If things come to an impasse, then something's fishy. Gao Yang is just reluctant to speak too readily. After all, it's not like they are going to start fighting. Even Sergei probably wouldn't dare put him under house arrest. So even if it's a deadlock, what of it?
At that moment, it was Lebyazhef who broke the stalemate.
Lebyazhef looked seriously at Sergei, then at Gao Yang, who was smiling slightly. Then Lebyazhef spoke softly, "Captain, may I say something? May I speak a few words?"
Sergei's eyes almost bulged out. He looked at Gao Yang, then at the stern-faced Lebyazhef, and blurted out, "Is he really the captain? He's your captain!"
Gao Yang replied blandly, "You are permitted to speak."
It seemed that Gao Yang still respected Lebyazhef, but their statuses were quite clear. Sergei clenched his teeth immediately, looking very shocked, with an air of defiance about Gao Yang's higher position over Lebyazhef.
