Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1237 The Killing Intent Above Hurmatu

Early the next morning, at the Hurmatu front-line command center.

Song Heping stood in front of the physical sand table in the center, staring at the topographical map of the entire Northwest region, studying the current battle situation and circumstances.

The sand table accurately recreates the terrain of northwestern Ilig, with key towns such as Titrick, Mosul, and Ozam clearly visible, marked by small flags representing various forces. The blue flag representing the "Musicians'" defense is firmly planted in Hurmatu, its blade pointing south to Titrick; the black flag representing the 1515 armed forces is disintegrating and retreating westward from the direction of Ozam; while the flags representing the US and allied forces are trailing far behind.

Right now, the Great Northwest is truly in complete chaos.

Song Heping was pondering how to control the situation amidst the limited chaos.

It shouldn't be too chaotic.

But things can't remain completely chaotic.

This balance must be carefully maintained...

"Boss, Miles and his men have retreated."

A voice came from behind.

Song Heping turned around and found Jiang Feng standing behind him.

Song Heping nodded slightly and simply said "Mmm" to indicate that he understood.

The withdrawal of the U.S. military advisory group was somewhat hasty.

However, it seems that everything was as expected.

Although we didn't completely break off relations after meeting with Miles last night, our differences and intentions were self-evident.

There's no point in Americans staying here.

They couldn't command themselves; the American soldiers, used to being the supreme rulers, felt tormented if they stayed even a minute longer.

Leaving is a certainty.

I just didn't expect them to leave so soon.

"Something's strange."

Jiang Feng said alertly:
"They left in a hurry."

Song Heping finally looked up from the sand table and at Jiang Feng: "They're rushing back to complain! Do you think they really came here to observe the front-line battle situation? They're here to probe our strength and weakness. It doesn't matter, we'll have to show our cards sooner or later, the sooner the better."

"Do you think... they might be plotting something bad again?" Jiang Feng asked, sounding slightly worried.

Song Heping then turned around, picked up the teacup next to him, took a sip of tea, and said, "If you don't get suffocated, how can you call yourself an American?"

He put down his teacup, smiled, and shook his head.

"This is just the first sign. I expect there will be more indications that they still intend to take drastic measures against us."

"Then what do we do?" Jiang Feng asked.

Song Heping shrugged: "Jiang Feng, remember, the sky won't fall down. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. This isn't what it was more than ten years ago; it's no longer America's home ground."

"Ah."

Jiang Feng nodded silently without saying a word.

The "other signals" that Song Heping mentioned soon followed.

The indicator light on the encrypted satellite phone flashed, and Song Heping pressed the answer button. Colonel Kurt's Texas-accented English came through the phone.

"Song, my old friend!"

Kurt's tone sounded stiff and formulaic, like a recording.

"Major Miles briefed me on your difficulties. I understand, the fighting is tough. But time waits for no one. You know, to provide you with sufficient air cover, we've even adjusted the training schedule of our B-52 strategic bomber group deployed in Qatar, ready to provide... well, 'routine' battlefield support at any time. A huge 'surgical knife,' isn't it? It just depends on when you need it."

B-52?

Dealing with a group of scattered 1515 infantrymen would require the use of this powerful weapon, which is used to plow the ground, destroy fortified positions, and carry out area bombing.
Isn't that something that an A-10 "Warthog" could do?
Song Heping's heart skipped a beat.

Kurt's words, while sounding like he was offering support, were actually full of threatening implications.

"Thank you for your support, Colonel. I will call you immediately if needed."

"When you attacked Hurmatu before, you didn't seem to call for our air support. Actually, we are allies. You could have informed me and requested our air support. There's no need to be so formal, is there?"

"Colonel, I appreciate your kindness," Song Heping said with a cold laugh, "but I no longer have any US ground guidance teams on my side. My men are all bumpkins who don't know anything about JTAC. I'm afraid of accidentally bombing them."

JTAC stands for "bridge" between ground forces and air power, and is responsible for directly commanding air strike operations.

This is a special branch of the U.S. military. They are usually assigned to the Army or Marine Corps, but they need to complete the JTAC course certified by the Air Force and have the ability to identify targets, match weapons, and conduct tactical communications.

Kurt wasn't stupid; he naturally understood the hidden meaning in Song Heping's words. It was a clear dig at Kurt—"I don't trust you."

This reminded him of the embarrassing incident where he deliberately delayed the transmission of intelligence and was discovered by Song Heping, and his heart began to burn with discomfort again.

"Since you can't trust me, then forget it. Good luck!"

He angrily ended the call.

After hanging up the phone, Song Heping's sharp eyes swept over the sand table.

"Drone control team..."

After staring at the map for a while, Song Heping suddenly spoke.

"Tell the drone unit to extend the reconnaissance range of their aircraft fifty kilometers westward, focusing on scanning the direction of the Syrian border, especially the area previously marked where that US 'Delta' team was operating. Give me continuous fan-shaped searches."

"understand!"

The communications soldier responded immediately.

The command was executed swiftly.

An hour and a half later, the latest reconnaissance footage was displayed on Song Heping's main screen.

The image has been enhanced, and it can be clearly seen that on a barren Gobi desert about 40 kilometers west of Hurmatu, several tiny heat signatures are slowly but steadily moving toward Hurmatu.

Their movement patterns are highly professional, perfectly concealing their tracks by utilizing the terrain's undulations.

“Identifying signal characteristics…confirmed, it’s a special operations team.” Jiang Feng’s voice carried a hint of seriousness.

"Weren't they deployed in the border area to guide air power to strike 1515 militants who crossed the border? How did they get here? Sergeant, something's not right."

The command center was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; the only sounds were the hum of the equipment and the slightly heavy breathing of the people.

All the staff officers and operators stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on Song Heping's back.

Pressure from the observation group, Kurt's suggestive use of the "B-52," and the quiet approach of elite U.S. special operations teams that should have been operating at the border...

These three signals are highly unusual.

Song Heping slowly turned around and walked back to the sand table. His gaze fell on the small dot representing Hurmatur, then slowly moved upwards, as if he could penetrate the ceiling and see the net of death that was about to descend.

"American……"

He muttered to himself, his voice as cold as ice.

"They're about to flip the table."

He raised his head, looked at all the faces in the command center that were staring at him, took a deep breath, and said:
"It seems our 'ally' thinks there's too much meat in our pot and doesn't want to share it with us. They're planning to smash the pot and the stove together."

He paused and said word by word:

“They don’t want to leave us any soup, so we have to make them understand that without me, Song Heping, as their chef, they not only can’t finish this banquet, but they’ll also lose the entire restaurant!”

"Jiang Feng, you personally lead the team, taking a battalion of our mercenary group. Go and trap them now. I want to see if they dare to actually approach Hurmatu. Wait for my orders. I'll tell you to make your move, and we'll have some fun with these arrogant cowboys!"

Almost simultaneously, on the other side of the world, in the top-secret briefing room of the Pentagon in the United States.

On the huge electronic display screen, a map of the northwestern theater of operations in Iligo, similar to that in Song Heping's command center, was shown.

Around the long table sat a dozen or so high-ranking officials in military uniforms or suits, their rank indicated by the stars on their shoulder straps and the insignia on their chests.

Colonel Kurt appeared on one of the screens, speaking in a passionate and impassioned tone.

"Sirs, the situation is quite clear."

Kurt's voice echoed in the well-insulated room.

"Since the implementation of 'Operation Furnace,' we have successfully lured the main force of the 1515 armed forces into the pre-set encirclement. However, a crucial link—Song Heping and his 'Musician' defense company—has exhibited serious and unacceptable out-of-control behavior!"

The red dot of the laser pointer was fixed on Titrick's position.

"According to the plan, Song Heping's troops should have pursued their victory after capturing Hurmatu and seized Titrick within 72 hours, completely sealing off the westward retreat route of 1515! But what did he do?"

Kurt's voice rose several octaves, "Our observation team clearly ordered him to head south immediately, but he refused, citing troop fatigue and insufficient ammunition!"

He switched the slides, and the screen showed footage taken by a drone.

Images show mercenaries from the "Musicians" defense group and the "Liberation Forces" militia building fortifications and distributing captured supplies around Hurmatu, seemingly intending to hold out for a long time.

"What is he doing? I think he is consolidating his control in the Hurmatu region! He is using the intelligence, equipment, and air support we provide to carve out his own territory! Gentlemen, this is not our contractor, this is a rising, uncontrolled warlord!"

Kurt became more and more excited as he spoke.

"Major Miles' analysis is absolutely correct. Song Heping is resorting to the same old tricks, stalling for time to give Ozam's 1515 main force time to withdraw to other areas in northwestern Iligo, instead of driving them into the southern desert and annihilating them as planned! His actions are tantamount to battlefield defection!"

A lieutenant general on the scene frowned and said, “Colonel, your accusation is very serious. Song Heping and his ‘Musician’ defense team have demonstrated extremely high combat effectiveness over the past ten days, making great contributions to our clearing of 1515. Is there any conclusive evidence that he is indeed disloyal? Perhaps he did suffer heavy losses in the Battle of Hurmatu?”

"loss?"

Kurt scoffed. "Mr. James, we've assessed their battle reports and logistical inventory. They have enough spoils to sustain a high-intensity offensive! Look at this—"

He switched the screen to an intelligence summary: "The scattered communications we intercepted indicate that Song Heping's representatives are secretly contacting tribal elders around Titrick, promising them post-war benefits! He's even secretly making frequent contacts with... certain 'unfriendly' forces, such as Persia and Russia! What is he trying to do? Create his own independent kingdom?"

His gaze swept across the entire room as he continued to drop bombshells:

"The strategic window is closing! The main force of 1515 is in retreat, but it has not yet lost its organization. Song Heping's command post is relatively stable, and his main forces are also gathered around Hurmatu. This is the best opportunity!"

The red dot of the laser pointer heavily landed on Hurmatu.

"I recommend immediately initiating the 'surgical strike' plan. Utilize the B-52 fleet deployed in Qatar to launch Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), or use stealth fighters, to conduct a high-intensity, short-duration precision strike against Song Heping's command center, main troop concentration points, and logistical hubs! The goal is to eliminate his core command structure in one fell swoop and cripple his combat capabilities!"

A low murmur arose in the conference room.

Kotter pressed his advantage: "After the strike, we can immediately announce that Song Heping's forces have been disarmed for 'disobeying orders and intending to rebel.' At that time, we can quickly activate the backup 'Blackwater' company, or urge the Iligor government forces to take advantage of the current large-scale retreat of the 1515 forces in Ozam to quickly follow up, take over the offensive, and complete the occupation of Titrick. The whole operation will be clean and efficient, eliminating potential threats and ensuring that the final victory of 'Operation Furnace' belongs to us!"

"What about the risks?"

Another gray-haired Marine Corps general asked in a deep voice, "Curt, have you considered the consequences? First, can the strike be guaranteed to succeed? Song Heping isn't a fool; his command post must have protective measures. If the strike misses and he escapes, how much trouble will that cause us?"

"Second, even if we succeed, what will happen to the power vacuum left after the collapse of the 'Musicians' defense forces? Who will those local auxiliary militias listen to? Will the remnants of 1515 take the opportunity to launch a counterattack? Will the entire northwest of Iligo fall into an even more chaotic situation than it is now? Are we prepared to directly commit a large number of ground troops and get embroiled in another counterinsurgency war?"

"Third, there's the international public opinion and political impact. Everyone knows Song Heping is working for us. If he suddenly turns on his own contractors, what will his other partners think? Who will dare to risk their lives for us in the future?"

Kurt, clearly prepared, immediately replied, “General, regarding the success rate, we have an absolute intelligence and technological advantage. As for the subsequent chaos, this is precisely the time for us to activate our backup plan and support local agents. There will be growing pains in the short term, but in the long run, eliminating an uncontrollable warlord will be more beneficial than harmful. As for public opinion… we can completely control the narrative, portraying Song Heping as a mercenary leader who colluded with the 1515 armed group. We took necessary measures against him because we were upholding justice, and we smeared him through the media. I believe public opinion is very easy to control.”

The meeting room was divided into two factions: those who supported Kotter emphasized the importance of eliminating immediate threats and ensuring the implementation of the plan; while those who opposed him were more concerned about the long-term risks and unpredictability at the strategic level.

The debate lasted for nearly half an hour.

Finally, the Assistant Secretary of Defense, who was in charge of Middle East affairs and sat in the main seat with a stern expression, raised his hand to stop the argument.

He looked at Kurt: "Colonel, your proposal is aggressive, but it also carries significant risks. The Pentagon cannot approve an immediate, unlimited strike."

A hint of disappointment flashed across Kurt's face.

But the assistant minister changed his tone: "However, your concerns are valid. Song Heping's actions do indeed pose a serious threat. We authorize you to immediately complete all bombing plans, target lock, ammunition selection, and air coordination, and put everything in place and ready for action."

He paused, then emphasized, “Before the final order is issued, you, Colonel Kurt, in your personal capacity, will conduct one last top-level encrypted communication with Song Heping. This is an ultimatum, and also a final test. Clearly inform him of our bottom line and… our impatience. Give him one last chance to ‘turn back’ and see his reaction. If he remains obstinate…”

The assistant minister's eyes turned cold: "Then, in 48 hours, I authorize you to carry out the 'cleanup' operation."

"Yes, Minister!"

Kurt stood at attention, saluted, and almost burst out laughing on the spot.

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)