lin

Commissioner, we have people watching all paths in and out of the slums, as you ordered.

Good. Keep watch in shifts around the clock. Not a single musbeast gets in or get out today.

Yes, ma'am.

Are you sure a massive operation like this is a good idea? It might do the exact opposite of what you want.

It's been two weeks since the Rat King stepped aside and put Miss Lin in charge. The slums have been pretty quiet in the meanwhile.

But then again, it's been two weeks since we saw anything of the stinking rat.

Do you think it's possible for leadership of the slums to change hands without so much as a peep?

Skinny Cheung, Savant Lee, Ghost Eye... do you think the kingpins would just sit on their hands after the Rat King kept them in check for so many years?

Skinny Cheung abducted one of the stinking rat's people today. She's bound to make a move.

...I bet Miss Lin can handle it.

I don't need her to handle it. The slums are part of Lungmen.

That's true. I'm with you on that.

Keep your eyes open for the people on your end. There's bound to be movement there.

On it.

You just wait, you stupid rat.

Most people go to the bar to drink and dance. I go to the bar to have hotpot, uncultured man that I am.

Mr. Lin, the Dai Lo, used to frequent this place, eating and drinking with our gang.

Too bad it's getting demolished next week. I wanted to have one last dinner here, my way of saying goodbye.

Come, eat up!

Come now, Wong, why are your chopsticks so still?

You had the guts to build a hospital on my turf, but not to have hotpot with me?

Building the hospital was Miss Lin's idea.

You see? People these days just don't know how things are done.

Miss Lin is the Rat King's heir, she's got her hands full every single day! A legend like her is bound to forget a thing or two.

Underlings like us, our job is to make our boss's job easier, isn't it?

Am I right, Wong? Now tell me again: was it my dear Yühsia who forgot, or was it you who forgot?

I-It was me who forgot.

That's more like it. Even your Miss Lin has to call me uncle when she sees me. She would never do such a thing without running it by me first, would she?

It's all a misunderstanding.

You're shivering, Wong. Are you cold? Seems like your memory isn't so good either.

You should have some soup from the pot. Eat it while it's hot. It'll do you some good. And then you can deliver my message to dear Yühsia.

I... I... please, Mr. Cheung... have mercy...

The merchant tries to get out of his chair to kowtow, but a hand presses on his shoulder.

Well, well. Look who it is. If it isn't my dear Yühsia.

A little advice from your Uncle Cheung, kiddo. You won't achieve anything with such wimpy underlings.

Back in my day, I had to bite a plate to pieces and swallow it in front of a bunch of dai los, just so your dad wouldn't lose face.

Times have changed, Uncle Cheung. Business these days is about win-win.

Wong's wife is in labor. Let him go.

It's me you're looking for. I'll have some hotpot with you.

Perfect.

You can go, Wong.

Sorry, Miss Lin.

It's not your fault.

Come, Yühsia, let's eat. Chop chop!

You're my elder, Uncle Cheung. If you had something to say to me, you could have told me directly. There's no need for this.

We've seen what you're capable of these past few years. I supported your dad passing his mantle to you.

Rules are everything in the underworld. Now that you're the one calling the shots, I can't very well treat you like a kid.

If I may say so, you seem to be treating me like an enemy, rather than like a leader.

You're exaggerating. Without rules, there is only chaos, but we must treat others with courtesy to find our own place.

You're building on my turf without a single word. You clearly want to undermine me.

I just had to remind you to not push things too far, lest someone be forced to push back.

What if I told you I didn't tell you on purpose?

And they say Yühsia has no sense of humor!

I'm not joking, Uncle Cheung.

Do you think you can do anything you want, now that you're a leader?

I became the leader to stop certain people from doing anything they want.

Does your dad know about this?

As you said, Uncle Cheung, I'm the one calling the shots now.

Looks like I have to help Old Lin teach his daughter a lesson, on his behalf.

Come on, Fat Kwan. We'll have hotpot with my dear Yühsia here.

Grab the guys. Tell them to grab their weapons.

Are we really gonna do this? I thought Miss Lin was the new boss.

A boss is only a boss with the support of the underlings.

She's barely been on the job a few days, and she's already going over Cheung's head. Does she think the slums belong to the Lins?

B-But she's the Rat King's daughter. What if the Rat King is backing this...?

You think the Rat King would've needed to go through his daughter if he wanted to do something to Cheung?

So... is the Rat King just letting his daughter run amok?

We all know Miss Lin does things differently from the Rat King.

And we all know about her dealings with certain people out in the mainstream.

But no one imagined she would go so far as to flout the rules of the slums, the way we've been living for decades.

I doubt even the Rat King could have predicted that his daughter would forget where she came from like this.

All we're doing is helping the Rat King teach his daughter a lesson. Understand?

Got it! I'll get the boys together.

Looks like you came prepared.

Just sharing the hotpot with the boys. Sharing is caring, as they say.

It won't be so bad, I promise. I've still gotta answer to your dad, after all.

You still don't understand, do you, Uncle Cheung? My father isn't involved anymore. How do you expect to answer to him?

You really think he's uninvolved? Just because he says so? How many slum dwellers only listen to him?

Did you really think you could be the boss without their support?

I have my own connections, my own businesses. None of these have anything to do with my father.

Now, now, young lady, a word of advice from your Uncle Cheung.

Young people like you think the old folks like me are behind the times. You want to leave us in the dust. I get it.

Just because you want to leave certain things behind, though, doesn't mean you can.

If your dad wants to get together for lunch tomorrow, how are we supposed to do that when you step on my toes like this? If Auntie Wong wants to go shopping with your mom, do they have to call it off?

You're usually so thoughtful and careful. What's got into you?

You put too much stock in favors and relationships, that's all, Uncle Cheung.

You brat...

I didn't want to go so far, Yühsia, but it looks like this is going to hurt.

Hey, Lee, it's me.

Make sure about the hospital.

Commissioner Wong? It's me, Lee Man-Heng from Excelsior Construction.

Of course I remember. I wouldn't have known something so delicious existed on Terra, if not for you.

I had heard that you were something of a gourmet. Glad to hear it was worth the effort getting those delicacies imported all the way from Rim Billiton.

Well, I'm glad to have a friend like you. Anything you need help with, just let me know.

Well, then, if you wouldn't mind... you know about the new hospital in the slums, don't you?

Of course. The whole city has eyes on it.

But the bidding is already over, right? A company from the slums won the project, if I recall correctly.

You understand how tough things are for small businesses like us.

We had our eyes on this project, but we got cut off by the slum folk.

I sympathize, Mr. Lee, but I understand the bidding was won legitimately.