Use One Devil Against Another

Mah Yau Wu looked at the telephone by his bed. His lover beside him had just fallen asleep, and a little sunlight filtered through the heavy sheer curtains. The whole room was peaceful and serene, but he felt no sleepiness at all.

He had just received a call from Dragon City. That bastard Hua Shanrong had somehow found the connections to get hold of a few guns, saying he wanted to kill Fire Dragon, but he could not even scrape together enough gunmen.

Five Type 56s and four gunmen, and he thought he could kill Fire Dragon? Did he think Su Xiong was a pushover?

Mah Yau Wu rested his hand on the telephone. He knew how to contact Fire Dragon.

The question was whether to make that call.

Agreeing to help Yisheng make trouble for Chen Ying and teach that traitor Hua Shanrong a lesson was one thing.

Actually getting in touch with Fire Dragon was another.

At that thought, he sneered.

Those bastards had no idea how old fellows like them had made it into the Uncle Generation.

Loyalty? They would have died in a ditch long ago.

He dialed, and the call soon connected. Mah Yau Wu spoke into the receiver.

"Fire Dragon? This is Mah Yau Wu. Happy working for Lord Hung? No, I'm not looking to switch sides. We spent so many years in the same gang, so here's a warning: Fat Bear's little brother Hua Shanrong is coming after you. He got a few Type 56s from Dragon City. Yes, yes, I'll give you their address. I don't want anything else. Just remember I helped you..."

Eastern District Three Police Station.

The radio played the high, drawn-out strains of Lingnan opera. Today it was broadcasting the new production, "Night Sacrifice to Zhenfei": "Of what use are a hundred schemes, a thousand plans? Ten thousand cares all bring the same sorrow."

The melody lingered, mournful and plaintive. Yan Ren stood before his old superior, a hint of defiance in his expression.

"I've sorted things out with the Harbor District for you. We're all brothers in arms. I know you have someone backing you, but everyone has their ups and downs. Be careful."

His old superior spoke slowly from his seat.

"I'm retiring in the second half of the year, but I submitted my sick-leave application early today. The Chief will send it up tomorrow. Starting tomorrow, you'll be the acting Inspector of Eastern District Three."

"Well... Uncle..."

Yan Ren looked at his old superior. Though he had cursed the old man in private countless times for being obstinate and incompetent, now that this day had come, he could not help feeling a little sad.

"I don't like you, and you don't like me, but that doesn't matter. We've looked after each other all these years."

His old superior said expressionlessly, "Chief Lau retires next year. The Brits have been putting the word out that besides the Chief Chinese Inspector, they'll be appointing four Chief Inspectors. If you seize the opportunity, you could get promoted in a year..."

"Before I go, I'll give you two pieces of advice. Don't get too close to the gangs. They're just dogs we keep. Hold the leash tight. People keep dogs, not the other way around."

"The way we see the gangs beneath us is how the Brits above us see us. They've wanted to kick us out for ages, but they can't handle Hong Kong-Kowloon City without us. So don't get too close to the Brits, and above all, don't let them think they can manage just as well without us."

His old superior spoke earnestly.

"Cases are easy to solve. If all else fails, you can get the gangs to find a few unlucky sods to pass off as culprits. Be very careful of those gangs, and even more careful of the Brits. You'll be in charge from now on. Look after the brothers at the station, Sir Yan."

Yan Ren smiled.

"Uncle... I..."

"Stop pretending." His old superior smiled too. "From now on, I'm not Uncle anymore. Just an old geezer..."

Suddenly, the opera on the radio came to a break and gave way to an urgent news bulletin.

"...Listeners, we interrupt this broadcast with breaking news. Approximately one hour ago, the largest armed robbery in Hong Kong this year took place. Two robbers using heavy firepower robbed the Jixiang Gold Shop in Eastern District Three. Gold worth more than two million Hong Kong dollars was reportedly lost..."

"The armed robbers' whereabouts are unknown. Members of the public are advised to take precautions..."

Both Yan Ren and his old superior immediately paled.

"A case this big, and we hear about it on the radio. You'll have your work cut out for you, Sir Yan."

His old superior frowned. "Who did it? Big Circle Boys? How did nobody hear a thing..."

The office door was pushed open, and an officer hurried in from outside, his head streaming with sweat.

"Reporting, reporting, sir..."

"Was the Jixiang Gold Shop robbed?"

"Yes... yes..."

Yan Ren suppressed his anger. "Please hurry it up. Even the reporters are faster than you lot. I've already heard it on the radio."

"Three men from Zhongzhou robbed the Jixiang Gold Shop using folding-stock Zhongwu Type 56s. Nobody was hurt, but they took the security guard's shotgun too."

Yan Ren stood up.

"I'll go to the gold shop with you..."

"Wait, Sir Yan. Let me go."

The old man stood up. "From now on, you're not a detective, you're an Inspector, responsible for criminal cases across the whole district. Frontline work isn't unimportant, but you just need to put the right people on it."

"Uncle..."

Yan Ren was momentarily moved.

"Do a good job."

The old man took one lingering look at the office, straightened his clothes, and walked out.

After he left, Yan Ren pulled out a cigarette in frustration.

This was a crucial moment in his rise, and now a case this big had suddenly broken. There was going to be serious trouble.

Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

The telephone on the old Inspector's desk rang. Yan Ren thought for a moment, then reached out and picked up the receiver.

"Hello? You're looking for Yan Ren? Speaking."

"Sorry, sir. I'll mobilize the entire district's police force and solve the case within three days..."

"Yes, I'll go find Mah Yau Wu right away. Please rest assured, Chief. I'll make sure this is handled perfectly."

Listening to the furious scolding coming through the receiver, Yan Ren's heart nearly leaped into his throat.

That shop belongs to Mah Yau Wu, and Mah Yau Wu is in Wo On Sing's Uncle Generation... Could this have something to do with my visit to that fellow Chen this morning?

That makes no sense. Doesn't that kid have nothing to do with Dragon City? I've never seen him with Lu Zhengxing. How did this get so big?

Now I've brought the fire down on myself.

He felt some regret. If he had known, he would not have done those Yisheng boys a favor. Now things had grown so serious that he did not know how to extricate himself.

Find Mah Yau Wu first, then go see that fellow Chen.

Having made up his mind, Yan Ren walked out of the office and shouted.

"Two plainclothes officers who didn't leave with Uncle, come with me. We're going to find that bastard Mah Yau Wu. Making trouble on my turf? Let's see what mighty outsider this is."

The entire station became a hive of activity.

Meanwhile, in a car not far away, Chen Ying was looking through the window at the police station in the distance.

Hua Shanrong hugged two large black leather bags, stroking them excitedly.

"We're rich... We've struck it rich this time..."

There was little to say about robbing the gold shop. Uncle Qing had kept watch outside while he and Hua Shanrong went straight in wearing masks, knocked the security guard unconscious with a punch, then swept through the place.

The customers had all fled. The clerks were only employees themselves; there was no need to risk their lives for a heartless boss.

Gathering up all the gold jewelry, breaking open the safe, and withdrawing had taken only five or six minutes. They had not even used their guns.

It had gone somewhat more smoothly than Chen Ying had expected.

From robbing the gold shop to driving near the police station, less than ten minutes had passed in total.

Nobody would have imagined that robbers who had just pulled off a major heist would head toward a police station.

"Uncle Qing, our car..."

"Rest assured, young master. The old lady has treated this car. Unless someone has keen spiritual perception, they'll soon forget it after seeing it. It won't attract attention."

Uncle Qing's response was utterly calm, as though he had done this sort of thing countless times before. In fact, Uncle Qing had refined many of the practical details of this operation.

"Yan Ren is still inside. He certainly knows how to sit tight."

Hua Shanrong gritted his teeth. "That bastard actually dared make trouble for you, Brother Ying."

The police station's main doors opened. Yan Ren brought his men downstairs and into a car, and a black car started up.

"What next?"

Hua Shanrong looked at Chen Ying.

"Follow them."

"Follow them?"

"Think about it. Where could Yan Ren go now?"

"After something like this, the first place he'd go would be the crime scene at the gold shop."

"That team just went there. Yan Ren must be going to see someone important connected to the case. Either Mah Yau Wu or whoever's giving him orders behind the scenes."

Chen Ying watched Yan Ren's convoy.

"Uncle Qing, will they spot us if we follow?"

"Actually, young master, you could wait a little."

Uncle Qing turned his head, an eerie green light shining in his eyes.

"This old man has memorized Yan Ren's scent. Even if he goes three li away, I can still find him."

"I knew you were highly capable, Uncle Qing."

Chen Ying watched Yan Ren.

"Brother Ying, next we're not going to..."

"Kill whoever he meets."

Chen Ying closed his eyes to rest.

"Once we kill that person, we'll go see MacLehose."

"MacLehose?"

"Use one devil against another."