A real man would pay his debts and show appreciation through words and deeds.
Quan thinks he owes them that kind of loyalty and then some, but what is he supposed to do? He still has felonies on his record; nobody will employ him and nobody will pay for his college education. In any case, though, Quan can’t walk away from his crew. He knows too much. It’s like in
Catch-22. He has no choice but to go back, so the only way to stay out of the gang is to stay here. But he accrues more debt to the gang the longer he stays in prison. It’s a no-win situation, just like the rest of Quan’s life.