Given the stark physical disparity between them, no reasonable person would believe that Kaman could win. Joga had some confidence in the old man, but he never expected the fight to end so quickly.
Strictly speaking, the fight ended before it even began!
In the instant Kaman, who appeared feeble, approached Bull Aaron, he swiftly sidestepped his massive arms, circled behind him, and sliced open Aaron's throat with the hunting knife he held.
It was the first time Joga had witnessed someone being killed so closely. It was also the first time he realized that blood could spurt out four or five meters when a person's major artery was severed, and that when someone's windpipe is cut, they can't scream—they only emit a desperate, futile "hissing" as they struggle to breathe.
To be honest, Joga was terrified!
He had sensed that Kaman had figured out what kind of business he was involved in. He also understood the subtext when Kaman introduced himself—essentially saying, "As long as you pay me, I'll risk my life for you."
Joga made an offer, intending for Kaman to just teach the troublemaking Bull Aaron a lesson. But he hadn't expected the old man to take it this far. Or rather, Kaman hadn't misunderstood—he had chosen to seal their verbal agreement with Aaron's life.
Watching Bull Aaron kneel, clutching his throat, his face pleading for help, Joga fought the urge to call for an ambulance, watching as Aaron collapsed to the ground and convulsed a few times before life left his body.
Witnessing a person being slaughtered like livestock is hard to describe. It wasn't the nauseating feeling often portrayed in movies, but rather a sudden and overwhelming sense of insecurity. Joga's body instinctively tensed, his senses seemed to sharpen, and he found himself reaching for the gun tucked into the waistband at his back.
It wasn't until Kaman finished wiping his hunting knife on Aaron's back and sheathed it that Joga began to regain his composure.
Seeing the nonchalant expression on Zabu's face, Joga realized there had been a misunderstanding in his and Kaman's exchange. The misunderstanding stemmed from Kaman's misinterpretation of Joga's role—or rather, it wasn't a misinterpretation. Kaman assumed that when a gunrunner hires someone, it's for their killing skills, and he was merely passing the "final test" of his interview.
Joga knew he couldn't show fear. He glanced at Bull Aaron's body and then turned to Kaman, saying, "This isn't over. I'll be coming back to Damazin regularly, and I don't want any trouble."
Kaman glanced at Joga, his eyes briefly noting the occasional tremor in Joga's right index finger. He nodded and said, "My son will dispose of the body. The Nile will wash everything away. No one cares about Aaron. He had no family—only creditors and enemies. Last week, he harassed a white woman. The town's sheriff was already considering whether to arrest him. If he disappears, everyone will just breathe a sigh of relief."
The casual attitude toward human life displayed by everyone present unsettled Joga. Sudan was indeed poor, but in places where Chinese nationals were present, there was at least some basic level of law and order. Moreover, Chinese people held a relatively high status in Sudan. Even if someone wanted to do something bad, they would instinctively avoid the sight of a Chinese person.
Joga had visited Damazin many times, but he had always been hosted by the airport owner, Selim, who appreciated his help in repairing airplanes. When he occasionally wandered around town, he was always accompanied by Zabu and had never encountered a scene like this.
Joga had anticipated situations like this in his line of work, but he didn't expect it to come so soon—a life snuffed out due to a simple misunderstanding between him and his new hire.
The whole situation felt surreal, but as the reality of it all settled in, Joga realized that the world he was about to enter was far from a playground.
The sense of danger, the tension, and the adrenaline rush were overwhelming, almost too much to bear. If Joga couldn't adjust, he knew he might quickly become consumed by these intense feelings, possibly turning into a true killer. His response to fear and death was not quite normal.
Years of self-preservation training had instilled in him a reflexive reaction to fear—fight back.
One doesn't need to be a soldier to suffer from PTSD. People working under extreme pressure can develop mild PTSD too.
Joga's issue was with 'fear.' For the sake of his parents, he had to engage in dangerous and illegal activities while maintaining normal behavior in front of his peers and colleagues. The pressure of this was something few could understand. He wasn't a born outlaw, so he was afraid, and years of high-pressure work had left him with a reflexive response to fear—fight back.
A person in Joga's state couldn't lead a normal life back home. Sometimes, a blessing can also be a curse.
Kaman's son silently approached Aaron's body, effortlessly hoisting the 280-pound man onto his shoulder before heading toward the greenery at the end of the airstrip, en route to the river a kilometer away.
Watching Zabu kick dirt over the blood on the runway, Joga hesitated for a moment before finally nodding and saying, "Since you all say so, I'll take your word for it."
Turning to the expressionless Kaman, Joga said, "You had other, better options, but you chose one that put me at risk. I'll forgive you this time, but if it happens again, I'll dock your pay. Do you agree?"
Kaman looked up at Joga and decisively replied, "That's fair. From now on, you're my boss. My job is to keep you safe."
Joga stared at the seemingly obedient Kaman and nodded, saying, "I'm a businessman. From now on, don't kill anyone without my orders unless they threaten your or my safety."
Kaman nodded and said, "You're the boss. I'm not a butcher—I'm just a hyena."
Joga was tempted to ask about the origin of Kaman's nickname, but he decided against it.
Nicknames don't lie, and the story behind "Hyena" was surely not a peaceful one.
Seeing his pickup truck finally arrive in the distance, Joga turned, picked up his backpack, and pulled out two stacks of cash, handing them to Kaman. He said, "Here's the agreed-upon advance. I'll pay you $20,000 a year from now on. You can choose to take it all at once at the end of the year, or in monthly installments.
I suggest you take $1,670 each month because, according to our tradition, we give out one to two months' salary as a bonus at the end of the year, based on employee performance.
If you take it all at once, I'm afraid I'll feel a little heartbroken. Haha!"