He Chu San’s expression darkened at once.
Tiger Head was overjoyed and about to speak, but was stopped by Black Chicken. Black Chicken rose, gave the coarse cloth a shake—and a wooden staff carved with a majestic Dragon’s Head fell to the center of the long table. He pulled at the Dragon Head hilt, drawing from within a slender dagger. After displaying it to all present, he sheathed it once more and nodded.
“This is the Dragon Head Staff,” he said. “Brothers and sisters, now that the Dragon Head Staff has appeared, we shall today convene to reselect the speaker. Does anyone have objections?”
“None!” the crowd answered in unison.
“Consultant He?” Black Chicken asked.
He Chu San replied calmly, “None.”
“Very well—then let Brother Xiao Ma preside over the assembly.”
Xiao Ma leaned back in his chair, exhaling smoke lazily. “You handle it—I’ll watch. No need for all those messy formalities. Nominations, voting—simple as that.”
“Yes,” Black Chicken said. “According to the rules, only those seated at the table may stand for election and vote. Candidates may not vote for themselves. The former Boss holds a unique vote. By Consultant He’s account, the Boss has already nominated him and cast that vote in his favor. Are there any other nominations?”
Tiger Head immediately shouted, “What’s there to say?! I object—I nominate Boss Xiao Ma! He is the Red Pole of the gang, has been in the society for over a decade, and has accomplished countless feats! He understands both the jianghu and the gang inside out! His seniority is high, his mind sharp, his skills formidable—everyone respects him and listens to him! If he becomes leader, he can best safeguard everyone’s interests. If not him, then who?!”
“Right! Boss Xiao Ma!” “Boss Xiao Ma!” the junior leaders behind him echoed.
“Any further nominations?”
A low murmur rippled through the room, but no one dared speak. Who among them could rival Xiao Ma or Consultant He in strength or influence?
“Very well—let us begin the vote. At present, Tiger Head has voted for Xiao Ma, and the Boss has voted for Consultant He. Big Crab, your vote?”
The two leaders seated silently at the table—Big Crab and Snake Sister—exchanged glances. Under the weight of everyone’s gaze, Big Crab hesitated, stammering.
“Hey! What’s wrong with you?!” Tiger Head snapped angrily. “Didn’t we agree last night?!”
Big Crab said uncertainly, “Last night you said Consultant He had ulterior motives—but I think what he said today makes sense. The Boss’s whereabouts are unknown. Who’s to say he won’t return tomorrow? Xiao Ma may be the staff-holder, but if he’s been alive these past months, why wait until today to show himself? And the moment he appears, he wants to elect a new Dragon Head—how do we know he didn’t hear of trouble in the gang and come back to seize power…?”
“You bastard! What the hell are you spouting?!” Tiger Head leapt up to strike him. But Big Crab was no pushover—he rolled up his sleeves and stood as well. Black Chicken and Snake Sister hurriedly stepped between them.
Xiao Ma rose, stripped off his black leather jacket, then tore open his shirt in one swift motion—revealing a powerfully built torso. From shoulder to waist stretched a long, blood-red scar, as though his body had once been cleaved in two.
“I was gravely wounded,” he said. “I’ve spent the past months recovering in Thailand. I rushed back only after hearing the gang was in trouble. The Boss saved my life, recognized me, promoted me—I can never repay him in this lifetime! Of all of you, I wish most to see him return! I swear—if he comes back, I will immediately return the Dragon Head position to him. If I break this oath, may heaven strike me down with thunder!”
“Did you hear that?! Did you see that?!” Tiger Head barked, still itching to strike Big Crab, but Black Chicken forced him back into his seat.
Big Crab fell silent. Snake Sister spoke instead, “Boss Ma, for all these years, your loyalty to the Boss has been absolute—we all trust and respect you completely. Brother Big Crab spoke out of turn just now. But times have changed. In a few years, Hong Kong will return—who knows whether what we’ve done in the past will still be viable? I support Consultant He’s reforms, and I believe he will bring greater benefits to the brothers and sisters. I’m sorry—this vote, I follow the Boss. I vote for Consultant He.”
“Big Crab, what about you?” Black Chicken asked.
Big Crab looked at Xiao Ma’s bare torso, then at He Chu San’s calm face. After a long hesitation, he muttered, “Boss Xiao Ma, I spoke wrongly earlier—my apologies. The Boss saved my life too. I just don’t want to see anyone scheming against him. Since you say you’ll step aside if he returns, I believe you. But like Snake Sister, I support reform. They say, ‘Those who walk the path will one day repay it.’ My wife is newly pregnant—I don’t want my child growing up asking what I do, and I have no answer. Nor do I want my child bullied at school, looked down upon. And I certainly don’t want to end up a corpse in the street, leaving my wife and child crying over my body… This vote—I give it to Consultant He.”
Several junior leaders behind him voiced agreement, whispering praises of He Chu San. The balance tilted toward him: He Chu San now held three votes, while Xiao Ma had only Tiger Head’s—two with Black Chicken.
Tiger Head panicked and cursed furiously, “You two bastards! After everything Boss Xiao Ma did for you, this is how you repay him?!”
“Who’s betraying whom?! We judge the matter, not the man! Use your brain!” Snake Sister shot back.
Tiger Head rolled up his sleeves to fight. Snake Sister and Big Crab, long fed up with his temper, surged forward as well. Xiao Ma roared, “What are you shouting for?! Sit down!”
He glared Tiger Head back into his seat. The others followed suit, and the conflict subsided.
“I expected this outcome,” Xiao Ma said. “Since Consultant He dared call this meeting, he must have prepared something. I’ve been absent these months, unaware of the gang’s changes—but my devotion to the gang and to all of you is as clear as the sun and moon!”
He glanced at He Chu San and sneered. “Don’t forget—the Dragon Head Assembly’s voting rights extend beyond those at this table. I didn’t want to disturb those two elders in their retirement—but it seems I invited them at just the right time.”
He turned toward the door. “Invite the two elders in!”
A bodyguard answered, and soon escorted in Prince Duan, leaning on a cane. Elder Ge, somewhat younger and full of vigor, followed behind. These two were the last remaining elders of the gang, long retired and withdrawn from jianghu affairs.
Xiao Ma rose respectfully and seated them at the head of the table. The crowd greeted them in unison.
Prince Duan glanced at Elder Ge, who cleared his throat and spoke.
“We two old men have long since retired. But for something as important as the Dragon Head election, we felt we must speak. We served as elders for over a decade—no one doubts our right to speak here, I trust?”
“Of course not!” the crowd replied.
Elder Ge continued, “Everyone knows how much Liu Yi trusted Xiao Ma and Dong Dong. Yet he entrusted the Dragon Head Ledger not to them, but to a greenhorn who’s been in the gang barely a year—this makes no sense to me. As for this so-called reform—it is destroying the foundation Xiao Qi Hall built over decades, pushing out old brothers so he can profit from it himself. I do not trust him. In sentiment and reason, I support Xiao Ma. Elder Duan and I have discussed this—our two votes go to Xiao Ma.”
Tiger Head burst into laughter. “Good! Three votes for Consultant He, three for Brother Xiao Ma!” He turned smugly to Black Chicken. “Chicken, you don’t even need to say—you’re obviously—”
“I vote for Consultant He,” Black Chicken said.
The room fell silent in shock.
“What did you say?!” Tiger Head roared, grabbing Black Chicken’s collar. He raised his fist several times but could not bring himself to strike. “Have you lost your mind?!”
Black Chicken looked at him calmly. “Brother Tiger, there’s a saying—‘the times create their heroes.’ The era has changed. In this moment, I believe Consultant He is that hero.”
“Hero my ass! You just see his money, don’t you?!” Tiger Head howled. “You all just want to make money with him! Damn it—he tosses you scraps and you rush like wild dogs to lick them, forgetting all loyalty?!”
“Watch your mouth!” Snake Sister slammed the table. “The Boss chose Consultant He—we follow the Boss! Are you saying the Boss has no loyalty?! And besides—who becomes a thug by choice? Who wants to spend their life fighting and risking death? Who doesn’t want a clean way to earn money? You talk about loyalty and not chasing profit—then why don’t you hand out your earnings to the brothers every month?!”
Tiger Head, enraged, grabbed a chair to attack—but Xiao Ma barked, “Tiger Head!”
With a glance, Xiao Ma signaled him to stand down, then raised his voice.
“Fine. If this is the result—I accept it.”
He turned to He Chu San, eyes cold with challenge.
“You’ve got some skill, kid. Let’s see what tricks you can pull off next.”
He Chu San smiled faintly at him, then addressed the assembled brothers.
“Thank you all for placing your trust in me and voting me as Dragon Head. But as I have said before—I do not wish to replace the Boss. I will wait for his return. I will not conduct the Ascension Rite; for now, I shall merely act in his stead. During this time, everything shall proceed as usual. All company affairs will be submitted to me for decision, while matters of the jianghu shall be discussed jointly with Brother Xiao Ma, taking his counsel into account. What say you all?”
“Good!” Snake Sister and Big Crab answered at once, followed by scattered agreement from behind them. Black Chicken swept a glance over the room, prompting a few more junior leaders to raise their voices in support.
“Brother Xiao Ma?” He Chu San asked.
Xiao Ma gave a cold laugh and spread his hands. “If the Acting Hall Master has spoken, what can I say?”
“And the two elders?”
Elder Ge, having been dragged out only to return empty-handed, darkened his face and said nothing. Prince Duan, however, seemed to have grasped something deeper; he returned He Chu San a faint, knowing smile.
“Then it is settled. The meeting is adjourned.”
“Hold on!” Xiao Ma suddenly spoke.
“Does Brother Xiao Ma have further business?”
Xiao Ma tapped the table with the back of his fingers. “Acting Hall Master—what do you intend to do about Qin Hao? That traitor raided our turf, drove away the Big Boss, caused Boss Cui Dong Dong’s death, and disgraced Xiao Qi Hall in the jianghu. Are we just letting this pass?!”
“From your tone, Brother Xiao Ma, you intend to seek revenge?” He Chu San asked.
“Of course! If we don’t avenge this, can Xiao Qi Hall still hold its head high in the jianghu?! Anyone who harmed the Boss—I will hunt them down one by one!” Xiao Ma said darkly, casting a pointed glance at He Chu San. Tiger Head slammed the table in agreement, and the room stirred with heated fervor.
He Chu San raised a hand, signaling for silence. “Do you know the penalty for attacking the police, Brother Xiao Ma?”
“I do! So what?! Do you take me for someone who fears death?!”
“The Boss is missing. If anyone lays a hand on Qin Hao, the police will first suspect the Boss. Do you intend to pin that blame upon him?”
Xiao Ma bristled, but He Chu San cut him off and continued, “Even if that person turns himself in afterward and takes all responsibility—when the Boss returns and learns that someone was imprisoned avenging him, how do you think he will feel?”
He stepped closer, voice pressing. “Brother Xiao Ma—do you know how heartbroken the Boss was when you were presumed dead?” He leaned in and murmured at Xiao Ma’s ear, “I went to Thailand to find him. He was covered in wounds, weeping as he told me yo were gone. Can you imagine how weak and grief-stricken he looked?”
Xiao Ma’s ears flushed red; guilt and pain surfaced in his eyes. For a moment, he was rendered speechless.
He Chu San straightened and addressed the room. “Regarding Qin Hao—no one is to act on their own! During this period, all of you will watch your words and actions carefully. There will be no conflict with the police. Understood?”
A few scattered responses answered him.
He Chu San’s expression hardened, a formidable aura rising without anger yet full of authority. “I will say it once more—understood?”
“Understood! Acting Hall Master!” the crowd replied loudly in unison.
“Good. Dismissed.”
……
Xiao Ma escorted the two elders out. One by one, the others left the meeting room as well. Kevin paused at the door to instruct the guards outside, then shut the broken door behind him and returned to He Chu San’s side.
“You’ve worked hard, Mr. He.”
Having concluded the fierce struggle for power, He Chu San finally allowed himself a breath, leaning back wearily in his chair. “I expected Black Chicken would support me, and that the elders would be brought in. But of all my calculations—I did not foresee that Brother Xiao Ma would still be alive.”
“Shall I remove him for you, Mr. He?”
He Chu San could not help but laugh, reaching out to smack him lightly on the forehead. “What nonsense are you thinking? Brother Xiao Ma being alive—I couldn’t be happier. Haven’t I told you? Since you follow me, you are no longer a thug. Learn to change your way of thinking. If all you know is killing and fighting, do you want to be locked up to ‘reflect’ as well?”
Kevin rubbed his forehead sheepishly, smiling.
He Chu San gave a wry smile. “His return is good. We’ll adapt to the situation. The role I originally prepared for Tiger Head—let him take it instead.”
He leaned back, silently calculating for a while. Noticing Kevin standing still, he turned his head—only to find him still rubbing his forehead, lost in thought.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, Mr. He.”
“Pull yourself together. The real play begins now. Arrange a meeting with Master Qiao tonight.”
“Yes, Mr. He.”
……
He Chu San arranged to meet Master Qiao aboard Xia Liu Yi’s yacht.
The deck’s small bar, sofas, and bikini-clad beauties had all been cleared away. In their place stood a refined Western dining table, elegant and pristine. A lamp fashioned like a candle cast a warm golden glow. The waiter—a quiet, handsome young man in a tailcoat—approached with a tray in one hand, smiling as he bowed and placed two plates of appetizers. Everything appeared orderly and refined.
Master Qiao glanced around with a half-smile. “Brother He truly is a man of culture—quite different from Xia Liu Yi’s usual style!”
“You flatter me, Brother Qiao,” He Chu San replied. “The chef is the same as before. I’ve heard you are fond of this foie gras?”
“Haha! You know me well! Ah—but I shouldn’t call you Brother He anymore. From today on, it should be Hall Master He! Come, come—I’ve brought a bottle of fine wine specially to congratulate your rise to Dragon Head!”
“I dare not accept such praise—only Acting Hall Master.”
“Ah, Acting or not—we both know it’s the same! Hahaha!”
Master Qiao beckoned, and a guard presented a finely packaged bottle of red wine. He showed it off proudly. “A ’62 Lafite! Twenty years older than an ’82! I had it bought from a French auction house! How’s that—impressive, eh?”
He Chu San smiled faintly. “Thank you, Brother Qiao. You are too kind.”
Master Qiao waved for the waiter to open the wine. As they chatted idly, the wine was poured. He lifted his glass with feigned elegance, took a sip—
“Pff—!” He spat it all over the table.
He Chu San quietly leaned back, wiping his face with a napkin, inwardly wishing he could shove this crude, filthy underworld boss into the sea for a thorough washing.
Master Qiao dragged over his guard and unleashed a torrent of curses, slapping and kicking him. “What bullshit ’62 Lafite?! Wasting my damn money!” Even as He Chu San tried to intervene, Master Qiao suddenly grabbed the table lamp and smashed it viciously into the guard’s head.
The guard screamed and collapsed, blood splattering onto He Chu San’s trousers. Master Qiao seized the man’s bloodied head and slammed it onto the table—his mangled face crashing straight into He Chu San’s plate.
At once, He Chu San understood—it was a display of dominance. He shut his mouth and said nothing more.
Only after beating the guard half to death did Master Qiao stop, ordering him dragged away. Sitting down again, he wiped the blood from his hands with a napkin. “Brother He—disciplining my servants didn’t frighten you, did it?”
“Not at all,” He Chu San said quickly, gesturing for the waiter to clean up. “If servants are disobedient, they should indeed be disciplined.”
He rose, took a fresh tablecloth from the waiter, and personally replaced the cloth and dishes. He ordered two glasses of champagne, offered a few flattering words, and gradually soothed Master Qiao’s temper. Seeing He Chu San pale, cautious, and deferential—like a frail scholar—Master Qiao grew inwardly smug.
The two resumed their meal in harmony, exchanging secrets of the jianghu and trends in politics and commerce. He Chu San put his expertise to work, speaking eloquently on the future of finance. By the end of the meal, he had secured a deal worth thirty million Hong Kong dollars from Master Qiao.
Afterward, he invited him below deck. The room that once housed the “Brazilian electric bed” had been converted into a meeting chamber, furnished with sofas and a small table.
He placed a stack of contracts before Master Qiao, explaining each clause in detail. Enchanted by his words, Master Qiao nearly signed—only for a moment of clarity to surface at the last instant.
“Rest assured, Brother Qiao,” He Chu San pressed gently, “I’m right here—I can’t exactly dive into the sea and escape. Whether your money reaches its destination will be clear in three days. If anything goes wrong, you may come to me—kill or flay me as you please.”
Master Qiao looked at him. The man before him was handsome and composed, gentle and sincere, his gaze earnest—like a trustworthy merchant who would cheat neither young nor old. According to Kevin’s report, He Chu San was but a young scholar—clever perhaps, but lacking strength, without troops or backing, under pressure from the police and opposed within the gang. He had no choice but to cling to Master Qiao. What daring would he have to play tricks?
Master Qiao’s head heated—he signed.
He Chu San carefully stored the contract, smiling as he shook his hand. “Thank you for your trust, Brother Qiao.”
……
Late at night, the yacht returned to harbor. He Chu San personally stood at the bow, helping Master Qiao disembark. With both hands, he respectfully presented his cane, then took two bulging leather cases from a guard and placed them into Master Qiao’s arms.
“What’s this?” Master Qiao asked.
Lowering his voice, He Chu San said, “A token of filial respect for ‘that gentleman.’ I must trouble you to deliver it.”
Master Qiao feigned ignorance. “Which gentleman?”
He Chu San did not indulge the act. Smiling faintly, he leaned close and spoke plainly into his ear. “Each case contains two hundred thousand US dollars. One is an offering for him; the other is your fee for the trouble, Brother Qiao. I entered this trade late and have not yet had the chance to pay my respects. I ask you to make an introduction and put in a good word for me. If I am fortunate enough to meet him in person and receive his guidance, I have another two hundred thousand US dollars to repay you.”
Master Qiao fell silent.
He Chu San draped an arm over his shoulder and said softly, “Tell him this—I wish to do a grand transaction with him… one he would surely wish to complete before his retirement.”
Futile Devices Scans 
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