Once a Gangster

Kerosene spots a recruit with remarkable culinary talent and nicknames him Roast Pork. This recognition begins the transformation of a gifted cook into a valuable asset within the gang's umbrella. The moment marks the start of Roast Pork's rise in power.

As years pass, Roast Pork's influence grows, with a chain of restaurants symbolizing the gang's reach. His culinary talent makes him indispensable to Kerosene's operation while expanding the criminal empire. Roast Pork becomes a central figure shaping the gang's fortunes.

Roast Pork's wife pushes for a clean break from the gang, hoping for a normal life. But the shadow of debt and Kerosene's looming obligations weigh on Roast Pork and threaten his loved ones. The personal cost of power becomes a recurring theme.

Roast Pork contemplates passing the Don's mantle to someone else who can shoulder the debt. He tries to protect those he loves by stepping back, revealing the fragility of power within the crew. The plan signals a shifting balance in the gang's leadership.

Scissors sets his sights on the top spot, while Yan is revealed as a police informant. Trust within the ranks starts to fray as loyalties and secrets collide. The leadership contest becomes a powder keg.

Kerosene presses Roast Pork to ascend again as elections loom. Roast Pork stages a dramatic move—setting a small fire on the sidewalk in front of a bank to provoke arrest and miss the election. The scheme backfires as other gang members step forward to bear the cost and ensure Roast Pork's escape.

Roast Pork's wife remains resolute against re-entering crime, intensifying the personal stakes. Family tensions mount as the gang's need for leadership clashes with her desire for a normal life. The conflict puts Roast Pork’s choices under more pressure.

Roast Pork orchestrates a counterfeit Dragon Tail Baton scheme, paying for fake batons carved from antique chair wood. The counterfeit circulate and various factions maneuver for power. When Roast Pork and Swallow bring their own batons to the HQ, Uncle Tsa cannot distinguish the real from the fake, fueling a dangerous standoff.

A brutal confrontation erupts as Roast Pork and Swallow shoot and kill each other over the Don's title. The power vacuum shakes the gang and exposes how far loyalties have frayed. The scene marks a turning point in the leadership battle.

Scissors arrives with his own Dragon Tail Baton and is crowned Don, seizing control amid the chaos. His sudden ascent reveals the fragile nature of power within the gang. The new Don must navigate a shifting landscape of deception and threats.

Roast Pork and Swallow reveal to Pearl that they have faked their deaths to shake off pursuit and manipulate the game. The revelation shakes the foundation of Pearl's loyalties and the family dynamic central to the gang's future. The deception keeps them in the shadows as the power play continues.

Yan and the police close in on the scene, leading to the arrest of Scissors—the man who had just been crowned Don. The crackdown underscores the risks of the gang's political power and the cost of ambition. The arrest also leaves the door open for new chapters in the game's ongoing cycle.

The ruses and rivalries leave a legacy where yesterday's rules quickly become today's casualties. The film closes with the sense that the gang's fate remains intertwined with debt, loyalty, and political risk. The stage is set for future power plays.