Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1256 "Arrow-2" Man-Mounted Air Defense Missile
At 10:20 p.m., at the Hurmatu militia command post.

In stark contrast to the hellish scene at checkpoint number four, the militia command post in Hurmatur town was brightly lit, yet the atmosphere carried an eerie leisure.

Song Heping was slowly sipping a cup of strong tea.

From the radio in front of him, the sounds of intense gunfights and anxious cries for help from Sanders' side could be clearly heard.

"Song! This is Sanders from Thunder Defense! My unit is under siege by the main force of the 1515th Army at Checkpoint No. 4! The enemy numbers more than a battalion! A breach has been blown in the wall, and the situation is extremely critical! I request that your unit immediately send ground troops to support us! Repeat, immediate support!"

Sanders' voice was somewhat distorted.

Song Heping picked up the microphone, his tone instantly becoming serious and full of "concern": "Captain Sanders! Received! Hold on! I'll immediately order Samir to assemble troops and rush to our aid! You must hold on!"

As he put down the microphone, the "concerned" expression on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold smile.

At that moment, Samir walked in; he had clearly also heard the communication.

"Boss, are we really leaving right away?"

Song Heping glanced at him, but did not answer directly. Instead, he slowly stood up, walked to the military map on the wall, and pointed to the location of checkpoint number four.

"Samir, look. Here, about seventeen kilometers from us. Our D-30 howitzers have a maximum range of over 20 kilometers, right?"

Samir paused for a moment, then understood: "Yes, Commander. Our artillery positions can easily cover the area around the checkpoint. As long as Sanders provides the accurate coordinates, we can provide artillery coverage, and even if the accuracy is not high, it will be enough to disrupt the enemy's attack formation and relieve them of pressure."

This is a very reasonable and effective tactical suggestion.

Artillery support is undoubtedly one of the most effective means of escaping the current predicament.

However, Song Heping slowly shook his head: "Bombardment? No, Samir, you're too 'realistic'."

He turned to look at Samir:
"Have you forgotten how those arrogant Americans in Bakhta threw the 'Thunder Defense' rock at our feet?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable coldness: "Now, go and assemble the troops. Time it right. After all, they're 'allies,' we can't leave them unrescued, but we can't rush into rescues either. As for what to do, I don't need to teach you, right?"

"understand!"

Samir instantly understood Song Heping's intention.

This is not a simple case of refusing to help someone in distress, but rather a sophisticated power struggle.

He wanted to use the 1515 as a weapon to squeeze out Thunder Defense, while simultaneously sending a crystal-clear message to the US military in Bakhtar and the Iraqi central government—

In this land in northwestern Iligo, I, Song Heping, am the true ruler. I can decide whether you live or die.

"Well... it takes time for the troops to assemble, especially at night. I'll go and make the arrangements now so that everyone can be 'prepared' more thoroughly. We are the militia, not the regular army, so it's normal for things to be a little slow, it's perfectly normal."

"Ah."

Hearing Samir's tacit reply, Song Heping sat back down in his chair with satisfaction, picked up his teacup again, and waved his hand, saying, "Go. Remember, safety first, don't be reckless. It's not too late to set off when the time is right."

"Yes!"

Samir almost burst out laughing, then turned and walked out of the command post.

He didn't immediately run to blow the emergency assembly whistle; instead, he leisurely lit a cigarette before shouting to the militiamen sitting lazily outside:

"First Battalion, assemble! Check weapons and ammunition, prepare vehicles! Report back to me when you are ready."

There was no hint of tension in his tone, as if he were just conducting a routine rehearsal.

Time passed by minute by minute.

For Sanders at the checkpoint, every second felt like an eternity.

At checkpoint number four.

"You sons of bitches! Are those damned militiamen even coming or not?!"

Rex emptied a belt of ammunition and frantically changed it while cursing loudly.

His machine gun barrel was already red-hot.

In front of the breach, enemy corpses were piled up everywhere, but the reinforcements continued their frenzied assault.

Bullets whizzed past his head and clanged against the undercarriage of the pickup truck.

"Hansen! Eleven o'clock! That machine gunner! Take him out!"

Sanders shouted at the top of his lungs.

boom! ——

Hansen's HK417 fired again, and an enemy who had just set up an RPK light machine gun in the distance fell to the ground.

But immediately, another enemy picked up the machine gun and continued firing.

The pressure is mounting.

A section of the eastern wall, after enduring repeated RPG bombardments and concentrated fire, finally succumbed to the pressure and collapsed.

Although not as large as the gap in the southeast, it still means that a new breakthrough has emerged.

"Two people! Go to the east side! Block that area!"

Sanders felt like his throat was on fire.

With manpower stretched thin, the defense line is riddled with holes.

"Signalman! What's going on with Hurmatu?!"

Sanders roared into the radio again. Although he had little hope left, his survival instinct prevented him from giving up any straw.

"Captain... Song said... the troops are assembling, but it will take time to move out at night, and... and they are worried about ambushes on the road..."

The rookie's voice was trembling with tears and anger: "They're stalling! They don't want to come and save us at all!"

Sanders' heart turned completely cold.

He should have thought of it earlier.

How could Song Heping, a local tyrant, possibly genuinely help these "outsiders"?
Using others to do one's dirty work is the trick these local tyrants are best at.

Relying on Song Heping is a dead end!
"Bakda! Thunder Command Center! This is Checkpoint Four! We can't count on Hurmatu reinforcements! Repeat, we can't count on them! Our casualties are continuing to rise, and our defenses are about to collapse! We urgently need all possible support! Where is the air support?!"

Sanders was practically screaming in despair. “...Checkpoint Four, hold on. The ‘Quick Knife’ formation is about to enter your airspace. We will provide fire support as much as we can. Also, a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) has departed from Bakda, but is expected to arrive in an hour…”

One hour?

Sanders gave a bitter laugh.

By the time they arrive, there will be enough corpses for me and my men to collect!

Just then, a roaring sound of rotors came from afar into the night sky!
"A helicopter! It's our helicopter!"

Inside the checkpoint, the almost desperate mercenaries erupted in cheers.

Even though they knew it was just a general-purpose helicopter with a door-mounted machine gun, in this desperate situation, any external assistance was like the last straw a drowning person was grasping at.

Sanders looked up sharply and, through the billowing smoke, saw two dark figures rapidly approaching from the direction of Bakda.

Those were two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. They didn't have rocket pods and missile racks like armed helicopters; instead, they had M134 Mini Cannon rotary machine guns or M240 general-purpose machine guns mounted on the hatches on both sides of the fuselage.

"Attention all units! Identify helicopters! Use all tracer rounds to mark the enemy's main attack direction and gaps in the air for the pilots! Avoid friendly fire!"

Sanders immediately gave the order.

Immediately, the rifles and machine guns inside the checkpoint began firing tracer rounds fiercely at the enemy horde pouring in from outside the gap. The dense trailing rounds were like red whips lashing into the darkness, clearly outlining the battle line between the enemy and our forces and the area where the enemy was most concentrated.

Without hesitation, the two Black Hawk helicopters descended and flew directly over the checkpoint, beginning to circle it.

One of the Black Hawk helicopters initiated the attack.

It was facing the ground sideways, with the right hatch fully open. A burly machine gunner, wearing goggles and noise-canceling headphones, was securely strapped into the cabin. He gripped the handle of the M134 "Mini Cannon" machine gun tightly with both hands, pointing the menacing six-barreled, deadly nozzle at the hell below.

"Zzz ...

The M134 rotary motor starts, and the six barrels begin to spin wildly.

The next moment, a torrent of scorching steel composed of countless 7.62mm bullets, like a fire whip, suddenly lashed the ground at a terrifying rate of over 3000 rounds per minute!

This is the most extreme metal storm of the industrial age!
It was an overwhelming outpouring of absolute power!

Puff puff puff puff puff—! ! !
Where bullets rained down, the scene was one of utter devastation.

The 1515 militants who were charging forward were like being thrown into a giant meat grinder.

A dense barrage of bullets struck the ground, kicking up countless specks of dust.

Any flesh struck by this fiery whip was instantly torn apart and decomposed!
Limbs flew everywhere, heads exploded, and torsos were riddled with bullets or even broken in two!
Blood and bits of flesh rained down on the scorched earth, instantly turning the area a dark red.

The machine gunner calmly moved the muzzle slightly, and hot shell casings poured down like a scorching copper rain.

On the ground, the 1515 militants' previously frantic charging force was momentarily disrupted by this sudden attack, with gaps appearing in their ranks and their offensive stalled.

Another Black Hawk joined the attack, using an M240 machine gun. Although its rate of fire was not as high as the M134, the stopping power of its 7.62mm full-power rounds was equally impressive, making it more accurate in bursts. It was specifically designed to eliminate small groups of enemies gathered together and targets attempting to fire RPGs.

"Well done! Keep it up! Suppress them!"

Inside the checkpoint, the mercenaries were in high spirits and seized the opportunity to fire fiercely at the enemy who were stunned by the helicopter fire, thus consolidating the crumbling defense line.

However, the indomitable spirit of the 1515 militants prevented them from collapsing even in the face of air strikes.

Almost at the same time the helicopters began their attack, more than a dozen tracer rounds, representing small arms fire, flew up from the ground like a red stream flowing backwards, shooting towards the two Black Hawk helicopters in the air.

Bullets struck the helicopter's armored base and rotor blades with a clanging sound. Although they couldn't directly bring down this sturdy aircraft, they brought immense psychological pressure and the threat of stray bullets.

Even more dangerous is RPG!

"RPG! Nine o'clock! Helicopter, watch out!"

A mercenary on the rooftop was shouting warnings over the radio at the top of his lungs.

On the ground, an armed man was kneeling, with an RPG-7 on his shoulder, aiming at the Black Hawk equipped with an M134 that was circling at low altitude!
Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle—!
The machine gunner on the Black Hawk also noticed the threat and immediately turned his gun around, unleashing a hail of scorching bullets like giant hammers at the location of the RPG shooter.

The shooter and several people around him were instantly turned into mincemeat, and the rocket also went out of control and veered to the side, exploding in the air in the distance.

But more RPG shooters emerged from different corners.

The rockets trailed plumes of flame, tracing chaotic paths through the air. Although hitting a moving helicopter was extremely difficult, each launch made everyone's hearts leap into their throats.

One rocket even grazed the helicopter's tail rotor, giving the pilot a fright.

Helicopter fire support is powerful, but also short-lived and dangerous.

They cannot remain airborne for extended periods, have limited ammunition, and are exposed to intense ground fire, posing a significant risk.

Their presence was more like a shot in the arm, temporarily delaying the fall of the checkpoint, but unable to fundamentally reverse the course of the battle.

Sanders watched the Black Hawk maneuvering in the air against ground fire, looked down at the enemy below who, though temporarily suppressed, could not be completely annihilated, and listened to the radio message that the Hurmatu reinforcements were still "assembling." He knew that he and his men were still not out of danger.

Song Heping's scheming was like a cold, venomous snake, coiling around his heart.

"Everyone! Replenish ammunition and treat the wounded as quickly as possible! The helicopters won't last much longer! The next wave of attacks is coming soon! We can only rely on ourselves!"

Sanders' hoarse voice rang out again amidst the gunfire, carrying an almost numb determination.

His fears soon became a reality.

Just as the M134 Black Hawk completed another dive-strike and began to pull up its nose, preparing to turn for the next attack—

The situation suddenly changed!

About four hundred meters southeast of the checkpoint, in the shadow of a hill, a faint, bright white spot of light, different from the tail flame of an RPG, suddenly flashed!
The light was extremely brief, yet it possessed a deadly precision.

"Missiles! Flare guns!!"

The mercenary on the rooftop, who was in charge of observation, spotted the completely different "RPG" rocket immediately. He instinctively thought of a shoulder-fired missile and, almost on instinct, issued a shrill warning that pierced through all the noise.

But, it's too late.

The old Soviet-made Arrow-2 shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile, which had sprung out of the shadows, was now streaking across a thin, bright white trail of smoke as it hurtled toward one of the low-flying helicopters with speed and precision far exceeding that of an RPG!

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

　　
　
(End of this chapter)