Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1076 Ambition and Plans

The laptop fan on the ammunition box hummed softly. Song Heping's gaze fell once again on the news about the air raid, but his thoughts had already drifted to the more practical next step.

Convincing Samir and Nassin was only the first step; next, he had to persuade the one who was truly offering support—Nasreddin.

He picked up the satellite phone, took a deep breath, and dialed the encrypted number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and Afanti's familiar, slightly tired voice came through, clearly indicating that he had been keeping a close eye on the situation.

"Song? Thank God, you've made it safely. Nassin just gave me a brief report... The results in Dry Valley were astonishing, but the losses were also..."

Afanti's voice carried a hint of genuine regret, after all, those two hundred-plus daredevils were extremely valuable elites.

"War always results in death; what matters is that the death is meaningful."

Song Heping interrupted his mourning, speaking calmly and directly.

"The Battle of the Valley made the 'Liberation Forces' famous, but it also depleted their resources. Now they need time and space to recover."

“I understand. Camp A is prepared for you, and supplies will be replenished there as soon as possible…” Afanti said.

"No, Afanti."

Song Heping interrupted him again.

“Point A is not concealed enough, nor is it secure enough. I need you to provide a new location, in the northern mountains of Persia, near the border. It must be a more concealed and harder-to-detect secret camp. I want to take the entire ‘Liberation Force’ and retreat there.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone; clearly, this request had taken Afanti by surprise.

"Enter Persian territory?"

Afanti's voice was filled with surprise and doubt.

“Song, I understand you need to rest, but entering our territory… is a highly politically sensitive matter. Moreover, now is the time to strike back. The Americans have already made their move; 1515 has suffered a fierce air raid, and its morale is bound to be low. This is a good opportunity for you to coordinate with ground operations and expand your influence. Nassin said you are short of troops, which is understandable, but as far as I know, you still have more than 700 men at point A, plus the 50 veterans who withdrew from the valley. You can completely harass and disrupt 1515's supply lines, which can also play an important role and build Samir's reputation.”

Song Heping had anticipated his response, so he explained, “Afanti, there are many kinds of prestige. Rushing in now, fighting a few guerrilla battles, and destroying a few roads will only bring limited prestige, and it will soon be drowned out by the news of government forces and other large militia organizations ‘reclaiming lost territory.’ What we need is not icing on the cake, but a helping hand in times of need.”

He paused, giving Afanti a moment to process this, before continuing, "That's right, we have over seven hundred men now. But less than half of them have undergone rigorous combat training, heavy weapons are scarce, and ammunition needs replenishing. Harassing 1515 with this small force is like throwing stones at a lion; it might provoke it, but it will never kill it. Instead, it might bite us. 1515 suffered setbacks in Tikrit and was attacked by air. To secure their rear, they will inevitably launch a massive purge of all resistance forces in the northwest. The 'Liberation Forces' have caused them so much bloodshed in the valley; they are undoubtedly their primary target. Staying at point A means waiting to be besieged by their superior forces."

"As for capturing Mosul..."

Song Heping sneered, "With our current strength, don't even think about it. Even with the support you secretly provide, it's absolutely impossible. If we rush in now, the best outcome would be to wage guerrilla warfare along the Tikrit-Mosul route, but how would that substantially help your 'Shia Crescent' plan? Would it give Samir enough power and prestige to control the Northwest region? No. We would only be exhausted, and all your previous investments would be wasted."

Nasreddin remained silent on the other end of the phone and did not reply.

But Song Heping could hear his heavy breathing, which meant he had hit the nail on the head.

"So what's your plan?"

Nasreddin finally spoke again, his tone much gentler, with a hint of inquiry.

"My plan is to wait and grow."

Song Heping stated unequivocally, “We need an absolutely safe environment to recruit new soldiers—not just Iligans, but also volunteers from other places. We need to conduct at least three months of intensive training, while stockpiling sufficient weapons and ammunition, especially heavy weapons. We are not building a guerrilla force, but a real elite force capable of conducting regular offensive and defensive operations.”

"Waiting for what?" Afan asked.

"Wait for the situation to change."

Song Heping analyzed, "The Americans won't send back a large number of ground troops, and airstrikes can't fundamentally solve the problem. We all know the fighting capabilities of the government forces and the militias of the 'People's Movement.' They might be able to recapture some territory initially with their air power, but once 1515 adapts, or the focus of the American airstrikes shifts, the battle will inevitably fluctuate. At that time, whoever can withstand or even defeat 1515's main force in key battles will become a hero and gain the greatest political capital and international attention."

"And we, the 'Liberation Forces,' with the bloody prestige of the valley battle, will be deployed to the battlefield as a fully rested, well-trained, and well-equipped fresh force. We are not here to play a supporting role, but to decide the course of the battle. Only in this way can Samir rise to become a pivotal figure and truly secure a place in the future northwestern Iligor landscape, allowing your investment to yield the greatest return—a territory firmly held by pro-Persian forces. This is the piece of the 'Shia Crescent' you truly desire, not a guerrilla force that has been wiped out."

There was a long silence on the phone.

Song Heping could even imagine that Afanti on the other end of the phone was quickly weighing the pros and cons, his fingers perhaps unconsciously tapping on the table.

"...What kind of campsite do you need?"

Nasreddin finally asked.

This statement is tantamount to tacitly approving Song Heping's plan.

Song Heping smiled and said, "It's big enough to accommodate at least five thousand people for training and living. It's absolutely hidden, with well-developed underground or mountain fortifications to defend against air attacks and reconnaissance. It's close to the border, but has reliable barriers to facilitate the import of supplies and... personnel movement when necessary. Most importantly, it's secret; no one except the highest level knows about it."

"Such places do exist, but they require time for preparation and coordination."

Afanti's voice became serious and efficient, "Give me five days."

"Okay. I will lead the team to depart in five days."

After finishing his sentence, Song Heping abruptly ended the call.

After hanging up the phone, he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, but his spirits were unusually high.

Convincing Afanti was only the second step in the plan.

The next step was to persuade the more than seven hundred militiamen in the camp, whose desire for revenge had just been ignited by news of the air raid. The next morning, Song Heping summoned everyone to assemble in the open space in the center of the camp.

This includes the valley survivors who still have bandages wrapped around their bodies.

He stood on an ammunition box, looking down at the dark mass of people below. Every face showed exhaustion, sadness, and the restlessness and anticipation stirred up by the news of the air raid.

Without wasting words, he announced his decision directly: "Brothers, I know you want revenge and want to fight those bastards from 1515 right away. However, I order that in five days, everyone evacuate the camp at point A and head north into the new camp in Persia to rest and reorganize."

The order was met with an uproar.

"What? Enter Persia?"

"Why? The Americans are helping us bomb!"

"We should be attacking 1515 now! Not deserting!"

"I won't go! My father died at the hands of the Persians! (Iraq War)"

"Yes! They are heretics! We cannot go to their territory!"

The crowd was instantly engulfed by voices of doubt, opposition, and angry shouts. The crowd was indignant, especially the local Iligo militia members who harbored historical grievances and sectarian differences with Persia, and their reaction was particularly fierce.

Samir and Nassin stood at the front of the line, their faces grim, but they had to carry out Song Heping's orders and could only try their best to maintain order.

Song Heping stood quietly, his cold gaze sweeping over the restless crowd, without immediately stopping them.

He waited a few minutes to let his emotions vent, then took a deep breath and, with the loudest voice he could muster, drowned out all the noise:

"Afraid of death?! If we were afraid of death, my three hundred brothers and I wouldn't have held off three thousand men in the valley! We would have run away long ago!"

A roar, like a thunderclap, instantly silenced the scene.

Everyone remembered the carnage in the valley and the fifty bloodied men who were carried down.

"Look around you!"

Song Heping pointed at the wounded, at the lingering fatigue and fear on each of their faces, "Look how many of us we have left? Look how many bullets we have left? Look how many able-bodied people we have left who can still carry a gun and charge into battle!"

His voice lowered, yet became even more penetrating: "The Americans bombed, that's right! But what does that mean? It means that 1515 suffered a loss in Tikrit, and they're like a hornet's nest that's been disturbed! What will they do next? They'll retaliate furiously! They'll wipe out all targets they deem threatening! And we, the 'Liberation Forces,' killed over two thousand of them in the valley! Do you think they'll let us off the hook?!"

He paused, allowing the seeds of fear to sprout in everyone's heart.

"If we stay here, what awaits us is the frenzied siege of the 1515 main force! With just over seven hundred exhausted men and running low on ammunition, how can we hold them off? We have the terrain advantage and are prepared in the valley, but what do we have here? In the end, it won't be us going to seek revenge, it will be us going to our deaths! It will be letting the three hundred brothers who sacrificed in the valley die in vain!"

The crowd fell silent; their anger was gradually extinguished by the cold reality.

"Entering Persia is not about deserting! It's about surviving! It's about fighting back in a better way!"

Song Heping's voice rose again, filled with an undeniable determination.

"We need time! We need to recruit new brothers! We need training! We need weapons and ammunition! We need to become a stronger fist, not a finger that breaks at the slightest touch!"

His gaze swept over those who harbored resentment towards Persia: "Historical grievances? Sectarian differences? If we can't let go of these, we have no future! 1515 will laugh as you kill each other, and then easily wipe you all out! If you want to survive, if you want revenge, if you want to completely drive 1515 out of Iriegol, you must unite all forces that can be united! The Persians are now willing to help you, to give you land, weapons, and financial support. This is your chance!"

"Remember!" he practically roared, "Only by surviving can we fight! Only by becoming stronger can we win! This temporary retreat is so that we can ultimately deliver a more devastating blow to our enemy! This isn't retreat, it's strategy! It's a necessary step for final victory! Those who are willing to follow me to survive, become stronger, and then return for revenge, prepare yourselves! We depart in five days! Those who are unwilling..."

Song Heping's gaze sharpened as he slowly swept across the room: "...You can stay, collect some travel expenses, and leave on your own. But let me tell you, staying means certain death."

After saying that, he jumped off the ammunition box and walked towards his tent without looking back.

Behind me, there was a deathly silence.

No one left.

After experiencing the hellish valley and Song Heping's blunt and brutal analysis, the instinct for survival and the desire for revenge ultimately overwhelmed all doubts and the burden of history.

Five days later, all members of the "Liberation Force," carrying the wounded and their equipment, left Camp A in silence and in an orderly manner, heading north into the depths of the mountains on the Persian border.

Song Heping walked in the middle of the group, glanced back at the camp that was gradually receding into the distance, and looked deep in thought.

He knew that entering Persia was merely a temporary measure, a period of dormancy.

He intended to use this time not only to train the army but also to weave an even larger network. There was still no news from Henry, but he had a premonition that the CIA list would be key to his next move.

Meanwhile, far away in Tehran, after arranging the camp affairs, Afanti sat in his office, repeatedly pondering Song Heping's words.

He had to admit that the Chinese man's strategic vision and ruthless determination far exceeded his expectations. What he wanted was not just a guerrilla force, but a bargaining chip that could change the geopolitical landscape.

However, he vaguely felt that Song Heping's ambitions might be much greater than he himself had revealed.

Even Afanti himself couldn't predict where this collaboration would ultimately lead.

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)