Using dead cats and dogs to intimidate people was one of the oldest tricks in the gang handbook.
Back when loan sharks ran rampant in Hong Kong's underworld, a debtor who couldn't repay their loan would often find a bloody dead cat hanging on their front door as a first warning. The message was obvious: 'Pay up, or you'll end up like the cat.'
After Hong Kong's triad organizations faced heavy crackdowns, the gangs went underground. Loan sharks rarely used that method anymore, replacing it with splashing red paint on doors and writing threatening messages.
The purpose, however, remained exactly the same. Even so, using dead cats and dogs as a form of intimidation never completely disappeared.
The reporters present immediately understood what had happened. The 'A Chinese Ghost Story' production had offended Honghua and was now being harassed in retaliation.
It was a thoroughly disgusting tactic. More importantly, the photo displayed on the hundred-inch projection screen was horrifyingly graphic, the kind of image that could give people nightmares. Even the veteran reporters couldn't help gasping in shock.
The next slide appeared. It was another bloody photograph, this time accompanied by a bucket of dog blood.
Lu Chen spoke in a solemn voice.
"Hong Kong is a city governed by the rule of law, and it's also a civilized society. Even back on the Mainland, I'd heard that Hong Kong has laws protecting animals and pets. There's even a Little Pet Protection Association, where even stray dogs receive proper care and protection. But what I never imagined was that, in broad daylight, someone would brutally slaughter innocent cats and dogs just to satisfy their own selfish motives. It's simply unforgivable!"
By this point, Lu Chen's true purpose for holding the press conference had become crystal clear.
Chen Wenqiang had already explained everything that had happened between the film crew and Honghua, so Lu Chen didn't repeat the details. Nor did he passionately denounce Honghua's harassment of the production. Instead, he shifted the focus entirely onto Honghua's brutal killing of innocent animals.
It was an unexpected but brilliant move.
Not a single reporter present was foolish. If they still couldn't figure out what Lu Chen was trying to do, they might as well quit journalism altogether.
If Lu Chen had focused solely on the conflict between the film crew and Honghua, hoping to use public opinion to pressure them, it honestly wouldn't have accomplished much. The media was practical above all else.
The fact that Zhou Yi had managed to use his connections to bring reporters from major television stations and newspapers to the press conference was already impressive enough.
But getting all those outlets to launch a coordinated media campaign was a different matter entirely. That required far greater influence, and the story itself needed a sensational angle worth covering.
A film crew being harassed by gangsters simply wasn't enough. More importantly, Lu Chen was from the Mainland. Given the anti-Mainland sentiment that still existed among many Hong Kong locals, plenty of people would probably take pleasure in seeing a Mainland production clash with a local organization.
At best, the reporters would go back and give the story a tiny corner in the newspaper, a brief mention buried somewhere inside. It would generate almost no public attention.
But now, everything was different.
"That's why..." Lu Chen turned toward the middle-aged woman seated at the far right end of the table before continuing, "I've specially invited Ms. Feng Zhenyun, Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Little Pet Protection Association, to join us today. I'd now like to invite Ms. Feng to say a few words."
The well-dressed middle-aged woman had an elegant, affluent appearance, but her expression was icy, and her sharp eyes made it clear she wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Until now, most of the reporters had assumed she was simply another member of the film crew. None of them had expected her to be the Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Little Pet Protection Association.
The full name of the organization was the Hong Kong Small Animal and Pet Protection Association. Founded in the 1990s, it wasn't a particularly old nonprofit, but it wielded enormous influence throughout Hong Kong.
Its membership spanned every level of society. Many celebrities and entertainers volunteered with the association, and the wives of numerous senior government officials held important positions within it. Its influence behind the scenes was tremendous.
In recent years, several high-profile animal abuse cases have made headlines across Hong Kong, and the Little Pet Protection Association has played a major role in bringing those incidents into the public spotlight.
What made people wary was that some of the association's members were almost fanatical when it came to protecting cats and dogs. Anyone who crossed their line was bound to find themselves in serious trouble.
There had once been a white-collar worker who beat a stray dog to death. After the incident was exposed, he was relentlessly targeted by members of the association. Not only did he lose his job, but he was even forced to kneel at the dog's funeral.
The incident caused an enormous public uproar. As a result, despite the mixed opinions surrounding the Little Pet Protection Association, most people preferred not to provoke it. Even Hong Kong's old dog-meat restaurants gradually disappeared, and famous dishes like Dragon-Tiger Fight vanished from restaurant menus.
The fact that Lu Chen had actually brought out this heavyweight to strike at his opponent left everyone with a surreal feeling. Wasn't this a little too ruthless?
But they also had to admit, his counterattack was brilliantly executed. Even the triads didn't want to mess with the Little Pet Protection Association. It was like throwing an enormous hornet's nest straight into Honghua's face, with undeniable evidence to back it up.
Sure enough, the moment Feng Zhenyun began speaking, she launched into a fierce condemnation of Honghua. She was filled with righteous anger, scolding them nonstop for seven or eight minutes. Her sheer combativeness left everyone watching in amazement.
The reporters had no choice but to listen patiently. After all, their editors, or perhaps even their bosses' wives, might well be members or volunteers of the Little Pet Protection Association, or close friends of someone who was.
In Hong Kong, caring about animals and pets was considered the politically correct position. Anyone with common sense knew better than to oppose it publicly.
As for the Honghua thugs, when they caught those cats and dogs and slaughtered them to intimidate the film crew, the words "Little Pet Protection Association" probably never even crossed their minds. Before long, however, they were going to find out just how terrifying the association could be.
On the surface, Lu Chen maintained a solemn expression as he handed the microphone over to Feng Zhenyun. Inside, though, he couldn't help smiling.
Before he had come to Hong Kong, Chen Fei'er had told him a great deal about the city, including the Little Pet Protection Association.
For example, if a film or television production needed to use animals during filming, everything had to be arranged through the association. Otherwise, if someone accused the production of animal abuse, it could become an enormous headache.
'A Chinese Ghost Story' didn't require any animal actors. But the moment Lu Chen saw the two dead dogs that morning, the Little Pet Protection Association immediately came to mind. He looked up their 24-hour hotline through the directory service and gave them a call.
To his surprise, they had sent one of their vice chairpersons in person.
(End of Chapter)
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