Chapter 126 【Framed】

Hong Kong, the Oriental Pearl rivaling Shanghai, has a natural harbor and is one of Asia's major ports.

At dusk, the lingering glow of the sunset casts a golden sheen across the sea. Rows of containers stood at the port, cranes worked incessantly, and you could see busy workers everywhere, their shouts even audible. Tankers and freighters streamed in and out of the harbor, their whistles echoing over the entire dock.

This was a bustling port.

Apart from the three Hei Gu members who had gone to protect Lin Jiaying and her parents, Gu Feng and the remaining twelve Hei Gu members, thirteen people in all, were gathered on the shore not far from the port.

Gu Feng and the others wore authentic fishermen's clothing, looking the part of local fishermen from a distance.

Not far from the port, there were about three or four islands, roughly seven or eight *li* away. The waters around these islands were dotted with various private speedboats and fishermen's vessels.

From Biao Zi, Gu Feng learned that these islands were originally inhabited by local fishermen. Later, developers moved in, building many villas, and many wealthy individuals owned private villas there.

However, some shrewd fishermen, seeing the developers' vigorous efforts, refused to sell their land, instead holding out for higher prices.

In recent years, housing prices across the country had been soaring, and Hong Kong, as the Oriental Pearl, was no exception. Although these fishermen had little formal education, they were well aware of this fact.

Among the peripheral members of the Red Star Gang was a young man nicknamed Fatty, who was a resident of the island where the Dong Xing Gang and the Shui Lian Gang conducted their drug transactions. Therefore, once Gu Feng and his men had arrived, he had Biao Zi instruct this young man to transport weapons, equipment, and such to the island in advance. At the same time, three fishing boats were prepared for Gu Feng and his team.

From a distance, Gu Feng spotted a somewhat overweight young man sporting a fashionable haircut sitting on a fishing boat, looking around.

Gu Feng had seen Fatty's photo and recognized him immediately.

"Hey." Gu Feng approached with Chen Yuan and the others to greet Fatty.

Fatty, who had a cigarette dangling from his mouth with an anxious expression, was startled to see Gu Feng and the others. His face changed slightly, showing excitement as he asked, "Brother Feng?"

When Gu Feng had Biao Zi make the arrangements, he hadn't instructed Biao Zi to reveal his identity to Fatty, only saying they were members of the Red Star Gang.

Gu Feng smiled and nodded.

Seeing Gu Feng nod, Fatty immediately threw away his cigarette butt, jumped off the fishing boat, and said, "Brother Feng, get on the boat quickly! I've been waiting for you for a long time!"

Gu Feng nodded, instructing Chen Yuan and the others to split into three groups and quickly board the fishing boats.

The three fishing boats set off one after another. In the distance, there were many similar fishing boats, so they blended right in.

As Fatty steered the fishing boat, he grinned foolishly at Gu Feng and asked, "Brother Feng, the higher-ups said that if I handle this matter well, I'll qualify to become an inner-circle member of the Red Star Gang. Is that true?"

"How long have you been in this line?" Gu Feng didn't directly answer Fatty's question but instead asked with a smile.

Fatty chuckled sheepishly, seeming somewhat embarrassed to speak. Finally, he awkwardly said, "Eight months."

The Red Star Gang maintained strict control over its inner-circle members. Anyone wanting to join the inner circle had to undergo testing, and only those who passed could truly enter. In fact, major criminal organizations worldwide worked the same way. On the surface, they might have many members, but the true inner circle was small, with most being peripheral members. This was similar to how some street punks, after a single knife fight, would claim to be part of organized crime, when in reality, they were far from being genuine gang members.

"Perform well, and you might have a chance to enter the inner circle." Perhaps because he'd been a teacher for over a month, Gu Feng instinctively wanted to advise Fatty to leave the underworld, learn a proper skill, and make an honest living. But then he remembered his current identity as a Red Star boss, and such advice would be inappropriate, so he held his tongue.

Gu Feng's words excited Fatty. For him, entering the Red Star Gang's inner circle was a dream—not because inner-circle members got paid, but because it would allow him to show off in front of his peers.

Both on the mainland and in Hong Kong, many young people were influenced by gangster films. These youths often took to the streets, thinking the underworld life was glamorous and impressive. In reality, many came to a bad end before even scratching the surface of genuine gang life, ending up in police stations.

Fatty seemed to sense that Gu Feng wasn't much of a talker. Seeing Gu Feng fall silent, he stopped chatting and focused on steering the fishing boat.

After a while, the four fishing boats approached the coast of the island.

The shore was also lined with many fishing boats. Some fishermen were happily pulling in their nets, shouting cheerfully.

"Brother Feng, I had someone prepare a meal for you at my place. Let's go eat something first?" After the boat docked, Fatty was the first to jump off, excitedly addressing Gu Feng.

Gu Feng didn't immediately reply. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the surroundings. Through his observation, he found no suspicious individuals.

It seems I'm being too cautious. Gu Feng smiled self-deprecatingly. The Dong Xing Gang and Shui Lian Gang's exchange was scheduled for midnight. It was only a little past six now, nearly six hours away. Even if the Dong Xing Gang were extremely cautious, they wouldn't be stationed on the island's shore this early.

"Fatty, we won't trouble your family. Take us to get the supplies now," Gu Feng said to Fatty with a smile, shaking his head.

Fatty looked disappointed. "Brother Feng, what are you saying? You're the boss. It's only right for a subordinate to prepare everything for you. Besides, it's no trouble at all. My girl has already cooked the meal."

Seeing Fatty's earnest invitation, Gu Feng no longer refused and nodded.

Subsequently, led by Fatty, Gu Feng and his group headed toward the center of the island. There was a small town in the middle, though it had few residents left. Only some fishermen who made their living by fishing continued to live there. Most of the town had been developed with luxurious villas, many built in European styles, looking quite beautiful.

Fatty's home was located at the northernmost end of the town, in an old house.

"Brother Feng, that's my girl," Fatty said to Gu Feng as they neared his home, pointing to a girl with pigtails at the door.

The girl appeared to be under twenty, with delicate features, standing around 1.6 meters tall, with a curvaceous figure. With some makeup, she could be quite a beauty.

"Tigress, come quick, meet Brother Feng!" Fatty smiled as he walked toward Tigress, his smile carrying a hint of pride.

Tigress glared at Fatty, then glanced at Gu Feng and the others, saying indifferently, "Brother Feng." As she spoke, a trace of disgust flashed in her clear eyes, as if she disliked underworld figures like Gu Feng.

Fatty seemed to understand Tigress well. Seeing her expression turn sour, fearing she might offend Gu Feng, he quickly pulled her behind him, wearing a simple, honest smile. "Brother Feng, please come in. The food and drinks are in the yard."

As Fatty spoke, Tigress kept pinching his arm. The fat on Fatty's face trembled continuously, but his smile remained unchanged, as if he would do anything to gain Gu Feng's favor.

Gu Feng frowned slightly, glancing at Fatty and Tigress, then walked inside.

The meal Fatty had prepared was lavish, with all kinds of seafood available.

Gu Feng had originally intended to take the supplies and leave, but considering the early hour and Fatty's warm hospitality, he and Chen Yuan and the others stayed to eat something.

During the meal, Fatty repeatedly asked Gu Feng to talk about underworld affairs, especially the legendary figures of Hong Kong's underworld.

Gu Feng very much wanted to tell Fatty that Ling Yongbing, one of Hong Kong's underworld leaders and the boss of the Red Star Gang, was already dead. But seeing the clarity in Tigress's eyes and the excitement on Fatty's face, Gu Feng ultimately didn't say it.

Since they had a mission that night, neither Gu Feng nor the other members of the Hei Gu Team touched any alcohol, which slightly disappointed Fatty, but he didn't say anything.

After the meal, Gu Feng, led by Fatty, arrived at a small warehouse in Fatty's home.

Inside the warehouse was a box that had contained a television. The box was sealed, and the sealing tape was thick, indicating Fatty hadn't tampered with the contents.

"Brother Feng, what's in this box?" Fatty asked curiously, standing beside Gu Feng.

Gu Feng frowned slightly, looking at Fatty, and said seriously, "Fatty, do you really want to see?"

"Yes," Fatty nodded almost without hesitation.

"Da Shitou, open it," Gu Feng turned and gave an order to Da Shitou, who stepped over to the box and deftly tore off the sealing tape.

The next moment, a box full of weapons and special forces combat uniforms was revealed before Fatty and Gu Feng.

Seeing these items, Fatty's mouth gaped into an 'O' shape, his eyes wide with disbelief at what he was seeing.

After a brief moment of shock, an excited expression appeared on Fatty's face. Without waiting for Gu Feng to speak, he immediately grabbed a submachine gun, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Including Gu Feng, no one moved, simply watching as Fatty curiously fiddled with the submachine gun in his hands.

"Brother Feng, is this a real gun?" Fatty asked, playing with the gun without looking up.

"Mhm." Gu Feng grunted softly in acknowledgment, not stepping forward to stop Fatty.

A few seconds later, Fatty seemed to realize something and hurriedly put the gun down, then asked, "Brother Feng, do all inner circle members of the gang have the right to carry guns?"

"Mhm." Gu Feng nodded and said, "All inner circle members of the gang can carry guns. However, there's usually no chance to use them. Once you pick up a gun, it means you're fighting to the death with members of other gangs, and the result could very well get you killed."

Gu Feng's words took Fatty aback. He opened his mouth wide as if to say something, but no words came out. The excited expression drained from his face. Fatty really wanted to become an inner circle member of the Red Star Gang, to have bragging rights with his friends. He thought that would be glorious. But the very idea of death scared him; it felt too remote.

Gu Feng could guess that Fatty was torn at this moment. He gently patted Fatty's shoulder and said, "Fatty, your girlfriend is good. Treat her well. Don't think about getting involved in the underworld anymore. The underworld is a tough life. Also, to be honest with you, you're not cut out for the underworld. You have no hope of entering the Red Star's inner circle in this lifetime."

Fatty looked at Gu Feng blankly, wanting to say something, but he was speechless.

Clearly, after seeing the full case of weapons, Fatty had been deeply shaken. From initial excitement to later fear, and now confusion, Fatty's ambition to join the underworld had wavered.

"Alright, you can go now." Gu Feng waved him away.

Fatty nodded blankly and left, even forgetting to call out "Brother Feng."

Watching Fatty leave, Gu Feng gently shook his head. He couldn't help thinking, if that kid Xu Qiang saw this full case of weapons, he'd definitely want to do some real live-fire drills, wouldn't he?

While Gu Feng was thinking this, Chen Yuan shot him a complicated look, her thoughts unreadable.

Afterwards, Gu Feng and the others began changing clothes as quickly as possible. By the time they had changed and geared up, the sky had already darkened.

The small town at night was dead quiet. Whether it was the fishermen living in the town or the wealthy people in the luxurious villas, the night was silent. Perhaps those wealthy people were currently engaged in some of humanity's most primal activities, but the excellent soundproofing of the villas kept everything contained inside.

"Snipers, take the high ground." After leaving Fatty's house, Gu Feng immediately gave the order.

The two snipers wordlessly disappeared into the night. As snipers, reconnoitering the terrain was standard procedure. The island's terrain was already imprinted in their minds; they could reach the commanding heights in the shortest time.

Besides the two snipers, Gu Feng led the other eleven people to the west side of the island.

After observation, Gu Feng found that the west side of the island was the only place suitable for the exchange because there was an open area there, and it wasn't far from the port.

Soon, including Gu Feng, everyone had taken up positions around the open area on the west side of the island.

Gu Feng checked his watch; it was just past eight o'clock.

By now, the sky was completely dark. From the distant port came the sound of ship horns one after another. Looking into the distance, the port was enveloped in lights, brightly lit like a fairyland on earth.

A sea breeze blew past, rustling the grass where Gu Feng and the others were hiding. Everyone felt a chill.

"Captain Gu, why do you think they chose this island for the exchange?" Da Shitou was lying right next to Gu Feng. Perhaps out of boredom, or perhaps because the Dong Xing Gang and Shui Lian Gang people hadn't shown up yet, Da Shitou was getting antsy and couldn't help but ask.

"Shut up, Da Shitou!" Chen Yuan, lying to Gu Feng's left, glared coldly at Da Shitou, then explained, "This place is very close to the port. There are so many cargo ships at the port. If they trade here, they can get the goods onto those cargo ships in the shortest time. That way, even if the police are lying in ambush, they're not afraid. The port is so big, with so many ships docked and containers everywhere. If the police want to search, it would take them at least ten days to a fortnight to get through it all."

In the darkness, Gu Feng couldn't see Chen Yuan's face clearly, but her words still made him silently praise her in his heart. Gu Feng understood that, just as Chen Yuan said, this island was very suitable for drug transactions. And Xiang Tianhua had logistics businesses among legitimate enterprises, which could perfectly cover up the drug trade.

Da Shitou, having been snapped at by Chen Yuan, didn't dare say anything more. The other members also kept their mouths shut. The atmosphere suddenly fell silent, the surroundings quiet except for the sound of the waves and the distant horns of the tankers.

The wait was agonizing. Fortunately, the members of the Hei Gu Team were not ordinary people; they had great patience. During the wait, they lay there motionless.

Around ten o'clock, Da Shitou, holding the infrared binoculars, said excitedly, "Captain Gu, there are people on the shore."

Gu Feng picked up the infrared binoculars and looked. Sure enough, he saw four big men in black suits appear on the shore. The four men brazenly carried handguns and also held powerful flashlights, carefully checking the area around the open space for any people.

They checked very carefully. However, Gu Feng and the others' hiding spot was somewhat far from the open area. The four big men only checked the immediate surroundings.

About ten minutes later, after finishing their check, the four turned off their flashlights and sat on the open ground, talking quietly about something. Faintly, they could be heard speaking Cantonese. Clearly, they were all members of the Dong Xing Gang.

"Damn it, I thought those bastards were finally coming, but they're just doing a preliminary check first. They're really careful." Seeing the four sitting there motionless, Da Shitou was a little pissed and started cursing in Northeastern dialect again.

"Da Shitou, why do you have so much nonsense?" Beside Gu Feng, Chen Yuan was displeased again. As soon as she spoke, Da Shitou immediately shut his mouth.

After the brief excitement, they fell back into a long wait.

The four big men sat on the open ground chatting for a while, then got up and walked around the area again. This time, they didn't turn on their powerful flashlights but instead used the moonlight to inspect the surroundings. Clearly, they were a group of experienced guys, being very cautious. After confirming once again that there were no ambushes around, one of the four men took out a flashlight and began signaling towards the distance.

About five minutes later, around eleven o'clock, a yacht approached from afar. When it got close to the island, the yacht cut its engine and then anchored in the sea near the island, not coming ashore.

These guys are really meticulous.

Seeing the actions of the Dong Xing people, Gu Feng thought to himself, simultaneously putting down the infrared binoculars. Holding them for a long time had made his arm sore.

In the darkness, Da Shitou wanted to say something, but thinking of his previous two encounters, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Half an hour later, the yacht began slowly approaching the island. Once close, several figures jumped off the boat and quickly linked up with the four people on the island.

The Dong Xing people exchanged a few quiet words, then fell silent again.

Afterwards, the Dong Xing people on the open ground dispersed, walking towards the surroundings again, and the area they checked was much larger than before. Clearly, they were conducting a final check. If there were no issues, the transaction would proceed.

The members of the Hei Gu Team were all seasoned soldiers, each with superb hiding skills. Not to mention these gang members from the Dong Xing Gang, even if you brought some third-rate mercenaries, they wouldn't be able to find them.

The final check lasted about ten minutes. After it ended, everyone gathered in the center of the open area, nodding and reporting to the man in the center.

Because it was too dark, Gu Feng couldn't see the appearance of the man in the center, nor could he hear what they were discussing.

At the same time, a boat approached from the distance. The boat wasn't too big and was barely visible in the darkness.

The Dong Xing members on the island seemed to have received a message. One of them took out a flashlight and skillfully flashed a few signals.

Subsequently, the boat sped up towards the island. Clearly, the signal from the Dong Xing Gang members meant: safe.

Soon, the boat approached, and several figures quickly jumped off.

Simultaneously, two people from the Dong Xing side turned on powerful flashlights.

By the flashlight's light, Gu Feng suddenly saw that the person sent by Dong Xing to receive the goods was actually Xiang Yusheng. Xiang Yusheng wore a black cloak, standing in the night, looking particularly dashing. A habitual cold smile hung at the corner of his mouth, and his dark eyes stared intently at the people jumping off the boat ahead.

Seeing Xiang Yusheng, Gu Feng's heart stirred, and a flash of insight crossed his mind.

Led by Xiang Yusheng, the Dong Xing people made contact with the Shui Lian Gang people.

From the Shui Lian Gang crowd, a young man of not particularly burly build stepped forward. After walking up to Xiang Yusheng, the young man put his palms together and bowed to him. This was a common greeting ritual among Thai people.

Xiang Yusheng mimicked the gesture, returning the bow to the young man.

"Young Master Xiang, I didn't expect your father would send you personally to receive the goods." The Thai man spoke. His awkward Cantonese was very non-standard, barely understandable.

Xiang Yusheng smiled slightly, the smile appearing particularly bright in the darkness: "This is our first cooperation, and the quantity of goods is so large. My father didn't quite trust the situation, so he sent me personally."

As he spoke, Xiang Yusheng took a cigar handed by a subordinate and offered one to the Thai guy. The underlings behind them both stepped forward to light their cigars.

In the darkness, the glowing tips of the cigars were particularly conspicuous.

"Snipers, note: when we move later, use tranquilizer darts to take down the guy smoking on the east side." Gu Feng quietly gave the order to the snipers on the island's hillside.

"Copy that!" Two voices quickly came through the radio.

Gu Feng took a deep breath and said in a low, steady voice, "Move forward."

Next, everyone, including Gu Feng, slowly approached the clearing. At this time, both Xiang Yusheng and the Thai man were very relaxed. Combined with the sound of the waves and sea breeze, they couldn't hear Gu Feng and the others' footsteps at all.

Soon, Gu Feng and the others had surrounded Xiang Yusheng's group.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the Thai man smiled and made a gesture to the people behind him.

Two of his subordinates immediately carried a box from the boat. After they skillfully opened it, the Thai man bent down and picked up a jet-black submachine gun.

In the flashlight's beam, Gu Feng clearly saw it was the German-made MP5 submachine gun used by the thugs in the previous incident.

"Young Master Xiang, this is a gift from our boss to your father, Mr. Xiang—ten German-made MP5 submachine guns, top quality," the Thai man said with a smug look, a cigar in his mouth.

Xiang Yusheng took the MP5, gave it a brief look, and smiled, "Thank you for your boss's kindness. Our Dong Xing Gang has always valued credibility. As long as this batch meets the requirements and future deliveries are made as agreed, we'll make money together!"

This Xiang Yusheng is not simple; he already carries some of Xiang Tianhua's presence.

Gu Feng noted silently but did not give the attack order. It wasn't the right time yet.

"You can rest assured about the goods," the Thai man waved his hand dismissively. Several subordinates behind him immediately hauled out a few more wooden boxes from the cabin.

Seeing those boxes, Gu Feng's expression changed slightly. Usually, criminal gangs use suitcases for deliveries. But now, Dong Xing and Shui Lian Gang were using wooden boxes, indicating the shipment was enormous.

Five wooden boxes were quickly placed before Xiang Yusheng.

Xiang Yusheng waved his hand, and five of his men immediately stepped forward. They each took a bag of white powder from a box, opened it, and expertly inspected the contents.

After about half a minute, the five men nodded to Xiang Yusheng one after another.

Xiang Yusheng smiled slightly and said, "Please wait a moment."

As he spoke, he immediately took out his phone, preparing to send a text to notify his people outside to wire the money.

For a large-scale drug transaction, carrying that much cash in suitcases is impractical.

Just as Xiang Yusheng took out his phone, Gu Feng decisively gave the order: "Snipers!"

"Whoosh—"

A tranquilizer dart sliced through the air and accurately hit Xiang Yusheng's thigh. His body jerked violently, and he instantly collapsed.

"Open fire!" Seeing Xiang Yusheng fall, Gu Feng immediately commanded.

The rattle of gunfire erupted.

Da Shitou and the others, their bottled-up rage finally unleashed, immediately squeezed their triggers. Bullets whistled toward the people in the clearing's center.

In the blink of an eye, several figures fell. Simultaneously, a few of the quicker ones threw themselves to the ground and returned fire.

For a moment, gunfire boomed, muzzle flashes lit up the area, and the sounds of discharging weapons and muffled groans mixed with the waves, like a symphony of death.

However, whether Dong Xing or Shui Lian Gang, they were no match for the Hei Gu Team. Moreover, the Hei Gu Team had waited in ambush, fully prepared, leaving the others no chance to fight back.

"Damn it! How could there be people here?" The Thai man was the most skilled present. He immediately yanked a subordinate in front of him as a shield while dropping to the ground. Returning fire, he shouted at the Dong Xing members.

On the Dong Xing side, with Xiang Yusheng down, the others panicked, too busy trying to escape to heed the Thai man.

The continuous gunfire sounded particularly piercing in the night, the muzzle flashes casting a flickering light over the clearing.

People from both sides kept falling. Intense fear made them fire blindly, but their poor marksmanship couldn't harm Gu Feng's team.

Screams of agony echoed continuously. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, carried by the sea breeze toward the vast ocean.

As time passed, the symphony of death gradually faded. In less than two minutes, almost everyone in the clearing was down.

The disparity in strength had already determined the outcome; the process was merely a formality.

"Reporting to Captain Gu, mission accomplished. The Dong Xing member by the coast yacht was shot in both wrists and is alive!" the sniper's voice came through the radio.

"Load up the drugs, the guns, and Xiang Yusheng! Retreat immediately!" Gu Feng ordered.

Soon, Gu Feng's team rushed from the grass, quickly reached the clearing, grabbed the drugs, and ran for the yacht.

Gu Feng didn't help move the drugs. His attention remained fixed on the Dong Xing member by the coast.

Though the clearing was dark, Gu Feng's eyes were adapted. He could clearly see the man's expression.

The Dong Xing member wore a look of sheer fear, eyes slightly open, cautiously scanning his surroundings, his body trembling faintly.

After about half a minute, the Hei Gu members had moved all the drugs, weapons, and Xiang Yusheng onto the yacht.

"Brother Chunzai, hurry! The police are coming!" Baozi, the Hei Gu member best at imitating accents, shouted from the yacht.

Without a word, Gu Feng sprinted for the yacht.

In the darkness, the sole surviving Dong Xing member's expression changed drastically at "Brother Chunzai." His pupils dilated in shock.

Accompanied by a piercing engine roar, the yacht sped away.

Seeing it leave, the sole survivor struggled up, grabbed Xiang Yusheng's phone, dialed, and said, "Boss, it's bad! Our goods were taken by the 14K, and they've captured the young master!"

Under Gu Feng's orders, Da Shitou and the others opened the five drug boxes and slit the bags. White powder drifted into the wind.

Watching it float away, Da Shitou sighed, "Money, all this is money! If this were taken back to my hometown in the Northeast, I'd be the richest man in the county!"

Still unsatisfied, he added to Tiedan, "Right, Tiedan? Huh? In your parts, you'd be top too, right? Not many rich folks there, I recall."

"Then why don't you go sell it and try?" A faint smile touched Chen Yuan's usually cold face, amused.

"How dare I? If I sold this stuff, wouldn't you, Captain Chen, shoot me dead?" Da Shitou chuckled, speeding up his work. Looking at him, Gu Feng shook his head with a bitter smile, then took out his phone and dialed Biao Zi. He said in a low voice, "Biao Zi, start the operation!"