Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1270 Learn something, Samir!
five minutes later.

Inside the tent of the "Liberation Forces" front-line temporary command post, Song Heping stood in front of a simple marching table covered with maps and reconnaissance photos, leaning slightly forward with his hands on the edge of the table, like a leopard about to pounce on its prey.

Jiang Feng and Samir stood opposite and on either side of the table, respectively.

Jiang Feng frowned, his fingers unconsciously twirling a corner of the map, his gaze shifting back and forth between the dense defensive markings on Titrick and Song Heping's face.

Samir seemed somewhat agitated, licking his dry lips from time to time.

Just now, Song Heping had laid out his audacious, almost insane plan in its entirety—

Samir and Jiang Feng led 6,000 "Liberation Forces" militiamen in a feigned attack on Titrick; while he himself led two of his most elite mercenary battalions on a long-distance raid, heading straight for Baiji, a major oil refining town in the northeast.

"Ok, deal!"

Song Heping raised his eyes and glanced at his two right-hand men in front of him.

"Samir, Jiang Feng, I'm entrusting this fortified city of Titrick to you."

He said with an unquestionable determination:
"The 6,000-strong force may seem like a feint, but I need you to use it as a powerful weapon! I want you to make a huge show of force, to create a deafening commotion! Make Az, the commander of Titrick's 1515, believe to his very core that our main force is right under his nose, so that he won't even have the courage to stick his head out and peek!"

His gaze lingered on Jiang Feng's worried face for a moment, then he softened his tone slightly and said:
"After fighting with me for so long, you should understand that fighting is not only about fighting with real swords and spears, but also about 'acting'! You can make the real appear real and the illusory appear real. This is something our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years."

He pointed to a drone control terminal in the corner of the tent, which was flashing a green signal.

“We have this advantage; the battlefield is one-way transparent to us. As long as you can tighten the defenses and do a good job of counter-reconnaissance, ensuring that Az's spies cannot detect our true situation, we can render him deaf and blind…”

As he spoke, he slammed his right hand heavily on the location of Titrick on the map, making a dull thud.

"Then, those 30,000 men in his hands are not 30,000 deadly knives, but 30,000 fixed targets crouching in the trenches, waiting to be beaten! During the day, your artillery fire must be fierce and accurate, don't be stingy with ammunition, I want to create a sense of momentum; at night, occasionally launch a few feint attacks, so that they have nightmares when they sleep! Do you understand? What I want is psychological crushing, to make them afraid before the battle even begins!"

Jiang Feng's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a slightly hoarse voice:
"Sergeant... I understand what you mean. Taking risks and using surprise tactics to win. But... isn't the risk a bit too great?"

He stepped forward and pointed to the broad area between Titrick and Baiji on the map.

"Six thousand against thirty thousand, the troop disparity is too great. Once... I mean once, Az discovers our scheme, or if one of his commanders is bold enough to send an elite force to scout ahead, or even launch a probing counterattack, once they puncture our paper tiger facade... the consequences will be unimaginable! These six thousand brothers could very well..."

He paused, then uttered the rest of his words with difficulty:

"...We could very well be caught up by the superior enemy forces, or even... wiped out. If that happens, and we can't take Titrick, and things don't go well on Baige either, we'll lose everything!"

Jiang Feng's concerns were not out of cowardice, but rather a calm analysis based on reality.

He had followed Song Heping through countless fierce battles and knew the adventurous spirit in this old squad leader's bones.

He never questioned small-scale adventures in the past, but this time, it concerned the safety of the main force of the entire "Liberation Force" and its future strategic direction, and he couldn't help but feel terrified.

His gaze was fixed on Song Heping, hoping to see a hint of wavering or more detailed assurances on the other's face.

Seeing this, Samir quickly echoed, his voice hoarse with nervousness:
“Yes, boss, Jiang is right. Az isn’t stupid. He must have some ability to climb to the position of regional commander in the 1515 armed forces. Thirty thousand garrison troops… that… that’s far too many troops. We only have six thousand…”

Samir's worries deepened.

These militiamen were his foundation.

If these six thousand men suffer a crushing defeat at the walls of Tithric, he will have lost everything.

He prefers a more conservative approach to this high-stakes gamble that puts everything on the line.

He looked at Song Heping with pleading eyes, hoping he would change his mind.

Song Heping listened quietly to their questions, but did not immediately refute them. Instead, he straightened up, picked up a kettle from the table, unscrewed the lid, and slowly took a sip of water, as if giving his two deputies time to digest his plan, or as if organizing his words to make them more compelling.

He put down the kettle, and his gaze sharpened once more.

"You only saw the 30,000 on paper."

Song Heping's voice was as calm as ice, "But have you ever considered what state these 30,000 people are in right now?"

He stopped looking at the map and stared intently into Jiang Feng and Samir's eyes, beginning to analyze the situation meticulously:
"First, the psychological trauma. What's 1515's record against us? Consecutive defeats! They now have a deep-seated fear of our fighting capabilities! This fear can't be offset by simple numerical superiority. They're like frightened birds; any slight disturbance will trigger an overreaction." "Second, the command structure. 1515's command system is rigid. I've investigated Az himself; Bakdadi placed him in Titrick for a reason. His command style is 'cautious,' or rather, 'conservative'! Without a precise grasp of our forces' strengths and weaknesses, do you think he's more likely to risk an attack, or retreat into his supposedly fortified shell, waiting to engage us in street fighting?"

"Third, their defensive focus. The prisoners' confessions and our drone reconnaissance both confirmed that their defensive focus was entirely on dealing with our 'expected' frontal assault! Anti-tank ditches, minefields, snipers... all of these were for a 'familiar' defensive battle. Their thinking was linear; they anticipated that we would charge headlong into it. And what I dislike most is playing by the enemy's script."

"Fourth, and most importantly,"

Song Heping said coldly, "The value of Baiji far exceeds that of confronting 30,000 men head-on at the gates of Titrick! By taking Baiji, we will cut off 1515's vital financial resources and fuel supply, and seize the strategic initiative! Using 6,000 feints to tie down 30,000 men in exchange for the strategic opportunity to capture Baiji, this deal is too good to pass up!"

He took a deep breath, his tone filled with final resolve:

"Risks? Of course there are! What war doesn't involve risks? But all the risks are within the calculations! The key lies in execution! And in whether you can put on a good show for me outside Titrick!"

Song Heping's detailed analysis gradually dispelled the doubts in Jiang Feng and Samir's hearts.

They had to admit that Song Heping's grasp of enemy and friendly psychology, battlefield situation, and strategic courage far surpassed theirs.

Jiang Feng raised his hand to scratch his cheek, gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I'll risk it!"

Samir looked at Jiang Feng's statement and then at Song Heping's unwavering gaze, knowing that the plan was now irreversible.

To avoid being looked down upon by Song Heping, he took a deep breath and tried to straighten his back:

"Yes, boss! We will definitely... make the garrison at Titrick think you are in command here..."

Although he tried his best to appear resolute, the slight tremor in his voice betrayed the lingering unease deep within him.

"Don't be a coward, Samir!"

Song Heping bluntly instructed his old subordinate:
“It’s not up to me, you have to learn to rely on yourself! You’ve been with me for so long, you need to improve! You’re going to be involved in politics someday! That’s the ultimate goal I’ve achieved by putting in so much effort, taking so many risks, and doing so many things! Understand?! Damn it! If you’re still so hesitant and fearful, how will you stand on your own if I leave Yili Ge?! I’m not your boss! I’m just your friend! You can treat me as a business partner! But don’t treat me like your father, I’m not obligated to teach you step by step and support you all the time!”

"Yes! Yes..."

Samir quickly changed his tune, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his face flushed red.

Song Heping had hit a nerve.

When I joined the "Musician" defense unit, Song Heping had been carefully cultivating me. After each operation, he would analyze the tactical planning process for me and share his experience and insights. He practically wrote a military textbook for me.

So many years have passed...

When Song Heping wasn't by his side, in northwestern Iligo, the team he had built was beaten like stray dogs.

Song Heping's return to Iligo in just over a year has directly reversed the situation in the entire Northwest, transforming the previously unknown "Liberation Forces" into the largest militia force in the Northwest, and making it one of the top militia forces in all of Iligo.

This kind of courage...

I haven't even mastered half of it yet...

Shame...

I'm so ashamed...

Song Heping said no more. He glanced at his watch and decisively waved his hand:

"Time is of the essence, act immediately! I'm taking the First and Second Battalions with me and heading to Baiji right away. You all stay here and handle the battlefield situation flexibly according to the plan I've laid out!"

Without offering any further explanation or encouragement, he resolutely turned and left the command post.

The window of opportunity left for him was extremely narrow. He had to reach Baiji before the feint from the direction of Titrick was discovered, and seize the crucial oil refining city with lightning speed.

Inside the tent, only Jiang Feng, Samir, and the pale emergency light remained, illuminating their solemn and stressed faces.

A heavy burden has been placed on their shoulders.

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(End of this chapter)