Chapter 110: A “Surprise”
Translated by: kevin1782
Edited by: Isalee
Fly got along with Tribo and others really well, and he also respected his seniors. He tirelessly learned about whatever that could be of use. Most importantly, Fly was diligent and obedient, and thus Tribo and the rest liked this newcomer. However, it was only a few days before they realized that Fly was also a chatterbox.
Besides that, Fly also got a nickname: “Fly”. He did not get the nickname because he was so talkative, but because Jin initially thought he was named after the insect when Gao Yang introduced Fly to the other members.
The name “Fly” could mean to fly in the air, or it could also refer to the insect. Jin was still trying to learn the English language and he assumed at first that Fly’s name meant the latter. Although Fly eagerly tried to correct him after Jin stated his discovery, nobody bought it. So his nickname was set in stone from then on.
Just like the problem with Gao Yang’s nickname, “Ram”, calling Fly a “Fly” would not make a difference. Therefore, after some discussion, his nickname became “Littlefly”.
Gao Yang and company helped Fly rent a small apartment in the same residential area and got Fly’s mother and girlfriend to move in. Ever since his mother and girlfriend settled down, Fly finally had a peace of mind. Fly trained all day every day to human limits under Jin who had been tasked with training the new recruit.
Grolev and Lee Jin Fang would bring Fly to the outskirts of the city every day and then assault him with all sorts of training once they made sure there nobody else was around them.
First, they needed to teach Fly basic infantry moves and shooting drills. There was an insufficient amount of time to begin with, so Fly was overwhelmed by the daily intense training.
Grolev planned to change to a belt-fed machine gun with replaceable barrels in order to achieve more persistent firing since Fly was assigned to be an assistant gunner under Grolev. However, without information about the next mission, he could not finalize his decision until they arrived in Libya. This would not affect Fly’s personal equipment though, so Gao Yang called Ulyanko and ordered a set of equipment for Fly.
If Fly were to be Grolev’s assistant gunner, Fly would have to carry around a lot of ammunition on him, which could be a significant load for him. Knowing that his weapon should be lighter if possible, Tribo generously lent him the MP5 he had seized so that Fly could familiarize himself with it first before buying a new one for him in Libya. Jin also gave him an M92 pistol so that he could learn to properly handle these two weapons in the next few days.
However, on the day Kathleen was due to arrive, Fly had to stop his training to accompany Gao Yang to the airport. As the only member in the corp with a legitimate identity in South Africa, and a native of Johannesburg on top of that, Fly was the most suitable choice as a guide. He could also help settle miscellaneous matters.
Gao Yang earnestly looked forward to Kathleen’s arrival, but he was scared when the time came. The reason for that was simple. Although he did not establish a formal relationship with Elena, after a few days of being together, he could not imagine what it would be like after tossing Elena to one side.
It was impossible for Gao Yang to abandon Elena, but Kathleen had accepted the invitation and she had come all the way to South Africa. To be told to go back to wherever she came from after hearing that he already had a girlfriend would be a waste. That was definitely something Gao Yang would never do. On top of that, knowing that he could be leaving Kathleen to the mercy of a lesbian, Gao Yang was even more adamant about not postponing his date with Kathleen.
In reality, what troubled Gao Yang the most was that Elena also wanted to tag along to meet Kathleen. Although Elena promised not to make things difficult for Gao Yang and she just wanted to see what Kathleen looked like, god knows what would transpire when two rivals met.
It was almost time to leave for the airport. Gao Yang glanced at his watch. Fly was long overdue from his trip back home to pack up for a little bit. On the other hand, Elena was already in her Sunday best, smiling while waiting for Fly together with Gao Yang in his room.
Just as Gao Yang was getting uneasy, he finally heard the doorbell ring. Gao Yang steeled his resolve, turned to Elena and said, “Fly’s here, let’s get going. Oh, why are you wearing heels? This won’t do, I forgot to tell you that we are going to the Wonderboom Nature Reserve. Forget it, since we don’t have time, I shall go myself.”
Elena was still smiling while she revealed the backpack she was wearing. She unzipped it and simply let Gao Yang see the contents without saying a word.
There was a pair of hiking shoes, a set of outdoor clothes, and some underwear. Gao Yang blushed after shifting his gaze away from the items and said, “Oh great, you’re well prepared, let’s go.”
Gao Yang felt depressed that his little trick did not work as expected, and he just hung his head in dejection while on his way out. Upon stepping into the living room, he spotted Fly already waiting for him there.
He immediately exclaimed, “What the hell, this is madness!”
Tribo said seriously, “This is necessary! You represent the Satan Mercenary Corp.”
Jin added with a stern face, “Of course this is necessary, Yang. We must show them that we are a force to be reckoned with. Even if you cannot let Elena down, we must maintain composure in front of that lesbian. We would have come along if you hadn’t told us not to.”
Fly chipped in, “Sir, this is what happens in movies. From now on, I am your chauffeur and your bodyguard. I might not have a driving license, but rest assured, I have been driving anyway.”
The reason why Gao Yang was so surprised was because Fly was wearing a suit with snow white collars and cuffs paired with polished black boots. Together with a black tie, a pair of sunglasses, and a small earset, he looked exactly like an attendant to a mafia boss from the movies as long as he stood up straight with a poker face. In reality though, no mafia boss would want to bring around such a blatant attendant.
Gao Yang said awkwardly, “Why do I feel that this idea is very silly instead of doing whatever you said?”
With Grolev missing as usual, there was nobody to side with Gao Yang. Tribo urged him, “Now go, or else you’ll be late. Know your limits, not too much that Kathleen really falls for you.”
Time was indeed running out. With Fly holding the door open in a seemingly professional way, Gao Yang could only smile wryly as he headed out.
Setting his gaze on the car parked by the roadside, Gao Yang was once again astonished by what he saw and said, “Really? Please, this looks really silly, okay?”
Fly swiftly walked up to open rear door of a 12-meter long Lincoln limousine. Resting his arm on the doorframe, he said expressionlessly, “Don’t all the Americans like this type of car? Hare, Toad and I took two days to find this car for rent. Sir, please.”
Gao Yang wore a twisted smile as he climbed into the car together with Elena before Fly gently closed the car door. He then briskly walked over to the driver’s seat, started the engine, and sped off towards the airport.
It was the first time Gao Yang had ridden such a luxurious car. There were four wide and soft sofas made of real leather. There was not just one, but two bar counters inside, as well as fancy speakers and a television.
Gao Yang felt really comfortable sitting in the car, but for some reason, this reminded him of the limousines parked in front of those hotels back in China. Except, those limousines were associated with wealthy but ignorant people, so they were seldom seen parked in front of hotels ever since. Much to his surprise, he finally got the chance to experience it himself.
If he were to fetch people with a luxury car, he would prefer using a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley instead of a Lincoln limousine. He could not comprehend what sort of old film Tribo and the others got the idea from that a Lincoln limousine would represent opulence instead of ignorance. The good thing was that there was no hotels ads or wedding company logos on the car body, which made Gao Yang feel a little bit better.
Peering at the variety of wines, Gao Yang heaved a sigh and asked Fly, “How much did you rent this car for?”
Gao Yang felt that it was weird to not hear a from Fly when Elena smiled and pointed at a button with a microphone icon on his chair’s armrest. Gao Yang chuckled awkwardly and repeated himself after pressing the button.
“Sir, for three days, the rent came up to be ten thousand dollars. It’s a gift from the trio. As for the props, it’s a gift from me. We came to the consensus that a luxury car together with a groovy bodyguard would make you look more stylish.”
Gao Yang forced out a smile, “Alright, thank you all then. I appreciate this ‘surprise’ from all of you.”
“Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that you can consume anything in the car, including the fine wine and cigars. To be exact, we bought all of the things in the car, and we get to use the car for three days as a bonus. Hope you have a great time with Miss Elena.”
Looking at Gao Yang release the button, Elena laughed, “Your brothers really treat you well, but you don’t look too satisfied.”
Gao Yang smiled awkwardly as he grabbed a bottle of champagne, “I just felt that nowadays, nobody would agree that traveling in a limousine is awesome anymore. Anyway, we have time for some drinks before we reach the airport.”
After finishing a glass of champagne, Elena smiled, “I am glad that it’s me who’s drinking champagne together with you in this car. At least, I drank before Kathleen did. I am even more glad that you let me come along with you.”
With a glass of champagne down his throat, sitting in a limousine that he thought was luxurious but would associate him with blunt, rich businessmen, he no longer felt so bad. Gao Yang lit a Cuban cigar even though he did not usually smoke them as the ventilation system in the car would prevent the inside of the car from being smoky anyway.
He let out a big puff of smoke, rested his arms on the armrest and in a moment of high spirit, he said, “Rest assured, this is the first time, but definitely not the last. Next time we will be sitting in our own luxury car, the type of luxury car that we both like!”