211: Chapter 209: Welcome to Join 211: Chapter 209: Welcome to Join Gao Yang was brimming with enthusiasm as he accompanied Yelena in choosing a handgun she liked.
Gao Yang thought Yelena might select a compact revolver that could be carried in a purse and be ready to shoot as soon as it was drawn, so he recommended the Smith & Wesson 340MP revolver.
However, Yelena preferred the modern feel of semi-automatic pistols, so after considering several options, she ultimately chose the Smith & Wesson M3913LS semi-automatic pistol.
The Smith & Wesson M3913LS was designed specifically for women, with a capacity of 8+1 rounds and firing 9X19mm Parabellum cartridges that are easy to control in recoil, all suitable for female shooters.
But most importantly, the gun was compact and pretty in appearance, which, for a woman, was the most crucial factor.
The M3913LS pistol offered a variety of optional accessories, such as pink or blue grip panels and slides painted in various colors.
As a young girl, Yelena decked out her gun in a pink theme.
Considering that New York was one of the places with the strictest gun control in the United States, Gao Yang didn’t expect Yelena to be able to carry a gun in the city, and there was no need for it anyway.
The gun purchase was mainly for enjoyment on the farm in Idaho.
Once the handgun was chosen, all Jack had to do was assemble the ready-made accessories.
However, Jack was distracted, glancing toward the indoor shooting range.
After he finally finished assembling the gun, he couldn’t contain himself any longer and said, “Gao, could you guys consider letting Bruce join you?”
As Gao Yang was examining Yelena’s handgun, he shook his head and said, “I don’t know, that’s up to Big Dog.”
Jack sighed and said, “Bruce needs a job to earn money.
As his friend, I really do hope that he can join you guys.
He’s in a tough spot right now.
He needs a lot of money to take care of his kid.”
Gao Yang was taken aback and said, “Bruce has a child?”
Jack nodded and explained, “Yeah, he isn’t married but had a child with his girlfriend.
After he went to prison, his girlfriend left him and left their child with Bruce.
Now, the child is living with Bruce’s mother, and they’re having a tough time.
Bruce needs to start making money quickly.
Gao, they’ve been talking for half an hour now, what do you think the outcome will be?”
Gao Yang shrugged and replied, “I don’t know, maybe we should go and see how their discussion is going.”
Jack immediately agreed, saying, “Good idea, we should check it out.
Waiting like this is unbearable.
Honestly, I think it would be your loss if you guys didn’t let Bruce join.
He’s very capable, both as a medic and as a fighter.”
Just as Gao Yang and Jack were about to go to the shooting range to find Glolov, they saw Glolov and Bruce walking into the lounge together.
Before an anxious Jack could ask, Glolov announced with a smile, “Guys, let’s welcome our new member.”
Bruce took off his cap and nodded to everyone before saying in a deep voice, “My name is Bruce William, also known as Test Tube.
I’m honored to work with you all.”
Bruce William was lean and small, standing at about 1.7 meters tall, with an unhealthy pale complexion and a stern expression.
He spoke in a grave tone, giving the impression of a somewhat aloof but reliable person.
Gao Yang exhaled softly, stepped forward, and shook hands with Bruce, saying earnestly, “Welcome to the Satan Mercenary Corps.
From now on, we’re comrades-in-arms.”
Gao Yang introduced Bruce to the other members of the Satan Mercenaries, and after Bruce had shaken hands with them, Gao Yang turned to Glolov and asked, “Have you discussed his pay with him?”
Golov nodded and replied with a smile, “Yes, Bruce will start as our employee, with a daily wage of one hundred US dollars when on a mission.”
Bruce didn’t say anything, but Jack frowned and said, “Guys, isn’t that a bit too low?”
Golov laughed and explained, “Hear me out; a daily wage of one hundred US dollars, but depending on Bruce’s performance and contribution, there will be a bonus.
If Bruce is not duplicitous, then the bonus will be handed to him, and I assure you it’s much more substantial than his salary.
However, if Bruce shows any treachery in our team, he’ll have to leave immediately and won’t receive a single cent of the bonus.”
Bruce nodded and said, “That’s right, I’ve agreed.”
Jack shrugged and said, “Well, I know you guys are not stingy, Bruce, just stay away from that damn poison.”
Glolov smiled and said, “Once everyone agrees that Bruce can officially become one of us, he will share profits like Frey as a full member, instead of being paid a salary.”
Frey chuckled and said, “Right choice, pal, you’ll prefer bonuses over a fixed salary, believe me, as long as you perform well, you’re in for big surprises.”
Initially, Frey was an employee of Gao Yang and the other three, getting a salary, and not sharing profits like them.
But after several battles, when Gao Yang and the others acknowledged Frey, he became a full-fledged member among them.
Initially, there were only four in Gao Yang’s group.
When they made money, Gao Yang took thirty percent, Glolov and Cui Bo each took twenty percent, and the remaining ten percent went into a common fund.
However, after Frey joined and everyone faced life and death together, no one regarded Frey as an outsider.
Thus, Gao’s principle was to split the profits equally.
However, after being persuaded by Morgan and with the insistence of Glolov and Frey, Gao felt it was better to clarify how much money each person should get.
The new rule they established was that as the leader, Gao Yang himself would take ten percent of the total revenue after each mission, including the spoils of war, and the other four would each take five percent, then the rest would be split equally among everyone.
As more people were sure to join the Satan Mercenary Corps, the five founders would naturally take more.
Following the principle of quality over quantity, new recruits could only share the remaining seventy percent equally with Gao and the others after being approved as official members.
If they were not official members, they would only receive the salary and bonuses distributed by Gao and his team, which of course came from the remaining seventy percent of the commission.
According to the new distribution method, based on the current number of people, Gao Yang, though still receiving the largest share, had taken a loss compared to his previous solo thirty percent.
However, as the Satan Mercenary Corps grew in number and strength, they would be able to take on bigger and more missions, meaning the income would certainly increase, and Gao Yang’s earnings would naturally only become greater than before.
A mercenary group is not quite like a regular company.
If a company is established, the salary of staff depends entirely on the boss’s decision, and if the staff thinks the salary is too low, they can simply change jobs.
Mercenary groups need to fight to make money.
It’s easy to recruit a group of mercenaries willing to sell their lives for money, but to create a team willing to die for each other, you need brothers who can truly rely on each other.
If people take the same risks but receive vastly different amounts of money, such a team cannot have high cohesion.
To be able to trust any team member with your back is a beautiful idea, but it’s difficult to achieve, especially for mercenaries who fight for money.
Conflicts over finances leading to drawn guns are common among mercenary groups.
For these reasons, Gao strongly advocated for changing the distribution model to ensure fairness for both veterans and newcomers.
Gao Yang aimed to build a unique mercenary group, one that would remain united regardless of size.
Therefore, their common principle was quality over quantity, especially after changing the distribution model, which required even more stringent standards.
They could hire freelancers temporarily or collaborate with others, but to become a full member of the Satan Mercenary Corps, a recruit had to pass a test and gain unanimous approval from them.
Though unaware of the details Glolov and Bruce discussed, as the leader, Gao had things to say.
After explaining the rules of the Satan Mercenary Corps to Bruce, Gao said gravely, “Some things are better said upfront, so I’ll just say it, no one likes a rule-breaker, so if you join, you must abide by our rules, otherwise, we might take any action necessary, and you must understand this clearly.”
Bruce nodded and said, “Of course, mercenaries have their own rules, just like the military has regulations.
I understand this, and since I’ve chosen to join your team, I will naturally abide by your rules.”
Gao Yang gave a slight smile and said, “Very good.
We still have some time before we depart, so you can settle your private affairs and prepare for departure in this period.
If you need to purchase any medical supplies, just buy whatever you think might be necessary, and the best quality, too.
Don’t worry about money; we’ll pay for it.
We’re not a regular army, so we don’t have logistical support or field hospitals waiting for us.
It’s best if you’re as fully equipped as possible.”
“Understood, I need to be ready for emergency treatments in extreme conditions.
Alright, looks like I indeed need a substantial budget, at least ten thousand US dollars, from equipment to medicines, all top quality.
Anything I can lay my hands on, I’ll buy it.
I’ll strive to be prepared to perform a major surgery under extreme conditions,” Bruce replied.
Gao Yang laughed heartily and said, “Exactly, that’s the spirit.
Additionally, our forthcoming mission is to escort ships in the Gulf of Aden.
Out of all of us, you’re the only one who has undergone professional maritime training, so I’d love to hear your opinions, from the choice of equipment to the operation strategy.
Do you have any advice for us?” (To be continued.
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