Seeing me remain unmoved, Liang Wa became even more anxious.

“Brother Jin! There’s no place for you in the gang anymore. The current boss is Fat Tong—he’s always had issues with Master Rong and will take your life!”

I picked up a bottle of cola from beside me and opened the cap.

“Liang Wa, you should go.”

“Go…?”

“What comes next is between me and Master Tong. If you stay here, it’ll implicate you.”

I took a sip of cola. Room temperature—not good.

Liang Wa remained silent for a long time before slowly standing up.

He paid the shop owner for the noodles, then turned and bowed to me. “Brother Jin, you helped me before. If you need me in the next life, just say the word…”

“Alright, go.” I waved my hand.

Liang Wa thought for a moment, then pulled out a folding knife from his pocket and placed it in front of me. “Brother Jin, for self-defense.”

“I never use knives when I fight.” I shook my head. “Take it away.”

“You keep it, Brother Jin. There’s nothing else I can do to help you.”

Watching him walk out of the noodle shop with three backward glances, my heart still couldn’t find peace.

I’m really so stupid—what exactly happened?

The old shop owner and I stayed quietly together. He washed dishes, I drank cola, neither of us speaking.

Twenty minutes passed. The sound of cars came from the street outside, and over a dozen vehicles pulled up in a dark mass outside the shop.

A large group of stern-faced men rushed in together.

I hadn’t seen most of these people before, but I recognized the man leading them.

Brother Chong, the White Paper Fan of the gang.

He had a long, narrow scar from his left forehead to his right chin that was quite conspicuous.

Brother Chong came before me and slowly sat down, picking up another bottle of cola.

“It’s room temperature,” I said.

“Doesn’t matter.” He bit open the bottle cap with his teeth and gulped down several large mouthfuls.

He bit his lip, looking like he had troubles he couldn’t express.

“Brother Chong, do you need such a big show of force to see me?” I looked at the dozens of people crammed inside the shop, my face expressionless.

“The most ferocious Red Pole from four years ago—you could take down thirty-seven men with your bare hands alone. How could I not bring this kind of force?”

“So… does Master Tong have something to say to me?”

Brother Chong thought for a moment, then turned back to the crowd. “You all wait outside on the street. Don’t come in without my orders.”

“Yes, Brother Chong.”

After everyone left, Brother Chong let out a deep sigh.

“A’Jin, why did you have to come back?”

“This is my home. Why shouldn’t I come back?”

Brother Chong grabbed my collar, suppressing his voice as he said, “A’Jin! Master Tong and I both wanted to let you go, but you came back brazenly and even beat someone up. How do you expect him to handle this? You’re the traitor’s right-hand man!”

If Brother Chong wanted to let me go, I could understand that—after all, he used to look after me quite well.

But what reason would Master Tong have to let me go?

“Master Rong is not a traitor,” I said. “There must be some misunderstanding.”

After hearing this, Brother Chong sighed helplessly. He let go and then pulled out two items from his chest.

On the left was a plane ticket, on the right was a motorcycle key.

“A’Jin, choose for yourself. Go to Thailand—Master Tong has work for you to do there, guarantees you won’t starve for the rest of your life. Or ride the motorcycle at the back door and leave, and don’t show your face again.”

It was as if Brother Chong was meeting me for the first time, actually asking me to choose.

“I’m not choosing either one, Brother Chong. I’ll ride in your car.” I stood up and walked toward the door.

Brother Chong shook his head, put away the items on the table, and followed behind.

Just as I was about to leave, I remembered something.

“Brother Chong, I don’t have any money. You pay for those two bottles of cola.”

…

The gang hadn’t changed much—only the lackeys passing through the halls had all been replaced with Master Tong’s people.

I knew Master Tong was moody and unpredictable. He’d been at odds with Master Rong for years, and to him, I was undoubtedly the biggest thorn in his side.

“Master Tong, A’Jin is here.” Brother Chong knocked on the door.

“Let him in.”

Brother Chong nodded and opened the door from outside. I strode into the room.

The light inside was very dim, filled with smoke. I could faintly hear the sound of prayer beads being fingered.

“Master Tong, it’s A’Jin,” I said.

“Pay respects to Second Master.” Master Tong’s low voice came from the shadows.

I nodded and came before the statue of Guan Yu. I raised three incense sticks above my forehead and respectfully bowed three times.

“Come.” Master Tong beckoned from where he sat in the darkness.

I came before Master Tong and sat down, calling out, “Master Tong.”

“Mm, A’Jin…” Master Tong reclined on the sofa with his big belly, fingering his prayer beads. “When you were working under Gambling Rong, I heard about you. Quite the rising star.”

“Master Tong flatters me. I, A’Jin, am just a brute who only knows how to fight.”

“Nonsense.” Master Tong coughed weakly. “I heard Gambling Rong sent you to learn the most popular international fighting techniques. If not for those four years in prison, you’d be a professional fighter by now.”

“Yes, Master Rong taught me how to make a living. He’s my benefactor. A’Jin will never forget.”

Hearing this, Master Tong’s fingers paused in their fingering of the beads, then he continued, “But A’Jin, Gambling Rong violated the gang’s rules. Tell me… how should this debt be settled?”

I nodded. “I don’t believe Master Rong stole money. Two million is no small sum—he wouldn’t be that foolish.”

After hearing this, Master Tong let out a cold snort. He threw the prayer beads in his hand onto the table, then straightened up from the darkness, revealing his bloated face.

“A’Jin, it’s not ‘stealing money,’ it’s ‘owing money.’ He borrowed two million from me, and when it came time to pay it back, he ran away.” Master Tong said through gritted teeth. “That bastard didn’t take the gang’s money—he took my money…”

“What…?”

Master Tong looked extremely angry. He took several deep breaths before gradually calming down, still grinding his back teeth as he asked, “Tell me, how should this be settled?”

“Can my life pay for it?” I asked.

Master Tong didn’t speak. He just picked up the prayer beads again and continued fingering them with his eyes closed.

I waited several seconds. Master Tong still didn’t speak. I thought I understood his meaning.

“Thank you for your mercy, Master Tong.”

I stood up, pulled out the folding knife from my pocket, took two steps back, and pressed it against my own throat.

But before I could cut, two people suddenly rushed out from behind me and pinned me firmly to the table.

I hadn’t expected there were others hiding in this room.

“Good lad, you’ve got guts.” Master Tong nodded. After he laughed dryly a few times, his face immediately darkened. “But A’Jin… what use is your worthless life to me? Where’s my money?”

“Master Tong, I’m useless. I can’t produce two million,” I said through gritted teeth as I was pressed against the table. “However you want to settle this debt, what will it take to let Master Rong go?”

“A’Jin… A’Jin, you’re really foolish enough.” Master Tong extended his hand, and someone beside him handed him a lit cigarette. “You served four years in prison for Gambling Rong, and after getting out you still want to take the knife for him. What’s the point of all this suffering?”

“I already said—Master Rong has been kind to me.”

“But he’s always used you as a weapon, never caring whether you live or die.” Master Tong took a drag on his cigarette and asked seriously, “That bastard called Liang Wa isn’t one of my men or yours—so why did he deliberately bring you to Mong Kok?”