story_haak_1_1

How're you holdin' up, dai lo? Is your wound still hurting? Hang in there, I'll get you to the hospital right away.

*inhales sharply*... No, Ah Jun. We can't go to there. We'll be found out...

You idiot, we'd be walkin' straight into quicksand if we go to the hospital. The docs over there are sharp. They'll know something's up the moment they see a wound like this.

B-But... Yu, we can't just leave him like this, can we?

I heard there's a small clinic up at the front of this alley. Wanna head there and try your luck?

There won't be as many doctors in a small-time place like that, so it'll be easy to keep things under control. Why don't we...?

Sure... Let's go. I think it'll be fine.

Hang in there, dai lo. We'll get you there.

Windows... Locked. Curtains... Can't leave a single gap.

Stuff under the beds... Lemme see...

Good. Everything's there.

And what else... Ah, of course, gotta lock up the door.

Good thing I remembered. Nearly forgot there...

(Who is it––?)

(Don't think I've seen their mugs before...)

Nei hou. Who might you be?

Is there a doctor in the house? My brother here... He's hurt. Can you save him?

We're closed for the day. Could I ask you to come back tomorrow?

Doc, you... How could you just turn down a guy on death's door like that?!

If it's really that serious, why not go to a proper hospital for treatment instead of knockin' on the door of my shack off the corner of the street in the middle of the night?

The more you argue with me, the more it proves your bro over there is far from death's door.

The hell? What kind of doctor are you anyway to be talking like that?

Huh, that's funny. I never said anything about being a doctor.

Give it up. You can't kick this door down.

Sei puk gaai...

(Did they leave...?)

The anxious doctor holds his breath and stretches his neck to look out the door's mirror, seeing no one standing under the eaves.

Just to be sure, however, he puts his ear close to the door's panel. After a while, when he is sure that no sounds are coming from the other side of the door, he steadies his nerves and clutches his chest as he finally lets out a deep exhale.

Phew...

(That scared me half to death, I thought one of the old man's enemies came to settle the score.)

(Never expected someone to show up looking for a doctor at this hour though. Weird... Don't tell me that old timer I saved a few days ago is talking up my medical skills again.)

What a pain... Should've left this place to rot a long time ago. All I wanted was to put some food on the table, and maybe fix a few sniffles and head colds in the process.

Ugh... But, I let curiosity get the better of me when I saw that old timer's condition.

This place shouldn't last much longer. The old man pissed off so many people, it won't be long until someone comes bangin' on the door after they hear the news.

Crap... I gotta get outta here.

Ugh, what awful luck. Barely got half a year of normalcy... When am I gonna be able to stop running and hiding?

Huh–?!

(Shit... I forgot to latch the back door...)

Heheh. Sir, your rear entrance isn't as secure as the front door. All it took was a few bits of metal wire.

Hmm... Sounds like your brother's injury must be pretty serious. Can't wait a moment, can you?

You little shit. If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your trap and fix him up. Anything happens to him, you're a dead man.

C'mon, buddy... If you help me out this time, I promise, I'll return the favor. You won't regret it.

The two of you are singin' very two different tunes, but I like the sound of it.

You're overthinking it, man.

Heh. And what tune will you be singing?

Whatever you want to hear. There's no shame in that.

Smooth talker, aren't we–

Gah! You bastard!

Hey, what the hell are you doing? Hands off, don't hurt me!

Quit your yapping, buddy. Just behave yourself, and, *cough* *cough*... think carefully about how you're gonna fix me up.

Urgh... Hiss...

Are you even taking this seriously, you little shit?

Can't you tell I'm stitching up a wound?

Enough of that, Yu. By the way, sir, would you happen to have any anesthetics?

You think a little hut like mine would have stuff like that? Don't come here if you're afraid of a little pain.

My medicine bottle!

Mind your tone, if you care about whatever's left of this stuff.

(Calm down, calm down. One of these bastards' arms is as thick as both my legs...)

Alright. I'm gonna chat with your brother here to distract him from the pain, alright?

Hey, can you still talk?

Run that mouth, if you want. Just don't stop working.

So, how'd you get that injury along your back? Looks like your skin and muscle literally got ripped apart. Almost twenty centimeters from your shoulders to the back of your waist after I measured it.

Got caught on the spikes of an iron fence.

Were you hopping a wall?

Excuse me, but did my words offend you in some way?

Mind your own business. There are some questions you shouldn't ask.

(Patience, patience. I don't have any drugs on hand capable of dealing with these guys...)

Say... How did you find this place?

Someone told us there's a small clinic here. Said he's been here before.

So, you're really just here to get an injury treated?

Why else?

Nobody said anything about me, right? Anything like... about some of the 'patients' I saw before?

Nothing I care about.

(Looks like they're just a bunch of nobodies... I've been overreacting here.)

You're a hard one to talk to, huh? Forget it, I'll just put the radio on; maybe it'll make a better conversation partner.

(Gah, if you aren't some Triad here looking for revenge, I guess you're the unlucky one for falling into my hands.)

This is a breaking news report. At 6:00 PM today, the Lungmen Jewelry Co. was viciously robbed.

Three gangsters armed with short crossbows subdued the clerk, pried open the counter, and fled with jewelry valued in the tens of millions.

Authorities reported that following the robbery, the L.G.D. rushed to the scene of the crime and confirmed that the shop assistant was in critical condition after trying to fight off the criminals, and is currently in intensive care.

According to the clerk's statements, the three criminals were all wearing masks, and one of them sustained an injury to his back, which should've left a wound.

(Hah...!)

We hope that people from all walks of life will proactively provide information about these at-large suspects...

Shut up already, dumb machine.

The man sitting at the table rudely presses the power button before the announcement can finish.

The doctor stiffly turns his head and sees a look of displeasure on the man's face, his hands in his pockets as if brandishing something.

When he lowers his head again and looks at the bloody back of the man lying on the bed, the doctor sucks in a mouthful of cold air.

(Well, shit...)

This isn't good.

What isn't good?

(*gulp*)

Uhh... What else would it be? His wound, umm... I don't have enough medicine here. All I can do is some suture work, but I can't say how well he'll recover later.

Hey, man, what the hell are you standing up for?

I just want to make a quick call to have someone bring over some more medicine. What are you getting all tense for?

Making a call? No, we can't have you doing that.

(Looks like I'm right on the money here, given how paranoid they are. What do I do now then...?)

(If I'm not careful... They're gonna shut me up forever to keep the evidence from leaking out.)

(Or maybe... No, I can't. I can't reveal my identity. Not now, after I'm so close to finally breaking from the old ways and settling down.)

(*sticks a hand into his pocket and strokes something*)

(Shit, he's reaching into his pocket again... Is it a knife? Or a mini crossbow?)

(Calm down, there has to be some way...)

(I got it!)

(Wait, no, if I do that... my identity's gonna get blown.)

Hey, what are you doing over there, all quiet?

I'm... thinking hard about how to get the meds your brother needs since you won't let me place a call.

Your brother's lying there and he's not getting better without drugs. You're not just gonna wait around and let him die, are you?

(Ugh... I can't think too far down the road. I need to make it out of this alive first.)

How about this? One of you can go to buy the medicine while the other one stays here. Don't worry, with a twiggy body like mine, what's the worst I could do to your dai lo?

Hmm... What do you say, Yu?

Ah Jun, go get the meds. I'll keep an eye on this kid.

What if he pulls something?

What are you worrying for? You think this kid's gonna be able to pull any funny business with me around?

Diu... This pharmacy's out in the middle of nowhere. You're really not making this easy for me, aren't you?

Excuse me, anybody home?

Coming, coming. Give me a second, I'll be right out.

I have a prescription here. do you have all the meds on THIS sheet?

I do, but...

But what? If you have 'em, just bring 'em out. My brother needs 'em badly.

Your brother... is going to use them? If you don't mind me asking, friend, what kind of work does your brother do?

Look, if you know what's good for you, you'll stop prying into our business. His work isn't something for people like you to ask about.

Right, right... The stuff you wanted is, ah yes... I'll have the clerk bring everything out shortly.

Hurry it up!

Miss An, please. Pull the medicines here as they appear on the sheet. Don't get anything mixed up.

(Also, I need to make a phone call to that gentleman... The man's not dead. He's back.)

Hey, could you stop pacing back and forth? It's making me dizzy.

Hmph. If he doesn't come back, you're gonna have hell to pay.

Don't worry. I sent him to a well-hidden pharmacy. Nobody's gonna know.

Looking at the time, he should be back any minute now...

See, there he is.

Ah Jun, did you get the stuff?

Yeah. How's the dai lo?

Not dead yet. Just waiting for you to bring the meds.

Here's the stuff you wanted.

Excellent. Everything here's good stuff.

Yu, we need to grab the dai lo and get out of here ASAP. While you were on the way back, I heard L.G.D. sirens in the distance. Looks like they've already started searching this neighborhood.

Wait a little. Let's leave after we grab the meds.

Hey, what the hell are you doing, you little shit? What are you making a ruckus for?

Have your bro take this wound-dressing medicine three times a day. Then, there's this dose of tonic. Have him take it every day before going to bed. The wound should be fully healed in a couple weeks.

Also, this is the savings I've accumulated over the past six months. Take it.

What are you doing, man...?

Spending money to buy some peace of mind. You don't want to talk about where you came from, so you must not want anyone asking about where you're going either. I can only do the sensible thing and send you off respectfully.

All I ask is that you spare my life, and if fate happens to bring us together again in the future, you can come to me if you ever get a headache.

(*sticks his hand in hand in his pocket again and brandishes something*)

(Is he still not satisfied? I've already coughed up everything I can.)

How about this, then? I'll lure away the L.G.D. so the three of you can get away safely.

Your dai lo can put on my clothes, and I'll put on his bloody outfit. The two of you swap too.

I'll head out the front to attract the L.G.D.'s attention, then you guys can slip out through the back. How about it?

(Why's this little shit being so cooperative all of a sudden? He was so difficult earlier.)

(Who wouldn't wise up after getting a taste of your fists?)

(Good point. Now that the kid knows his place, we know where to come whenever we're short on money.)

(Heh...)

Ahaha, I never thought you'd to be such a loyal little buddy! We appreciate the favor!

Ah Jun, Yu, make sure to express your gratitude to the gentleman here.

Hah. Didn't think the kid was actually telling the truth, but he really went to lure the L.G.D. away from us.

Uhh... Where are we?

Once we get out of this alley, we'll be on the Rat King's turf. The L.G.D. isn't gonna set foot there, so we can lay low for a while.

Did you hide all the money?

Yup. Buried it all under the pine tree in the yard. When things calm down later, we can go dig it out. It's enough to... Well, dunno how much exactly, but we'll never have to worry about money again for the rest of our lives.

When it's time to dig up our loot, if your injury's healed by then, we'll head out to the gambling den and play to our hearts' content.

Wait, hold on...

Who the hell are you people?

Grab them. Don't let them get away.

Hey, you. Get your hand out of your pocket.

What do you want?

What's in your pocket? Show me!

Nothing.

What are you fidgeting with then?

Talk, now!

Th-There's a loose thread in my pocket, and I was just trying to pluck it out...

You gentlemen look like Triads... I'm not sure what we did to provoke you.

Are you the one who sent him to buy meds from Shum's?

Yes, I got hurt and urgently needed medicine, so I sent my younger brother.

Well, would you look at that. So you're the poison-dealing rogue doctor. You've been hiding for over half a year, but we've finally found you.

Get your hands off him!

Aaaargh!

Making this hard on yourself, huh...? Beat the shit out of him.

Stop, stop! Look, Yu's the one who protects the dai lo, and he got hurt, so he's kind of out of it.

We don't know anything about this rogue doctor, but I'm sure this is all some sort of misunderstanding.

Hmph. Save it for our dai lo and see if he cares to hear you out. Take them away.

Urgh...

Dai lo, dai lo! Are you alright?!

Urgh, where are you dragging us off to?

Grab that guy and take him too.

Let go of me! I can walk by myself!

Haha, looks like it was one big misunderstanding.

Kid, you showed up in the middle of the street in those bloody rags. How could our officers not be suspicious?

Understandable, understandable.

Alright, this is as far as we can take you. Hurry on home now.

Uhh, I'm afraid I can't go back at the moment.

Haha, don't you worry. We've already taken the robbers into custody.

Already? Didn't I just tip you off?

We tracked them from an underground pawn shop not long after the robbery and located them not long after.

A pawn shop? If they went to a pawn shop, the guys who showed up at my place yesterday were...

Probably just some petty thieves. Someone filed a police report that someone broke into their home, and I guess there were bloodstains on the railings.

Oh, I thought...

(They didn't lie to me after all. That guy really did get hurt hopping a fence.)

Thought what?

Nothing.

Too bad...

What do you mean by that, young man?

Officer... There's something I was trying to do, but it didn't work out in the end.

I see. Well, young folks like you have plenty of opportunities to get back on your feet. Doesn't matter if you get knocked down a few times.

How will you know what you really want if you don't go out there and try?

The two of us are too alike. It's both a blessing and a curse.

Old man, if you've got extra time on your hands, go pop some pills for your dementia. Who the hell have you been messin' with lately? Because of you, I got chased up and down the streets for no reason.

Hah. And you made it out in one piece thanks to the ol' tricks I taught you, huh?

What, so I owe you my thanks or something? I must've had some great karma to land an old piece of shit like you for a dad.

Heh, the honor is mine.

So, you really can't keep your head down even for a few days so I can enjoy a peaceful ones?

Give it up already. You know that life ain't for you.

Guess so. Even if you kick the bucket, your enemies wouldn't give me a moment of peace 'til the day I follow after you.

Ah Zai, even if you didn't have guys coming after you, you wouldn't get to live a life like that.

I told you, the two of us are too alike. We've got the very same restlessness in our bones.

What a load of shit. I'm nothing like you.

...Officer.

Wh-What are you staring at me for, all of a sudden?

It's a darned shame there are so few paths available for me. If this path is blocked, I can only go back to the one I was on before.

It's not an easy path to walk, but... it's not all bad either. At least, it'll keep me entertained.

Things are a tad too boring these days.

Anyway, I won't bother you anymore. You seem like a good person, so hopefully our paths never cross again.

What's with that kid, talking all lofty and philosophical all of a sudden? People these days don't make any sense.

Well, whatever. Still got a lot of work to do though, so I should hurry on back for now.

Wait a second, Officer Chang.

Oh, Mr. Lee, you're here too?

Long time no see. I heard you were blessed with a lovely daughter recently?

Hahaha, no news escapes your ears, Mr. Lee. An absolute chonker of a girl, six catties. Worked my wife half to death.

Oh my. You'd best hurry to the jewelry store and pick up a pair of gold bracelets to properly show your appreciation for her.

Way ahead of you. Got it right here in my pocket.

I suppose the two of us won't be able to go drinking anytime soon then.

Please. As if I could ever turn down an invitation from you, sir.

You're a slick talker; I like that. I'll have to have a good chat with your boss.

I'm afraid you came here for nothing then. The old fellow's tied up with a conference right now and still hasn't come out.

Did something big happen?

You haven't heard?

About what?

Uh... I suppose telling you won't do any harm.

Go on.

Apparently, that rogue doctor who caused all sorts of trouble in the city is back.

Didn't you say he was dead?

That's right. But we just got a report today that someone went to the pharmacist he used to frequent and grabbed some medicinal herbs.

There's nothing particularly unusual about those herbs by themselves, but when they're used together in a formula... there's only one man who could've prescribed it.

...I see. Sounds like things are going to get lively around here again.