Chapter 2718: 2692: A Private Conversation
On the second day of the funeral, Gao Yang came to Yarebin’s grave, because on the first day the New Saintess Cemetery was under lockdown.
Gao Yang brought most of the Satan members. Considering the help Yarebin had given Satan, it was inevitable that they would come if they could manage it. Satan and the Black Demon were not a single unit, but more like a collective.
Unlike the few tombstones nearby, although they were exactly the same in shape, there were words on Yarebin’s tombstone.
Holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, Gao Yang placed it below the tombstone, but he realized he was not the first to lay flowers.
“Teacher, do you remember? I once told you, I would definitely bury you in the New Saintess Cemetery. I think I’ve indeed fulfilled that promise.”
Reaching out to touch the words on the tombstone, Gao Yang spoke calmly, “I’m sorry I didn’t attend your funeral yesterday to see you off because the President of Russia was there. I always have to give way, but surely you wouldn’t care about these things, right?”
With a slight sigh, Gao Yang smiled softly and whispered, “Did Glewatov come already? He didn’t attend your funeral, but he must have secretly come last night. He would definitely say he came because he had no work at hand, just like me.”
“And to be honest, I was really surprised that Putin came. I thought it was good enough that he agreed to let you be buried here. Although he was also once KGB, I truly didn’t expect he would attend your funeral in person and even give a eulogy, let you be covered by the national flag, have the national anthem played, and even give you a twenty-one-gun salute. This exceeded my best expectations, I’m sure Putin had a pleasant KGB career, otherwise, he wouldn’t treat you like this, don’t you think?”
“It’s a pity you can’t answer my questions now, even though I know it, it’s still a bit hard to get used to.”
Sighing gently again, touching the epitaph on the tombstone, Gao Yang softly said, “Do you like your epitaph? I wrote it, although not all of it. Putin added some parts and changed a bit. I wanted to say that no one in the world has the right to blame you except Soviet people, but that part was deleted and replaced with ’the people he guarded never knew of his existence’. I think this change is better, less extreme, what do you think?”
Seriously asking his question to the tombstone, Gao Yang then said, “I forgot to tell you, I didn’t come yesterday, but I watched your funeral because there was a recording. Baskov gave it to me, I think it turned out well, really, having such a funeral in your lifetime is worth it, I think so.”
Thinking it over, since there was nothing more to say, Gao Yang softly said, “I’m leaving, going tomorrow, but I’ll definitely come to see you often in the future. You watch over me from above. If you need or want anything, let me know in a dream, you’ll understand what I mean, right? You need to watch over me like when you were alive. I’ll think of you, but I won’t be in a hurry to find you. I’m planning to outlive you, so that’s it, I’m off.”
Gao Yang stood up, took two steps back, then suddenly remembered he hadn’t finished speaking. So he quickly walked back to Yarebin’s grave and whispered, “I’m sorry, you won’t be an unnamed hero anymore because your tombstone now has a name. Yarebin was a fake name, but since you’ve used it all your life, it became your real name. Oh, and there will be a statue of you here, made of marble. Two Gold Star Medals can be exchanged for a bronze bust, and you have four, so a full statue is fair, right? The statue will take some time to be made, I’ll come to see when it’s erected.”
With tears in his eyes, smiling after finishing his words, Gao Yang waved his hand, saying, “Goodbye.”
Gao Yang left the grave, came to the group of people standing behind, and softly asked, “Anyone else want to say a few words? Hammer, I’ll push you over.”
Hammer whispered, “No, I can go by myself, I want to say something private to the Captain, confidential.”
Placing the flowers on his lap, Hammer pushed himself in the wheelchair to Yarebin’s grave.
At this time, Eileen opened her arms, softly saying to Gao Yang, “I’m very sorry, stay strong.”
Gao Yang and Eileen shared a hug, gently patting each other’s backs, and he looked up and down at Eileen, saying, “You look a bit different now.”
Eileen touched her not very long hair, smiling, “Don’t forget, the world’s top fashion masters are training me, it’s not just the expensive outfit I’m wearing.”
Gao Yang took a step back, surprised, “You’re wearing an expensive outfit? Are you kidding? I didn’t notice.”
Eileen playfully shook her fist at Gao Yang, then said very dissatisfied, “You’re too dense!”
After saying that, Eileen confidently and with disdain turned her eyes towards Gao Yang, then strolled a few steps, and then with a turn raised her chin at Gao Yang, arrogantly saying, “How about it?”
“Very nice, a bit like a model now.”
Everyone was trying to make the atmosphere a bit more relaxed; sometimes, remembrance and grief don’t always have to come with a mournful face.
But the lightheartedness could only reach a limit.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gao Yang saw someone and softly said to the crowd, “I’ll be right back.”
Gao Yang quickly walked aside, approached the dense shrubbery, and softly spoke to the person behind it, “I guess you also have to come again today, some things were inconvenient to say yesterday.”
Baskov, hidden behind the shrubbery, softly replied, “Yes, I want to have a private chat with the Captain.”
Gao Yang checked his watch, softly said, “Then you came at the wrong time, we’ll be a while, there’s a crowd, they’re all old friends, have to say a few words before leaving, you’ll have to wait.”
Baskov softly replied, “It’s okay, I can wait, I’ve waited decades, this isn’t long.”
“Waiting for what, a chance for a private chat?”
“Yes.”
Gao Yang sighed, “You’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future, don’t worry, I believe he can hear it.”
Baskov softly asked, “And your friend, has he left?”
“Yes, he’s got a lot to do there, so he left first. I’m leaving tomorrow, on tomorrow’s flight, first to send Hammer to Germany, he’s recuperating there.”
Baskov softly said, “You’re telling me this too?”
“Why not? Is there any need to hide it from you?”
Baskov emerged from behind the shrubbery, stood in front of Gao Yang, and softly said, “You’re right, there’s no need, thank you. I wanted to invite you in to chat, but there are many mosquitoes inside, let’s walk, where to?”
Gao Yang and Baskov walked side by side as if strolling, after a while, Baskov suddenly whispered, “I won’t see you off, come to Moscow less in the future, but if you really run into a problem you can’t solve, you can come here, we can definitely keep you safe, let you live undisturbed, but I hope that day never comes, don’t disappoint the Captain, do a good job.”
Gao Yang smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely live to the point where no one dares to touch me, if you have the chance, we should sit down and have a drink together, just call me, I’ve already retired now, so I’ll have plenty of time.”
Baskov smiled and said, “It’s a bit far, are you suggesting I have you fly over from America just for a drink? Unless World War III is about to start, otherwise I can’t make it to America.”
“I already said I have plenty of time, and I have a private jet, as long as you can arrange for my plane to land, then it’s very convenient. Besides, I’ll be coming often to see the Teacher, so there’ll surely be opportunities for a drink.”
Baskov said helplessly, “I just said to come to Moscow less, but, alright, you really should come often to see the Captain, he wasn’t this good to anyone else in his life, you’re the only exception.”
“Yes, that’s why I need to come see him often.”
After some meaningless conversation while walking side by side for a while, Baskov extended his right hand, “Time’s almost up, I’m going to find a place with no people to collect my thoughts, so, I wish you all the best.”
Gao Yang shook hands with Baskov, smiling, “Thank you, I wish you all the best too.”