Mercenary's War

Staring at the helicopter for a while, Karl turned around and sat across from the three of them, took the assault rifle slung over his shoulder, and removed the magazine.

The seawater was too corrosive to the gun, but Karl and the others did not intend to use the weapons in their hands for long, so it wasn’t a big issue.

He shook off the seawater, shook the magazine as well, and after reinserting a magazine into the gun, Karl took off his hat from his waist and put it on his head.

With his hat properly adjusted, Karl slowly said, "We’ve temporarily shaken off the pursuit, but soon there will be a city-wide search. Our chances of leaving are slim."

After a moment of silence, Karl suddenly said, "Do you regret it?"

Mike said very seriously, "No regrets! If you hadn’t taken us with you, I would have done it myself!

Karl said softly, "Our plan was revenge, but now we’ve become national enemies."

Prince said somewhat dejectedly, "What I hate most is not Grand Ivan..."

Shaking his head, Prince said grimly, "In any case, I don’t expect to live."

"Today we killed several policemen, which makes me feel somewhat guilty. I didn’t plan to become an enemy of the nation; I just wanted revenge. But we were betrayed, abandoned, and now that we’re being hunted, Captain, Captain, I do not regret it, I just don’t know who to hate."

Injured Roy didn’t seem to show any pain; he only appeared very confused.

"I don’t know who to hate: that Grand Ivan, the General, the CIA, or the police and FBI federal officers trying to take us out."

After Roy slowly finished speaking, Mike urgently said, "It must be the CIA colluding with that arms dealer. That has to be it! The CIA doesn’t have domestic law enforcement authority, so they turned to the FBI. Didn’t you hear? The CIA asked them to open fire, the FBI refused. Even though we took them out... we had no choice! Would you rather be shot dead or shoot them?"

After speaking, Mike said hatefully, "We just want revenge on that damn arms dealer, a foreign arms dealer, but the CIA people are trying their hardest to stop us. They’re treating us as terrorists, directly wanting us dead! Didn’t you hear what that guy said? Fine, treat us as terrorists, then let them have their wish! No matter who tries to stop us, take them out! Guys, now the whole world is against us, there’s nothing to worry about anymore, and what choices do we have anyway?"

Karl said gravely, "I only asked if you had any regrets, not how you feel. Since you all have no regrets, let’s go; we’ve already wasted two minutes."

Karl stood up and said in a low voice, "Prince as the scout, Mike takes care of Roy, let’s go."

No one asked where to go because they had nowhere left to go.

"What next?"

"Change clothes, think of a way to get out of here."

After a brief conversation, the four silently traversed through the woods.

The woods were not small, but there would always be a time to come out. The four walked to a roadside with residential houses across from them.

"There are many homes here; we can break into one, change clothes, and leave. Maybe we can find a car too.

But as Prince spoke in a low voice, Karl pointed to a brightly lit shop and asked, "What is that, a barbershop?"

Prince glanced and said, "Yes, a barbershop."

Karl looked around and then said in a low voice, "I’m going to get a haircut."

Mike said in surprise, "Captain, I’m not questioning your decision but... at this moment, you’re going for a haircut?"

Karl took off his hat, touched his wet hair, and said in a calm voice, "I merely want to look presentable after I’m gone."

Mike nodded, said in a low voice, "Alright then."

Karl waved his hand, and the four quietly crossed the road, jogging towards the barbershop.

While jogging, Prince suddenly said, "It’s past nine. I think the barber is Huaxia people; only they keep their shops open so late."

Just about to reach the barbershop door, the lights inside went out, and two people came out to close the shop.

They really were two Asians.

"Haircut!"

"Oh, shit, oh no, don’t hurt us. You can have the money, take it all..."

Unexpectedly appearing, Prince startled the two, but upon seeing the dark barrel of the gun, they immediately raised their hands.

"Huaxia people?"

"Yes."

"See, I told you. Get inside!"

All six of them entered the barbershop; the shop owners were a man and a woman. Once they clearly saw the four, they trembled with fright.

Karl took down his gun, removed his hat, and sat in the barber’s chair, very calmly saying, "Crewcut, please make it quick, thanks."

The two shop owners were too scared to move, and Mike impatiently said, "We’re not going to kill you, so what’s there to be afraid of? Who’s the barber? Hurry up!"

"I am... just a haircut?"

"Just a haircut!"

"Alright, alright. It’s seawater? Then... let’s wash your hair first?"

Karl sat properly in the barber’s chair, and upon hearing the barber’s suggestion, he looked at himself in the mirror, touched his beard, and nodded, "Alright."

Karl reclined, and the woman’s hands were trembling, but she still managed to wash his hair cleanly.

But when the barber began to work, his overly shaky hand, holding the clippers, directly pressed against Karl’s back of the head.

"Sorry... sorry, please don’t hurt us..."

The barber’s apology carried a sob, and Karl calmly said, "It’s okay, no one will be harmed here. This is probably my last haircut; please relax a bit and make it nice, thank you."

The barber’s hand was still shaky but gradually steadied, and then his hand became stable, allowing Karl’s hair to be quickly shaved off on the sides, leaving only a short tuft on the top.

"Is it okay?"

Looking at himself in the mirror, Karl nodded, smiled, and said, "Very good, thank you."

"Do you... want a shave?"

"If possible, thank you."

The barber took out a straight razor instead of an electric shaver, then he applied shaving cream all over Karl’s face and quickly scraped off the stubble.

Once the barber finally wiped away the remaining shaving cream with a towel, Karl looked at himself in the mirror and smiled, "Very clean, much cleaner than I shave myself, and very comfortable, excellent. Thank you, please give them a haircut too, same crewcut."

Mike laughed out loud, and he shouted, "Alright, I’ll go first then."

There were no more words in the room, only the sound of running water and the buzzing of the electric clippers.