Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1275: 1258: A Hero Arises in Troubled Times

Chapter 1275: Chapter 1258: A Hero Arises in Troubled Times

Shava took stacks of money out from the box one by one, examined them carefully, and placed them on the coffee table next to him. It was apparent that Shava was excited, but he was trying hard to suppress his emotions.

While Shava was counting the money, Gao Yang said calmly, “Mr. Shava, you’ve already mentioned your rules. Now, let me tell you mine. My rules are simple: once you’ve taken the money, you must deliver the goods as per my requirements. You can’t cheat mercenaries out of their money—you don’t need me to remind you of that, do you?”

Shava’s hand froze for a moment, then he smiled at Gao Yang and said, “Yes, I understand. Rest assured, your goods will definitely be delivered on time.”

Gao Yang smiled slightly and said, “Great. Then there’s nothing more to say. I’ll be taking my leave.”

Gao Yang acted as though he was about to stand up when Shava suddenly said, “Wait.”

Sitting back down on the sofa, Gao Yang fixed his gaze on Shava and gestured for him to continue.

Shava grinned and said, “The deal with you has been quite enjoyable. There’s no need to rush off so quickly. From now on, we are friends. And as friends, how can we not share a drink together?”

He slapped the back of the woman next to him loudly and said, “Go get some alcohol! I want to have a drink with my new friend here.”

After putting the scattered money back into the box, Shava closed the lid and placed the box under the sofa he was sitting on. Then he waved a hand toward Gao Yang and laughed heartily, “Friend, how should I address you?”

Gao Yang smiled and said, “Just call me Peter.”

As he spoke, the beautiful woman returned with two glasses and a bottle of vodka, placing a glass in front of each of them and pouring the liquor.

Shava raised his glass, smiled at Gao Yang, and said, “To friendship!”

Gao Yang smiled and echoed, “To friendship.”

He downed the liquor in the glass in one gulp. Gao Yang didn’t want to keep drinking—the glasses were quite large, and his tolerance wasn’t great; two drinks and he’d likely be tipsy. However, Shava grabbed the bottle himself and refilled Gao Yang’s glass, saying with a grin, “Friend, the transaction with you was so straightforward, I’m delighted. You’re the kind of friend worth knowing. To be honest, brother, I’ve always thought mercenaries were fierce and violent types, quick to pull a gun and shoot over any disagreement. You have to be cautious when dealing with mercenaries. But you’re different—dealing with you has been incredibly smooth. Come, let’s toast to success. Cheers!”

Gao Yang finished the drink in one gulp again but began to feel a burning sensation in his stomach. Whether it was with Russian bigshots or Ukrainian second-rate gangsters, drinking vodka without food was the norm—something Gao Yang couldn’t quite handle.

When Shava tried to pour again, Gao Yang covered his cup, shook his head, and said seriously, “Save the rest for celebrating after the transaction is finished.”

Shava pulled back the bottle, laughed heartily, and said, “Brother, you don’t know me, but you should inquire about my reputation. Whatever I promise, I will deliver without fail. It’s understandable you don’t know about my capabilities yet, but let me put it this way: I’ve only started making a name for myself recently, but my connections in Kiev are rock solid!”

After boasting a bit, Shava thumped his chest and said loudly, “Brother, no matter what trouble you encounter in Kiev, just mention my name—Shava from the White Shark Gang. And in Kiev, no matter what you want to do, coming to me is always the right choice!”

Gao Yang nodded and smiled, saying, “Got it. Understood. If I ever need assistance in the future, I’ll be sure to contact you.”

With an enthusiastic wave of his hand, Shava said, “I’m expanding my territory on the global stage. I’m working hard to grow my influence. I’m not shy about this with anyone. You’re my first international business partners, and I hope we can continue to work together in the long run. Peter, you won’t regret doing business with me.”

Gao Yang nodded with a smile and said, “This transaction isn’t a big one—let’s treat it as a test. Everyone likes working with old friends, so if this collaboration goes well, it’ll be a great start to our long-term relationship. Well then, my friend, I’ll take my leave now. Goodbye.”

Shava waved his hand and shouted, “Show them out for me!”

Gao Yang stood up, gave a nod of acknowledgment, and turned to leave with Li Jinfang and the others. When they had walked about ten meters out the door, they faintly heard a suppressed but excited low laugh from behind.

Since handing over the money to Shava, the armed men in the hall had visibly relaxed. The two burly men who came to escort Gao Yang and his group out now wore expressions of relief. When they walked them to a waiting taxi, the two burly men waved and said together, “Goodbye.”

Once inside the car, Nikolai, who had been tense, finally relaxed a little and quickly drove them away from what he believed to be a very dangerous place.

Sitting in the back seat, Gao Yang nodded toward Little Donnie. Then he held up two fingers, and Little Donnie pulled out a stack of cash from his pocket, counted out twenty bills, and handed them to Gao Yang.

Gao Yang took the money, smiled at Nikolai, and said, “Mr. Yashikov, do you speak English?”

Nikolai replied softly, “A little, very little.”

Gao Yang extended his arm, handing the money to Nikolai, and said with a smile, “Here’s your pay for today. Take it.”

Nikolai accepted the money with one hand, exclaiming, “So much? This is too much.”

Gao Yang smiled and said, “Hazard pay, Mr. Yashikov. It’s better to be upfront about these things. You’re a smart man, and I suppose you’ve already figured out that we’re not journalists. We frequently work in dangerous areas, and I need a guide. I won’t ask you to go to places that are too dangerous, but you can decide whether or not to accept this job.”

Nikolai was silent for a moment, then responded softly, “I don’t think you’re journalists either. So, what are you? Spies?”

Gao Yang shook his head and said, “No, we’re not spies. We’re here to do business. You don’t need to know what kind of business—just know that we won’t harm you or drag you into anything dangerous. You just need to do your job as a taxi driver diligently.”

Nikolai hesitated for a long while before finally nodding, saying, “I originally didn’t want to take this job, but I have to compromise with reality. If you don’t plan on replacing me, I’ll continue working for you.”

Gao Yang smiled and said, “Good. That’s settled. Just focus on driving now.”

After Gao Yang finished speaking, Little Donnie asked with a puzzled expression, “Why not hire someone from within the industry as a guide? Why choose an ordinary taxi driver instead?”

Gao Yang shook his head and said, “I don’t trust those people, but my instincts tell me I can trust him. Now, let’s talk about Shava. He doesn’t seem—how do I put it?—competent. He seemed quite nervous at first.”

Little Donnie laughed and said, “Yes, Shava and his White Shark Gang are newcomers—they haven’t been around for long. It was pretty coincidental that we got in touch with him. A friend of mine introduced him, and the introduction itself came through the Ukrainian gang in America. Anyway, this Shava leads a very dangerous crew. They’re new and clueless but bold enough to fight and kill without fear. Whatever business catches their eye, they grab it.”

“Oh, no wonder. I thought they looked like rookies. So, they’re just a bunch of young guys forming a new gang. Young people like them are fearless and reckless, willing to do anything. Such gangs often rise quickly but are also wiped out just as fast. They’ll probably disappear before long.”

Little Donnie shook his head and said, “Not necessarily. Normally, that would be the case, but don’t forget the current situation in Ukraine. Under circumstances like these, they might manage to establish themselves.”

Gao Yang thought for a moment and nodded, saying, “True. Chaos brings out heroes, and it also brings out tyrants. Many big names rose to power by seizing opportunities during turbulent times. Looks like Shava has hit the jackpot with his timing. Hmm, since we’ll be doing business in Ukraine for a while, it’s worth building more connections with him. Some things can only be handled by local powers like him. By the way, what’s your judgment of him as a person?”

Little Donnie replied admiringly, “Honestly, people have a pretty good impression of him—he’s loyal, principled, daring, and fearless. He led a bunch of guys out from the slums in the suburbs. Oh, his cousin is in America and leads a Ukrainian gang there. Shava’s cousin originally invited him to join him in America, but Shava refused. He’s determined to carve out his own kingdom in Kiev alongside his childhood friends, and he has been quite successful. Now, he has over a hundred subordinates—all tough and ready to fight.”

Gao Yang chuckled and said, “Interesting. Who would’ve thought he has potential? Looks like he could be a reliable long-term partner. But still, he’s a bit of a bumpkin.”

Li Jinfang turned to Gao Yang and laughed, saying, “We weren’t much different when we started out, were we? Inexperienced, overjoyed at just tens of thousands of dollars—newbies are all the same.”

Gao Yang stroked his chin and laughed, saying, “I don’t recall us being *that* much of a bumpkin back then, though.”

He used the Chinese phrase “土鳖” (country bumpkin), and Little Donnie asked with a confused expression, “What does ‘土鳖’ mean?”

“Oh, it’s like, uh, a hillbilly—more or less the same meaning.”

Little Donnie immediately smiled and said, “Yes, Shava seems like someone who’s watched too many outdated gangster movies. But thinking about it, that makes sense. He’s new to this after all. Besides, it looks like he has connections to the Ukrainian military—he’s definitely capable of getting weapons.”

Gao Yang nodded and said, “This guy might actually pull it off—we should keep an eye on him. If he gets wiped out, so be it. But if he manages to establish himself, people like him can really make it big. When you deal with him in the future, you can afford to be a little generous to maintain rapport—treat it as a long-term investment. You know better than I do how to manage that—just handle it as you see fit.”

Little Donnie nodded and said, “I think we could even lend him a hand when the timing’s right. Of course, that depends on the opportunity. Speaking of which, we still haven’t been able to reach Angel’s team, have we?”

Gao Yang sighed and shook his head, saying seriously, “No contact. Those bastards are hiding too well. If we still can’t reach them by tomorrow afternoon, then we won’t wait for them—we’ll handle things ourselves. The final deadline will be set for tomorrow at 4 p.m.”