The Purple Moon Gang: Taiwan's Shadow Empire
The Purple Moon Gang, known as Ziyuebang, is a triad organization that has gained a fearsome reputation across Taiwan.
Founded by He Longwei at the age of 28, the organization has grown to threaten the very triads that once dominated Taiwan's underworld in just three to four years.
In 2019, it destroyed the Honglian Gang, the most powerful and violent triad in Taiwan, and subsequently absorbed other triads, rapidly expanding its power.
Like Shirotsuki Holdings in Japan and Crown Holdings in South Korea, this organization operates the legitimate business Purple Moon Company, engaging in trade, hotel industry, and entertainment, presenting itself as a legitimate business.
However, like other criminal organizations, they engage in murder-for-hire, drug and weapon smuggling, human trafficking including organ and sex trafficking, financial crimes such as cryptocurrency fraud and voice phishing, and illegal gambling operations, all hidden behind their legitimate business activities.
Not only in Taiwan, but also in Japan, South Korea, Russia, and most countries in Southeast Asia, they have established their presence, and recently, they have been expanding their influence into mainland China by collaborating with the triads there.
Their legitimate business, Purple Moon Company, has taken a provocative anti-China stance by strongly criticizing China's actions against Taiwan, earning fervent support from the Taiwanese public.
However, these are theatrical plays to expand their influence within Taiwan by colluding with mainland Chinese figures; in reality, they use mainland Chinese triads to receive orders from Chinese public security to eliminate influential anti-China figures within Taiwan, securing their own benefits.
The key members of the Ziyuebang, based on the year 2027, are as follows.
He Longwei is the founder and boss of the Ziyuebang. He first appeared in episode 179, after eliminating hostile organizations, listening to music, and becoming interested upon hearing information about the assassination attempt by Gang Ji-yong. He founded the Ziyuebang at the age of 28, and in its early days, he made a fortune by killing many people with murder-for-hire and human trafficking. Despite receiving countless assassination threats from hostile organizations, he turned the tables, defeating the assassins and recruiting most of them into his side. He also attacked or persuaded small organizations to join his side, rapidly expanding his power. With the help of former researcher Wu Kaoxin, he engaged in the manufacturing of new drugs, and once he had accumulated some money, he expanded the scope of the business. Simultaneously, he disguised his illegal business as legitimate, quickly expanding his influence in Taiwan's underworld. He is 40 years old, 185 cm tall, weighs 83 kg, has type O blood, and specializes in hand-to-hand combat, unarmed combat, and dragon wrestling.
Zhang Zhouqian is the second-in-command of the Ziyuebang. He is He Longwei's right-hand man and has the authority to operate the organization in his absence. He is one of the founding members of the Ziyuebang along with Wu Kaoxin and Xu Kaiwen. Originally, he was the boss of a small triad called Biho Gang. However, at the age of 25, he built his own organization and grew it to a significant level. Because of this, He Longwei took notice of him. After He Longwei and Wu Kaoxin came to absorb his organization, Zhang Zhouqian mocked them and attacked, but his subordinates were defeated, and he himself was suppressed by He Longwei after a fierce battle. After being persuaded by He Longwei, he joined his side, and together with his subordinates, he helped expand the Ziyuebang's power. He is 39 years old, 188 cm tall, weighs 90 kg, has type A blood, and specializes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, firearms, and financial management.
Wu Kaoxin is the third-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the overall head of the drug business. He is He Longwei's left-hand man. He first appeared in episode 77 and, along with Dou Wanyan in episode 79, suppressed the remnants of the Honglian Gang, Li Xiaokan. He is one of the founding members of the Ziyuebang along with Zhang Zhouqian and Xu Kaiwen. Originally, he was a researcher at a research institution where he was learning MMA as a hobby. However, at the age of 27, he was fired from the research institution for embezzlement and sent to prison. While in prison, he first met He Longwei, who was being beaten. After other prisoners fought, He Longwei helped him, and they became close. He was offered the opportunity to establish an organization and engage in drug business by He Longwei. After his release, he helped expand the power by traveling around Taiwan with He Longwei. Although drug manufacturing is his specialty, he rarely takes drugs himself but conducts frequent human experiments to verify the efficacy of the drugs. He is 39 years old, 187 cm tall, weighs 88 kg, has type A blood, and specializes in MMA, knife fighting, and drug manufacturing.
Lao Kai is the fourth-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the head of the murder-for-hire business. He first appeared in episode 18 along with his subordinates preparing to attack the rival Honglian Gang. In episode 179, he showed a ruthless side by ordering the decapitation of the captured rival organization's boss with a top, without blinking an eye. Originally, he was an assassin sent by the Cheongsong Gang to kill He Longwei when the organization was first founded, but after failing to assassinate him, he was suppressed. After facing death, he was impressed by He Longwei's equal fighting skill and spared his life, eventually joining the Ziyuebang as a member. He has learned military martial arts such as Systema from Russian mafia Komaroff Bratsva, specifically from a Spetsnaz origin person. He is 37 years old, 185 cm tall, weighs 80 kg, has type B blood, and specializes in Systema, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and unarmed combat.
Xu Kaiwen is the fifth-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the overall head of the Korean branch of the Ziyuebang. He is one of the founding members along with Zhang Zhouqian and Wu Kaoxin. Originally, he was the vice president of an illegal gambling boss under the Cheongsong Gang. He was captured by He Longwei when the Cheongsong Gang was attacked. Impressed by his skill, He Longwei offered to scout him. Although Xu Kaiwen initially refused, he soon realized that the organization was abandoning him, so he killed the fleeing boss himself and joined under He Longwei. Currently, after the Ziyuebang, along with Gangryonghoe, destroyed the business entities of the Honglian Gang inside South Korea, he has taken charge of the Ziyuebang's business entities in Korea. He brought eight executives to Korea to take charge of the branches in Seoul, Incheon, Ansan, Mokpo, Gwangju, Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon. He is 39 years old, 193 cm tall, weighs 110 kg, has type AB blood, and specializes in judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and gambling.
Li Weijin is the sixth-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the person in charge of financial crimes. He is the overall head of the operation of the cryptocurrency 'Snowball Coin' supplied by the Ziyuebang itself and the CEO of Purple Moon Company. He is 37 years old, 177 cm tall, weighs 72 kg, has type B blood, and specializes in street fighting, hacking, and fraud.
Tao Chen is the seventh-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the dedicated bodyguard for He Longwei. His main duty is to protect He Longwei, but he also commands the members of the organization and directs battles against rival organizations when necessary. He is 36 years old, 185 cm tall, weighs 87 kg, has type AB blood, and specializes in dog fighting, unarmed combat, and driving.
Zhang Xian is the eleventh-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the head of the overseas drug business. He is one of Wu Kaoxin's subordinates who helps him direct the Ziyuebang's overseas drug business, selling Ziyuebang drugs in places like South Korea and Japan. He is 34 years old, 180 cm tall, weighs 80 kg, has type A blood, and specializes in dog fighting, long weapons, and drug manufacturing.
Liu Baikan is the eighth-in-command of the Ziyuebang and the person in charge of the Seoul area among the Ziyuebang's Korean branch. He joined the organization in 2017, but within a year of joining, he accomplished many feats and quickly rose to the position of executive. Therefore, in 2019, he went to Korea to advance the Ziyuebang's entry into Korea, where he met Ha Seongjun, the third-in-command of Gangryonghoe, and connected the two to allow trade between Ziyuebang and Gangryonghoe. Then, in cooperation with Gangryonghoe, they destroyed the Honglian Gang, which was involved in Korea's drug market at the time. After that, he became responsible for the Seoul area in the Ziyuebang's Korean branch and operates the Ziyuebang's business in Seoul. However, there is something suspicious: although he knows that Ha Seongjun is gathering information about the Ziyuebang, he remains silent or provides information about the Ziyuebang to Jeong Seung-gyu, giving the impression that he is not fully loyal to the Ziyuebang. By the way, his Korean language skills are fluent at a native level, and according to him, he learned it through self-study because he is interested in Korean-related content. He is 36 years old, 180 cm tall, weighs 76 kg, has type O blood, and specializes in judo, unarmed combat, and assassination.
Dou Wanyan is a hitman affiliated with the Ziyuebang. He first appeared in episode 77 along with Wu Kaoxin. Later, in episode 79, he attacked and captured Li Xiaokan, a remnant of the fleeing Honglian Gang. In episode 81, he tortured Li Xiaokan to extract information and, upon obtaining it, killed him without hesitation. In episode 83, he blocked Gangryonghoe members who were trying to bring Shin Jae-guk to Korea, clashing with Gang Tae-hyun, a subordinate of Ju Tae-yeol. During the fight with Gang Tae-hyun, he quickly retreated when the police arrived. He is a hitman with a fearsome reputation, often called the 'white dog' of the Ziyuebang, and possesses combat skills to match. He is 34 years old, 180 cm tall, weighs 79 kg, has type AB blood, and specializes in street fighting, unarmed combat, and assassination.