strong

Nah, I'm staying.

Great! I've been helping clean your place. It's in pretty good shape. Just move some furniture, toiletries, and stuff in and you can start...

Yeah, Jaye, I need your help.

Huh?

I brought a shipment of goods back to Lungmen to sell.

Nice! So you're in business now. Lungmen's pretty strict with inspections, but I can help you run them by the L.G.D.

My goods aren't on the L.G.D.'s list of approved imports and exports.

Y-You're smuggling?!

Weapons? Originium products? Illegal drugs? What's with the hands. Is that some kind of signal? I-I don't know what you're getting at.

Nobody knows about this. We've been planning it for a while. It's all under wraps, I guarantee.

Besides, the risk and return are proportional. Jaye, I know you know the guys at the docks.

I've been away from Lungmen for over a decade. I don't know the place anymore. I need money, and I need to do this deal to get back on my feet. You're the only one who can help.

No, I'm not doing it. You shouldn't, either.

Oh yeah. Why did you come around in the end again?

It's ten after ten... The ship is about to come in.

Where are the guys picking up the merch? Have them stand by at the port. We've only got fifteen minutes.

Don't worry. Just a little longer.

Officer Hoshiguma, it's almost time. Why is it still quiet?

Maybe we got a bad tip?

Relax. We can trust this informant.

Hallucinatory drugs made from purified Originium... No one in the Lungmen black markets would dare deal in something like this. Why is someone smuggling something this hot all of a sudden?

The Rat King hasn't been taking his usual walks, has he?

I heard he was hurt bad on his trip to Yumen. Do you mean...?

Lin Yühsia isn't going to Victoria anymore. But I doubt her plan to become the 'Lin the Violet' is gonna go all that smooth.

Looks like there are some fussy folks who want to find out for the old man whether his daughter is worthy of his chair.

The gangs in the slums, big and small, have been making lots of noise, and the L.G.D. has been busy with all that.

But I guess these folks have forgotten the L.G.D.'s hard stance against contraband.

10:16. Fourteen minutes left.

The ship's docked. On the double, everyone. Watch your surroundings, and keep two men on watch.

I didn't expect you to have so many guys on this job.

Why not? This is a huge deal. Lots of hands want a slice of the pie.

Jaye, you look nervous.

You keep watch here. I'll go check things out.

Alright.

*sigh*... Ah Wei, the ship's that way. Why are you heading for the exit?

Officer Hoshiguma, should we move in?

Hold on. These are no normal gangsters. They're on high alert. Wait until they fall into our trap. We'll catch both the men and the goods together.

We're not letting any of these drugs into Lungmen. And we're not letting a single perp escape.

Understood.

Remember to keep the informant safe.

Officer! Looks like the boss is trying to run!

Not a chance!

Wait! He's definitely just testing...

Ah Wei! Don't run! You can't!

All units, move in!

Jaye keeps running.

He most likely bumped into a few passersby, and he definitely knocked over the fruit stand on the street corner. He keeps muttering, 'deoi m zyu,' but he doesn't stop.

His friend is right ahead. His friend is still running.

He has no time to even think about which streets he has been running through. He notices nothing except how there are less and less people, the roads are getting narrower, and his surroundings are getting quieter. So quiet, he can hear nothing but his and his friend's panting.

The oxygen deprivation is causing him to hallucinate.

Jaye starts to think he is running down that alley he used to run down as a kid—

He is following his 'Soda Can Magician' friend, through the shades of the banyan trees and out the slums, as they both planned to go together, towards a brighter future.

S-Stop running. My lungs are about to blow.

There's nowhere to go up ahead... It's a dead end.

Ah Wei.

You sold me out.

I...

I got a good thing going on, and you're the first one I went to with it.

I know you're a coward for how mean you look. You're a good guy, and all you wanna do is sell fins and finballs. I get that. You turning down the offer? I was fine with that. That's no skin off my back.

I did have my suspicions when you came back to me a week later and said you were in. But you're Jaye. I knew Jaye would follow me, just like he used to when we were kids.

We never kept anything from each other. You even taught me the knife skills you learned from Uncle Tung. I never lied to you, and you never lied to me.

But this time, you were lying to me right from the start.

Ah Wei, l-listen...

Who are you snitching for? Another gang? The L.G.D.?

Two weeks ago...

How's business been?

Officer Hoshiguma?

Do you need something from me?

Well, I'm sure you wouldn't believe me if I told you I was just passing by and decided to get a couple of orders of finballs for my lads back at the station.

That would've been nice, wouldn't it?

I thought I'd stop by to give you a heads up. The Char Sius and Lou Seois' bosses are about to be released.

They're scum, but they're still gangsters. You threw a wrench in their plans, and they lost face among the Lungmen triads, thanks to you. They just might make trouble for you.

Oh—

No need to be scared. The L.G.D. can offer you protection, if you want.

Yeah, thanks, Officer. Here's an order of finballs. It's on me. Have a nice day.

I'm not done yet. Are you merchants always so afraid to deal with the L.G.D.?

Heh.

I want to ask you about something.

Have you been to the ports lately?

I went just this morning to settle my bill for the month.

Have you seen anyone or anything suspicious?

Suspicious, huh...?

Anyone who's been asking about the ships, policies on the flow of goods, inspection procedures, that sort of thing.

Officer, is something going on? That port is the biggest seafood market in Lungmen. If something happens and the stalls at the market get shut down, everyone's gonna be out of a job...

Relax. I'm just hypothesizing here.

According to our sources, someone is about to smuggle a shipment of illegal drugs into the slums.

The L.G.D. caught wind of it a little too late, and the shipment might already have made it into Lungmen. We're investigating all logistics channels right now... The gateway, city beltway, the port.

(And he said it's all under wraps...)

What?

Oh, nothing.

Anyway, you know the port better than I do, so I want you to pay attention to the people there and see if there's any movement. If you notice anything, give me a call.

Yeah, I will.

This's pretty serious, right, Officer?

What do you mean?

Is this smuggling case serious?

The detectives have this shipment listed as highly dangerous illegal contraband. It's on a whole other level from the Originium Devices that the Char Sius removed from those weapons to sell.

If you find anything... you have my number.

Well, off I go then. Thanks for the finballs.

Hold on, Officer Hoshiguma.

So you snitched on me to the L.G.D. and started spying for them?