The protagonist Ho (Ray Lui) begins the story as a poor Teochew refugee from Communist China, and leads his men to become pawns of the corrupt policeman Fat Kwan to control the drug trade. After Ho establishes himself, Fat Kwan turns against him, cripples him and kills many of his men, but Ho keeps rising and eliminates all his enemies. However Ho is blinded by his growing power, and his empire ends with the establishment of ICAC.<br /><br /><br />1962年，毛澤東的大躍進失敗後，中國各地出現大饑荒，一個廣東潮州汕頭青年吳國豪，逃到香港石硤尾打工謀生，因被老闆壓榨，認為要發達必須「夠狠」，於是走向江湖之路，卻遇上當地黑幫的欺壓，吳國豪只好帶領幾個同鄉青年，投靠黑幫大哥肥波。在幾場血戰後，吳國豪獲肥波信任，並且確立了他在黑幫中的地位。吳國豪勢力日大，肥波漸感威脅，又加上情婦阿楣與吳國豪的手下有染，遂設局令吳國豪被毒梟江老大追殺，吳國豪雖倖免，但左腿傷殘無法復原。為報此仇，吳國豪買通阿楣，誣陷肥波藏毒，終令肥波瑯璫入獄。吳國豪趁機親近總華探長雷覺天（雷老虎），幫他做事並接管肥波的事業，成為香港四大家族之一。1973年，香港成立總督特派廉政專員公署，貪污的探長們紛紛外逃，總華探長雷覺天被迫退休。雷覺天臨行前勸其收手，但吳國豪因位高狂妄自大，低估廉政公署的執行力，更被手下出賣被捕入獄，在鐵窗後渡其下半生。
