After the Choice

We're here, Old Tung.

Same as always?

Yup. Two mala, one curry, and a clear soup.

Man, Old Tung's finballs are really—

Old Tung? That's Uncle Tung to you, boy!

It just slipped out, man.

I know we call you Dumb Tau sometimes, but do you really have to be stupid for real?

What's with you today, Ah Sam?

I just can't with this dumbass—

So what if he's dumb? What did Madame Oni tell you, huh? Who you trying to act all big for?

Ah Hsiang! I don't care if I'm an idiot or not, just stop arguing.

Right, Madame Oni? Say a little something.

Come on, guys. You're all hangry, or what?

Ah Sam, apologize to Daai Tau.

Sorry... I got worked up.

Ah Hsiang, say sorry to Ah Sam too.

......

Ah Hsiang!

My bad. Shouldn't have been so aggro.

Now we're all good, yeah?

......

Let's switch topics. What happened to the guys under 'Kyut Yat Mun' after you got rid of him two days back?

Mr. Lin has his own plans, so I didn't ask. But seems like he just told them to behave, so they got off pretty lightly.

Oh.

Uh, Madame Oni.

Hm? What is it?

Actually, I wanted to ask...

......

I see Dumb Tou's mouth is slow today too. I'll do it. Madame Oni, isn't today our... uh...

......

Come on, guys. One after the other?

I'll say it for them, Madame Oni. You told us your plans for the future, so we were thinking, why not throw one last party?

Cause we might not get the chance to meet up again in future, so we wanted to ask... why exactly do you want to...

Go to the—

Make way, make way. Finballs incoming.

My thank you present for ridding Downtown of those pests: radish for each of you, and Hoshiguma gets an extra fowlbeast wing.

Thanks.

......

Sigh. I know you guys have your worries, but what happened to the smooth talkers I know, the ones who say they taught me how to talk? Why so quiet now?

...Thanks, Uncle Tung.

Don't mention it.

It's normal for kids to be in denial after you drop such a big bomb on them.

I have to handle the takeaway orders. Sauces are all self-service over at the counter.

Got it.

'Big bomb'? Didn't Madame Oni just tell us about it today? How does he know already?

Dude, your years in with the triads were a waste.

You know why Uncle Tung has a lame leg? You know who he took a blow for?

Who? Mr. Lin?

You really don't get it, huh? If Mr. Lin were the one I couldn't talk about, why would it be safe for you to constantly bring him up? Think about it: who is it that really shouldn't be mentioned?

Uh... Wei—?!

At least you knew to stop at his family name. Want a medal?

My bad, man. Me and my dumb ass.

Uncle Tung and Mr. Lin are good old buddies because they both worked for that guy, back in the day.

Now I see. I was just wondering why Mr. Lin was giving Madame Oni so much scary work lately. First it was 'Fowlwing Ng', then 'Funerary Cin', and now 'Kyut Yat Mun' today...

Daai Tau, you and your big mouth!

......

Forget it, man.

Madame Oni, didn't you say the Higashinese love to eat from every stall at your festivals or something? We're practically done with our finballs, so why don't we go for round two?

Sure. Can't split up this early, can we?

Alcohol is where the real fun begins!

Yeah, man—

Stop. Not another word from you tonight, or you'll spoil the mood.

Haha...

Dumb Tau is such a handful. Madame Oni, I have a feeling he still thinks you're a Forte.

Hey, now the garbage's coming out of YOUR mouth. I know she's an Oni from Higashi, okay?

And?

Uh...

Shame on you!

It's not like Madame Oni's fresh off the boat in Lungmen, dude. She was with the Leungyi Society before she enlightened our useless asses, you know.

The Leungyi Society?! Those are some tough customers!

What do you think, huh? Well, she was an unusually upstanding lady back in the day, so she had a big fanclub. And that's when Mr. Lin noticed her too.

Enough war stories. I was a little too conspicuous those days, which is why the Leungyi Society...

But how could they blame you? Didn't Mr. Lin ask for your help? Could he have found someone else to do your job?

Isn't it thanks to you that half the society got out alive? And did anyone in the triads ever sully your name over this?

......

I just can't help but to be mad for your sake.

Mr. Lin hired her once, to teach the Leungyi Society and Bagua Gang a lesson. I won't even get into him establishing the rules, but Lungmen hasn't seen a major gang in power since.

These past few years, the remnants have been showing up on the streets, so Mr. Lin called her in to help again.

But in the end... heh...

Forget it. Enough talk! Drink!

Huh? What are you doing?

Madame Oni! Someone's—

Argh!

Calling the cops? Lee Bo-faat, you must be eager to die.

Ah Faat?!

*cough* I'm fine, Madame Oni. He won't pull anything drastic with you around.

Mind dropping us a name, so we can catch up later?

No need to know where I'm from. I'm just here for one thing: to congratulate you on making your big deal.

With just a broken beer bottle?

A broken bottle? You're underestimating what's inside.

H-Hurry and call the cops!

The cops?

......

Your accent tells me you're no local.

I don't blame you for not knowing. Go and call then. How long do you think the cops will take to show?

Wanna guess who they'll vent their anger on when you call them out here for nothing?

How... how could this be...

Check a guidebook before your next vacation, and avoid the slums, you hear me?

Now scram!

Let's get back on topic. 'Madame Oni', from today onwards, you are public enemy number one of all Lungmen's triads.

She only got rid of the real bullies, the ones who were even against you, and you want to make an enemy of her? You should be grateful!

You think we don't know who she was working for?

Today, Lin tells her to kill 'Kyut Yat Mun', and she does it. If he puts one of my boys on the chopping block tomorrow, what do we do then, huh?

To all you who don't live our lives, witness this with your eyes; and those who do, remember this—

She is now and will always be a traitor to our Downtown Lungmen.

What the hell are you saying? Who did she betray, huh?!

Didn't she take the Lungmen Guard Department's offer to become a cop?

Did this Oni not murder our brothers without hesitation, and even take the heads of a bunch of big shot triads just to show the cops her loyalty?

All lies and slander—

Slander? Why isn't she denying it, then?

......

I noticed your group's gloomy vibe the second I walked in here. You there don't get how your wonderful Madame Oni could become a cop?

If you wanna run with the triads, then you better cut her loose as soon as you can. It's true, we can't beat her right now, but do you think she can keep you safe around the clock?

You don't have to drive a wedge between us—

Laai Gam Sam, how's your mother doing?

You dare?!

There's no need to hassle these young men.

Stepping up on your own, huh? How kind you are, 'Madame'. Is that why Lin likes you so much, a blade that's loyal to a fault?

This is between us. Keep Mr. Lin out of it.

Listen up, fellas. Anyone who dares raise a hand against my people, or even their friends and family without good reason...

You can look forward to me knocking down your door with Hannya and hacking you to bits and pieces.

...Hmph.

Whatever. I'm just a messenger, and my job's done. See ya!

Madame Oni, don't listen to that rotter. Want something to drink?

Ah Faat...

I won't bother you anymore. Get me the bill, and we'll go somewhere else for drinks.

Damn. There's no other hole in Downtown that'll take us...

Forget it, man. We already got some beer from the convenience store and no one's gonna bother us, so it doesn't matter where we crack these cans open. Let's find somewhere with a cool breeze—

A breeze? The L.G.D. rooftop's probably the best spot for that.

Again with the garbage, huh?!

I can't hold it in.

What's wrong with Mr. Lin, letting Madame Oni work with the L.G.D.?

......

That jerk with the bottle can go to hell, but... I just can't figure it out.

I just can't! What about you two, huh? And you, Madame Oni?

Yeah, I'm Dumb Tau, so tell me, you smart ones, what exactly are Lin and Wei planning with this?!

Didn't I tell you from the start? It was my own decision to accept Mr. Wei's offer—

Yes, and you were right to! I'm not being sarcastic either, I know that was an offer you couldn't refuse!

After what happened earlier, even I know now you're a thorn in the side of the triads, and they'll do whatever it takes to get rid of you.

And yet, what's Lin doing? He oughta be standing up for you! And what did he do? He made you become a cop!

How are you gonna survive in Lungmen if you turn him down? You could only take the deal!

Madame Oni, did you forget how the cops treat us?

They don't even think of us as human. All they ever do is kick us around.

To be honest, Madame Oni. I don't get it either. What can a triad do, joining the L.G.D.?

The way I see it, Mr. Lin's just trying to curry favor with the other triads by getting you in there. Letting their guard down as they laugh at you, while he slowly takes control—

What are you doing, Ah Sam?

Nothing. I'm going to the L.G.D.

This late? They're already closed.

Who cares? If the doors are locked, I'll just climb up, all the way to the roof.

Those damned cops are always trampling on us, so tonight we're flipping the tables on them.

Hah... hah... did... we finally make it?

Entering from the top-floor warehouse's the only option, seeing as the way to the roof was blocked by a bunch of stuff.

I didn't think the L.G.D.'s roof would be stuffed with so much junk...

Madame Oni... you sure you wanna go with us? Your new job's starting soon, what if your boss finds out you were here...

What's there to be afraid of? Even if the sky falls, I'm tall and I've got a horn. I'll just put a hole in it.

Haha! Hahaha...

Hah...

*sigh*

I'm real worried, Madame Oni. You being you, it'll only take a year or two before they start bullying and manipulating you.

Not happening with her. If it does, just come find us.

We'll try our best to hold on while she's away. I don't think Madame Oni will tolerate those bastards forever.

Don't.

...Madame Oni?

It wasn't Mr. Lin who had me join the L.G.D., but Mr. Wei. Why would he ever need to help Mr. Lin?

Didn't you say Uncle Tung and Mr. Lin used to work for Wei? If something happened to me, you'd help me out, right?

Hey, now!

Wanna look at this?

Isn't this the scrap that guy pulled out of his bottle? What about it?

Look at the signatures.

Tung Zeng, Anchors, Lian Heng, Si Yau, Baak Coek... and the Char Sius?

Who came up with these names? Did they get an earful from their mom while brainstorming to settle on 'Char Sius'?

The funny ones are all baby gangs. With Mr. Lin breathing down their necks, no one dares use a cool name like 'Leungyi' or 'Bagua' anymore.

Why do you think they tried to intimidate us today? You think they'd bother staging their broken bottle act if they actually had the guts to step over Mr. Lin and rub us out?

Lungmen will get better. I want to believe.

It's changed a lot compared to when I first arrived here, and I think it'll only get better in future.

Madame Oni, if that's true, then why not just lay low until Mr. Lin gets all the triads under control?

There's no reason you have to be a cop. Unless you were one in Higashi? Guess that'd make sense then.

No... the things I did there... were far worse than what I've done in Lungmen.

When all's said and done, those guys want you gone anyhow.

......

Yeah, fine. Lungmen will get better and better, just not us.

Ah Sam—

Madame Oni, you've never told us about what happened back in Higashi, and we've never asked. So I'll just talk about our Lungmen days.

You had it good with the Leungyi Society, but Lin destroyed it, and forced you to go solo!

Then you ran into us, and gave us a hand. You helped us live like actual people...

We want to treat you as one of us, like family. We want you to succeed, become famous—you have the moves for it!

But what're we looking at now? They're forcing you to hide, and turning you into a target for the cops... what right do they even have to do that?!

Madame Oni, you said you want to believe Lungmen will get better. Do you really believe it, or are you just pushing yourself? I... I...

You're gonna be a cop? Over my dead body!

Ah Sam—

Ah Sam!

You've had too much. Let's go down, and let's all go home.

Home? I can kowtow to my ah gong and go back home, but you? Madame Oni, do you really want to live the rest of your life as a puppet of the powerful?

Don't trust them! Yeah, they have the power, but they treat us like toys! They've never taken us seriously!

......

You ask if I really think Lungmen will get better. And yeah—I'm not sure it'll happen. But I have to believe in it. I have to.

Why?

The first time we met, should I have assumed you three were a trap laid by one of my enemies, or assassins out to kill me?

I'm an Oni who destroyed my own home. I had no choice but to come here to Lungmen. At first, I didn't think I could fit in, I only wanted to be alone.

It was my Leungyi brothers who took me around the skyscrapers and busy streets to try char siu, lou seoi, and curry finballs.

I used to have trouble getting the Lungmen dialect tones right, and you guys were the ones who helped me practice.

And Mr. Lin? He's never stabbed me in the back.

So I have to trust him. Otherwise...

Wanna bet? You won't last more than half a year at the L.G.D. You'll leave and never want to come back again.

I'm not taking your bet.

You scared?

No, I'm already playing.

I know, you're betting Lungmen will be kind to you.

But I know how scary it is to lose this bet, and I'm scared of seeing you lose.

I'm scared of seeing the fearless Madame Oni who only just learned how we talk... get stabbed in the back and become miserable again.

Even if it costs my life, I won't let you play on their table!

I just can't bear to see them bully you, Madame Oni.

Ah Sam, let's not be rash—

Are you crazy?!

I—

Enough! Go downstairs, all of you! I'll personally see you three home tonight, safe and sound!

ID, notebook, passport photo, and forms... they're all here.

Madame Oni—I mean, Officer Hoshiguma!

Ah Sam?!

What are you doing here? Not trying to climb back up again, are you—

What are you talking about? I drank too much last night. And thinking back, it was my fault.

So what are you doing here?

So you're the Hoshiguma who's been sent our way?

I am.

And those guys behind you? Here to sign on too?

They—

Sir, we're triads Officer Hoshiguma arrested on her way to work today!

Officer Hoshiguma swept all three of us off our feet in one move. Three bad dudes on her first day, sounds pretty awesome, right...?

?!

(Whispering) Dumb Tau, no one's gonna believe that!

Pfft, just get outta here already.

We're real triads! We got plenty of cash on us too, you know. Arrest us and you can pick our pockets while you pad your records—

Chief Wei only just put out these new law enforcement guidelines, and here you are trying to bribe me?

Fine, you got us, so why not give me a good whack with your stick?

My stick? What are you talking about? Oh, I know. You're baiting me. I hit you, you write a complaint to the L.G.D., and I lose my job. Right?

What?

I see you're really itching for a beating though. Let's have Hoshiguma here take care of that.

Me?

Just tell me 'these three bastards were harassing me', and I'll have grounds to toss them in the can for a few days of reflection. What do you think?

That bet. Do you think I'll win or lose now?

......

I don't know, but...

I can at least dare to hope you win, Madame Oni.

Thanks for believing in me.

But... if, and I'm saying if...

If you really do lose, don't forget us. We'll always be here, waiting, you get me?

...I won't forget.

That was so weird. Were those thugs trying to cozy up to you?

......

I'm telling you, you don't have to save their faces, these useless dregs—

They're my brothers.

Huh?

So you...

Yup.

They're my brothers. Always have been.