Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1122 The Gears of War Are Turning
"Everyone."

Song Heping introduced, "Let me introduce the people on the screen. They are my subordinates on the Persian Plateau: Samir, commander of the 'Liberation Forces'; Nassin, commander of the Revolutionary Guard; my colleague Jiang Feng; and Abuyu, commander of the Kold's armed branch. They currently have 12,000 trained and equipped soldiers under their command who are ready for combat."

Jiang Feng nodded at the camera on the other end of the video, while Nassin and Samir gave a military salute.

Their appearance shocked people both on and off screen.

No one expected that Song Heping actually controlled such a force within Persia!
Song Heping continued, “They are ready. My plan is for Samir and Nassin’s main forces, under Jiang Feng’s coordination and command, and with the cooperation of the local Kurdish armed group ‘Abuyu Brigade,’ to launch a long-distance raid from their secret base and launch a fierce attack on Dehok’s 1515 supply center! At the same time, I have contacted General ‘Afanti’ on the Persian side, and the Revolutionary Guard’s ‘Holy City Brigade’ will provide them with full-process aerial reconnaissance, intelligence support, and necessary long-range fire support!”

He looked at Jiang Feng in the video: "Jiang Feng, your mission is to seize or destroy Dehok's supply depots, barracks, and transportation hubs as quickly as possible, completely eliminating this logistical node! The operation must be fast, accurate, and ruthless! After completion, withdraw immediately and return to the border security zone. If successful, the 1515 armed group fighting in eastern Syria will soon face a situation of supply cutoff and a precarious retreat, and their offensive momentum will inevitably be hindered, possibly even triggering chaos and a retreat!"

Jiang Feng replied in a deep voice, "Understood! Our troops have begun combat readiness. Once intelligence sharing is complete, we can launch the attack as planned. Mission accomplished!"

Samir and Nassin also expressed their determination in broken English or Arabic.

The command center was silent; everyone was stunned by this incredibly audacious cross-border strike plan.

It's utterly fantastical, yet it possesses a fatal attraction.

Finally, Song Heping switched the camera back to northern Syria.

"As for the north, in the Idlib direction, the HTS and other rebel alliances are launching a fierce offensive."

Song Heping's tone became somewhat subtle, and a cold smile even appeared on his lips.

"This is, in my opinion, the area that we least need to worry about right now."

"why?"

The cook couldn't help but ask, recalling the cold rejection he had just received in Moscow.

"HTS's advance is already close to the outskirts of Idlib. Once Idlib falls, the gateways to the two coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia will be opened! That is our lifeline! It is an important base for the Russian army to provide air support to the Syrian government forces. If it falls, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Yes, it's our lifeline. But it's not just our lifeline."

Song Heping calmly analyzed the situation, his sharp gaze fixed on the cook.

"That place is the Kremlin's lifeline. Tartus is the Russian Federation's only naval port in the Mediterranean, and the Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia is the backbone of their operations in Sierra Leone. Moscow says it won't intervene directly, but do they really dare to gamble and stand by and watch HTS or even more extreme armed forces threaten the security of these two strategic strongholds?"

He paused for a moment, allowing everyone to process what he had said.

"I'm not sure the Kremlin will definitely send ground troops, but..."

Song Heping emphasized, “They absolutely cannot afford a major risk to these two ports and bases. Therefore, my assessment is that we can adopt a strategic defense on the northern front, even a limited tactical retreat, consolidating our forces and holding key nodes. We'll throw the problem to Moscow. Once the HTS forces truly threaten the security of Tartus and Latakia, the Kremlin will only have two choices: either watch helplessly as strategic assets are lost and their reputation is ruined, or they must go all out, deploying their air force and even cruise missiles deployed on ships to launch a devastating attack on the HTS offensive forces! They won't dare not act! So, we'll gamble with the Kremlin on the northern front, betting that they can't afford to lose these two ports even more than we can!”

This analysis was like striking a match in the dark, revealing a cold, geopolitically-based possibility to everyone.

The cook opened his mouth, wanting to refute, to point out the coldness and shortsightedness of those Moscow bureaucrats, but Song Heping's logic was impeccable.

Yes, Moscow may not care who is in power in Damascus, but it absolutely cannot ignore Tartus and Latakia!
This is Russia's bottom line!
So, to summarize.

Song Heping surveyed the entire scene. "In the south, we'll launch a decisive battle against Otaba, cutting off the enemy's spearhead. In the east, we'll rely on foreign forces to launch a surprise attack on Dehuk and destroy the 1515 supply depot. In the north, we'll tighten our defensive perimeter, shifting the burden to Moscow and forcing them to intervene. This three-pronged approach might not immediately turn the tide, but it definitely offers a chance to stabilize the front lines, gain a respite, and, if successful, even reverse the situation on some battlefields!"

A brief silence fell over the meeting as everyone rapidly considered the massive, risky, yet intricately interconnected plan.

Soon, an elderly general from Celia spoke first on the screen, his voice filled with excitement and determination: "Otaba's plan is risky, but worth a try! My troops are willing to act as bait!"

"My troops can serve as the main force in the ambush! But we demand the strongest artillery fire and air cover!"

"The commander at the other window shouted."

“De Hook’s operation… is amazing, but if successful, it will greatly reduce the pressure on the Eastern Front! I support it!” Questions and discussions began to rise, but they were no longer desperate complaints; instead, they were technical discussions about how to improve and execute the plan.

Song Heping, the cook, and the staff began to deal with various details: troop deployment, firepower configuration, logistical support, communication coordination, timelines...

Amid this pragmatic, even somewhat heated, discussion, hope is gradually rekindling.

Meanwhile, on the Persian Plateau, in a secret camp.

After the video conference ended, Jiang Feng, Nassin, Samir, and the commander of the Abuyu Brigade immediately left the communications tent.

The camp is now fully awake and in a state of maximum combat readiness.

The roar of engines replaced the silence of the night, and the headlights illuminated the valley.

"Assemble! All units, proceed according to the pre-arranged plan, check equipment, and collect ammunition and supplies! Complete all preparations for departure within one hour!"

Nassin shouted through a megaphone, his voice echoing through the mountains.

The officers called roll loudly and distributed extra rockets and shells.

Soldiers from the "Liberation Forces" lined up in neat rows as they carried heavy weapon crates out of the warehouse—containing brand-new rifles, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, and man-portable air defense systems.

Many of these were obtained through special channels or were acquired by Song Heping through various means.

Samir stood atop a pickup truck fitted with a heavy machine gun, delivering a calm and powerful pre-battle mobilization speech: "Fighters! The time for us to be tested has come! Our brothers are bleeding in Cyria, and those beasts of 1515 are destroying our homeland! Now, we will strike at their lair! For freedom! For revenge!"

"For freedom! For revenge!"

A deafening roar erupted, filled with a spirit of shared hatred for the enemy.

Jiang Feng, along with several technical officers and the commander of the Abuyu Brigade, gathered around a large map spread out on the hood of the engine.

The Abuyu Brigade is the local Kurdish armed force, familiar with the terrain, and their involvement is crucial.

"The route has been confirmed again. We'll start from here, traverse the border mountains, avoid major towns and checkpoint 1515... There might be an outpost here; we need to send a special forces team to take care of it silently..."

Jiang Feng's finger traced across the map as he communicated in a fluent mix of Kurdish and Arabic.

“This can be handed over to my ‘Desert Fox’ team,” Nassin said.

A faint buzzing sound came from the air above the camp.

A small, unmarked drone quietly took off and flew toward the Iligor border.

These are the first eyes of reconnaissance support provided by the Quds Force of the Persian Revolutionary Guard in accordance with the peace agreement with Song.

General Afanti's message also came through an encrypted channel: "Aerial reconnaissance is in place. Our drones will provide full battlefield monitoring and guidance. If necessary, artillery units in the border area can provide a salvo of rockets to cover your assault. May God bless your operation."

In one corner of the camp, the logistics officer was shouting hoarsely as he directed vehicles to refuel and load supplies. Artillery shells were crammed into the back of armed pickup trucks, and crates of rifle bullets were loaded onto trucks.

The medics were busy checking first-aid kits and stretchers.

The entire camp was like a war machine that had suddenly started, with every gear spinning at high speed.

The gears of war began to turn wildly once again.

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(End of this chapter)