Chapter 2

Li Xin, if he's in the wrong he still wants to stir up trouble threefold; if he's in the right, there's no need to say more.

Jiang Tian Sheng

Chen Haonan

We all damn well came out to be undercover and mix in the triads; whoever talks about reason is just a fool.

Don't think little Li Xin has only been in the triad for over two years—hardly anyone inside dares provoke him. The most notorious case was when he drove the North Corner hall chief, Fatty Lai, into depression!

Over a trifle he insists on blowing it up, turning big things straight into war. If you sell pornographic magazines, he'll stake out your delivery routes and scatter nails so you can't ship anything.

If you run a tea cafe, each customer gets a table and a bottle of beer and sits there all day.

If you try to open shop, even better—he'll fight you from 6 p. m. to midnight, and you still won't be able to do business.

Don't mistake the fighting for anything serious—just superficial scrapes; if someone really gets killed, it's definitely manslaughter. We're all just out to make a living; nobody really wants to kill, except for those kids fresh out of school. This is a bunch of reckless youths who don't know their limits.

Fei Lao Li

North Corner Hall Master

Never mind same sect or different sect—Ji Ge even makes money together with his arch‑enemy!

If I make money, you're my fellow sect member; if you won't let me make money, I know you're just a little bastard!

Big Brother B

Haonan

In the end, Fatty Lai couldn't hold out, turned to Jiang Tian Sheng for help, held a reconciliation feast, and gave a red envelope of 188,000—only then was it over.

After this incident, his nickname 'Blade King Li Xin' echoed throughout Prosperity, and he gained the moniker 'Ghost‑seeing sorrow'—whether it's praise or blame, that's none of his concern.

Luo Tianhong

In Prosperity, he and Ji Ge are dubbed the 'Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix Chick'—one is an opportunist, the other can't be shaken off.

Pointy Sand Bar

Copper Gong Bay

Watching his underlings toss the pocket‑sized Five Tigers into the truck and drive off, Li Xin laughed, 'Look, you sit at home and the money comes from Causeway Bay.'

Prosperity Saber King Xin

Seeing Da Sha beaten to a pulp, Li Xin snapped, 'Is this my chief enforcer Da Sha? Let a few little bastards beat him up like this?'

"Big Brother, you ought to talk some sense—five guys jumped me and I didn't even make a sound, five guys!" Da Sha shouted indignantly.

Li Xin glanced sideways at Da Sha and said, 'You want to talk reason with me?'

Da Sha looked at his Big Brother's dangerous glare, raised his hand and slapped himself—given his Big Brother's awful temperament, trying to reason with him is just asking for trouble.

After sucking up that ugly face, he muttered resentfully, 'Big Brother! I'm your subordinate who can make the most money—you gotta back me up!'

Da Sha's expression made Li Xin burst out laughing, then he said, 'Alright, you're still my top enforcer—I'll vent this anger for you; those few little bastards have been taken to the warehouse, go have fun yourself.'

Nan Ge

Da Fei

"No, they just reported Causeway Bay Nan Ge." Da Sha replied.

Li Xin's eyes lit up frighteningly; he hurriedly ordered, 'Quickly go to the warehouse and gag those few—don't let them speak!'

Prosperity Saber King Xin (duplicate)

A slap landed on Da Sha's head, and he snapped, "Just do what you're told and get lost—where does all this nonsense come from?"

…

Lately, Big Brother B has been living very comfortably, and the Copper Gong Bay territory has expanded quite a bit.

This month's income can increase by another 20%; if he can hold steady for five years, Big Brother B will be able to retire smoothly and emigrate abroad with his wife and children.

Thinking about it, Chen Haonan is really good; later, when I step down, I'll promote him. Lately I need to find some gang tasks so he can quickly earn his position, otherwise if it's too late he might not convince everyone.

The more he thought, the better it felt; he picked up his cup and took a sip of wine—hm, the wine was quite good.

He looked left and right, searched all around but didn't see Chen Haonan, then turned to the nearby Xiao Bao and asked, "Why don't I see A Nan? What's he been up to these two days?"

"Brother B, A Nan's car is gone—I've been searching everywhere these two days," Xiao Bao replied.

"His car's gone? Then go to Xi Gong and Kwai Tsing—offer them some travel expenses and you'll get it back; why haven't you found it yet?" Big Brother B asked doubtfully.

Xiao Bao didn't speak; could the Nan Ge of Copper Gong Bay even spend money to buy the car back?

Impossible.

But he couldn't say that to Big Brother B, or else they'd think he was jealous of the handsome Nan!

…

On the third day of his disappearance, Big Brother B panicked—the top enforcer, part-time adopted son, future hall master heir, the handsome Nan, was gone!

Yes, he's gone.

Not in Copper Gong Bay, not at the Kind Cloud Mountain residence; after calling all the hall masters, they all said they hadn't seen the handsome Nan.

Finally they called the Taizi, who said, "I haven't seen them in Point Sand Mouth either."

After listening to Big Brother B's account of how the handsome Nan went missing, the Taizi told him not to worry—if it's about finding the car, he can retrieve the person, so have Big Brother B wait for his call.

…

Li Xin lounged in the boss's chair, boredly filing his nails, blowing on them, picking up a small nail file and filing again until he was satisfied.

Now he's quite free—the car park is overseen by Da Sha, the two seafood markets, and even more so by Luo Tianhong, a top expert holding down the fort.

They said the Prosperity Blade King Xin was a skilled swordsman, so this guy ran to Xi Gong to challenge him.

Li Xin thought, he didn't have many top fighters under him, but relying on his outrageously high swordsmanship (system is awesome), he gave him a harsh lesson.

From then on, this little blue-haired guy kept following him around in Xi Gong, and now he's the most capable fighter under his command—just this one!

He trains over fifty fighters under him; they're his backbone, and he has to pay their wages every month.

They may not be good at anything else, but they can fight.

These fifty-odd people, taking on one or two hundred short donkeys is still no problem.

These fifty-odd people, taking on one or two hundred short donkeys is still no problem. (duplicate)

We must keep the numbers exact: use 'fifty-odd' for the term meaning fifty-something, and 'one or two hundred' for the term meaning one or two hundred.

Half of the seafood market's profits go to these people; in good times they can earn over five thousand, in bad times they also get two or three thousand, which in 1982 Gangdao counts as high-income.

Translate: "The profits from the seafood market, these people take half. In good times they can get over five thousand, in bad times also two or three thousand; this in 1982 Gangdao belongs to the high-income class."

We must keep the year as 1982, translate the place name as Gangdao, and translate the term for high-income stratum as high-income class.

Where does this loyalty come from? It's all just about interests!

Translate: "Where does this loyal devotion come from? It's just a matter of interests!"

loyal and devoted

Give you enough benefits; if you still act as a traitor despite that, then sorry, I'll make you spit out double.

traitor

Give you enough benefits; if you still act as a traitor despite that, then sorry, I'll make you spit out double. (duplicate of 【77】? Actually same)

If we want to start a film, the blue lanterns in formation he can muster four or five hundred people, but it's useless; in a favorable battle it's okay, but as soon as there's a headwind, these people run faster than anyone.

Interpretation: "If we want to start a film (or open a show?), the blue lanterns in formation he can pull out four or five hundred people, but it's useless; in a favorable battle it's okay, but as soon as there's a headwind, these people run faster than anyone."

If we want to start a film, the blue lanterns in formation he can muster four or five hundred people, but it's useless; in a favorable battle it's okay, but as soon as there's a headwind, these people run faster than anyone. (duplicate)

There's nothing to complain about; they also work for money, doing whatever they're paid for.

Translate: "There's nothing to blame them for; they also work for money, doing as much as they're paid."

If you don't give them enough money, what reason do they have to risk their lives for you?

Translate: "If you don't give enough money, what reason do they have to risk their lives for you?"

Li Xin may be unreasonable with outsiders, but he's still generous with his own people, just like Da Sha: he takes one-tenth of the car lot's profits, and the rest split twenty percent.

Da Sha is the English name for the term meaning 'silly big', and the term for 'vehicle yard' translates to 'car lot'.

Thus translation: "Although Li Xin doesn't reason with outsiders, he is still generous with his own people, like Da Sha, who takes ten percent of the car lot's profits, while the rest split twenty percent."

Li Xin, although unreasonable with outsiders, is still generous with his own people; just like Da Sha, he takes ten percent of the car lot's profits, and the rest split twenty percent.

The car lot is a legitimate enterprise; its legal person is Da Sha. Everyone knows this is Li Xin's business.

Translate: "The car lot is a legitimate enterprise; the legal representative is Da Sha. Everyone knows this is Li Xin's property."

But there's no way; Li Xin's persona is too solid, no one will expose it.

But there's no way; Li Xin's persona is too solid, no one will expose it. (duplicate)

Even the boss has no objections, what can the various hall masters say? Besides, everyone has dirty secrets; elder brother, don't speak of younger brother.

Interpretation: "Even the dragon head (leader) has no objections, what can the various hall masters say? Moreover, everyone has dirty secrets, elder brother, don't speak of younger brother."

Even the boss has no objections, what can the various hall masters say? Besides, everyone has dirty secrets; elder brother, don't speak of younger brother. (duplicate)

Nobody who gets ahead is righteous!

Translate: "Those who manage to get ahead, none are righteous!"

Those who are righteous are all underground, huh, maybe even in the sea!

Note there is double exclamation and period. We'll translate: "The righteous ones are all underground; uh, maybe even in the sea!"

This car lot is Li Xin's main source of wealth; don't underestimate it, buying and selling and smuggling used cars, it brings him at least four or five million in gross profit each month, and he nets around two million.

Translate: "This car lot is Li Xin's main source of wealth; don't underestimate it, buying and selling and smuggling used cars, it brings him at least four to five million in gross profit each month, and after expenses he can still have around two million."

The two biggest car smugglers in Gangdao are Li Xin and Shuiche Ming of River Map.

Shuiche Ming of River Map

River Map

Shuiche Ming

Thus translation: "The two biggest car smugglers in Gangdao are Li Xin and Shuiche Ming of River Map."

Seeing the phone on the desk ring, if nothing unexpected happens, he's going to strike it rich today.

Translate: "Seeing the phone on the desk ring, if nothing unexpected happens, he's going to make a fortune today."

Thanks for the gift from Big Brother B!