Chapter Six: Fate Decides Life and Death, Wealth Lies in Heaven
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Yang Sheng followed his younger brothers into the inner hall of the headquarters. Seeing the shattered tea cups still littering the floor and the heavy atmosphere, he immediately had an inkling of what was going on.
“Old Chief, Uncle Qiang, Uncle Wen, Brother Wei,” he greeted each one in turn.
The seated leader, Uncle Chang, gave a slight nod and said, “Yang Sheng, you’ve only been with our Hongsheng Union for a few months, but since you’ve undergone the initiation ceremony, you are officially one of our disciples.”
Yang Sheng nodded. “One day in the union means one day as a member. Naturally, I count as a disciple of Hongsheng.”
Chang suddenly sighed. “Just now, Luo Rong called asking for you. If I don’t hand you over, he threatens to raid our headquarters. It’s simply too much to bear!
You’ve said it yourself: one day in Hongsheng means you’re one of us. As the leader here, how could I bear to hand over my own disciple?”
Di Wei snorted from the side, “Old Chief, you’re not just Yang Sheng’s leader, but the head of the entire Hongsheng Union! Thousands of little brothers rely on you for food and work.
If you offend Luo Rong over one Yang Sheng, and our place gets raided, what do you expect everyone to do?
Yang Sheng is acting reckless, thinking his fighting skills make him untouchable. You can accept that he beat Ruan Feng, but to kill him with such brutality and then ask the union to clean up his mess?
Troubles you create yourself, you should solve yourself. Dragging the union down for your own problems is unacceptable.”
Uncle Wen cleared his throat. “You can’t say it like that. When a junior stirs up trouble, the elders have to take responsibility.
You represent Hongsheng in the Dragon City Championship, showing our strength. How could we easily hand you over?
Yang Sheng, don’t worry. There’s still hope.
Hongsheng is one of the oldest unions in the whole of Hong Kong, a direct descendant of the authentic Hongmen tradition. Old Chief’s relationship with the previous leader of the Ying Union, Chai Hongtu, is quite good.
If you go to Luo Rong, sincerely apologize and buy drinks to smooth things over, and humble yourself a bit, Luo Rong should spare you out of respect for past ties.”
Yang Sheng watched the three performing their roles with a cold smile in his heart.
Chang was playing the red-faced role, acting as if he was suffering and reluctant to hand over the disciple, preferring to fight Luo Rong instead.
Di Wei was the white-faced villain, pushing all responsibility onto himself, insisting that Yang Sheng must be handed over.
Uncle Wen was the peacemaker, offering a seemingly workable but utterly nonsense solution.
If any other low-level members were fooled by their act, they would first be moved by Chang’s loyalty, then angered at Di Wei’s self-blame, doubting if they had truly caused a big problem for the union, sinking into guilt.
Finally, hearing Uncle Wen’s plan, they would see it as the last hope and best option, then humbly go to apologize to Luo Rong, bearing shame to protect the union.
The outcome would be only one: being taken out to the open sea and drowned by Luo Rong.
Luo Rong didn’t even respect Chai Jiu, the seated leader of the Ying Union, so how could he care about the dignity of a deceased predecessor?
This way, it wouldn’t be Hongsheng handing over their own, but Yang Sheng voluntarily going to Luo Rong to avoid causing trouble for the union, saving Hongsheng from disgrace.
Yang Sheng coldly regarded the four present, calculating silently.
The reputations of the three elders and Di Wei were all rather poor.
Right now, they still cared about their reputation and didn’t want to hand him over directly, so they were putting on a show to fool him.
If he didn’t fall for it, their trick could easily turn into force.
Suddenly, Yang Sheng smiled and said,
“Old Chief, I think Brother Wei makes a good point. This is indeed a problem I’ve brought upon the union.
Troubles I make, I will solve myself. There’s absolutely no reason for the union to clean up after me.”
Hearing this, Chang and the others were stunned.
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Has this kid lost his mind? Can’t he even understand simple words?
Yang Sheng’s unorthodox approach instantly silenced the words Chang and the others had prepared.
Yang Sheng’s voice was deep: “In the Dragon City Championship, everyone signed a death pact.
Victory depends on man, life depends on heaven!
It’s Luo Rong who can’t accept defeat and breaks the rules. Why should Hongsheng hand him over? Why should I bow and apologize to him?
If Luo Rong wants to raid our turf, I’ll raid his first! Send him off to sell salted eggs!”
Everyone present was stunned for a few seconds. Di Wei sneered first, “Are you crazy? What do you have to raid Luo Rong’s turf?
Luo Rong is the strongest enforcer in the Ying Union, controlling the lucrative districts of Yau Tsim Mong. He has three to four thousand underlings—more than Hongsheng!
You only killed one Vietnamese tiger, Ruan Feng. He still has Yao Hui, one of the Ying Union’s three tigers!”
Yang Sheng narrowed his eyes. “Exactly because no one expected me to strike Luo Rong’s turf do I have a chance!
He may have three to four thousand underlings, but they’re all guarding Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mong Kok’s various spots. How many are actually beside him?
On the ring, I could kill Ruan Feng. Naturally, I can kill Yao Hui too!
Old Chief, this time we are in the right. Raiding Luo Rong’s turf is only just!”
A low-level member threatening to wipe out the Ying Union’s strongest enforcer Luo Rong sounded like a joke, yet the words carried a hint of possibility.
Uncle Wen even forgot to refute, frowning: “Even if you can raid Luo Rong’s turf, what about Ying Union’s retaliation?”
Yang Sheng calmly replied, “Luo Rong’s arrogance is because of his power, but he’s already fallen out with Chai Jiu, the seated leader of Ying Union.
After raiding Luo Rong’s turf, I will personally meet Chai Jiu to explain this is a personal feud between Luo Rong and me, unrelated to Hongsheng or Ying Union.
If I send Luo Rong off to sell salted eggs, Chai Jiu might even thank me for cleaning house.”
Di Wei sneered, “Sounds good. But what if you lose?”
Yang Sheng replied indifferently, “If I lose, I die. The union can expel me and say this is a personal feud. Luo Rong won’t have any excuse to trouble the union.”
He then looked at Uncle Chang and said gravely, “Old Chief, if you give me a few capable brothers to help, if I win, Hongsheng will rise in glory, and no one will dare call us a sunset union again.
If I lose, I’ll bear this with my life—no trouble for the union.”
Uncle Chang took a deep breath, exchanged glances with Fisher Qiang and Huang Wen, and finally nodded.
Since they couldn’t fool Yang Sheng, better let him take a gamble.
Otherwise, forcibly subduing him here and handing over their own would truly disgrace Hongsheng.
“Yang Sheng, it’s not that the union doesn’t support you, but the union has its own difficulties.
I can’t directly give you men, but here’s 300,000 Hong Kong dollars. Take it and recruit capable men within the headquarters.
Life and death are destined. Wealth and honor are heaven’s will.
Whether you survive this depends on yourself.”
Yang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “Thank you, Old Chief.”
Though Uncle Chang didn’t provide men, the 300,000 was enough.
In the late 1970s, a police officer’s monthly salary was just over a thousand dollars, and gang members barely made a few hundred.
So 30 to 40 thousand was enough to buy a life and sufficiently fund Yang Sheng to find a few tough brothers to risk it all.
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Luo Rong himself came from the White Paper Fan faction and wasn’t much of a fighter, so he had many bodyguards.
Yang Sheng had to kill Luo Rong quickly to avoid getting caught in a chaotic battle, so he needed a few men to hold off the others briefly.
Di Wei sneered and turned to leave.
Since the Old Chief had made his decision, he could say no more. After all, the 300,000 wasn’t his money.
But he already foresaw how Yang Sheng would die tonight.
Uncle Chang ordered the call out and nearly two hundred brothers gathered at the entrance.
Hongsheng didn’t have many members; formally initiated brothers numbered just over a thousand.
Those gathered inside were the more capable fighters, not just guards, and received a monthly wage.
The many brothers whispered among themselves, wondering why the Old Chief called them all out so late at night.
When Yang Sheng emerged, whispers broke out again.
Yang Sheng was not well-known in Hongsheng, having joined only a few months ago.
But the brothers who had fought with him in the Dragon City Championship had already spread the news.
Most inside knew now: this low-level member had killed Ruan Feng, the Ying Union’s Double Flower Red Stick, on the ring, quite the feat.
“Everyone!”
Yang Sheng’s voice was low but clear, silencing the murmurs instantly.
“Earlier in the Dragon City ring, I killed the Ying Union’s Double Flower Red Stick, Ruan Feng.
On the ring, victory depends on man, life on heaven!
But Luo Rong can’t accept defeat and threatens us off the ring, demanding I be handed over.
Luo Rong is arrogant and formidable!
But is Hongsheng really a sunset union? Are we really just mud to be molded?!”
He kicked over a box beside him, spilling 300,000 Hong Kong dollars.
“Here’s 300,000. I need just five men!
Come with me to cut down Luo Rong and make a name in the Jianghu!
Life and death are fate, wealth and honor heaven’s decree!
From now on, Hongsheng will never be a sunset union, and you will no longer be nameless bottom-tier scum!”
Those involved in gangs mostly came from society’s bottom, illiterate and backgroundless young rascals, most easily stirred by such passionate words.
Yang Sheng’s persuasive speech and the cash made them envious and eager, though no one dared be the first to step forward.
Then, Gui Lao Wen stepped forward, wearing a roguish smile: “Count me in. Big wealth? I’m tempted too.”
Seeing Gui Lao Wen lead, over ten others stepped forward, eager to try.
Yang Sheng glanced at Gui Lao Wen, unsure what he was thinking.
He was Uncle Wen’s subordinate, and Uncle Wen controlled Hongsheng’s finances, so Gui Lao Wen shouldn’t be short of money.
Moreover, this guy didn’t seem like the type easily swayed by words—perhaps he just had an itch to fight?