Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1201 There are no eternal enemies

America is like a bad woman.

Song Heping has never changed his mind on this point.

What politicians in Washington need are loyal dogs.

Song Heping is not a dog.

I can't be a dog either.

Therefore, even though Song Heping had just cleaned up his name and regained his legal status, he still believed that he was likely to turn against the Americans in the future.

After all, even if you're a dog for the Americans, you never know when you might be cooked and served as food, let alone someone like me who has always been independent.

It's possible that the higher-ups in the US are already planning to take action against us after annihilating the 1515 militia.

Never overestimate the moral bottom line of the ruling class in a hegemonic country.

Be prepared for unforeseen circumstances and be mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace.

The wisdom of our ancestors is never wrong.

Therefore, Song Heping must maximize his interests now.

Money, weapons, and soldiers!
Children make choices; adults want it all.

The following morning, at 9:50 AM.

In the heart of Bakta's "Green Zone," the coalition joint command center building exudes a chilling aura that keeps strangers at bay, even under the blazing sunlight.

The reinforced concrete walls are thick, the windows are narrow and fitted with blast-proof mesh, and the outlines of communication antennas and what appear to be close-in weapon systems are faintly visible on the roof.

The U.S. soldiers surrounding the building were wearing full-on Interceptor body armor and dark goggles. The muzzles of their M4A1 carbines were slightly lowered, but their fingers were pressed firmly against the trigger guards.

Song Heping and "Hunter," dressed in Multicam camouflage combat uniforms, entered the building. After passing through layers of strict identity verification, metal detectors, and biometric identification, the two were guided into the command center building by a stoic U.S. military liaison officer.

The blast door to the conference room was pushed open from the inside by the guards.

Instantly, all eyes in the room—whether scrutinizing, curious, or openly hostile—focused on Song Heping at the door.

Many of the U.S. military officers here had never met Song Heping.

But many people had already heard of Song Heping.

Everyone knows this guy was once a legendary figure here.

A notorious leader who was once on the terrorist list now swaggered into the U.S. military command center and became a guest of honor.

Aside from surprise, everyone could only marvel at how wonderful the world is.

Even if someone lives to be a hundred, there will still be news to read.

In the center of the conference room was a huge rectangular conference table, on which were placed bottled water, notebooks, and several small encrypted communication devices.

One side of the wall features a high-resolution electronic tactical map that occupies the entire wall. It is currently in standby mode, displaying a satellite image of Iligo and the surrounding area.

On the other side, several LCD screens were suspended, two of which were already lit up, displaying video feeds of the Persian representative Afanti and the Russian representative Brigadier General Netsov, respectively.

Several people were already seated at the table.

One of them is Colonel Kurt, the current commander of the U.S. forces stationed in Iligo. The U.S. military has been gradually withdrawing from Iligo for more than three years.

So far, the only U.S. military presence here is an air force base and a small number of Army and logistics personnel.

The actual combat force was small, numbering less than a thousand.

This is why the White House agreed to cooperate with former "terrorist" Song Heping.

Unless a large-scale troop deployment is reinstated in Iligo, the U.S. military, with its current 2,000-plus troops in the Green Zone and nearby bases, is simply unable to eliminate the tens of thousands of 1515 militants and pro-1515 local armed groups in the northwest.

Colonel Kurt had an innate distrust of Song Heping.

What truly heightened the tension was the man standing next to Colonel Kurt.

Major James.

U.S. Special Forces Major Commander.

When Song Heping's gaze met his, it was as if sparks exploded in the air.

If looks could kill, Major James would be willing to kill Song Heping a thousand times over with his gaze.

A chase through the deserts and mountains of Syria, the dying screams of subordinates over the radio, countless meticulously planned encirclements that were thwarted by the enemy slipping away like eels...

The failure and losses of that operation were etched into his memory like a brand.

Now, his superiors have ordered him to sit at the same table with this former mortal enemy, referring to him as an "ally."

This is the greatest mockery of him and his sacrificed subordinates.

Song Heping could clearly sense the hostility.

The other party is unhappy.

Song Heping wanted to make these people even more unhappy.

So, meeting the gazes of Colonel Kurt and Major James, he stepped forward and greeted them, "Gentlemen, would you like to introduce yourselves?"

Colonel Kurt paused for a moment, then stood up first.

Out of basic courtesy, and also to maintain the current cooperative relationship.

He extended his hand, his movements precise but slightly stiff: "Mr. Song, welcome. I hope our cooperation will go smoothly in the future."

His English had a Texas accent, an official tone, and lacked emotional depth.

Song Heping reached out and gently shook his hand; it felt dry and strong.

"Colonel Kurt."

He responded simply, his voice steady.

"I've heard about you."

His gaze then shifted to Major James, who was still sitting there.

Major James finally made a move.

He stood up extremely slowly, his movements like those of a rusty machine, every joint conveying reluctance.

He didn't reach out, but stared intently at Song Heping with his cold eyes, his jaw muscles tense, and squeezed out three words through clenched teeth, like shards of ice:

"Song Heping."

It was almost like gritting one's teeth, as harsh as cutting off someone's ear.

The omission of the name in the title is more like a declaration of contempt and a clear demarcation.

Song Heping didn't care at all, as he had expected this to happen.

He met James's murderous gaze and nodded very slightly, the movement so small it was as if a muscle in his neck had twitched slightly.

There were no words, no expressions, but that utter, condescending disregard was more lethal than any tit-for-tat response.

He walked straight to his seat, pulled out the chair, and sat down.

The movements were fluid and natural, as if the tense scene from just moments ago had never happened.

The "Hunter" stood silently by the wall behind him, like a silent shadow, but his gaze never left Major James and the several American officers beside him.

A hint of helplessness flashed in Colonel Kurt's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

He cleared his throat, sat down again, and glanced at everyone present and the representatives on the screen: "Ladies and gentlemen, now that everyone is here, let's begin. The main purpose of this meeting is to finalize the details and timetable of Operation 'The Crucible.' Mr. Song is the main planner and executor of the ground offensive for this operation, and he will now introduce the specific deployment." All eyes turned to Song Heping once again.

Without any further formalities, Song Heping stood up and walked to the huge electronic tactical map.

He picked up the stylus, and the screen lit up instantly, displaying a high-precision military map with lines and symbols of different colors marking the enemy and friendly positions, the axis of attack, and key target points.

"Based on the consensus we reached in Erbil, and the preparations made over the past few days—"

His English was so standard that his accent was almost inaudible. "I hereby declare that Operation 'The Crucible' is officially launched."

As the stylus swept across the map, a striking red arrow extended from the city of Sulaymaniyah.

"Seven days later, at 4:30 a.m. local time, the offensive on the eastern front was launched, with attacks launched from two directions."

His tone left no room for doubt.

"I am in direct command of the Sulaymaniyah operation, which includes two elite mercenary battalions drawn from Africa by the 'Musician' Defense Company, the main force of the 'Liberation Forces' guerrillas, and the Abuyu Brigade, totaling approximately 15,000 troops. Our mission is to advance south from Sulaymaniyah, with our primary strategic objective being—"

The pen tip pressed heavily at the location of Daguk Town.

"Capture Daguk! This is a crucial stronghold for the 1515 Armed Forces' eastern defense. Taking it will open the gateway to the south."

The red arrow continues its unwavering southward advance, pointing towards another major town.

"After capturing Daguk, we will not linger. Taking advantage of the surprise attack, we will press our advantage and pursue our ultimate goal—Titrick!"

The pen tip drew a circle around Titrick, like a scope being fitted over a target.

"Occupying Titrick will completely sever the connection between the 1515 militia in the Ozam region and western Mosul and other areas, completing a strategic break!"

He paused briefly, allowing those present to fully process the information, before turning his gaze to General Saif, the army commander of the Ilig government forces, sitting at the table.

"Another direction is the Iligian government army's 9th Armored Division and two other mechanized divisions, commanded by General Saif..."

Song Heping continued, “Your mission is to launch a powerful feint and diversionary attack on the outer positions of Ozam from west of Bakda at the same time I move south. We need to create the appearance of a decisive battle, attract and hold the attention of the Ozam defenders to the greatest extent possible, and create opportunities for my troops to advance south.”

General Saif frowned as he looked at the symbol for the fortified fortress of Ozam on the map, tapping his thick fingers on the table, but ultimately offered no objection.

He knew that his troops were far less capable of attacking fortified positions than these experienced mercenaries and guerrillas, and that while the diversionary mission was equally dangerous, it was more realistic.

He replied in a deep voice, "Rest assured, we will complete our mission."

Song Heping turned his gaze to the Russian representative on the big screen.

"Brigadier General Nezov, Western Front and beyond."

The stylus jumped to the eastern region of Syria.

"The Russian and Syrian government forces must launch the planned large-scale strategic counter-offensive in eastern Syria, particularly along the Deir ez-Zor to Raqqa line, within 48 hours of the start of the fighting in the Ozam direction. I need you to firmly contain the main force of the 1515 armed group within Syrian territory and prevent them from crossing the border to reinforce the Ilig battlefield."

Brigadier General Netsov, speaking into the microphone on the screen, replied in heavily accented Russian English: "The Russian Aerospace Forces, special forces, Wagner mercenaries, and Sierra Leonean government ground forces have completed their assembly as planned and will launch the attack on time. Coordinates and time points will be synchronized through the agreed channels."

"The North, Mr. Afanti."

Song Heping's pen moved towards the mountainous region north of Iligo, near the Persian border.

"The southward offensive by the Persian forces and their allies is scheduled to begin when my southward advance forces capture Daguk and confirm their attack on Titrick. Your mission is to utilize the mountainous terrain to quickly advance southward, disrupt the 1515 militia's defense system and command nodes in the northern region to the greatest extent possible, eliminate their scattered strongholds, and capture high-value targets."

In the video, Afanti is still wearing his simple traditional robe, but his eyes are deep.

He made no unnecessary movements, simply nodding slightly at the camera and stating concisely: "Understood. The Quds Force and allied forces are in position."

Finally, Song Heping's gaze returned to the conference table, first sweeping over Colonel Kurt, and then settling on Major James, who had been wearing an indignant expression.

"The most crucial border blockade and air support will be left to our brothers in the US military."

Song Heping's stylus drew a thick blue arc along the long border between Iligo and Cyria.

“Here, on the border of Syria, an impregnable firewall needs to be built.”

His pen then moved to the yellowish-brown region south of Ilig, representing the vast desert, and drew a huge circle.

“This place, the southern desert, is our designated ‘aerial hunting zone’.”

He looked at Major James, his gaze calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:
"These two areas require absolute, 24/7 air superiority from the U.S. military, as well as timely, intense, and precise air strikes. Major James—"

He emphasized this title.

"Your special forces team needs to advance to key border passes and high points on the edge of the desert to establish observation posts, providing air power with real-time, accurate target designation and damage assessment. Your eyes will determine whether air firepower can be maximized and whether the 1515 militants attempting to roam can be completely buried in the desert."

Major James felt that every word Song Heping said was a deliberate reminder of his past failure in the Celia desert, as if mocking his current predicament of wanting to kill the other party but having to obey him.

He didn't look at Song Heping, but instead turned his gaze directly to Colonel Kurt, saying with obvious resentment:
"Colonel! My squad has deployed to its designated position as planned. We will complete our mission. Ensuring timely and accurate air support is the responsibility of the Air Force Wing and the Theater Command!"

He emphasized "his own mission," deliberately excluding Song Heping, and made it clear that he was only responsible for the command chain within the U.S. military, rather than following the orders of Song Heping, an "outsider."

A fleeting hint of embarrassment and anger crossed Colonel Kurt's face, but he quickly concealed it.

He coughed lightly, trying to smooth things over, saying, "Major James, cooperation is a two-way street. Mr. Song, please rest assured, the theater command has approved a detailed air support plan, and the air force and navy aviation wings will fully cooperate. Fire call channels and identification signals will be kept clear."

Song Heping remained noncommittal about James's attitude and Kurt's attempt to smooth things over, simply saying, "I hope so."

They then stopped dwelling on the topic.

He knew that in this level of cooperation, demanding superficial obedience was meaningless; ultimately, it was the actual performance on the battlefield and the binding of interests that would drive progress.

The meeting then moved into a more tedious but crucial phase of technical coordination.

The allocation of communication frequencies, the daily changing rules for IFF signals, the priority and procedures for emergency fire calls, the clarification of rules for inter-unit firefights, especially to avoid friendly fire incidents by US and Russian air forces, the coordination of casualty evacuation routes and medical support, and the establishment and security of logistical supply points...

Every detail is crucial to the smooth operation and the lives of thousands of soldiers.

Song Heping always stood in front of the map or wrote key information on the whiteboard, clearly explaining each step and responding to questions and supplementary requests from all parties, especially the US and Russia, regarding technical details.

His thinking was meticulous, and his understanding of the battlefield environment and logistical operations was profound, demonstrating a level of professionalism and strategic vision far exceeding that of ordinary mercenary leaders.

Major James remained silent for most of the time, only making requests or confirming information in the most concise and professional terms when it came to his squad's specific operational routes, withdrawal points, and coordination frequencies with the Air Force. He avoided any direct eye contact or verbal communication with Song Heping throughout the entire process.

But his tight lips and the occasional unconscious stroking of the pistol grip at his waist betrayed his extreme inner turmoil.

The meeting lasted for nearly three hours.

When all the major details were finalized, Colonel Kurt announced the end of the meeting, and everyone stood up.

Major James stood up almost immediately, without even glancing at Song Heping, and strode straight toward the door, as if he couldn't bear to stay even a second longer.

Several special forces officers he brought with him followed closely behind, sweeping out like a suppressed storm.

Song Heping leisurely organized the documents in front of him, then stood up, nodded politely to Colonel Kot and General Saif, and then greeted Afanti and Nezov, who were still connected on the screen, before leaving unhurriedly with "Hunter".

As he stepped out of the command center building, the scorching sun and the distinctive mixed smell of Bakda enveloped him once again.

He squinted slightly, looking at the low, dilapidated buildings outside the "Green Zone" wall in the distance, and the blurry horizon where the sky and earth meet further away.

Eight years of forbearance, struggle, and bloody battles in the fire and blood finally pushed him to this position where he could personally influence the regional situation.

Returning to Bakta, a city filled with memories and scars, and feigning friendship with his former nemesis, is merely the first step for him to reach a higher stage.

The real test will come in the upcoming "Furnace" operation.

He not only had to face the ruthless and cunning "1515" armed forces and command a multi-front, hard-fought battle in complex urban and desert terrain, but also had to be constantly on guard against potential sneak attacks from "allies," especially from people like Major James who put personal grudges above the mission.

War has never changed.

Human nature is more unpredictable than the battlefield.

　Today's update is 9,000 words.

　　Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)