Chapter 49 Bitter Wine

  Standing in front of the dining table, before me was a super-large, long-shaped dining table filled with all sorts of silverware and extremely sumptuous dishes. This is Taylor's banquet hall, just now after going downstairs I found out that everyone had been eavesdropping on my good things with REDBACK outside, I was so angry but couldn't do anything about these cheap people, looking at their faces each one had an expression of "Bring it on, I don't believe you can beat us thirty-odd people!" I was anxious to the point of jumping up and down.

  Careless! Careless! I must never make such a mistake again! I must never make such a mistake again! Looking at the crowd laughing and having fun, I turned my head and stared fiercely at the guilty accomplice, telling him clearly: You little brat! It's on! I'll come find you in two days! Don't even think about running away with your tail between your legs. Who would have thought that this guy actually hid behind a little girl, damn it! He's really not a man, letting a woman protect him.

  Just as we were all in a flurry, the people in the hall also gradually increased. The various parties also began to take the stage, mostly wearing neat and long human-like models. Who would have thought that they were all killers and arsonists?

  As I watched the guests in the living room grow more and more numerous, it seemed like an upper-class social gathering, and I felt that we stood out quite a bit standing here dressed in our military uniforms.

  "It's quite conspicuous for us to stand here like this! Shouldn't we go change our clothes?" I asked the butcher next to me while pinching Tiancai's neck and shaking him.

  "What's with the clothes? Wearing a suit, nobody knows what you do!" The butcher said with disdain while drinking and hugging the woman who had just come down from upstairs with him.

  "Yes. With Butcher's face, I can recognize him from 50 meters away!" The slow machine had not found the girl, but was standing in the corner chatting with Hook, the two people seemed to be familiar, seeing me coming down and walking over with Hook.

  "This is Hu Ke, Hu Ke this is Xing Tian, also known as the Corpse Ghost. He's Chinese! Who knows when you might need each other in the future, let's get to know each other first and deepen our feelings later." The Quick Machine introduced Hu Ke to me. He was a big-bellied man in his fifties, 180 cm tall, with a thick beard and an eagle-like nose, green eyes that looked very typical of a Russian person.

  "Hello, comrade from China! Hello!" Hu Ke said with a warm hug, and I was hit by a strong body odor that made me feel nauseous. I really admired the woman who had just chatted with him, she could still chat so happily in this "atmosphere"! Professional!

  "Hello! Comrade!" I also hugged him tightly and patted him hard, I heard that the more force you use, the more sincere you are.

  "Wow, you're amazing! I've rarely seen Chinese people in the mercenary world, let alone an elite unit like Wolf Group. The fact that you can join Wolf Group means you're really something special. What's your background? Are you a Black Shirt or a Blue Shirt?" Hook said with a pat on my shoulder.

  I know what he said about the black shirt and blue shirt is a kind of alias for Chinese special forces, the elite among them are called black shirts, while the blue shirts are even more legendary figures. My brother is at the level of black shirt, he told me that the blue shirt refers to the role of bodyguards who are close to the central leadership of the Communist Party of China. He also told me that those blue-shirted guys are not human, they can use anything, and there are only seven people in the world who can beat my brother's level in close combat. I didn't expect this underworld informant to know about this alias as well, I couldn't help but admire their intelligence gathering work.

  "I'm not a military personnel, I'm an electronics technician." I don't want to brag, but neither do I dare to speak nonsense, because he can definitely find out who I am. There's no need to hide anything at all.

  "Electronics? Ha! The kind of electronics you're dealing with seems to be the dangerous type!" Hook drew his finger across his own throat, and I knew he'd spotted the scar on my Adam's apple. Anyone with eyes could tell where it came from.

  "Yes, it's indeed a fierce competition!" Rubbing the wound on his neck, he couldn't help but shudder at the memory of that hellish experience.

  "Haha! Haha!! I like this kid! This friend I've made!" Hook burst out laughing. I also laughed, finally experiencing the generosity of a Russian, patted my shoulder so hard it almost swelled... This guy isn't an ordinary gangster either.

  Hooke and I chatted for a couple of sentences about China, and I really didn't expect him to be so knowledgeable about China, even able to distinguish between the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Five Barbarians, which are all Chinese historical periods that I couldn't even remember. After chatting for a while, he bid farewell like a guest who had just arrived, and then there was another warm hug...

  I looked at Hooker's back and asked the quick machine: "What is the origin of this big-bellied Russian?"

  "Haha! You also figured it out, he's a guy from the special operations brigade of the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate) of the former Soviet Union. During the intervention in Afghanistan in 1979, he led the team to attack the Tajbeg Palace and killed President Amin, his family, advisors, and palace guards. He was also a formidable figure when he was young, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, he retired and became a bodyguard for a mafia boss. Later on, as he got older, he became the second-in-command responsible for receiving and sending intelligence." The slow-speaking machine slowly began to tell me the story of Hook.

  "So that's how it is!" No wonder this guy was so familiar with China, turns out he's an underling of the intelligence agency.

  Before long, the young master brought over another person, called Sos, a South American intelligence broker. After getting to know each other, there were continuously teammates introducing me to familiar people. In no time at all, I had met quite a few intelligence brokers and arms dealers from Europe, America, Australia, and Africa, but I found that there was not a single Asian intelligence broker among them.

  "Why no Asian intelligence agents?" I asked the speeder next to me.

  "Yang wasn't killed by you, was he?!" The slow-witted machine suddenly woke me up.

  "I knew it, but isn't there anyone taking over his position? I have something to ask!" I just don't believe that in Asia, apart from Yang, no one else is doing intelligence work.

  "There are many informants, but to mix with Yang and Hu Ke's level is not something that can be done in a day or two. This requires the trust of colleagues. Now in Asia, no one has more prestige than Yang! Others are not qualified enough to come here!" The captain appeared behind me at some point.

  "What do you want to ask?" The genius leaned in from the side.

  "I'd like to ask, after Yang died, has there been any movement from the Myanmar side? Have they taken any retaliatory action? I want to know if the Allied forces have sent anyone to inland China! I'm afraid they'll retaliate against my family!"

  I know that during the incident at the market, many bandits saw my face, and although they may not know who I am, it wouldn't be difficult for them to find out. Moreover, Yang was Asia's largest intelligence merchant, with a vast network of informants at his disposal. He did what he did to save the leader of the Myanmar Allied forces; if that guy wants to avenge Yang, my family will be in danger. Even if they know I've joined the wolf pack, I believe they won't let me off easily."

  "Leave this to me! I'll definitely investigate it clearly for you." The genius patted his chest in guarantee.

  "Alright! That's you, then! If you can find out, I won't pursue the matter of you providing them with eavesdropping devices anymore, but you have to get me an anti-surveillance device. I don't want to be a free leading man again!" I threatened, my arm wrapped around the genius' neck.

  "This is easy! This is easy!" The genius struggled to pry open my pincer-like grip but didn't succeed. Not until I loosened my hands did he make a swift escape and ran back behind the little cat again.

  After putting aside one worry, I noticed that Mrs. Tyler and the priest had also returned, the priest was scolding REDBACK and occasionally turning his head to glance at me, which scared me so much that I didn't dare look at him.

  Just as I was worried, Mrs. Tyler announced that dinner had begun. I followed everyone to the banquet hall next door, where there were countless buffet-style dishes, and people exchanged information while eating snacks. Some even danced in the middle of the dance floor with music. In fact, no one came here to eat at all. But I was a little hungry because I didn't eat enough at noon and had just had an intense activity with REDBACK, so I was a bit hungry. However, except for bread and red wine, I didn't recognize anything in front of me, and I didn't dare to move randomly, fearing that I would make a mistake and lose face.

  "REDBACK! Come here!" I lightly waved my hand, calling her over. Although the two of us had become intimate, REDBACK seemed to have no change in attitude towards me and I had no idea what she was thinking, truly unpredictable!

  "What is this? How do you eat it?" I asked, pointing to the small, round, and shiny pearls on the plate in front of me. REDBACK hadn't spoken yet, but the young master next to him suddenly jumped over and scared me, looking like he had been waiting for an opportunity to show off for a long time.

  "This is caviar. Idiot! Haha! Kid, weren't you making fun of us when we were eating Chinese food? Let's see how you eat this stuff! REDBACK doesn't allow him to teach!" This guy wants revenge for the arrow at noon.

  Since it's sauce, it's meant to be spread on something and eaten. I picked up a slice of bread from the side, took a small knife and lightly cut off a small piece, then lightly spread it on the bread, ready to put it in my mouth. Throughout this process, I kept looking at the young master, hoping to find out from his expression if there was anything improper about my eating habits, but this kid just smiled foolishly, and I didn't know whether I was right or wrong.

  "What a waste! What a waste!" The young master exaggeratedly covered his face, as if he couldn't bear to watch me put the caviar in my mouth.

  I ignored him and put the bread into my mouth by myself. It was salty and not very tasty.

  "This thing... isn't great!" I said to the young master

  "What?" The young master's face fell: "Not delicious? This is Beluga caviar, a tribute to the Iranian royal family, one ounce (28.3 grams) for $1,500! The best of the best!"

  "What?" I jumped in fright: "One ounce for $1,500? It's even more expensive than diamonds!"

  "Of course. This is the good stuff, known as black pearl!" REDBACK chimed in from the side: "The most valuable thing about caviar, and why it's so difficult and expensive to process and transport, is that when you bring the fish eggs into your mouth, they must be completely intact. Only then, when you crush the fish eggs with your tongue and upper jaw, can you appreciate the feeling of the flavor bursting out of these small eggs. If the fish eggs are crushed by a knife beforehand, the pleasure of savoring the caviar is lost, and it's wasted on the toast instead of being enjoyed by your tongue. So, you must use a spoon. As soon as you pick up a knife, you're wrong!"

  REDBACK was talking while using a spoon on the side of the bowl to scoop up a mouthful and send it into his mouth, savoring the delicious taste.

  I also took a spoonful and put it in my mouth, first biting into it gently with my teeth to appreciate the "pop" sound, then savoring it carefully with my tongue before swallowing. Indeed! The salty flavor I felt earlier had become a kind of "fresh" sensation. French cuisine is indeed unique! Then, under the guidance of REDBACK and the young master, I tried foie gras and truffles, the "heavyweight" dishes in French cuisine! Seeing me eating with relish, the young master looked proud. It seems that the saying is not wrong: if there's anyone on this planet who dares to compare with the great Chinese culinary culture, it must be the French, a nation born with noble blood, even under the iron hooves of the Nazis during World War II, the proud Gallic rooster was busy burying their red wine underground so as not to let others touch it.

  Although I ate very well, it wasn't really to my taste, just for the freshness. And after hearing the young master report the prices of the dishes in front of him one by one, I felt that French people are indeed quite formidable - a piece of foie gras as big as a fried egg costs over a thousand US dollars, and a piece of truffle is worth more than gold. I calculated it, what I ate was almost ten thousand US dollars, but my stomach didn't feel anything special, not even as satisfying as eating three mantou and drinking a bowl of soup - looks like I'm just not born to enjoy luxury!

  Finally finished eating, I wiped my mouth with a napkin and poured myself a glass of Mo?t & Chandon red wine to savor the slightly acidic taste. I retreated to a corner of the banquet hall, leaning against the wall as I gazed out at the lively and luxurious scene before me. Is this what it means to be a mercenary? No wonder those rich kids make so much money from each mission but still can't get enough - this kind of extravagant lifestyle is indeed not something ordinary people can afford. Although our wolf pack makes tens of millions of dollars per person for each mission, it's still not enough to host a party like this; just the bottle of wine in my hand costs thousands of dollars. The wolf pack may not be as flashy, but from what I know, other brothers also have their own unique hobbies - Wolfman bought an entire mountain in a small African country! Little Cat has a house full of high-end shoes but never wears them. Beauty, aside from buying a large estate for her family, loves to buy hair clips; one diamond-encrusted hair clip from a Swiss designer cost her $1.3 million and she didn't even bat an eye - she has an entire drawer full of such hair clips. Devil likes cars, with various sports cars in his underground garage, including a Formula One racing car. Big Bear has a forest farm where he loves to go back and cut wood, while Assassin enjoys fishing and has several yachts of different styles. Everyone has their own interests, spending money like water; perhaps it's because the pressure on the battlefield is too great, so when people are not on a mission, they need to find ways to release stress - the best way is to spend money. When there's no more money, go back to the battlefield, come back and spend money again, repeating this cycle until you die. I don't know if I'll also fall into such a vicious cycle in the future; what I do know is that I'm getting more and more used to this lifestyle - perhaps I should find my own way too! As for Butcher, I've never figured out what he likes to do except spend money on weapons and equipment like us - of course, killing people doesn't count!

  Looking at the men and women in red and green rushing around, I couldn't muster up any enthusiasm. I downed the glass of red wine in one gulp, put down the cup, and slowly slipped out of the room. Gazing up at the starry sky, I thought of my hometown. What time is it back home now? My parents should be asleep by now, right? My older brother is probably still on patrol duty, and as for Wan'er...

  As soon as I think of this name, a sharp pain shoots through my heart and the sound of her wailing on National Day echoes in my mind. I shake my head, trying to drive away this voice that brings me unbearable pain, but no matter what I do, it's all in vain, the voice still lingers in my ears, refusing to leave.

  I waved to the vanguard on the side, rushed out of the villa and jumped onto the Hummer, started the fire, stepped on the accelerator, and the car shot out like an arrow. I didn't know where I wanted to go, I just wanted to find a place to stay alone, the car sped along the highway, watching the passing car lights by my side, I wandered aimlessly in the night of the metropolis.

  After strolling on the main streets of Marseille for two hours, I parked my car by a small street that was very famous among locals who called it "Mercenary Street". This place used to be a gathering spot for refugees, unemployed vagrants and all sorts of criminals before the establishment of the Foreign Legion in 1831. At that time, 80% of the recruits were from this area, so the French jokingly called it Mercenary Street. After retiring from the military, many mercenaries returned here to start businesses, gradually turning this place into a hub for mercenaries, with both legal and illegal organizations present. For over 100 years, this street has been a mix of good and evil.

  If the villa just now was a high-end gathering place for mercenaries, this is a low-end human market. The neon lights have just come on and it's the busiest time here. Countless small bars and nightclubs along the street are noisy and crowded with soldiers and locals coming and going. Cheap prostitutes in revealing clothes show off their "goods" to every passerby. This place looks more like where I imagine mercenaries should be.

  A hooker on the side tugged at my clothes, a bouncer pushed open the door and I walked into a bar called "Blood Pool".

  As soon as I entered the bar, a wave of alcohol mixed with sweat and perfume hit me in the face, almost knocking me off my feet. The loud shouting and women's flirtatious voices wrapped in the thunderous music rushed into my ears. Although the environment wasn't great, my mood improved significantly, and the uninhibited atmosphere made me relax both physically and mentally.

  I sat down on the high stool in front of the bar, and asked the tattooed bartender for a shot of vodka. I downed it in one gulp, feeling the fiery sensation burning all the way down to my stomach. "Damn!" I cursed, gasping for air, but then asked the bartender for another shot. After two shots, my belly was warm and fuzzy, and my head was spinning a bit - normally I don't drink at all, this was my first time drinking hard liquor.

  In sync with the thundering music, two strippers on stage were doing a pole dance, their slender legs swinging back and forth in front of me. One of them slowly bent down, supporting her artificially enhanced breasts, and gave me a seductive glance. I handed her the vodka that the bartender had just filled up, but to my surprise, she used it to feed the other dancer, who was standing next to her. The two women took turns drinking from the cup, their movements extremely sensual. Suddenly, the bar erupted in applause and whistles. A large crowd of people stuffed small bills into the only clothing the two dancers were wearing - their high-heeled shoes. I also pulled out a $10 bill and inserted it.

  Drinking wine while watching the striptease in front of him, the pain of homesickness was slowly suppressed by the intoxicating effects of the wine.

  Just as I was enjoying my drink, a disheveled middle-aged man with messy brown hair and cloudy eyes staggered over to me, gazing at the glass of liquor in front of me. He swallowed hard and then stammered out in broken Japanese, "C-could you b-buy me a d-drink?"

  "Why should I invite you for a drink!" I replied in Japanese.

  "What's the big deal, you Japanese have plenty of money, I just want a small cup! Just one small cup! Let's be friends! France is very familiar to me!" This person was edging closer to me while using his hand to gesture how insignificant his request was.

  "Scram! Hua Wei. If you harass our customers again, I'll throw you out!" The bartender's face was menacing as he clenched his fist in warning.

  I smiled and waved my hand to interrupt the bartender, then pointed to the chair next to me and said: "I'm not Japanese but I can buy you a drink!" I signaled the bar to give him another glass.

  "Sir, don't give in to him, this guy is like a leech that sticks and can't be shaken off. The best way to deal with people like him is to smash his jaw and throw it onto the street!" The bartender said reluctantly as he pushed the wine in front of Ha Wei.

  "Mind your own business, Del." Ha was the only one who grabbed the wine glass handed over by the waiter, and while saying that, he sucked up the spilled wine on the back of his hand. Then, with both hands holding the glass, he lowered his head, stuck out his tongue, and lightly licked the surface of the wine. After that, he closed his eyes, moved his tongue around in his mouth, and a happy smile appeared on his face.

  Watching him drink, I thought of someone - the butcher. When he killed people, his expression was also like this, very enjoyable. However, the nature of the two people's hobbies is vastly different. This person, although a drunkard and almost a waste, did not harm others, but the butcher... Thinking about it, I couldn't help but shiver. I really don't understand how the butcher became that way...

  "Sir, you said you're not Japanese? Then what are you?" He took a sip of the wine in front of him and asked me with a tilted head.

  I dodged the smell of wine from his mouth and said, "I am Chinese." Then I suddenly remembered something and asked, "Why are there many Japanese people here? What do they do?"

  "Yes! Many Japanese people come to buy liquor and prostitutes, there are also mercenaries!" Ha Yu's face turned red as he enthusiastically explained: "Sir, just arrived in France? Any questions, ask me, Ha Yu is a famous know-it-all! But looking at you, you don't seem like someone who just arrived in France!" Ha Yu looked me up and down while scratching his head.

  "I've been in France for a while now, but I rarely come here." Actually, I've only been here once, and that was to pick up the ashes of a dead pig.

  "Hehe, what do you want to know? As long as you give me another glass of wine, you're my god, I'll tell you everything!" Ha Wei looked at the opportunity and immediately drained the wine in front of him, then held up his wine cup and said to me.

  When I asked the bartender for a whole bottle of vodka and put it in front of him, Harvey's expression was as if he wanted to kneel down and kiss my feet. After pouring a glass and holding the bottle in his arms, looking around nervously, afraid that someone would snatch it away, he finally said to me: "My God, what do you want to know?"

  I couldn't help but burst out laughing, it's really interesting! After a while, I composed myself and asked: "Are many Japanese people mercenaries?"

  "Yes, the Japanese military is not allowed to participate in any foreign military activities, but Japanese soldiers always want to show off their strength around the world. Since they are not allowed to send regular troops, they develop abroad under the name of mercenaries. So... many mercenary groups overseas have Japanese people." Ha Wei seems quite familiar with these things.

  "So you think I'm Japanese too?" I retorted.

  "Haha! Yeah, in my eyes, all Asians look about the same... But your height doesn't seem like a Japanese person, I've never seen a Japanese person as tall as you!" Ha Wei laughed and continued: "Actually, it's mainly because Chinese people rarely come here to solicit prostitutes. Generally, when we see an Asian person, we first ask if they're Japanese, and we're rarely wrong."

  I smiled and thought it was because of this reason! I guess Chinese people in France are not good at this aspect maybe!

  "What is the most famous mercenary team in Japan?" I continued to ask

  "Hei Ri" Ha Wei immediately responded: "Hei Ri is the most famous, all members are Japanese, often receiving larger tasks, he is good at infiltration and intelligence gathering, it is said that in the previous Kosovo War, they participated, I estimate they have not returned yet."

  "Is there anything else?" I asked.

  "It's all over! The others are no good, they can only guard the house!" Ha said disdainfully of the other Japanese teams.

  "You used to be a mercenary too! How did you not end up like this?" I can tell he's a mercenary because his military bearing is far from ordinary, judging from the way he speaks.

  He didn't say a word, just kept pouring wine and soon finished the bottle in his arms, it seemed like he had hit his sore spot.

  "If you can't say it, then forget it!" Although I was eager to hear his story, I didn't have the habit of digging up old wounds.

  "I used to be a mercenary too, I loved the thrilling and bloody days on the battlefield...". After a moment of silence, I thought he didn't want to talk to me anymore, but Ha Wei suddenly said in a low tone: "I have a son named Jimmy, a brave and stubborn little rascal, who has always admired me and listened to my stories about the battlefield. Since I was always fighting abroad, my wife took care of the child, and I believed that as long as I sent them money from each mission, they could live well, and I had fulfilled my responsibility as a father. Indeed, I did so, constantly fighting on the battlefield, from Africa to Asia, from the Middle East to Northern Europe. Except for the few miserable vacations every year, I kept in touch with my child through letters. This life continued until I was 45 years old, when my savings reached $1 million, and I felt that I was too old to fight anymore. I wanted to finish that mission and quit the mercenary world, return home and live a rich life for the rest of my days. But it was that night, we encountered another group of mercenaries' snipers, and the two teams fought all night until dawn when the other side retreated with heavy casualties. When I was cleaning up the battlefield, on a headless corpse, I found a diving watch, which was the birthday gift I gave to my son when he turned 18. It turned out that he also wanted to become a brave and invincible warrior like his father. But he died under his father's gun... I used a machine gun to turn my son into mush... Haha... Haha..."

  Looking at Ha Wei lying on the bar and crying, I regretted asking him questions earlier. It turned out that mercenaries had such a miserable life, and compared to him, my pain of leaving home could only be considered insignificant.

  "Wine! Give me wine! I want to drink!" Ha shouted with bloodshot eyes, grabbing the collar of the wine keeper.

  I caught the bartender's fist that was swung at him and let him drink as much as he wanted, no wonder he wanted to get drunk and forget his troubles. If I had gone through what he did, I would have collapsed! Luckily my brother doesn't have a chance of going abroad to fight wars, otherwise... just thinking about this possibility gives me the chills.

  Looking at Ha Wei who was drunk and lying on the ground, I shook my head helplessly. This person is already ruined! But I don't have the right to pity him, because he is like a mirror, maybe his current state will be mine in the future. If that's the case, I'd rather die on the battlefield...

  Just as I was settling the bill with Havi and buying more wine to apologize, the imported sliding door was pushed open with a loud "bang". A group of people swaggered in, shouting and laughing, one of them, a burly man with a scarred face, looked in my direction, walked over, and kicked Havi off his chair.

  He was knocked to the ground, his teeth were all knocked out, and his mouth was full of blood. The wine bottle in his arms also fell to the ground and shattered. He struggled to get up, dazed and confused, without wiping the blood from his mouth, and instead crawled on the ground to suck up the spilled wine.

  "Haha... This is the Ha Woo who was once called 'Blood Warrior'. Daeson, now he's like a dog!" The guy who kicked him sat down in Ha Woo's spot and boasted to his teammates on either side while pointing at Ha Woo on the ground and laughing.

  Everyone in the bar burst out laughing, as if Harvey was a clown. The sad thing is that Harvey still didn't seem to realize what was happening and continued to lick the spilled liquor on the floor. Looking at Harvey, I didn't know what to do either! A year of being a mercenary had made me develop a bold and ruthless personality, but also gave me the awareness to gauge the situation and be cold-blooded. Now there were over ten of them, all armed, if I helped Harvey, it was likely that we would clash with them. If it came to hand-to-hand combat, I wasn't afraid, but once guns were drawn, ten against one, I was a dead man for sure... I didn't think it was worth risking my life for a stranger I didn't know, even if his story was touching, so I just kept quiet and watched what they would do.

  Click to view picture link: United Eagle Knife, although not commonly used in military use but looks good...