"Dāngrán, naturally," he concedes, with a nod of his head. "Nobody can deny - or leastways, not those of us who keep our ears closer to dirt-level - that the opportunity is there for something... entirely unexpected to appear from the wings, as it were."

He takes off his sunglasses now, not bothering with the illusion of anything besides penetrating gold, as he taps an earpiece deliberately against his chin.

"The question really is, Mr. Tam, whether anyone has the clout, or - if you'll excuse my language - the gāo to take it."