Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1226 Spreading Money! A Motivational Surge!

The news that the supreme leader and major financier, Boss Song, was dividing the money spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Dagug at an astonishing speed and reaching the ears of every soldier.

After a brief, unbelievable silence, deafening cheers and roars erupted throughout the camp!
"Long live Boss Song!!!"

"Take Hurmatu! Seize the territory!"

"Kill those sons of bitches extremists! For the dollars! For the boss!"

The entire Daguge area instantly erupted in excitement!

The war machine was completely ignited by this simple and brutal "cash is king" strategy!
Nobody dislikes money!

Even though these militia members joined the "Liberation Forces" or the "Abuyu Brigade" for different reasons—some to avenge the 1515 armed group, some to reclaim their homeland, and some simply to make a living—they all joined for various reasons.

But no matter how different the purposes may be, ultimately no one dislikes the colorful US dollar bills.

In the war-torn Middle East, one hundred dollars can buy a life.

This is no exaggeration.

If you're willing to pay, someone's willing to risk their life.

In chaotic times, life is the cheapest thing.

Sometimes, being dead and facing upwards is better than being alive.

Song Heping has been here for so many years and is well aware of these bloody facts.

Soon, more and more soldiers who had received orders gathered on the huge open space in Dagug City.

In addition to the two thousand men deployed in the new territory of Kirkuk and the three thousand men in Sulaymaniyah, as well as those on duty and on deployment, there is a total force of five thousand men here.

As he watched the ever-growing number of soldiers swarming across the open ground like a black mass of ants, Song Heping, standing atop a pile of bricks, suddenly felt a strange sensation.

When he first joined the army, he was in a special forces brigade, a regimental-level unit with only a little over three thousand men. Whenever they assembled on the parade ground, Song Heping would listen to the uniform commands, look at his densely packed comrades, and see the brigade commander on the platform. He would always think that maybe one day he could be promoted to brigade commander and stand on the platform looking down at the sea of ​​his own soldiers. That feeling…

How wonderful!

Unfortunately, he later became a non-commissioned officer by a twist of fate, and then participated in the selection and training of the 203rd Unit by another twist of fate. In the end, he chose to retire due to personal issues...

The dream of that battalion commander seems to be getting further and further away.

I never imagined that fate could be so wondrous.

These militia members are now under their own command and deployed by themselves.

More than 10,000 people!

That's definitely the size of a division!

By that standard, I'd be a division commander, a senior colonel!

Back then, I never would have imagined that I would be like this today, not only commanding a division of troops but also having a whole regiment of mercenaries from a defense company...

He meows!
If things continue like this, in a few years I'll probably become a mercenary leader at the level of a corps commander.

With this thought in mind, Song Heping suddenly felt that he had no ambition at all.

What kind of army commander?
What's a corps commander?!
The corps commander can't let the CIA bow down, can he?
The corps commander can't let the American security advisor in the White House fly into a rage, can he?

It certainly can't destabilize the Middle East, can it?

Thinking of this, Song Heping seemed to see smoke rising from the ancestral graves in his hometown in a daze.

This feeling... I scratched my head.

My hometown...

Our ancestral graves!
Now that things have been cleared up, I should at least find some time to go back and fix it.

Putting aside everything else, the ancestral graves of Dongda people are their roots.

He may be unconventional in military matters, but he is absolutely conservative in cultural traditions.

I've made some money over the years, and a couple of years ago I even asked my younger brother to fix up the ancestral graves. I wonder how well that kid has done.

I need to find some time to go back and visit...

Just as Song Heping stood atop the pile of bricks, lost in thought, Samir, watching the ever-growing number of soldiers and glancing at his watch, suddenly realized a practical problem: "Boss, distributing so much money to thousands of people on the spot? This... counting and distributing the money will take too long! It might seriously affect our scheduled departure time!"

Looking at the excited soldiers, Song Heping laughed and said, "Who told you that we had to line up one by one to get the money? That would be too slow and too boring."

He pointed to several boxes piled in the corner: "Go find dozens of rotary-wing drones, the bigger the better, the heavier the payload the better. Take the money out of the boxes, divide it into stacks, and scatter it down with the drones!"

"Scattering...scattering money?!"

Samir and Abuyu were so shocked their jaws nearly dropped.

"That's right, throw money around!"

A near-mad light gleamed in Song Heping's eyes.

"I want everyone to see dollars raining down! I want to turn this expedition into a carnival! A feast of wealth watered with the blood of the enemy! Tell the brothers that there will be even greater rewards after we take Hurmatu!"

At 10 p.m. that night, thousands of soldiers gathered in a dark mass on an open ground in Daguge City. The surrounding people were so frightened by the sight that they hid in their houses, peeking out from behind the curtains, wondering what the militiamen were up to.

The militiamen stood in their respective company formations, their faces filled with excitement and their eyes brimming with exhilaration.

The campfire blazed all around, the flickering flames illuminating the faces around them.

Initially, they were ordered to hold a pre-battle rally here, but later there were rumors that Boss Song might give everyone money, and a lot of money at that!
The news that the U.S. military had delivered a truckload of cash had already spread throughout the ranks.

This time, when it comes to the boss giving out money, of course no one doubts Song Heping's ability; the only question is whether Song Heping is really that generous.

You should know that these militiamen are actually used to being poor and miserable.

The Abuyu Brigade used to be alright, after all, it was backed by the Erbil Autonomous Government and the Khord Armed Alliance, so it didn't lack military funding, but the soldiers didn't have much in their hands. But Samir's "Liberation Forces" were a completely different story.

They are a spontaneous militia organization, and although the Iligo government considers them to be anti-government rather than anti-extremist, they have never received a penny of military pay.

When the "Liberation Force" was first established and had only about a hundred members, Samir used the money he had earned during the two years he worked for Song Heping to pay their salaries.

Later, as the force grew, it gained the support of some nationalist tribes, who provided them with some money, allowing them to do some small business on their own territories to earn some military funds.

However, after Samir rose to power in 1515, his life became worse year by year. He lost his territory and was no match for the enemy. He was chased around like a dog in northwestern Iligo and barely made ends meet. He was lucky to even have enough to eat, let alone receive a salary.

Since Song Heping returned to Iligo early last year, Samir has once again chosen to follow Song Heping. He not only gained the support of Persia, but also established his own camp on the Persian Plateau, and his life has finally become prosperous.

If they just say they're going to give out money, who wouldn't get so excited their hair stands on end and their liver tremble?
US dollars!
Those are colorful US dollars!

Thousands of eyes were focused on Song Heping. The militiamen craned their necks, waiting for Song Heping to speak, to see if he would just say a few words to motivate them, or give them something tangible like money.

Song Heping stood on a pile of bricks, without a speech script, holding only a simple megaphone.

His gaze swept over the densely packed crowd below, like a hawk surveying its territory.

"Bros!"

His voice, amplified by the loudspeaker, resonated clearly throughout the entire venue.
"Enough with the nonsense! The Americans are paying us money and guns to help them take out Hurmatu and his gang of lunatics! They gave us money, lots and lots of money! Three hundred million! Three hundred million US dollars, in cash!"

He paused, then held up three fingers and waved them at the countless eyes below that gleamed in the firelight.

"I know that it's only right for soldiers to be fed! I dare not say that following me, Song Heping, will make everyone rich, but I guarantee that I, Song Heping, will not drink the blood of soldiers or take advantage of them. If I get a bowl of meat, I will never let you only get soup!"

He waved his hand sharply, "Now, war is imminent! I've spoken to your leaders Samir and Abuyu, and they've set aside two hundred million as battlefield rewards for Operation 'The Crucible,' to reward the units and individuals who fought bravely. Of course, that's after the war; the money here today—"

He turned and pointed to the drones and boxes behind him.

"This is for you to take as pocket money first. After the war, the bulk of it will be distributed to you! But remember, it is only right for soldiers to receive pay, and it is also only right for them to do things for money. In the upcoming battles of Hurmatu and Titrick, if anyone is afraid to die on the battlefield, acts like a coward, or shrinks back, then don't blame me, Song Heping, for not being polite in enforcing battlefield discipline!"

As he spoke, he made a gun gesture with his hand, pressing it against his temple as if to pull the trigger.

The implication is very clear—

Let whoever is afraid of death die!
No sooner had Song Heping finished speaking than a dense buzzing sound suddenly came from the air before the soldiers could react to the huge amount of information!
Dozens of civilian multi-rotor drones, ordered from Dongda Huaqiangbei and specially modified, rose slowly into the air from different directions like a huge swarm of mechanical bees, their red indicator lights flashing!

Below each drone hung a net bag filled with bundles of dark green hundred-dollar bills!
The soldiers looked up, dumbfounded, at this unprecedented and unimaginable scene, their minds blank.

No one has ever seen such a scene!
too crazy……

That was the only thought that crossed everyone's mind...

Immediately afterwards, at Song Heping's gesture, the drones flew over the crowd, hovered, and then—the snap at the bottom of the net was remotely opened!

In an instant, it seemed as if a green rain of wealth was falling from the sky!
Stacks and bundles of hundred-dollar bills, like leaves blown down by the wind, or like sweet rain falling from heaven, poured down from the sky!

They scattered, tumbled, and danced in the air, reflecting an incredibly alluring light in the glow of the campfire!
"Money!! It's US dollars!!"

"Money is falling from the sky!!"

"Thank God! Long live Boss Song! Long live Boss Song!!"

After a brief period of extreme silence, a complete explosion of madness ensued!
All discipline and all formations crumbled at this moment!
The soldiers cheered and roared like madmen, rushing frantically towards the falling US dollars!
They jumped and scrambled, raising the banknotes they grabbed high and howling like wild beasts!

Some people were knocked to the ground, but immediately got up and continued to join the scramble; some grabbed a thick stack of banknotes and excitedly kissed them; many more people, while scrambling, shouted with all their might towards the podium, expressing their fervor and loyalty!

The entire open space instantly transformed into a boiling ocean of carnival, brimming with primal desires and passion!

The rain of US dollars continues, and the revelry goes on!
At this moment, all talk of enemies and 1515 was forgotten!

All they could see were the green banknotes fluttering in the air, and they had only one thought in their minds—to go through fire and water, even to their death, for such a generous boss!

Song Heping stood on the stage, calmly looking down at the frenzied chaos below.

His purpose was achieved.

These dollars were not only a bonus, but also a powerful stimulant, instantly boosting the team's morale and fighting spirit to their peak before the expedition!

Of course, he also knew that this method could only be used to motivate the core troops of Dagug and create a sensation.

For troops scattered in other front-line outposts and unable to be present in person, he had already ordered Samir and Abuyu to immediately send people after the meeting to escort their full and safe bonuses back for distribution.

The way to govern is to combine kindness with severity, and to clearly distinguish between rewards and punishments.

The revelry lasted for nearly half an hour, until all the cash was scattered and snatched up.

Although the soldiers were still eager for more, their emotions had been completely ignited, and each of their faces was filled with extreme excitement and a greedy fighting spirit.

Song Heping picked up the megaphone, and his voice rang out again, drowning out the gradually subsiding noise:
"Did you get the money?!"

"Got it!!"

The response was overwhelming.

"Do you want to take over Hurmatu and get more money?!"

"Yes!! Yes!! Yes!!"

"Then pick up your guns and follow in my footsteps!"

Song Heping's voice, like a drawn sword, pointed directly in the direction of Hurmatu: "Target, Hurmatu! Move out!"

"Roar--!!"

Amidst deafening roars, this army, fueled by dollars and fanaticism, surged with an aura of annihilation into the depths of the dark desert, toward the land soon to be stained red with blood and fire—Hurmatu.

Wars begin with dollars and end with steel and blood.

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

　　
　
(End of this chapter)