Sleight of Hand

Benny was selected for an exclusive game by Chi-chi. Benny owned a strip club and sex shop in Riverside. The game was made an event. Expensive European drinks and finger food was served on the regular. Some already were drunk before the first game started. The dealer was an older man with a big head. He didn’t wear very showful attire. He wore a set of shades and always looked dead serious.

Benny played eleven games that night. Nobody was looking to score. For these guys, it was a social event. For Benny, it was a quick way to make some money. For the organizers, it was a business.

Halfway through the evening, Benny was pulled aside by Chi-chi. Sent through a door somewhat forcefully, but enough not to attract attention. Benny could finally breathe in a ventilated room without cigarette fumes. The laughter continued through the thin wall. Ahead of him was Ting-ting, a droopy-looking Chinese man. He had fat cheeks but a fairly elongated head. His mouth corners dipped, his eyes slanted in a curved manner.

Benny was desperately in need of money and he had something up his sleeve. Chi-chi was angry. He vouched for Benny. A Chinese man dressed in black with a ponytail shook Benny’s sleeve. An ace of hearts was up his sleeve. If it wasn’t for the fact his daughter was Ting-ting’s mistress, he would have been dead and dumped in a garbage bin all along.

“You traded some years of your life. It wasn’t for the fact it would upset my girlfriend—” Ting-ting ran his thumbnail past his throat with his chin up.

Super Wok Explosion is a unique animated web-series about Chinese organized crime. The project is funded entirely by its audience. On this website, animator Tony Cheuk likes to share information about Asian organized crime—and world-building of the universe of the series, Chinese tongs and triads. If you're interested in learning more about the project, you can click here.