It is usually cool at this time of the year. It had been raining for days and parts of the island were flooded. Outside the coffeeshop, it was still raining at this time at night and there was a nice breeze.
However the heated situation inside the coffeeshop at Geylang Lorong 81 was a stark contrast to the cool weather. Negotiations had broken down completely. The rival gang leaders had resorted to name-calling and their members were preparing for a fight.
"Geylang buay-zap-yit hang ow pai dio si nang eh teh buah. Ah si li gah tat wah eh lor, wah dio make sure li eh Mari-Kita gang die cock stand! (Geylang 81 Lorong in future will be our territory. If you dare block our path I will make sure your Mari-Kita gang will die cock stand!)"
An Tuah smirked at Dee Tao. "An juah? Wah eh kiah li ah? Li eh Bang Buah Liup toloh tuah? Siu gong li buah liup ji boon boh ah. (So what? I scared of you ah? Your Bang Buah Liup where big? I think your balls half also don't have ah!"
"HIEH AH! HIEN AH!"
Suddenly all hell breaks loose as the gang members flipped tables over and unsheathed their parangs hidden inside copies of Xingguang Wanbao. The two gang leaders retreated swiftly to the sidelines as their kah kiah surged ahead to fight. Frenzied shouting was accompanied by the loud clatter of rusty blades striking rusty blades.
Amidst this chaos, Ah Beng was still seated, calmly drinking his Laohor beer. A teenage rival gangster thought that Ah Beng was an easy target and charged furiously from behind, screaming "AHHHHHHH!"
With the elegance of a Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe acrobat Ah Beng flung his Xingguang Wanbao into the air. The young rival watched in slow motion as the parang separated from its newspaper scabbard in mid-air while Ah Beng leap up from his seat to catch it. Ah Beng made a half-twist in the air and grabbed the flying parang securely before slashing downwards with lightning speed.
*PLANGG!*
A loud clang was heard and the young rival stood frozen with fear. His right arm was still outstretched, but his parang was gone. It was cleanly knocked out of his hand by Ah Beng's lightning strike. He was so frightened that he was shaking and did not dare to look at this right hand, which he thought had been chopped off.
Bang Buah Liup reinforcements arrived and charged ahead to attack Ah Beng, five to one. Ah Beng fended them off easily with one arm tucked behind him and using only one parang-wielding hand, like a gongfu master. The rival gangsters backed off temporarily, dazed.
One of them, who was a one-eyed dragon, suddenly raised his arm. Ah Beng saw the dull shine of a dreaded weapon flash for an instant.
A Webbie revolver!
It was not aimed at Ah Beng - it was pointed in the direction of Gu Kiah, who was busy fighting other gangsters. Ah Beng rushed forward quickly with incredible speed and slashed down at the revolver just as a shot rang out.
*PAAAHK!*
Gu Kiah turned around and checked his own body desperately.
The shot went wide. Ah Beng had saved Gu Kiah's life.
But by passing so close to the enemy, Ah Beng had been slashed once on his back.
He turned to face them, with burning rage in his eyes. It was a dirty, despicable trick to use pistols during a parang fight. Guns were not allowed on the island - it must been smuggled in by a Peninsular gangster.
Ah Beng picked up the young gangster's fallen parang and stood steady, now with one parang in each hand.
"PARANG-DOH LUAN TAI! (Parang-Knife Anyhow Slash!)"
His special power.
With amazing speed and strength Ah Beng slashed so rapidly, so repeatedly and so randomly that when the attack was over, his rivals were no longer holding weapons and were covered with numerous cuts from head to toe. Bleeding and defeated, Bang Buah Liup members retreated quickly into the rain.
As Dee Tao ran away in fear, he shouted, "Goh ah buay liow geh! Wah eh deng lai eh! (Not finished yet! I'll be back!)"
An Tuah emerged from the shadows smiling, and gave a Ah Beng a slow applause of appreciation. They looked at each other for a while. An Tuah needed Ah Beng.
Just as the Mari-Kita gang was about to leave this scene of utter devastation, Ah Beng noticed that one table had not been flipped over. The old man who was having beer and peanuts remain seated, completely unfazed.
Their eyes met for an instant. The elderly gentleman then looked down and shook his head slowly.
Sunday, 31 December 2006
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