinxin asked Gu Sheng about becoming New Method College’s director, and he described longer school days, monthly exams, and punishments for students who ranked last.
• Leung Siu-tong told Gu Sheng that police had killed twelve robbers attempting to escape by boat, but the stolen money was missing; Gu Sheng suspected Superintendent Cheung and sent Ah Man to investigate.
• Gu Sheng visited He Xin’s mansion for dinner, gave him two bottles of Virility-Boosting Set, and discussed business with him.
• He Xin asked He Qing to show Gu Sheng around the mansion, and Gu Sheng teased her about studying foreign languages and asked her to play piano.
• He Qing challenged Gu Sheng to play Canon in D Major, but he first sounded out Two Tigers before unexpectedly performing the piece beautifully, stunning her.

Gu Sheng arranged to buy the Kowloon Hotel and secretly had it bombed to pressure the He family into lowering its price. He also pursued leads on police superintendents and Chung Yee Shun, while the He family remained unaware of his role in the explosion.

• He Qing watched Gu Sheng play piano, then Gu Sheng kissed and groped her despite her protests.
• He Xin agreed to sell the Kowloon Hotel and help boost the He family's stock, and Gu Sheng arranged for the hotel to be bombed before negotiations.
• Gu Sheng met Hu Xian through Kong Sang and ordered Ah Man to investigate two superintendents and monitor Chung Yee Shun's shipment.
• The Kowloon Hotel explosion worsened the He family's troubles, while Ah Ye negotiated its price down from 330 million to 270 million.
• Gu Sheng accepted the 270-million price, planning to renovate the hotel and sell it to the High Table for more.

Gu Sheng pursued aggressive business tactics while dealing with Sing Tao Daily and learned that Superintendent Cheung had hidden the proceeds from a cash-in-transit robbery in his car. Tin Yeung-sang retrieved the money, leaving Gu Sheng with enough US dollars to buy the Kowloon Hotel and a plan to eliminate Cheung.

• Gu Sheng told Zuo Tai to intensify competition against rival property managers and ordered Ah Tung to negotiate with another counterfeit-shoe producer after Ah Tung’s men were caught trying to burn its warehouse.
• Hu Xian and Editor-in-Chief Li asked Gu Sheng to ease pressure on Sing Tao Daily and offered to sell him shares, but he rejected the offer and suggested they print fewer papers.
• Gu Sheng identified Zhang Wenyao as the man behind a cash-in-transit robbery after Ah Man reported that Zhang had stopped driving his gray Toyota.
• Tin Yeung-sang broke into Zhang’s car at Police station Headquarters, fought off a suspicious officer, and brought six bags of US dollars to Gu Sheng.
• Gu Sheng explained that the money came from a robbery whose mercenaries had been killed by police, gave Tin Yeung-sang a million dollars, and concluded that the $29 million would cover the hotel purchase.
• After Tin Yeung-sang reported the encounter in the parking lot, Gu Sheng decided the risk was manageable and resolved to kill Superintendent Cheung.

Ah Wu waited in Malaysia as Wah Kee's leaders argued over their losses, while Sophia bombed a Hell's Angels bar and reignited the conflict. In Hong Kong, Gu Sheng arranged the Kowloon Hotel's repairs, then pressured the marquis into agreeing to buy it for one hundred million US dollars and welcomed him as a friend.

• Ah Wu watched the street from his rental while Wah Kee leaders demanded compensation from Kalasu for the losses in the fighting with the Germans.
• Kalasu offered a Kuala Lumpur street and several restaurants, and Wangbiao reluctantly let the dispute rest as the Wah Kee leaders agreed the Germans could not keep fighting.
• Sophia detonated a bomb in a Hell's Angels bar, killed the men who followed her, and called Hong Kong Island to tell Gu Sheng to read the next day's Bild.
• Gu Sheng ordered the Kowloon Hotel restored in five days and assigned Ah Wai to oversee the repairs.
• The marquis toured the hotel with Leung Siu-tong and offered to buy it, but said he could authorize only one hundred million US dollars.
• Gu Sheng threatened the marquis, accepted the one-hundred-million-dollar deal, and arranged a welcome feast for him.

Gu Sheng completed the sale of the Kowloon Hotel to the Governing Council, which appointed Sophia to run the Continental Hotel in Hong Kong Island. Meanwhile, He Yi returned to confront He Qing about her engagement to Gu Sheng, and Gu Sheng summoned Apple to dinner at Fook Lam Moon.

• Gu Sheng told Leung Siu-tong to slow the hotel repairs and make the Governing Council pay for them after the transfer.
• Gu Sheng and Marquis signed the contract at Citibank, transferred the money, and made Sophia responsible for the Hong Kong Island hotel.
• He Yi learned that Gu Sheng would become engaged to He Qing, returned to Hong Kong Island, and confronted He Qing before deciding to seek an answer from Gu Sheng.
• Gu Sheng's men brought Apple to Fook Lam Moon, where he waited with the restaurant nearly empty.
• A middle-aged man recognized the danger of interfering with Gu Sheng's gathering and left with the young woman he had brought.