He Qiang, a criminal police officer from the Major Crimes Division, accidentally killed his wife in a gold shop robbery. His son, He Jiacheng, witnessed his mother's death with his own eyes and had a grudge against his father. When he grew up, he applied for the police academy and became an intern police officer. He accidentally participated in a human experiment and discovered that his body had undergone a strange change. At the same time, the truth of his mother's death was gradually revealed...
1962, Huji Gold Shop, Tsimshatsui.
The roller shutter fell with a bang, stirring up a thick layer of dust on the ground. Three fully armed men waved their guns, and their nervousness could be felt through their helmets.
"Hurry up, the police are coming."
The leader of the group was tall. Although he had carefully disguised himself, he looked like a cheap hood bought from a street stall in the night market. There was an irregular bulge on the right side, as if there was a sound panting under the inferior fabric.
Huji Gold Shop was not big, and business was not good.
Three guests came in one after another in the morning, if the little boy playing with ants in the corner was counted.
Unfortunately, the three guests had not left yet. Thus, three robbers, a boss, and three customers squeezed into the crowded gold shop. A conflict was imminent.
"Hand it over."
The leader of the robbers lowered his voice. Contrary to what he said, he waved his hand and hit the woman who was blocking the counter to the ground.
The boss was stunned on the spot. He was not scared silly. If he observed carefully enough, his eyes would have been fixed on the robbers with some disdain on his face.
The woman on the ground was trembling, perhaps because of fear or pain. The boy who had been standing in the corner finally woke up from his own world. He was like a little beast that had been stimulated and rushed forward to bite the robber's hand.
The robber was too tall. The boy's leap barely reached his waist, and a glove fell off.
As the woman begged for mercy, the boy fell to the ground and fainted.
"Where is it?" the robber asked impatiently.
The owner of the gold shop was nicknamed Chicky Kun. The glasses he wore were round and small, just like the eyes of Chicky that were commonly seen in old picture albums.
He silently turned around and took out a black plastic bag from the hidden compartment at the corner of the counter. The leader was obviously worried about something. He raised his chin and signaled the person beside him to take the bag.
The man walked over, but before his hand could even touch the smooth plastic, he was shocked to the ground by the sound of a gunshot. Two more gunshots were heard, and Chicky Kun's blood sprayed onto the plastic bag on the ground, revealing a corner of the yellowed newspaper.
There was nothing but newspapers.
The leader of the robbers glanced at his companion on the ground and scolded," I've told you repeatedly to be careful. Are you blind?"
He turned around calmly, but in just a few seconds, as if he was electrocuted, he turned back and kicked the corpse on the ground more than ten times.
The outburst of anger made him dizzy and lose his mind. He pulled off the mask on his head and exposed his sharp face under the incandescent light. The pale light made his face look a little sick.
At this moment, the boy lying on the ground opened his eyes in a daze. He only saw a blurry face. He turned his head to look at the shutter door. Through the gap, he could see a figure swaying gently. His eyes gradually focused.
"Do it."
The boy couldn't hear the sound. The robber's mouth and his mother's frightened expression made him uncomfortable.
" Bad…bad guy, don't bully my mom. My…my dad is a police officer." After saying this, the boy felt a natural sense of pride, but he did not notice the robber's sharp eyes.
"Oh? Little kid, what's your father's name?" The slightly impatient face instantly had a mocking look.
The boy thought that his words had shocked the robber, so he said lightly," My father's name is He Qiang. He's a sheriff. He's very powerful…"
The robber's eyes darted between the boy and the woman as if he was making a decision.
Who would have thought that this husband and his great father were outside the Huji Gold Shop? He faced the car window, wiped his hair that had been gelled, and loosened his tie that was too tight.
This was the last time He Qiang would be traveling on a business trip. He had enough of John getting paid to do nothing and ordering him around like a dog.
After tonight, he would be transferred to Inspector Lin's side. As Chinese police officers, he would at least have a basic personality.
He had just turned 30 this year. He had a gentle wife and a smart son. All he lacked was a good future.
The first few years as a police officer were very hard. He Qiang felt like a gradually extinguished volcano. The hot blood in the past solidified in the low temperature and formed black veins in his body.
Although he looked ugly in the mirror, it was like a medal that proved that his status was different from those young boys who had just entered the police station. He had held on long enough and deserved the honor he deserved.
There were still five minutes left, and he had to make a decision in these five minutes…The rolling shutter opened with a clang, making He Qiang's heart stir. It was time.
The light in the gold shop was not as dark as expected. It was even brighter than the slightly gloomy weather outside.
The leader of the robbers slowly walked out. His mask had been put back on, but his eyes were unsettling to anyone who had seen them. They were cold and heartless, with a hint of bloodlust.
This was a fugitive.
He waved his hand decisively and pulled out a woman from the side of the door. The woman was obviously injured. Instead of standing, she was dragged upright.
When He Qiang saw the woman's face, his hands couldn't stop trembling. He was stunned and couldn't make a sound.
Time ticked by, and no one knew what they were waiting for.
"Hand over your weapons…release the hostages." He Qiang turned his head to look at the police officer who was speaking next to him. He was an introverted and stubborn child. His surname seemed to be Hua. He had just graduated from the police academy and was very serious in his work.
However…everyone knew that he had no future.
"Hand over your weapons and release the hostages."
He Qiang finally spoke, but he only repeated it emotionlessly.
His hands that were holding the gun were much steadier. His hands had once ranked in the top three in the shooting competition of the Nine Dragons Police District and had killed more than 20 vicious criminals in the course of his mission.
The robbers were unexpectedly calm.
" Give me a car and 300,000 yuan in cash. Release him immediately, or else..." The woman moaned weakly. Her throat had been cut by a dagger, and her blood had soaked her sweater.
The dress was a ten-year wedding anniversary gift. It was a warm purple with a wet crimson color. There was a dull dull pain in a part of her brain.
He Qiang didn't have time to think. He gestured for the team to attack from the back door of the gold shop.
Twenty seconds, thirty seconds, a minute had passed, but there was still no news from him. The woman's blood was almost drained. With a violent explosion, thick smoke came out of the shop. The robbers left the woman and ran into the house. The sound of gunfire rose and fell.
Three minutes later, a report came from the shop, and the police officers outside rushed into the room.
Only He Qiang knelt on the ground and carefully held his wife's head. His rough hand covered the wound. There was no ring on his hand, only a small mark on the ring finger of his left hand.
He lowered his head. The warmth in his palm was a stark contrast to the faint throbbing on his wife's neck.
" Sir, the criminals have escaped. There are three bodies inside and one survivor."
He Qing straightened his stiff neck and saw his five-year-old son staring at him.
In the police station in Tsimshatsui, everyone was as busy as usual. The case of Huji Gold Shop was buried in thousands of files.
In the inspector's office on the third floor, Lin Haode faced the window and smoked silently.
The cigarette case on the pine table was branded with the golden words Floating Life. He liked to smoke under the sun facing the window. The smoke rings he exhaled and exhaled accumulated on the window and slowly dissipated. There were only four words left in people's minds: Floating Life is like a dream.
After graduating from university, he returned to Hong Kong and joined the police force. Because he had a good background and was proficient in foreign languages, he managed to get to the position of inspector. However, it would be difficult for him to advance further. The British would not easily let a Chinese person be promoted to a superintendent.
There were different factions in the police station. He had to think of other ways.
"Boss." He Qiang knocked on the door. His eyes were unfocused, and he used all his strength to speak.
Lin Haode frowned. He had just found out what had happened. Although He Qiang's position wasn't high and he wasn't his direct subordinate, they had reached a consensus long ago that He Qiang would be his subordinate. It would be an additional help.
"Qiang, are you sure you want this? We've known each other for many years and we've endured even the most difficult days. Now that our days are better, I don't want others to say that I'm burning the bridge after crossing it."
" Boss, don't worry." He Qiang's voice was a little choked, but he was not touched. After being together for so long, he had long seen through what was real and what was fake.
"You know my personality best. I'm really too tired and want to leave."
Lin Haode didn't say anything. The hand that was holding the cigarette trembled a few times. The white ash on the desk was particularly eye-catching. The person behind him tactfully walked out the door.
The 32-year-old Lin Haode was in the prime of his life, but his sideburns had already turned white. The ends of his hair had just been dyed a month ago, and because of the incident at He Ji Gold Shop, he was afraid that he would have a few more strands of white hair.
He looked at the doorknob, then glanced at the resignation letter and documents on the table. He put out the cigarette that he had just taken a few puffs of and said to himself with a mocking tone," You're always so careful. You didn't even make a sound when the door was closed. Luckily, you were careful and saved your life."
He Qiang had done many things for him, so he might know some secrets. If he was preparing to swear loyalty or something, Lin Haode really didn't dare to make him stay.
Forget it, he was already a cripple. What else could he do? Lin Haode turned around and stared out of the window. After He Qiang's figure disappeared, he looked at the police officers who were training in the square. With so many people, he could at least pick out a few trusted aides.
He Qiang, who walked out of the door, was completely drained of his energy. He had never thought of leaving the police station in this way.
Looking up, the white exterior wall was a little dazzling. Back then, he had left the Reserve Police Force and followed Lin Haode into the Tsimshatsui Police Station. From a part-time police officer to the current chief of the police station, he had sacrificed too much.
As time passed, his gaze turned cold. Suddenly, he felt relieved. The moment he turned around, he no longer had the warmth from before. He never wanted to return to this place that destroyed his happiness.
In a building on Temple Street in Yaumatei, the temperature in the room was much higher than outside. There were a few pieces of clothes scattered on the ground, and the most eye-catching thing was the mask on the top.
Ding Ningchun leaned against the headboard. The gunshot wound on his right arm was very serious, and the bleeding could not be stopped no matter what. The police were very fast and entered the gold shop in an instant. If he had not jumped out of the window in time to escape, he would have been arrested by now.
The brazier was burning very brightly. The red fire pincers looked scary, but Ding Ningchun did not retreat at all. The scorching temperature came into contact with her skin, and the sound of flesh being roasted was numbing.
" Stinky police, you fat pig. I'll kill you all sooner or later." He fell down as he spoke. He finally wrapped the wound with gauze. After a few curses, he closed his eyes tiredly and muttered," Big sister, where are you…"
A street away, the police were investigating door-to-door.
Although it was an investigation, there was not even a portrait. He just asked a few more questions according to the usual procedure, such as " Have you seen any suspicious people?"" Is there anyone injured?" It was no different from finding a needle in a haystack.
"No, no, officer. We're all old neighbors here. We're all familiar with each other. We've never seen strangers." The fishmonger waved his hand.
His wife picked up the broom and was about to walk over when the fishmonger stopped her. His winking expression made people laugh and cry. He was obviously worried that his wife would cause trouble.
Hua Liwei put away the pen in his hand and kept silent. He knew that some colleagues were secretly collecting money. Although there were some discussions at first, as time went on, everyone seemed to pretend to be deaf and mute.
When he was on duty, he had met a few times. Some spat at him behind his back, and some stuffed money into his pocket. He could not control others, but at least he had to control himself.
"Wayne, how was it?" Cai Zhonghuan walked out of the shop next door. His pants were bulging. It seemed that he had gained a lot.
Hua Liwei shook his head and didn't say anything.
There was a snack vendor next to him. Cai Zhonghuan took out a piece of cooked corn from the pot and walked in front. As he chewed on it, he said," This is strange. The police dog that I specially borrowed from the eight villages ran into this street and couldn't be found."
"Wayne, did the higher-ups say when they would investigate? It's time for dinner."
"They said that they will be dismissed after six o'clock."
"Six o'clock? It's not time for dinner yet." Cai Zhonghuan looked back and felt that he was very unlucky. Other people's disciples were very clever, but why was this kid's temper so bad and hard, like a stone in the toilet?
If he hadn't followed the hawkers secretly a few times, he wouldn't have believed that there were still such policemen.
" The impact of today's case is very bad. Although the higher-ups didn't ask us to work overtime, we have to be more conscious. We can only be dismissed at seven o'clock."
"Got it." As Hua Liwei said that, he lowered his eyes. It was obvious that he was going to eat and drink from every house.
After the master and disciple walked a few dozen meters, the fishman was dragged to the backyard by his wife.
"Dead man, you don't want me to say anything. When do you plan to send her out?"
The fishmonger's wrinkled face scrunched up into a ball. He clenched his fists and begged for mercy." Tomorrow, I'll give it away tomorrow. Aunt, you'll let these bastards know whether my shop is still open or not. There's not enough for them to take."
"I don't care. Isn't it enough to help him once? That little brat must have done something wrong. Otherwise, why would so many people come?"
The fishmonger raised his chicken claw-like hand and stretched out three fingers." I swear I'll send him away tomorrow. I thought it would be good if my relatives could help us a little. It's already good enough that he doesn't implicate us."
Ding Ningchun, who was hiding upstairs, had long heard the commotion. Just as she was about to teach the two of them a lesson, she retreated.
In the middle of the night, he sneaked into the bedroom, stole the money box of the fish seller, and poured a few bottles of vinegar and soy sauce into the fish tank before leaving satisfied.
When the fishmonger opened his stall the next day, he only saw a few boxes of fish and prawns with their bellies turned over. He was so angry that his face turned red and his neck turned thick. He fell into the water tank and stopped moving after a few flops.