Chapter 17: Fortunately, I Was Well Prepared

"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat..."

The rapid-fire sound of a machine gun, as dense as a string of firecrackers, erupted in the night. Nearby, in a police cruiser, Chief Inspector Wong of the Anti-Triad Unit jumped up, his head slamming against the roof with a loud thud. Ignoring the pain, he shouted, "Move!"

"Damn it! It's just a street fight, how the hell do they have a machine gun?"

The police convoy accelerated, covering the hundred meters in an instant. The street was littered with bedraggled hoodlums—some stood there in a daze, some lay on the ground, and others sat or sprawled along the curb. In the distance, the taillights of two cars were rapidly vanishing.

Inspector Wong let out a sigh of relief, seeing that the scene wasn't as bloody as he had feared. But then, a "tat-tat-tat" sound of firecrackers coming from a metal trash can made the veins in his temple throb. Damn it, he’d been played!

"Make arrests!" he roared into his radio. He was about to push the door open and step out when he suddenly froze, one leg already outside. He frowned. "Wait, something's wrong."

Back where they had just driven past, he thought he’d seen a man standing on the corner.

It was the middle of the night; there were few people out, and with a gang war raging just a few dozen meters away, anyone present would either be fleeing or watching the spectacle. Why would someone just be standing there on the sidewalk?

Strange. Very strange.

Strange meant trouble. "Turn around and go back."

"Huh? Oh, right." The officer driving was taken aback, but immediately followed orders. With a sharp reverse and a flick of the wheel, they were back on Carnarvon Road in less than ten seconds.

The police car screeched to a halt beside Wang Yaotang. Inspector Wong and his men stepped out.

"Officer, what's going on?" Wang Yaotang asked with a smile.

Wong walked up to him, checking him out under the glow of the headlights, and raised an eyebrow. "Wo Shing Yee, 'Turkey' Wang Yaotang, right?"

"Officer, Wang Yaotang is correct, but the 'Turkey' part... you're a Royal Hong Kong Police officer, isn't that a bit impolite?" Wang Yaotang pursed his lips, looking annoyed.

Wong sneered and glanced back. His officers took a few steps back as he tilted his head toward the radio on his shoulder. "Detain him and question him. See if he's a grunt from Wo Shing Yee."

"What are you doing standing on the street in the middle of the night?"

"Officer, the Qing Dynasty ended a long time ago. There’s no curfew anymore."

Wong Bing-yiu’s mouth twitched. He’d seen plenty of hoodlums, but this was the first one with such a sharp tongue. If he hadn't been quick-witted, he might not have caught the insult—he was essentially calling him a royal lackey.

"Wang Yaotang, the most prominent rookie in Wo Shing Yee lately. Started out selling erotic clothing, with close ties to gangs like the Sun Yee On and the 14K. The underworld calls you 'Turkey.' I’m not wrong, am I, Brother Turkey?"

"What do you mean by 'erotic clothing'? Who defines that? Your mother, Inspector Wong?" Wang Yaotang spread his hands.

"How dare you insult me!" Wong’s eyes widened, and he reached out to grab Wang by the collar.

"I’m just saying, the Chinese language is vast and profound. You heard it wrong; it was a question. Do you want me to write it down for you?" Wang Yaotang took two steps back. "What’s wrong with selling clothes? Which Hong Kong law forbids me from selling apparel? As a Royal Hong Kong Police officer, you represent the British government. If you mock us working-class people, then it’s the British government mocking us."

For the first time, Wong Bing-yiu realized he couldn't win a verbal sparring match against a gangster. "Now, in the name of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, I suspect you of leading the gang fight that just occurred. You’re coming with us to assist in the investigation."

"Arrest him!"

"I don't think you can," Wang Yaotang said, clapping his hands and giving a thumbs-up. "Good thing I was prepared!"

With that, he pulled a Sony Walkman, just released last year, out of his pocket. It was currently recording.

The officers stopped in their tracks, looking at their superior.

Wong Bing-yiu was truly at a loss. He had never seen a gangster carry a recording device before.

He refused to give up. "Even if you brought a video camera, I’m still taking you in!"

"Wait! Hold your fire!" a voice shouted from behind.

Damn it, Wong jumped, startled. He looked over to see a man jogging over from an alley seven or eight meters away, carrying something in his hand.

"Greetings, officer. Allow me to introduce myself: Sang Yunkai, a professional lawyer at the Jiang Zhizhen Law Firm. This Mr. Wang Yaotang is my client. May I ask what the police want with him?" Sang Yunkai caught his breath before speaking with a serious expression.

Wong didn't speak; he just stared at the small handheld video camera in Sang’s hand. *No way. Are you people actually prepared for this?*

Sang Yunkai naturally noticed Wong's gaze. "I have been filming my client for the last ten minutes. I happened to capture the moment your vehicle drove past, as well as the moment you returned to intercept my client. This footage can prove that Mr. Wang Yaotang had nothing to do with the gang fight."

Wang Yaotang beamed. "Inspector Wong, the power the law grants the police is meant to maintain social order and ensure a stable, harmonious life for Hong Kong's five million citizens—not for you to abuse your authority and harass the public."

"Power needs to be kept in a cage."

*Colonial police are so soft,* he thought. *If this were... the Great America, they'd just pin you to the ground with a knee!*

"Wang Yaotang, fine, fine. I’ll remember you!" Wong gave him a long, hard look, then turned and walked toward the crime scene without getting back into the car.

Wang Yaotang let out a silent breath of relief. In truth, it wasn't the police he was worried about. He hadn't joined the fight because he was afraid the "Old Bones" would arrange for someone to take him out in the chaos. The recording was to protect himself from the Old Bones' men; with evidence in hand, he could immediately go to the Godfather to demand justice. Bringing Sang Yunkai along was a last resort; none of his own people knew how to use a video camera—Sang had borrowed it from a colleague. The flashlight signals had been for the police, partly to help A-Jie and A-Ji escape, and partly as a contingency.

"Thanks," Wang Yaotang patted Sang Yunkai on the shoulder.

"Don't mention it. Just settle the bill later. And like I said, don't come to me for the clothing copyright registration next time," Sang Yunkai said with a smile.

"Don't worry about it. Come on, let's go take a look." Wang Yaotang followed after Wong Bing-yiu.

"Hey," Sang Yunkai called out from behind. "When the new stock comes in, uh... you know."

"OK, we're all men. Why let a good thing go to waste while you're young, only to regret it when you're old and decrepit? Send me your address later," Wang Yaotang chuckled.

"Damn," Sang Yunkai laughed and followed behind him.

No wonder so many people liked to handle business at night; the darkness made everything more convenient.

"Inspector Wong! Inspector Wong!" Wang Yaotang caught up after a few steps. "Wait."

Wong stopped and turned, staring daggers at Wang.

"Inspector Wong, if I told you that everything I prepared wasn't meant for the police, would you believe me?" Wang Yaotang smiled and spread his hands.

"I could classify your behavior right now as provoking the police."

"Can't there be any basic trust between people?" Wang Yaotang looked helpless. "I have always believed that social order requires cooperation between the police and the public. You know, I make my money through legitimate business, and I also need a stable and peaceful environment."

Wong looked at him deeply but said nothing, continuing toward the scene.

Wang Yaotang followed behind. That was enough; he couldn't expect a high-ranking Inspector to apologize to him.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the system notifications.

[You have achieved a glorious victory.]

[Due to your heroic performance in the battle, your reputation has spread in a small circle. Reputation +80.]

[Current Reputation: 235/435 (Newcomer to the Underworld)]

Not bad, not bad. He could afford two more Level 1 skills now; he’d have to find time to spend those points. Besides, Tong Xin He was barely worth the "Big Four" name, but they had at least provided a decent amount of reputation.