Chapter 135: My Benefactor

I found myself standing in Brother Chong’s office, unsure of what was happening.

“Ah-Jin, sit,” he said, lighting a cigarette. After dismissing the others, he pulled open a drawer and tossed a stack of bills onto the table.

“Brother Chong… what’s this?”

“Uncle Rong is in Guangdong. I’ll give you the address—go find him,” Chong said calmly.

“What?” I was confused. “Isn’t the whole gang hunting Uncle Rong down? You knew where he was all along?”

“Yes.” Chong nodded. “The manhunt was just a smokescreen I put out.”

“But… why?”

“Ah-Jin, I know Boss Tung’s intentions. More than the two million, he wants *you*—talent like yours could earn him another two million. But if I told him about this, out of gang loyalty, he’d have to kill Uncle Rong. Then how could he take you in?”

I frowned slightly, still not fully grasping it.

“So I had to keep this information to myself. What happens next depends on you—after you meet Boss Tung.”

“Brother Chong, you say Boss Tung wants me, but… I’m Uncle Rong’s man.”

“Ah-Jin, the feud is between the bosses. You just follow orders—Boss Tung knows that.” Chong exhaled smoke, his expression somber. “But you disappointed him.”

My face darkened as well.

“Brother Chong, I’m a simple man—I stick to my principles. If Uncle Rong is my boss today, he’ll be my boss for life. Now that he’s on the run, it’s my duty to look after him.”

“You might regret this,” Chong said through gritted teeth. “Some people talk sweet but send you on deadly errands. Others seem cold but genuinely want to keep talent like you…”

I’m simple, but I’m not stupid.

How could Uncle Rong ever want me dead?

When he made me train in boxing, even with a broken hand, it was to toughen me up.

When he sent me to fight thirty men alone, it was to temper me.

When he had me and Nine draw lots to take his prison sentence, it was just a test.

I’ve sworn before Lord Guan—I understand these things.

“Brother Chong, thank Boss Tung for me.” I cut him off, stood up, and took the money. “I’ll find a way to repay this travel expense.”

Seeing my stubbornness, Chong lost his temper.

“Damn hard-headed bastard… Fine! Go! I hope you die in Guangdong!”

He spun his chair around, waving angrily. “Get the hell out.”

Before leaving, I paused and turned back. “Brother Chong… why does Boss Tung think so highly of me?”

I watched his back as he took another drag, lost in thought. After a long silence, he finally spoke softly.

“Because in this day and age, it’s rare to find someone with such pure ‘gangster spirit’—gratitude is gratitude, vengeance is vengeance. You may not do good, but you try to be a good man. You remind us of our younger days.”

He pulled a necklace from his pocket and tossed it to me without looking back.

I caught it and flipped it over—a small copper plaque engraved with the character **Tung**.

“If you ever want to return, this will help. Now *go*.”

I tucked the plaque into my pocket and bowed deeply to Chong.

Many in this world have shown me kindness. Once I’ve repaid Uncle Rong’s debt, I’ll repay Boss Tung and Brother Chong’s.

—

The next day, I arrived in Guangzhou.

According to Chong’s information, Uncle Rong was staying in a decent apartment.

Knowing he was doing well put my mind at ease.

That evening, I knocked on his door.

There was a long pause before movement inside. The door slowly opened, and there he was.

Uncle Rong looked exactly the same—unchanged from four years ago.

“Ah-Jin…?”

First shock, then joy—but he quickly suppressed it.

Three expressions in one second. His emotions were complicated.

He let me in. The place was sparsely furnished—just the basics.

Someone else was there. I thought it might be Nine.

But it was a woman.

“Rong-ge… who’s this?” she asked.

“Ah-Jin, this is Jinglan,” Uncle Rong said, then glanced at me. “Ah-Jin, say hello to your sister-in-law.”

I nodded slightly. “Sister-in-law.”

Uncle Rong waved her off, and she left—though not without giving me a suspicious look. I stared right back.

I’d grown up with Uncle Rong. I didn’t remember any sister-in-law.

“Uncle Rong, where’s Nine?” I glanced around—the place didn’t seem big enough for three.

“Ah-Jin…” He lit a cigarette. “Ah-Jiu’s dead.”

My pupils shrank. I hoped I’d misheard.

“What happened to Nine?”

“On our way to Guangdong, Fatty Tung’s men caught up with us. They killed Ah-Jiu.” He exhaled heavily, lowering his head in regret.

What?

Nine was killed by Boss Tung’s men?

My heart lurched—like I’d lost something vital.

Fragments of memory flashed through my mind—like fireworks bursting in the air. I reached out to grasp them, only to get burned.

I remembered when we were eleven—Nine grinning foolishly at me. *“Ah-Jin, you’ve got the strength, I’ve got the brains. Let’s follow Uncle Rong together!”*

Now the *fists* were back, but the *brain* was gone.

Uncle Rong and Boss Tung had given me completely different stories. My own wits weren’t enough to make sense of it.

“When?” My voice trembled.

“About ten days ago.” Uncle Rong shook his head. “Ah-Jin, I failed Ah-Jiu… and you. I couldn’t be there when you got out.”

I sat down slowly, my mind blank.

What the hell was going on?

Something felt off, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.

Was Uncle Rong lying? Or was it Boss Tung?

If Nine were here… what would he do?

I’m just too damn stupid.

“Ah-Jin, prison must’ve been hard.” Uncle Rong sighed. “Rest here tonight.”

“Just tonight?” I shook my head. “No, Uncle Rong. I want to stay with you.”

“Stay?”

I nodded.

“Yeah. Like we did over a decade ago.” I said. “You’re my benefactor. I haven’t repaid you yet.”

Uncle Rong froze. Ash fell from his cigarette.

“Ah-Jin, don’t think about that. Let’s get some food.” He stood, throwing on his jacket.

I followed him out.

We drank beer at a street stall—both of us silent.

He ordered braised bear paw—something I’d never even seen before.

Watching him devour it, I thought, *It must taste amazing.*

Yeah. Bear paw must be delicious.

If Uncle Rong ate it, then I’ve eaten it too.

A few beers in, the weight in my chest grew heavier.

I missed Nine. He was my brother. After four years in prison, I didn’t even get to see him one last time.

Thinking of that, I poured a beer onto the ground.

For my brother.

Uncle Rong saw my expression and sighed, then paid the bill.

He seemed to want to say something but hesitated. Then he noticed a nearby video parlor.

After a pause, he spoke. “Ah-Jin, you don’t like whoring or drugs. Let’s watch a movie to clear your head.”

It was a foreign film—*The Terminator*.

I’d never seen anything like it.

Then again, I’d never had the money for movies.

But that didn’t stop me from loving *The Terminator*.

Are movies based on real events?

It was so intense that, for a while, I forgot about Nine.

Even after the credits rolled, I stayed in my seat, unwilling to leave.

If only Nine could’ve seen this.

He was so smart—he’d have explained how those robots were made.

They’re machines, yet they let people film them.

Too bad Nine will never see it.

“Ah-Jin… I’m thinking of retiring.”

Uncle Rong’s voice snapped me back.

“What?” I turned to him.

“I’m getting too old for this life.” He shook his head. “You should go.”

“Go…?” I blinked. “Uncle Rong, where would I go?”

“Anywhere but this path.” He smiled bitterly. “The world is vast—remember? *The sky and earth are wide, but the narrow-minded confine themselves.*”

How could I forget?

Those words were tattooed on my back.