357: Chapter 355: Report to the Commander 357: Chapter 355: Report to the Commander Gao Yang had experienced the happiest time of his life.
After breaking through the final barrier in their relationship, Gao Yang and Yelena were almost inseparable, and the two of them also had enough private space.
Gao Yang owned six hundred acres of pasture and, in addition, he had a large enough backyard—four thousand acres of mountain land, essentially the whole mountain behind Gao Yang’s ranch was his.
Gao Yang and Yelena stayed for a few days in the mountain villa, completely disconnected from the outside world, doing only what they loved and immersing themselves in a world that belonged only to the two of them.
When Morgan called to let Gao Yang know that the luxury pickup he had purchased had arrived, Gao Yang and Yelena drove back to Portland and then took the new car back to the ranch.
This time, Gao Yang brought back many other things as well.
After the trip to Portland and back, Gao Yang and Yelena found many new pastimes, so the ranch was no longer quiet.
Every day, Gao Yang would shoot many times, using a sporting double-barrel shotgun for clay pigeons, the Benelli M4 for clay pigeons, familiarizing himself with his new rifle, practicing long-distance shooting, and occasionally, Gao Yang also fired a few shots with the Barrett to get accustomed to the large-caliber sniper rifle.
Whenever Gao Yang shot, Yelena would use a high-powered spotting scope mounted on a tripod to spot for Gao Yang.
Sometimes, Gao Yang taught Yelena how to shoot her Smith & Wesson 3913LS pistol.
With a very good off-road vehicle, Gao Yang and Yelena would drive through the mountains, specifically choosing difficult terrain to find the joy of off-roading, or they would simply stroll around in the forests, leaving their mark on their own land.
In the evenings, sometimes Yelena would take some time to practice her violin, while Gao Yang listened quietly at her side, or Gao Yang would reload bullets, and at these times, Yelena would sit next to Gao Yang, quietly watching him work with focus.
Gao Yang and Yelena had spent over a month on the ranch, and that time was the most beautiful period of their lives up to that point.
Beautiful times are always fleeting, and the better they are when together, the more unbearable the separation becomes.
Yelena’s school term was about to start, Gao Yang had spent most of the summer vacation with Yelena, and now it was time for him to leave.
Having to part when they were so much in love was tough.
Yelena, who always appeared so strong, cried bitterly when seeing Gao Yang off.
Although there was the promise of proposing to Yelena after her graduation, watching her cry in pain, Gao Yang felt the impulse to retire once again.
During Gao Yang’s happy time on the ranch, Jiang Yun’s security company had been established and had started recruiting.
Jiang Yun had also called to inform Gao Yang that it was time to head to Bosaso.
The Maritime Security Company, after several months of trial operation, could be described as booming.
Destin had recruited several dozen more Israeli employees, and Bruce, through contacts with old comrades, had also recruited about fifty people from the United States.
Li Jinfang had been volunteering at Morgan’s oil field camp.
For Li Jinfang, being able to meet up with his old comrades every now and then, chat, drink, and just be content was enough.
Cui Bo had already gone to the Gulf of Aden.
There wasn’t much for him to do alone in New York, so he went off to the transfer ship in the Gulf of Aden.
When needed, he would escort convoys with others; when there was nothing to do, he would chat, tell jokes, go fishing with Bob, and such—keeping himself easily entertained as a bachelor.
Gao Yang, Glolov, Frey, and Bruce, a group of four, arrived on the Sicilian Princess at the mouth of the Red Sea first.
When Cui Bo found out that they had returned to the Gulf of Aden, he also came to meet them on the Sicilian Princess.
After waiting a day, Li Jinfang brought Jiang Yun and Zhou Zhou to the ship, and so, after being separated for almost two months, the Satan Mercenary Corps was finally at full strength again.
Old friends meeting up, especially after Li Jinfang introduced Jiang Yun and Zhou Zhou to everyone who hadn’t met them before, it was an occasion for a drink together.
After a big drinking session, the strangers became acquainted with each other.
There was a ship passing by that was familiar with Antoncel, and the six members of the Satan Mercenaries, who all had a very good relationship with the Skull Gang, learned that it was heading to Bosaso.
They all wanted to go and see their old friends, so, along with Jiang Yun and Zhou Zhou, the eight of them all boarded an oil tanker familiar with Antoncel.
It was as if time had flowed backward to when Gao Yang and the others had first arrived at the Gulf of Aden.
On the spacious deck of the oil tanker, with two parasols set up, Gao Yang and his friends were still shirtless, forming two circles, fiercely battling it out in a game of cards.
“Three with one, Yangzi, we’re almost past the Bosaso waters, right?
Why hasn’t there been any movement yet?”
Upon hearing Jiang Yun’s question, Gao Yang wiped his sweat and tossed a few cards on the table, saying, “Three tens with a six, don’t be anxious now, this is Skull Gang’s territory.
The Skull Gang’s been doing quite well lately, rest assured, they’ll definitely come to greet us since we’re the only ship around.”
Gao Yang had just finished speaking, and before a hand of cards was completed, the captain’s voice came through the intercom, “Ram, radar has detected several targets closing in fast, likely Skull Gang members.”
After hearing the information conveyed by the ship’s captain through the intercom, Gao Yang smiled at Jiang Yun and said, “See, didn’t I tell you they’d come?
Rabbit, notify the captain to slow down the vessel, and everyone should get ready; we’re about to disembark.”
While Gao Yang and the others were gathering their equipment, a sudden explosion was heard, quite close but certainly not hitting the ship—it was likely the sound of an RPG rocket self-destructing after exceeding its maximum range.
The blast startled Gao Yang, and at that moment, he heard a voice from a loudspeaker, “We are the Skull Gang.
This was a warning shot.
If you don’t pay the toll, the next rocket will explode in your cockpit.
Stop the ship now and pay up!”
Gao Yang looked toward Cui Bo and called out loudly, “Rabbit, since when did the Skull Gang start greeting with RPGs?”
Cui Bo chuckled and replied, “They’ve been at it for a while now.
The Skull Gang isn’t short on cash.
They fire an RPG as a greeting and it makes toll collection much smoother.”
Shaking his head, Gao Yang picked up a loudspeaker that was prepared at his feet, walked to the side of the ship, and seeing two speedboats keeping pace with the tanker, he lifted the loudspeaker and shouted, “I’m Ram.
Who among you is the commander?”
As soon as Gao Yang finished speaking, one of the speedboats moved closer, pulling alongside the tanker right where he stood.
A man holding a loudspeaker looked up at Gao Yang, then suddenly started dancing and yelling excitedly, “It’s the Commandant, really the Commandant!
Ram Commandant is back!
Reporting, Commandant, Corporal Korling, squad leader of the second platoon of the seventh company, serving as the assault team leader of the second boat squadron, at your service!”
Jiang Yun watched Gao Yang with astonishment and exclaimed, “Commandant?
The Commandant himself?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Gao Yang scratched his head and said, “Well, they used to call us instructors or officers, I don’t know when they started calling us ‘commandant’.
Um, it’s a bit funny, really!”
That’s when a black man shouted, “Officer, Little Fly Officer!
I’m Moy, I’m Moy, from the RPG team.
Do you remember me?”
Frey half-emerged, shouting, “Moy, you scallywag, get your RPG launcher out of here.
Don’t point it at me; you should never point it at anyone, loaded or not.
Can’t you ever remember that?
Go run five kilometers!”
“Big Dog Officer, Big Dog Commandant, it’s me!
I’m a machine gunner.
You personally instructed me.”
“Doctor, Test Tube Doctor, do you remember me?
You performed surgery on me.
I was hit in the Bosaso battle, and you operated on me.
I’ve always wanted to say thank you, so thank you!”
Almost everyone who goes to sea speaks English, and most are regular forces who have been under Gao Yang’s command, so almost all of them recognize Gao Yang and his people.
Some were even personally trained by them.
Seeing their old officers, they were beside themselves with excitement.
Listening to the chaotic shouts aboard the speedboats and watching the excited people on them, Jiang Yun sighed and said, “Alright then, Gao Yang, Jinfang, the stuff you two got into back home doesn’t seem like a big deal now.
Sooner or later, it’s bound to be sorted out for you.” (To be continued.
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