Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1187 Secret Telegram Under the Night
Langley, Virginia, USA, outside the city center.

As night deepened, Simon silently slid his black limousine into his garage.

The room was silent, with only a dim yellow night light remaining in the corridor.

His wife and children were already asleep.

Home is always the most relaxing haven.

Even an intelligence chief is no exception.

He took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie, a familiar sense of relaxation returning to his body.

First, he tiptoed into the study, followed strict confidentiality procedures, took out the encrypted documents from the briefcase, and locked them in the safe inside the wall.

His fingertips traced the cold metal cabinet door, making a soft click. This slightly ritualistic action allowed his chaotic thoughts to settle down a little.

Then, he went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of black coffee.

A rich, bitter aroma filled the air. He leaned against the kitchen counter, gazing at the tranquil night outside the window, his mind racing.

Song Heping...

The name haunted my mind like a ghost.

The sense of defeat from the day was still vivid—1515's last-minute retreat, Bakdadi's complete lack of credibility, and the formidable fighting power displayed by the "Liberation Forces" in Nineveh Province.

The plan to use someone else to do the dirty work completely failed, which instead highlighted Song Heping's value.

A dangerous thought resurfaced—perhaps, cooperation really is possible?

Use this sharp knife to remove the even more troublesome 1515?

But the idea itself is full of paradoxes and risks.

Song Heping is on the list, he is an enemy, and cooperating with the enemy is tantamount to dancing with the devil.

He took a deep breath, carried the coffee back to his study, and locked the door.

The heavy curtains shut out everything from the outside world.

He took out his dedicated encrypted satellite phone, took a deep breath as if to muster his courage, and finally dialed the satellite phone number he had memorized.

The Persian Plateau, a secret camp of the "Liberation Front".

Song Heping stood at the edge of the camp, gazing at the distant, rolling mountains that were gradually revealing their true form in the morning light, pondering his next plan.

Suddenly, the satellite phone in my pocket vibrated.

He took it out, looked at the encrypted number on the screen that had been forwarded multiple times, and a very faint smile appeared on his lips.

Then gently press the answer button.

"Director."

His voice was steady, showing no sign of fatigue from the life-or-death struggle he had just experienced, nor any surprise at this uninvited "guest".

Everything seemed to be going as expected.

"Song".

Simon's voice was processed with encryption software and was severely distorted.

"It seems you've safely returned to your territory. Congratulations."

He avoided directly asking about the location; this was an unspoken understanding.

"Thanks to you, I almost stayed in the Gobi Desert of Syria forever."

Song Heping's tone carried a perfectly measured sarcasm, like a tiny needle gently piercing through the insincere pleasantries.

"I heard that the 1515 armed group sent a lot of people to arrest me. Was that your doing?"

Simon blushed and gave a dry laugh on the other end of the phone to cover his embarrassment.

He knew what the other party was referring to.

"Song, I had no choice in the matter..."

"I know, do I look like I'm about to interrogate you?" Song Heping laughed.

It feels really great to be able to capture the number one person in the world's largest intelligence agency.

Who else?
Who else!
"I suddenly had a bold idea today."

Simon paused for a moment before saying, "Have you ever considered that perhaps there's another way for you and us to get along..."

"Me? With you?" Song Heping's tone carried a hint of sarcasm: "Director, you're talking about me and you, aren't you? Aren't we cooperating right now? It's quite pleasant."

Simon's face flushed slightly again.

"Let me be frank. What happened in Nineveh today has already proven your capabilities to the top brass at the Pentagon and the White House, and it also proves that the combat effectiveness of your armed forces far exceeds any of our previous assessments."

He paused, seemingly choosing a more accurate word.

"We might... be able to explore a possibility of cooperation that aligns with the interests of both parties under the new circumstances."

"cooperate?"

Song Heping's tone was somewhat amused, "Cooperate with the United States, which has listed me as a terrorist and wants to get rid of me as soon as possible? Mr. Simon, don't you think that sounds ironic?"

American imperialists are arrogant; they will always act unreasonably whenever possible. If they do try to reason with anyone, it's only because they're forced into it.

A quote from the leader suddenly popped into my mind.

He sneered inwardly. Americans were always like this; when direct force or intrigue failed, they would think of "cooperation."

It seems that this is no different from our earlier assessment.

They still came to our door as planned.

"In international politics, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests."

Simon repeated this diplomatic phrase, attempting to justify the abrupt proposal.

"At least on the point of completely eradicating 1515, our goals are highly aligned. You need legitimacy and sustained resources, and we need a reliable partner who can effectively combat 1515 locally. Admittedly, the Iligo government forces... have let us down far too many times."

His last sentence was filled with genuine frustration.

Song Heping remained silent for a few seconds, without immediately responding.

The silence seemed to carry a weight, pressing down on Simon's heart through the radio waves.

He wasn't considering whether or not to cooperate.

Because I had already thought about the future.

The American reaction was largely as expected.

A paper tiger!
That's it!

What is needed now is to assess the timing and manner in which the conditions are proposed.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth and responded: "Cooperation is possible. But I have conditions."

“Please speak.” Simon’s heart leaped; he knew the real negotiations had begun.

"First,"

Song Heping stated clearly, “The US government must use all its power to permanently remove me and the ‘Liberation Force’ from all terrorist lists and publicly clarify that we are a militia dedicated to counterterrorism and maintaining regional stability. This is the basis for cooperation; without this premise, there is no point in discussing anything. As for what excuses and reasons you need to come up with, that’s your business. I believe you are very good at doing this kind of thing.”

He deliberately emphasized "permanent" and "public".

Simon fell into a brief silence.

He could hear his own heartbeat quickening.

This condition... is too sensitive.

Removing someone deemed a "dangerous person" by multiple parties from the terrorist list, and also from the UN list, involves not only procedural issues but also enormous political risks.

"...Please continue."

He decided to listen to the next terms.

"Second, during the cooperation, the governments of America and Iligor must formally recognize the legal status of the 'Liberation Forces,' incorporate it into Iligor's national security framework, and grant it the same funding and equipment as the government forces. Specifically, we need heavy weapons, including tanks and artillery, area air defense systems, comprehensive and timely intelligence sharing, and necessary close air support."

The weight on Simon's heart was increasing.

He felt the pressure.

"Third, after the cooperative recapture of Nineveh Province, especially key cities such as Mosul, the governance and security affairs of the region must be led by Samir, whom I trust. The central government of Iligo must formally appoint Samir as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nineveh Provincial Security Forces."

Simon, on the contrary, breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, Samir's "Liberation Forces" militia, while not pro-American, has at least always operated under the banner of opposing the 1515 armed group.

There's nothing seriously wrong with the political spectrum.

"Fourth, as part of this cooperation and subsequent military expenditure compensation and post-war reconstruction funds, the full exploitation rights and profits for at least two medium-sized oil fields with proven reserves and exploitable conditions within Nineveh Province must be transferred to our management. Furthermore, this must be written into the agreement, and the Kold'd armed forces will not be allowed to take advantage of the situation to enter Nineveh Province and seize its interests in any form."

Benefit……

Simon sneered inwardly.

Song Heping is indeed a PMC boss.

Every sentence revolves around self-interest.

"fifth,"

Song Heping raised his voice slightly, “Restore and protect my and my affiliated companies’ status as authorized logistics suppliers for the U.S. military, allowing us to participate in the U.S. military’s global logistics supply procurement system, especially in relevant regions. That’s what I deserve. I was already under contract for the U.S. military’s supply chain in Iligo. It was your CIA that forced me to the opposite side.”

He spoke in one breath, clearly and logically, covering politics, military affairs, economics, and even his personal identity.

Simon finally understood.

Clearly, this plan had been brewing in Song Heping's mind for a long time, and it was by no means a spur-of-the-moment idea after achieving a minor victory in Nineveh Province.

SHIT!

Simon suddenly felt like he had been tricked.

This feeling is very uncomfortable.

It seems that everything was planned and manipulated in advance.

Dealing with Song Heping often brings up these frustrating thoughts for no apparent reason.

Simon fell into an even longer silence.

He could clearly hear his own heavy breathing and even imagine the shocked and incredulous expression on his face.

These conditions...

It's not fair to call it harsh!
That's absolutely insane!

Remove Song Heping from the list?
This almost overturns part of the counterterrorism policy definition from the past few years!
Recognize the legitimacy of Samir's armed forces and grant them the same treatment as government troops?

That's actually the easiest one.

But this would completely alter the balance of power in northern Iligo, amounting to nothing more than supporting a new, and potentially more difficult-to-control, warlord!

Should Samir be given control of Nineveh?
This completely undermines the authority of the central government in Iligor!
Exploitation rights for two oil fields?

This is blatant resource plunder, and it will affect the interests of countless international oil giants!
Reinstating its status as a logistics supplier, and now targeting business in Afghanistan?

This guy's appetite is absolutely insatiable!

"Song..."

Finally, Simon spoke.

"I must say frankly that the conditions you have put forward... especially the first, fourth, and fifth... involve a scope and sensitivity that far exceeds the general meaning of 'cooperation.' With all due respect, given your current... official 'status' and 'value' assessment, the White House and Congress... are almost certainly not going to agree to such conditions."

He struggled to choose the right words, trying to make the other person recognize "reality".

To Simon's surprise, Song Heping was not angry at all on the other end of the phone. Instead, he let out a soft laugh with a hint of mystery.

"Hehe, Director Simon, don't rush to conclusions."

Song Heping's voice carried a strange certainty.

“My value… The White House will soon have the opportunity to reassess it. When that time comes, if you propose this cooperation plan at the right time, there may be much less resistance.”

Simon was taken aback, and instinctively asked, "Soon? What opportunity?"

He was filled with doubt. What other major operation had Song Heping planned that he was unaware of?

"The secret cannot be leaked."

Song Heping's voice returned to calm, but carried an unapproachable tone.

"Remember, you'll see what kind of opportunity I'm talking about. When you bring up this plan then, it might be much more effective."

After saying that, he didn't give Simon a chance to speak again, and the call was abruptly cut off.

Simon listened to the busy tone coming from the receiver, sat in his chair for a long while in a daze, and then slowly put the phone back on the table.

Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his temples.

Shock, absurdity, a hint of annoyance at being slighted, but more than anything, a chill that seeped into my bones and…

A vague premonition.

Song Heping's last few words did not seem like a bluff.

FUCK!

What big thing is this guy up to now?!

Thinking of this, he reached for the phone again, this time a landline, and quickly dialed the number of the head of the Middle East intelligence department.

"This is Simon. Prepare a comprehensive intelligence analysis of northwestern Ilig. I need to see it in my internal mailbox as soon as I get to work tomorrow morning."

(End of this chapter)