In just a few sentences, the scene was set, letting the audience know that they were the villains.
As the large iron drum rolled and plunged into the ocean, a life disappeared without a trace.
A few concise shots depicted the scene magnificently, captivating the audience's attention.
At the very least, this simple opening murder scene stirred the curiosity of the audience present.
The screen gradually dimmed, and the title of "Miscreant" appeared.
Bold, imposing letters carried an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
After the title disappeared, the screen began to ripple.
Droplets seemed to strike the surface of water, ripples spreading out and gradually transforming.
The image grew increasingly clear, revealing a gloomy sky with rain falling. Finally, the facade of a police station emerged amidst the rain.
The camera slowly descended from above the police station and progressed inward.
From outside to inside, accompanied by the sound of pouring rain, the camera swept through the interior of the police station where several people in police uniforms sat around a conference table.
Morgan Freeman, playing the role of the police chief, was the last to arrive. The perspective the camera captured was exactly that of Thomas, who was filming alongside him.
"Tell us about your plan in detail," Morgan said something seemingly unrelated after taking his seat.
At this moment, the projector illuminated, casting a distribution map of the "Golden Gate Group" onto the screen.
One of the officers began to provide a detailed explanation.
Only then did the audience finally piece together their thoughts.
As it turned out, the "Golden Gate Group" was a club, and one of the largest gangs in Los Angeles.
As it happened, the leader of this gang had just been declared innocent and released after a year of trial and investigation. The purpose of this police conference was to discuss how to dismantle this force.
The scene transitioned to an intersection in the rain.
Amidst the rain curtain, two black Lincoln cars waited by the roadside for the traffic light to change.
Through the car window, one could faintly see the head of the "Golden Gate Group" introduced on the screen earlier sitting in the front passenger seat of one of the cars. Nothing could be seen in the other car.
The light switched to green.
The vehicle with the leader of the gang started its left turn as the left turn signal blinked. But just as it began to move, a roaring heavy truck crashed violently into the Lincoln.
The other car, which had been waiting at the green light, seemed to have predicted the situation. Despite witnessing the accident, it didn't panic at all. It leisurely set off, driving in the opposite direction and leaving.
Subsequently, the scene shifted to a hospital.
A large group of well-dressed individuals stood outside the operating room.
The lights in the operating room dimmed, and a few doctors came out, shaking their heads slowly.
It was announced that efforts to save the leader of the gang were in vain, and he had passed away.
At this moment, the camera zoomed in on these people's faces.
Heath Ledger, playing the second-in-command, initially had a slight upward curl of his lips. But he quickly suppressed it, his expression turning excited. He rushed over and grabbed the attending physician's collar. If his subordinates hadn't held him back, he would have caused a commotion right then and there in the hospital.
Playing the role of the third-in-command, Nicolas Cage pinched his brow with a deeply troubled expression on his face.
Beside him, Tom Cruise, portraying the deputy leader, appeared calm, almost as if he had been relieved, exuding an air of relaxation.
The camera began to shake in an irregular manner, propelling the storyline from a first-person perspective. This approach brought a fresh perspective to the audience.
The funeral for the leader of the gang was grand and solemn, each person's face revealing their deep thoughts.
A sedan parked by the roadside, catching the attention of Jason Statham, who played the role of the second-in-command's underling. "Damn, can't even park a car properly."
He cursed and was about to approach to tell the driver to move the car when he noticed a camera equipment protruding slightly from the driver's side window.
Feeling that something was amiss, he hurried over, snatched the camera, took a glance at the people inside the car, and promptly threw it to the ground.
Of course, after the heavyweight leader of the gang had passed away, it was only natural for Los Angeles law enforcement to keep an eye on the situation.
After the farce concluded, Morgan, playing the police chief, held a small meeting at the police station.
The head of the "Golden Gate Group" had died under inexplicable circumstances, leaving a power vacuum. Naturally, they were unwilling to wait for the other side to elect a new leader.
After a discussion, they decided to intervene in this election and promote a "friendly" police officer to take the position.
The current situation was this: there were two candidates eligible for leadership, the second-in-command and the third-in-command. However, the second-in-command had a lot of incriminating evidence against him, enough to be lethal, and it was in the hands of the police. They decided to deploy an internal chess piece to support him in ascending to leadership, thus achieving their goal of covert manipulation.
At this point, a new character appeared, played by Kate Beckinsale, the owner of a cigar shop. Their conversation revealed another layer of Tom's identity as an undercover agent for the police within the "Golden Gate Group", an identity that had been carefully cultivated for seven years.
"How soon can I leave?" Tom's mood was good. He wasn't the type to be content with mundane tasks. He had thought that by orchestrating the accident that took out the leader of the "Golden Gate Group", his mission would be complete, and he could hurry back, as agreed beforehand, for an honorable retirement and a life overseas.
"Actually, there's a new order today."
Tom felt puzzled by this. He thought there was a script mistake. His previous smile slowly faded into a somber expression.
"Fuck..."
Filled with anger, Tom made his way to an abandoned factory, a regular meeting point with his superior.
As soon as he entered, he started venting his frustrations about Morgan's double-cross.
"We agreed that after this mission, I could retire. Why is this happening?"
Faced with Tom's complaints, Morgan remained calm. In short, the decision of whether to continue or not was not his to make.
"The situation is pressing."
"What situation? I provided the evidence to put him in prison. If you couldn't secure a conviction, is it my fault? He's dead now, can't I just stop? Weren't these your words? I followed through, so why can't you let me go?"
"But he wasn't held accountable by the law, and his influence still remains."
"Is that my fault? Is it? Ah?" Tom was feeling overwhelmed. After all these years, he was eager to return to a normal life.
With the leader's death, the "Golden Gate Group" decided to elect a new leader.
Heath's character approached the gang's experienced members, promising them wealth and influence. With a mix of persuasion and coercion, he managed to win over quite a few.
On the other side, Nicolas also employed similar tactics, and these fence-sitters, who neither had ambitions nor capabilities and didn't want to risk their lives, readily agreed.
These old-timers, lacking ambition or competence, and not wanting to offend either side, proved themselves skilled at playing both ends against the middle.
The approaching time for the scheduled election was drawing near. Heath Ledger's side strategically provoked Nicolas's group repeatedly.
In the midst of these conflicts, the plan formulated by Morgan gained approval from higher-level superiors.
At this point, the camera shifted its focus to Tom, who once again found himself at the cigar shop.
Since their last encounter, there had been talk of a new plan, but the specifics had not been shared with him.
The police's lack of trust left him feeling frustrated. He had devoted his prime years to the police's anti-crime efforts, yet had never received complete trust from them.
"There must be a plan by now."
Kate was originally a minor character and naturally knew nothing. Her composure only exacerbated Tom's frustration.
"Can't you at least tell me these things? You want me to follow orders without question, right?" Tom mocked himself, mimicking his superior's words, "What exactly am I to you guys? After all these years, even street thugs have started believing in me and following my lead. Can't you trust me?"
"I always have. You give the orders, I execute them. Isn't that enough?"
"I've said it before..." Kate tried to placate him, as usual. Tom had never known her true identity; he thought she was part of the police force. But who could know how awkward her position really was? Did becoming a temporary informant make her more trustworthy than an undercover agent?
"Fuck it." Tom kicked over the small wooden table in front of him, watching the cigar fall to the ground. After a while, he held his head in pain and said, "To hell with their regulations. I'm risking my life for this mission. I'm a cop too, I'm on your side, aren't I?"
After venting, when he was about to leave, he still revealed the third-in-command's itinerary for tomorrow. It was something his superior had asked him to do that day, but he had never known what the next steps would be.
With detailed intelligence in hand, the police successfully awaited Nicolas at the Los Angeles airport's waiting lounge.
Upon meeting, Morgan showed him a file of criminal evidence and warned him not to interfere, or else they could easily take him down.
Naturally, the police's goal was to smoothly navigate through the election turmoil. If things got too out of hand and it was traced back to them, they'd be in hot water.
This move was incredibly effective in intimidating Nicolas. Though he was flustered internally, he feigned composure.
"You should go now. Missing your flight wouldn't be good. Whether you want to cooperate or not, think about it before giving me an answer." Morgan's plan was going smoothly. He didn't care about a minor player like Nicolas who had long been infiltrated.
After the police left, Nicolas pondered for a long time. He began to realize that there was an undercover agent of considerable rank in his midst. Otherwise, such detailed evidence wouldn't have been accessible; an outsider wouldn't have been able to investigate it.
On the plane, he sought his lawyer and gave two instructions. One was to gather information about the personnel in the Los Angeles police department, and the other was to investigate the recent activities of the people around him to uncover the hidden mole.
After scaring the third-in-command, Morgan turned his attention to the second-in-command.
In a restaurant, he "politely" invited him into the police station.
This step was meant to completely control him and further divide the internal forces of the "Golden Gate Group", ultimately seizing control over the entire organization's discourse.
One by one, the detailed blackmail material was laid out. The second-in-command instinctively believed it was the third-in-command's doing and thought he was using the police's power to eliminate him.
A prisoner's dilemma unfolded in an instant...