Chapter 1779 - 1368: Captain Lei's Request

"Just so-so..."

Song Heping chuckled, knowing he couldn't fool Lei Ming, but still trying to play it down.

In front of his former instructor, humility was essential.

"You call this just so-so? Major General Samir of the Defense Army, Deputy Chairman Abu You of the Military Committee, and Avanti from Persia—these people are either under you or your close allies. Impressive."

Lei Ming's tone was akin to reading a briefing.

"Samir rose from brigade commander to major general, controlling the Mosul Region; Abu You returned to the Kold Military Committee, wielding real power; Persia's 'Holy City Brigade' treats you as a partner. Now, you have more influence in Northwest Illinois than the Baghdad Government. Americans need to schedule an appointment to meet you. You call this just so-so? I remember you being quite honest back in the training selection days, Song Heping. What happened? Did you learn to be slippery after spending over a decade abroad?"

"Had to learn to be sly to survive." Song Heping said with a wry smile, "You have no idea, Captain Lei, what I've been through over the years... I'm just a merchant, surviving in the cracks."

"A merchant?"

Lei Ming set down his teacup, and the porcelain clinked crisply.

"What merchant can mobilize an armored brigade? What merchant can navigate between the U.S. and Iraq? What merchant can cause headaches for both the CIA and Mossad simultaneously? Song Heping, don't try to play it down with me. We know everything about you in Northwest Illinois, including the balance in your Swiss Bank account, even though that's just the tip of your wealth iceberg."

Song Heping felt a chill on his back.

It wasn't fear, but the discomfort of being thoroughly exposed.

He's been maneuvering in the shadows for over ten years, thinking he was well-hidden, yet before his homeland, he's almost transparent.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hold you accountable."

Lei Ming saw through his thoughts, "On the contrary, I'm here to ask for your help."

"Ask me?" Song Heping frowned.

The choice of words was subtle—not an order, not a demand, but a "request."

"Yes." Lei Ming's expression grew serious, his eagle-like eyes fixing on Song Heping, "I want you to take immediate action upon returning to Northwest Illinois, to completely eliminate the 1515 Armed Organization within Iraq, and sweep clean the northwest."

Song Heping was taken aback.

The request was sudden and specific.

"Why?" he asked, "They are currently useful to me. The 1515 remnant is roaming the border, and I can use this to request aid and equipment from Americans while maintaining the legality of my private armed forces. If I wipe them out, Americans might turn against me."

"I know what you're thinking."

Lei Ming said, "Keeping 1515 allows you to bargain with Americans, use anti-terrorism as a pretext to request aid and support, and maintain the legality of your private armed forces. This is typical mercenary thinking, maximizing short-term profits. But the situation has changed."

"How has it changed?"

"First, the situation in Northwest Illinois is stabilizing."

Lei Ming took out a tablet computer, unlocked it, brought up several maps and documents, and pushed it towards Song Heping.

"The new government is friendly to us, and we have many projects there—oil field development, infrastructure construction, power engineering, with a total investment of over two billion dollars. These projects are mainly in the northwest, and the presence of 1515 is a serious threat to project safety."

Song Heping looked at the data on the tablet.

It was indeed internal documents in Chinese, with a high level of confidentiality.

"This is the Fao Port expansion project, undertaken by our national enterprise, investing twelve billion dollars. Once completed, it will become an important port in the Persian Gulf where our ships can dock for resupply."

Lei Ming pointed at the first map.

"This is the third phase of the Hafaya Oil Field, led by CNPC, with a thirty billion dollar investment, expecting a daily crude oil output of 200,000 barrels. This is the Basra Power Plant, contracted to SH Electric, with an eight billion dollar investment, which will solve the power shortage in the southern Baghdad. There are more roads, railways, bridges..."

He swiped the screen, showing a map full of dense red markers:

"All of these are within your sphere of influence or impact area—Mosul, Kirkuk, Elbil, Dehuk…1515 frequently launch attacks, not enough to become a climate, but causing casualties and property losses. Last month, they attacked a convoy from an engineering team near Kirkuk, involving our citizens, resulting in two deaths and five injuries. This cannot happen again."

Song Heping frowned.

He knew there were national companies in Northwest Illinois doing projects, but didn't realize there were so many concentrated.

"These projects... I know some, but didn't expect so many."

"That's why, for national interests, 1515 must be eliminated."

Lei Ming's gaze was intense.

"You have the capability. Samir's forces now number over ten thousand, well-equipped, many of which are provided by you. Abu You's mechanized brigade also has several thousand people, controlling the Kirkuk Oil Field. Add your two elite mercenary camps deployed there, the total force exceeds twenty thousand. And the 1515 within Iraq are down to less than twenty-three thousand. What you're tasked with is not a frontal battle, but clearing operations, decapitation, thoroughly cutting off their supply line along the Iraq-Syria border."

"About Americans..."

Song Heping still hesitated.

"Still worried about Americans?" Lei Ming interrupted him, "You're now well-established in Northwest Illinois. Samir is a Defense Army major general, Abu You is the vice chairman of the Kold Autonomous Region's military committee, both are legal positions. Persians support you, Russians cooperate with you, and you have friends within the Baghdad Regime, like Yusuf… Ha, did you think we didn't know?"