Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1197 - 1197 One Thousand One Hundred Eighty Take It and Play

1197: Chapter One Thousand One Hundred Eighty: Take It and Play 1197: Chapter One Thousand One Hundred Eighty: Take It and Play Gao Yang felt that he snagged a bargain, while the gun stand owner thought he finally managed to sell some long-overdue junk at a not-so-low price, a win-win scenario.

However, seeing the ecstatic Gao Yang, the owner quickly realized he might have just missed out on a chance to make a killing.

With old guns, it’s all about sentiment.

No matter how beat-up an old gun is, with sentiment, it can fetch a high price.

For someone who likes it, even the most worn-out gun is loved, while someone who doesn’t like it won’t appreciate it even if it’s in great shape.

Buying a gun involves a bunch of procedures, but Gao Yang couldn’t care less at that moment.

He didn’t even pull the bolt to check the inside; just those few characters on the gunstock alone made him feel the five hundred bucks were well spent.

Gao Yang pulled the bolt and said to the owner, “Where did you get this gun from!”

The owner shrugged and replied, “In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Huaxia exported a large number of old guns, and this one was acquired around that time.

I bought a batch back then, and now there are only a few left.”

The Huaxia Army used to have a variety of guns from all over the world.

After a series of wars like the warlord era and the Anti-Japanese War, the origins of the firearms became very complex.

The Type 38 Arisaka, captured from the Japanese, was certainly a mainstay of the arsenal, used even by the earlier troops participating in the Korean War.

After the Korean War ended, Huaxia had mostly completed the switch to standard-issue rifles.

Then, obsolete guns like the Type 38 Arisaka were passed on to militia forces to extend their service.

Most rifles of mixed calibers underwent barrel replacement to standardize to 7.62mm calibers.

It wasn’t until the ’70s, when militia rifles were finally updated, that these battle-worn old guns were placed in storage.

By the late ’80s, Huaxia exported a substantial number of old stocks to America, mainly the semi-automatic Type 56 and the Type 56 submachine gun, but a significant portion also included old guns like the Type 38 Arisaka.

Additionally, various new, cost-effective guns manufactured by Huaxia also saw large-scale exportation until the firearms market in America was flooded with Huaxia products, prompting a group of gun manufacturers to lobby against this, leading to America banning the import of Huaxia firearms, ending the trend.

The gun Gao Yang purchased was likely one of those old stocks that had been exported to America, and notably, the 6.5mm caliber Type 38 Arisaka he got had not been modified, which was particularly rare.

Tracing the provenance of an old gun is hard work.

For now, Gao Yang didn’t want to investigate whose hands this gun had passed through; knowing it was a trophy taken from the enemy was enough for him.

As Gao Yang was admiring his gun with sheer delight, Li Jinfang said in a serious tone, “Brother Yang, let me have a look, will you?”

Without even looking up, Gao Yang replied, “No chance, the moment you see it, it won’t be mine anymore.”

After Cui Bo craned his neck to take a good look for a while, he suddenly exclaimed loudly, “Lee!

Hey, it’s a Lee too, this gun’s got history!”

Swallowing his saliva, Li Jinfang said, “Brother Yang, please just let me take a look.”

Cui Bo said eagerly, “Don’t show him, Brother Yang, how about I buy it from you for ten thousand?”

Li Jinfang said in a deep voice, “I’ll offer twenty thousand.”

Gao Yang chuckled smugly and said, “It’s mine; I saw it first, so it’s mine.

Don’t even think about it, no way.”

Clearing his throat, Li Jinfang said, “Brother Yang, if that’s how it’s going to be, then I have no choice.

If you don’t hand it over, I’ll just have to take it by force.”

Gao Yang was stunned.

Could he keep the gun if Li Jinfang really tried to take it?

Of course, the answer was he could not.

After some thought, Gao Yang eventually said with a sour face, “Let’s be fair.

We’ll play rock-paper-scissors, and whoever wins gets it.”

Cui Bo knew he couldn’t outfight Gao Yang, let alone Li Jinfang, so he immediately said, “Alright, rock-paper-scissors it is!”

Li Jinfang hesitated for a moment but then, with a smile, said, “Okay, let’s do it.”

Rock-paper-scissors, and Gao Yang was the first to be eliminated.

Then, although Cui Bo had won at first, Li Jinfang refused to accept the result, so after another round of rock-paper-scissors, Li Jinfang won.

Despite Cui Bo not accepting it, he couldn’t beat Li Jinfang, so the gun went to Li Jinfang.

After taking the gun from Gao Yang’s hand, Li Jinfang said with a look of emotion, “Giving this gun to you guys would be a waste; it should be with me.

I’m more dedicated.

That’s it, I won’t compete with you guys for any more guns, hey, Brother Yang, give it a look.

Do you think these notches carved on it are for the enemy soldiers they killed?

I think so.”

For something impossible to verify now, if you say it’s so, then it is, and if you say it’s not, then it’s not.

Although Gao Yang was peeved about having the gun swiped by Li Jinfang, he didn’t want to dampen Li Jinfang’s enthusiasm and could only say irritably, “Nonsense, of course, it is.

Is there even a need to ask?”

Afterward, Gao Yang looked at the owner with dissatisfaction and asked, “Buddy, do you have any more guns like this?

With the same kind of marks.”

Gao Yang wasn’t really hopeful, but surprisingly the owner nodded and said, “Yes, there’s another Garand rifle.”

As the owner was speaking, he turned to rummage through the box with guns for a while, then he pulled out an M1 Garand, placed it in front of Gao Yang, and said, “The condition isn’t great, but it’s very complete.”

Gao Yang’s eyes lit up, but before he could get his hands on the gun, Cui Bo snatched it away.

Gao Yang glared at him, only to see Cui Bo hugging the gun pitifully and saying with a sad face, “Brother Yang, please let me have this one.

You’ve already got so many guns, and you won’t let me have just this one?”

Gao Yang was both annoyed and amused as he said, “Shut up, stop playing the poor me card, you don’t even like old guns, alright?”

Cui Bo took a glance at the gun and then said, “But this is a gun from the Korean War.

It’s meaningful, Brother Yang.

This one is for me, I won’t snatch any more good guns from you, okay?”

Gao Yang extended his hand and said, “It’s yours, it’s yours, just let me see it first!”

After receiving the gun, Gao Yang examined it carefully.

The stamps on it were the same as the ones on the Big Cover Type 38; they were definitely from the same arsenal, and the most probable origin of this gun was indeed from the Korean War’s trophy weapons.

Two meaningful and sentimental guns ended up being snatched away by Li Jinfang and Cui Bo.

If it were someone else, Gao Yang would not have let them go even if it killed him, but since it was these two who wanted them, and they truly liked them, Gao Yang could only painfully let them go.

Stuffing the gun into Cui Bo’s hands, Gao Yang grumbled, “I’m never going to a gun show with you guys again.”

After handing over the gun to Cui Bo, Gao Yang turned to the vendor helplessly and asked, “Do you have any more?”

The vendor shook his head regretfully and said, “I’m sorry, there aren’t any left, the guns from the same source were sold out a long time ago.”

Gao Yang glanced over the remaining guns at the stall and found nothing of interest, so he gestured with his hands and said to Li Jinfang and the others, “Pay for it and complete the paperwork.

I’m leaving first.

I get annoyed just looking at you two.

Hurry up and find us after you’re done.”

Morgan, who had been watching the fun all along, smiled and said, “Gao, there are a lot of old guns here.

Although guns like this are rare, it’s very likely you’ll come across some.”

Morgan intended to buy antique shotguns at an auction since the chance of finding particularly good antique guns at a gun show was slim, so he was actually just tagging along with Gao Yang for fun and to try his luck at finding some treasures.

If he stumbled upon an old gun he liked, he’d buy it; otherwise, he would let it be.

Continuing to wander, it wasn’t long before Gao Yang’s eyes brightened.

After picking up a rifle from the table and taking a look, he blurted out with excitement, “Type 56 semi, haha, I like this one.”

On one of the stands, there were several brand new Type 56 semi-automatic rifles, not the SKS made by the Soviet Union or Eastern Europe, but the Type 56 semi-automatics made by Huaxia.

What’s rare is that not only did they come with bayonets, but also with the slings and cartridge bags.

Seeing the familiar olive-green, Gao Yang was overjoyed, and he immediately turned to Yelena and said, “Go quickly and call Rabbit and Toad over.

Tell them there’s good stuff here.”

The Type 56 semi was also heavily exported to America in the past, but unfortunately was later banned from export.

Now SKS are easy to find, but the Type 56 semi is much harder to come by.

Gao Yang knew that Li Jinfa had always wanted one, and he himself was also keen to have one, but never came across the right one.

Now that he had found what could be considered new inventory stock in perfect condition, he wouldn’t let it go for anything.

What was especially rare was that there were five rifles on the stand.

Although he’d just said that he was annoyed by Li Jinfang and Cui Bo, upon discovering the good stuff, Gao Yang had not forgotten about them.

After sending Yelena to call the two, Gao Yang immediately asked the vendor, “How much?”

“One thousand three hundred, including all accessories,” the vendor replied.

The Type 56 semi was originally very cheap, with prices around five to six hundred each at most, but as discussions on gun control laws began, Americans started panic-buying and the prices also soared.

One thousand three hundred wasn’t much for Gao Yang, so he didn’t bother haggling and directly waved his hand, saying, “How many do you have?”

The vendor shrugged and said, “This is all I have.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Yang immediately said, “Five of them, right?

I’ll take them all!”

Just then, Yelena returned with Li Jinfang and Cui Bo.

As soon as the two saw the guns in front of Gao Yang, Li Jinfang’s eyes lit up and he shouted, “Buy, buy, buy!”

With a smug look, Gao Yang said, “I’ve already bagged all these guns.

If you want them, you’ll have to buy them from me.

Not expensive, thirteen thousand each, take it or leave it.”

Gao Yang was, of course, joking.

At that moment, however, Yelena leaned in and whispered to Gao Yang, “Dear, I’m going to check out something over there, I’ll be back soon.”

Gao Yang smiled and said, “Go ahead, we’ll leave once we’re done with the deal here.

Come back soon, or I can come find you.

Go on.”

After letting Yelena go, Gao Yang turned to Li Jinfang with a smile and said, “Alright, time to pay up.

What are you waiting for?

Really waiting to buy from me?

Hurry and pay.

I want one, Rabbit wants one, and the remaining three are all yours.

Take your time and play with them, three guns are enough for a lifetime.” (To be continued.

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