Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1225: One Thousand Two Hundred and Eight: The Proxy

Chapter 1225: Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred and Eight: The Proxy

Gao Yang put down the phone. Rafael asked solemnly, “What should we do?”

Holding onto the phone, Gao Yang froze for a moment, reflecting on the implications of what Yake had just said. Then he shook his head and replied softly, “Don’t do anything.”

Rafael asked in surprise, “Don’t do anything?”

Gao Yang nodded and said, “Yes, at least for now, we don’t do anything.”

He took a deep breath, placed the phone into his waist pouch, and said to Rafael, “Who did you just call? Tell them everyone can keep sleeping. No need to get up.”

Rafael moved his neck a little and frowned, “I just called Little Donnie. Fine, I’ll tell him again and have him inform everyone not to get up. Um, Boss, if we don’t do anything, is that okay?”

Gao Yang shrugged and said, “I don’t know, I really don’t. The situation is very complicated right now, and we can’t do much to help. So, just keep doing what we were doing. That’s it.”

Since Rafael made the call earlier, it was still up to him to notify Little Donnie. Rafael took out his phone and held it up to his ear, casually laughing, “I was worried earlier that we wouldn’t get to watch this match.”

As Rafael started making the call, Yelena seemed finally relieved and said to Gao Yang, “Nothing’s wrong now? Really, nothing?”

“Nothing’s wrong. We’re going to watch the game.”

Gao Yang and Rafael acted as if nothing had happened, though Yelena still seemed slightly tense. However, seeing Gao Yang and Rafael chatting and laughing with those around them, she gradually loosened up and began talking and laughing with Gao Yang.

The truth was, Yelena fundamentally didn’t understand Gao Yang and the others’ inner worlds.

Soon, Rafael raised his voice, “The away team’s fans enter first. It’s our turn to enter, guys. Let’s show Pescara a good time!”

Palermo had just been relegated from Serie A to Serie B last season, as had Pescara. Both teams viewed each other as serious competitors for promotion, especially Palermo, which was determined to return to Serie A and was off to a promising start.

Palermo’s fans started entering the stadium. After being checked for dangerous items, Gao Yang and the group followed the crowd into the south stand of the stadium, which was designated as the section for away fans. The north stand, of course, was reserved for the diehard fans of the home team.

Gao Yang’s group didn’t enter the stadium very early, but their spot was among the closest to the front, right behind the chain-link fencing. This was thanks to Rafael’s friend Filet, who was the head of the Soul of the North Stand fan association. Rafael himself was a key member of the organization, so Gao Yang and Yelena managed to tag along into the hardcore fan section.

Judging by appearances, no one would guess the weight resting on Gao Yang’s heart. One of his close friends might never be seen again, and another person he considered a reliable ally might also be gone forever. Those two calls could very well have been farewell calls.

But despite lingering concerns, life still had to move forward. For mercenaries, knowing people who worked in various high-risk professions was unavoidable. Constantly worrying about this or that wasn’t a sustainable way to live. Since they had chosen this path, they had to accept its realities.

Once inside, the fans began singing. The tunes were straightforward, and so were the lyrics. Yelena, being a music student, picked up on the songs after only a few repetitions and even managed to sing them convincingly in Italian.

Palermo had two team anthems. After listening for a while, Gao Yang also began singing along, though it was just the beginning—a sort of warm-up.

What followed was no different from any regular football match. The home fans entered, the diehards from both sides started their singing battles, players arrived on the field, opposing players were booed, and their own players were cheered. The usual things.

Gao Yang quickly settled into the role of a fan. Even though he had no particular feelings for Palermo, out of respect for Rafael, he gave his full support to the team.

When the match began, Pescara attacked down the south side, which positioned them right in front of Gao Yang and Yelena’s stand. Their seats were quite close to the goal.

Over twenty thousand home fans had come to the match, while Palermo had only a little over three thousand supporters. However, in terms of momentum, Palermo’s fans weren’t overwhelmed.

Filet was leading the chants, constantly rallying the fans to chant in unison. Yelena joined in enthusiastically, yelling alongside others. Whenever the opposing team threatened Palermo’s goal, Yelena—just like the men around her—booed loudly. When Palermo’s players were fouled, she’d shout and curse passionately, although she did so in Russian.

Gao Yang was no different. He quickly realized that watching football matches was indeed an excellent way to vent emotions.

The stalemate was broken by Palermo first. In the 26th minute of the first half, Palermo scored a goal, and the south stand erupted into wild celebrations.

After the goal, Yelena turned around, hugged Gao Yang tightly, and shouted, “That was amazing! What a fantastic goal!”

Gao Yang was also quite thrilled, but the joy didn’t last long. Shortly afterward, Palermo conceded a goal in return, prompting Gao Yang and Yelena to curse furiously together.

The score tied as halftime approached, giving Yelena—having sung and shouted so much—a chance to catch her breath. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and said with a laugh, “That was incredible! Even though it’s a tie, we completely dominated the game. We’re just wasting chances—we’re definitely going to win.”

Rafael chuckled loudly and said, “Of course we’ll win! Hey, Yelena, you’ve been doing great out here. Here, take a few lozenges—don’t wear your voice out!”

Gao Yang was feeling equally exhilarated. Just as he was about to offer his opinion, he sensed the satellite phone in his waist pouch vibrating.

Gao Yang immediately pulled out his phone, his heart pounding. However, upon seeing the screen, he felt both a tinge of regret and a wave of relief.

The call wasn’t from Number Thirteen or Yake—it was from Justin.

After answering the call, Justin asked in a puzzled tone, “Buddy, where are you? What’s with all the noise?”

“At the football stadium, watching a match. What’s up? Do you have any updates about what I asked you to look into?”

“Sorry, still no valuable intel on your matter. Krulney’s laying low, but I do have an unconfirmed theory—Krulney might currently be entangled with Saudi Arabian figures. You know Tomler had good connections with Saudi figures back in the day. It seems Krulney has inherited Tomler’s network and could now be protected by Saudi elements.”

More Saudi connections. Gao Yang exhaled deeply and said gravely, “Alright, keep investigating. If that’s all you’re calling about, is there anything else?”

Justin suddenly sounded excited. “Buddy, Ukraine. Ukraine’s about to explode—possibly within the next couple of days. This isn’t like before. This time, it’s going to be a decisive turning point. If you’re planning to do business in Ukraine, you should go there immediately and prepare.”

Gao Yang frowned and said, “Right now?”

“Yes, within the next few days—definitely before the 20th. I received reliable intel that some individuals from Lviv are planning a major move in Kiev. Right now, Lviv’s figures are the main force behind the actions in Kiev, and they’re gearing up for their final showdown. Buddy, the moment of change in Ukraine is imminent. You need to get there and wait for it.”

Gao Yang replied in a low voice, “Buddy, I’m only looking to do some business there—not get directly involved. Why should I go there now? Just to sit around idly?”

Justin laughed and said, “No matter how you look at it, Ukraine’s going to erupt. Since you know this beforehand, you can’t do nothing, right? If you’re lounging in America, how are you supposed to spot business opportunities in Ukraine? Buddy, if I get any good leads on deals, by the time I inform you, you won’t be able to make it there in time.”

Ukraine had been turbulent but hadn’t yet reached a point of collapse. The overall situation was still under control, and the big players waiting to pounce hadn’t acted yet.

Gao Yang chuckled bitterly and said, “I’m still on vacation, buddy. Honestly, I don’t want to head to Ukraine so soon. Damn it, how could those people fall apart so easily against the opposition? Hey, are you absolutely sure this is going to be the turning point?”

Justin replied confidently, “Absolutely sure, buddy. This is an opportunity to make big money. Even if you have to stay in Ukraine longer, it’s worth it.”

There were some things Gao Yang didn’t want to say in front of Yelena, so he could only smile wryly and say, “Come on, you know we just got back from there, right?”

The entire Satan group had spent several months in Syria, and their final stint had been over a month holed up in Aleppo Prison. They’d only recently escaped.

Mercenaries were human too, and Gao Yang’s crew were all wealthy individuals. For them to keep going non-stop was unbearable. Resting now was far more important than heading somewhere to make money.

Gao Yang was planning to take at least a month off. After fighting continuously for nearly five months, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. A month-long break was already the bare minimum.

Justin understood their situation. After hearing Gao Yang’s reply, he chuckled and said, “True. You’re all like prisoners freshly out of jail—you’ll need some time to recover. Still, you can’t completely ignore Ukraine, can you? You need to arrange for someone trustworthy to be there. Someone who can represent you and act if necessary. Buddy, the big shots may not stay in Ukraine for long—it’s too dangerous and unnecessary—but they all have trusted people stationed there to handle things. You need someone too. So, do you have anyone in mind?”

When it rains, it pours. Gao Yang scratched his head in resignation and said with a bitter smile, “Like a proxy or an assistant, right? You’re not wrong—I do need to get someone over there. I’ll think about it. I’ll give it some serious thought.”

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)