The afternoon sky was overcast like a somber ink-wash painting. Dark clouds spread thick as spilled ink, bleeding all the way to the edge of the sea. The ocean wind tore at the cloud layers, like a herd of water buffalo being driven across a painted scroll.
A torrential storm was imminent.
One after another, heavily guarded iron gates creaked open, and a prison transport slowly drove into Stanley Prison.
When the vehicle came to a halt, muddy water splashed dully across the ground. The handcuffed prisoners disembarked one by one, their movements sluggish. Oppressed by the gloomy weather and the oppressive security, they lowered their heads, numb and silent as they shuffled forward under shouted orders.
The last prisoner stepped down from the vehicle. Mud splashed onto his trouser legs, and through the thin soles of his shoes, he could feel the dampness seep in.
Xia Liuyi slightly raised his brow, straightened his back, and cast a contemplative gaze toward this solitary fortress shrouded beneath dark clouds.
……
“Boom—!”
A thunderclap like a collapsing mountain sent a tremor through the fingers of He Chusan as he held the newspaper.
Thick darkness, tangled with ashen rain, battered heavily against the old window. Moments later, another bolt of lightning tore across the sky, its ghastly pale light streaking across the glass like a jagged wound, only to be swallowed instantly by darkness, followed by an unending roll of thunder.
In a secluded tenement building in Kowloon City, on the third floor of He family’s home, within the dim yellow glow of the bedroom lamp, He Chusan sat on a low stool by the bed, gripping a newspaper. Suddenly, Mr. He turned over in his sleep, murmuring faintly. He Chusan set the paper aside, rose, and tucked the blanket more securely around his father.
He stood by the bedside in a daze for a moment, knowing that this night was destined to be sleepless for him. The vivid red headline on the front page looked like a smear of fresh blood. Carefully, he folded it into a small square and shoved it deep into the trash bin, ensuring his father would not see it the next day.
That tabloid had reported on a protracted legal battle involving a well-known businessman and suspected triad leader—Xia-someone. From late spring to early autumn, the case had dragged on until today, when the final verdict was delivered—evidence of bribery was conclusive, and Xia-someone was sentenced to three months in prison.
He Chusan could not describe the complexity of his emotions. Amid the ache in his chest, a heavy thought kept circling his mind—three months… could the past that Brother Liuyi bore truly be redeemed in just three months?
Ever since that phone call at the hospital, He Chusan had strictly followed Xia Liuyi’s instructions and had not contacted him on his own. During this time, Xiao Ma would occasionally call, updating him on the search for Xinxin—though in truth, there had been no progress. The Xiaoqi Hall had mobilized all their forces, searching for months, yet no trace of Xinxin had surfaced. A month ago, unable to bear it any longer, Auntie Wu reported her missing. Even with police involvement, nothing was found. It was as if she had evaporated into thin air.
Neighbors speculated that Xinxin might have eloped to Guangzhou with a man. Some who had traveled there even claimed to have seen someone resembling her on the streets. Auntie Wu refused to give up hope and arranged for He Chusan to accompany her to Guangzhou the next day to continue the search.
The train was at six in the morning.
He Chusan glanced at the wall clock, its hands pointing to midnight, then got up to wash, intending to force himself to sleep for a while.
Amid the thunder outside, a faint noise suddenly mixed in—like hurried knocking.
He Chusan poked his head out from the bathroom, eyes alert as he looked toward the door. At such an hour, no neighbor would come visiting. Yet as the thunder subsided, the knocking grew sharper and more urgent.
“A-San! A-San!” Auntie Wu cried from outside.
He Chusan quickly opened the door. Soaked through, Auntie Wu stumbled in and clung to him, wailing, “Xinxin! Xinxin, she… wuuu—!”
Half-coaxing, half-supporting, He Chusan led her inside. “What happened to Xinxin? You’ve found her? Speak slowly, don’t panic.”
“A neighbor told me—tonight, in Tsim Sha Tsui, at Wang Fa Nightclub, she saw her! She was dancing—strip dancing—accompanying clients, and even getting beaten by them! Wuu… I wanted to call the police, but the neighbor said that place belongs to the underworld, protected by a ‘detective’! By the time the police arrive, they’d have hidden all the girls already! What do I do? A-San, save her! I beg you, save her—!”
He Chusan patted her back to soothe her, instructing her to stay home and take care of his father, promising that he would bring Xinxin back safely. Auntie Wu clutched him, crying for a while longer before watching him leave with anxious eyes.
Holding up a rickety, barely functional umbrella, He Chusan ran across two streets in succession, hailing a taxi while dialing Xiao Ma. To his surprise, the call went unanswered, leaving him no choice but to contact the bodyguard, A-Sen.
The other end responded respectfully, “Mr. He?”
“A-Sen, where’s Brother Xiao Ma?”
“He’s in a meeting. Do you have urgent business, Mr. He?”
“There’s a nightclub in Tsim Sha Tsui called Wang Fa. Whose turf is it?”
“Wang Fa? That’s ours.”
He Chusan let out a slight breath of relief. “Brother Xiao Ma is in charge?”
“No. It used to belong to Boss Big Scarhead. Now it’s Boss Pao.”
Boss Pao, known in the jianghu as Paozai, had been with Xiaoqi Hall for some years. When Xia Liuyi rose to become Dragon Head, Paozai had been recommended by Uncle Yuan as a White Paper Fan, working under Cui Dongdong to manage accounts. Later, when Xia Liuyi and Cui Dongdong purged the elders’ faction, he was reassigned. To placate him and his men, a nightclub had been given to him as compensation.
He Chusan had never heard of this Brother Pao. “Please pass a message to him. My younger sister is in his establishment—she was deceived into entertaining clients. Ask him to release her.”
A-Sen sounded surprised. “Mr. He, are you certain your sister is at Wang Fa? In one of Xiaoqi Hall’s own venues? That shouldn’t be possible.”
“Someone saw her there with their own eyes.”
After a pause, A-Sen said quietly, “Don’t worry, Mr. He. Your matter is the boss’s matter—I’ll do everything I can. But tonight the company’s senior management is in an important meeting. Boss Xiao Ma, Boss Dongdong, and are all inside, and no one is allowed to disturb them. Wait a little—once the meeting ends, I’ll inform them immediately.”
By then, He Chusan had already hailed a taxi. His voice lowered. “My sister could be in danger at any moment. I’m going there now. Can you contact the duty manager at Wang Fa and ask him to make an exception?”
“Alright, give me a moment—I’ll call and check.”
After hanging up, He Chusan gazed out at the torrential rain. The night was vast and desolate. Thinking of Xia Liuyi imprisoned and Xinxin in peril, he drew in a long breath of murky air.
Ever since he refused to assist with Xiaoqi Hall’s accounts, Cui Dongdong had ignored him entirely. Xiao Ma had always harbored reservations about him and might not truly help. A-Sen was merely a bodyguard, his words carrying little weight.
He could not place all his hopes on Xiaoqi Hall.
As Auntie Wu had said, places like that had informants within the police—calling them lightly would be futile. For a moment, the image of Xie Jiahua flashed through his mind. That upright officer would never collude with criminals. Back then, he had risked himself to save him—perhaps now he would help save Xinxin…
No. He could not.
He could not owe Xie Jiahua another debt—nor could he draw his attention to Xiaoqi Hall at such a sensitive time, with Xia Liuyi imprisoned.
He slowly exhaled the murky breath and rubbed his aching temples.
On the way, he asked the driver to stop, withdrew some cash from a bank, then bought a cheap leather jacket and a small can of pepper spray from a night market.
As they neared the nightclub, A-Sen called back, saying that Brother Pao’s subordinates operated independently, and as a mere bodyguard, he could not reach them.
“Mr. He, how about this—when you go in, call me in front of the duty manager. I’ll explain to him directly.”
He Chusan found the idea unreliable. “He doesn’t know you. He won’t believe you. He won’t release her based on a phone call.”
A-Sen himself lacked confidence. “Then… I can call a few brothers to help you. We’ll get Xinxin out first, and explain to Boss Pao after the meeting. With Boss Xiao Ma and Boss Dongdong backing us, he won’t make things difficult.”
“No. We can’t start a conflict,” He Chusan said firmly. He could not cause trouble for Xia Liuyi. Moreover, Brother Pao’s establishment would certainly have guards—forcing a rescue would be too dangerous, and might even harm Xinxin. “I’ll think of something myself. I’ll call you if needed.”
“Please be careful, Mr. He.”
“I will.”
Inside the taxi, He Chusan removed his soaked suit jacket and changed into the cheap leather jacket styled like that of a street loafer. Using the rainwater, he slicked his hair back in the same fashion as Xiao Ma, then stuffed the cash and pepper spray into his pocket.
He studied his reflection in the window, adopting the slack, hazy expression of a drug-addled drifter, drifting in intoxicated stupor. Then he stepped out, opened his umbrella, swayed to an imaginary rhythm, humming as he walked, and passed under the scrutinizing gaze of the guards into the nightclub without issue.
He had come prepared—even his pretentious opening lines were rehearsed. Humming and swaying, he pushed open the karaoke hall doors at the end of the corridor—
Only to be nearly knocked off balance by the surge of people and noise crashing into him!
The pounding beat thundered in his ears, louder even than the storm outside! The dance floor blazed with neon lights and flashing colors, dazzling and chaotic, packed wall-to-wall with people! Hostesses and madams swarmed forward, the air instantly thick with powder and cheap perfume.
He Chusan was jostled about by the flock of women, momentarily stunned—outside, rain lashed down and winds howled, yet here, in the dead of night, the place was still packed!
He did not know that tonight marked the nightclub’s anniversary. All services were heavily discounted, and a new batch of “models” had just entered the trade, drawing crowds from all directions. It was the height of revelry.
“Young handsome, what kind of girls do you like? We’ve got all kinds here!” a greasy-faced madam chirped enthusiastically.
“Big brother, you’re so handsome! Let little sister keep you company!” One of the beauties boldly pressed his hand against her soft chest.
Actor He was instantly frightened into revealing his true orientation, yanking his hand away in a panic as he retreated, “I—I’m looking for someone.”
“Don’t be shy, Auntie will help you find her,” the madam’s crimson lips nearly brushed his chest in the pushing crowd. Seeing his flustered, inexperienced demeanor, she grew more mischievous. “Our girls are very experienced—so gentle!”
“No, I… I’m not… I…” Trapped on all sides, He Chusan’s cheap jacket was quickly tugged into disarray, and his backside was pinched more than once. On the verge of failing to preserve his chastity for the boss, he could only employ Taiji-like pushing techniques—deflecting left, shifting right—amid shrieks and curses from the madams and girls, slipping out of the encirclement like a loach.
He plunged into the surging sea of bodies on the dance floor, forcing his way forward as best he could. At the far end of the hall, the private room section was just as packed—each room overflowing, tables piled high with toppled bottles and half-eaten dishes, scantily clad women tangled together with corpulent patrons in a riot of indulgence.
At last, in a corner booth, he found Xinxin—indeed, had it not been for the sound of her sobbing pleas, he would scarcely have recognized her. After months apart, she had grown so thin she was barely human. She wore nothing but a lace undergarment and a gauzy skirt as light as cicada wings. Her ribs jutted sharply above the hollow cups of her bra, and the heavy, garish makeup on her face had run with her tears, streaking down her sunken cheeks. Bruised and battered, she looked like a pitiful little ghost.
The man beating her cursed as he struck, ranting that she had been slow and unwilling to strip completely onstage, even daring to scowl at customers who stuffed money into her bra. People paid to see pretty girls, not some snarling bitch—if she couldn’t earn her keep, she might as well be beaten to death.
Before the man could press the burning cigarette butt against Xinxin’s face, He Chusan darted in from the side, blocking his hand. He immediately let out an exaggerated scream, “Wah—! Hot, hot, hot!”
He blew frantically on the burn on the back of his hand, then plastered on a fawning grin. “Big brother, why go that far? With a woman like this, better to bed her than beat her to death. If you ruin her face, she won’t be worth anything anymore—don’t you agree?”
“Who the hell are you?!” the man snapped.
“Sa—” Xinxin’s tearful voice rose in surprise, only for He Chusan to secretly pinch her arm. She gave a soft whimper, lowered her head, and continued crying.
“Just here to have some fun,” He Chusan shrugged, his tone flippant. “I had my eye on her when she was onstage. Took a piss and came back—she was gone! Been looking for her everywhere. How much did the last guy pay? I’ll double it, big brother.”
“You’ve got your eye on her?” the man eyed him suspiciously.
Following his gaze, He Chusan turned to look at Xinxin—her skeletal frame and ghostlike wailing would make any man shrink back in horror. His mouth twitched, but he turned back with a careless expression. “I like them skinny—like dried ribs!”
“More flavor when you chew,” he licked his lips with a perverse grin. “How much for the night?”
The man sized him up again, deciding he was no one of importance. “Two thousand.”
“Big brother, she’s not worth two thousand—eight hundred at most!” He Chusan grabbed Xinxin’s hair and yanked her head up for emphasis.
“You just said you liked this type! You want her or not? If not, get lost!”
“Alright, alright—one thousand.”
“Two thousand!”
“One thousand five.”
“You think this is a wet market, haggling like that?” the man slammed the table. “No money, no deal—scram!”
He Chusan shrank his neck, grumbling as he fished out the cash. “Fine, fine—two thousand it is. Big shop bullying its customers.”
He slung an arm lazily around Xinxin and headed toward the exit. From behind, the man shouted, “The room’s at the back!”
“For two thousand, doesn’t that include going out?”
“In your dreams!”
The moment they entered the private room, He Chusan swiftly locked the door behind them and let out a long breath, dropping the act. “Xinxin, are you alright?”
“Brother Sam, you finally came to save me—wuu…” Xinxin threw herself into his arms.
With so little clothing on her, she was nearly naked. He Chusan awkwardly stepped aside, taking off his jacket to cover her. “Are you hurt?”
“They forced me to take drugs… wuu… and made me take clients to earn money. I refused, so they beat me… wuu… Da Gao is with them,” she sobbed. “He’s a bastard! It’s all my fault for not listening to Mama, I even argued with your father… wuu… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault…”
“Don’t cry. Our parents are worried about you—they won’t blame you. We need to leave, now,” hearing that her voice was still strong, he judged she wasn’t in immediate danger and turned to look for an escape. “Is there a back exit?”
“There’s a window in the bedroom, but it’s high up, and sealed with iron bars,” Xinxin choked out. “Every room here is like a prison cell.”
He Chusan entered the bedroom and examined the decaying iron bars on the high window. He tore off a wooden plank from the bed frame, ripped a strip of bedsheet, twisted it into a rope, and threaded it between two bars, fastening it to the plank. Bracing himself, he twisted hard—the bars slowly bent and warped. With a final burst of strength, he yanked, and the bars snapped free, clattering to the ground. Repeating the process, he removed several more until an opening large enough for a person appeared.
Kneeling, he hoisted Xinxin through first. Then he stepped back, took a running start, leapt up, and climbed through after her. Landing outside, he grabbed her hand and ran.
“Brother Sam, you look so refined—I didn’t expect you to be so skilled!” Xinxin exclaimed as she ran.
He Chusan had no time to respond. He dragged her through the dim corridor outside the window, slammed his shoulder into the door at the end—
—and found themselves at the kitchen’s back entrance.
Inside, over a dozen people bustled about, just as chaotic as the hall outside. Fryers sizzled with fries and chicken wings, servers shouted orders and passed dishes in a frenzy. He Chusan pulled Xinxin along, shouting, “Move!” as he shoved through people, knocking over baskets and dishes, sending bowls and plates crashing. One young apprentice even toppled a pot of soup in fright! Amid cries of alarm, they dashed toward the front exit in utter chaos.
Bursting out of the kitchen, pushing past several servers, they sprinted through two narrow corridors. Ahead, a side door stood slightly ajar, faint flashes of lightning visible through the crack.
“Boom—!”
A thunderclap roared—accompanied by Xinxin’s scream.
A bottle came hurtling from the side, smashing against He Chusan’s head in an explosion of blood!
His body sank, consciousness vanishing instantly. When he opened his eyes again, he was already sprawled on the ground, his vision filled with black-red blood, the world spinning.
The man who had taken a shortcut to intercept them kicked Xinxin to the ground. “Bitch! Trying to run?”
“Brother Sam!” Seeing He Chusan lying motionless in a pool of blood, she thought he had been killed. Throwing herself over him, she shook him frantically, sobbing and cursing, “Da Gao, you bastard! You killed my brother! You have no humanity, no conscience—wuuah—!”
Shaken like a boat in a storm, his head pounding worse than the bottle strike, He Chusan finally mustered enough strength to rasp weakly, “I’m not dead.”
Xinxin screamed even louder, half in shock, half in joy.
Before she could say more, the men dragged them both back into the private room and threw them to the ground.
“Da Gao, it’s him! He paid two thousand for this bitch earlier—who knew he’d try to run with her!” the man who had taken his money pointed him out. “Good thing you got back in time!”
Da Gao sneered and kicked Xinxin again. “You damn slut! Run, huh? Think you can escape my grasp?”
He Chusan lay on the ground, struggling to lift his head, fighting through the pounding waves of pain to regain consciousness. He saw clearly now the gaunt, vicious man before him—his drug-sunken cheeks, and one ear missing half its shape.
Something about him felt familiar. Fragments of memory flickered, but the pain kept him from grasping them.
Da Gao looked down at him and let out a chilling laugh. “Mr. He, long time no see.”
He Chusan’s mind was still hazy, his gaze unfocused.
Da Gao’s smile turned mocking. “Don’t remember me? Because of you, the boss cut off half my ear. My cousin was beaten into a vegetable—still hasn’t woken up. I’ve been waiting for a chance to thank you properly!”
With a jolt, memory flooded back—He Chusan’s eyes snapped open in shock.
He remembered now! This Da Gao had been one of the thugs two years ago outside the cinema, the ones who impersonated Xiao Ma’s men to rob a pregnant woman. Xia Liuyi had sliced off half his ear and knocked another thug into a life-or-death state.
So he was one of Brother Pao’s men! No wonder Xiao Ma’s people hadn’t been able to find Xinxin or Da Gao these past months—Brother Pao must have been interfering behind the scenes!
“What a coincidence, Mr. He,” Da Gao grinned viciously. “The ‘gifted brother’ this little bitch keeps talking about is you? Both siblings falling into my hands—debts have their debtors! Hahaha!”
He stepped forward as he laughed. He Chusan edged back, forcing himself to speak. “Da Gao, you know debts have their owners. It was Xia Liuyi who harmed you—why take it out on us? You think the boss won’t find out?”
“Heh,” Da Gao sneered. “Don’t try to scare me with the boss! He’s busy worrying about his own ass in prison—think he has time for you?”
He Chusan suppressed the urge to slap him. “Even if the boss isn’t here, Brother Xiao Ma and Sister Dongdong will uphold justice.”
“Xiao Ma? Dongdong? Hahaha!” Da Gao laughed harder. “Those two? If you wait long enough on the road to the Yellow Springs tonight, you might even meet them on their way to reincarnation!”
A chill ran through He Chusan. Recalling A-Sen’s words about the high-level meeting that no one could interrupt, cold sweat soaked him further. He realized that beneath this stormy night lurked a massive conspiracy—Xia Liuyi had just been imprisoned, and already his subordinates were preparing to rebel. By sheer misfortune, he and Xinxin had stumbled right into the eye of the storm.
Da Gao advanced with a sinister grin, pressing the cold barrel of a gun against He Chusan’s forehead. He Chusan’s face went pale as he heard the click of a bullet chambering.
“Wait!” he shouted just before the trigger could be pulled.
Da Gao paused, eyeing him with amusement, waiting for his plea.
“The one who hurt you was Xia Liuyi. Debts have their owners—you should go after him. My sister and I are innocent. Killing us won’t ease your hatred. Let us go, and I’ll give you all my savings—one hundred thousand.”
“Oh?” Da Gao raised a brow, skeptical. “Where is it?”
“I brought twenty thousand. Let Xinxin go first—I’ll take you to get the remaining eighty thousand.”
He Chusan raised one hand high, the other reaching slowly into his pocket, pulling out a folded wad of cash. As he extended it, Da Gao reached out—
—and in that instant, He Chusan flicked his fingers, revealing the pepper spray hidden within the bills!
“Shhh—!”
“Ah—!”
Amid Da Gao’s startled scream, He Chusan dropped into a solid stance, his qi sinking to the dantian, and drove an upward punch straight into Da Gao’s stomach. As the man doubled over in pain, he stepped in, splitting his arms, following with his right leg, and delivered a Taiji elbow strike—his right palm slicing across Da Gao’s neck, his left palm striking forward immediately after.
Da Gao didn’t even manage a grunt before collapsing backward. Seizing the moment, He Chusan snatched the gun from his hand, twisted his body, locked an arm around his neck from behind, and pressed the gun to his head.
“Everyone back!” he shouted sharply.
“Don’t—don’t shoot,” Da Gao pleaded, dazed. “Back off! All of you, back off!”
The other thugs hastily retreated, leaving Xinxin standing there, mouth agape.
“Br..Brother Sam… you—you’ve trained before?” she stammered, stunned by his swift and decisive moves.
Half his face smeared with blood, He Chusan’s gaze was as cold as ice. Sweeping a warning look over the room, he tightened his grip on Da Gao’s neck.
“Move!”
Futile Devices Scans 
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