Transcending Boundaries: Journey to the Infinite

Untitled Part 11

Midnight (Part Two)

"Please, have some tea!"

In the private room on the third floor, the other three elderly men also raised their cups.

Each took a small sip of tea and then set their cups down.

The elderly man in the Tang suit, who had just poured tea for everyone, also sat back down. His slightly cloudy eyes swept over the three men at the table. With his rough fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop, he spoke calmly, "It's been a while since the four of us sat down for tea. We're getting old. That leg I got shot in back in the day aches badly every time it gets windy or rainy, so I don't like going out much anymore. At this hour, I'd usually be asleep, but with the storm brewing outside lately, I had to call you all over for a face-to-face talk."

"Brother Zuo, for years now, our Jiang, Zhao, Zhou, and Zheng families have shared the same banner, advancing and retreating together. Whatever you need to say, just say it. We're listening," said a robust elderly man wearing a traditional changshan, his voice booming.

"Yes, Brother Zuo, over the years, you've helped us make a name for ourselves and given us and our men plenty to live on. Whatever's going on, just tell us," added another man.

"That's right. If it weren't for you, Brother Zuo, we wouldn't be where we are today. Otherwise, we'd either be rotting in Stanley Prison or long gone," chimed in the other two elderly men, both dressed in oversized suits with neatly combed hair.

"There's no need for more of this talk," the elderly man in the Tang suit said with a slight smile on his wrinkled face before turning serious. "This time, it's different from before. You might not have heard yet, but I've already got word that Fatty Tong from West Kowloon was taken out."

"Fatty Tong is dead too?" The elderly man in the traditional changshan, who looked somewhat hot-tempered, exclaimed in surprise.

"Fatty Tong might not have been on par with our four families, but he was no small fry either. For him to get caught up in something like this..."

"This doesn't seem right!"

The other two men's expressions changed repeatedly upon hearing this news.

The elderly man in the Tang suit nodded slightly, his face solemn. "The first to go was Old Ghost De. You've dealt with him before; he used to distribute goods for us. Then, a few days ago, it was Dao Youcheng. And today, it's Fatty Tong. While their territories weren't big and they weren't major players, three people suddenly dying is bound to cause unrest."

He paused, taking a sip of tea while discreetly observing the expressions of the others. Then he continued, "And now, there's word going around that our people are the ones who took them out."

"Brother Zuo, it wasn't my people," the robust elderly man in the changshan quickly protested. "You know, over the years, I've been distancing myself more and more from the drug business and mostly just teaching disciples at the martial arts school."

"Brother Zuo, our men haven't done anything either. Even though we're old, if our people were doing something like this, they wouldn't keep it from us old guys," the other two elderly men explained one after another.

"I naturally trust you all," the elderly man in the Tang suit said, pressing his hand down gently, his face showing a faint, unreadable smile. "We're all getting on in years; no one's up for the fighting and killing of our younger days. But if it wasn't us, then someone is trying to set us up. Haha, looks like a new player from across the water wants to make a move."

The men at the table nodded in understanding.

Over the years, many forces in the drug trade had come and gone, but most had backing from one gang or another. Occasionally, when one fell, another would take its place.

But for three drug outfits to be wiped out in such quick succession, even a fool could see that someone was stirring up trouble.

"Alright, as long as you're all aware of the situation," the elderly man in the Tang suit said, tapping the table lightly to refocus everyone's attention. "We don't need to worry about others, but Dao Youcheng was one of our own. Over the years, he's had business dealings with our families. Both for public and private reasons, we need to at least ask some questions after he was taken out."

"Yes, this definitely needs to be investigated," agreed the other three men.

Although Dao Youcheng had kept a distance from them in recent years, and there were both business rivalries and collaborations, he was once one of their own.

This was also an opportunity to formally absorb Dao Youcheng's former territories and influence, a legitimate move.

Seeing no objections, the elderly man in the Tang suit stood up again, refilled each person's teacup, and raised his cup with a smile, "Please, have some tea!"

"Please, have some tea!"

After leaving the Sham Shui Po Park swimming pool, Yang Chu found himself wandering along Lai Chi Kok Road and eventually reached Nathan Road without even realizing it.

Compared to the previous streets Yang Chu had been on, Nathan Road, even at midnight, was still alive with neon lights and bustling nightlife.

Night market stalls were filled with people, creating a noisy and lively atmosphere. Nightclubs and bars blared music, their entrances glowing with luxury.

In the slightly darker corners, the occasional sounds of fights and brawls could be heard.

In such a night, it seemed like everything seen in the daytime was magnified once again.

As Yang Chu strolled down the street alone, observing this bizarre and almost cyberpunk-like city, along with its diverse inhabitants, he suddenly felt a strong sense of not belonging.

"It seems I don't even know where I should go—"

Passing by a nightclub on the west side of Nathan Road, Yang Chu lightly kicked away an empty can on the ground, the clinking sound echoing in the night.

Ever since his consciousness awoke in this body, he had been busy dealing with various issues caused by the disappearance of his subconscious. He hadn't had the time to think carefully about what to do next in this world.

Under the serious threat of death, his control over the body's various systems had exceeded his expectations.

It was like becoming a more skilled craftsman, not only able to manage multiple assembly lines with ease but also able to drink, eat, and chat with others without missing a beat.

As for his previous concern about being unable to sleep, his attempt tonight at the Sham Shui Po Park swimming pool proved quite effective. In the water, he could enter a sleep-like state through self-hypnosis.

Moreover, his brain might have entered a proactive self-cleaning mode, leaving him feeling even more refreshed upon waking up.

Of course, in such a state, he would lose all perception of the outside world, making it very dangerous in case of sudden situations. But now that he had a temporary solution, it was no longer a life-and-death issue.

This had led Yang Chu to start contemplating his future.

"However, this body's original owner was already in trouble, and my actions since waking up have only escalated those troubles."

Yang Chu hadn't forgotten that he wasn't exactly in a safe position.

His consciousness had awoken in this body, naturally inheriting its existing social ties. Though he wasn't sure exactly what those ties were, it didn't mean they didn't exist.

"Cut him down!"

As Yang Chu aimlessly walked down Nathan Road and turned into a dim alley behind a nightclub, a sudden angry shout came from the alley's entrance.