Sleeping Dogs (2012) / Characters

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Sun On Yee

Water Street Boys

Wei Shen

Raymond: We're cops, there are rules.
Wei: You're a cop. I am an undercover cop. The rules are different!

Protagonist of Sleeping Dogs, Wei Shen is a Chinese-American undercover police officer from the San Francisco Police Department tasked by the Hong Kong Police Force to infiltrate the Sun On Yee and bring it down from within. At the age of 10, he moved to San Francisco with his mother Margaret Shen and sister Mimi Shen in hopes to get the latter off her drug habit. Unfortunately, she couldn't kick the habit and overdosed; Margaret later committed suicide following Mimi's death. Despite the trouble haunting his family, Wei distinguished him quite a bit academically in his youth, passing High School with honors, and eventually enrolling in San Francisco Police Academy, where his intelligence, physical skill, and natural aptitude for police work, allowed him to pass with flying colors and he went on to become a highly regarded police officer. Throughout his career, Wei has shown a deep understanding of the triad structure operating in San Francisco, making him the perfect undercover operator, yet beneath his exterior lies a psychologically exhausted and stressed man who wants nothing but vengeance on the gangs that destroyed his family and life.

Catching the eye of Hong Kong Police Force Superintendant Thomas Pendrew, Wei is recruited for undercover operations in Hong Kong, returning back to the city where he was born.

The Ace: An excellent martial artist, marksman, driver, hacker, singer, talker, and is highly intelligent and attractive.
All There in the Manual: The statue sidequest conversations give more background to Wei's upbringing.
Ambiguous Disorder: While the game proper never gets into it, the police files on Wei make it pretty clear that contrary to his perfect social functioning he's pretty far gone into something. It's still unclear if it's a disorder or a really adaptable personality.
Anti-Hero: Unscrupulous Hero. He's fighting to bring down ruthless criminals, but he's perfectly willing to do shady things to take them down.
Badass Driver: Oftentimes he's forced to get behind the wheels for high-stakes chases (on both ends) when he's not the one shooting back.
Badass in a Nice Suit: Can be one if the player chooses. Definitely is one during the wedding, the funeral, and the final mission.
Beware the Nice Ones: He's actually a well-balanced and caring individual during normal times. But you can't forget that anyone who has threatened his friends & family has never come back, alive.
Becoming the Mask: Wei's psychological profile indicates that this is a potential danger due to how malleable his persona is, but it's also what makes him such a great mole. When he's with the triads he's a full-on gangster; when he's in police mode, he suddenly shifts gears mentally. Nevertheless, it's his main source of conflict with Raymond, particularly when Superintendent Pendrew's orders are for Jackie to be brought in.
Bully Hunter: According to his biography, Wei has been reprimanded 6 times for violence and/or fighting when he was in high school and he has zero criminal record and tested negative on all drug tests. This means that he never joined any criminal gangs or was ever arrested for committing any crimes growing up in the US. He being reprimanded in high school yet still graduating with honor could stem from him either fighting bullies or possibly other gang members.
But Not Too Foreign: Wei, although he has no mixed ancestry, has spent much of his life in the United States, and is in fact a sworn officer of the San Francisco Police Department seconded to the Hong Kong Police Force. Interestingly, he's one of the few Chinese characters (and the only major character) in the game to not have a mix of English and Chinese in his name. The English names are a justified as quite a few Chinese people have a western name they use around people who are unable to speak Chinese. Mixed names are even more common in Hong Kong, with a couple of centuries' worth of British influence.
- Funnily enough, Wei is also one of the few Chinese characters not played by a Chinese actor (Will Yun Lee is a native-born American who is ethnic Korean). He also doesn't speak much Chinese at all during the events of the game, although he does clearly seem to understand it.
Byronic Hero: Wei at first appears like a generic cop Anti-Hero, with a heavy aversion to killing anyone except the target of his revenge: Dogeyes, whom he plans to murder. Then after the warehouse gunfight, where he is forced to kill many people for no reason other than survival, the trauma of it wakes up Wei's dark side and he quickly becomes this. Attractive? Check. Brooding to the point of setting up titanium thick emotional walls? Check. Haunted by both a significant loss AND a past crime? Check. Passionate in his beliefs? Check. Heavy conflict with other's philosophies and especially with authority that results in (temporary) rejection/exile from the police force via Pendrew and social isolation from the surviving Triad members? Check. His transition to Byronic Hero is exemplified as the takedowns he can use get more and more brutal as the game goes on, starting with simple (if harsh) knockouts when he is still just an upstanding Anti-Hero and eventually evolving into impaling people on Sword-fish heads or burning them to death as he is more and more convinced that underground Hong Kong (barring his branch of the Sun On Yee) deserves to burn.
Combat Pragmatist: Wei Shen puts his martial arts training and years of street fighting experience to good use. Unlike most media portrayals of kung fu, Wei Shen strays from the flashy and focuses on fundamentals and brutality, often breaking bones, using the environment to his advantage, and picking up the occasional Improvised Weapon to even the odds.
Conflicting Loyalty: Raymond grows unsure about Wei's loyalty when he achieves the rank of red pole, fearing Wei will hesitate between keeping playing his act or fully embracing his role as a Triad. The end of the game has him sticking with the cops despite Pendrew's backstabbing, if only because he ends up getting back at Pendrew in the end, but he tells Inspector Teng at the end that he's not sure what he'll do next.
- Considering that during Wei's captivity a henchman can be heard voicing his belief that the revelation of Wei being a rat is only an excuse to wipe out his faction, it's entirely possible that the secret of Wei's undercover status died with Big Smile Lee's faction, while Broken Nose Jiang and Pockmark Cheuk may not have told anyone else.
- Pockmark Cheuk asks what is to become of Wei Shen. Broken Nose Jiang orders to leave him be as Wei Shen was loyal to her in the end.
Cowboy Cop: Wei, big time. He's got a reputation for possibly murdering gang members in San Francisco even before the game starts (the pending investigation by SFPD Internal Affairs being the reason his superiors got him the joint assignment in Hong Kong to get him out of the country), and he never hesitates to curse at Raymond, his handler, and Pendrew, his superior. His going rogue towards the end of the game should come as a surprise to no one.
Cunning Linguist: Zig-zagged; Wei clearly knows Cantonese and uses that knowledge to his advantage multiple times but never speaks it himself in the game. This article explains how not doing so keeps the audience from being alienated and emphasizes him as having been raised as an Asian-American.^note The only time in the whole game Wei ever says anything in Cantonese is during the second to last mission of the Wheels of Fury DLC, when he yells "Learn to drive, pok gai!" when chasing after Dr. Tang's kidnappers.
Dark and Troubled Past: Life has never been kind for him. People that he cares about keep on dying on him. And it could only get worse after coming back to Hong Kong due to undercover work. Luckily, he manages to earn his own albeit, Bitter Sweet Ending.
Determinator: In the last two missions, Wei gets sliced, drilled, hammered, shot, and pistol-whipped (and those are just the cut scenes), yet keeps on going to ensure that "Big Smile" Lee pays for Jackie's murder.
Everyone Loves Blondes: He mentions to Peggy that he has a thing for blond women. His mother, who didn't like the idea of him going steady with a white girl, didn't approve.
Extreme Mêlée Revenge: His epic beatdown on Mr. Tong's smug face. Hard to argue it wasn't deserved though.
Fantasy Helmet Enforcement: Wei always wears a helmet when riding a motorcycle, even when stopping to put it on is inconvenient. The exception is when he's already wearing headgear, like a hat.
Field Promotion: Within the triads, Wei becomes Winston Chu's lead enforcer after earning his trust. When Winston is killed, Wei inherits de facto leadership of Winston's Water Street Boys gang, which is later formally confirmed with a promotion to Red Pole.
Genius Bruiser: He pretty much has to be this as an undercover cop given how this is almost a mandatory requirement for many police and government agencies. Also, he graduated high school with honors despite being reprimanded 6 times for violence and/or fighting. He briefly studied politics at San Francisco State University
He Who Fights Monsters: Spends the game teetering on the edge of this. His suitability report says he has been suspected of ignoring the line between undercover work and enforcing the law in order to settle personal vendettas when he was in San Francisco and he is often threatened by Raymond of being taken out of the field because he's becoming too much like the people he's pursuing.
Hyperspace Arsenal: Averted; Wei can eventually carry a concealed handgun on his person, but heavier guns and melee weapons have to be either found in the environment^note or taken from disarmed/beaten/killed enemies and cannot be stored anywhere. Additionally, the amount of ammo Wei can carry for firearms never exceeds four magazines: three in reserve plus the currently-loaded mag.
Improvised Weapon: The most common melee weapons are the cleavers and knives of rival gangs, but Wei can also obtain tire irons from car trunks, umbrellas from pedestrians and even purses from some women.
Ink-Suit Actor: Compare Wei's facial appearance to Will Yun Lee.
It Gets Easier: Wei is really shaken up the first time he needs to shoot someone and appropriately has nightmares about it later, but he gets over it and has fewer qualms about killing the further it goes, to the point where he eventually becomes capable of shocking violence. He also walks Jackie through his own first-kill jitters.
It's Personal: Jackie's murder causes Wei to throw away all restraint and he comes for "Big Smile" Lee's head with no mercy for anyone who would dare oppose him.
- This seems to be a recurring trait. He stabbed Dogeyes with a pen for picking on Jackie... when they were children. Later, after his sister died of an overdose, he killed her dealer.
Made of Iron: Especially during the second to last mission. He's given small cuts with a scalpel, gets a drill through his legs, his toes hammered and punched around before he's had enough and tears the goons a new one.
Magic Tool: Wei's battered police-issued smartphone can do things such as hacking security cameras, computers, and safes, but can also trace a phone signal in mere seconds and calibrate a spy microphone. For greater absurdity, it can send pictures with a high enough resolution to be used as legal evidence in literally a few seconds.
Male Gaze: Checks out Sandra's behind in the cutscene at the beginning of their date.
The Mole: Not just against the Sun On Yee, but against the Tongs back in California.
- Mole in Charge: After Winston's death, he takes his place and becomes a Red Pole.
Official Couple: With "Not Ping", if Nightmare at North Point is of any indication.
One-Man Army: By the end of the game, he would have wrapped up a kill count that can rival Frank Castle.
Only Sane Man: In the DLC and side-missions, Wei is always the first person to say something to the effect of "You've got to be shitting me," in response to the silliness and incongruities around him.
Pay Evil unto Evil: Practically standard operating procedure as far as Wei is concerned.
Rabid Cop: A rare well-intentioned example. Though he is a dangerous man, he gets away with the kind of things that would get any other detective thrown in jail, but only because most of the people he reports to don't care how many mooks have to die to bring down Sun On Yee's top echelons (though one of the people assigned to work with him worries that his time as an undercover cop could bite them in the back if they let him get too close to those who hurt him in the past). In the Year of the Snake DLC, he's busted down to beat cop because the superiors have finally had it with his exploits and excessive violence.
Revenge Before Reason: His dossier says he tends to be a loose cannon when left to his own devices, often trading his role as a law enforcer in order to get legitimate revenge while working undercover.
Sharp-Dressed Man: In a way, the game doesn't force the player to have Wei wear a suit but by the end game he'll wear a lot of them for quests. Also, the game's clothes are all somehow conveniently limited to colors aligning with Wei's winter complexion.
Sociopathic Hero: He's fighting to bring down the Sun On Yee, but his methods involve being a willing agent of them. That's on top of how brutal some of his environmental takedowns can be.
Tattooed Crook: Subtly played with; his left shoulder and upper arm bears a tattoo of Guan Yu, a Chinese deity who as a patron deity of brotherhood has been worshipped by both Hong Kong police and the triads.
Technical Pacifist: Early on, Jackie expresses alarm that Wei killed a guy, but Wei says, "Nah, he'll live. He'll have to eat through a straw for a while, though." Of course, later on he clearly has no problems killing his enemies.
Unstoppable Rage: Go ahead, just try to hurt/kill anybody he cares about. WE DARE YOU.
Vigilante Man: He was the one who killed Ming Ming Trin, the drug dealer that sold the heroin his sister OD'd on. Also killing many of the Triads also counts too.
Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: Conroy and a bunch of the Water Street Gang members are highly suspicious of Wei until he is finally forced to resort to lethally shooting some of Dogeyes' men in self-defense during the mission to destroy his drug operations. Afterward, Conroy apologizes for doubting Wei, noting he has "showed [his] true colors today". Cue Wei having horrible nightmares of Conroy patting him on the back for getting blood on his hands.

Jackie

Jackie Ma

Voiced by: Edison Chen

A low-level street affiliate to the triads, Jackie is Wei's childhood friend from the Old Prosperity project who knows several of the Water Street Gang members, but is not considered part of the group. After being arrested from a drug deal gone bad, to which Wei was undercover, he meets Jackie in lock up, reminiscing about the old days. Wei offers himself as extra muscle for the Water Street Gang and Jackie goes to put in a good word for him with gang leader Winston.

Throughout the game, Jackie is enamored with the glamorous lifestyle of the triads, wishing he could be a part of it.

Ambiguous Innocence: For someone who has morals, he casually mentions to Wei about the last undercover cop who was brutally tortured and then buried alive without batting an eye.
Because You Were Nice to Me: Jackie reminds Wei during their first outing for the Sun On Yee in the night market that Wei was the only other kid who was nice to Jackie when they were growing up, and that their friendship means more to him than a boss-subordinate relationship (such as Jackie's to Winston), though this is made moot when Wei formally succeeds Winston as Red Pole, officially confirming his inheritance of the Water Street Boys.
Break the Cutie: Jackie has a lot of ambition about becoming a Sun On Yee, but even from the very beginning the player can kind of tell he probably wouldn't be cut out for the ruthlessness of being a full-on career criminal. Slowly but surely, his veneer cracks and he becomes less-and-less enthralled by the lifestyle until it finally breaks after he's buried alive and turns totally cold. His enthusiasm is completely shattered after that as is his worldview. And can you believe that isn't even as low as it goes for him?
Cruel and Unusual Death: Is disembowelled and hung... and this is after Wei saves him from being buried alive.
Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!: Subverted later down the line, after Jackie performs his first kill in order to be initiated into the Sun On Yee, and completely gone after the mob war between the Water Street Boys and the "Big Smile" Lee-backed 18k.
Distressed Dude: Played with in one mission, where Jackie gets locked inside an 18K truck with an angry 18K member after a heist gone wrong. When Wei stops the truck and bust open the back to save him, he discovers he curbstomped his opponent alone and walks off just fine.
It Gets Easier: Averted with Jackie who never really gets over shooting someone with a gun and it kickstarts his decision to leave the triads.
I Just Want to Be Badass
Kick the Dog: Wei's designated "dog", beginning when he's roughed up by one of Dogeyes's men early in the game. The kicks get much harder along the line.
The Lancer: Towards Wei, especially after he took complete control of the gang after Winston's death.
The Peter Principle: Jackie is a mildly competent low-level crook. But he clearly doesn't have the stomach or skill to handle the higher echelons of crime.
Retirony: Shortly after he starts dropping hints about getting out of the Triads and starting a new life with Jiu Mei he's kidnapped, tortured, and killed.
Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: He's already considering leaving the Sun On Yee after killing someone, but upon being Buried Alive and Wei saving him, he plans to quit outright, and only agrees that he'll stay in it a bit longer to give testimony to the rest of the Sun On Yee on Big Smile Lee's attempt to rig the votes for the new chairman, but will be done afterward. He never gets to act on quitting, though, being murdered shortly after.
These Hands Have Killed: He's plagued by guilt after his first killing. He wishes to get away from the triads shortly after.
Undying Loyalty: To Wei, his closest friend. A more heartbreaking variant of this occurs when Wei learns Jackie was told Wei was a cop while being tortured by Mr. Tong and refused to believe it.
Yank the Dog's Chain: Rescuing Jackie from his live burial at least points to a possible happy ending for him, even though he's severely burnt out on being a gangster. However, Big Smile Lee has Jackie brutally murdered a little while later, using him as bait in order to get Wei to come to him.

Winston Chu

Voiced by: Parry Shen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/winston_headshot_6336.jpg

"We're a family. Family has to stick together."

Winston is the leader of the Water Street Boys gang, a subsidiary faction of the Sun On Yee. He's also a Sun On Yee red pole who controls North Point. Headstrong, cocky and brutal (it's implied steroids has something to do with it), Winston grew up in the Old Prosperity housing project with numerous Sun On Yee members, including Sam "Dogeyes" Lin. Although he mentions the two of them were close, the triad lifestyle has turned them into bitter enemies. Engaged to long-time girlfriend Peggy Li, he runs the Water Street Boys out of the kitchen of his mother's restaurant "Golden Koi". Winston has been under fire from Dogeyes's Jade Gang repeatedly, stealing his businesses and territory from the Night Market for over a year before the game takes place.

Benevolent Boss: He requires loyalty, but, as long as you stay loyal, he'll treat you like his own flesh and blood.
Bling-Bling-BANG!: Winston owns a gold-plated Desert Eagle. During one story event, he uses it to threaten Wei after one of his drug dealers accuses Wei of being The Mole, but ends up killing the accuser instead. Wei picks it up after Winston's death to tell Big Smile Lee's henchmen "Ponytail" he doesn't feel in any way intimidated by Lee's threats. And then starts with it in the next mission.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Shot up into Swiss cheese on his wedding day.
Dumb Muscle: He and his gang are all known as a couple of dumb brutes, with his HKPD field report describing him as "ambitious without the brains to achieve his goals", as of 2010 (almost two years before the events of the game) he was described as sometimes unable to "even master street-level criminal conspiracies", and his lack of sophistication means that even though he answers directly to Uncle Po, other red poles eclipse Winston in power and influence.
Establishing Character Moment: When introduced, Winston shows that he is a strict gangster boss who does not simply take in anyone into his crew, especially those he does not trust. He then shows that despite the gangster attitude, he actually has a nicer side as shown when he apologizes to Wei for the inappropriate comment he made about Mimi after finding out that she had passed away many years ago.
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: After Winston's mother has her restaurant shot up, escaping injury herself, Winston escalates his rivalry with Dogeyes.
Gangbangers: How Winston's Water Street Boys gang is portrayed, though this has essentially created a glass ceiling for them and Wei's predecessor as undercover, Charlie Ho, had written off the entire gang as unable to move up.
Honor Among Thieves: Believes that the only people who they can rely on in their line of work are their fellow Water Street boys and places a clear value on loyalty. He even goes as far to say that fellow gang members are like blood to him. A sentiment echoed by his fiancee. Sadly for them, Dogeyes does not share this sense of honor. The flipside to this is that he is also quick to kill anyone he suspects to be a traitor or a snitch.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Besides his relationship with his fiancée and his mother, in his first meeting with the adult Wei he has the decency to apologize for his overtly sexual attitude towards Wei's sister after Wei mentions that she's dead, clearly setting him apart from Dogeyes.
Momma's Boy: He is still very close to dear old mom, and operates his gang out of her restaurant.
Morality Pet: Peggy Li
Never Speak Ill of the Dead: When Wei tells him that his sister died years ago, Winston apologizes for the inappropriate comment he made about her moments ago.
Together in Death: He's gunned down at his own wedding along with Peggy, dying from gunshot wounds not long after his wife.
We Used to Be Friends: He and Dogeyes used to be close until he was betrayed. Now they're at each other's throats.

Conroy Wu

Voiced by: Robin Shou

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/conroy_head_47_3972.jpg

Another member of the Water Street Gang born in the Old Prosperity projects, Conroy initially shows hostility and suspicion of Wei being an undercover cop. In one mission, Conroy mentions the fate of a previous gang member who turned out to be an undercover cop before him and requests Wei to commit murder in order to prove himself. However, after Wei happens to kill rival muscle in the process of kidnapping drug maker Siu Wah, Conroy apologizes to Wei for his animosity and begins to cooperate with him.

Cassandra Truth: Conroy tries to relay his suspicions of Wei to Winston, which are brushed off. Ultimately subverted when Wei manages to successfully convince Conroy that he isn't a cop.
The Dragon: To Winston, though his being promoted signaled that the Water Street Boys had become mere Gangbangers. He later is the second in command to Wei.
Dumb Muscle: So much so that according to an informant, Conroy actually makes Winston look worse (instead of "better by comparison") since he cements the other Red Poles' belief that "Chu cannot attract or cultivate effective subordinates"; Conroy is also "a frequent steroid and drug user and has few skills beyond brute force violence".
Fire-Forged Friends: After Wei proves himself to Conroy in the warehouse raid, he instantly apologizes for his previous behavior, seeing Wei as a true ally. After Winston's death, Conroy becomes Wei's number 2, and they get along pretty well.
Gangbangers: Just like the rest of the gang, described by the late Charlie Ho as "pure thug".
If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten!: Conroy's suspicious of Wei's reluctance to kill people since the last guy to express such was an undercover cop. Wei does, however, end up "eating the kitten", after which Conroy apologizes and accepts Wei fully.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's kind of a standoffish bully at first, but only out of loyalty to the Sun On Yee. He's actually one of the more honorable members of the organization.
Number Two for Brains: He is Winston's second-in-command... and he proves to be even worse at executing schemes, due to his thuggish behavior. His presence alone is enough to prove that Winston is completely incapable of attracting those with raw talent.
Properly Paranoid: He is suspicious about Wei being a potential cop, but underestimates him and how far he's willing to go to preserve his cover.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Initially with Wei.
Undying Loyalty: First to Winston, and then to Wei once he takes over.
Wrong Genre Savvy: He believes a reluctance to kill and Wei's background are similar to that of a previous undercover cop. However, when Wei kills several rival thugs during the warehouse shootout, Conroy believes he's proven himself. However, he doesn't understand what kind of ally Wei is or consider that if a police officer stumbled onto that scene, he'd likely be forced to use his sidearm in self-defense.

Leadership

Uncle Po

David Wai-Lin "Uncle" Po

Voiced by: James Hong

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unclepo_9154.jpg

"Loyalty, discretion, used to be more common."

The dragon head and Chairman of the Triad organization, Sun On Yee, Uncle Po has cultivated an image of a negotiator and business-oriented pragmatist. But this "reasonable" visage stands in stark contrast to Po’s criminal history: his rise to Chairman was marked by extreme violence at every stage. He revitalized the triad's murder-for-hire business and is suspected of being the brains behind its alliance with Sonny Wo. To keep his hands clean, he appoints Big Smile Lee to handle the day-to-day financial operations, yet much of the profit ends up in Po's pockets.

Uncle Po's hold on the Sun On Yee remains unchallenged, with certain red poles simply waiting for their opportunity to seize his position after he retires or dies.

Affably Evil: Is capable of horrible crimes, yet he seems to genuinely treat it as a family business, praising Wei as a foot soldier possessed of now-uncommon loyalty and discretion and never bringing up Wei's "disappearing" Dogeyes.
At Least I Admit It: As Po is murdered by Pendrew, his final words are that the main difference between the two of them is that Po knows what he is.
Beware the Nice Ones: His rise to Chairman of the Sun On Yee was bloody, according to the police reports.
The Don: As the head of the Sun On Yee.
Establishing Character Moment: In the mission where we are introduced to him, Winston has been summoned to meet him and he's completely scared out of his mind, spending the entire trip telling Wei his last wishes. When they finally arrive we see this polite old man gently forgiving Winston's actions (see Reasonable Authority Figure below), praising Wei's good performance and deciding to reward him. However, when Wei tries to politely decline, Uncle Po gives Wei a relatively quiet yet sharp "Don't argue with me", which immediately silences Wei. A perfect indication that Po can be quite reasonable and polite but you do not want to defy him.
Even Evil Has Standards: Expresses extreme disgust with the factions that butchered everybody at Winston's wedding and shot him; his tone during this hints he would never have stooped to that level.
- He may not be cool with dealing drugs to children: after, Yung Lee On, a Sun On Yee affilated dealer was caught doing this, he was given a warning to stop, but he refused. Uncle Po decides that "making an example" of Yung should be Wei and Jackie's initiation challenge.
- He also ordered the execution of Smiley Cat, deeming his actions to be too much for the Sun on Yee.
Evil Old Folks: The leader of the Triad, and evidently one of its oldest members. According to his bio, his capacity for brutal violence is extreme, even by triad standards.
Family-Values Villain: He laments to Wei and Jackie at one point that gangsters these days don't have the same values that they used to, and expresses approval with Winston marrying Peggy, as a family man is grounded and what he feels their organization needs more of.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Absolves Winston and the Water Street Gang for their retaliation against Dogeyes's Jade Gang, since the latter was the one provoking Winston, and compliments Wei's effectiveness as a foot soldier before confirming him as Winston's successor.
Sickbed Slaying: His old cohort, Thomas Pendrew, kills him while he is bedridden by injecting lethal chemicals into his IV bag.

Dogeyes Lin

Sam "Dogeyes" Lin

Voiced by: Ron Yuan

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/samlin_9171.jpg

A Sun On Yee red pole and leader of the Jade Gang, another Sun On Yee subsidiary faction, Dogeyes is Winston's archrival in North Point. Despite being close friends with Winston as children, Dogeyes resented him for having a better environment and mother, whereas his mother died and his father was abusive. It was he who lured Wei's sister Mimi into drugs and prostitution.

Asshole Victim: No tears are shed when Mrs. Chu turns him into mince meat.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Overlaps with I'm a Humanitarian. Before being butchered by Mrs. Chu, she feeds him soup made from Johnny Ratface's remains.
Dirty Coward: When Wei finally is sent after him, Dogeyes elects to run away while putting as many mooks as possible between him and Wei. When cornered, he attempts to explain away his actions as only business and warns that killing him will start a war, before finally desperately begging to be spared. It doesn't work.
Disc-One Final Boss: He's disposed of mid-way through the game.
Do Not Call Me "Paul": Dogeyes's reaction when Mrs. Chu calls him "Sammy."
Face–Heel Turn: Dogeyes sells out the Sun On Yee to the 18K in an attempt to kill Winston and Wei. Wei survives, Winston doesn't.
Greed: An informant revealed that Dogeyes was paid off to encroach on Winston's Water Street Boys instead of the 18K (not Sun On Yee and thus fair game) in Dogeyes's own territory, and that Dogeyes was "too greedy to say no and too stupid to be afraid of discipline by Sun On Yee elders."
Hate Sink: Dogeyes's role is to be a despicable asshole and a constant thorn in Wei's side so that his inevitable downfall will be all the more satisfying.
I'm a Humanitarian: Albeit in an unwilling manner: the soup Mrs. Chu cooked up for him? She made it with what's left of Johnny Ratface after she was done hacking him to pieces.
Ironic Echo: After begging with Wei that what happened to his sister was "just business" and nothing personal (to set Wei up for an ambush), Wei says the same thing when Dogeyes begs for real to be saved from a vengeful Mrs. Chu.
Jerkass: Right in his first appearance, he taunts the just-returned Wei about having used Wei's late sister Mimi for sex.
Lean and Mean: He's a lot skinnier than Wei,Winston, and Conroy, and he's a nasty little fucker.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: As noted on the main page, he sets himself up to be screwed by having Winston killed, as Wei's immediate assumption of leadership (indirectly sidelining Conroy) only makes the Water Street Boys gang far more legitimate and dangerous than they had been under the late Winston's command. It's stated elsewhere in the game that hierarchy is everything to the triad gangs, and Dogeyes clearly wasn't observing the hierarchy of the Water Street gang while plotting or aware that Wei had already secured his position before the hit and rescued Uncle Po during the massacre, so instead of fracturing the Water Street Gang, Dogeyes indirectly united that gang behind Wei with Uncle Po's endorsement.
Smug Snake: His primary purpose is to be a douchebag who eventually gets what's coming to him.
Too Dumb to Live: As mentioned down below in Villain Ball, Dogeyes wages war against his own organization, despite knowing just how much the grandmaster values loyalty and severely punishes those that don't, all because he's too greedy to say no to cash. If not for Wei getting to him, he surely would've eventually ended up dead on Po's orders.
Villain Ball: He's overtly antagonistic and rebellious even though there are consequences that smarter gang members would not want to risk. In a culture where loyalty and respect for hierarchy not only are expected but will bring great things when followed, Dogeyes deliberately wages war against his own organization and allies with those who are creating power struggles. As his police assessment reads, he's too greedy to say no to a payday and too blinded by his own ignorance to know what he's in for by doing so.
Villains Want Mercy: Dogeyes pleads to be spared as Wei tears through his troops to deliver him to Mrs. Chu, and his last words are begging Wei and Chu to not kill him.
We Used to Be Friends: With Winston; Mrs. Chu even mentions that Dogeyes used to eat at her restaurant and addresses him by his childhood nickname "Sammy".
Your Sister: When he comes back as a ghost in the Nightmare at North Point DLC, he tells Wei he just had sex with his sister in Hell.

Big Smile Lee

Henry "Big Smile" Lee

Voiced by: Tzi Ma

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bigsmilelee_7046.jpg

"I am the strongest. I am the most feared. I say I should be chairman."

Henry "Big Smile" Lee is a red pole of the Sun On Yee, with the heaviest ties to drugs, prostitution, and pornography in the triad. Considered the most powerful Red Pole inside the Sun On Yee, he is disliked by the other Red Poles and many rank and file members of the triad. Lee's power stems from his willingness to use extreme (even by Triad standards) levels of violence and the overwhelming amount of liquid cash generated by his various business ventures. Because of this, Lee believes himself to be the natural successor to the leadership of the Sun On Yee once current chairman, David Wai-Lin "Uncle" Po, steps down or passes away.

Ambition Is Evil: He is the most power-hungry and vicious of the Red Poles.
Big Bad: Interestingly it doesn't even come up until the final act. Up until then, it looks like if he does become an enemy, you'll be powering through him to get to someone else (possibly the head of the 18K, since it appears he was in cahoots with them). Instead, Lee himself becomes the final obstacle when he makes things personal by having Jackie murdered.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Death by ice chipper
Glasgow Grin: Has half of one, with a huge scar on his face that starts at his chin and extends past the left side of his mouth, giving him an oddly appropriate perpetual sneer.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: His Glasgow Grin pretty much gives it away that he is a vicious man who is not to be trusted.
Meaningful Name: "Big Smile" in Cantonese is slang on the term "older brother" or "boss". Given how being Chairman is all he really wants, him being the Big Bad was likely foreshadowed right off the bat. It may also be a reference to the half-Chelsea Grin carved on his face. Or, given the Chinese love for clever wordplay, both.
Morality Pet: According to Word of God, he's actually motivated by the fact he wants his daughters in America to be obscenely rich no matter who else gets hurt in the process.
More Dakka: Big Smile Lee's plans... lack subtlety.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: His go-to tactic is to throw his money around to make problems go away.
The Starscream: He gives away in his Motive Rant that he was the one who was plotting with Dogeyes to attack Winston's wedding, the goal of which was to assassinate both Winston and Uncle Po in the confusion, allowing Dogeyes to take over the Water Street Gang's territory, and Lee to take over the leadership of the Sun On Yee. Unfortunately for him, Wei proved to be a Spanner in the Works.
Token Evil Teammate: While the other heads of the Sun On Yee tend to lean towards white-collar crime such as money laundering, "Big Smile" Lee is reputed as a thug who retains ties to prostitution, porn, and the drug industry. His files indicate that Uncle Po keeps him around to do the real dirty work. It is for this reason "Broken Nose" Jiang sees him as a thorn in both her side and that of the Sun On Yee as a whole, his rise to Chairman being a threat to any attempt at evolution for the organization.
Waistcoat of Style: He's always wearing a waistcoat.
Wood Chipper of Doom: Technically he gets put through an ice chipper, but the outcome is virtually the same.

Broken Nose Jiang

"Broken Nose" Jiang

Voiced by: Elizabeth Sung

"I believe in harmony. Balance. Peace. And I don't mind spilling a little blood to achieve it."

Another Sun On Yee Red Pole, Broken Nose Jiang is a successful feminine presence in a masculine-dominated society who distrust, use and abuse others of her gender. Undercover investigators have been unable to determine her real name, and she has crafted a reputation based on fear of her alleged ruthlessness towards threats to her power base. Considered Big Smile Lee's arch-rival, Jiang is less than supportive of Sun On Yee's prostitution and pornography production rings.

A Lighter Shade of Black: While she's still a ruthless member of the Sun On Yee, she's practically a good guy compared to "Big Smile" Lee.
Beware the Nice Ones: As diplomatic as she is, her rise to the position of Red Pole was getting rid of the competition by murder.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling: She became the only female Red Pole in the Sun On Yee. She didn't so much prove herself to her male rivals as kill enough of them that they stopped arguing (which is a kind of proof, true).
The Chessmaster: A wicked old schemer, Jiang has her hands in numerous plots with dozens of moving parts, manipulating her fellow Red Poles to undercut them and weaken their positions so she can assume power. This includes driving Uncle Po's fat, incompetent bastard-nephew Two Chin Tsao crazed with superstitious fear (rendering him unfit to serve) and propping up Wei when she realizes she can use his vendetta against Dogeyes to kick the legs out from under Big Smile Lee. It's heavily implied she pressured other Sun On Yee to back off when Wei went after Lee and Pendrew, because that just made it easier to let Wei clear the path for her ascension.
Dragon Lady: Overlaps with Cool Old Lady.
Even Evil Has Standards: Shows disdain for Sonny and his business of using rising musicians and actresses for pornography and prostitution (although from her point of view simply because that line of thinking is archaic and contemporary society offers more lucrative opportunities for the modern enterprise criminal; see Pragmatic Villainy).
Karma Houdini: In spite of being a murderous crime lord, she ends up on top as the new Dragon Head with the biggest challenges to her power either dead or no longer a threat.
Known Only by Their Nickname: Even the police don't know her first name.
Lesser of Two Evils: When compared to "Big Smile" Lee.
Pragmatic Villainy: In her first meeting Wei, she claims that there are much more profitable (probably not legal) ways to make money than "Big Smile" Lee's archaic business of forcing women into prostitution and pornography if she were elected as Chairman.
The Queenpin: The only named female member of the Sun On Yee. Justified given how hard it would be for a woman to get anywhere near her level of power. "Big Smile" Lee addresses this matter while they're in crisis mode over picking a new chairman.
Secret-Keeper: To repay him for his loyalty to Uncle Po's vision, as well as for helping her become the new Dragon Head, she tells "Pockmark" Cheuk that "Officer Shen" is to be left alone, and keeps it mum that she knows he's an undercover cop.
Women Are Wiser: Of the people just below the chairman in the triad's hierarchy, she is the only one without an obvious character flaw. She is more moral and restrained than Big Smile Lee, more competent than Two-Chin and more confident and ambitious than Pockmark.
Xanatos Speed Chess: Pulls this when after "Pockmark" Cheuk refuses the position of temporary Chairman while Uncle Po convalesces, she recommends "Two Chin" Tsao before "Big Smile" Lee can nominate himself.
You Will Be Spared: Jiang sends Wei evidence against Pendrew, addressing Wei as "Officer Shen", and at the end of the main story she tells "Pockmark" Cheuk that Wei is to be left alone, as a token of his loyalty to Uncle Po's vision of the Sun On Yee and for helping her become the new Dragon Head by removing the competition.

Two Chin Tsao

Howard "Two Chin" Tsao

Voiced by: Conan Lee

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/twochintsao_4487.jpg

Howard "Two Chin" Tsao is a Sun On Yee red pole with a large estate in Kennedy Town and is Uncle Po's nephew. After Uncle Po is left hospitalized, Two Chin became temporary Chairman of the Sun On Yee. An extremely superstitious man, Tsao delves deeply into feng shui and relies on luck. According to Old Salty Crab, Tsao often gambled and rarely won, losing his money fast.

Addled Addict: After Wei and Old Salty Crab trash his house, he's completely succumbed to his heroin addiction and thus deemed unfit as chairman.
Belief Makes You Stupid: Delves so heavily into feng shui that one mission involves messing with his home to spook the hell out of him in order to incapacitate him as temporary Chairman of the Sun On Yee, so as to pave the way to elect a formal Chairman. Old Salty Crab notes that regardless of whether or not he actually buys into the stuff, the fact that someone broke into his house is probably still enough to drive him over the edge.
Drugs Are Bad: He's stated to have a heroin habit, which "Broken Nose" Jiang and Wei end up exploiting.
Fat Bastard: He's named "Two Chin" for a reason. He's less malicious than many members of the Sun On Yee, but he's still a crime boss.
The Gambler: And not a very good one, as he's constantly losing all his money.
Gaslighting: He becomes a victim of this due to Jiang wanting him removed as temporary Chairman non-violently lest he grows too comfortable in his position or "Big Smile" Lee kills him for the position.
Punny Name: His last name is pronounced like "sow", i.e. a pig.
Unwitting Pawn: Jiang only recommends he be placed in power so as to occupy the Chairman role and keep "Big Smile" Lee out of it. She has no intention of letting him actually act as the full Chairman and immediately sets about trying to discredit him and bring about a proper nomination.

Others

Johnny Ratface

Voiced by: Vic Chao

The rather slimey Head Enforcer of Dogeyes Lin's Jade Gang.

The Cameo: He first show up in the mission "Uncle Po" where he leaves Po's aparment and exchanging arguments with Ricky Wong before moving on. Unfortunately for him, this is where Wei Shen first saw him, and his distinct features and hairstyle is what allowed the undercover cop to recognize him later.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Mrs. Chu tortures him before killing him and feeding some of his remains to Dogeyes, as revenge for his part in killing her son.
Didn't Think This Through: He is asked by Dogeyes to lead the False Flag Operation to frame 18K for the attack on Winston's wedding. However, aside from donning 18K clothes, he makes no attempt to otherwise diguise his indentity, despite being at least somewhat recognizable on the streets as Dogeyes' right-hand man. True enough, Wei spots and indentifies him as he and his goons carry out the attack.
The Dragon: He is Dogeyes' second-in command.
Meaningful Name: True to his nickname, he is a slippery and deceitful little man.

Sonny Wo

Voiced by: Chin Han

"You take good care of my little starlet. Go ahead and fuck her if you want! Just don't damage the goods!"

A depraved pervert who is responsible for laundering the Sun On Yee's via the entertainment industry. He forged his media empire by launching the careers of countless Hong Kong popstars. Hated by pretty much everyone who isn't Big Smile Lee, it's made abundantly clear that absolutely no one likes spending time around him.

Corrupt Corporate Executive: His production company launders Sun On Yee's money, and if any of his starlets fail to perform they end up working in the triad's prostitution business.
The Friend Nobody Likes: Lee is the only person who doesn't have any sort of problem with Sonny. Wei outright says to King that he thinks Sonny is an annoying clown and King completely agrees.
Hate Sink: He has absolutely no redeeming qualities.
Hoist by His Own Petard: His exploitation of Vivienne Liu blows up in his face when her apartment is bugged and Sonny is implicated on record.
Jerkass: He is quite an obnoxious dick and a huge pervert to boot. The people close to him pretty much only (barely) tolerates his company because he knows how to make money.
The Peeping Tom: It is very heavily implied that he prefers getting his jollies from watching young pretty women having sex with other men.
Necessary Evil: This is the general opinion of him among the Sun On Yee. He's a repugnant jackass, but he does bring a lot of capital.
No Social Skills: Loudly discusses his dirty fantasies in the same room as the person that fantasy is about, will offer to prostitute one of his singers out to a business partner while that singer is standing right there, will sometimes make blunt sexual advances right to someones face — the list goes on and on...
Villainous Cheekbones: He has a notably gaunt face with promient cheekbones, which underscores his creepiness.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Any singer who argues with him or even just fails to top the charts is quickly handed over to Big Smile Lee and used as a prostitute.

Roland Ho

Voiced by: Robin Shou

"People always want to borrow. If they ever learned to live within their means, I'd be screwed."

Roland Ho is a moneylender, loan shark, and debt collector. Wei can accept jobs from Roland after he is referred to him by Uncle Po. Roland's missions involve collecting unpaid debts and intimidating his debtors. Notable for over-the-phone quest givers, Wei seems to actually consider Roland an acquaintance of sorts rather than just another business partner.

Faux Affably Evil: So good at hiding his utter lack of standards that Wei even let his guard down and befriended him.
Jerkass: Becomes painfully obvious after Samson Gao is Driven to Suicide by his massive debt, and Roland wants to shake down his widow to see if he had life insurance. Wei understandably refuses to keep working for Roland after this.
Loan Shark: Serves as the point of contact for the Sun On Yee if needed for loan sharking and debt collecting.

Old Salty Crab

Voiced by: Tzi Ma

One of the only veteran triad members who still does his own dirty work, he is somewhat of a prankster, and often gets creative when doing work for the triad. Extremely spiritual, but only for pragmatic reasons, his expertise on Chinese mysticism often becomes surprisingly handy.

He's also the uncle of Not Ping.

The Ace: If his stories are to be believed, back in his glory days he could have given Wei a run for his money.
The Alleged Car: His "Crab Car", which was originally a top-of-the-line sports car, looks like it's seen much better days, but it's still a fast little number.
Ascended Extra: In the basegame, he only appears in one mission and a phone call, but he gets quite an expanded role in Nightmare on North Point storyline, where he becomes Wei's guide to the spiritual world and is revealed to be Not Ping's uncle.
Cool Old Guy: He's old, he's also fun and friendly while still managing to be a hardcore gangster.
Evil Counterpart: Only "evil" by virtue of being a criminal, as he's actually quite friendly and helpful to Wei, but he's the man Wei could have ended up as if he'd spent his whole life in the triads instead of becoming a cop (and let himself go physically).
Fat Bastard: With far more emphasis on the "fat" than the "bastard". His weight may have something to do with the events that earned him his nickname (see below).
Gay Moment:
Old Salty: You're pretty and talented.
Wei Shen: What?
Old Salty: I said you're pretty talented.
In-Series Nickname: Earned the name "Salty Crab" when, rather than simply accept valuables from a debtor restaurant owner otherwise unable to make payments, he requested that the man give him free food every day as an alternative — and subsequently brought the restaurant to the brink of bankruptcy by ordering the most expensive thing on the menu en-masse every day (which was "Salt Crab"). The "Old" was tacked on when, well, he became old.
Insult Backfire: A mild example:
Wei Shen: You're a strange guy, Old Salty Crab.
Old Salty: Thanks. That means a lot to me.
Known Only by Their Nickname
The Mentor: Fills this role in the Nightmare in North Point storyline, where he teaches Wei about Chinese mysticism to help him in his fight against Smiley Cat and his undead army.
Pragmatic Morally Ambiguous: His reason for believing in Feng Shui isn't for the sake of tradition, culture, or even that he thinks it's probably real — It's so if the underworld IS truly real, then Feng Shui will keep all the people he killed from exacting revenge from beyond the grave.
The Trickster: When told to scare someone, he doesn't just leave a threatening note or phone-call, he gets creative (as in; convince the target the dead want to kill him).
Unmanly Secret: If the dialogue in his quest when the player hijacks a Bisai is anything to go by, he secretly wants to buy a tiny little smart car of his own after the Crab Car finally breaks — which is probably why he mistreats the Crab Car so badly.

Ricky Wong

Voiced by: Ian Anthony Dale

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ricky_head_8_8218.jpg

Ricky Wong is a member of the Sun On Yee who assists Wei in his search for Johnny Ratface, the man who assassinated Winston and Peggy during their wedding, and makes several appearances as "Big Smile" Lee's liaison with Sonny Wo. He is also quite aware of the dramatic changes within the triads and its codes. Ricky is currently in a relationship with film starlet/singer, Vivienne Lu.

Affably Evil: Ricky, despite working for "Big Smile" Lee, who is the boss of the initial antagonist, and the Big Bad, he's quite friendly with Wei, except when he thinks you slept with his girlfriend (which is not an unreasonable reaction). He's the only person to help defend Uncle Po, and he eventually defects from Lee.
Badass in a Nice Suit: Never seen out of his black suit.
Character Development: When Wei first meets him he seems very aloof and cocky, but as the game goes on he gets more anxious and emotional.
Even Evil Has Standards:
- Johnny Ratface has a reputation for being a lunatic, with Ricky putting it this way.
  Ricky: You give him a job, you're gonna have to steam-clean your conscience when you're done. You know what I mean?
- Ricky also points out later that the Triads were once a true brotherhood, and that there's supposed to be codes of conduct and honour even between rival triad gangs. He cites the massacre at Winston's wedding and the 18K attack on a hospitalised Uncle Po as prime examples of how standards have slipped, or as he puts it, 'the game has changed'.
Friendly Enemy: He's one of Lee's enforcers, which should put him squarely at odds with Wei. Instead, they strike up something of a friendship, and they work together several times.
In Love with the Gangster's Girl: He's the gangster in question. Subverted in that Vivienne's sleeping around with other guys at the behest of Sonny, although that's how she and Ricky got together in the first place.
Nice Guy: He's very friendly, and he has a strong moral code. He also never strays from his girlfriend, despite Sonny constantly providing opportunities for him to do so.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: His response to the situation with Wei and "Big Smile" Lee, leaving the latter weakened. With a little prodding, of course.
Token Good Teammate: He's pretty much the only member of Lee's entourage that isn't a complete bastard.
Undying Loyalty: Even in the face of what Sonny puts him through regarding his girlfriend, he still remains loyal. Once Sonny's behind bars and the conflict with Big Smile Lee escalates he decides to simply leave, rather than take sides.

Liu Shen Tong

Voiced by: Ron Yuan

The Sun On Yee's chief interrogator and Torture Technician. Whenever someone greatly displeases the Triad, such as being found out as an undercover cop, the offending party is sent to him for punishment. Despite his calm, even affable nature, he clearly takes a dark joy in torturing his victims.

Buried Alive: His preferred method of disposing of his victims once he's done with them.
Cold-Blooded Torture: Mr. Tong's specialty. When knives don't do the job, he moves on to an electric drill.
The Dragon: To Big Smile Lee.
The Dreaded: He's infamous within the Sun On Yee for his brutal torture methods.
Early-Bird Cameo: Players with good hearing will notice that he is mentioned by Vincent as early as the third mission, and is whispered about by mooks even earlier.
Faux Affably Evil: Is completely civil and polite to Wei... as he drives an ice pick into his leg.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Stabbed clean through the chest with his own machete.
Machete Mayhem: Comes with being in the Triads. He favors the scalpel when torturing his victims, but when the time comes for actual combat, he breaks out the machete.
Not So Stoic: He starts out confident and gloating, though still rather civil and avoiding any profanities while torturing Wei, with his voice remaining slow and almost monotonous. As Wei is about to kill him, he undergoes a full-on Villainous Breakdown, descending into Cluster F-Bombs and ranting about how Wei is doomed to fail to stop Lee.
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: Delivers one to Wei at the start of their fight. His tone of voice really sells just how displeased he is.
Tong: I suppose I should be impressed; you defeating my men like that. I... am not. Now... where were we?
Sharp-Dressed Man: Wears an all black suit and black leather gloves. It's such a nice suit that Wei steals it from him after he kills him.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: See his one-liner, he backs the talk too, having two One-Hit Kill moves.
Torture Technician: Sun on Yee's expert although it's not for information, just to send a message about what happens to undercover cops.

Vincent

Voiced by: Osric Chau

A member of the Water Street Gang members, he is initially distrustful of Wei but grows to trust him after Wei proves himself. Later murdered for his organs by an 18k member.

Ascended Extra: Gets more development in the Nightmare at Northpoint DLC than in the game.
Because You Were Nice to Me: When he comes back along with the other dead Triads in the Nightmare at Northpoint DLC, he chooses Wei to haunt because he wants to talk with his old friend again.
Dumb Muscle: Like most of the Water Street Gang.
Organ Theft: The cause of his murder.
The Friend Nobody Likes: While he is "haunting" Wei he remarks that even when he was still alive, people tended to avoid him.
Those Two Guys: With Duke.
Trademark Favorite Food: Noodles. When Wai first encounters him in the Nightmare at Northpoint DLC, he is found merry eating away in the Golden Koi resturant.

Tran Ma

Voiced by Feodor Chin

Jackie's uncle and owner of the first vehicle chop-shop in the game, he provides Wei and Jackie with the vehicles they need to pass the initiation missions. After that, he fades into the background as one of the people Wei can call to receive missions for quick cash. He's notable only because a strange glitch rendered him both killable and aggressive.

As Long as It Sounds Foreign: Tran, who is Jackie's uncle and the game's first car salesman, has a purely Vietnamese name^note. No mention is ever made of Tran being Vietnamese, nor of Jackie having a Vietnamese heritage, so it's likely this trope.
Berserk Button: Drive too recklessly around his lot and he may run after Wei with a wrench. It's probably not intentional.
Death Is Cheap: If the player lures him far enough, you can throw him onto spikes or into a tub of electric eels — And yet the next time you visit his chop-shop he will be perfectly unharmed.
Demoted to Extra: Originally a minor character who provides Wei and Jackie with cars as they try to get initiated, he vanishes into the background the moment you unlock the better car dealers.
Gameplay and Story Segregation: He is not only damageable, he is easily killable as well. And unlike other quest givers, Tran will actively chase Wei if angered or attacked.
Punny Name: Probably a play on "Transmission", AKA a part of a car.
Suicidal Overconfidence: Will attack Wei.

Doctor Tang

The Sun On Yee's chief scientist (yes, they're a gang with a science division, that's Hong Kong for you). Develops various gadgets to help the mob commit crimes and ropes Wei into testing some of them.

Absent-Minded Professor: He's a bit of a goof, which may or may not explain why he's working for the mob rather than in the legitimate scientific community.
Ascended Extra: He only appears in a couple of side quests in the main game but takes a starring role in the Wheels Of Fury DLC.
Reluctant Mad Scientist: He doesn't have the same lust for money, power, or respect that most triads do. He just wants somebody to fund his research.

Pockmark Cheuk

Voiced by: Byron Mann

The Sun On Yee's Incense Master (akin to a Master of Ceremonies), and Uncle Po's top advisor.

The Creon: As Uncle Po's main advisor, he is offered the position as temporary Chairman of the Sun On Yee, while Uncle Po recovers from his injuries, but he immediately declines. At the end, he is once again the main advisor for the new Chairman, Broken Nose Jiang.
The Dragon: Serves as this for Uncle Po and later Broken Nose Jiang, though he acts more of an advisor than an enforcer.
Suspiciously Clean Criminal Record: Unlike the other Red Poles, Cheuk noticeably doesn't have a police record, suggesting that either he has done all his crimes by proxy, or been especially careful about being caught, or maybe a bit of both.

Smiley Cat

Smiley Cat/Big Scar Wu

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bigscarwu_1038.jpg

"You give a guy anything less than a proper burial, chances are he's gonna come back as a ghost. You turn him into cat food, it's pretty much guaranteed."

— Old Salty Crab

The Big Bad of the Nightmare in North Point DLC.

In the days before Wei returned to Hong Kong one of the Sun On Yee's most ruthless members was a man by the name of Big Scar Wu, who was feared as much by his fellow gang members as by his enemies. Eventually, Uncle Po decided that he was too violently insane even for the triads and ordered his death, having him run over in a staged "traffic accident", then stabbed 42 times for good measure. Finally, his body was disposed of in a pet food factory except for one finger cut off to ensure he could not rest in the afterlife, and he found his final resting place in the bellies of the cats of Hong Kong.

But his story doesn't end there. After he got to the underworld his fellow dead gangsters mocked him mercilessly for the undignified manner of his death, refusing to call him by his street name, instead referring to him by the name of the cat food brand he was made into. Thus, Smiley Cat was born.

After many years in Hell, growing even more bitter and insane than he was in life, he has assembled an army of demons, vampires, and hungry ghosts and returned to Earth to seek revenge on the Sun On Yee.

Ax-Crazy: The reason why Uncle Po ordered his death, as he was declared too vicious even for them. Being in Hell and constantly mocked has not helped matters at all.
Accidental Misnaming: Even his army of demon-possessed gangsters calls him Smiley Cat, much to his annoyance.
Evil Is Hammy: He chews the scenery in pretty much every single scene he is in, with the vast majority of his dialogue being boasting about how he will soon have his revenge or just trash-talking Wei.
Cool Mask: Wears a creepy mask depicting a smiling cat face.
Got Me Doing It: He's been called Smiley Cat so much that at one point he even calls himself it. He quickly corrects himself.
Insistent Terminology: It's Big Scar Wu, goddammit!
Rasputinian Death: How the Sun On Yee killed him in the first place. See the above description.
Tiger Versus Dragon: Has tiger stripe tattoos in contrast to Wei's dragon ones. Better, he's associated with the color white, which represents death in Asian cultures, making him a perfect Bai Hu (white tiger) to Wei's (who, as a policeman is often dressed in blue) Quing Long (blue dragon).

Hong Kong Police Force

Superintendent Pendrew

Superintendent Thomas Pendrew

Voiced by: Tom Wilkinson

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pendrew_headshot_4449.jpg

"Wei, I know who you are. You're just like me. You do what must be done."

A 28-year veteran of the Hong Kong Police Force, Superintendent Pendrew is the one who brought Wei Shen to Hong Kong for the undercover operations into the Sun On Yee. Having built his career by taking down the triads, Pendrew has plenty of experience in the field, much of which began years earlier when he took down "the Three Tigers of South Point" – former, prominent leaders of the Sun On Yee. With Uncle Po the only one remaining of the triad's leaders, Pendrew will do what's necessary, even if it means bending a few rules, to bring it down and move on with a clear conscience.

As Wei continues his duty undercover, Pendrew insists to be in charge of Wei's job and won't hesitate to cut his operative loose if he crosses a certain line.

Actor Allusion: For those who have seen Rush Hour, you'd know this isn't the first time that Tom Wilkinson played a policeman in Hong Kong that was initially presented as an ally before being revealed to be a villain.
Big Good: Initially presented as this but averted upon the discovery that he's been working with Uncle Po.
Dirty Cop: The ending and his file reveals that he's been working with Uncle Po for a long time to deal with their respective enemies and thus get both of them promoted.
Evil All Along: Superintendent Pendrew turns out to be the true driving force behind the game's events.
Evil Brit: The only British member of the main cast, and as it turns out, was collaborating with Uncle Po until he kills Po to cover up their dealings. He also tries to have Wei killed by outing him as a cop to Big Smile Lee.
Hypocrite: Pendrew criticizes Wei for getting too close to the group they're trying to take down, becoming what he's fighting against, but Pendrew himself is only in his position due to cutting a deal with Uncle Po years ago, and ends up murdering Uncle Po to make sure nobody can trace his own criminal activities back to him.
Laser-Guided Karma: He ends up getting arrested and being sent to prison with many of the criminals he put away, who now know that he's the one who killed Uncle Po.
Knight Templar: His only concern is bringing down the Sun On Yee, even if it means planting evidence and letting his undercovers flagrantly violate procedure to do so. He later turned out to be a dishonest person who's only serving his own needs. Luckily, Wei had enough of his manipulative lies and sent his ass to jail, which is rightfully a death sentence considering how many people that want him dead are in there.
- His IA investigation file specifically mentions that he's not getting bribes for his cooperation with the Triads — apparently it really is about serving "the greater good" as far as he's concerned.
Jerkass Has a Point: Pendrew points out to Wei during interrogation that he had become one of the criminals he had fought against. Subverted later when Wei discovers Pendrew murdered Uncle Po, despite Wei having killed dozens to maintain his cover, even in cold blood. Pendrew was also maintaining his own cover by killing Uncle Po, who had kickstarted Pendrew's career by giving up three triad figures... for which Pendrew had previously left Sun On Yee alone, and thus Pendrew too had also become one of the criminals he had fought against. Uncle Po even calls him out on it before dying.
Uncle Po: The only difference between you and me is... I know what I am.
Karma Houdini: Pendrew at first appears to do this, as he took a job with Interpol and left the country before Wei could get payback personally. Having no hard evidence against him, he's effectively untouchable. And then Broken Nose Jiang sends Wei the security tapes from Uncle Po's hospital room.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: This man is the sole reason the game is called "Sleeping Dogs". Before he sent in Wei, the Sun On Yee was on the brink of collapsing under its own mismanagement and interfactionary tension. Wei, a man with his own personal drama with the Sun On Yee waiting to be kicked off, not only raises it from its slumber, culls the more poisonous parts of the organization, and makes it the strongest Triad gang in Hong Kong, but also makes sure the dog bites and gets Pendrew sent to prison.
Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: He portrayed himself as a man who goes to extreme length to topple the Triad but the fact that he sell Wei out to Big Smile Lee — the most ruthless and violent Sun On Yee boss shows that he's really only out for himself. Once he's out, Hong Kong be dammed
Pariah Prisoner: His fate in the end, thanks to the evidence sent to Wei by "Broken Nose" Jiang.
Precision F-Strike: Upon learning that he'll be going to prison as the man who killed Uncle Po, he declares that a "Fucking death sentence".
Villainous Breakdown: His last two sentences, "That's a fucking death sentence!" and "Wei, you can't! I won't last a day in there!" notably lacks his trademark coolness and pretty much shows that his days are numbered.
Walking Spoiler: It is rather hard to describe him without mentioning that he is a Dirty Cop who collaborated with Uncle Po in the past and betrays Wei to Big Smile Lee near the climax.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: He kills Uncle Po upon being promoted to Interpol in order to eliminate any evidence of his dirty work. He also rats out Wei to "Big Smile" Lee after he proves to be too much of a nuisance.

Raymond Mak

Voiced by: Byron Mann

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/raymond_buriedalive_5444.jpg

Wei Shen's handler during his undercover into the Sun On Yee, Raymond Mak warns Wei not to underestimate the triad, in spite of the differences between his experience with the American gangs back in San Francisco. Over time, Raymond begins to question Wei's mission, fearing he will turn it into nothing more than a personal vendetta against the Sun On Yee. Despite the relay of information from Wei, Raymond continues his duty as a handler, while Pendrew assures him that Wei is perfectly capable of completing his tasks.

By-the-Book Cop: In contrast with Wei, Raymond is always calling him out for his recklessness and worries about him going too far into his role.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Frequently calls Wei out but his objections are fairly reasonable since they're supported by in-game logic. He also admits to Wei at one point that he sympathises with him and that he might be right in him being the best chance to bring down the heads of the Triad, but he maintains that he still believes that Wei has gone too far with some of his actions and is bringing himself in too much danger.
Verbal Tic: Has a habit of ending sentences with "alright?"
What the Hell, Hero?: Seems to believe Wei is going over to the Triads. Understandable since Wei is talking about a gang war to avenge his dead Triad buddies and asks a criminal to be released because he is his friend.

Inspector Teng

Inspector Jane Teng

'Voiced by: Kelly Hu

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/inspectortang_4871.jpg

A proud, young officer of the Hong Kong Police Force, Inspector Jane Teng is aware of making compromises, finding it difficult to do so at certain times with such grace. Politics from the department continuously sideline her requests, who forces her to maintain a stoic, cold facade. When Wei Shen is arrested in the process of assaulting and extorting a Dogeyes-affiliated drug dealer, Teng is told of his undercover operations. Despite the unfriendly alliance (alongside being forced to tolerate Wei's actions), after he offers to support her operations in the process, she assigns him unsolved cases to help bring down criminals around the city.

By-the-Book Cop: She refuses to let Pendrew take away Wei during the interrogation since he was spotted fighting and he is in her custody. Pendrew has to exasperatedly shout he is an undercover cop instead of trying to intimidate her with hierarchy. In the beginning of the Year of the Snake DLC, she has to break the bad news to Wei that he's being taken off the field, and says she can't disobey an order just because she thinks it's wrong.
Defrosting Ice Queen: She dislikes Wei at first, but eventually warms up to him after he offers to help her with her own cases and proves he's not like all of Pendrew's other undercovers; after cooperation on several cases she gives him a heads-up when three Water Street Boys' corpses were found under Aberdeen Bridge.
Fair Cop: A subdued version of it. It's still Kelly Hu's voice and there's similarity.
Morality Chain: In the game's ending, Wei admits to Teng that the cases she gave him to solve were a major factor in helping him stay sane and grounded throughout the undercover mission, as they allowed him to do unambiguous good deeds and put away truly evil criminals unaffiliated with the Sun On Yee without having to compromise his conscience.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Her Establishing Character Moment is giving a heartfelt lecture to an arrested Wei that he shouldn't throw his life away by hanging out with triads and scumbags. Of course, she shortly thereafter finds out he's an undercover cop, but it goes a good way towards demonstrating she's not the "All perps must be PUNISHED!" type of cop.
- Jackie said he got the same lecture after his arrest but chose to ignore its message. However, by the end of the next mission, he will sorely wish he hadn't.
Secret-Keeper: The only member of the HKPD besides Pendrew and Raymond who knows about Wei's undercover status in the Sun On Yee thanks to Pendrew outright having to tell her to her face to get her to release Wei after he gets arrested early on in the game. Raymond and Teng don't even know each other either, further decentralizing the people privy to the secret.
What the Hell, Hero?: In the Year of the Snake DLC, she's the one who tells Wei that he's getting demoted for the trail of destruction he's laid in his wake.

Charles Ho

The previous undercover officer sent to infiltrate the Water Street Boys, Charles' adamant refusal to kill cast suspicion on him and would eventually lead to his death at the hands of Mr. Tong.

Apocalyptic Log: Charles Ho's reports constantly end with "Guys, I'm getting a bad feeling"...
Martial Pacifist: Was perfectly willing to fight for the Water Street Boys, but not kill. This eventually cost him his life.
Posthumous Character: After getting his cover blown, Charles was tortured and buried alive by Mr. Tong, a fate that Wei narrowly avoids.

The 18K Triad

General

The fiercest competition the Sun-On-Yee have for control of Hong Kong, now on the offensive thanks to the civil war within the Triad. Not as big as the Sun On Yee, they have begun to use sabotage and subterfuge to tip the power balance in their favor. Said to be far more brutal and immoral than the Sun-On-Yee.

Bland-Name Product: Named after the real-life 14K triad.
Eviler than Thou: Any criminal service the Sun-On-Yee refuses to offer the 18K will gladly do instead. No money is too dirty, no job is too low. While the Sun On Yee are currently in a civil war over whether their prostitution ring/ human trafficking goes against their honor, the 18K gave up notions like honor a long time ago.
Nebulous Evil Organisation: Justified. Wei is not a member of 18K, so we see very little of its inner workings. What is made abundantly clear is that the Sun On Yee, as bad as they are, are far better for Hong Kong than the 18K would be.
No Honor Among Thieves: They cross lines the Triads traditionally hold to be sacred, like butchering enemy Red Poles at their own weddings^*, or hiring serial killers to harvest organs.
Not Me This Time: Despite being more vicious than the Sun On Yee, the wedding massacre is the only one that they did not commit, being instead done by members of the Jade Gang impersonating as them.

Naz Singh

Sakinder Sajan Naz, aka "Naz Singh"

Voiced by: T. J. Ramini

An Indian expat, an associate of the 18K, and a police informant, he's aware of Wei Shen's role as an undercover cop.

Bring Me My Brown Pants: In his final appearance, after Wei captures him and engages in a high speed escape, he can be heard screaming "I just shit myself," as Wei drops him off to Inspector Teng.
Crying Wolf: He's the first to clue in that Ricky Wong and Vivienne Lu are pursuing a serious relationship and suggests in his report that this could be exploited to turn Ricky away from the Triad. However another, more reliable CI dismisses this theory and insists Ricky and Vivienne's relationship is just casual sex and isn't worth looking into. Noting Naz's consistent unreliability and with all the available evidence supporting the other CI's conclusion, Raymond ultimately drops the lead. Turns out he's right this time.
Evil Counterpart: He is basically in the same position as Wei, except he uses it for his own personal gain.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Naz keeps a powerful position in the underworld safe by playing the Triads and Police against one another. It comes to bite him back in the ass when Wei, who has even stronger ties to both himself, comes calling.
Meaningful Name: His code name with the HKPD is "Scoundrel". Raymond lampshades that, for once, the code name is highly appropriate.
The Mole: He snitches on the 18K to Inspector Teng, but as his police files show, he's usually more interested in using his status as an informant to protect his own criminal dealings than providing any useful info to the police.
- He'd also (correctly) figured that Wei was undercover. When Naz revealed this, Wei counters, "And I know you're a snitch. You want to see who your boys kill first?"
Nice to the Waiter: Averted, big time. His treatment of Jackie is what brings him down.
Sunglasses at Night

Four Finger Wu

A Red Pole of the 18K and one of the first Triad members encountered. Heavily involved in the narcotics trade and infamous both for his efficient brutality and his loose grip on sanity. The Hong Kong police are dedicating much of their efforts towards taking him down.

Ax-Crazy: His first appearance has him brutally murdering a young security guard with a meat cleaver.
Establishing Character Moment: Naz and Wei meet him at the docks, and he is clearly already stoned out of his mind, with bloodshot eyes and a crazed glare. A guard shows up, and in the middle of Naz negotiating with the guard, Wu out of nowhere goes to town on the guy's ribcage with a cleaver before the guard can even accept or refuse the bribe.
Evil Counterpart: to Winston, as the brute force Red Pole for his respective Triad, focused on moving drugs and bashing heads in the waterfront/northpoint areas. Unlike Winston, however, Wu is a total psychopath.
Gonk: Is always sweaty, wears filthy clothing, and has greasy skin, disheveled hair, multiple chins, and bloodshot eyes. The guy is a regular Adonis.
Kick the Dog: Every time he appears.
Small Role, Big Impact: Only appears physically once, but many of the police missions deal with putting a stop to his various schemes, and he is mentioned in many other missions (for example, one of Roland's debtors was using the money to buy drugs from Wu). He seems to have specifically targeted the Water Street Boys.
Stupid Evil: Can no longer show his face in public since he was caught murdering said security guard by a clearly visible security camera.

Doctor Tsang

A doctor affiliated with the 18K. Also the serial killer that has been prowling North Point, as part of the 18K's organ harvesting schemes.

Back-Alley Doctor: Patches up the wounds 18K members receive.
Mad Doctor: As someone willing to work with the 18K, this goes without saying.
Walking Spoiler: Is the titular Serial Killer in the "Serial Killer" undercover cases.

Others

Amanda Cartwright

Voiced by: Emma Stone

An American tourist who Wei encounters outside of his apartment. She's exploring Hong Kong as part of a desire to find herself and Wei offers her directions.

Action Girl: Implied she wants to be one.
All There in the Manual: Why does she disappear? Turns out, she tends to be the type to have one-night stands.
Really Gets Around: Her police report reveals her Gender-Inverted Yellow Fever.
Shout-Out: Her last name may or may not be a reference to James Hong's character's mispronunciation of George Costanza's last name in the Seinfeld episode The Chinese Restaurant.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Due to her VA and high profile, everyone playing generally assumed she'd play a big role. After a single story mission, and her photograph quest, she vanishes completely.

Tiffany Kim

Voiced by: Kim Yunjin

A Karaoke hostess who works at Club Bam Bam.

Doesn't Like Guns: In "Chain of Evidence", the mission that acts as a tutorial for the game's gunplay, she's noticeably panicky about having to look after a pistol belonging to Charlie Pang, a Jade Gang member and her ex-boyfriend. She's also relieved when Wei agrees to take it off her hands.
Hypocrite: Yells at Wei for cheating on her when he confronts her but her police file makes it clear that she's been juggling multiple relationships with men (several of them from Triads) before she met Wei. Also, their relationship was really just one date and sex.
Really Gets Around: According to her police files, she juggles multiple relationships with different triad gangsters... though that arguably comes with the job.
What the Hell, Player?: If Wei cheats on her with Not Ping, she calls Wei out on the double standard (that Wei might consider her to be cheating while he's got another woman on the side) and leaves him. Subverted by the revelation she was cheating on Wei (and other guys with him) well before this.

Not Ping

"Not Ping"

Voiced by: Celina Jade

Owner of an electronics store, she hacks into security cameras for fun.

Ascended Extra: Appears as Wei Shen's girlfriend in Nightmare in Night Point before promptly getting kidnapped.
Cutting Off the Branches: Depending on how canon Nightmare in Night Point is, the fact she appears as Wei's girlfriend in the mode implies he ultimately chose her over any of the other four girlfriends.
Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Her name is not Ping, despite being the only one working in Ping's Electronics.
Known Only by Their Nickname: To the point that Wei simply has her listed as Not Ping in his phone. She never bothers to give her actual name to him.
Punny Name: Ping being a measurement of a network connection.
Secret-Keeper: Wei meets her on police work and depending on how much of Nightmare in North Point is canon she should also know he's with the Sun On Yee.
What the Hell, Player?: Just like Tiffany, if Wei dates her and Not Ping, she leaves a message that she knows about Tiffany and is really angry at Wei... And then proceeds to ask him to call her.

Mrs. Chu

Voiced by: Irene Tsu

The mother of gangster Winston Chu, she encouraged him to become a Triad gangster in hopes of him making something of himself.

Bilingual Dialogue: In the few times she interacts with Wei, she exclusively speaks Cantonese. She understands what Wei's saying and even sends him an English-language text message in Civil Discord, so it's likely she knows English but doesn't speak it for whatever reason.
It's All My Fault: She blames herself for encouraging Winston to join the Triads after his death as a result of being a gangster.
Ironic Hell: Mrs. Chu force-feeding Dogeyes soup made from the remains of Johnny Ratface (especially the bones) as part of her revenge for him killing Winston. This is her trying to invoke the literal meaning of the Cantonese expression "狗咬狗骨", "dogs gnawing (other) dogs' bones". Unlike the similar English expression "dog eat dog", the Cantonese expression is a metaphor for infighting within a group, which is what Dogeyes is guilty of.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: According to Peggy, she once chewed out Winston for neglecting his fiancée even if it was for Triad's business.
Mama Bear: The men responsible for Winston's death find this out the hard way.
Never Mess with Granny:
- When a group of Big Smile Lee's goons attacks the Golden Koi looking for Wei, one holds her at gunpoint. When he turns his back on her as Wei comes in, she almost takes the guy's arm off at the shoulder with her cleaver.
- After Winston gets blasted to Swiss cheese at his wedding she interrogates Johnny Ratface and then chops up his body into soup meat, which she later fed to his boss, Dogeyes.
- To say nothing of what she does to Dogeyes, holding him personally responsible for everything that's happened to her and Winston— not only does she force him to eat soup made from Johnny Ratface, she slowly cuts him up alive and subjects him to the same fate. This is particularly important with the context of Buddhism present in the setting, as cannibalism is a taboo so heinous the act practically ensures the culprit will never ascend beyond the cycle of suffering. Mrs. Chu wasn't just exacting an insane form of revenge, but made sure he was forever damned, and as the Nightmare in North Point DLC shows, she was right.
Outliving One's Offspring: Winston's death leaves her depressed, but also very angry, and it soons becomes all-consumingly important for her to take revenge on her son's killers.
Tranquil Fury: When dealing with the people responsible for Winston's death she never even raises her voice.

Peggy Li

Voiced by: Lindsay Price

Winston's kept fiance, she is enthusiastic about her husband-to-be's job as a gangster and eager to welcome Wei into the family.

Blood-Splattered Wedding Dress: Big time.
Cool Big Sis: She tries to be this to Wei, even wanting to set him up with a friend of hers.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Meets the same fate as Winston...on her wedding day.
Mafia Princess: While not as high-class as Vivenne Lu, she's actually closer to it as the kept fiancée of a Red Pole.
Nice Girl: Peggy is an absolute sweetheart and very quickly takes a liking to Wei, and the two of them bond a little during her errands to prepare for the wedding. She even talks about setting Wei up with one of her friends. It makes her brutal murder at th wedding all the more heartwrenching.
Together in Death: She and Winston both died together at their wedding.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: She's Winston's Morality Chain, and one of the few truly positive characters in the game. She values family above all else and is very supportive of her husband and Wei despite their gangster ways. She dies just one mission later after she's been introduced, horribly gunned down at her own wedding along with her husband.
Neighbourhood-Friendly Gangsters: Seems to believe the Sun on Yee is this or at least the Water Street Gang.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Only has a major presence in one mission... before dying horribly

King

Voiced by: James Mathis III

A record producer from Los Angeles, King is officially in Hong Kong to produce Vivienne Lu's new record.

Affably Evil: King's real intentions for coming to Hong Kong were to help set up connections to his friends' drug smuggling ring, as well as a place of refuge if the FBI gets the drop on them. In spite of this, he's nothing but polite and friendly with Wei.
Blood Knight: Sees beating thugs with Wei as the cerry on the cake of their night together.
Everyone Has Standards: Like the Sun On Yee, he might accept that he has to work with Sonny, but he unreservedly agrees with Wei when he calls Sonny a jackass.
Gangbangers: Though not outright stated to be a gang member, he has close ties to LA street gangs (possibly the Bloods or a fictional counterpart thereof, if the red jacket's anything to go by).
No Celebrities Were Harmed: African-American LA native? Involved with the music industry? Affiliated with street gangs? Are we talking about King or Suge Knight?
Token Minority: In addition to being among the few Americans in Sleeping Dogs, he's also the only African-American cast member.

Vivienne Lu

Voiced by: Lucy Liu

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vivienne_civildiscord.png

A famous pop musician who owes her success to the Triads, Vivienne Lu is secretly dating Ricky Wong, the triad liaison to her management.

Because You Were Nice to Me: She takes Wei in defense when he tries to negotiate a truce with Ricky, telling Ricky that she trusts Wei, because the only man who turned down the opportunity to sleep with her after Sonny offered it up.
The Danza: Of sorts. Her last name is very similar to her voice actress'.
Mafia Princess: Subverted to a degree; Vivienne doesn't work with the Sun On Yee, in as much as they finance her career as a singer/actress and she's dating Ricky Wong, the Sun On Yee liaison to Wo.
Rape as Backstory: She's been used as a reward for Sun On Yee by her boss several times — in fact, that's how she and Ricky got together! She obviously doesn't like it and has been threatened with being forced into pornography otherwise and according to her, Wei is the first man to say that she doesn't have to sleep with him.
Rich Bitch: Seemingly a vapid girl who is willfully in denial about her boyfriend's gangster ties. It turns out she is much more aware than she lets on, considering how they got together.

Sandra

'Voiced by: Steph Song

The speed-obsessed debutante daughter of a rich Hong Kong businessman. She is best friends with Vivienne.

Covers Always Lie: Has a spot on the cover implying a bigger place in the game than two dates and by her placement that she is part of the Sun On Yee.
Mafia Princess: Zigzagged. Sandra socializes with Vivienne, who has direct ties to the Sun On Yee, but we aren't told whether Sandra actually works for the triads or involved with their operations.
- Given she says she's always wanted to date a gangster, it's highly unlikely she's anything other than just a rich friend of Vivienne.
- Her second date with Wei ends when she gets a call from "daddy" and Wei ends up dropping her off near "Two Chin" Tsao's mansion.
The Tease: She tries this with Wei. He manages to convince her otherwise.
The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter: Possibly.
Whatever Happened to the Mouse?: Like Amanda, she vanishes from the game in every fashion once her dating missions are completed.

Ace

Wei's initial contact in the illegal racing ring.

Graceful Loser: No matter how much shit he talks before (and during) a race, he plays clean, and when he loses he doesn't throw a tantrum, unlike Hotshot.
Sacrificial Lamb:Hotshot murders him by running him off the road and almost into the ocean. It provides the final impetus for Wei to race Hotshot for keeps and run him into a HKPD roadblock.
Spirited Competitor: He's interested in racing. He doesn't want to win through cheating.

Hotshot

Oliver "Hotshot" Cheng

Voiced by: Johnson Phan

An illegal underground racing driver infamous not only for his smug attitude, but for rumors of cheating and manslaughter.

Cheaters Never Prosper: Starts his race with Wei by jumping the gun on the starting countdown. Said race also has a police ambush waiting for him at the end.
Gameplay and Story Integration: Hotshot is nail bitingly frustrating to tail because, as befitting his personality, he blatantly disobeys traffic laws, ignoring stoplights and driving on the shoulder to get around those who don't, and sometimes even gets into fender benders at intersections. In order to stay even remotely near him, you have to break laws as well, which obviously raises your suspicion meter.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Became "The Best Racer in Hong Kong" by murdering all his competitors by ramming them off the road. Wei leads him right into a police ambush, then rams his car until it stops working, leading to his arrest.
Hypocrite: Frequently uses unfair and downright dangerous moves in his races, but gets in a hiss fit when others do it to him.
Informed Attribute: His racing prowess, since he murders anyone who dares challenge him and the one time Wei does race him he needs to cheat to stay ahead.
Jerkass: Made clear from his first appearance.
Small Name, Big Ego: He certainly thinks he's hot shit. Simply suggesting otherwise by, y'know, actually challenging him to a race is sacrilege in his mind.
Smug Snake: During his race with Wei, he makes several comments about his skill.
Wei: You gotta to cheat to win?
Hotshot: It's not cheating if you win!
Villainous Breakdown: Not seen, but Teng lets us know that Hotshot metaphorically browns his pants when HKPD lets him know that they're booking him for murder and that he will probably be spending all of his pretty-boy years behind bars.

Sifu Kwok

Voiced by: James Lew

"I have given you powerful tools. If they are not used well, surely I bear part of the responsibility."

Wei Shen's former Kung Fu instructor. An older man with a strong sense of morality, he remembers when martial arts were as much about controlling the mind as controlling the body. The youth of Hong Kong disappoint him heavily, but he continues to teach them nonetheless.

Big Good: As the only authority figure who Wei both respects and actually listens to, he is one of the few things keeping Wei from going over the deep end.
Collection Sidequest: His collection of Jade Statues was stolen long ago and he'll teach Wei a new combat move for each one he gets back.
Drill Sergeant Nasty: While a strict-but-fair father figure most of the time the insults he throws at underperforming students slide into this.
NO! I said "Strong like bear", not "Limp like noodle"!

Your ancestors called! They want to disown you!
Older Than They Look: In spite of being old enough to have taught Wei, he is still powerfully built with no sign of the "sensei's paunch" and has no grey whatsoever in his hair.
Old Master: Younger than normally depicted, perhaps in his fifties. He acts the part to Wei, challenging him with probing questions and teaching him new techniques.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: The return of his statues is rewarded with a new technique and a snippet of dialogue concerning mortality, ethics and the general state of the world. When returning the last statue and preparing to learn Dim Mak, all Wei gets is "Pay attention, because this technique is dangerous, and if you abuse it, I'll kick your ass."
Screw Politeness, I'm a Senior!: His exact age is unknown, but he's been teaching a long time, and he's done mincing words when students disappoint him.
Touch of Death: Sifu Kwok's ultimate technique, given to you after you've gotten back all his statues and learned everything else he has to teach you, is this. It's even called as much in Cantonese (Dim Mak). The Dim Mak won't instantly kill any enemy, but it is far more effective than the normal counterattack and always knocks an enemy down. Story bosses are immune to this attack.
When I Was Your Age...: Is heavily disappointed at how old systems of honor and respect are breaking down in the modern age, and that much of the youth of Hong Kong only want to learn martial arts for the sake of joining triads. Instead of portraying this as a Rambling Old Man Monologue, the game makes it clear he's more or less entirely correct.
You Fight Like a Cow: He constantly throws insults around during training sessions.
- In a Subversion...it's mainly to everyone BUT Wei, and for the good reason that they are getting their ASSES kicked.

Mimi Shen

Wei Shen's deceased older sister, she was both a drug addict and a prostitute.

Posthumous Character: She OD'd long ago, which forms the basis of Wei's hatred of the triads.
Rape as Backstory: According to her Social Services file, she'd been raped so many times she didn't bother to count.
Stockholm Syndrome: Possibly her relationship with Dogeyes. She even gets back together with him in the afterlife. At least according to Dogeyes.

Characters / Sleeping Dogs (2012)

Edit Locked

Sun On Yee

Water Street Boys

Wei Shen

Jackie Ma

Winston Chu

Conroy Wu

Leadership

David Wai-Lin "Uncle" Po

Sam "Dogeyes" Lin

Henry "Big Smile" Lee

"Broken Nose" Jiang

Howard "Two Chin" Tsao

Others

Sonny Wo

Roland Ho

Old Salty Crab

Ricky Wong

Liu Shen Tong

Vincent

Tran Ma

Doctor Tang

Pockmark Cheuk

Smiley Cat/Big Scar Wu

Hong Kong Police Force

Superintendent Thomas Pendrew

Raymond Mak

Inspector Jane Teng

Charles Ho

The 18K Triad

Sakinder Sajan Naz, aka "Naz Singh"

Four Finger Wu

Doctor Tsang

Others

Amanda Cartwright

Tiffany Kim

"Not Ping"

Mrs. Chu

Peggy Li

King

Vivienne Lu

Sandra

Ace

Oliver "Hotshot" Cheng

Sifu Kwok

Mimi Shen

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