Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1264 Reinforcements by Hurmatu
The next day, just as the first hint of dawn appeared in the east.

On the dirt road on the outskirts of the Hurmatu region, a torrent of steel is rolling in.

The first thing that catches the eye is the billowing dust, like the prelude to a sandstorm, obscuring the sky and the sun.

Immediately afterwards, the deep roar of an engine grew louder as it approached.

Leading the way were three "Joint Light Tactical Vehicles" painted in desert digital camouflage and equipped with M2HB heavy machine guns, speeding past like lightning, their wheels kicking up gravel and dust.

The machine gunner on the vehicle, wearing goggles and the same Thunder Defense combat uniform, vigilantly scanned the open fields and low buildings on both sides of the road, his finger hovering over the trigger guard.

Closely following behind was the main force of the convoy, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Dozens, even hundreds, of various military vehicles formed this formidable armed column—

The heavy mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles resemble mobile fortresses, followed closely by light armored personnel carriers. The military trucks responsible for transporting supplies are covered with thick tarpaulins, through which the ammunition boxes and equipment stacked on the ground can be vaguely seen.

Occasionally, you can also see technical vehicles equipped with armor and weapons.

All vehicles were uniformly painted with Thunder Defense's eye-catching lightning bolt logo, as well as specific letter numbers representing the contractors.

Maintaining strict spacing and speed, the convoy proceeded methodically along the main road and various branch dirt roads towards the pre-marked strategic points in the Hurmatu region.

At a small concrete checkpoint at a key intersection, the convoy split into a small team.

Four M-ATVs spread out in a combat formation, their weapon stations on the roofs slowly rotating, the muzzles of their guns intentionally or unintentionally pointing at the few militiamen belonging to the "Liberation Front" armed forces inside the checkpoint.

A commander dressed in Thunder Defense's high-level combat uniform and wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses jumped out of the lead vehicle. Ignoring the tense and angry gazes of the militiamen, he walked straight to the makeshift roadblock, pulled out a document, and loudly read it aloud in heavily accented but undeniably authoritative Arabic:

"In accordance with Coalition Command Directive No. 7-41 and the agreement reached with local armed forces, this checkpoint and its surrounding defenses are to be taken over by Thunder Defense Company immediately! You must pack your personal belongings and evacuate this area within fifteen minutes! Repeat, evacuate immediately!"

His voice was cold and harsh.

The mercenaries behind him got out of the vehicle and formed a cordon around it, their movements skillful and their teamwork seamless.

In the distance, more Thunder Defense vehicles were heading towards other targets, their engines roaring incessantly, seemingly announcing the change of control over this land, and an oppressive atmosphere of impending doom filled the air.

Meanwhile, in the city of Hurmatu.

Song Heping, who was used to getting up early, was already sitting at the table in the command room, spreading out a large military map of Ilig, his finger moving along the Tigris River, intently studying the possible routes and key points for the southward attack on Tikrit.

Just then, a series of extremely hurried, even somewhat panicked footsteps approached from afar, abruptly breaking the tranquility of the early morning.

The door was pushed open with a bang, and Samir rushed in like a gust of wind.

"Boss! Something terrible has happened!"

Song Heping raised his head, his brows furrowing slightly, but his tone remained calm: "Samir, calm down. What happened? Explain it slowly."

"It's Thunder Defense! Those sons of bitches!"

Samir practically roared, waving his arms as he shouted:
"They...they mobilized a large force! Dozens, no, maybe hundreds of military vehicles! Fully armed mercenaries, they swarmed into our Hurmatu region like locusts before dawn!"

He was breathing heavily, speaking at a rapid pace, like a machine gun firing:
“They are now forcibly taking over almost all of our strongholds and checkpoints within a radius of dozens of kilometers around Hurmatu! They are pointing guns at our brothers’ heads, ordering them to lay down their weapons and get out of the position immediately! Our men refuse, and now there is a tense standoff in many places! Our brothers’ eyes are red, and their fingers are on the trigger! They could go off at any moment!”

Song Heping's eyes instantly turned cold.

It seems that Kurt and the Thunder's defense have launched their counterattack!

And it came so quickly, so without leaving any room for maneuver!

This is not "cooperative defense" at all; it is a meticulously planned and blatant armed seizure. It is the most direct and forceful response to the previous incident at checkpoint 4, with the aim of taking away the control and foothold that it has established in the Hurmatu region in one fell swoop!

His brain started working overtime in a hundredth of a second, weighing the pros and cons and calculating the gains and losses.

A hard top?

With the current strength and the morale of the militia, they may be able to hold them off for the time being, but the ensuing standoff will inevitably bring about many chain reactions, and even the Afghan contract that was just negotiated will have to be voided.

compromise?

Giving up territory won through bloodshed would inevitably deal a devastating blow to the morale of the troops that had just been built up, and would also damage one's own prestige.

The air seemed to freeze, and only Samir's heavy breathing could be heard in the command room.

In the midst of this suffocating silence, the encrypted satellite phone on the table suddenly emitted a piercing and rapid beeping sound, breaking the deadlock.

Song Heping's gaze swept over the number displayed on the screen—Kurt.

"Humph!"

It was bound to happen. He took a deep breath, suppressing all the agitation in his chest, then gestured to the nearly exploding Samir to calm down before pressing the answer button.
"Good morning, Colonel Kurt."

Kurt's voice, tinged with feigned friendliness, came from the other end of the phone:
“Song, I believe Commander Samir has already briefed you on the current situation in the Hurmatu region. Thunder Defense personnel are proceeding with the necessary security deployments as planned, based on the consensus reached in our previous negotiations—the US military has the right to send military contractors, whom they deem appropriate, into key areas to assist in maintaining stability and order. They are now taking over those checkpoints and outposts to build a more comprehensive and effective security barrier to prevent the infiltration of 1515 militants and other destabilizing forces. I hope you fully understand and will cooperate actively.”

He paused, a barely perceptible threat in his tone:

"Don't forget, Song, your core objective is Tikrit in the south. Balance relations with all parties, properly appease your local armed forces, and avoid creating unnecessary friction and conflict. This is the most beneficial option for both of us, especially for your future development."

Although Samir couldn't hear exactly what Kote said, he could piece together the gist of the situation from Song Heping's frighteningly calm expression and the few words he caught such as "understanding," "cooperation," "Tikrit," and "avoid conflict."

He was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged, his fists clenched, and his teeth were grinding together, as if he was about to squeeze out the most vicious curses from his throat.

Song Heping once again stopped Samir, who was on the verge of exploding, with an even more stern, razor-sharp gaze.

His face remained expressionless as he spoke into the microphone in a deep voice:

"Of course, Colonel Kurt. I fully understand and agree with you without reservation. The stability and security of the Hurmatu region is indeed in our common interest."

His next words remained calm and composed, yet they were like a mental bomb dropped into Kurt's ear:
"Please convey to the on-site commander of Thunder Defense that we, the 'Musician' Defense, will fully cooperate with their takeover efforts. We promise to complete all handover procedures smoothly and efficiently within three days for all our controlled outposts around Hurmatu. Afterwards, my main force and I will devote all our energy to the southern front, strictly adhering to our previous agreement, and march south to strive for the early capture of Tikrit. Please rest assured, Thunder Defense, that I will personally oversee and discipline all my subordinates to ensure a smooth handover process and prevent any unnecessary conflicts."

This statement was completely unexpected by Kurt!

He anticipated all sorts of possible reactions from Song Heping—

Angry protests, heated arguments, haggling, and even shouting...

He had prepared a whole set of arguments to deal with any possible impasses.

The only unexpected thing was that the other party would be so "wise" and agree so readily, not only taking the initiative to put forward a clear and unambiguous handover timetable, but also once again clearly stating its position of heading south to attack Tikrit!
This completely unexpected reaction caught Kurt off guard, and all the prepared pressure and reprimands he had prepared got stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to utter a single word.

“Uh… very good, Song, very… very good.”

Kurt was uncharacteristically speechless for a brief moment as he tried to regain control of the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible confusion.

"I personally admire your... sense of the big picture and your cooperative spirit, and I believe Washington will also take notice of you..."

"Then, I will authorize Commander Samir to be fully responsible for the specific handover details and coordination work, and to directly liaise with his counterparts at Thunder Defense."

Song Heping, however, did not give him more time to think and organize his thoughts, politely but decisively cutting off the conversation.

“If there is nothing more important, Mr. Kurt, I must immediately arrange the military deployment to the south; time is of the essence for both of us.”

"Hello? Song? You..."

Kurt wanted to say something more, but the receiver was already busy.

He stood there, phone in hand, stunned, his brows furrowed.

Things went much more smoothly than he had imagined, which ironically made him feel a strong sense of unease and doubt.

Would Song Heping, the man known for his ruthless tactics and precision strikes in northwestern Iligo, really give up a strategic stronghold he has already captured so easily?
What is hidden behind this?
An inexplicable unease quietly settled over Kurt's mind.

In the command center, Samir saw Song Heping put down the phone and could no longer suppress the anger and humiliation in his chest. He growled:

"Boss! We're just going to hand over the territory like this?! Every single one of those strongholds was fought and fought for by our brothers with their blood and lives, taken from 1515 and from other militias! Why should we be forced to slink away like stray dogs just because those Americans say one thing and those bastards from Thunder Defense show up?! How am I supposed to explain this to the brothers who risked their lives for us?! Were their blood shed in vain?!"

Song Heping slowly stood up and walked to Samir, who was trembling with excitement. He did not reprimand or explain, but simply reached out and patted Samir's strong shoulder heavily. Instead of feeling frustrated or angry, a deep and unfathomable smile appeared on his face.

“Samir, my brother, calm down.”

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange power:

"Remember what I said today—sometimes, taking a step back is not a cowardly surrender, but a way to conserve strength, see a better opportunity, and then... jump further and fight harder!"

He turned around, walked to the window, and pushed it open, letting in the crisp morning air.

He gazed into the distance, as if he had pierced through dozens of kilometers of space, clearly seeing everything that was happening there, those strongholds that were about to change hands, and also seeing further south, that land shrouded in war and opportunity.

"Territory is inanimate, but people are alive. As long as our people and guns remain, what we've lost will one day be reclaimed, tenfold. Hurmatu..."

He uttered the name softly, as if savoring something, a slight smile appearing on his lips: "Let's leave it with them for now. It's not bad to have them shield us from the sandstorms from the north."

His voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable decisiveness.

"Now put away your anger, Samir. Let's turn our attention south. Begin preparations immediately for the southward campaign! Tikrit, there lies what we truly need, and it is our next target, which we must conquer!"

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(End of this chapter)