Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1223 Following the right boss means you'll get what you deserve!
Simon's mind raced, and he began to examine Song Heping's proposal from a different perspective—

Let the Abuyu Brigade guard half of Kirkuk...

At least on the surface, this provides a barely acceptable explanation to the bureaucrats in Washington who need to face congressional questioning and media scrutiny, and to the Cholden autonomous government in Erbil, which needs to appease various internal factions.

That’s right!
After all, Abuyu is still a Kold'd ethnically and legally.

As for actual control...

In this lawless, war-torn land, strength is the only rule; everyone tacitly agrees and simply takes what they need.

Sometimes, a plausible excuse is far more important than the stark truth.

Seeing the uncertain expression on Simon's face, Song Heping knew that the guy had been cornered and his psychological defenses were beginning to crumble.

He decided to add one last spark, which was also a final ultimatum.

Simon,

Song Heping said coldly, "This is the most 'understanding' solution I can offer to help you with your difficulties. It is also your last chance. If you hesitate any longer, try to stall or play the bureaucratic game of shirking responsibility and delaying... then there's no need to talk anymore."

He raised his hand and pointed unceremoniously to the simple wooden door of the conference room: "The door is there, please make yourselves at home. From now on, Kirkuk is my private territory, Song Heping's territory. Any unauthorized forces that set foot there will be considered an invasion. As for the trouble in Hurmatu, you can figure it out yourselves. Whether you send your marines to fill in the gaps or have the air force drop bombs endlessly, it's none of my business."

The last few words, spoken slowly and deliberately, struck Simon's heart like a hammer blow.

He suddenly raised his head and met Song Heping's determined gaze. He could tell that the other party was definitely not putting on an act, much less joking.

If this negotiation breaks down, there will truly be no room for maneuver.

All doors to negotiation will be completely closed.

"This is a serious matter; I need to make a phone call."

Simon stood up abruptly, and because he moved so fast, the chair legs scraped against the rough cement floor, making a screeching sound.

"Please."

Song Heping made a "casual" gesture, sat down leisurely, picked up the seemingly endless cup of coarse tea again, sniffed it lightly, and then leisurely sipped it.

Simon strode out of the conference room, found a relatively quiet corner, and dialed the encrypted satellite phone in National Security Advisor Brennan's office again.

Sure enough, as soon as the line connected, and after Simon mentioned Song Heping's conditions for taking half of Kirkuk's territory, Brennan's furious roar came through the receiver:

"What?! Let him control half of the Kirkuk oil field?! And in such an insulting way?! F**k! Simon! Was your brain blown out of shape by the Iligo sandstorm?! Or was that yellow-skinned monkey bewitched?! This is absolutely impossible! Don't even think about it! This is a blatant provocation against the authority of the United States of America! It's a serious extortion and humiliation of our global strategy! We would rather..."

Simon listened expressionlessly, his facial muscles stiff, letting Brennan vent his emotions on the phone.

Only when the roar on the other end of the receiver paused slightly due to a breath did he interrupt in a tone as devoid of emotion as possible: "Sir, please calm down. Objectively speaking, this is the best condition I can negotiate to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, and it is also the only chance to keep 'Project Crucible' going."

He paused, then emphasized, almost uttering each word as he repeated Song Heping's exact words: "Song stressed that this is the 'last chance.' If we refuse now, he will completely shut down the negotiation channels. At that point, we will permanently lose the possibility of influencing the status quo in Kirkuk, and we will have to bear the consequences of the complete collapse of the security situation in Hurmatu and even the entire northwest of Ilig. I don't think we can afford that price, either strategically or in terms of political reputation."

There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone.

Only Brennan's heavy breathing could be clearly heard through the electrical current.

Time passed second by second, each second feeling like an eternity.

Simon could clearly feel that his hands, which were gripping the phone tightly, were covered in sweat.

He knew that although Brennan was known for his fiery temper, he was definitely not a fool who could be completely controlled by his emotions to have reached that position and control such a huge amount of intelligence and strategic resources.

He was more aware and ruthless than anyone else about the pros and cons and the risks involved.

Finally, after a long silence, the sound of Brennan's teeth grinding together came from the other end of the phone:
"F**k! Fine... he won... tell that son of a bitch... we... agree... fucking damn it!"

Simon hung up the phone, walked back to the conference room with a sigh of relief, and stiffly sat back down in the chair opposite Song Heping.

The sturdy folding chair now seemed to be covered with invisible spikes, making him restless.

Song Heping didn't urge him, but slowly sipped the now lukewarm tea in his cup, then looked up at him without saying a word, as if to say, "Well, you've finished asking the master for instructions and getting scolded, right? Now, can we get down to business?"

Simon let out all the pent-up frustration in his chest before saying, "Song, your conditions...we...in principle, agree."

He ultimately resorted to that nasty diplomatic language.

"In principle?"

Song Heping put down his teacup, the bottom of which made a crisp "clatter" as it hit the table, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

“We’re all adults, we’ve all been through thick and thin, let’s not play these bureaucratic word games. Okay or no? Give me a straight answer. My troops are being mobilized, ammunition is being inventoried, and logistics are being replenished. More than ten thousand people are waiting for my orders. My time is very precious.”

Simon felt the veins on his forehead throb uncontrollably again. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! But the specific details must be clear! There can be no more ambiguity!"

"certainly,"

Song Heping leaned forward, crossed his hands on the table, and instantly switched from the leisurely tea drinker to the shrewd negotiator: "Tell me, what exactly did you agree to in your 'principle'?"

"Eastern Kirkuk oilfield area..."

Simon said, almost emphasizing each word, "The Abuyu Brigade can be responsible for the garrison."

He specifically emphasized "stationing" rather than "controlling".

"However, we must maintain a unified narrative externally, claiming that the Abuyu Brigade, the local Kold's armed forces, is assisting in the defense and jointly maintaining security and stability in the region. You absolutely cannot publicly claim sovereignty or exclusive control over the area. This is the bottom line!"

Song Heping smiled, a smile that seemed to say, "It should have been done sooner rather than later, why waste everyone's time?" He replied, "No problem. I'll give you face. The substance is mine. Abyu and his men are all legitimate Kold'ds, so it's perfectly legitimate for his troops to be stationed here, and no one can find fault with that. As long as your people, and those guys in Erbil's gang, know their place and don't overstep their bounds by trespassing on my territory, everyone can save face."

Simon didn't dwell on the issue any longer; he knew this was the best outcome he could achieve. He immediately moved on to the next core issue: "Therefore, 'Operation Crucible' must be restarted immediately and unconditionally! The offensive in the Hurmatu direction must begin as quickly as possible after the agreement is formally signed! There can be no further delays!"

"Where's the money?"

Song Heping was direct and to the point, without any beating around the bush. "My brothers aren't robots, and they can't go to war on empty stomachs with sticks in their hands. One billion dollars. The contract, signed with the Pentagon. The money must be in my account as soon as possible, especially the initial funding. I can tell you clearly that my troops won't move an inch until the first payment is in my account. As for my television interview... that can be done after the Battle of Tetrick."

"One billion...that number is negotiable."

Simon felt his heart pounding again.

"However, the specific payment methods, installment schedules, and performance evaluation criteria linked to operational results all need to be clearly defined..."

"Those are the details that Pentagon civil servants and accountants need to scrutinize."

Song Heping waved his hand impatiently and said:
"What I need now is equipment! Heavy equipment! The list I submitted to you before, the complete configuration of a standard US Army mechanized infantry battalion, main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery, supporting ammunition supplies, fuel supply vehicles, maintenance and support vehicles—not a single one can be missing! Don't try to fool me with those nearly obsolete stockpiles in your warehouses, or those stripped-down, inferior versions of equipment. What I want is good stuff that can immediately form combat capability!" Simon felt that the pace of the negotiation was completely controlled by the other party. He didn't want it to be this way, but he had no choice.

This type of negotiation focuses on negotiating terms based on one's strength and position.

I don't have many chips to play right now.

"The equipment... can be provided. However, as you know, the transportation, handover, and personnel training for such a large quantity of heavy equipment all take time..."

"time?"

Song Heping interrupted him without any politeness:
“Simon, tell me, whose side is time on? Will those lunatics entrenched in Hurmatu patiently wait for us to leisurely complete all the handover formalities before politely inviting us to attack? I have a practical suggestion for you: first, use your existing stockpiles and transportation channels at your various military bases in Iligor to urgently replenish my supplies, at least to meet my initial operational needs. The rest can be delivered in batches according to plan. This is my bottom line.”

He paused and continued:
"You see, my demands are actually very simple and fair: the Abuyu Brigade will occupy half of the oil fields in Kirkuk, ensuring the foundation for my subsequent operations and an independent source of funding; you will provide money and good equipment, and I will provide manpower and resources to help you tackle the tough issues of Hurmatu and Titrick, and resolve the troubles that keep you up at night. We each get what we need, and it's a very fair deal."

Looking at Song Heping's expression that said, "I've been very reasonable," Simon felt a strong sense of powerlessness and absurdity.

Where is this fair trade?
This is blatant profiteering!

He took advantage of the fact that the Americans desperately needed him to solve their thorny problems, and brazenly plundered strategic interests that did not originally belong to him!

But what could he say?

What can be done?

Song Heping's situation was stronger than his own.

In the quagmire of Iligo, he had no cards in his hand that could immediately counter Song Heping.

"……All right."

Simon compromised, saying, "Let's... let's go with this framework. The Abuyu Brigade controls the eastern Kirkuk oil field area, and the official line is that it's for mutual defense. The billion-dollar contract has been signed with the Pentagon, and the contract will be delivered to you tonight. Once the first batch of funds and equipment arrives before sunset tomorrow, your troops must immediately advance towards Hurmatu. This is the final condition."

"Great! Who says Americans are slow? Look at you guys, you're very efficient!"

Song Heping's smile was no longer mocking and playful, but he still couldn't help teasing Simon.

"Then it's settled! Let the advisors work out the specific terms and conditions word by word. Simon, I hope this collaboration goes well."

He stretched out his hand.

"make a deal!"

This time, Simon did not hesitate at all and quickly reached out to shake hands with Song Heping.

An agreement was finally reached after much difficulty.

There was no champagne, no celebration, only each person's deep calculations about the future.

After seeing off the ashen-faced Simon and his group, Song Heping had no time to feel smug; his mind raced like a finely tuned machine.

"Summon Abuyu and Samir to come to headquarters immediately."

He gave orders to the guards standing at the door.

Just two or three minutes later, heavy and hurried footsteps could be heard outside the command center.

The door was pushed open, and Abuyu entered first, followed closely by Samir.

"Boss, how did the talks go? Did the Americans soften their stance?"

Samir spoke first.

Song Heping did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to Abuyu and said in a deep voice, "Abuyu, I'm giving you a task, a task you've probably been dreaming about for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Abuyu's spirits lifted instantly: "Boss, give the order! I'll go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"We don't need to go through fire and water for now."

Song Heping walked to the huge map, picked up the baton, and pointed precisely to the eastern region of Kirkuk.

"Immediately transfer the two most loyal battalions from your brigade to garrison the eastern Kirkuk oil fields. Remember, only the eastern half! The rest of the territory will be returned to the Kold'd Union of Erbil."

He used his baton to draw a clear dividing line on the map.

“From today onwards, this area, along with its oil wells and facilities, is under your management and defense. Keep it firmly in place like a nail! You can raise your traditional Kold's banner to appease the local people, but…”

His tone suddenly turned stern, "The rules there must be the rules we set! Anyone or any force that dares to challenge the rules, regardless of their background, will be eliminated! Understand?"

Abuyu could hardly believe his ears.

Kirkuk!

That's Kirkuk, known as the "Iligo Oil Depot"!
It is incredibly wealthy and a strategic location that all powers covet!
Moreover, it wasn't far from his hometown of Erbil, from which he was forced to leave!
Six months ago, he was ostracized and framed by those Koldy politicians and the so-called "compatriots" armed alliance in Erbil, and was eventually driven out like a stray dog. It was Song Heping who took him in when he was most desperate and gave him weapons and dignity.

He thought that he would be forced to wander abroad for the rest of his life, forever bearing humiliation, and would never be able to return to this land where his ancestors' blood flowed as a victor.

But now...

Song Heping not only allowed him to return with dignity, but also handed over half of the Kirkuk oil field, a piece of meat that countless people coveted, directly into his hands!

what does this mean?
This means that there will be a continuous influx of petrodollars in the future, that his troops will have an astonishing amount of military spending and supplies, and that Abuyu himself will truly have his own territory and voice!
This is nothing short of a life-saving grace!
Follow Song Heping, and you'll get to eat meat!
"Boss! I...I..."

Eddie's lips trembled uncontrollably, and his eyes instantly turned red.

Song Heping coldly replied, "Don't be too happy yet! The mission is extremely difficult, even more so than taking it! The Kold'd armed alliance in Erbil, and the politicians behind them, will absolutely not be willing to watch you go back and take such a large slice of the pie. They are likely to become enraged and find various excuses, even resorting to a surprise attack, to try to drive you out and regain control of the oil fields. You will face open and covert attacks from your 'compatriots'!"

"Let them come! I've wanted to settle this old score with them for a long time!"

Abuyu suddenly straightened his neck, a wolf-like glint flashing in his fierce eyes.

"Courage and hatred alone are not enough!"

Song Heping said in a deep voice:
"War is about comprehensive strength! I will immediately transfer an elite mercenary battalion from our headquarters in Africa with the highest priority, and they will be placed under your direct command! Your core mission is not to launch an offensive, but to hold the line! Hold the eastern oil fields like a rock! Ensure the oil wells are operating normally and that oil revenues flow continuously into our pockets! That's the fundamental thing! Understand? If you can't hold the line, everything else is meaningless!"

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

　　
　
(End of this chapter)