Harboring a trace of mischief, Xiao Ma spun the car around and drove back to his own place, hauling out Jade Guanyin, who had been lounging on his sofa, yawning lazily. She wore one of Xiao Ma’s shirts, nothing beneath it; the wide-open collar revealed a generous expanse of pale, tempting flesh.
The moment she slid into the passenger seat, she cast a drowsy glance at the back—then her eyes lit up. She scrambled onto her knees, leaning over the seat to study He Chu San with open curiosity.
“My! What a handsome young lad!” she chirped. “Brother Ma, are you planning to play Double Dragons tonight?”
By then Xiao Ma had already started the engine, offering a casual introduction. “He’s one of our brothers—A’San. This is Xiao Yu.”
At the name “Xiao Yu,” He Chu San’s eyelids lifted slightly. He gave Jade Guanyin a measured glance. He remembered where he had heard that name before—and that distinctive, husky, seductive voice.
“A’San is really handsome,” Jade Guanyin purred, shifting languidly in her seat, her gaze sultry as she teased him. “How about we play Double Dragons together tonight?”
“What’s Double Dragons?” He Chu San asked, genuinely puzzled, assuming it was some kind of card game.
Jade Guanyin raised her delicate hands, making a crude gesture with her fingers. “It means this little hole of mine can take two men at once—you and Brother Ma together—oh God! He’s blushing!” She burst into delighted laughter. “Brother Ma, where did you find such an innocent boy?”
“That’s enough, don’t tease him,” Xiao Ma cut in, suppressing a laugh. A little joking was fine—but if this “little queer” got led astray and went back asking the Boss to try Double Dragons, Xiao Ma would lose more than a layer of skin.
He drove them to a Western restaurant he frequented in Tsim Sha Tsui East. Jade Guanyin, having been there before, led the way with ease, picking a quiet window seat. Slouching lazily across the table, she waved down a waiter and, without consulting the others, ordered identical T-bone steaks and red wine for all three.
…
Xiao Ma, a rough sort, dipped bread into the soup and wolfed down three servings’ worth in a few gulps. He stabbed into his steak and shoved it into his mouth without ceremony.
He Chu San, by contrast, remained composed and refined. Under Jade Guanyin’s unabashed, teasing gaze, he cut his steak with calm elegance, even returning her attention with a mild, spring-like smile.
Jade Guanyin hooked Xiao Ma’s wrist, took a bite straight from his fork, and turned to He Chu San. “So what do you do in the gang, A’San?”
“Investment consultant,” He Chu San answered honestly.
“What’s that supposed to be?” she cooed, clinging to Xiao Ma. “Brother Ma, your Hong Kong gangs have positions like that now?”
Before Xiao Ma could respond, He Chu San explained on his own, “I handle accounts—working under the White Paper Fan.”
Xiao Ma shot him a subtle glance—this kid actually knows the gang structure. He’d underestimated him. He had assumed Jade Guanyin would tease him into silence, yet aside from that brief embarrassment over “Double Dragons,” the two were now chatting merrily—jumping from types of steak to the history of wine, even joking about which wines paired best with fish balls and siu mai. Jade Guanyin laughed nonstop.
Now the boy even took the initiative to ask—
“And what does Sister Xiao Yu do?”
Under the table, Xiao Ma pinched Jade Guanyin’s backside. She let out a soft, delighted moan. “Oh, me? I sell medicine.”
Another pinch made her giggle. “A nurse who sells medicine.”
“Nurses sell medicine too?”
“Of course,” she said with a mischievous grin. “The kind that makes men feel very good.”
Leaning forward, pressing her ample chest against the table, she launched into an enthusiastic—if wildly exaggerated—introduction to various aphrodisiacs and drugs from Thailand. Xiao Ma listened, knowing most of it was nonsense, but since she wasn’t revealing anything sensitive, he let her ramble.
The two of them chatted animatedly, while Xiao Ma grew increasingly bored. Treating it as a mere task, he finished eating quickly and turned to smoke by the window.
Suddenly—a car sped past outside, its headlights flashing sharply against the glass. Xiao Ma instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes—but in that instant, he caught sight of the vehicle lunging straight toward them—
He leapt up, vaulting across the table and tackling He Chu San and Jade Guanyin to the ground!
CRASH—!
A deafening explosion rang out as a car smashed through the floor-to-ceiling window, barreling straight into the restaurant—sending their table flying into the wall, shattering it to pieces!
Two men in black stepped out of the car, each holding dual submachine guns. Without hesitation, they fired a burst at a stunned waiter—flesh and blood erupting midair amid blazing gunfire!
Screams filled the ruined restaurant as patrons scattered in terror. The two gunmen advanced toward Xiao Ma’s group, weapons blazing like fire-breathing dragons—
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!
Xiao Ma had already dragged He Chu San and Jade Guanyin behind a nearby sofa, but within seconds the thick furniture was riddled with bullets! They scrambled, covering their heads, diving behind the counter as glass shards from shattered bottles and cups rained down around them.
Pinned under relentless gunfire, they had no chance to retaliate.
At last, the barrage paused—the sharp clicks of reloading echoed outside.
Xiao Ma immediately pulled out a handgun and tossed it to Jade Guanyin. “Cover me!”
She gave a wicked smile, utterly fearless, and stepped out, firing several shots—bang! bang! bang!—drawing heavy return fire.
At the same moment, Xiao Ma slid low along the ground from the side of the counter, firing twice at the gunmen—one hit in the shoulder, the other in the waist, weakening their assault.
Jade Guanyin seized the chance, shoving He Chu San forward. He dashed out, following Xiao Ma’s path, and together they sprinted behind the crashed car. The gunmen spotted them and unleashed another barrage! Jade Guanyin fired repeatedly to draw their attention—but the attackers split their fire, suppressing both sides.
Amid the storm of bullets, Xiao Ma yanked open the car door and crawled inside. The windows were blown out, the seats shredded—he dared not raise his head, gripping the gun in his teeth while operating the clutch and gears with his hands.
He Chu San dove in beside him, grabbing the steering wheel. Working in tandem, they started the engine—
With a roar, the car reversed, then swung around and charged straight at the gunmen!
Boom! Crash! Bang!
Tables and chairs were smashed aside as the attackers scrambled to dodge. He Chu San slid into the driver’s seat, taking control, while Xiao Ma leapt up, firing back as he shouted—
“Jade Guanyin! Move!”
She ran while shooting, diving into the passenger seat. The bullet-riddled car reversed out through the shattered window, spun on the street, and sped off into the night.
……
Inside the car, the three were still shaken. Only after driving a long distance did Xiao Ma react, dragging Jade Guanyin’s exposed legs back inside and slamming the door.
“Where’s the mobile?! Call for backup!” he barked.
They searched frantically—then remembered they had left their phones and bags at the restaurant.
“Brother Ma, back to the nightclub?” He Chu San asked.
“We can’t! We don’t know why they came—we can’t lead them to the Boss!” Xiao Ma snapped—then suddenly froze, glaring at Jade Guanyin. “They were after you?”
She smiled, almost thrilled. “Yes. They’re assassins under my godfather.”
“You damn jinx!” Xiao Ma shoved her. “Get to the back! A’San—Hung Hom Pier. I’ve got a safehouse there.”
He Chu San sped through a turn. Jade Guanyin crawled into the back seat—then immediately warned, “They’re coming.”
The attackers had hijacked a passing taxi and were in pursuit. One leaned out the window, submachine gun blazing!
He Chu San swerved sharply to evade. Jade Guanyin crouched low, firing back through the shattered rear window, while Xiao Ma cursed furiously—
“Damn it! Is there no law left?! This is Hong Kong—a place of law and order! Shooting people in broad daylight with submachine guns—even the triads aren’t this insane! Where the hell are the cops?!”
Jade Guanyin giggled at his rant, still playful even amid the storm of bullets. “If the cops show up, are they arresting them—or you?”
Only He Chu San remained silent. The name Xiao Ma had shouted during the firefight—Jade Guanyin—was not unfamiliar to him. Back when he had stayed at the Xia residence, he had overheard fragments of conversation where those three words were always tied to Thailand, “white powder”, and smuggling.
Years ago, when Xia Liu Yi had broken his leg and traveled to Thailand, he had once let slip the name “Xiao Yu” over the phone.
He Chu San’s hands, gripping the steering wheel, began to tremble—not from fear of being caught in a gangland shootout, but from anger.
So Xia Liu Yi’s so-called “going straight” had indeed concealed something. He had never truly cut ties with drug traffickers.
“Brother Ma, Sister Xiao Yu—hold tight,” He Chu San said.
“What are you doing?” Xiao Ma snapped, noticing the change in direction.
“I have a way to shake them.”
With a sharp turn of the wheel, He Chu San sped toward the seaside hillside villa that once belonged to Azure Dragon.
The mountain road twisted and turned, desolate and steep. He Chu San drove like the wind, the car swerving so violently that the two inside nearly retched—clutching the windows with one hand while firing back with the other.
The pursuers, unfamiliar with the terrain, struggled to keep up. The narrow, winding road and treacherous landscape made it impossible for them to close the distance.
At last, halfway up the mountain, He Chu San’s car seemed to falter—slowing, wobbling, until it screeched to a halt.
Xiao Ma and Jade Guanyin leaned out from either side, opening fire. In response, a hail of bullets ten times fiercer rained down, shredding the rear of the car within seconds.
The attackers’ vehicle roared closer through the gunfire. Xiao Ma fired his last bullet, ducked down, and listened as the enemy closed in—
“Now!” he roared.
He Chu San, crouched low, slammed the accelerator. The car lurched forward—revealing an empty cliffside and a sharp-turn warning sign at the road’s edge!
The pursuing car rushed straight into the trap—hurtling off the cliff into open air!
BOOM—!
A thunderous crash echoed as the vehicle tumbled down the steep slope, losing wheels and parts as it smashed apart—until it lay wrecked at the bottom.
He Chu San stopped the car. The three climbed out of their battered vehicle, smoke-stained and shaken, and peered over the edge.
Moments later—
BOOM!
A second explosion flared below, flames lighting up the darkness.
He Chu San and Xiao Ma both let out a breath of relief. Jade Guanyin, however, remained languid and carefree, draping herself over Xiao Ma’s arm. “Brother Ma is so handsome—saving me again.”
“Get lost, you jinx!” Xiao Ma shoved her—only to feel something wet and sticky on his palm. His face turned pale. “You’re hit?!”
……
The bullet had grazed Yu Guanyin’s side. Xiao Ma tore cloth to bandage the wound, and the three clambered back into the wrecked car, limping it forward until they reached Azure Dragon’s old villa on the hillside.
He Chu San smashed the iron lock on the gate with a stone. Xiao Ma carried Jade Guanyin inside.
The abandoned villa had stood empty for over three years. Twilight had fallen; the courtyard lay desolate, overgrown with wild vegetation. Dark green vines crawled across most of the building, giving it a sinister, haunted air.
“What kind of place is this?” Jade Guanyin, pale from blood loss, still looked around with excitement. Xiao Ma cursed at her, and she pouted, nestling quietly in his arms.
He Chu San tore down the yellow talisman pasted over the door—one used in ritual rites—carefully folding it and slipping it into his pocket.
He pushed open the long-sealed doors. A wave of dust and rot rushed out, making them cough.
Inside, the last rays of sunset fell upon two ancestral tablets and portraits—Azure Dragon and Xiao Man.
The sudden sight of the dead startled Xiao Ma so badly he cried out and stumbled back.
“What’s wrong?” Jade Guanyin grumbled, nearly dropped. “Isn’t that A’Long? His wife? She’s quite pretty. Huh… she looks a bit familiar.”
“She’s the Boss’s elder sister,” Xiao Ma said.
“No wonder,” Jade Guanyin mused, her eyes turning as if connecting the dots—then she giggled again.
He Chu San stepped forward, wiped the dust from the portraits with his coat, replaced them, and bowed with clasped hands. He had never done wrong in his life and feared neither ghosts nor spirits. Calmly, he began to look around.
“Brother Ma, there’s a sofa here.”
Xiao Ma, though innocent of Azure Dragon’s death, was naturally terrified of ghosts. In a house where over a dozen had once died unjustly, his courage faltered—especially after seeing He Chu San tear down the talisman.
He hurried over, hugging the wall, laid Jade Guanyin on the sofa, and checked her wound carefully. Seeing the bleeding mostly stopped, he exhaled in relief.
“You two stay here. I’ll go find a phone and contact the Boss.”
“I’ll go,” He Chu San offered, seeing Xiao Ma’s concern.
But Xiao Ma had no desire to remain in this dark, power-less house. “No, I’ll go! You stay and watch her!”
Thus He Chu San remained behind with Jade Guanyin.
After the tragedy years ago, someone had tried to destroy the villa by fire. Later, Xia Liu Yi had it repaired and purified with rituals, but since no one lived there anymore, aside from the altar and a lone sofa, the place stood empty.
The portraits faced the vast, hollow hall. As darkness deepened, the atmosphere grew ever more eerie.
Jade Guanyin reclined on the sofa, pale yet still playful. “Xiao Ma never lets me meet others—you’re the first. He even dragged me out to dine with you and didn’t dare say a harsh word. You’re not his subordinate, are you? Earlier you called him ‘Brother Liu Yi,’ not ‘Boss’… what are you to A’Liu?”
He Chu San, standing before the memorial tablets, smiled gently. “I’m the one who takes care of him.”
“I’ve known him nearly ten years,” she said. “Men or women—he’s never had ‘interest.’ What makes you so special?”
He Chu San draped his coat over her. “I’m handsome,” he replied mildly, echoing her earlier tease. “Cold? I’ll go find you a blanket.”
“Heh… just hold me, and I won’t be cold.”
She suddenly reached out—her hand snapping into a grappling hold, aiming for his pulse!
With a smooth Taiji motion, He Chu San slipped free. “Rest. I’ll be back.”
Jade Guanyin giggled behind him. “A’Liu’s little rabbit is quite interesting.”
He Chu San searched both floors thoroughly. The rooms were empty. Instead of finding a blanket, he examined walls and corners under the fading light, searching for hidden mechanisms.
At last, in what seemed to be a former study, he found a concealed compartment. Inside was a welded safe—unlocked, but empty.
Returning downstairs, he studied the altar again.
“There’s nothing hidden there,” Jade Guanyin said lightly.
He Chu San only smiled. “Couldn’t find a blanket. Bear with it—Brother Ma will be back soon.”
Sure enough, before long Xiao Ma rushed in. “The Boss and a private doctor are on their way! She’s not dead, right?”
“You’re the one who’ll die, damn ghost,” Jade Guanyin snapped playfully—then suddenly her expression changed. She pointed behind him. “Watch out!”
Xiao Ma ducked instinctively. A shadow behind him swung a massive stone—missing him and smashing straight into the memorial tablets!
Xiao Ma turned—and screamed.
“Ghosts—!”
Two figures stood there, pitch-black, ragged, their faces smeared beyond recognition—only their blood-red eyes gleamed with murderous malice.
Xiao Ma’s legs gave out. “Boss! Sister-in-law! Spare me! I’ve always been loyal—I never harmed you!”
He Chu San darted forward, slapping the yellow talisman onto one “ghost’s” forehead.
It stuck—stained with blood.
But the figure merely tore it off.
“A ghost that doesn’t fear talismans—!” Xiao Ma wailed, turning to flee—only to be grabbed by the collar and hurled bodily through the air!
Elio’s notes: For context, Jade Guanyin is called Xiao Yu because of her ‘Jade’ name which came from the character for jade, yu 玉. As for ‘A’Long’, this came from the character for Dragon, long 龙 in the name Azure Dragon (Qinglong, 青龙)
Futile Devices Scans 
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