His finger slowly moved across the map, from Hulmatu to the northwest direction of Mosul, and then back to Hulmatu.
"It seems Buckdadi wants to crash head-on in Hulmatu."
Song Heping whispered to himself, a sharp glint in his eyes, "Everyone likes piling troops, huh?"
He suddenly stood up, moving so fast that he stirred up a breeze.
"Jiang Feng! Record the orders!"
"Yes!"
Jiang Feng imdiately took out his tactical tablet, ready to input.
"First!"
Song Heping spoke swiftly and clearly, "Order the Abu You Brigade to imdiately detach from the main force, all units motorized, light-loaded, and move at the fastest speed secretly to a hill area 20 kiloters outside Mosul City to await orders! Tell them to stay hidden well, and without my command, not even a fly should make them move!"
The Abu You Brigade was Song Heping's most maneuverable light infantry unit, fully equipped with ard pickups and motorcycles, specializing in quick assaults and enemy rear raids.
"Second! Get Milosh here."
Jiang Feng turned and left, returning shortly with Milosh, the commander of the "Musician" rcenary Camp's first battalion.
Milosh walked up to Song Heping and asked softly, "Boss, what are your orders?"
Song Heping lifted the map and took out another map pressed below it, handing it to Milosh.
"I have a map provided by the Persians here, showing secret tunnels leading into Hulmatu City, through abandoned qanats (a type of underground water channel system) and ancient drainage systems. The entrance should be less than three kiloters from here. Now, take two rcenary battalions, equipped with close combat, demolition, and communication gear, find the entrance according to the map, and then everyone enters the tunnel and lies in wait for my attack orders!"
He emphasized as he glanced at Milosh, "Rember to send a Vanguard Group, keep it quiet, and avoid fighting enemy forces as much as possible. If you can't avoid, eliminate them quietly without alarming the city's enemy."
"Understood, Boss."
Milosh confidently replied, "I guarantee not even a fly will be disturbed."
"Third!"
After Milosh left, Song Heping continued issuing orders:
"Imdiately deploy a thousand elite from the main force, all equipped with anti-tank missiles and heavy machine guns, riding high-mobility vehicles, and head straight for the transport hub near Hadi Town between Mosul and Hulmatu. Choose favorable terrain along the highway for ambush! Their task is not to assault but to cut off reinforcents! If reinforcents appear on this route or enemies in Hulmatu try to return aid, stop them at all costs!"
"Fourth! The remaining five thousand of the main force, advance to five kiloters from the Hulmatu 1515 periter defense line, select favorable terrain, and build field fortifications, and camp out! Create the montum for ; send out patrols and reconnaissance squads as usual, making it look like we are ready to attack at any ti, but without my permission, no one is allowed to engage the enemy on their initiative!"
The series of orders left Jiang Feng and the other officers slightly stunned.
This strategy...
Completely unconventional!
Not concentrating all forces to attack the city, instead splitting troops to Mosul, sending people for halfway ambush, even sending small units to drill tunnels...
"Boss, are we… going to switch targets to Mosul?"
Samir couldn't help but ask.
Song Heping didn't directly answer his question but picked up the satellite phone and dialed a number.
"Avanti, my old friend."
As soon as the call connected, Song Heping straightforwardly said, "I've been in Daguge the last few days, and it seems the situation has changed. I need the support you promised earlier. Please imdiately mobilize at least five thousand troops from the Revolutionary Guard, cross the border to the designated area outside Mosul City, and join my Abu You Brigade under my command. I'll send you the exact coordinates shortly."
On the other end of the phone, Avanti was clearly surprised, "Song, what do you an by this? Hulmatu here is heavily ard; you won't concentrate forces to deal with Hulmatu's 1515 ard units instead want to split forces to strike Mosul? Isn't this move sowhat risky?"
Song Heping said, "Only children make choices. Hulmatu, I want. Mosul, I'm also interested. Buckdadi wants to gather his main force here for a decisive battle with , then I'll play along, and watch him cover his insufficiencies with nine lids for ten pots."
"Are you planning a mobile warfare?" Avanti asked.
Song Heping said, "Avanti, if a turtle retracts its limbs, even hitting it hard with a rock doesn't an much and might even hurt your hand. But use fire to burn its behind, and its limbs and head will co out. Hulmatu right now is like a turtle in an iron shell. I don't plan on a direct confrontation, but I'll heat up Buckdadi's behind and make him reveal that pesky turtle head for ."
Avanti remained silent for a few seconds on the phone, clearly weighing the pros and cons.
Ultimately, Song Heping's display of powerful confidence seed to persuade him.
"Alright, Song, I trust you. I'll imdiately mobilize troops to arrive at the designated location within twenty-four hours."
"Pleasure cooperating."
After hanging up, Song Heping finally looked at his bewildered subordinates, smiling, "Got it? Execute the orders now. Rember, act fast and keep it strictly confidential!"
"Yes!"
The entire war machinery began to operate efficiently according to Song Heping's seemingly scattered and sowhat risky plan.
The thousands of warriors of the Abu You Brigade quickly boarded various ard pickups and motorcycles, kicking up clouds of dust, then separated from the main force, racing towards Mosul in the northwest like a torrent of iron.
The reinforcent interception squads heading to Haditha also quickly gathered, boarded ard pickups, carrying heavy weapons, disappearing into the night.
The main force of five thousand soldiers continued to advance slowly, stopping roughly five kiloters north of Hulmatu, starting to dig trenches, set up roadblocks, and establish observation posts with great fanfare.
Simultaneously sending out patrols and reconnaissance vehicles for close reconnaissance, making the 1515 elents on the defense line nervous, firing frequently into the darkness but not daring to strike easily.
anwhile, outlined by an empty wasteland northwest of Hulmatu.
A combat unit composed of two rcenary battalions silently traversed between jagged rocks and parched river beds like ghosts.
They wore desert-colored combat uniforms without any markings, faces painted with thick oil paint, equipped with short assault rifles fitted with silencers, shotguns, submachine guns, along with extensive explosives and night vision gear.
Leading them, Milosh held the map, clearly marked with the secret tunnel entrance into Hulmatu City.
Following the map's instructions, they found an entrance partially concealed by large rocks at the end of a dried-up riverbed nearly buried by sand and stone.
The cave mouth was dark, exuding a chilly, damp moldy sll and dusty air.
Milosh made a gesture, and two vanguards put on head-mounted four-eye night vision devices, holding short rifles equipped with tactical flashlights, crouched down and entered.
Monts later, a faint tapping sound ca through the headset—safe.
Milosh waved his hand, and the other team mbers filed in.
Inside the tunnel was more spacious than expected but still required bending to proceed.
Underfoot were slippery mud and gravel, overhead, occasional water droplets fell, making a clear "drip" sound in the silence.
The air was murky, carrying a strong earthy sll and the odor of so decaying substance.
Through the night vision, the world was a monotone green, only seeing the blurry outlines of teammates ahead and the uneven path underfoot.
Nobody spoke, only the suppressed sound of breathing and the faint rustling of equipnt.
They were like parasites creeping through the giant beast's intestines, silently following the ancient underground veins towards the heart of Hulmatu.
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