Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1113 The Flag of Rebellion (1)

The information Song Heping released to 1515 was like a bucket of cold water poured into a boiling oil pan, instantly triggering a violent explosion and chain reaction within the Kold'd forces in northern Iligo.

The first to be affected is the Kurdistan Protection Guard (KPG).

This military organization, as the core military force under the Iligorkold Autonomous Government, nominally commands all armed factions resisting the 1515 extremist group and defending the Kold Autonomous Region.

However, it is not a monolithic entity. It is composed of several long-standing and deeply entrenched tribes and political factions, and has long been involved in power struggles and resource competition.

The faction led by Abuyu has gained increasing prestige in recent years due to its formidable fighting capabilities and outstanding achievements in the fight against the 1515 armed group. However, this has also aroused suspicion and dissatisfaction from other factions within the KPG Military Committee, especially the traditional conservative forces.

The day after the rumors began circulating online, the KPG Military Council held an emergency closed-door meeting in Erbil.

The meeting room was filled with smoke, and the atmosphere was so heavy it could be wrung out.

"This is slander! Utter slander!"

Jalal, one of Abuyu's few allies on the committee, representing the Sulaymaniyah region, slammed his fist on the table in excitement.

"How much blood did Abu You shed for our nation? His brothers died on the battlefield against 1515! Are we to judge our own hero based solely on rumors spread by 1515? This plays right into the enemy's hands!"

"hero?"

Bashir, the vice-chairman of the committee and a veteran politician representing traditional tribal power, gave a cold snort and slowly flicked his cigarette ash.

“Jalal, watch your words. This is not the time to talk about personal achievements. The problem is, the Americans have seen this news and expressed ‘serious concern’ to us! Director Vincent called the Commander-in-Chief directly! Do you know what that means?”

He glanced around, his gaze sharp: "This means that any protection we give Abuyu could be seen as a provocation against the United States, or at least as mismanagement and malicious intent! Our hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid each year, the advanced weapons in the hands of our soldiers, and our air support could all be affected by this! Or even cut off!"

Commander-in-Chief Osman sat in the main seat, his brow furrowed, and remained silent.

He is a typical political general, not someone who came from the grassroots of military command. He was able to sit in this position because his ruthless political skills were valued by the Americans. Balancing the interests of all parties in the KPG is his primary task.

"But where is the evidence?"

Another centrist committee member hesitated, saying, "We cannot punish a meritorious commander based solely on rumors; it would discourage the soldiers on the front lines."

"Evidence? There's plenty of evidence online."

Bashir scoffed and said coldly, "And what evidence do we need now? Do the Americans need evidence? They only need 'reasonable suspicion'! The world's media are all reprinting this news, and Abuyu has become a hot potato. We must immediately sever ties with him and make our position clear in order to regain the Americans' trust!"

He leaned forward, his voice low but carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Gentlemen, think about it. If the Americans cut back or even stop their aid because they suspect Abuyu, what will we use to fight the 1515 militia? Courage? Or those outdated AK rifles? Without American support, what say will we have in front of the Baghdad government? Our hard-won autonomy could be destroyed in an instant!"

This statement struck at the heart of most committee members' concerns.

The cause of the Kolds cannot be separated from the support of the United States; this is an undeniable reality.

"But……"

Jalal wanted to argue further.

"No buts!"

Bashir forcefully interrupted him, “We must take immediate action to prove our efficiency and loyalty to Washington. I propose: First, immediately relieve Abuyu of all military command; second, have the Military Council send an investigation team to Abuyu’s camp to conduct a comprehensive review of his troops’ weapons, equipment, and financial accounts, especially to check for any missing weapons; third, during the investigation, Abuyu must be placed under quarantine and interrogation!”

“This…this is the procedure for dealing with traitors!” Jalal’s face turned ashen.

“This is a necessary procedure!” Bashir insisted, “For the survival of the entire Koldeid cause!”

All eyes were on Commander-in-Chief Osman.

Osman took a deep breath and wiped his face.

He knew he had to make a decision.

Sacrificing Abuyu to preserve the relationship between the entire KPG and the United States was a worthwhile deal in his eyes.

As for the truth?

That doesn't matter.

This is not simply a military issue.

There is no absolute right or wrong, black or white.

He slowly stood up and said in a deep voice, "Let's vote. Those who agree with Vice Chairman Bashir's proposal, please raise your hands."

There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

It was quiet at first.

Then, a hand was raised.

Then the second one...

The third one... After the domino effect, one hand after another was raised.

Jalal closed his eyes in anguish, and the few committee members who sympathized with Abuyu, under Bashir's icy gaze, finally had no choice but to raise their hands.

"Passed." Osman's voice was devoid of any emotion: "A resolution must be passed immediately, and an investigation team dispatched. Vice Chairman Bashir will be in full charge of this matter."

……

Abuyu's camp was located in a relatively flat area north of Mosul, one of the front lines in the fight against 1515.

The atmosphere in the camp has been tense these past few days. The soldiers have obviously heard rumors and are somewhat distracted during training, whispering among themselves in small groups.

In the command post, Abuyu looked grimly at the encrypted telegram from KPG headquarters that his trusted officers had just received.

"Restraint from command? Under investigation?"

Abuyu’s deputy, who was also his cousin Qasim, snatched the telegram and trembled with rage after reading it.

"How could they do this?! Just based on rumors spread by that bastard 1515? Brother, we can't accept this! This is clearly that old bastard Bashir using this as an excuse to get rid of us!"

Another trusted company commander exclaimed, “Commander! We have four thousand brothers, all veterans who can fight tough battles! They are well-equipped! Why should they order us to hand over everything with just one document? What can those old men at KPG headquarters do besides fight for power and profit? If they really push us too far, we…”

"enough!"

Abuyu gave a low shout, interrupting his subordinates' impassioned remarks.

How could he not be angry and heartbroken?
But he considered more.

"If we resist now, we will be confirming our status as traitors. What will the Americans think of us? What will the other members of the Kold's Brothers think of us? We will be cutting ourselves off from our entire nation!"

He walked to the window, looking at the soldiers who had followed him through thick and thin on the training field outside, his voice tinged with weariness: "I believe the committee's investigation will clear my name. This is just a temporary injustice. For the sake of the bigger picture, we must endure it."

"Brother!" Qasim exclaimed anxiously, "When have Bashir's people ever been reasonable? Sending an investigation team here is clearly ill-intentioned! I'm worried they're not here to investigate at all, but rather..."

"say no more."

Abuyu waved his hand, his tone firm, "Order the troops to remain calm and cooperate with the investigation team. But—"

He abruptly changed the subject, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

"The arsenal and key positions must be firmly in the hands of our own people. No one is allowed to relinquish real power without my direct orders!"

He ultimately kept a backup plan; it was an instinct he had developed from years of surviving war.

A few hours later, a convoy of five Humvees drove into the camp, kicking up dust.

The investigation team has arrived.

The team leader was Bashir's distant nephew, Zagros, an arrogant young man wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses. As soon as he got out of the car, he looked around the camp with a critical and disdainful gaze.

The twenty-odd soldiers he brought were clearly Bashir's loyal followers; they were arrogant and domineering, and as soon as they got out of the car, they quickly took control of the key positions around the command post.

"Commander Abuyu."

Zagros didn't even salute, he just arrogantly raised his chin.

"By order of the Military Commission, I shall now take over the defense and investigation of the camp. You shall hand over your sidearm and remain in your room. You are not to leave without permission or contact any of your subordinates."

Qasim and several officers glared at him, their hands on their holsters. Abuyu sternly stopped them with a look.

He slowly unfastened the Beretta pistol from his waist, handed it to Zagros, and calmly said, "I hope the investigation will be conducted fairly and that my innocence will be cleared as soon as possible."

Zagros took the gun, weighed it in his hand, and said with a forced smile, "Don't worry, the committee will definitely find out the 'truth'."

He emphasized the word "truth," making it sound sarcastic.

Abuyu was soon placed under house arrest in his room, with two guards brought by Zagros standing outside the door.

The investigation team began to "verify" the armory and accounts in a manner akin to ransacking a house, with a rough attitude and frequent verbal altercations with Abuyu's men, making the atmosphere in the camp increasingly tense.

Qasim tried several times to force his way to Abuyu, but was stopped each time.

The next evening at dinner, he secretly hid a note in the food. It contained only one sentence: "Something's not right. They seem to be looking for an excuse to attack."

Abuyu looked at the note with a heavy heart.

He felt a vague unease, but still clung to a sliver of hope that the committee would consider his past achievements and not go too far.

However, as a former military commander, he underestimated the ruthlessness of political struggle.

　Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)