Hong Kong Film: Short mules have no future, I am in charge of Hong Kong

Chapter 347 Without taking drastic measures, you'll never get to the bottom of things!
The old man nodded repeatedly, nearly kneeling in fright, and stumbled away with his bamboo basket. Su Hanze frowned, sensing something was amiss. He turned to look at the back door of the warehouse; the lights were off, and it was eerily quiet inside. He cursed under his breath, knowing there was no point in staying any longer, and turned back into the alley.

Old Liang was already waiting by the car. When he saw him, he whispered, "Master Su, how is it?"

"The goods are inside, thirty pieces of jade." Su Hanze got into the car and lit a Yuxi cigarette. "Thomson is personally overseeing it, with James behind him. The Malibu's goods are probably a case of them double-crossing each other."

Old Liang frowned: "That knife-wielding guy?"

“Dao Zai is a dog; he listens to whoever pays him.” Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes as cold as ice. “However, he knows more than he says. We’ll find him again tomorrow and pry his mouth open.”

The car drove away from the hillside in the night, heading back towards Yau Ma Tei. Su Hanze leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest, but his mind was racing. Why did James intercept Ma Liu's goods? Thirty pieces of jade, valuable as they were, were nothing to someone like James. What was he after? And what was Jin Shao up to, getting involved in this mess?
The next morning, the Yau Ma Tei market was bustling with activity, the smells of fish mingling with the fresh scent of vegetables, and the cries of vendors rising and falling. Su Hanze, dressed in a grey long gown and wearing a felt hat, stood discreetly beside a fish stall, holding a string of yellow jade beads in his hand, looking like a casual passerby. Old Liang mingled in the crowd, staring at a teahouse on the street corner.

"Master Su, Daozai is here." Old Liang leaned over and whispered, "He just entered the teahouse alone."

Su Hanze nodded, tossed down the coins from the fish stall, and slowly walked towards the teahouse. The teahouse was filled with smoke, and tea drinkers sat in twos and threes, some chatting, some playing chess. Daozai sat in a corner, a pot of Pu'er tea in front of him, his face still showing the same terrified expression from the night before.

Su Hanze sat down opposite him, lit a Yuxi cigarette, and asked calmly, "Knife, how did you sleep?"

Daozai shuddered, nearly knocking over his teacup: "Master Su... I really didn't lie! I told you about the goods, the boxes were delivered halfway up the mountain, I don't know anything else!"

"Don't know?" Su Hanze sneered, exhaling a puff of smoke. "How much did Thomson pay you? Enough to make you risk your life?"

Knife Boy's face turned even paler, and his lips trembled: "Master Su, I... I took five thousand Hong Kong dollars, but I really didn't do anything! Thomson told me to flag down a car and take me to Mid-Levels, and I didn't ask anything else!"

"Five thousand Hong Kong dollars?" Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, tapping his finger on Huang Yuzhu's hand. "Knife, you sold this dog for a pretty low price. Tell me, what else did Thomson tell you?"

Knife swallowed hard, his eyes darting around. "He...he mentioned that the goods weren't for James, but for another boss. I didn't dare ask any more questions, really!"

"Another boss?" Su Hanze's voice turned cold. "Who?"

Knife shook his head, his voice trembling with tears: "I don't know! Thomson didn't say his name, only that he's a big shot, someone no one in Hong Kong dares to mess with!"

Su Hanze didn't speak, his gaze scraping across Daozai's face like a knife. Daozai was so frightened he almost crawled under the table, stammering, "Master Su, I really didn't lie to you! If I had known, I would have told you already!"

Su Hanze snorted coldly and stood up: "Knife Boy, you'd better pray you're not lying." He tossed down a banknote, turned, and left the teahouse. Outside, Old Liang greeted him, whispering, "Master Su, how did it go?"

“Knife doesn’t know much, but Thomson has someone behind him.” Su Hanze lit a Yuxi cigarette and glanced at the crowd in the market. “Old Liang, go check the latest ship schedules at the dock, especially those to Southeast Asia.”

Old Liang was taken aback: "Nanyang? Mr. Su, you suspect the goods are going to be shipped out?"

“James isn’t a philanthropist,” Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke. “Thirty pieces of jade are nothing in Hong Kong, but in Southeast Asia, they can fetch ten times that. He’s either working for someone else or he wants to keep it all for himself.”

Old Liang nodded and turned to make the arrangements. Su Hanze stood on the street, his gaze fixed on the distant harbor. The sky over Hong Kong Island was overcast, as if it were about to rain. He muttered to himself, "This game is getting more and more interesting."

Meanwhile, in a pub in Tsim Sha Tsui, Jin Shao sat in his usual spot, gently swirling the whiskey in his glass. A young man in a black jacket strode in and whispered, "Jin Shao, Dao Zai went to the teahouse in the market this morning. Su Hanze was looking for him."

Jin Shao narrowed his eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Su Hanze? Hmph, his nose is sharper than a dog's." He paused, then whispered, "What did Daozai say?"

"I didn't hear you clearly." The young man shook his head. "However, Knife Boy was quite frightened and probably threw up a lot."

Jin Shao snorted coldly and downed his whiskey in one gulp: "That kid Daozai is unreliable. Go, bring him to me, I want to question him myself."

The young man nodded and was about to leave when Jin Shao called him back: "Wait. Where's Ma Liu?"

“Ma Liu is still at the gambling den and hasn’t dared to go out,” the young man replied. “However, his men are loitering around the pier, as if they’re trying to find out where the goods are.”

Jin Shao chuckled and lit a cigar: "Ma Liu? A drowning dog, trying to turn things around?" He exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze turning cold. "Keep an eye on him, don't let him ruin things. Also, send a few more people to Su Hanze's side to find out his background."

The young man responded and quickly left. Jin Shao leaned back in his velvet chair, tapping his fingers on his earlobe, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as the sea at night.

At the same time, in a villa halfway up the hill, James sat in a leather chair, his wine glass reflecting the dark clouds outside the window. Thomson stood in front of him and whispered, "Sir, Knife was called by Su Hanze last night, and he's probably quite frightened."

James chuckled, swirling his glass. "Su Hanze? Ha, he's quick on his feet." He paused, then whispered, "What did Daozai say?"

“He probably didn’t say much,” Thomson frowned. “However, he knows the goods are in the warehouse, so there’s no guarantee he won’t let something slip.”

James sneered, "Let it slip? Then let him shut up forever." He took a sip of red wine and glanced out the window. "The goods will be loaded onto the ship tomorrow. The buyer has already been contacted. Mr. Chen from Southeast Asia has quite the appetite."

Thomson nodded: "What about Su Hanze?"

“Su Hanze…” James narrowed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. “Let him investigate. The muddier the waters of Hong Kong, the better.”

In the afternoon, at the dockside, Inspector Chow, wearing an old jacket, squatted in a corner smoking, his gaze sweeping over the busy workers. The sea breeze tousled his hair, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. His underling whispered beside him, "Inspector Chow, someone saw Knife in Yau Ma Tei last night, it looked like he met with So Hon Chak."

Inspector Zhou exhaled a puff of smoke and frowned. "Su Hanze? Hmph, what's he getting involved in now?" He paused and whispered, "Where's Daozai? Have you found him yet?" "Not yet." The underling shook his head. "However, someone at the dock said that a few cars went to Mid-Levels last night, like they were delivering goods."

"Halfway up the mountain?" Zhou Sir narrowed his eyes and stubbed out his cigarette. "Thomson's warehouse?"

The younger brother nodded: "Most likely. The guards are very tight; our men dare not approach."

Zhou Sir sneered and stood up: "Strict? There are always loopholes." He patted his underling on the shoulder, "Go, find a few clever guys to sneak into the hillside tonight and see what tricks Thomson is up to."

The underling responded and quickly left. Zhou Sir stood by the dock, his gaze sweeping across the sea. In the distance, a cargo ship was slowly approaching the shore. He muttered to himself, "Su Hanze, James, Young Master Jin… what on earth are these guys up to?"

Night fell again, and the lights of Hong Kong Island formed a net, trapping countless secrets. Su Hanze stood in a small tavern in Yau Ma Tei, a pot of yellow wine in front of him, and a shipping schedule that Lao Liang had just found beside him. He lit a Yuxi cigarette, his gaze sweeping over the words on the schedule: "Tomorrow morning, 'Nanxing', to Southeast Asia."

Old Liang whispered, "Master Su, this ship belongs to the British and has been leased to a man named Boss Chen. I heard he's in the jade business in Southeast Asia and has connections everywhere."

“Boss Chen?” Su Hanze narrowed his eyes, tapping his finger on the yellow jade bead. “James’s goods are indeed going to be shipped out.” He paused, then said in a low voice, “Old Liang, arrange for a few people to go to the dock and keep an eye on things tomorrow morning. I need to know exactly what’s in the boxes before the goods are loaded onto the ship.”

Old Liang nodded and was about to leave when Su Hanze called him back: "Also, don't let Daozai get away."

"Understood," Old Liang replied, disappearing into the night.

Su Hanze picked up his wine cup, took a sip of the yellow wine, and gazed at the streets outside the tavern. A night breeze blew by, carrying a hint of the sea's saltiness. He murmured to himself, "James, Young Master Jin, Boss Chen... in this game, who is the pawn, and who is the player?"

Meanwhile, in a warehouse halfway up the mountain, Thomson stood in front of a pile of wooden crates, holding a piece of jade in his hand, examining it closely by the light. A foreigner in a black suit beside him whispered, "Sir, the goods are loaded and will be shipped tomorrow morning."

Thomson nodded, his gaze icy: "Where's Knife?"

"He ran away." The foreigner frowned. "He hasn't been seen since last night. He's probably scared and hiding."

Thomson sneered and tossed the jade back into the box: "Run? Hong Kong Island is so big, where can he run to?" He paused, then said in a low voice: "Go find him, alive or dead."

The dock was shrouded in a thin mist at dawn, the sea breeze carrying the smells of fish and engine oil, the intermittent whistles of ships like whispers from Hong Kong. Su Hanze stood behind a pile of wooden crates, his trench coat damp with the mist, his hat pulled low, obscuring half his face. He lit a Yuxi cigarette, the smoke dissipating in the night, his gaze fixed on the cargo ship "Nanxing" not far away. Several figures were busy at the ship's side, moving wooden crates; in the lamplight, Thomson's silhouette could be seen, directing operations methodically.

Old Liang squatted down next to Su Hanze and whispered, "Master Su, the cargo has already started loading onto the ship. It looks like Thomson will be personally overseeing it tonight."

Su Hanze exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice as cold as the sea breeze: "Personally overseeing it? Looks like this shipment is no ordinary one." He paused, his gaze sweeping across a corner of the dock. "Where are our people?"

"It's all arranged." Old Liang lowered his voice. "Qiang brought two brothers who are mixed in with the workers, keeping an eye on the loading boxes. There are also people on the other side of the dock, ready to give signals at any time."

Su Hanze nodded, stroking the yellow jade bead with his fingers: "Don't act rashly, first take a good look at what's in the box."

Old Liang responded and was about to get up when a low shout suddenly came from the dock: "Who's there?" A foreigner in a black suit strode over, his flashlight beam sweeping between the wooden crates. Su Hanze and Old Liang immediately crouched down, hiding in the shadows. The foreigner approached, stopped beside the crates, blinked his flashlight, found nothing, and walked away cursing.

Old Liang breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Master Su, these foreigners are very cautious; they probably have weapons."

"We have to do it even if we have the tools." Su Hanze stubbed out his cigarette, his gaze turning cold. "Old Liang, you keep an eye on Thomson, I'll go check on the boat."

Old Liang was taken aback: "Master Su, there are too many people on the boat, it's too dangerous."

"Danger?" Su Hanze sneered. "In this game, we won't get anywhere without going all out." He patted Lao Liang on the shoulder, crouched down, and used the wooden crate as cover to approach the "Nanxing".

The dock lights were dim, and the shadow of the cargo ship loomed like a giant beast, devouring the surrounding light. Su Hanze huddled close to the ship's railing, avoiding several workers unloading cargo, and slipped to a pile of newly unloaded wooden crates. The crates were tightly sealed, with English labels that read "Tea." He squinted, his fingers running along the seams, finding a loose spot, and gently pried it open. Inside wasn't tea, but a tightly wrapped cloth bundle, faintly gleaming with the luster of jade.

“Jade…” Su Hanze murmured to himself, his gaze darkening. Thirty pieces of jade, indeed, were here. Just as he was about to look again, a deep, foreign voice came from behind him: “Who’s there?”

Su Hanze whirled around, his hand already reaching for the dagger at his waist. Under the lamplight, Thomson stood a few steps away, a revolver in his hand, his eyes as cold as ice: "Mr. Su, taking a stroll at the docks so late at night?"

Su Hanze stood up, dusted off his hands, and said calmly, "Mr. Thomson, still busy so late? Quite a lot of goods."

Thomson sneered and raised the muzzle of his gun slightly: "Mr. Su, the rule in Hong Kong is to mind your own business and stay away from other people's goods."

"Someone else's goods?" Su Hanze lit a Yuxi cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke. "When did Mazda 6's goods become yours?"

Thomson's eyes flickered, but he didn't move the gun: "Ma Liu? Hmph, that dog lost its goods and still dares to come looking for them? Mr. Su, I advise you not to get involved, this water is too deep."

"Deep?" Su Hanze sneered, his gaze sweeping over the foreigners behind Thomson. "Nothing deeper than James's appetite, is it? Tell me, who is this shipment for? Mr. Chen from Southeast Asia?"

Thomson's expression changed, and the muzzle of his gun trembled slightly: "Mr. Su, you're very well-informed. Unfortunately, people who know too much usually don't live long."

Su Hanze remained silent, his gaze fixed on Thomson, as if trying to extract something from his face. Just then, a sharp whistle rang out from the other side of the dock, followed by several gunshots. Thomson was startled and turned to look in the direction of the sound. Seizing the opportunity, Su Hanze lunged forward, grabbing Thomson's gun wrist with one hand, his other hand already pressed against his throat: "Don't move, Mr. Thomson."

(End of this chapter)