Baghdad, Green Zone.
The air conditioner blew the command center's air cold and dry, in stark contrast to the scorching heat outside that could lt asphalt in Baghdad's afternoon.
Colonel Kote held a cup of cold black coffee as he stood in front of the giant electronic sand table, his bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep fixed on the town model marked "Hulmatu."
The bitterness of the coffee spread over his tongue, just like his current mood.
At the edge of the sand table, blue arrows representing the militia led by Song Heping and the rcenary Camp pointed decisively from Daguge toward Hulmatu.
"He's on the move."
Kote's assistant, Lieutenant Harrison, said in a low voice beside him.
Kote did not turn back, only snorting through his nose, laden with sarcasm and fatigue.
"Indeed, after taking so much money, he's bound to act. While the Iliko Governnt Army is retreating miserably at Ozham, our 'great ally' Mr. Song finally thinks the timing is right..."
Recalling all the mockery and humiliation received in Daguge last night, Kote's fingers holding the coffee cup turned slightly pale from exertion.
He really disliked Song Heping.
Yet he was utterly helpless against him.
What do you call this feeling?
It's called pain...
Staring at the map for a full five minutes, his finger heavily fell on Hulmatu's location.
"However, does he think he's heading to that Hulmatu from several days ago, with only a thousand scattered rcenaries and lax defenses? Bullshit!"
Kote's voice carried a long-suppressed resentnt.
Over the past week, the governnt army and the US Air Force have endured trendous pressure on the front lines. The 1515 militants have employed extrely cunning harassnt tactics, effectively evading air force attacks while gradually depleting the governnt army's forces and morale.
Because of Song Heping's sudden withdrawal, the governnt army and the Kurd Ard were stuck in a quagmire of war, unable to move an inch.
anwhile, the damn rcenary Leader Song Heping took advantage to extort the Great Arica, with a contract of 1 billion dollars, 300 million cash, and a camp full of Arican-style equipnt...
He was simply gorging himself on profit!
Harrison said: "Maybe he thinks now is the best ti to reap the battlefield's rewards..."
"Wishful thinking!"
Kote sneered as he walked back to the control panel, quickly typing on the keyboard to bring up a series of the latest satellite images and drone reconnaissance reports.
In the images showing the outskirts of Hulmatu City, trenches, anti-tank ditches, and crisscrossing transportation ditches were densely packed. Machine
gun positions were concealed like snake nests at key points.
The rooftops of key buildings were reinforced, revealing heavy machine guns and suspected flat-firing anti-aircraft guns' firing ports.
At the town's entrance, layers of barricades were built with sandbags, abandoned vehicles, and even dismantled prefabricated panels, leaving only narrow, inevitably deathtrap-filled passages.
"Look at this!"
Kote enlarged a high-resolution image, pointing to an inconspicuous ruin southeast of Hulmatu.
"Three days ago, there was nothing here. Now, there's at least one reinforced company deployed, equipped with at least four DShK heavy machine guns and an unknown number of RPGs. Also, look at this residential area in the west of the town. Our signal intelligence indicates that the volu of radio communication here has surged by 500% over the past seventy-two hours! They're mobilizing troops, strengthening fortifications! This isn't a last-minute scramble; it's planned and systematic defensive reinforcent!"
Harrison leaned in and said: "Not only that, Colonel, our integrated intelligence analysis shows that the estimated number of 1515 militants inside Hulmatu has conservatively exceeded six thousand. This doesn't even account for the civilians caught in the crossfire. Furthermore, we've identified so new movents."
"Speak!"
Kote looked at his deputy with interest.
"Just last night, at least two sizable convoys, under cover of darkness, traveled along rural roads from Ozham to Hulmatu."
Harrison brought up another set of nightti infrared images, blurry but distinguishable outlines of the convoy.
"Intelligence analysts believe this is most likely a mobile force deliberately pulled from our pressure front line at Ozham by the 1515. Estimated numbers range from 1,500 to 2,000. Moreover, judging by their vehicle types and marching discipline, it's likely their elite troops, like the so-called 'Black Flag Group.'"
"Ozham..."
A smile appeared on Kote's face.
It's clear that Song Heping successfully attracted the attention of the 1515 militants.
After all, in the eyes of 1515, Song Heping is the biggest threat, and those governnt armies and Kurds are not taken seriously by those madn.
In this way, the pressure from Ozham's direction is expected to reduce significantly, preventing the trapped main forces of the Kurd Ard from facing annihilation.
Now thinking about that 1 billion dollar contract...
It seems quite worthwhile...
From the intelligence from various parties now, it turns out Buckdadi has pulled troops back to reinforce Hulmatu from the direction of Ozham. This shows their emphasis on Hulmatu, preferring to take risks in Ozham to concentrate superior forces in Hulmatu and eliminate Song Heping!
"Six thousand! Plus these two thousand fresh troops from Ozham, that makes eight thousand or even more!"
Kote almost gritted his teeth as he spat out this number.
"And they're not the kind of rabble that crumbles at the first touch. Among them are elite troops transferred from Mosul, Raqqa, and the Black Flag Group from Ozham, all of which are Buckdadi's precious forces! Over the past few days, they've caught a breather, replenished their ammunition, and built a comprehensive defense system. Now Hulmatu is like a hedgehog bristling with spikes!"
He picked up a laser pointer and directed it at the increasingly isolated blue arrow representing Song Heping on the sand table.
"Song Heping left two thousand people to defend Kirkuk. At most, he has around ten thousand available. To attack an enemy with a perfect defense, close to eight thousand troops, and with a death-defying mindset..."
Kote displayed a nearly cruel smile on his face.
"Even if he can conquer it, I bet his force will lose a lot of teeth, seriously weakened! Can he afford twenty percent or even thirty percent casualties? rcenaries and militian are not regular troops. Heavy casualties could lead to a collapse at any ti. By that, don't even ntion taking Hulmatu, even retreating intact could beco an issue!"
Harrison was silent for a mont, trying to analyze: "Maybe Song has his plan? His previous actions all took us by surprise, fighting very... cleverly. For instance in Daguge, he captured it within four hours..."
"Clever?"
Kote snorted, interrupting him.
"In the face of absolute strength and preparation, how much use is cleverness? Hulmatu is not an outdoor engagent; they're facing brutal urban warfare! Every house, every street, every sewer opening will need to be exchanged with blood! The 1515 people now hate him to the bone. Have you forgotten he wiped out the 1515 Ard people before? Buckdadi has long put a bounty on his head! This ti they seem ready, in Hulmatu, to settle that old score!"
Kote wasn't wrong.
Just as Song Heping's troops set out from Daguge, Buckdadi, the self-proclaid "Caliph" in the so-called "capital" of "Levant Country" in the Raqqa region of Syria, received the exact intelligence at the first mont.
In a hidden mountainous command post near the Iligo border in Syria.
The dim light of the screen shone on Buckdadi's face hidden under a black headscarf, and the almost erupting spite in his eyes.
Song Heping, this na was branded deep into his heart like a red-hot iron rod.
This rcenary leader caused him great losses in Northwest Illinois and Eastern Syria, severely undermining the invincible myth of "Levant Country," and shaking so supporters' confidence.
The fact that Song Heping is still alive is Buckdadi's greatest humiliation.
"He has co."
Buckdadi's voice was hoarse and low:
"This traitor of Allah, the oriental heretic butcher, has finally left his shell and walked into the slaughterhouse we prepared for him."
He turned to several of his most fearless commanders standing solemnly in the shadows of the room.
"Hulmatu will be his grave, also the place where we wash away our humiliation and regain prestige!"
Buckdadi slamd the table hard.
"Imdiately pass my order, transfer two thousand of the most loyal, battle-hardened 'Injaz' (Martyr Camp) fighters from Ozham, and rush back to Hulmatu overnight! Tell them it's for Jihad, for the Caliph! Bring those new anti-tank missiles from the Mosul warehouse with them too!"
His deep gaze turned towards the direction of Hulmatu on the virtual map.
"Tell Basmo."
He ntioned the current 1515 commander of Hulmatu:
"I've given him troops, given him weapons, I don't want to hear any excuses, I only want Song Heping's head! He must utilize Hulmatu's solid houses and complex streets to turn it into a blood maze devouring heretics! At all costs, hold Hulmatu, I will continue to send reinforcents to him, it must be with Song Heping's head to show everyone the consequences of challenging our 'Levant Country'!"
A cold order was then sent to Hulmatu and also reached the 1515 Ard at the Ozham frontline.
In Hulmatu City, after receiving the orders and the news that reinforcents are about to arrive, Commander Basmo revealed a grueso smile.
He caressed the ever-present dagger on the table, growling to his n: "Did you hear? The Caliph is watching us! That damn Song Heping is heading in our direction, estimated to arrive in Hulmatu tonight, the Ozham brothers are rushing to aid us; our strength is unprecedented! The Caliph orders us to rely on the solid defense here, every wall in the city, every window, to make sure every step Song Heping's n take is paid with blood! Here will be their burial ground!"
More 1515 elites began to converge on this town about to beco a blood grinder.
The "Injaz" camp, racing overnight from Ozham, arrived with dusty and fervent fighting spirit, blending into Hulmatu's defense system.
They carried ample ammunition, including a large number of RPG-7s, RPG-29s, and a batch of brand-new Russian-made "Kornet" anti-tank missile systems capable of threatening heavy armored targets.
A shocking amount of explosives were planted in main passages, intersections, and even under ruins possibly used as cover.
Snipers took ghostly positions at the town's vantage points and water towers, patiently calibrating their scopes, waiting for prey to appear.
Behind every window may hide a deadly muzzle; under every heap of rubble might be a lethal IED.
A denser, deadlier web of death silently tightened around Hulmatu, waiting for Song Heping's arrival.
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