Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1225 If you're capable, you'll get your share of the money!
Song Heping's tough stance left Simon feeling hopeless.

He could only turn to the phone and say, “Sir… he… he insists on cash. And… he pointed out our… cash reserve in Bakta. He demands… the cash must be delivered to Gug by 9 p.m.”

Silence fell again on the other end of the phone.

Then came an even more frantic and desperate roar, even mixed with the sound of something being smashed to pieces!

"F**k! F**k! F**k! That damned, hell-deserving yellow-skinned bastard! How did he know?! How did he know where our cash was stored?! Which link in the chain leaked the information?! I'll skin him alive!!"

Brennan's voice was distorted by extreme anger.

The roar lasted for almost a minute.

In the end, all the anger turned into a long sigh.

"...FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

After hurling a few curses, Brennan finally gritted his teeth and said:
"...Notify the Bakda station to immediately prepare three hundred million US dollars in cash, and use all available transportation resources with armed escort to transport it to Guge. It must be delivered before 9 PM to that son of a bitch..."

“Tell him that once the money is paid, the troops will be dispatched. If he dares to play any more tricks… I… I swear in the name of the United States of America… I will make him… pay a price he cannot afford!”

The last few words were almost squeezed out between his teeth, filled with deep-seated resentment.

"Okay... Sir..."

Simon nodded in response.

He walked back to the table, watched as Song Heping leisurely sipped his tea, a cup appearing out of nowhere, and squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Cash...delivered before nine o'clock tonight."

Song Heping said with a smile, "Very good. I always keep my word. As long as we see the money, the troops will set off tonight. By the way, it's almost mealtime. You've come all this way, delivering equipment and busy gathering cash. You've really worked hard."

"We're all guests, so I can't not do something to show my appreciation. How about staying for a simple meal? Our roasted lamb is made from the fattest local goats, slow-roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The taste is absolutely authentic."

Simon and Kurt were filled with anger and resentment, and had no appetite whatsoever.

But Simon dared not leave; he had to personally confirm that the crucial $300 million in cash had arrived and that Song Heping would subsequently issue the order to send troops.

Kurt, on the other hand, was filled with rage and murderous intent with nowhere to vent it.

Leaving feels like a chore, staying feels like sitting on pins and needles.

Ultimately, despite Song Heping's "enthusiastic" entreaties, the two were half-invited and half-escorted to a slightly tidied room next to the command post.

Forty minutes later, the guard brought in a whole roasted lamb, golden brown and crispy, sizzling with oil, next to a mountain of naan bread.

Song Heping seemed to be in a very good mood. He personally picked up a sharp dagger and skillfully cut off the best and tenderest leg of lamb, placing it on the clean plates in front of Simon and Kurt without saying a word.

"Come on, come on, don't be shy, eat while it's hot. Here, you need to be well-fed to have the energy to work, to fight, of course..."

He gave Kurt a meaningful look. "You have the energy to be angry, don't you, my dear Colonel Kurt?"

Kurt looked at the fragrant lamb on the plate, but it felt like he was looking at a plate of nauseating worms, and his stomach churned violently.

He didn't even want to look at it, let alone eat it.

Simon's attitude was slightly better, at least he could eat meat, but his eyes kept glancing at the watch on his wrist.

For Americans, every minute, every second feels like being fried in a scalding pan of oil.

His satellite phone would vibrate every now and then, carrying increasingly worse news from the front lines—a text message about an emergency in the Harris direction was sent almost every few minutes.

Here, they were forced to have this absurd dinner with the mercenary leader who was slowly cutting away at the fat of the American Empire!

Song Heping ate with great relish, taking big bites of meat while commenting with great interest on the performance, design features, and room for improvement of the American equipment on the table, like a knowledgeable military advisor patiently lecturing two restless and fidgety students.

He even gave a detailed analysis of the M1A1 tank's engine cooling problem in the desert environment, as well as the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle's protective weaknesses in urban warfare. Kurt listened with veins bulging on his forehead, but he couldn't refute him, because Song Heping's words were all reasonable and he clearly had an extremely good understanding of this equipment.

Time crawled slowly, second by second, in this extremely eerie atmosphere.

Outside the window, the sky had completely darkened, with only the bonfires and flickering gas lamps inside and outside the command post casting uneasy shadows in the darkness.

8:50 p.m.

The heavy, urgent roar of engines and the screech of tires against the ground could be heard again outside the command post, along with the shouts and footsteps of people.

A guard strode in and whispered a few words in Song Heping's ear.

"Yes, move in."

Song Heping nodded, put down his cutlery, and slowly wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

Simon and Kurt both jerked their heads up almost simultaneously, staring nervously toward the doorway.

A few minutes later, several U.S. soldiers, in pairs, laboriously carried two unusually heavy, dark green military metal crates with blurry English markings and placed them with a thud on the floor in the center of the room.

The box landed with a dull, solid sound.

Subsequently, three more boxes of the same size were brought in.

The five boxes were neatly arranged together, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.

Song Heping stood up, walked to the boxes, and casually kicked the outer shell of one of the boxes, making a "thump thump" sound.

He bent down, fumbled for the latch on the lid, and opened it with a "click".

In an instant, it was as if all the light in the room was drawn to it!
Inside the box, stacks of dark green hundred-dollar bills bearing the image of Franklin were densely packed and neatly arranged!
They were tightly wrapped in a transparent plastic film, like gold bricks waiting to be melted and cast, radiating a breathtaking and alluring light under the dim light!

The five boxes were opened one by one.

Colorful US dollar bills!!!
They were simply laid out in front of everyone in such a crude manner.

The air seemed to instantly fill with the pungent smell of ink and power. The leading lieutenant came over to report to Colonel Kurt that these were five boxes, and the rest were in the truck outside.

Three hundred million US dollars!

It weighs more than three tons!

The visual impact was extraordinary!
Simon stared at the five boxes of banknotes, his mind a jumbled mess.

This is not just about money; it is about the United States of America bowing its proud head at this moment, in this place, to an enemy it once tried to eliminate!

Colonel Kurt's breathing also became heavy.

It wasn't because of greed, but because of humiliation.

Watching his country's printed currency piled up like spoils at Song Heping's feet was a feeling that was more painful and humiliating than being defeated on the battlefield.

Song Heping casually picked up a stack of banknotes from the top, skillfully ran his thumb along the edge with a "whoosh," and the brand-new banknotes made a crisp and pleasant sound.

He nodded in satisfaction, a genuinely relaxed and radiant smile spreading across his face, as if an artist were admiring his most perfect work.

After swiping the money, he turned to Kurt and Simon and said, "Gentlemen, I've received the money. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

He paused, then his voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute and ruthless air, as he roared at the messenger waiting at the door: "Pass on my orders! All units, according to the pre-arranged battle plan, will launch a full-scale attack towards Hurmatu in one hour!"

After speaking, he turned to Simon again:
"Tell that old man in the Oval Office in Washington, and those generals in the Pentagon staring at maps, they can put their minds at ease for now!"

Simon secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

at last……

This damn negotiation is finally over!

Kurt stood up abruptly and walked out of the room without looking back, as if fleeing a plague.

Simon straightened his suit, hurriedly said to Song Heping, "Looking forward to your good news," and then followed Kurt away from this hellish place that had caused him so much torment.

After seeing off the two Americans who fled as if they were running away, Song Heping walked up to the entrance of the command post and solemnly ordered Samir and Abuyu, who were already standing outside: "Pass down the word that everyone in the city except those on guard should assemble in the open space. I have something to announce."

"Yes! Boss!"

They both responded in unison.

Then Samir asked, "Are we trying to boost everyone's morale?"

Song Heping shook his head: "No, it's about calling them over to share the money!"

"Share the money?!"

Samir and Abuyu were stunned.

"besides,"

Song Heping's gaze swept over his two right-hand men: "Tell all the brothers gathered in Dagug that the American's initial payment of three hundred million US dollars has arrived, and it's all in cash."

Samir and Abuyu's eyes widened instantly!

Three hundred million US dollars in cash!

This is far more than the cold, hard numbers in a bank account!
Song Heping continued, "I've decided to take 200 million from these 300 million dollars!"

He held up two fingers, emphasizing the astonishing number.
"Based on rank, seniority, and past achievements, the bonus will be directly distributed to the more than 10,000 brothers in your two combat units as a reward for a successful start to the Hurmatu campaign! Part of the bonus will be distributed on the spot later! The rest will be distributed after the battle based on performance."

He paused, his gaze focusing on Samir and Abuyu's faces: "As my supreme commanders and the direct leaders of the 'Liberation Forces' and the 'Abuyu Brigade,' you two will each receive an additional bonus—$500 million in cash!"

"500 million... US dollars?!"

Abuyu's eyes almost popped out of their sockets!

Even Samir felt a buzzing in his brain, his heart pounding uncontrollably, and he subconsciously swallowed.

$500 million in cash!
In a place like Iligo, you could break your leg and never have to worry about anything for the rest of your life.

In today's Iligo, this is an astronomical figure that would drive even a saint crazy!

"but,"

Song Heping abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning cold:

"There's one condition. Five days!"

He stretched out one palm, fingers spread.

"I'm giving you only five days! Within five days, you must take Hurmatu! If Hurmatu is still in enemy hands after five days, even if only one block remains..."

He paused for a moment, then said, enunciating each word clearly, "So, everyone's rewards, including the extra 1000 million for the two of you, are all canceled! Not a single penny! Do you understand?!"

"In my Song Heping's hands, you only get paid if you have the ability! If you want this money, you'll have to pay with Hurmatu, with the blood of the enemy! Go and tell every soldier in Dagug these words verbatim, without missing a single one! I want them all to hear them and remember them!"

"Yes, boss!! Mission accomplished!!"

Samir and Abuyu shouted almost at the top of their lungs. They looked at each other and saw in each other's eyes an overwhelming fighting spirit that could burn everything and an unwavering determination to win!

Take Hurmatu in five days?
Let alone Hurmatu, even if they were sent to attack Baghdad's Green Zone right now, they would lead the charge without hesitation!
If you follow the right leader, you'll really get what you deserve!

Moreover, it's an endless supply of meat and a mountain of gold that you could never spend in several lifetimes!
　Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)