Return to a Better Tomorrow

Triad member Tong Chun and his gang launch an attack on rival Black Ox inside a movie theater. Black Ox uses his girlfriend as a human shield and manages to slip away, sparking a chaotic escape. The confrontation marks the first major clash that sets the escalating feud in motion.

Outside the theater, Big Lobster shoots Black Ox three times, boasting of his feat to Tong Chun. Black Ox fires back, wounding Lobster in the back and signaling the depth of the vendetta. The two gangs' feud intensifies as both sides seek advantage.

Tong Chun finishes Black Ox with a fatal shot and hurries Big Lobster to the hospital for treatment. Police confront Tong Chun, pressuring him to help with the ongoing case. The hospital scene foreshadows the widening scrutiny he will face from law enforcement.

A meeting with the police the next day reveals that the Hong Kong authorities are collaborating with the FBI to frame Tong Chun as a drug dealer. The plan appears aimed at cleansing undesirables ahead of Hong Kong's handover to China. Tong Chun realizes his future may depend on navigating a wider conspiracy rather than simple gang rivalries.

Lobster Tsui recovers in hospital but, upon returning home, finds his wife has imprisoned their daughter in a cage with the dog, while she sleeps with Bill. The domestic betrayal adds personal stakes to the triad conflict. Tsui's loyalty is tested as he contends with family and faction pressures.

During a confrontation, Bill accidentally kills Big Lobster's wife, and Big Lobster pushes Bill out a window to his death. The domestic tragedy deepens the vendetta between the brothers and intensifies the volatile environment. The event destabilizes their already fragile alliance.

With a murder charge looming, Tong Chun enlists Barrister Wong to defend Big Lobster. Wong presents a formidable defense and ultimately secures Big Lobster's release. The courtroom outcome temporarily reshapes the power balance between rival factions.

Black Ox's men attack rivals in a restaurant, but Tong Chun and Big Lobster turn the tide, killing the assailants and saving the injured Lui Wei. The unlikely partnership highlights shifting alliances within the triad world. The incident deepens the uneasy cooperation between Tong Chun and Big Lobster.

Back at his headquarters, Tong Chun is arrested for possessing a large quantity of drugs that have been planted there. Lui Wei sends Holland Boy to kill several officers and help Tong Chun escape, sabotaging the investigation and jeopardizing any fragile trust. The escape plan reveals the extent of the conspiracy surrounding Tong Chun.

Lui Wei orders Tong Chun and Chiu to hide out in Mainland China, where Holland Boy murders Chiu and tries to kill Tong Chun to cover Lui Wei's drug-smuggling operations. Tong Chun survives and escapes to Vietnam, signaling a widening pursuit across borders. Chili's safety becomes precarious as events unfold.

Chili, traumatized by Holland Boy's torture, attempts to kill Lui Wei but is captured and disfigured by Holland Boy. Her heroin addiction worsens as the scars of the past linger. The personal losses weigh on the main characters and influence their later decisions.

Two years later, Tong Chun returns to Hong Kong without identification and works as a cook. Fred Simon's son Duke is kidnapped for ransom by Panther's thugs, prompting Tong Chun and Fred to seek help from Big Lobster, who has become a powerful triad member. Big Lobster's team quickly rescues Duke and confronts the attacker, who cuts his ear during the escape.

Tong Chun warns Big Lobster that Lui Wei has been helping him advance in the underworld only to use him as a scapegoat; Big Lobster confronts Lui Wei about the FBI case and vows to split from him. The partnership fractures as power realigns around the FBI investigation. The drama foreshadows a more dangerous path ahead.

Tong Chun pursues Lui Wei and, with Duke's assistance, ultimately kills him. The confrontation resolves the immediate threat but leaves a lasting rift between the characters. The film ends on a note that loyalty and revenge continue to tar the triad world.

In the final moment, Chili, now sober, has given up waiting for Tong Chun's return. She looks toward an uncertain future, suggesting a personal resolution after years of turmoil. The closing image hints at healing outside the criminal underworld.