Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1263 discusses new businesses in Afghanistan.
The night was as dark as ink, with only the flames of the bonfire in the center of the courtyard flickering, casting an uncertain glow on the faces of the people sitting around.

A plump local black-headed whole lamb is roasted over charcoal until its skin is golden and crispy. The sizzling sound is incessant, and hot oil drips down, exploding into fleeting sparks on the hot coals, while the rising smoke carries the aroma of charcoal and cumin.

With a sharp tactical dagger in hand, Song Heping skillfully and steadily sliced ​​off a large piece of crispy, tender lamb, still attached to the cartilage and steaming hot, and placed it first into the tin plate in front of the Ferrari.

Then he divided some among the polar bear and the queen.

"Try it, it's local black-headed sheep, it doesn't have much of a gamey smell, and the meat is firm."

Song Heping said, as he picked up the wine glass in front of him, which was crystal clear—it was water.

This is a critical moment; he needs to remain absolutely sober. Alcohol is for those who can relax.

The polar bear grabbed the piping hot mutton with his bare hand, took a big bite without any hesitation, and mumbled a praise:

"Great meat! So flavorful!"

He grabbed the vodka bottle beside him, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp. The strong smell of alcohol filled the air with his breath.

"This place is nice. There's meat to eat and strong liquor to drink. It feels like a place where you can relax and enjoy yourself."

Ferrari, sitting to the side, slowly munched on his lamb, his eyes fixed on Song Heping as he said:
"Let's talk about the business Afu is doing while we eat. I'd like to hear your opinion."

Song Heping wiped his hands with a coarse cloth, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of everyone present, and finally said in a deep voice:
"This new job is large-scale, but also high-risk. In that godforsaken place in Afghanistan, countless contractors lose their lives there every year..."

He paused deliberately to make sure everyone's attention was focused.

He then continued, "I just signed a contract with the U.S. military for logistical support in Afghanistan."

Ferrari asked casually, "What exactly are we transporting? From where to where? What's the route?"

"The contract includes..."

Song Heping pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the Ferrari standing next to him:
"We are responsible for transporting everything that U.S. troops need from Kabul to all the forward mountain outposts in the southern Afghan provinces—mainly Paktia and Zabul provinces. From the most basic food, drinking water, and fuel, to deadly ammunition, medical equipment, and even replacement parts, everything that can keep those outposts running is on the transport list."

The polar bear lifted its heavy eyelids slightly and asked the most crucial question succinctly: "How much per year?"

Song Heping met his gaze and clearly uttered two words:

Five hundred million US dollars.

"hiss--"

Ferrari looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Five hundred million dollars is no small contract.

"A transportation guarantee contract worth 500 million?!"

Ferrari's eyes instantly became alert:

"Song! I don't believe in such a free lunch. Tell me, old friend, just how tough is this bone? How much blood of our predecessors is on it?"

Song Heping was not surprised by his strong reaction. He nodded slightly and said, "You're right, Ferrari. This isn't a lucrative job. This is the toughest bone the Americans have 'given' to us. It's not only covered in blood and bits of meat, but it also has the broken teeth of the guy who tried to gnaw on it before!"

He explained in detail: "This contract is essentially an exchange of benefits. Samir and I were assisting them in fighting the 1515 militants in northwestern Iligo, and they gave this contract to 'Musicians' Defense in order to keep us in check for the time being."

As he spoke, he picked up his dagger and drew a simple yet clear terrain map on the soft mud beside him with a few quick swipes.

“Paktia and Zabul Province,”

He pointed the tip of his knife at those two areas.

"They're all in southern Afghanistan, an extension of the Hindu Kush Mountains, a region of towering peaks thousands of meters high, with rugged roads; in many places, what we call roads are just mule tracks. More importantly, here—"

His knife tip slashed heavily toward the southern edge of the diagram.

"This vast, desolate area is all to the east, bordering Pakistan, with a long, almost undefended border. It is the heart of Atta's activities and the area where they are most rampant, known as the 'eye of the storm'."

He looked up, his gaze turning to Jiang Feng: "Jiang Feng, could you summarize the key points of the intelligence Henry compiled and share them with everyone?" Jiang Feng quickly took over, saying, "Henry used various channels to obtain and analyze preliminary reports. Over the past twelve months, during the time the Allied forces were responsible for transporting supplies to these two provinces, there were a record of 337 attacks. On average, a transport convoy was attacked almost every day. This doesn't include the numerous unrecorded or unconfirmed small-scale harassments. The official figure for Allied casualties is 67, including 21 killed in action. However, based on internal sources and battlefield first aid evacuation data, the actual casualty figures may be inflated by 30% to 50%."

Song Heping chimed in at the opportune moment:
"The casualties are too high. The compensation, disability benefits, long-term medical care, and domestic political impact on regular troops are a burden that neither the Pentagon nor the White House can bear. Continuous casualty reports will become the opposition party's best ammunition to attack the ruling party. That's why they are so eager to outsource this hot potato to private military companies. After all, PMC's casualty figures are not included in the military's statistics, are less politically sensitive, and are more 'controllable' in terms of cost."

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

The only sounds were the crackling of firewood burning in the campfire and the faint chirping of unknown insects coming from the distant wilderness.

"Attacks could happen every day...? More than three hundred times?!"

The polar bear suddenly grabbed the bottle and took another big gulp of vodka.

"Damn it! This isn't a transport team; it's a moving target delivered right to our door! I was wondering why the US military was so kind as to give us such a big pie. This is a bone that nobody would want, with hardly any meat, and it's hard to chew."

"That's understandable."

Song Heping readily admitted: "But in our line of work, the higher the risk, the higher the reward. I feel there is great potential in Afghanistan. The contract they have given us is valid for one year. Before that, we need to complete a full handover with the US military in Afghanistan, conduct on-site inspections of every possible transportation route, accurately assess the risks, and develop a watertight transportation plan and security contingency plan."

His gaze fell on the Ferrari and the polar bear:

"I'm too busy here to leave, so I had to call you all here. Ferrari, contact Gray Wolf and have them transfer a full company from the hunter school in the South American branch. Select veterans with experience in mountain warfare and counter-ambush operations, especially those familiar with driving and escorting in rugged terrain. White Bear, also transfer a top-tier company from Africa. In addition, Jiang Feng, cooperate with you to urgently recruit at least 150 reliable drivers globally. The requirements are just two: fearless, highly skilled, and able to maneuver the car in a serpentine pattern amidst gunfire."

"The U.S. military will provide the transport vehicles and main trucks. We'll have our own light and heavy weapons..."

Song Heping continued, "I will arrange a special plane to transport it directly to Kabul Airport in Afghanistan for you."

Ferrari frowned, picked up a piece of mutton with his dagger, stuffed it into his mouth, and asked while chewing, "Where's the camp? Our headquarters must be in Kabul, right? Has the location been confirmed?"

"It is necessary to locate the command center and major material transfer warehouses in Kabul."

Song Heping shook his head. “But the actual forward base and the daily assembly and departure point for the convoy must not be located in Kabul. We must be close to the southern mountains and establish at least one forward operational base near the starting point of the transport line, equipped with strong fortifications and capable of launching and landing helicopters. The specific location will need to be determined after you arrive, based on on-site reconnaissance and intelligence. The principle is: to minimize the distance to the danger zone while ensuring that the base itself has sufficient defensive depth and support capabilities.”

The white bear spoke in a deep voice, his question hitting the nail on the head: "Who is responsible for the logistical support system—fuel, ammunition, food, and medical supplies? To what extent does the US military provide them?"

Song Heping was already well aware of this:
"The U.S. military is responsible for transporting basic supplies to and storing them in designated warehouses in Kabul. However, from the Kabul warehouses to the various outposts in the south, we are responsible for all the resupply of fuel en route, emergency vehicle repairs, field medical support, and even personnel food and lodging. Especially in terms of medical care..."

His gaze swept over the Queen.

"Each convoy must be equipped with at least one experienced field medic, carrying sufficient blood plasma and first-aid equipment. Forward bases must establish a medical station with basic surgical capabilities to treat gunshot wounds, shrapnel wounds, and blast injuries. We will do our best to coordinate with the US theater medical evacuation units for helicopter medical evacuation routes, but we must prepare for the worst—they may delay or refuse for various reasons. Therefore, we must have our own emergency plans, and if necessary, even use armed pickup trucks to evacuate the seriously wounded! Your Majesty, you will be in charge of the medical operations."

Next, the group engaged in an in-depth discussion about the contract, which was worth 500 million but fraught with danger.

Finally, Song Heping finalized some basic details—

The initial plan is for every ten transport trucks to be equipped with four heavily armed escort vehicles, including two M-ATVs with top-mounted heavy machine guns or automatic grenade launchers, a reconnaissance vehicle carrying a sniper team and communications relay equipment, and a heavy fire support vehicle equipped with a recoilless rifle or anti-tank missiles to provide backup.

In terms of the tiered configuration of escort firepower, the rooftop weapon station forms a long-range suppressive firepower, and the accompanying infantry quickly dismount when ambushed, using the truck as cover to establish a close-range defensive perimeter. Marksmen and snipers are responsible for eliminating enemy commanders and rocket launcher operators.

They chatted until late into the night before finally finishing their meal.

Finally, Song Heping clapped his hands and summarized:

"Alright, let's set the basic framework and priorities here. Ferrari, White Bear, once you get back, start preparations immediately. I need to see the preliminary list and equipment list within a week. Jiang Feng, you're responsible for contacting Henry to produce a detailed intelligence analysis and risk assessment report within ten days, covering the main transport routes in the provinces of Paktia and Chabul, marking all known high-risk sections, potential ambush points, possible tribal spheres of influence, and emergency landing points."

"no problem."

"Leave it to me! Don't worry, boss."

"Okay, we'll proceed according to your plan."

Everyone nodded, then got up and went back to their rooms to rest.

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)