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Tong never went back to the shop. Instead, he hunted out members of the Heavenly Kings and
told them he wanted to join them. There were others who had suffered at the hands of the 888, and
soon a little group of recruits was put through the initiation ceremony.
The whole ___1___ met and transported the recruits to a quiet place, where every member
had a go at hitting and kicking those who aspired to be members. The would-be members, bruised
and ___2___ from the beating, then had four burning joss ticks thrust into their chests. If they
were still game for pain, a gang member with a knife then made a small ___3___ in their chests
and a bowl was held underneath to catch the drips of blood. When each recruit had yielded his
blood, it was mixed with water -- and everyone sipped from the bowl. They had become "blood
brothers". Finally, the recruits were forced to kneel on cockle shells and pray to the god of war.
Some ___4___ from the test and were not allowed to become members. Not so Tong. He came
through ___5___ and became a loyal member of the gang.
Tong sighed as he recalled his descent into crime. The hatred between the Heavenly Kings and
the 888 was strong. Even a little incident would ___6___ a fight. He remembered driving along
a busy road with a friend. Ahead, crossing the road, was a member of the One Red Dot gang. Tong
tooted his horn but the man took no notice. This ___7___ Tong. He stopped the car and he and
his friend leapt on the man, beating him. Suddenly, the One Red Dot gang materialized from out of
nowhere and Tong and his friend ___8___ back to the safety of their car. But the nonchalant
manner of that pedestrian continued to stir up anger in Tong. A few nights later he
___9___ 20
members of the Heavenly Kings and they came upon the One Red Dot gang in a garage without an
escape route. The unsuspecting men narrowly escaped with their lives as the Immortals
___10___ them with home-made spears and knives. Tong's anger was now at fever pitch and he
singled out the offending pedestrian. Aiming his spear at the man's back, he gave him a shuddering
blow between the shoulders. "I almost killed him," thought Tong, "but thank heavens, he lived."
The commotion brought the police and both gangs fled. |
