Chapter 1469 - 1216: Colonel Kote at His Wits' End

Baghdad Green Zone, inside the US Joint Task Force Headquarters.

The atmosphere here contrasted starkly with the tranquility of Dagula, like Hell and Heaven.

A massive electronic map occupied the entire wall, with red arrows representing the 1515 Armed Group biting fiercely into the blue defense lines representing the government forces and allies like ferocious poison snakes.

Each flash, each movement, signified another soldier falling at the front lines, another position changing hands.

In the direction of Ozham, multiple blue areas had been breached, with several regions turning into glaring red, constantly caving inward like corroded metal.

In the Agra area, the blue halo representing the besieged Kurd Armed group was visibly shrinking at a speed, with the situation screen's sidebar blinking continuously with red symbols indicating "Emergency Help Needed," "Out of Ammunition," and "Heavy Casualties," like a dying patient's monitor showing a struggling heartbeat.

The communication channel was a chaotic mix of English, Arabic, and Kurdish accents mingled with screams, roars, static interference noise, and faint background explosion sounds, weaving a desperate symphony filling the busy command center.

"East district of Ozham has fallen! Repeat, east district has fallen! 1515 armed trucks have stormed into the city! We're retreating! Need artillery cover at the east district entrance!"

"This is Agra 'Freedom Fighters' first battalion! We need air support! Now! Immediately! They're coming up again! Human wave tactics!"

"General Sai Fu's command is unreachable! Last communication was ten minutes ago, possible relocation or... God save us!"

"Ammunition! We need anti-tank ammunition! RPGs! Anything that can stop their armored vehicles!"

"Kote! Colonel Kote! Are you listening?!"

General Sai Fu's hoarse voice suddenly forced its way through an encrypted line.

"My men are falling like flies! Where's your air support? Where's the artillery you promised? East district is lost, street battles are breaking out in the city center! We can't hold for more than a few hours! If you don't provide effective support soon, I'll have no choice but to order a retreat and abandon Ozham! Can you bear the responsibility?!"

Colonel Kote stood before the electronic map, face ashen.

He grabbed the communicator and shouted, "Sai Fu! Hold your line! You must not retreat! Air support is being coordinated, you need to hold on! Abandoning Ozham means losing the barrier of Baghdad!"

"Coordinate?! By the time you're done coordinating, my command post will be overrun!"

Sai Fu's voice was almost a roar.

"Tell me, why are the 'Musician's' people stuck at Dagula? If they attacked Hulmatu according to plan, my pressure here would be halved! What the hell are you Americans and that mercenary leader up to?!"

At this moment, another more urgent call, with a dense background of gunfire like raindrops on a tin roof and a distinct Kurdish accent of desperation, interrupted: "Command, command, this is Agra! We are completely surrounded! Repeat, completely surrounded! The enemy has broken through the southeast and northwest junctions, compressing towards the center! We're out of anti-tank missiles! Heavy machine gun ammunition is almost gone! Wounded... too many wounded, nowhere to evacuate them! We need immediate evacuation! Or strong close air support! For Allah's sake, save us! We..."

The call's voice was suddenly cut off by a violent explosion and electrical noise, followed by an ominous silence.

Kote's heart tightened painfully.

He knew where the problem lay.

Tuz Valley.

It was supposed to be a flawless move, a seamless "dismantling."

Using "reasonable delay" in intelligence to cause Song Heping to lose troops.

According to the plan, that was just the beginning; the following Hulmatu battle and Tikrit offensive were the main focus.

If executed perfectly, after Song Heping seized Titrick and his troops were heavily damaged, the Kurd Armed would reap the benefits and turn into the main assault force.

Thus, after the operation concluded, the Kurd Armed would have occupied more territories in Northwest Illinois and gained more initiative and voice.

The whole plan was perfect, but he never expected Song Heping's reaction to be so intense, so swift, so...

Completely unexpected!

In Kote's view, Song Heping was overreacting!

To risk the broader anti-terror situation in Northwest Illinois for the lives of a few dozen subordinates!

To disregard the life and death of more than ten thousand Kurd allies!

It was simply a desecration of the word "ally!"

Of course, Kote was very "American," choosing to conveniently overlook the fact that he first undermined the trust of "allies."

Always find reasons in others first.

"Colonel!"

A young aide walked up quickly with a grim face, forehead beaded with cold sweat, "Pentagon... White House National Security Council is holding an emergency video meeting! Top level! Connecting in three minutes! Brenan safety advisor is personally hosting! They require your personal participation to report on the situation here."

Kote's heart sank heavily.

What was bound to come had finally arrived.

The rapid deterioration of the situation could not go unnoticed by the bigwigs in Washington.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart, straightened his slightly creased uniform, and tried to restore a calm expression before walking towards the secured video conference room located on the flank of the command center.