Chapter 32: Two Pieces of Advice

Translated by: kevin1782

Edited by: Isalee

Tribo’s logic did not follow the norm. Gao Yang comforted himself by believing and pointed at Tribo’s gun: “Is your life important, or hers?”

Hare held the gun in his hand and flashed it at Gao Yang like it was treasure. His head was held high. “Of course my life is important, but it’s the same as wanting mine without her. Same meaning man, see, see, Dragunov, Ge-Ge, it’s new! Confirmed less than two thousand shots fired! Bro, I spent half a year's earnings to buy it, four thousand, four thousand bucks!”

“You didn't come out now just to get this rifle?”

“That's right, my gun’s hidden in the bedroom. I was taking stuff from the garret’s storeroom when I heard shooting and screaming in the hotel. I just glanced down and saw people coming up the stairs, so I didn’t dare come out. I didn’t have time to take the gun. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been so pa.s.sive. Sigh! If only I got her out and prepared earlier.”

Gao Yang momentarily felt weak. He felt that Hare was beyond redemption. He shook his head and walked to the window to take a look. He saw that the hotel that Tribo had hidden in just now was almost a pile of ruins.

Mortars were not suitable for destroying buildings but Tribo’s hotel was not a fortress. Dozens of artillery sh.e.l.ls were launched across and the hotel’s entire second floor crashed. The first floor was still intact. However, there were thick clouds of smoke rising from the hotel. The situation inside was not good. 

He stood by the window and shook his head, “Hare, your hotel’s going down, not comin’ over to have a look?”

He looked at the hotel after reaching the window. With just one glimpse he withdrew his gaze, shaking his head, “That ain’t my hotel, I was just a chef there. Ay, I ain’t gonna see it. It’s just that the boss was a good man, but he was shot in da head. Freakin’ pity. Those inside were goody goody with me, and then they’re just gone in the next instant. I can’t really take it man, ain’t watchin’ anymore.”

The bombing stopped not long after. Gao Yang saw four to five people quickly stumble out of the hotel. The hotel and the people that came out of it were bombarded with gunfire. Thus began the slaughter of those who could not retaliate. A handful of guns that concurrently fired put the first few out down on the ground.

Seeing this, Fedor sternly growled, “You guys should go before the government troops get there.”

Gao Yang also felt that something was very wrong. He shot a few of the government people to save Tribo. If they attacked, they would definitely take revenge.

Gao Yang nodded, “Yeah, time to go, Mr. Brauchitsch, I hope you can come with us. With all due respect, you must at least leave this place, staying would be too dangerous.”

Fedor grinned and shook his head. “In 1947, the proprietor of this shop gave me a job. He was an old Englander, very nice. Most important of all, he didn’t mind that I was a German. From that point on, I stayed here. He then left the shop to me and I inherited it. Now I’m very old and I do not have many days left to live. I feel that before I go, I can pa.s.s the whole shop on to Malik. He’s taken care of me for many years, and that’s what he deserves. Of course, ye should know now after I said so much. Just wanna tell ye’, I ain’t goin’, ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Gao Yang was agitated and involuntarily raised his voice. “What are you thinking? Why must you send yourself into the pit when there’s only death in staying here? There is absolutely no need for you to leave this city. Can’t you just stay somewhere temporarily for a few days? Wait for the peace to settle and then come back. You can’t stop anything even if you remain here!”

Bob also nodded a few times. “Yeah man, Mr. Brauchitsch, Gao Yang’s suggestion is very good. I think you should heed his words, no matter where you wanna go, my dad could always help. Now that the airport isn’t locked down, if it’s slightly later, we really might not be able to leave.”

Fedor shook his head. “If it’s good over ‘ere, then it’d be my legacy for Malik, if this place’s ruined, it’d be my grave. Thank you for your kind intentions, but please forgive an old man’s pertinacity. Time’s runnin’ out, y’all gotta move, hey, things might turn for the better. Look, ain’t people coming to help?”

Gao Yang followed where Fedor pointed. However, he saw a big gang of Resistance members rus.h.i.+ng forward. It looked like another bout was about to begin. Unsurprisingly enough, the ones leading the a.s.sault were the Resistance’s mercenaries. 

When they ran to the block, they began charging at the building across the hotel. The GPMG gunner from before staggered out from the ruins and started sweeping with his gun after positioning it.

Fedor shouted exaggeratedly, “Wow, that gunner ain’t dead, looks like he preserved himself pretty well. I guess he must be an old soldier.”

Seeing that the war had new development, Gao Yang was also not in a hurry to leave. He had to observe the situation. 

It was unknown why Government’s artillery reinforcements did not arrive in time. Neither did any explosion occur when the Resistance charged into the building.

Fedor nodded a few times after seeing the smooth a.s.sault from the Resistance. “Very good, very good, looks like I really don’t need to leave. If I ain’t wrong, they should have attacked the artillery formation area at the same time. Looks like the Resistance ain’t too dumb.”

Tribo condescendingly said, “These Resistance people have nothin’. For the money to hire the mercs’, I’d wager that the U.S. is somehow in on it. Don’t forget, the ‘Merican government loathed Gaddafi.”

Bob shrugged, gave the you-got-it look and said, “Obviously, bingo. It’s only weird if the American government didn’t seize this opportunity to get rid of Gaddafi. Of course, thre’s the French or some other countries’ people in there too.”

Fedor sighed and replied, “Personally, I hate Gaddafi. He caused the people here to become illiterate, I can’t find any book I need. But I hate war even more, very, very much. So, I don’t care who wins. Just be quick about it.”

Malik came to the second floor while the dialogue was going on. He was still slightly nervous. He carried the AK-47 that Tribo had brought back. Finger was on the trigger, safety off. Gao Yang’s sharp eyes noticed all that.

Gao Yang hurried forward and put safety latch on before taking the gun from Malik. Malik embarra.s.sedly laughed, “Sorry, I was just taught by Hare but I’d forgotten. I saw that you didn’t come down and so I came up to see.”

“Ah, ye’ came at the right time. Malik, I think ye’ should leave with Hare and the rest. It’s chaotic already, ye can get home first. I’ve already written my will, take both the land deed and will while leavin’. When things stabilize, then come back. Of course, only if this shop still exists.”

Malik was dumbfounded for a moment and puzzledly asked, “Go? Where to? No, no, I ain’t goin’ anywhere, of course, unless you wanna go, Sir.”

Gao Yang really wanted to help Fedor and Malik leave, but he could not do much. Mainly, they still had to see if Bob and his dad were willing to help. Hence, he looked at Bob and hoped he would say something.

Bob got the hint and proclaimed loudly, “Guys, we have a private jet and we certainly have s.p.a.ce for everyone. Also, I feel that everyone present here, strictly speaking, are all foreigners. To a foreigner, the best and the most correct option would be to leave a country about to, no, a country currently in war. No matter where, it’s still better than here. You helped us, so now it’s us returning the favor. Sorry, saying all this may seem a little long-winded, but what I mean is that we’re willing to help y’all get outta here. That simple.”

Fedor sighed, he was reluctant to leave. But if he did not, Malik would not. Hence, Fedor was in a dilemma and could only look at Malik and hoped that he would make a choice.

Malik contemplated for a moment and still shook his head. “I don’t wanna leave. This is my home, if we’re all gone, then this place would be ransacked empty. Gotta stay to protect this place.”

Fedor sighed and said, “Y’all heard it, seems like Malik and I were unanimous in our decision. Thank you for your kind offer, but we really can’t leave. Okay, now you’ve seen it, the Resistance has got an edge in this. Future advantages would also be on their side. Doesn’t matter who’s in power, they’ll maintain order. So staying wouldn’t be too dangerous.”

Seeing that Fedor and Malik were determined, Gao Yang and the rest could not persuade them anymore. Gao Yang handed the 98K in his hand to Fedor and his voice sank. “Thank you for your gun and even more so for your guidance. I hope I didn’t disappoint you.”

Fedor did not take it and pushed it back to Gao Yang instead. He smiled, “Take it, it’s ya’s now, I’m gonna give her to ye, and also this pistol, it’s ya’s now. I think ye’ need them more than we do now. More importantly, I hope my gun can coruscate with youthness and not follow me to me grave. Gun’s fer killing, I won’t say bullsh*t like using it to fight for ‘justice’. My only request is that you can use it on anyone, but please don’t aim her at innocent kids or women.”

Gao Yang took the gun back and shook Fedor’s hands, saying, “Thank you, I promise I won’t let you down.”

Fedor nodded and extended two fingers, saying, “Givin’ ye two pieces of advice. Number one, ya’ marksmans.h.i.+p is great, very good, especially in finding targets quickly and accurately shooting. This potential is hard to come by. If ye’ aren’t shooting distant targets, better not use the scope. Ye can try practicing with shooting without a.s.sisted aiming. This’d let ye shooting range grow farther and farther. On the battlefield, the less ya need, the more advantage ye get.”

“Second advice is the most important: Please do remember, if ya enemy is an Arabian, you’ve already won. If ya’ comrade’s an Italian, ye lost already. Don’t ask why, that’s the advice I’m givin’ ye.”

Tribo caressed his head and asked curiously, “If the comrade’s an Italian and the enemy’s an Arabian?”

Fedor heaved a long sigh before he solemnly said, “You’d find that you'd have killed all the enemies, but lost the war.”

Translator's Notes:

No notes! No news is good news, so, no notes is good notes? h.e.l.l yeah!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victory #Won a thousand battles but lost the war.