Late into the night, Xie Jia Hua returned home.
The living room lights were still on. Lu Guang Ming sat cross-legged on the sofa, idly toying with a small woven grass shark. “Have you eaten? I saved you a few char siu buns.”
“I have.”
Lu Guang Ming hopped up and carried the plate of buns from the table into the fridge. “I even did your laundry—hurry and thank me.”
Xie Jia Hua glanced toward the balcony. Several coats hung there, along with two pairs of underwear swaying in the wind. His eyelids twitched repeatedly. “…Thank you.”
“What’s this?” Lu Guang Ming bounced back to the sofa, lifting the little shark. “I found it in your clothes.”
Xie Jia Hua had already gone into the bathroom to shower. “Bought it for you.”
“What?”
“—shaa—shaa—”
Using the sound of running water to feign deafness, he thought to evade the question—but Lu Guang Ming simply pushed open the door and stood there brazenly, shaking the little shark. “Bought for who?”
Xie Jia Hua turned his bare back to him, ignoring him outright.
Lu Guang Ming darted straight under the spray, pinched his backside, and grinned. “Inspector Xie, for who, huh?”
You’ve got a death wish?!
Inspector Xie spun around, slammed him against the wall, stripped off his soaked clothes, and promptly took care of him. Lu Guang Ming struggled and laughed at the same time, crescent-shaped eyes glittering with mischief.
The two made a tempest of chaos in the bathroom for a good while. In the end, Lu Guang Ming—bare as the day he was born—was tossed onto the bed by Xie Jia Hua. Still brimming with energy, he lay on his stomach, playing with the little shark, making it “swim” across the blanket.
“Sleep!” Xie Jia Hua snatched the shark, set it by the bedside, and turned off the light.
Lu Guang Ming grinned and snuggled close. “Where did you buy it? What made you think of getting this?”
“Do you like it?”
“I do.”
“Good. It’s for coaxing children.”
Lu Guang Ming’s skin was thicker than city walls. Swinging a leg over, he straddled him. “Then I’m going to report you—violating the law knowingly, as a public officer, molesting a minor.”
“Isn’t it you molesting me right now?” Xie Jia Hua pointed out their position.
“This is called assaulting a police officer.” Lu Guang Ming laughed, pulling the blanket over them both as he launched his “assault” without restraint.
……
Outside, the moon sank and dawn rose. When the first sliver of morning light touched the corner of the bed, Lu Guang Ming opened his eyes to the slow, steady breathing of Xie Jia Hua.
Carefully, he lifted the arm draped around his waist and slipped free from his embrace.
Barefoot, he moved silently out of the bedroom, washed up in the bathroom, then took a set of clothes from the balcony rack and dressed.
After putting on his shoes, he suddenly remembered something. Tiptoeing back into the bedroom, he reached for the little shark.
The moment his fingers touched its tail—
“If it’s something dangerous, don’t go.”
Lu Guang Ming froze, caught in the act. Then, as if nothing had happened, he slipped the shark into his pocket. “If Inspector Xie encounters danger while handling a case… would he think the same?”
“……”
Xie Jia Hua fell silent.
Seizing the moment, Lu Guang Ming bolted for the door—but was caught in the entryway. With a cold expression, Xie Jia Hua pinned him against the wall in a sharp wall slam, startling him into shrinking like a startled squirrel.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
Xie Jia Hua removed the Tang Jia Qi memorial tablet pendant he never parted with and placed it around Lu Guang Ming’s neck, then adjusted his tie.
“Be careful.”
Lu Guang Ming lowered his gaze, fingers brushing the tablet. His expression flickered, unfocused.
If I told you…
—I’m going to arrest your father.
Xie Jia Hua watched him intently.
But Lu Guang Ming’s lips trembled… and in the end, he said nothing.
He shoved past him and rushed out, darting into the elevator. With his back to Xie Jia Hua, waiting for it to descend, he secretly wiped at his eyes.
……
A few hours later, Lu Guang Ming laid a thick stack of fresh documents on his superior, Chief Investigator Xu’s desk—along with a pair of cufflinks.
From within the cufflinks, he extracted a miniature listening device and played the recording.
“This place used to be called Dan Jia Village… these fishermen were known as Dan People…”
“Useless. Dispose of him.”
“Pa—! Bang!” “Boss!—ugh… haah…”
“How much do you need?”
Chief Investigator Xu listened in silence.
Lu Guang Ming produced several more audio files. “And these—partial conversations between He Chu San and Xie Ying Jie’s agent, as well as with the He Yi Society ‘Dragon Head’ Qiao Chun An.”
Chief Investigator Xu reviewed everything carefully, then asked, “When will He Chu San make his move?”
“Within two days. He’ll be with the agent. Once Xie Ying Jie’s massive funds enter the market, we can freeze the accounts and arrest the traders, the agent, Qiao Chun An—and Xie Ying Jie himself. With the first three, plus He Chu San’s testimony, the funds, these recordings, and documents—we’ll have a complete chain of evidence. This time, he won’t escape even with wings!”
Chief Investigator Xu pondered. “I’ve spoken briefly with the Boss. He wants us to wait until he returns—this is too significant. He’s at a conference in London. He won’t be back until next month.”
“We can’t wait that long!” Lu Guang Ming burst out. “If Xie Ying Jie senses anything, He Chu San could lose his life at any moment—and he himself might flee abroad! We only have one chance—one instant to catch him!”
He tore the pendant from his neck and slammed it onto the desk.
“Do you remember this man?!” he demanded. “He was my teacher’s student—once a member of the ICAC! He gave his life to arrest this man! How many more must we sacrifice?!”
Chief Investigator Xu was silent for a long moment.
“…Very well. I’ll take responsibility. I answer to the Boss.”
Lu Guang Ming clenched the pendant tightly. “Thank you.”
……
Two days later. Early morning.
On the secluded hillside of Lamma Island, a small village house.
Xiao Ma yawned as he pushed open the door, heading into the yard to pick vegetables for breakfast beef brisket noodles. A’Nan and A’Mao cleaned around the house.
Upstairs, Cui Dong Dong slept soundly in Xiao Luo’s arms—until Xiao Ma’s scream shattered the quiet.
“What are you yelling about this early?!” Cui Dong Dong shouted irritably.
“Where’s the Boss?!” Xiao Ma grabbed A’Nan and A’Mao by their collars, shaking them wildly as he shouted upstairs, “The Boss ran off again!!”
……
At the same time—
Near Kowloon City pier, outside a modest tenement.
Mr. He set up the sunshade in front of his small provision shop and looked up at the clear sky, streaked with brilliant morning clouds between the high-rises.
“Fine weather today!” he said.
Mrs. Wu dusted the shelves. “Fine weather or not, remember to take your medicine.”
“I will, I will—stop nagging.”
“Xin Xin heading to class?” Mrs. Wu called out.
Dressed in a little skirt with a sketchboard on her back, Xin Xin skipped past like a swallow. “Teacher’s taking us to Sai Kung for sketching today! I won’t be back for dinner!”
“Come home early! Don’t fool around with those foolish boys in your class!” Mr. He shouted.
“Got it! You nag too much!”
……
In a quiet alley near Temple Street, inside a battered van marked “XX Logistics Company,” Xie Jia Hua and several subordinates had been staking out all night, waiting for a fugitive.
They watched the street while chewing dry bread for breakfast.
The young officer in the driver’s seat dozed off mid-bite—only to be smacked on the head by Xie Jia Hua.
Startled awake, he grabbed his gun instinctively, then blinked in confusion. No suspect—only Xie Jia Hua’s stern, unforgiving face.
“Boss, don’t be so violent,” he grumbled. “How are you supposed to get a girlfriend like this? No wonder you’ve been single all these years…”
“Who says?” another officer laughed. “Boss already has one! Been spotting love bites on his neck lately!”
The whole van erupted.
“Whoa—!!” “Our Boss? Who’d dare bite him?” “Must be wild—probably much younger! The Boss dotes on them—old bull eating young grass!”
Xie Jia Hua’s face darkened. He rose and delivered a flurry of knocks, sending his subordinates scrambling.
“Ah! The iceberg is collapsing!”
“Spare us, Boss—!”
“The suspect’s out!”
……
Central District, outside the Hong Kong Exchange Square.
Half an hour before the morning trading session, crowds had already gathered before the large display boards.
Well-dressed traders filed into the hall. Computer screens flickered to life. The central display began to glow.
……
Near the Wan Chai Convention and Exhibition Centre, in a standalone office building overlooking the sea—
He Chu San splashed water over his face, then looked into the mirror. His features were damp, his eyes as deep and dark as a bottomless pool.
He wiped himself clean, straightened his tie and fringe, and strode out.
The company’s regular staff had all been given leave today.
In the empty hall stood Kevin and several managers, watching a television broadcasting financial news—the host reviewing yesterday’s closing figures and today’s forecasts.
As He Chu San approached, they greeted him in unison.
“Mr. He.”
“Attend to your duties. Whoever arrives later—pretend you saw nothing.”
“Yes, sir!”
From the corridor came the distant ding of an elevator.
The doors slid open.
The Old Shopkeeper’s agent entered, collar raised to conceal his face—followed by several bodyguards clad in black sunglasses, black masks, and black gloves.
Futile Devices Scans 
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