A frog with two oars, this insignia is unique to the SBS.
SBS is the Special Boat Service under the UK Royal Marines.
Gao Yang once had an encounter with soone from SBS, a marksman who nearly took his life. If not for good luck, he would have died then.
For Gao Yang to have survived the fight in Somalia with the SBS, two essential factors were indispensable. One was having the luck to win the gamble in a life-and-death roll maneuver, and the other was having the gunmanship to kill his opponent after winning the gamble.
Reflecting on the battle now still brings cold sweat to Gao Yang. The marksman’s gunmanship wasn’t astonishing, but the rate of fire was unprecedented in his combat career.
Although he was the victor, Gao Yang always held admiration for that defeated opponent. There are no weaklings from the SBS, which is sothing that must be acknowledged, no matter the perspective. Furthermore, the opponent he fought with was already quite old. If he had been a few years younger, Gao Yang wasn’t sure he would have survived.
When the man with the top hat walked in, Gao Yang could determine he was a soldier but didn’t expect him to be from SBS.
Gary was equally surprised. After glancing at the insignia on the table, he raised an eyebrow and exclaid, "SBS? Rare indeed. You’re from SBS; Peyton should easily help you find a job."
Before the other could respond, Gary raised his hand, stopping the man in the top hat from speaking, and then turned to Gao Yang and said, "Peyton is a friend of mine who assists several PMC offices in finding suitable employees, such as the Armored Group. He also helps so retired soldiers or others with special skills find jobs, like this gentleman before us."
After speaking, Gary looked apologetically at Gao Yang and said, "I need to explain to you that this gentleman is here because he is looking for a job. With his SBS credentials, finding a job is too easy. If he couldn’t find a suitable job with Peyton, it indicates Peyton’s available positions were not right for him. This situation only points to one problem: he needs quick money, a substantial sum, and a formal, long-term inco doesn’t et his needs."
Gary turned to look at the man in the top hat and said solemnly, "Am I right?"
The man nodded solemnly, "Yes."
Gary shrugged and said to Gao Yang, "We might be discussing so private matters next. If you think you can et this gentleman’s needs, you may stay and listen. If you don’t see the need, you may leave. I look forward to your next visit."
Gao Yang smiled and said, "We need talent. I’m very interested in hearing this gentleman’s requirents."
Gary smiled and spoke loudly, "Very good, cooperation is reached inadvertently in this way. You are industry insiders; I trust you understand the rules. Whatever we discuss next, please don’t take what you hear out of this room, okay?"
Gao Yang waved his hand and said, "This is basic decorum, you don’t need to remind ."
Gary nodded with satisfaction and then smiled at the man in the top hat, "Hello, sorry for keeping you waiting. Please introduce yourself briefly, it will help with our forthcoming discussions."
"I’m Jas MacLean, born in 1970, joined the UK Royal Navy in 1988, and joined the Special Boat Service in 1992. I retired this year, having been retired for five months."
Jas’s self-introduction was short. Gao Yang expected him to elaborate further, but Jas pursed his lips after speaking, signaling that his introduction was complete.
What left Gao Yang puzzled was that the training and service periods for the SBS are notoriously long — retiring at fifty is more common. Jas, at 44 years, would generally either be an officer or retired in other units, but in the SBS, he was still in the pri of his service. Retiring at 44 could only an forced retirent, whether due to a major mistake or other reasons such as significant physical injury.
Gary also apparently noticed the anomaly with Jas and calmly asked, "Why retire so early?"
Jas pursed his lips tightly and said lowly, "Must I say?"
Gary regrettably replied, "I’m afraid so. If you were from another unit, I wouldn’t ask, but you are from the SBS, so I must ask."
Jas took a deep breath and spoke softly, "During a recent live-fire exercise, I made a mistake that cost the lives of two brothers, and I was severely injured myself. After recovering, I retired."
Gao Yang couldn’t help but sigh. Being a soldier ans facing exercises, and with live-fire exercises, accidents are inevitable. In a unit like the SBS, who train with greater intensity and frequency, mishaps are unavoidable. It’s not uncommon for deaths to occur even in new recruit training within the special forces.
But in a unit like the SBS, an exercise accident resulting in two deaths and one severe injury is significant. It’s a major accident, and given that Jas undoubtedly made a particularly grave mistake, he certainly caused the deaths of veterans, not new recruits, or he would have ntioned it.
"What incident?"
Gary seed to have a habit of getting to the bottom of things, which was understandable. As a middleman, if he was to recomnd soone, he couldn’t do so without knowing any details.
Jas’s expression was pained. He didn’t lower his head, but the top hat gripped in his right hand was deford from his grip. After a mont of silence, Jas shook his head and said in a deep voice, "I don’t want to talk about it."
Gary pondered for a mont and then said in a deep voice, "Alright, I won’t ask about that. You have the right to keep your privacy, but I need to know if you have any remaining ties with the SBS and whether you’re thoroughly retired."
Jas nodded, a barely noticeable trace of pain flashing in his eyes, and he said seriously, "Yes, I’m completely retired with no ties whatsoever."
Gary pointed to Jas’s left hand and whispered, "You said you were injured. Is there sothing wrong with your hand? Also, do you have any other irreversible injuries or conditions that affect your physical capabilities?"
Jas raised his left arm, half-curled it in the air, and spread his five fingers as if loosely gripping sothing, then said softly, "My arm can only extend to this degree, and my fingers as well, my strength is affected. I can’t precisely quantify it, but it’s only half the strength of my right hand."
Gao Yang calculated that if a normal person’s arm extension was at full capacity, Jas could extend his arm up to seventy percent. As for his fingers, they opened to about sixty or seventy percent compared to a normal person’s level.
Gao Yang sighed inwardly. For a soldier, Jas was essentially half-disabled. Although the left hand is auxiliary, Jas’s condition would heavily impact combat; calling him half-disabled wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Reflecting internally, he couldn’t show it outwardly. Before Gary could ask, Gao Yang suddenly said, "Mr. MacLean, what role did you serve in the military?"
Gao Yang was concerned about this, so he asked directly. Jas, without hesitation, replied, "Assaulter, skilled in diving, low, dium, and high parachuting, underwater demolition, shore reconnaissance, quick communication, and operating small and various watercraft."
Jas only ntioned a few skills that ordinary soldiers wouldn’t encounter. As for shooting, long-distance marching, concealnt, and other basic infantry skills, he didn’t need to ntion or feel they were worth ntioning. With the prestigious SBS insignia, it indicated that his basics were already top-notch; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been part of SBS.
Gary smiled and nodded, saying loudly, "You’ve said enough, so I don’t need to ask. Now, Mr. MacLean, here’s the crucial question: how much do you want?"
Jas said without hesitation, "Three hundred thousand British Pounds!"
He blurted it out, without any hesitation. Clearly, Jas had thought long and hard about this number; it was his minimum limit.
Three hundred thousand British Pounds was just a small sum for Gao Yang now, hardly worth a second glance. But is three hundred thousand British Pounds really a small sum?
Most people wouldn’t earn such a large single paynt in their lifeti. When Gao Yang first started, his dream was to save one hundred thousand US Dollars in a year. In this world, money isn’t easy to make, not even by risking life as a rcenary.
Gary chuckled helplessly and said to Jas, "Does it have to be a single paynt of three hundred thousand British Pounds?"
Jas sighed and rely nodded.
Gary sighed as well, looking helpless as he said, "Mr. MacLean, I’m afraid your goal is hard to achieve. Under normal circumstances, I don’t have any job that ets your requirent. Your situation is best suited for a PMC, but in the PMC industry, there’s no such thing as upfront paynt. Never has been."
Jas gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "I can do anything, anything!"
Gary shook his head, chuckling bitterly, "Even if you’re willing to accept so extrely dangerous work, it would take at least six months to earn three hundred thousand British Pounds. As for any job that pays that amount in a single go, I’m sorry, such jobs are rare and depend on opportunities, and I currently don’t have any such job for you."
Gao Yang knew it was ti for him to step in. He looked at Jas seriously and said, "I can offer a job and et your requirent."
Gary smiled faintly and said, "See, this is why I asked you to stay. Sotis, opportunities just appear this way."
Gao Yang nodded but then said seriously to Jas, "Mr. MacLean, I must ask you once more, what can you do?" (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote for it at Qidian (qidian). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian to read.)
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