Chapter 205: The Fall of Sun Yee On

Late at night, Western District.

At the pier, a dim streetlamp is lit.

A low-profile motorcade slowly pulls up to the shore; five or six Sun Yee On gunmen, with Dragon Head Si Yanlong at the center, look in all directions with solemn expressions.

"A Bo, A Sheng, A Jun, A Qiang, I don't know when I'll be able to return after leaving Hong Kong this time. You must be careful; you must not come into conflict with Dalao Jun."

Xu Huayan looks at Xu Huabo, Xuhuasheng, Xu Huaqiang, Futou Jun, and the others before him, giving his parting instructions.

"A Jun, make a call and see why the fishing boat hasn't arrived yet." Xu Huaqiang raises his hand to check his watch, his face showing anxiety.

Futou Jun takes out a mobile phone and dials the number, but it is constantly busy.

The group immediately realizes something is wrong.

"Screech."

Just at this moment, several sedans with their high beams on charge to the front, stylishly pulling up sideways before the group. The fully armed Flying Tigers, holding MP5A3 submachine guns, rush out of the cars and aim their muzzles at the few Sun Yee On members.

"Don't move."

"Get down! Get down!!!"

Chief Superintendent of the Anti-Triad Unit, Hu Zhuoren, pushes open the car door, taps his leather shoe lightly on the ground, and says to them with a warm smile: "Gentlemen, waiting for a boat?"

"Don't move."

A few loyal Sun Yee On gunmen want to draw their guns to fight back, but Si Yanlong raises his hand to stop them immediately; he already knows the situation is lost.

"Get down!"

"Hands on your heads! Otherwise, we will kill without mercy!" Hu Zhuoren's face shows murderous intent as he shouts sternly.

"Hand over your guns." Si Yanlong shouts to the group.

The few Sun Yee On gunmen look at one another, finally placing their guns slowly on the ground and kicking them over, then cooperatively squatting on the ground with their hands on their heads.

"Si Yanlong, our Anti-Triad Unit found your Sun Yee On membership roster at Zhang Renlong's office building and Zhang Liangsheng's office."

"You've lost."

Hu Zhuoren lets out a sigh of relief and gives a cold laugh; the so-called membership roster is the list recording the Sun Yee On organization.

Si Yanlong, however, grips his dragon staff and laughs loudly into the sea breeze: "Hu SIR, you're wrong. I didn't lose to your Anti-Triad Unit."

"I lost to Hung Hing's Dalao Jun."

"Winners are kings and losers are villains; I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."

Hu Zhuoren laughs again: "Are you done with your sentiments? Cuff them all."

When the cold handcuffs are locked onto his wrists, Si Yanlong looks at Hu Zhuoren: "Hu SIR, I... I request a hood, and I also request twenty-four-hour protection. Dalao Jun will definitely send people to the prison to take action!"

"Take them all back." Hu Zhuoren ignores him and waves his hand, shouting.

"SIR, I only came to see my brother off. I am a public figure..." Xu Huaqiang's face shows pleading.

"SIR, I already withdrew from the register long ago." Xuhuasheng's expression is calm.

"All of you, behave yourselves. What's with all the nonsense?" A Flying Tigers member kicks Xu Huaqiang in the back of the knee.

A full month has passed since the Shatin riots, and various newspapers are still reporting on Sun Yee On. Xuhuasheng, Xu Huaqiang, Xu Huabo, and Huang Jun, being only slightly involved in the Shatin incident, were released on bail the next day.

Because Sun Yee On Dragon Head Xu Huayan, White Paper Fan Zhang Liangsheng, and others were arrested, the underworld has been thrown into turmoil.

In Hong Kong, any triad society with a bit of strength has begun to cross boundaries to seize Sun Yee On's territory.

The former Sun Yee On stronghold of Shatin has been pocketed by Hung Hing.

Kowloon Walled City, Yau Ma Tei, Kwai Tsing, Ciyunshan... as long as it was Sun Yee On territory, it has been attacked by other underworld societies. Leaderless, Sun Yee On is completely unable to fend off a pack of hungry wolves.

Once the most powerful and unrivaled society in Hong Kong, Sun Yee On fell overnight and was relegated to a second-tier society.

The name of Hung Hing's Dalao Jun once again resounds throughout the underworld.

As for the trial of high-ranking members like Sun Yee On's Si Yanlong, Zhang Liangsheng, and Xu Zhancheng, it has only just begun.

Time slips by, and it is now December.

On this day, the three bus groups—Kowloon Motor Bus, China Motor Bus, and Sunshine Bus—as well as nearly half of all bus stops and every Hong Kong newspaper, have published the movie poster for *A Better Tomorrow*.

The advertisement contains only one sentence: "December 25th, *A Better Tomorrow* premieres across Hong Kong."

At the same time, posters for *A Better Tomorrow* have appeared at the entrances of Youngor, Bosideng, Uniqlo, and Anta Athletics stores, and the main actors—Zhang Guorong, Zhou Runfa, and Di Long—frequently appear at the ribbon-cutting ceremonies for these stores.

Television stations like Asia Television and TVB also frequently broadcast trailers for *A Better Tomorrow*.

After more than half a year of preparation and the use of the world's most cutting-edge special effects, *A Better Tomorrow* is finally ready to be released.

Hung Hing Cinema has finished scheduling, yet Shaw Brothers Circuit has yet to send any news.

"A Kun, didn't we invite people from Shaw Brothers Film to come and watch the sample reel? Why haven't they provided any feedback?"

Chen Jiajun looks at Jing Kun and asks seriously; he has poured his heart and soul into this film.

"Ada, Sir Run Run Shaw's meaning is that he wants you to go over there in person." Jing Kun looks slightly embarrassed.

"Damn it, what is Sir Run Run Shaw playing at? Get Zhou Runfa to come over here; I'm heading over immediately."

Qingshuiwan.

Shaw Brothers studio administration building, Chairman's office.

Dalao Jun brings the popular TVB star Zhou Runfa to sit in the office. Facing his Big Boss, Shao Yifu, the popular star Zhou Runfa still feels somewhat uneasy.

"Boss Chen, you are truly an honored guest. To think you have time to come to our Shaw Brothers for tea."

A staff member brings tea. Shao Yifu puts down his fountain pen, walks around the desk, looks at Chen Jiajun, and speaks in a slow, measured, and pointed tone.

"Sixth Uncle, you flatter me. You are a senior; I am merely a junior."

Chen Jiajun does not change his expression, speaking with humility and courtesy.

"Hehe, I'm afraid that once *A Better Tomorrow* makes its debut, you will no longer be a junior."

Shao Yifu's words still carry aggression: "I wonder what advice Boss Chen has for me today by coming to chat?"

Damn it.

Isn't it you who asked me to come over in person?

However, Chen Jiajun could understand Shao Yifu's mood; Shao Yifu was a true titan and founder of the Hong Kong film and television industry, a senior to Bao Jueshi, and a good friend of the Lin family.

It could be said that in Shao Yifu's eyes, Dalao Jun was purely a member of the same faction, a junior.

And this junior, without even greeting Shao Yifu, had poached his top general Zhou Runfa to film a movie; if that were all, it would be fine, but now the movie actually wanted to be screened in the Shaw Brothers Circuit?

If he were Shao Yifu, he would be even angrier, and might have already arranged for Dumu and the old prison warden to take action...

However, anger is anger, but what needs to be discussed still must be discussed.

"You are a senior, so I won't say much more. Coming here this time is mainly for the release of the movie A Better Tomorrow, and incidentally, I want to have Zhou Runfa transfer over to film movies with me."

"What?"

"Chen Jiajun, you certainly have guts. You've made a few movies and now you don't know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth, and you still want my people to transfer over to you?"

"Who do you think you are?"

"When I was filming movies and playing with starlets, you weren't even born yet."

"Damn it."

Shao Yifu raised his eyebrows and smashed the cigar he was holding onto the floor.

The current Shao Yifu was not some charitable gentleman who donated money to build schools and libraries every day; every powerful tycoon who dominated the scene had a temper.

"Clatter."

Setting down his teacup, Chen Jiajun narrowed his eyes: "Uncle Six, I call you Uncle Six out of respect for you. Wanting to screen in your circuit is an attempt to pull you in to make money together. Since you aren't interested, then forget it. Afa, let's go."

"For A Better Tomorrow, I'll give you a 48% box office share, no problem, right? After all, guaranteed minimum fees are no longer popular in Hong Kong." Seeing Chen Jiajun about to walk out of the office, Shao Yifu blurted out.

"That works." Seeing that there was room for negotiation, Chen Jiajun paused his steps and turned back to sit down.

Shao Yifu picked up the cigar from the floor, blew off the dust, and took two puffs: "Also, wanting Fazai to transfer over to you is not impossible, but I have conditions."

"First, from now on, when you film a movie and want it screened in the Shaw Brothers Circuit, you must bring in Shaw Brothers Film. Whether the investment is large or small, we can discuss it."

"Second, use more artists from Shaw Brothers Film and TVB."

"How about these two conditions?"

Chen Jiajun nodded: "No problem, but you are only an investor; you are not allowed to interfere. I have no objections to the rest."

On the surface, Shao Yifu's conditions made him the one taking advantage, but in reality, Chen Jiajun did not know how much benefit he had gained.

Opening up artists from Shaw Brothers Film and TVB to Hongxing Film—this single point alone could replenish Hongxing Film's talent pool.

Secondly, having Shaw Brothers Film invest in some mediocre films could reduce the risk for Hongxing Film.

Chen Jiajun filmed movies entirely to build a media platform and incidentally play with starlets; it was impossible for him to stare at the film company all the time.

The one staring at the film company was Jing Kun, and although there was assistance from industry elites like Xu Ke and Ceng Ziwei, there were always a few movies every year that lost everything.

In the eighties, the Hong Kong film scene seemed lively, forming a situation where heroes vied for supremacy, but looking at the big picture, the era of large companies dominating the world had already become a thing of the past.

Small production companies and film workshops popping up on the market were as numerous as ox hair; they had no fixed production crews and no studios of their own.

When independent producers had good ideas, they would find partners and use the production resources of large companies through cooperation.

They would use resources like creativity, scripts, and star power to take a stake in the film.

And once a film lost money, the one who suffered the most and most directly was naturally the investor.

That Shaw Brothers could become the leader of Hong Kong cinema back then was a case of the times creating heroes.

Now that the times had changed, the Shaw Brothers model was no longer suitable.

The three names "Shao Yifu," entangled with film for more than half a century, belonged to a true film emperor; looking forward forty years, one by one, who could compare to his status today?

He had dealt with film for half his life and had an almost obsessive love for it.

How could he not see this point?

This was also the reason why Shao Yifu decided to shift his focus to TVB.

As for why he wanted to cooperate with Hongxing Film, the reason was also very simple.

His grievances and grudges with Zou Wenhuai had not yet ended; he wanted Shaw Brothers Film to invest in Hongxing Film's productions, also for the sake of fighting against Jiahe.

Two days later.

Hongxing Dragon Head Circuit.

At twelve o'clock at night, A Better Tomorrow was officially released.

In the eighties, Hong Kong films would have midnight previews for a few days before the official release to mainly see the audience's reaction, and the ticket prices were also very cheap.

If the audience felt it was okay, then they would increase the promotional efforts.

This was the unique midnight show culture of Hong Kong.

Midnight shows generally started at 11:30 PM. The audience at this time was certainly not white-collar workers who had to go to work the next day, nor were they big shots; they were mostly grassroots people and students.

Don't look down on these people for their low cultural level; they had seen countless films, and their feedback on movies was very direct—if it was good, they would clap and praise it; if it wasn't good, they would start cursing on the spot.

Chen Jiajun was very confident in this movie he had poured his heart and blood into.

Plus, today was Christmas, and the foot traffic in Hong Kong was massive, so he cancelled the midnight show and chose to release it directly.

(End of this chapter)