The second film adaptation of the epic Chinese novel The Water Margin concerns two friends, an alcoholic monk named Ru Chi-shen (Elvis Tsui) and a buttoned-down military officer called Lin Chung (Tony Leung). Both are martial arts experts and they grow close through their practice of the discipline. Lin has a rival, however, the wicked Kao (Lau Shun), who frames him for a crime and tries to have him executed on the way to his appointment with a military tribunal. Ru saves his friend, but the respite is only temporary as Kao, attended by his dull-witted and obnoxious son (Sin Lap-man), has the Prime Minister (Wu Ma) and Lin's wife (Joey Wang) murdered. Lin prepares for a suicidal revenge mission against Kao, intentionally turning a cold shoulder to his best friend Ru in order to save him from death. Naturally, since this is based on a legend called "All Men Are Brothers," Ru isn't dissuaded so easily. Lam Wai co-stars with Austin Wai.