Chapter Thirty-Seven: Nguyen Van Dung

Over the past few days, Ah Liang had been busy gathering information from his unruly friends about the situation in the Vietnamese refugee camps, leaving Wei Hua with little to do, and so he found himself idle at the orphanage. After a few days of inactivity, Wei Hua could no longer bear the boredom. With nothing occupying his time, he decided to wander the streets of Hong Kong. The city in 1975 was vastly different from the Hong Kong of the twenty-first century, and this difference filled Wei Hua with a sense of excitement as he explored.

One day, while strolling along a street in Kowloon, Wei Hua’s attention was suddenly drawn to a car parked not far from where he stood—a Mercedes sedan. And from this car stepped someone he immediately recognized. It was as people say, “there’s no story without coincidence”: the man alighting from the Mercedes was none other than Onozura, the very person Wei Hua sought revenge against. With two attendants in tow, Onozura entered a building ahead. Naturally, Wei Hua could not simply continue his aimless wandering; he was keen to discover what Onozura was doing in Hong Kong. Finding a café with a clear view of the building's entrance, he ordered a cup of coffee and settled in to wait.

More than two hours later, Onozura emerged from the building. The Mercedes swept him away at speed, and Wei Hua quickly left the café, hailed a taxi, and began tailing the car out of Kowloon. His pursuit ended at a villa in Kowloon Tong, where Onozura remained for the rest of the evening. Wei Hua surmised that this was Onozura’s current residence. Having confirmed his target’s whereabouts, he departed the area.

While Wei Hua pondered the reason for Onozura’s presence in Hong Kong, the man himself was seething with frustration. He had only just arrived, sent to take over the Yamaguchi-gumi’s operations in Hong Kong. Onozura’s failed venture in America had severely tarnished his reputation within the organization, and his assignment to Hong Kong infringed on the interests of many, especially those of the local division’s leaders. As a result, his takeover was fraught with obstacles. In truth, he had little desire to be there. The Hong Kong division had been painstakingly built by its own leaders, and his arrival was seen as an attempt to seize the fruits of their labor, naturally provoking their hostility. But his nominal elder brother, Asano Yamamoto, had vigorously recommended him to their foster father, Ichimitsu Yamamoto, to oversee the Hong Kong business, a proposal that received the backing of most senior leaders. Thus, not long after returning to Japan, Onozura was dispatched to Hong Kong.

Onozura understood Asano Yamamoto’s motives—it was a strategy to kill two birds with one stone. First, it would make Onozura more enemies, and second, it would keep him too occupied in Hong Kong to build his power base in Japan.

After venting his anger on an actress, Onozura gradually regained his composure. He was, after all, seasoned in the ways of the world. He knew he was at a critical juncture: if he managed well, he might slowly bring the Hong Kong branch under his control; if he acted too hastily, he could be driven out in disgrace, and by then, there would be no place for him in the Yamaguchi-gumi, let alone any hope of succeeding to the position of chairman. Lying on his bed, he contemplated the challenges ahead. Securing control of the Hong Kong division was his final chance, and he would not let it slip through his fingers. His immediate task was to understand the workings of the Hong Kong branch, get involved in its various dealings, and gradually take charge. In a few days, a shipment of drugs from the Golden Triangle was due in Hong Kong—a transaction he intended to oversee personally.

Four or five days later, Wei Hua had already mapped out Onozura’s daily routines and uncovered the hidden locations of the Yamaguchi-gumi in Hong Kong. Through various means, he also learned that a major deal was imminent—one that Onozura would personally handle. Wei Hua set his mind on sabotaging this operation and waited for the Hong Kong branch of the Yamaguchi-gumi to make their move.

Two days later, Ah Liang came to Wei Hua, visibly pleased. “Wei Hua! I’ve found the man you were looking for. I’ve already checked into his background. Let me tell you about him, and you can see if he’ll suit our needs.”

“Alright, go ahead,” Wei Hua replied.

“The man we’ve found is named Nguyen Van Dung. He was an officer in the South Vietnamese army. Dissatisfied with the American forces’ massacre of innocent North Vietnamese civilians, he was suspected by the South Vietnamese army of communist sympathies. However, he was well respected among his peers. When his superiors decided to arrest him, an insider tipped him off, allowing him to escape to Hong Kong. Even in the refugee camp, he commands respect. The Vietnamese community tried to persuade him to lead their group, but he refused. Still, many in the camp seek his counsel when they’re in difficulty—he’s known for his enthusiasm and kindness. He had to leave his family behind in Vietnam, but the South Vietnamese authorities have not troubled them. If we can bring his family out of Vietnam, I believe we can win him over.”

“That sounds promising. Let’s arrange a meeting with Nguyen Van Dung. We’ll talk first, then decide what to do next,” Wei Hua said.

A couple of days later, Wei Hua and Ah Liang went to the refugee camp and found Nguyen Van Dung. He was a short, thin man in his thirties, showing no sign of the battle-hardened soldier he once was. Looking at the dark, gaunt man before him, Wei Hua spoke.

“Mr. Nguyen, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Wei Hua, and I’ve come from America. I’ve sought you out because I recognize your abilities and hope you might be willing to help us.”

“What abilities could I possibly have?” Nguyen Van Dung replied. “I am nothing but a man of violence, a soldier all my life; besides killing, there is little I know. What could you two possibly need me for? You don’t strike me as men who would require someone like me.”

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