As I walked over, those who had disembarked instantly tensed, leveling their rifles and submachine guns at me.
I smiled helplessly, then raised my hands. "You're here to arrest me, aren't you?"
Hearing this, a flicker of excitement crossed their faces. Then, someone shouted towards the ship, "We think we've found the guy! Hurry down and take a look!"
"We've got him!"
At this, the people on the ship became instantly excited, rushing down one after another.
Guns in hand, they surrounded me.
Before long, a middle-aged man emerged, holding a Uzi and with a cigar in his mouth, looking utterly dissolute.
Upon seeing me, a faint smile appeared on his face. "Quite sensible, aren't we? Knowing you can't escape in this situation, you decided to surrender willingly?"
"That's not what I meant," I said with a smile. "I came here to have a talk with you..."
"Talk? Do you think there's any point in talking? We're here to capture you alive and take you back. Don't waste our time, come with us!" the middle-aged man said with a smile, pointing his Uzi at me.
I shrugged helplessly. "I have to tell you the truth, I don't want to kill you. The only reason I came to talk is because I hope you'll join me!"
Upon hearing this, the people around me acted as if they had heard the biggest joke in the world, bursting into laughter.
"Kid, do you know what you're saying?" the middle-aged man said, laughing heartily. "We came with a hundred and fifty men, each equipped with a full set of firearms, and you're alone..."
I listened patiently, not interrupting him.
"In other words, you intend to fight all of us by yourself?" the middle-aged man asked mockingly.
I glanced at the middle-aged man, a faint smile appearing at the corner of my mouth. "But you should only have a hundred and forty-nine men now, right?"
"Oh?" The middle-aged man looked at me.
"Didn't I take care of one just now? The one with the binoculars..." I reminded him.
Hearing this, the middle-aged man's expression changed, and the Uzi in his hand trembled slightly. "Tell me, how did you do that earlier!"
"No comment," I said with a smile. "I don't have much time. I'm just here to ask if you're willing to work with me!"
"What can you give us?" the middle-aged man asked with a mild smile.
"I can't give you anything, but at the very least, you can stay alive," I said with a smile. "Of course, if possible, you might even get some drinks..."
"Hahaha! Did you hear that? Did you hear that? This guy is threatening us!" the middle-aged man roared with laughter, and the people around him joined in.
When their laughter subsided, the middle-aged man looked at me again. "You must have come from the outside world too. Have you been here so long that you've forgotten what a gun is?"
I sighed. From their expressions and attitudes, it was clear there was no room for compromise.
"How about this? If you join me, I won't detain you, as long as you behave," I said.
"Come with us!" the middle-aged man seemed to have lost interest in further discussion. "Don't worry, we've saved a room for you on the ship. When we take you back and collect our reward, we can treat you to a meal..."
"So, we have no room for negotiation?" I asked.
"There was never any possibility of negotiation from the start," the middle-aged man said with a smile.
"What's the reason?" I asked with a cold smile.
"Firstly, you're alone. Even if you had three or five companions, you're surrounded by us now. In this situation, there's no possibility of you surviving," the middle-aged man said with a smile.
"As for the second reason, it's simple: the employer is offering an unimaginable amount of money. That money is enough for all of us to live in luxury for the rest of our lives!" the middle-aged man said with a smile. "I'm glad you came out, so please be cooperative and get on the ship yourself."
At this point, the others were already preparing to celebrate.
"I didn't expect the bounty to be so high, and the mission turned out to be so easy... Even though we lost one comrade, as long as we complete the mission, we'll get paid!"
"Money is all that matters, we don't need to worry about anything else. When we get back, I'm definitely going to have a good meal, and then find three or five women to indulge with for a few months..."
"Those who took the mission before probably died at sea. It can't be helped, we're lucky to get such a huge reward. This is a godsend..."
Seeing the people already celebrating, I shook my head helplessly, then turned my gaze to the middle-aged man. "I'll give you one last chance. Join me, or..."