Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1040 If the open methods don't work, try the underhanded ones.

half a month later.

In a conference room in the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C.

The heavy soundproof door blocked out all outside noise, leaving only the monotonous hum of the air conditioning system.

On either side of the long conference table sat expressionless faces—the Deputy Security Advisor, the Counterterrorism Coordinator, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, and a representative of the Director of Intelligence…

One of them is Vincent, the current director of the CIA.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the end of the long table—National Security Advisor and Chief of Staff Tom Reid.

"Gentlemen."

Reed's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced the silence like an icicle.

"We only have one item left to discuss today, and that is—Song Heping."

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the smooth tabletop. "This mercenary leader entrenched in Lebia, a member of our SDGT list. He's sunbathing in Tripoli, helping Haftar form that so-called 'interim government,' and even..."

His brows furrowed, his expression filled with absurdity.

"He even dares to extend olive branches to our European 'allies.' The French are already here. The British are also peeking around. Gentlemen, we must now make our final choice..."

There was dead silence in the conference room.

The projection screen displayed several high-resolution satellite images: in the Tripoli port area, Song Heping stood beside a reinforced Toyota pickup truck, talking to several people in Libyan National Army (LNA) uniforms; another image was an aerial view, showing Song Heping's silhouette faintly visible on the terrace of a villa along the azure coastline of the Mediterranean. The photos were all dated within the last few days.

Counterterrorism Coordinator Jeffrey cleared his throat and said cautiously, “Sir, the realistic assessment is that direct military action is too costly and extremely risky. The aftershocks of the Marlin are still reverberating. The situation in Lebanon has only just stabilized, and on the UN side, most countries support the restoration of peace in Lebanon. Haftar’s forces currently hold an absolute advantage in Tripoli, Benghazi, and the southeast. Forcibly supporting a new proxy to overthrow the LNA… the investment would be astronomical, the timeframe would be years, and…”

He paused, then emphasized, “It will almost certainly trigger a new wave of large-scale humanitarian disasters and refugee crises. These refugees will continue to flood into Europe. You know, Europe already has a lot of complaints about the refugees from the Siberian civil war. If Lebia produces a large number of refugees, they will face enormous pressure in accepting them. And in terms of public opinion, we will be in a very passive position.”

The Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the Ministry of Defense interjected, “Jeffrey is right. Lebia’s ground environment is complex, and tribal forces are deeply entrenched. Haftar is consolidating his forces faster than we anticipated, especially with the assistance of Song Heping’s ‘musician.’ Conventional military methods, whether special raids or proxy wars, have a low success rate and are prone to getting bogged down. Air strikes…”

He shook his head. "The target information is vague, and collateral damage is difficult to control. The lessons from the Marlin are too profound."

Tom Reid listened expressionlessly, his gaze shifting to Vincent, who remained silent throughout.

"Director Vincent? What do you think, Langley? Shouldn't we learn from the French and the British?"

Vincent leaned forward slightly, his hawk-like eyes sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Reed's face.

"Sir, comrades. I agree that the military option is currently too costly, and the risks and rewards are not proportional. But Song Heping, this person..."

His voice was decisive.

“He is too dangerous and must be eliminated. This is not just a name on a list. His very existence is a continuous humiliation and weakening of our ability to operate in North Africa and globally. As long as he is with Haftar, this regime will not truly side with us. Even many countries in the Sahel region will dare to challenge us because of his presence. If this scapegoat is not eliminated, the damage will be very long-term.” He paused, emphasizing the gravity of his words.

"As for how to remove this thorn, a direct attack is unwise, but we can cut off its foundation and leave it nowhere to hide. Its power is rooted in the chaotic soil of Africa. As long as we dig out the soil on which it depends for survival, we can stop its continued growth and even eradicate it completely."

Vincent tapped his fingers on the table, as if sketching an invisible map of Africa.

“My suggestion is to completely expel Song Heping from the African continent, depriving him of all protection and exposing him to the sunlight. Then, there will be many more ways to deal with him.”

"Specific steps?"

Reed pressed on, his eyes sharp.

"First, the political noose."

Vincent spoke faster.

"Use all political resources to exert strong pressure on the African Union. At the upcoming AU emergency summit in Addis Ababa, propose a draft joint sanctions statement targeting Song Heping, characterized as a 'transnational armed crime leader threatening the stability and security of Africa.' Emphasize the so-called 'serious humanitarian disaster' he caused during the Lebanese civil war, particularly the Battle of Savinnu. Demand that all AU member states, especially those bordering Lebanon and those that may provide him with passage or asylum, immediately freeze his assets, prohibit his entry into the country, and cooperate with his extradition."

He gave a slight, cold laugh: "The African Union is not monolithic. Many countries rely on our aid, investment, and market access. Carrot and stick: cooperate with sanctions, and the prospects for economic cooperation are bright; refuse to cooperate, and face trade restrictions, financial sanctions, and even... military blockade exercises in key sea areas. Senegal's fisheries exports? Sudan's oil pipelines? Ethiopia's World Bank loans? These are all points where pressure can be applied."

"Second, isolate Haftar."

Vincent continued, “Simultaneously send the strongest diplomatic note to the Haftar regime. Make it clear that the prerequisite for the United States and its allies to establish normal relations with the new Tripoli regime, provide reconstruction assistance, and even consider a limited lifting of some sanctions is the immediate expulsion of Song Hoa Heong. Portray Song Hoa Heong as the only obstacle to Haftar obtaining international recognition and reconstruction funds.”

"Third, cooperation with allies."

His gaze swept across the crowd. “Immediately dispatch high-level special envoys to London and Paris. Confront the British and French: on the Song Heping issue, they must maintain a consistent stance with the United States. Imply that the US attitude towards Lebanon’s future energy contracts and reconstruction project allocations will depend on their cooperation in sanctioning Song Heping. Charles Dupont was able to drink coffee in Tripoli because we 'acquiesced.' This acquiescence can be withdrawn at any time.”

Vincent leaned back in his chair, his tone exuding an air of complete confidence: "Haftar's power base is unstable. More than anyone, he craves international recognition and funding. When the entire African continent closes its doors to Song Heping under pressure from the United States, and when Britain and France, his two most important European partners, are also under pressure to demand his handover, how long can he continue to protect Song Heping? Once a mercenary leader who has lost his footing leaves Africa and is exposed to other regions with denser intelligence networks and less constraint on our operations, dealing with him will no longer be a problem. Lowest cost, manageable risk, and maximum political gain."

The conference room was silent, with only the hum of the air conditioner sounding particularly jarring.

Several officials exchanged glances, assessing the feasibility and risks of Vincent's plan.

Ultimately, all eyes turned back to Chief of Staff Tom Reid.

Tom was silent for a few seconds, then stopped tapping.

He raised his head, his eyes as cold as the Siberian tundra, and said, word by word, "Since Song Heping has caused damage to the national interests and dignity of the United States, he must be held accountable. Director Vincent's suggestion is logically sound and feasible. I approve it in principle. Immediately refine the plan and coordinate resources across departments. The State Department will lead diplomatic pressure, the military will cooperate by demonstrating the necessary naval presence, and the Treasury Department will prepare a sanctions list. As for Langley..."

He looked at Vincent.

"Compile all the 'evidence' against Song Heping. All the 'evidence' materials are impeccable. Lead the maximum pressure campaign against Haftar. I will ensure that mercenary leader has no place to stand in Africa! Operation authorization level: highest. Meeting adjourned!"
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　Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)