Chapter 2732: 2706: After the Rabbit Dies, the Dog Is Cooked
“Nate, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“Then go ahead, speak.”
“We’d better meet in person. It’s not quite appropriate over the phone—not ceremonious enough. After all, what I want to discuss with you is very important.”
“I’m afraid if I see you, I won’t be able to resist putting two holes in your leg. You had me lying in bed for a month and a half.”
“Nate, if you’re that petty, we can’t talk. Don’t forget, I put two holes in your leg but saved your life and the Angel Mercenary Corps. So instead of hating me, you should be grateful. I thought lying in bed for so long would help you understand that.”
“Did I ask you to save me?”
“If you’re that petty, then we really can’t talk.”
Nate sighed angrily and then said very seriously, “Get to the point.”
Gao Yang took a deep breath and then said in a deep voice, “There’s been a little hiccup with my treasure hunt plan.”
“What kind of hiccup?”
“IS is going to be a problem, and there’s no negotiating with IS, so we might need to deal with this trouble.”
“What do you mean? Deal with IS? Are you crazy?”
“Only a small part of it, only a small group entrenched in Sirte, Libya. Hear me out: I have a suggestion for you, concerning Angel’s future and dreams.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Why not do what you did in Ukraine and switch to Libya? Libya’s population is small, and it’s in severe turmoil right now, but nobody cares. Everything in Libya is different from Ukraine. In Libya, you won’t encounter a powerful enemy. In Libya, you won’t face retaliation from America or Russia. You can do whatever you want.”
“Libya… Let me think. Operating in Libya is difficult because we can’t really blend in with the crowd there…”
“That’s one reason you’ll fail. Why do you have to be on the front line yourself? Why not try to support a puppet? Think about it. You failed in Ukraine because you were too conspicuous, but you could have moved from the front to the back stage. What do you think?”
“I’ve considered doing that.”
“Mercenaries are just cannon fodder, just a low-level money-making method, but can’t be called a real profession. If you want to be a good ambitious and scheming person, you must be the one playing chess, not the pawn. Dude, Satan has come ashore. We are now the chess players. Do you understand what I mean?”
“I’m not stupid.”
“Now you have an opportunity. I’ll give you intel for free: Gaddafi has a son who didn’t die—Saif. He’s in prison under the Zintan Armed Forces in Libya. I think he’s a good entry point.”
“Saif…”
“Think about it. Saif has nothing now. If you can get him out and put him in the spotlight, you can have an entry point in Libya. Many oppose Gaddafi, but there are also many who support him. Now Libya is a chaotic mess; some people have started to miss Gaddafi’s rule. By using his son as the entry point, at least you can raise a flag.”
Nate pondered for a moment and then said seriously, “Not quite appropriate. Saif is Gaddafi’s son. If he regains power in Libya, what will America and the European countries who brought down Gaddafi think? They might not care about Libya now, but if Saif shows strength, they might as well take him down too.”
Gao Yang chuckled.
Nate couldn’t help but ask, “What are you laughing at?”
“Buddy, I’m now the one playing chess, so I can see what you can’t. What’s important is not who controls Libya but who benefits from controlling Libya. What’s so wrong about Gaddafi’s son? As long as Saif doesn’t court death like his father, who cares? Dude, just make sure Libya can satisfy the interests of those who decide the country’s fate—everything else is minor.”
“Whose interests? You can’t possibly satisfy everyone’s interests.”
“As long as the most important one can be satisfied, like America.”
“Impossible, that’s impossible.”
“Who says it’s impossible? Listen, you don’t need to worry about that. If you can do it, I can help you get America on your side. I can speak for some American interest groups. Of course, this will cost something, but Libya isn’t yours, is it?”
“Be more specific.”
“I have a friend with oil fields in Libya, and I want a piece of the cake too. Just a small piece will do. The big piece of the cake should go to the ones who can influence American policy direction. In that case, America won’t be a problem. Many countries have intervened in Libya; America hasn’t actually contributed much. But you need to understand, Libya was once Gaddafi’s cake, but now it’s been ruined. What you have to do is remake the cake and let those who ruined it come to divide it. No one will oppose you, the cake maker, because people want to eat the cake, not throw it on the ground, and right now, America has the power to distribute it.”
“Dirty politics, you’re becoming more and more like a politician.”
“I just don’t want to be manipulated by others. In my position, I prefer to manipulate others, and I value friendship, so I want to help you step into the manipulator’s position, that’s all.”
Nate sighed and said, “But what about Saif? No matter what, America won’t allow Gaddafi’s son to ******, otherwise, how would they explain their previous actions?”
Gao Yang laughed heartily, with a tone of particular pride and disdain.
Nate finally couldn’t stand it and said angrily, “What are you laughing at?”
Gao Yang sighed and said, “Your mind is a bit rigid, buddy. Let me ask you, have you heard of ’when the cunning rabbit dies, the running dog is cooked,’ or the saying about ’birds are gone, the bow is put away’?”
“No.”
“It’s a Huaxia idiom. I guess you’ve never heard such insightful words before. Let me explain: if you are a mercenary, then you’re the running dog or the bow and arrow, but you need to be a hunter. Once you hunt all the rabbits, you can kill the dog and eat it; after shooting all the birds, you put the bow away. The main point is you need to be the hunter, and Saif is your running dog and your bow and arrow. Got it?”
“Without the rabbit, you’d just end up killing and eating the hunting dog!”
“F**k you! F**k! It’s a metaphor! A metaphor, do you understand? Do you understand?”
Nate was silent for a while, then he said in a low voice, “I get it. Your idea is to get rid of Saif once things are almost done…”
Gao Yang took a deep breath and said, “Such a nasty idea didn’t come from me. It’s your own thought, but I think it’s a pretty good idea, and I strongly support you doing it. After all, what’s needed is just an entry point, right? Once you’ve got a foothold, you can do whatever you want, right?”
Nate said in a low voice, “F**k! You’re such a cunning bastard. Let me think, give me some time to consider, and I’ll call you when I’ve made up my mind.”