“Ha ha ha ha... How could the Blade King Wen be killed by anyone?” David Brooks feigned arrogance and laughed loudly.

Big Howard, real name “Howard Thompson”, stood at 1.86 meters tall, with a muscular build, most notably his exceptionally developed pectoral muscles.

Whenever he wore a suit, the buttons would burst; in a T-shirt, he’d always show some skin. He fought his way through the world with his fists, and in the underworld, he was known as “Boxer Howard”.

Ethan Foster from Dongguan, real name “Ethan Scott”, wasn’t tall, just over 1.7 meters. Some called him “Gunman Ethan”.

When in a bad mood, he liked to dangle a cigarette from his mouth, squint at people as he spoke, and then, with a raised hand, would shoot you in the head.

The last one, Lawyer Clark, real name “Edward Carter”, was thin, pale, and refined in appearance. People used to call him “Villain Clark”, but now he was known as “Lawyer Clark”.

If you included King, who was killed last night, “Chad Vincent”, and “Blade Vincent”—

These were Robert Bolton’s four closest brothers.

Back then, they first burned yellow paper, swore their brotherhood, then bowed to Guan Gong, and drank blood wine to join the society.

The other subordinates were all his “society brothers”, but only these four were his “blood brothers”!

That night.

At the entrance of Wong Tai Sin Temple.

Under the pine tree.

The five of them lit a bonfire, stained their blades with blood, tempered the blades in the fire, touched the tips together, and made a vow.

“Today, I, Robert Bolton, Howard Thompson, Henry Evans, Ethan Scott, and Vincent Harris swear brotherhood.”

“In life and death, we entrust ourselves to each other; in fortune and misfortune, we help each other; in blessing and disaster, we stand together.”

“Anyone outside who harms my brothers, by this oath, must be killed; any brother who betrays a brother, by this oath, must be killed. Heaven and earth bear witness, the mountains and rivers are our bond. Whoever breaks this oath, let heaven and earth destroy him.”

“Drink!”

“Oath sworn!”

From then on, Prince Ben, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Thirteen Protectors of Temple Street... one title after another was born in the underworld, and one after another became history...

Now, in the underworld, few dare call them Big Howard, Ethan Foster from Dongguan; if not calling them Brother Howard, Brother Henry, then it’s Boxer Henry, Gunman Ethan...

The only thing unchanged is the oath among the five.

“You bastard, do you believe I’ll cut you down first and send you to join Vincent?” Big Howard had a fiery temper and could never stand by while someone insulted his brother. He clenched his fists, muscles tensed, and raised his fist to strike.

David Brooks remained calm, but casually lifted his jacket to reveal the gun holster at his waist.

The officer handcuffing Prince Ben tensed up, immediately placing his hand on his own gun.

Ethan Foster from Dongguan raised his hand to block Big Howard’s fist. “Calm down, don’t mess up the boss’s induction today.”

“I just want to invite Mr. Bolton to the station to cooperate with a 24-hour investigation.”

“I trust Mr. Bolton won’t refuse, right?” David Brooks sneered.

Robert Bolton nodded. “Of course I won’t refuse.”

“Mr. Brooks, Superintendent Lam is calling us.” The officer’s pager at his waist beeped. He picked it up, his face changed instantly, and he spoke to David Brooks.

“Heh.” Ethan Foster from Dongguan gave a sly laugh. “If Inspector Brooks insists on making our boss fulfill his civic duty, then from morning till night today, not a single shop in Yau Ma Tei will open. When the citizens start calling to complain, I don’t know who’ll be the unlucky one.”

“But I know for sure, you won’t be able to handle it!” He pointed at David Brooks. “This is a message from our Wo Kee godfather: today is the induction of the Yau Ma Tei boss. Anyone who tries to stop it is going against all of Wo Kee!”

“What if I insist on taking him away?” David Brooks narrowed his eyes, staring straight as he spoke.

Ethan Foster from Dongguan said nothing, just stepped aside. Edward Carter, the barrister, stood calmly to the side. David Brooks, with two officers, pushed Robert Bolton out of the fruit market. Outside, the street was packed with over three hundred unruly, T-shirt-clad, restless young gangsters.

“Boss! Brother Ben!” At the Yau Ma Tei branch, over three hundred people raised their glass bottles and shouted loudly.

Robert Bolton smiled faintly.

“Heh.”

“Bang!” Four-Eyed Mark raised his bottle, eager to be the most eye-catching in Brother Ben’s eyes, and smashed it hard. Instantly, bang bang bang, one bottle after another shattered, covering the street in glass.

Robert Bolton turned to David Brooks and said sincerely, “Mr. Brooks, I really am willing to cooperate with the police investigation.”

David Brooks took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Rick, unlock the cuffs. We’re going back to O Division.”

Colonial police—none of them are truly tough!

Chapter 003: Sunset Industry

The rural dirt road from Yau Ma Tei to Fanling. A Mercedes “Tiger Head” led the way, followed closely by two Toyota Crowns.

Robert Bolton sat in the car, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, gazing at the still-undeveloped scenery of the New Territories, thinking to himself: “This is the underworld.”

A dream of forty years!

Last night, Robert Bolton was still the chief secretary of a provincial office in Guangdong in 2021, working overtime to finish a meeting record, and died honorably at his post. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, he found himself in a parallel world’s Hong Kong of the 1980s.

He was able to rise from an ordinary family background to become the chief secretary thanks to three things.

Talent! Talent! And more talent!

In life and work, he was always cautious—cautious, and even more cautious.