SA 17.1

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. God, you’re so fucking naggy! I’m already on my way back to Hongyun from the airport!” Ye Jingsheng muttered, digging at his ear impatiently. “You’re such a fucking busybody, Aunt Fang!”

Fang Yang, both annoyed and amused, retorted, “You’re such a damn loose cannon. The second you go crazy, shit spirals out of control. I’m not around, and God knows what kind of hell you’ll unleash on Hong Kong. And Chen Chen’s safety. You absolutely need to—don’t hang up! I’m not finished!”

Ye Jingsheng rolled his eyes so hard they almost got stuck. “One last sentence. Make it quick.”

“…I miss you.”

Goosebumps erupted all over Ye Jingsheng’s body. He regretted not hanging up immediately. For fuck’s sake, he’d only been in Thailand for three days. What the hell was there to miss?

Fang Yang’s boisterous laughter echoed through the phone. “Just messing with you. Has Ye Ling left?”

“Yeah, just sent them through the gate. They should be gone by now… I didn’t assign anyone to follow them. He hates that shit. I’ve got a friend watching out for him, nothing will happen.”

“How’s the situation now?”

“On the fucking edge,” Ye Jingsheng sneered. “If you can handle those big-shot assholes in Thailand, even with Zhong Qinglin having the Japs backing him, he won’t be able to bounce back after this.”

Zhong Qinglin had been in the game for decades, with connections as tangled as a spider’s web. To completely take him down, they’d have to sever all his support and back him into a corner until he suffocated. When it came to local power, those splinter factions that broke away from Hongyun couldn’t even hold a candle to the main organization.

“Got it. Things over here are still tricky. I’m afraid I won’t be able to come back anytime soon. Hong Kong is yours to handle for now,” Fang Yang said, pausing slightly. “This time, there’s likely to be heavy casualties. The cops won’t sit this one out. Be ready.”

“Cut the crap, Fang Yang,” Ye Jingsheng barked, leaning back in his seat as he let out an exaggerated sigh. “You think I give a fuck about casualties? It’s not my ass on the line. I just light the fire and let you put it out.”

Fang Yang’s voice remained steady, but there was a sharpness to it. “Jingsheng, don’t forget—this isn’t just about you blowing off steam. If Hongyun goes under, none of us will walk away unscathed.”

Ye Jingsheng let out a low chuckle, dark and mocking. “Don’t lecture me, Aunt Fang. I’ve been cleaning up messes since before you learned to walk in those fancy shoes of yours. Worry about your end, leave Hong Kong to me.”

He hung up without waiting for a response, tossing his phone onto the passenger seat with a smirk. Fang Yang always liked to play the calm, calculating one, but when shit hit the fan, he was the first to call for backup. Typical.

As the city lights of Hong Kong blurred past, Ye Jingsheng lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag before exhaling slowly. His thoughts drifted back to Ye Ling, safely out of the city, away from the chaos. That was one less thing to worry about. Now, all that was left was the bloodbath waiting to unfold.

—–

“Should we deploy reinforcements from headquarters? Once they start fighting, it’s bound to cause public panic.”

Pei Jun slowly shook his head. “…Not for now.”

“But—”

“The Hong Kong Police Department has been far too wary of WUP. It’s time they learned a lesson about who really holds the power in these matters.” Pei Jun leaned back in his chair, his voice calm but heavy. “They’ll cling to their authority, throwing their weight around wherever they can, until they’re forced to suffer a little. Sometimes, you have to let things escalate to make room for negotiation.”

His eyes lifted slightly, the weight of his words sinking in. “Besides, this situation… isn’t as simple as it seems.”

Ye Jingsheng, it’s about time you learned your lesson.

—-

January 2

Both sides entered lockdown across their respective strongholds in Hong Kong. Every man was assembled and ready for action. Over half the bars and clubs in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon ceased operations.

January 3 – 2:00 AM

From the executive office on the top floor of Hongyun’s headquarters, Ye Jingsheng gazed down at the city lights below. The flickering neon signs and streetlamps seemed nothing more than a string of insignificant points beneath his feet. Tonight, he thought, would either bring unparalleled glory or utter ruin.

Tonight, no one would sleep peacefully.

In a fleeting moment, his mind drifted back to a year ago. It was as if his first encounter with Fang Yang had taken place right here. Over a watch, no less. Disguising himself to infiltrate, playing cat and mouse, scheming every step of the way. Fang Yang had laid his trap, and Ye Jingsheng had taken the bait; both were determined to outwit and outmaneuver each other.

Who could have imagined it would come to this?

Ye Jingsheng turned back to his desk, reaching for that very watch, when the phone suddenly rang.

Not an internal line? His brow furrowed as he picked up the receiver, his expression sharpening the moment he heard the voice on the other end.

“Ye Jingsheng. It’s me.”

“What’s this? Boss Zhong has the time and energy to call me for a chat?”

“Ye Jingsheng, I’ve always considered us to have no personal grudges. Why must you stick your nose into the mess between me and Chen Chen?”

Ye Jingsheng laughed out loud, his voice dripping with mockery. “Don’t you think it’s a bit too late to talk about that now?”

“Jingsheng, I’m here to negotiate terms. With Fang Yang out of Hong Kong, if you back off and switch sides, Chen Chen won’t be able to hold the situation on his own. The chaos will spiral out of control, and when that happens, we split the territory between us. Fang Yang will have no home to return to, left to regret it for the rest of his life.”

“Sounds like an interesting proposition.”

“I know you’re a smart man, someone unwilling to settle for mediocrity. If you wanted me dead, you’d have handed that watch to the cops long ago.”

Ye Jingsheng’s voice turned icy, the grin fading from his face. “You don’t get it, do you? I’m here to play big. What’s the fun in letting the cops take you out? I want to see whose life is tougher—yours or mine.”

“What are you saying?”

“Zhong Qinglin, let me make this clear—” Ye Jingsheng’s voice suddenly exploded in a roar. “Don’t you dare spout bullshit with me! The only way I’ll turn traitor is over my dead body! You’ve got the guts? Let’s settle this head-on, one on one!”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, followed by a hoarse laugh. “Watanabe was right, common tactics won’t work against you.”

Ye Jingsheng’s brows furrowed tightly, and a sharp pain stabbed at his chest like a vice gripping his heart.

“Ye Ling is in my hands.”

3:40 AM

Xioa Jie jumped off his motorcycle, grabbing Hei Pi by the collar. “Where’s Ah Sheng? Where’s Ye Jingsheng?”

“He just left—suddenly.”

“Where did he go? Did he say anything?”

“How the hell would I know?” Hei Pi grumbled, frustrated. “He didn’t look good. I didn’t dare ask! Right now, he insists on heading out alone—everyone’s scared something’s going to happen. I was just about to check with Chen Chen—”

“No! Don’t ask him!” Xiao Jie shouted, his face filled with panic. “We need to find him right now! Ah Sheng—Ah Sheng is in danger!”

Everyone’s expressions darkened in unison.

4:13 AM

“What do you want?”

Ye Jingsheng stepped into the dimly lit warehouse at the agreed meeting spot. Zhong Qinglin stood surrounded by his men—not fully armed, but Ye Jingsheng wasn’t naive. He knew the slightest wrong move would have him staring down the barrels of dozens of guns.

“What I want, I’ve already told you over the phone.”

Zhong Qinglin’s voice was calm but sharp, every word carrying weight.

Ye Jingsheng sat down leisurely across from him, exuding an air of unshakable confidence. “It’s impossible. Even if I help you and we gain the upper hand temporarily, do you really have what it takes to take out Fang Yang and Chen Chen in one go? You know as well as I do that relying on those Japanese bastards is a double-edged sword. Easy to bring them in, impossible to get rid of them. Betraying Hongyun? That’s not something I’ll do.”

“It’s said that Ye Jingsheng loves his brother more than life itself, but it seems that’s nothing more than empty talk.”

Ye Jingsheng’s face darkened slightly, but he knew better than anyone that the biggest taboo at the negotiating table was losing your composure. “I came here alone, leaving hundreds of my brothers on standby. Without my word, they won’t make a single move against you. Isn’t that sincerity enough? But there are some lines, Zhong Qinglin, that I won’t cross. Not even if you kill me.”

“Ye Jingsheng, let’s be real. You’re nothing more than a mercenary. Whoever pays you, you work for them. Why are you so dead set on standing with Fang Yang and Chen Chen?”

“Boss Zhong, there are things you wouldn’t understand, even if I explained them.” Ye Jingsheng’s tone was calm, almost dismissive. “For me, there’s only one word that matters in the underworld: loyalty.”

“Are you trying to lecture me?”

“Given my current position, what’s the point of lecturing anyone?” Ye Jingsheng replied coldly. “I’m just giving you the best advice you’ll ever get. Call off today’s fight, and I’ll let you walk away.”

“Ye Jingsheng, you’re too fucking arrogant! Do you believe I won’t kill Ye Ling?!”

“Then you’ll die an even more miserable death!” Ye Jingsheng retorted coldly. “And I’m not just making empty threats. If I were you, looking at the situation today, I’d leave Hong Kong. At least start fresh and build your own base elsewhere.”

Zhong Qinglin’s face flickered through a myriad of expressions before he exhaled slowly. “I want that watch. As long as it’s out there, I can’t sleep at night.”