In 1978, Hong Kong's tide still carried the lingering warmth of an earlier era. Back then, the name "Li Ka-shing" had yet to be crowned with the title of richest Chinese man; Hollywood's glory remained firmly in the grip of the Big Eight studios; and the apple that would later be bitten remained suspended in technology's Garden of Eden, awaiting its fated fall and rebirth.
It was the best of times: every inch of land was steeped in untapped potential, sparks of technology quietly rekindled amid the ruins, and gold lay everywhere, waiting for a daring hand to seize it. It was the worst of times: capital had quietly donned silver gloves, profit had become the only language, and greed and ambition signed contracts with the fleeting world beneath neon lights. It was an age of chaos, when dragons and serpents rose and warlords emerged one after another. The rules were being rebuilt, order reshaped, and fate dealt anew amid the vortex.
The story begins in a corner of Hong Kong in 1978, in the village of Pok Liu, wrapped in salty sea breezes and fishermen's chants. On a night of torrential rain, the fisherman's son Lin Chen was born amid claps of thunder and flashes of lightning. Years later, he stood alone atop Victoria Peak. Below him lay the Oriental Pearl, on the verge of awakening; before him, the tides of the age surged without end. The wind ruffled his hair but could not scatter the iron resolve in his eyes. Facing the city below and the uncertain world ahead, he swore:
"A man born between heaven and earth should burst forth like thunder, not buzz like a gnat. In this life, I will either burn like a raging fire that lights up the age, or crumble into dust, unknown to all. I choose the former."
"In this game, I will be the one moving the pieces."
"In this age, I will become its tycoon."
