The Fourth Disaster Begins at the Dawn of the Millennium

After a brief private exchange between Putin and Makarov, it was time for the two to flatter each other and perform in front of the camera. In particular, Putin took the opportunity of attending a press conference with the war hero to publicly display his tough image in front of the media. He shouted in front of the camera:

"After the Russian army withdrew from Chechnya and the Russian Federation's power and administrative agencies there were dissolved, what happened in Chechnya? A struggle for power broke out immediately. Chechnya was actually torn apart, and warlords emerged. They were also called field commanders. These people began to engage in economic crimes. Some pharmaceutical factories resumed drug production, began to print counterfeit US dollars, kidnapped hostages, and murdered Russians living in Chechnya. Oh, they don't seem to have much interest in this, mainly because it is no longer profitable economically and there is nothing left to be gained from the Russians. They are as poor as the Chechens, I mean the ordinary people in Chechnya.

What did Russia do about it? Nothing, nothing at all. We pretended that nothing happened there. Why? It was the syndrome of a lost war. Some feared losing their positions, some feared hampering their political careers, some feared their lives, and feared terrorist activities. It was from this time that the gangsters crossed the Chechen border, penetrated deep into Russian territory to carry out terrorist attacks, and led armed groups to occupy the Russian border. We pretended that we saw nothing, but people outside the country saw it clearly. They saw that an enclave that no one cared about appeared on the territory of the Russian Federation. In fact, it was a rebellious area!

It is precisely because of Russia's indulgence and the support of foreign forces with ulterior motives that extremists and those who generously support them abroad have become fearless and believe that the Russian Federation is extremely weak. Large amounts of money and weapons have flowed into Chechnya, and foreign instructors and mercenaries have begun to set foot here. Chechen bandits can't wait to turn to open aggression! "

Reporters rushed to record Putin's every word. If nothing unexpected happens, these words will appear on the front pages of major media outlets across the country tomorrow. When a sensible reporter asked Putin at the right time: "In this severe situation, what do you think is the most important thing?"

Putin replied:

"I think the most important thing is security and order! We are building a new democratic country. The country is still debating the direction of development and finding the truth in the debate, but the premise of the debate is a safe and stable environment. Therefore, the central task of the government is to protect our citizens from the harm of terrorists and maintain the integrity of our country. I will spare no effort to support the Russian Air Force, ground forces and all patriotic armed forces to work closely together to clear the remaining Chechen bandits in Dagestan. In addition, we do not rule out the option of sending troops into Chechnya..."

After the stage of making threats, it was time for mutual flattery. Of course, this stage was not awkward, after all, Makarov's team had real results and their records were verifiable. When the reporter asked "Is the army really sure of defeating the Chechen armed forces?" (after all, the first Chechen war was too embarrassing), Makarov would answer.

First, they used their own example of defeating the enemy with fewer troops to prove that the Chechen armed forces were not invincible. Then, they made a statement similar to "10 wins and 10 losses", which roughly meant that the terrorist attacks carried out by Chechen elements were unpopular, while the Russian army was more popular and had high morale; the Russian army had air superiority and could imitate the air strikes launched by NATO forces against Yugoslavia and use the same method to launch air strikes on Chechen armed forces to hit Chechen supplies, military morale and morale; the Russian army had learned the lessons of the last war and could take a steady and cautious approach to weaken the effectiveness of the Chechen armed forces' guerrilla warfare; the Russian army had strong leadership and could work together, while the various factions of the Chechen armed forces had ulterior motives and could be defeated one by one...

In short, if you let an unknown person or a defeated general say the same thing, it will be very unconvincing and not many people will believe it. But if you let Makarov, who is known as the "Chechen nemesis" among the people, say it, it will be very credible.

Soon, some reporters turned their questions to Makarov and asked him what he wanted to do next.

"If possible, I would like to continue to lead my troops into Chechnya until the bandit nest in Grozny is eliminated, and then I hope to fight for a generous subsidy, pension and honor for those wounded and sacrificed patriots."

"And after that?"

"After that, I think I will go to Sochi for a vacation, to combine work and rest!"

Before the press conference began, Putin and Makarov had a brief private communication time. Time was tight, so the two exchanged a few pleasantries and then got straight to the point. Putin put forward his own request, asking Makarov to use his war hero halo to support Putin, and then Putin handed the request to Makarov and asked him what he wanted.

Makarov took out a long "wish list" and handed it to Putin. At first, Putin thought that Makarov had planned to get a lot of benefits for himself, but after a quick glance, he found... Hmm? Why are they all other people's wishes? What about yours?

At this point, Makarov began to explain these "wishes". He pointed to the first name on the first page of the wish list and said:

"Alexander once served in the GRU, but because he was blamed in a military corruption case, he had to leave the army to make a living. He liked the time he spent in the GRU. If possible, I hope that Mr. Putin can reopen the investigation into the corruption case. If Alexander was indeed blamed and wronged, please restore his reputation and give him the retirement allowance he deserves."

Then, Makarov pointed to the names behind him and explained that most of them were killed or injured in the fighting against Chechen armed forces this year. He hoped that Putin could open a "special channel" to issue disability allowances and pensions to them, just like the regular soldiers who died. In addition, the reasons for their injuries and sacrifices were different. Some died to protect their comrades, and some were injured in heroic battles. If these behaviors happened in the Russian Federation Army, what kind of honor could they get? Could Putin open a "special channel" to help these patriots get this honor?

"Wait, wait a minute, Mr. Makarov, I saw many people's names and wishes, but I didn't see your name and wishes." Putin interrupted Makarov and said, "I need to know what your requirements are now..."

"That's all I ask, Mr. Prime Minister," Makarov said. "Oh, as for my future plans, after this war, I want to take a break for a while, and then continue my business as a free patriot..."

Putin was stunned for half a minute, then he slowly said: "Mr. Makarov, I understand your idea, but I can tell you for sure that your previous completely free life is gone forever. The motherland will not allow people like you to be idle and wild. It is a huge waste and a crime. Mr. Makarov, you are not suitable to go to the office and climb up step by step... I will think carefully about what kind of work to assign to you, and you will definitely not refuse the work."

Chapter 194: The Chechen Armed Forces Are Doomed

The battle line has been pushed into Chechnya. The Russian army has adopted a steady and cautious tactic, approaching the Chechen capital of Groznitsa step by step.

On this blockade line that prevents Chechen armed forces and foreign mercenaries from entering and leaving Chechnya, at the commanding height of the blockade line, the cold wind howled, and the sky was so gloomy that it seemed to weigh down the entire world. The trenches meandered across this desolate land, like deep scars, and the muddy and damp intertwined, with the air filled with the smell of gunpowder and earth. Russian soldiers gathered in the trenches they dug, using this small space as much as possible to avoid the invasion of the cold wind. Everyone's face was a little tired, and the days of fighting made them exhausted, and this short lunch time became their rare rest time.

Canned meat, compressed biscuits, canned beans, and even some wine and fresh food from the logistics supply were all their food at the moment. A young soldier held a can of meat in one hand and flipped through the booklet issued by his superiors with the other. The cover of the booklet had been blurred by dirt and oil stains, but the content inside was the only thing they could read to kill time.

The Russian soldiers stationed on the blockade could not watch TV, listen to the radio, receive letters, read newspapers, and even the military newspaper Red Star could not be delivered, so they could not even know how the battle in Grozny, a few kilometers away, was going. The only thing they could read repeatedly for entertainment was a booklet with excerpts from the words of Makarov, who was known as the "Chechen nemesis."

The content of the booklet is also very simple. In short, it tells Russian soldiers entering Chechnya "three do's" and "three don'ts".

The “three musts” refer to:

"Take the initiative to help civilians who are starving and cold, take the initiative to help injured civilians, and take the initiative to help women, children and the elderly." The purpose of the "three musts" is: "The help you offer proactively will win you greater trust from the locals and make them believe that you are fighting to protect them. Your enthusiastic help will increase your friends and reduce our enemies.

The “three don’ts” refer to:

"-Don't establish too close a relationship with the locals casually," Makarov said: "Be cautious, don't trust the locals easily, and be on guard against them, because if they are our true friends, then everything is easy to say, but if they are our enemies, what will be the result?" Therefore, Makarov suggested that it is best not to drink with the locals, not to visit the locals' homes casually, and not to accept gifts from the locals casually.

"Second, don't date local girls and boys." Makarov advises young men fighting on the front line not to date local girls. "Third, don't act rashly towards the locals." The content is also excerpted from Makarov's advice: "Even if the locals are rude and arrogant, don't be easily angered by the enemy, because your cruelty and brutality will only increase your enemies!"

The Russian soldiers who got these booklets for the first time found it hard to believe that these were the words spoken by Makarov. Well, in the impression of the Russian soldiers, a ruthless man like Makarov would say in the booklets: "What cruel means can be used to torture intelligence out of the Chechen militants", or some more practical content, such as "How to distinguish between civilians and Chechen militants", "How to identify and deal with ambushes", "Mountain combat skills", "Key points of urban street fighting", and "How to fight in adverse weather conditions" and the like.

Makarov actually used most of the limited space in the booklet to talk about how to maintain the fragile relationship between the army and the local Chechen people. This is an area that the Russian military leaders rarely pay attention to. The officers' ideas are similar to those of the armies of most countries in the world, that is, they focus on the individual quality of soldiers, the tactical quality of the squad, the close cooperation of the team, the efficiency of command, and the modernization of weapons and equipment...

An old soldier next to him patted Ivan on the shoulder with a teasing smile on his face: "So, Ivan, you also saw what Makarov said. Give up your idea of ​​trying to date a Chechen girl. This is not Moscow. What you may think is romantic may anger the girl's family and cause you to lose your lower body... We can't rescue you so quickly..."

Soldier Ivan nodded and forced a smile, "Okay, okay, Chechen girls are hard to mess with, so I'd better keep this handsome face and pick up girls in Moscow."

While the Russian troops on these blockade lines were sitting in their trenches in a daze, the attack on Grozny began.

The Russian artillery units have assembled outside Grozny. On the artillery positions, huge howitzers are arranged in rows, with their muzzles raised high, pointing at the distant city. The commander stood aside, holding a telescope tightly in his hand, with a focused and serious expression. With a brief and powerful command, the first round of shells whistled out, tearing through the air and crossing the gray sky. In an instant, a huge area in Grozny rose with huge flames and thick smoke, and the sound of the explosion was deafening, as if the whole earth was shaking. Then, more shells flew towards the city one after another, forming a dense firepower network.

After the shelling ended, Russian Air Force fighter jets once again flew over Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, but this time they did not drop bombs, but a "clear the city ultimatum" issued by the Russian military command. The content of the leaflets said that if the residents of the city did not flee Grozny through the "safe corridor" before the specified date, they would be regarded as "terrorists" and eliminated.

When the war reached the Chechen armed forces' bandit nest, Putin and the Russian troops on the front line did not feel the pressure relieved. On the contrary, their pressure increased.

First, the Russian command was reluctant to engage in large-scale ground combat for fear of heavy casualties. But when the Russian army arrived in Grozny, the Chechen armed forces, in order to defend their last urban stronghold, put up a more tenacious resistance and had no room for maneuver. They fought for every inch of land, and such a battle was bound to be accompanied by huge casualties.

Secondly, diplomatic pressure has reached an unprecedented level. US President Clinton issued his strongest criticism of Russia's Chechen strategy. The White House said that Russia's ultimatum has threatened the lives of innocent Chechen civilians, and Russia will pay a heavy price for its actions. Such behavior will only strengthen extremism and reduce Moscow's international status. Other NATO countries and some Islamic religions have also condemned and isolated Russia, and turned verbal actions into actual actions, such as stopping loans to Russia.

Faced with these pressures, Putin gritted his teeth and resisted. He publicly said: "We are not a country that can be threatened like Yugoslavia, nor can we be treated like this. Russia is indeed facing pressure, but this is because we are weak and give in step by step. In addition, those Western countries will not isolate us, and economic sanctions are not as terrible for us as portrayed. China and India both want to be friends with us. Japan has provided us with loans despite warnings from across the ocean. South Korea is also providing us with loans. I want to tell certain Western forces that Russia is always eager for active dialogue and will never accept unequal dialogue."

However, everyone can make harsh remarks, but if these pressures had not really caused trouble for Moscow, Putin would not have to bite the bullet and fight back. The collateral casualties caused by the Russian army in the war would always be hyped and criticized by the West, and the huge losses suffered by the Russian army in the brutal urban street fighting would also cost Russia a huge price.

In short, in modern warfare, the cost of mobilizing regular troops is undoubtedly huge. It requires the authorization of the State Duma and a legitimate reason for the war. Once it is deployed, it is easy to cause diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions. Once the casualties are too great or the war is unfavorable, it is easy to cause domestic unrest. Thinking of this, Putin couldn't help but think of what happened in Indonesia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"The Americans are indeed the leaders of the capitalist world. Even their way of fighting wars is so capitalist, using military forces other than the army to serve their special interests. They do not need congressional authorization, excuses for going to war, or domestic public opinion. Diplomatic pressure is also compressed to a minimum. Russia also needs such a flexible tool..."

Chapter 195 Russia needs its own "Giant God Company" (End of "Eastern Europe")

The wind outside the window gently tapped the window, making a slight rustling sound. In the room where Putin and Makarov were talking, the curtains were closed, and the moonlight outside the window sprinkled on the carpet through the gaps, forming a series of blurred light and shadows. The lights in the room were dim, unable to dispel the shadows around, and the clock on the wall was ticking, timing this secret meeting.

Putin slowly picked up a photo from the table and handed it to Makarov. Makarov took the photo, looked up at Putin, and then lowered his head to examine it carefully.

"Do you know this person?"

"do not know."

"Have you heard of Giant God Company? He is the boss of Giant God Company, and behind him, there seems to be a bigger boss..."

"I know this. What they did in Indonesia was really great. In our industry, who wouldn't want to do business with Giant? Who wouldn't want to follow their path and set up a company like Giant?"

The player with the game ID "Makarov" really doesn't remember the faces of those veteran players in the game, oh, except for Liang Ruikun's face... But Makarov is very familiar with the boss of Giant God Company, and the two have added each other as friends. Makarov looked at Putin and thought: "What's the matter, you want to contact the boss of Giant God Company? I can give you a message."

At the same time, Putin was also looking at Makarov. Makarov's answer to some extent also responded to Putin's question, that is, "It is normal that Makarov's business friends include Giant God Company. Everyone likes to do business with such a big business company."

Putin had heard of this. As far as he knew, there was a middleman named Alexei in Ukraine, who had gradually become famous because of his close relationship with the Communist Party of Ukraine. He and Makarov were doing the same business, and they were both making money, so there was no reason for him to refuse the money from the American company.

It is also a coincidence that Alexei, like Makarov, has also shown some extraordinary qualities and abilities at a young age, which makes Putin sometimes sigh: "The future belongs to young people like them..." and at the same time sigh: "Gorbachev, this idiot, actually let Ukraine leave Russia. If Russia is still the territory of the Soviet Union and Tsarist Russia, Ukraine's population and industry will serve Russia, and people like Alexei should also serve me instead of mixing with the Communist Party in Ukraine..."

Then, Putin's thoughts suddenly flew to other aspects. He looked at Makarov himself, not the matter at hand. Makarov, a young man who was different from ordinary people in ability, character and work style, really met Putin's appetite. A person who could show the virtues of care, kindness, justice and iron-fisted methods at the same time, also met the expectations of many Russians at present.

But this does not mean that Putin will immediately pull Makarov into the core layer of his "circle" (which later became the "Shiravik Group"). Rushing too fast will only make this young man targeted by various forces in advance. Therefore, the investigation of Makarov will continue for a long time. For example, Putin has not seen Makarov's abilities other than military and propaganda (the ability to build personal IP), nor has he seen Makarov's abilities in power struggles and balancing the interests of various factions. In short, Makarov has not yet demonstrated such abilities, and he may need more time to gain experience.

Of course, Makarov has already been registered in Putin's mind. He is the kind of person with an "antenna". Such a person does not have to worry about wasting his time at the grassroots level (the grassroots level for people like Putin).

In addition to the above considerations, there is another most critical one for Putin personally. He saw Makarov's loyalty to the country, but... would a person like Makarov be loyal to Putin? Could Putin gain his loyalty?

Putin temporarily withdrew his gaze from Makarov, tapped his fingers on the photo, and said: "He is a military contractor with a background in the US government and a white glove of the Pentagon. Giant God Company carries out black operations for Americans in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and solves problems for Washington..."

Now, it's Makarov's turn to drum his fingers. What does Putin mean by telling me this?

The air in the room seemed to freeze, with only the clock on the wall still ticking. "What do you want me to do?" Finally, it was Makarov who spoke up and directly asked Putin what his intention was.

"Didn't you say you wanted to be a free patriot? Well, I'll give you some freedom and a small trial mission. This is actually a familiar track for you. Makarov, you should also set up a company like Colossus to serve Russia and me."

Putin pronounced the words "Russia" and "I" very strongly, as if he was emphasizing the key service objects of the new company in the future, but also as if he was saying that the two service objects were "combined into one", that is, "I am the country." Before Makarov could answer, Putin stood up and patted Makarov on the shoulder, which was both encouragement and farewell:

"I believe you can do it, and I also believe you can do it well. From now on, Moscow will fully support this company, including financial support, as well as opening preferential channels for recruiting soldiers and purchasing weapons. Think of a nice name for your company. My only request is that the company be established as soon as possible and can undertake business as soon as possible. The Americans are one step ahead of us, but I believe you can catch up!"

Silence returned to the room, with only the clock on the wall still ticking.

“What’s the name of the new company?”

"Wagner!"

"Old Ma, Old Ma, why are you......"

"This is fate, brothers. Wagner Company was born ahead of schedule. I sent the video of NPC Putin chatting with me to the group. By the way, the modeling of this game company is really good, it is almost 1:1 restoration." Makarov said in the group.

One player said: "Fuck, Lao Ma, why do I hear Putin urging you to use Wagner to grab global business, and especially emphasize the competition with Giant God? Lao Ma, Lao Ma, are you going to be our villain boss?"

Another player immediately followed up and said, "The next plot is so exciting? I'm going to apply to the group to let Lao Ma show his health bar!"

"Let's go, let's go to Russia and kill Lao Ma!" "+1"

"No, brothers, Comrade Makarov has made great contributions. He has provided a batch of talents and equipment to the group before. I worked hard to get them by running around and building relationships..." The player with the ID Makarov jokingly defended in the WeChat group, "Besides, if we have taken root in Russia, we can also provide support for the players who come to the Slavic region in the future."

Speaking of the Slavic region, another player with the ID Alexei who had been watching the show in the group for a long time suddenly said: "Laoma, I suddenly thought of something. You said that the armed force you founded is called Wagner, right? Do you know what I have been doing in Ukraine recently? I recently set up a small militia organization and prepared to do a pilot to prepare for taking over Ukraine in the future."

The players who were watching the fun immediately followed up with a sentence: "Ukrainian militia, right? Wagner, right? In a few years in the game, you two can have special military interactions!"

Makarov: "Special military interaction? Going to the Bakhmut meat grinder or besieging Mariupol? I think it's better to forget it, after all, I've seen it in real life. If that day comes, if there is a chance, I must take Wagner to Moscow once. Damn it, there is no chance in real life, but I must do it once in the game.........

Alexei: "Well, who can predict the future? Your situation in Chechnya has delayed our business in Africa, and I have to rely on you to replenish the personnel and equipment in time. But, as the saying goes, it's better to arrive early than to arrive at the right time. You know, when the team just arrived in Sierra Leone, there was a ruthless man there who did something ruthless. He kidnapped hundreds of UN peacekeeping force members...

"

Chapter 196 Blood and Diamonds (Beginning of "West Africa")

In "failed states", chaos is everywhere. In Somalia, a country that is on the road to collapse, there has been no court for a long time, nor a central government in the true sense; in Sierra Leone, children have become lawless executioners after being forced to inject drugs; in Rwanda, people from two major tribes kill and eat each other; in Liberia, the spiritual world of Charles Taylor, a grassroots president who once obtained an economics degree in the United States, is also chaotic and disorderly. He trusts wizards who pretend to be gods, and there are continuous accusations about his love of cannibalism...

In 1997, the Clinton administration first included the threat of "failed states" in its national security report, pointing out that "unstable states that are in internal conflict or have failed may threaten the security of regions where we have clear interests and even further exacerbate unrest." In 1998, the U.S. government's "National Security Report for the New Century" clearly listed "failed states" as one of the five major security threats to the United States, saying that "failed states" are unable to provide basic governance, services and social welfare to their people, leading to internal conflicts, humanitarian crises, social unrest, famine and environmental disasters, etc., threatening the interests of the United States and its citizens.

"The United States needs to change its past passive response and take a 'preemptive' approach to combating terrorists. Africa is economically backward and socially unstable due to poverty, disease, war and other reasons. These 'failed states' and 'ungoverned areas' have become 'safe havens' for terrorists and breeding grounds for terrorism... The United States' policy on 'failed states' should change from passive to active, from passive response to active intervention, to promote political stability and social reconstruction in 'failed states'."

The report on President Clinton's desk came from Titan Corporation, but Titan Corporation was not the only one behind the report. Underwood, a rising political star in the party, some military officers in the Pentagon and some congressmen in Washington all expressed their appreciation for the report. This logic is not surprising. If the United States becomes more proactive in diplomacy with "failed states" and "unmanaged areas", it means more projects, and more projects mean benefits.

The basis of this report is to oppose terrorism that harms American interests. However, at that time, the United States, from Clinton to American civilians, did not regard terrorist attacks as a particularly serious matter. After all, the terrorists only bombed the American embassy abroad, not the US mainland. Therefore, although many people supported this report, there were more people who opposed it, and their reasons were also very sufficient: "Think about the peacekeeping operation in Somalia in 1993!"

President Clinton still remembers the shadow of "Black Hawk Down" in 1993. The U.S. military dispatched Delta Force to capture the warlord Aidid. In the fierce street fighting in Mogadishu, Aidid's gang repelled the U.S. special forces and dragged the bodies of the dead U.S. soldiers through the streets with ropes for public display, and wantonly humiliated the captured pilot Durham. These scenes were repeatedly broadcast on American TV stations, deeply stimulating hundreds of millions of American people. The public opinion was even more outraged, collectively criticizing the Clinton administration's rash move to send troops to Somalia.

Under strong public pressure at home and abroad, the Clinton administration was forced to negotiate with the Aidid gang. Aidid agreed to hand over Durham and the bodies of two American soldiers, and the US military released all detained Aidid gang members and promised not to target the Aidid faction again. In 1995, the last batch of UN peacekeeping troops withdrew from Mogadishu, marking the failure of the 27-month-long, more than $20 billion Somalia peacekeeping operation.

After such experience, the United States began to view ground warfare as a scourge. Whether it was the "Desert Fox" operation against Iraq in 1998 or the Kosovo War in 1999, the US military adopted a non-contact combat method - air bombing, and did not send ground troops.

However, in the second half of the report, it seems that in order to help President Clinton and the US military remove such encouragement, Giant God once again "volunteered" and pointed out that in order to avoid a repeat of the 1993 Somalia peacekeeping operation, the US government can outsource such projects to professional organizations (Giant God) to complete. Whether it is early infiltration, mid-term military operations, or later stabilization and reconstruction of "failed countries", Giant God can be handed over to it.

At the end of the report, Giant God Company described a feasible path and a beautiful blueprint for the future to the White House, in order to explain how Giant God Company will help those "failed countries" become "windows of the free world":

"We will comprehensively use policies such as conflict prevention and resolution, humanitarian assistance, and political, economic, and social system reconstruction to promote political stability and social reconstruction in 'failed states'. In the process, we will vigorously promote the strategy of democratic expansion, exert influence on 'failed states', and encourage them to take the path of democratization, establish a free and democratic social system, and implement a market economy..."

Although President Clinton was not particularly moved by the contents of the report, considering that Giant God Company had helped him and the attitudes of those behind the report, Clinton would not object to the contents of the report. He just muttered: "The boss of Giant God Company is too eager to develop new business. Also, there are huge benefits in Africa. Who wouldn't be tempted?"

As a "new player" involved in African interests, Giant God Company undoubtedly needs some help from the White House and the Pentagon to avoid some unnecessary troubles, so as to happily make trouble in Africa. It doesn't even need the help of the White House and the Pentagon, as long as you don't object and don't cause trouble, then it's OK. As for the resistance that the armies of those small African countries can bring, Giant God Company controlled by the players is not worried at all.

…..-…--.-…--…

In 1999, President Kabbah, the theoretically legitimate leader of Sierra Leone, signed a military contract with Gigantic, requesting the company to send security personnel to Freetown to ensure the safety of the capital and prevent the rebels from committing crimes in the capital before the UN peacekeeping force arrived. Gigantic took this opportunity to legally and reasonably send armed forces to Sierra Leone.

Asking mercenaries to join the war is actually a tradition in Sierra Leone. In the past, the Sierra Leone government relied on hiring South African mercenaries to repel the rebels, but then terminated the contract with the South African mercenaries under pressure from the West, and the rebels made a comeback. Later, the Sierra Leone government wanted to ask the British SI company to send mercenaries to assist the government in fighting the rebels, but SI company only wanted Sierra Leone's diamonds, so they only fought the rebels in the diamond mining area, and did not fight in other battles.

Taking into account the Western background of Giant God (Sierra Leone: "This is your own company in Europe and America, please stop pressuring me to terminate the contract") and Giant God's combat performance in Indonesia (it can't be more lax than the British SI...), Sierra Leone took out a considerable portion of its already limited funds and chose to sign a contract with Giant God.

"It's convenient to be covered in the skin of American imperialism."

To some extent, Sierra Leone is really "letting the wolf in the house" this time. If SI only wants diamonds from Sierra Leone, then Giant God wants more than just diamonds, but to replicate the East Timor model. Compared with the secret operations in East Timor, Giant God will have more freedom in Sierra Leone and possible operations in West African countries this time, not only because of the improvement in strength and the weaker opponents (not counting the intervention of powers such as Britain and France), but also because Giant God does not intend to implement "socialism" in these regions right from the start, which makes the US top leaders very wary, so many operations can be carried out quite openly.

"Our goal is to bring a little modern capitalism to these countries that don't even have the most basic order. Compared to the anti-human things done by the 'tyrants' in the weird little countries, modern capitalism is so damn advanced........."

Chapter 197: Coming to a "cannibalistic" world

The scorching sun hung in the sky, pouring heat waves on this war-torn land. The air was filled with a damp and decayed smell, and even breathing became heavy and difficult. Jeeps carrying Giant God Security bumped along the road, and the dust they raised looked like golden mist in the sun.

Since the team that Makarov was originally going to send to Africa failed (to fight Chechen armed forces), the Giant God Company, which could not receive soldiers and equipment in a short time, could only temporarily arrange players and some American NPCs from the US branch to form a company and quickly deploy them to Sierra Leone. The security members were wearing standard camouflage uniforms and carrying luxurious individual weapons. The NPCs looked indifferent and turned a blind eye to the surrounding situation, while the players stuck their heads out and observed around like a group of curious babies.

Surrounded by dense tropical rainforests, the trees towered into the sky, and the interlaced branches and leaves cast mottled shadows. As the vehicle moved forward, the soldiers' sight passed through the layers of treetops and saw a slum built with various materials. The simple sheds were particularly dazzling in the sun, with iron sheets, plastic sheets and wooden boards pieced together in a disorderly manner, and it felt like they would collapse in the wind and rain at any time. In the slums, a few scattered figures were moving slowly, their movements were slow and mechanical, as if their souls had been taken away by endless suffering, leaving only a zombie-like body.

An old man sat on the worn threshold, staring blankly at the jeep passing by. His face was covered with deep wrinkles. Next to him, a thin child was drawing circles on the ground with a stick in his hand. There was no light in his eyes, and he just repeated the action mechanically. The child's mother stood not far away, holding a baby in her arms, with a blank look in her eyes.

"This damn place doesn't look good..."

"It's more than not good, man. Did you fall asleep when the mission briefing was read? This is Sierra Leone, a cannibalistic world full of lunatics, child soldiers, blood diamonds and drugs..."

The jeep continued to move forward, and the soldiers' eyes were gradually attracted by the scene on the roadside. The broken limbs and arms were scattered among the weeds, and the bones that were not completely covered by the soil were glowing palely in the sun, which was chilling. Some bodies had begun to rot, and the air was filled with a disgusting stench. Flies were hovering over the rotten meat, making a buzzing sound.

"Fuck, what the hell is that? Can anyone tell me why there are so many chopped-off hands and feet?" Someone turned on the radio and asked his comrades in other vehicles if they knew what was going on.

The other crew members also turned on the radio and responded: "Brother, I don't know either. The mission briefing didn't mention this..."

"Shit, we are heading to hell..."

"Oh, my friends, I am actually getting excited. Go to hell and kill the devil. This will make God happy!"

After a while, the company commander also turned on the radio. He coughed twice and said to everyone: "Our Sierra Leone guide can explain your problem. He told me that because President Kabbah's campaign slogan was 'The future is in your hands', the more serious rebel forces chose to chop off hands when they launched a retaliatory action........."