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Watching Sylvia Snow being dragged away by Su Mingshan, Shawn Young felt both frustrated and deeply moved—sometimes, the world is just this realistic and cruel. If he didn’t have enough power, there would be no room for his relationship with Sylvia to grow. At this moment, Shawn’s desire for strength grew even stronger.
Just then, Zhou Tieko, who had been silent beside him, leaned in with a mysterious smile and said to Shawn, “Hehe—little brother, now you see, life is unpredictable. In such a short time, so many unexpected joys and sorrows have happened. The things of this world are like clouds drifting across the sky—ever-changing, elusive, dreamlike.”
“Yeah—life is full of surprises!” Shawn echoed, feeling emotional.
“Hehe—although life is unpredictable, the Buddha says: karma cycles, and everything in the universe follows its own laws. That’s the rule of nature, and so it is for all things. So, even those things that seem impossible to predict have their causes, and thus their results. And those results are closely tied to the ways of heaven and the human heart!” Zhou Tieko said, leaving Shawn half-understanding.
“Uh—Master, the Buddhist concept of karma is similar to the Taoist idea of yin and yang, but I’ve never really understood it! Especially since the ‘Heavenly Tribulation’ inside me remains unresolved—it’s my biggest worry! I hope Master can guide me!” Shawn said sincerely.
“Hehe—‘guidance’ might be too much. As for your ‘Heavenly Tribulation,’ it has its cause and effect, though I don’t know the specifics. But I can share a verse from Master Miaolian of Mount Wutai. Whether you can unravel its mysteries depends on your own fate! Once you reach that level, it’s not just about pushing forward—it takes sudden insight, or a special solution. Only then can you overcome the ‘Heavenly Tribulation’!” Zhou Tieko explained warmly.
“Oh, then please enlighten me, Master!” Shawn said.
“Alright, here’s the verse that Master Miaolian left behind: ‘Demons arise from the heart, endlessly reborn. All methods turn to energy, dragon and tiger unite, phoenixes sing in harmony, utmost yin and yang, mysteries move through the nine heavens, and the Great Way can be achieved!’ Zhou Tieko recited the cryptic verse, then added, “Master Miaolian once said—those destined will naturally unlock its meaning. I can’t say who that is, but when you showed up, I suddenly felt a surge in my heart, and this verse popped into my mind. I think you must be the destined one!”
“Oh—I’ll remember it. If I ever break through the ‘Heavenly Tribulation,’ I’ll be sure to thank you for your guidance!” Shawn said sincerely.
“Hahaha—little brother, there’s no need to dwell on such worldly matters. I’m just a humble monk, and everything is about ‘destiny.’ The fact that we met today is heaven’s arrangement. Now that my wish is fulfilled, I’ll take my leave for now. If fate brings us together again, I hope to see you overcome your ‘Heavenly Tribulation!’ Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Zhou Tieko said with a smile, chanting a Buddhist verse before turning and drifting away.
Shawn watched Zhou Tieko walk away, silently repeating those cryptic verses in his mind, but couldn’t make sense of them. He couldn’t help but sigh—maybe he’d need the right opportunity, or some quiet contemplation, to truly understand their meaning.
Just then, George 'Oxhead' Gu came swaggering over, his face flushed with excitement. "Yo, Shawn! Man, I just got the deluxe package from Sister Pomegranate—bubble bath for two, a boob rub, the whole 'fire and ice' routine, deep throat, and then she hit me with the mountain punch! I blew every last drop, bro. That was freakin' insane!"
"Uh—good for you! Now that you got your rocks off, can we finally handle some real business?" Shawn said, rolling his eyes at Oxhead's satisfied grin.
"Oh, oh, it's just past nine—perfect time! C'mon, let's hit Portland Street. Dude, that's like Mecca for Asian guys!" Oxhead said, grinning mischievously.
"Mecca for men? What makes it so special?" Shawn asked, still confused.
"Heh, just wait till you see it. It's not far, let's roll." Oxhead laughed, leading the way. Shawn, curious as ever, followed him out to the street.
The two of them wandered through the bustling Temple Street night market, dazzled by the sights. After a while, they arrived at a street ablaze with colorful lights, neon signs everywhere, and crowds of people coming and going. The atmosphere was lively and electric.
But Shawn quickly noticed something different: the street was packed, but most of the people were men glancing around, while scantily clad, seductive women stood on the corners. Some whispered to men, some scanned the crowd, and whenever they spotted ‘prey,’ they’d sidle up with a flirtatious move. Clearly, they were openly soliciting business, doing a kind of semi-public flesh trade.
Especially on this street, the ‘entertainment venues’ were everywhere—‘dense’ was the word for it. The advertisements outside were loud and flashy, full of teasing and temptation—phrases like ‘Passionate Northern girls from the mainland, fun early shows’ were plastered all over.
"Anything goes, six minutes of heaven—no limits!"
"A/C blasting, pale-skinned cuties, mainland girls down on their luck—special deals, all-inclusive, best bang for your buck!"
Signs everywhere: "Resident hotties galore," "Uniform parties every night," "Spend enough and the babes play for free"—all totally in-your-face. The raunchy vibe hit Shawn with the night breeze, making this place feel like a wild playground—sex, booze, and chaos everywhere!
"Bro, check it out—hot chicks everywhere! If you've got cash, you can do whatever you want. Tell me this isn't every guy's fantasy!" Oxhead grinned, giving Shawn a look that said, 'You know what I'm talking about.'
"Whoa—this place is... seriously intense!" Shawn said, nodding quickly.
‘This is Hong Kong’s famous Portland Street! Of course, like Temple Street, it’s just a normal street by day, but at night, it transforms into a whole other world! Any normal guy who steps in here gets his blood boiling—haha!’ Ox-Head Gu Changdong said excitedly.
"Yeah, working this scene can't be easy—the competition's brutal," Shawn said, watching the parade of scantily clad women hustling on the street. He could tell just how tough the grind must be.
"Let me break it down for you—Portland Street runs from Mong Kok to Yau Ma Tei. There's a saying: 'Tuen Mun's got its creeps, but Portland Street's got more.' Every old-school Hong Kong gangster flick features this place—robbery, picking up girls, you name it. The working girls here are legendary. Portland Street's tucked between Nathan Road and Shanghai Street, a tiny strip you won't even find on most maps, but everybody knows the name. The sex trade here is booming—nightclubs, the racy mag 'Heroic Passion,' bootleg AVs, and the latest online 'special services.' Mainland girls come here to hustle quick cash, living as undocumented immigrants, sometimes next door to gangsters. It's not just sex—drugs are everywhere too. Nearly every club sells ecstasy. It's got it all: sex, gambling, drugs." Oxhead gave Shawn the full rundown on Portland Street's nightlife.