At the very mont the militia pointed their guns at the Arican rcenaries, Thunder Defense's rcenaries demonstrated their astonishing reaction speed.
The personnel who were originally constructing the defensive periter and unloading equipnt almost instantly turned their guns around the mont the militia raised theirs. The more advanced M4A1 carbines and squad automatic weapons instantly locked onto the opposing militia.
The air was thick with the sll of gunpowder, as both sides ford a sharp standoff on the open sandy ground, tension high, where even the tiniest spark could trigger a full-blown conflict.
The information spread quickly like a disturbed hive of bees, swiftly reaching the command center in Hulmatu Town.
After hearing the report, Jiang Feng briskly walked into Song Heping's office, speaking hurriedly:
"Old Sergeant, Thunder Defense's guys are stirring up trouble! As expected, shortly after arriving they clashed with Samir's n in the southeast flank's Area 4, almost ended in gunfire! They're extrely arrogant, led by a forr Navy SEAL Chief nad Sanders, who won't even bother to communicate with our n and forcibly occupies our forward observation point, even insulting those militias."
Song Heping was standing in front of a map, finger pointing at a zone of overlapping enemy and ally forces in the direction of Mosul, analyzing the latest intel just sent back.
Upon hearing this, he raised his head, eyes showing no surprise.
He put down his marker pen, walked over to the map, and circled "Area 4" with a red pen.
"Area 4..."
Song Heping's voice was calm, as if evaluating the value of an item.
"Open view, strong frontal control, it guards an auxiliary passage leading to Mosul and several nearby villages that can provide supplies and information… The location is indeed good, a great place to plant nails."
His finger gently tapped on the red circle, voice tinged with a bit of sarcasm:
"This Sanders does have so skill, choosing a spot where he wants to grasp a small throat in our southeastern direction right after arriving, both demonstrating presence and monitoring our movents closely."
"Should we ask Samir's side to be tougher? We could even deploy more personnel, force them out from there?"
Jiang Feng proposed: "We can't let them easily plant nails in here!"
Song Heping slowly shook his head: "No, not for now. The ink on the agreent is barely dry, and if we directly use force to drive them away, we'd be handing Winslow and Kote the excuse they've been hoping for. They are eager for us to break this fragile 'understanding' first."
He turned around, looking sharply at Jiang Feng, a clear and ruthless plan already forming in his mind.
"Tell Samir,"
Song Heping issued clear instructions, "Have his n imdiately withdraw from Area 4. Stay restrained, avoid any direct firefight. 'Give' them the forward observation point… temporarily."
Jiang Feng hesitated for a mont, surprised, but when he saw the familiar glint in Song Heping's eyes—
The calm and patience of an experienced hunter setting a trap, he imdiately understood.
Song Heping walked to his desk, speaking calmly: "But from today onwards, all of our routine ard patrols around Area 4 will be suspended. The civilian contact points and supply points in the three nearby villages will temporarily evacuate, ceasing all public activities."
He paused, a gleam of coldness in his eyes, and continued: "Also, find a way to 'accidentally' let 'ambiguous intelligence' about small reconnaissance units or suicide squads from 1515 possibly operating in that area spread through 'appropriate' channels. Rember, the intelligence needs to be ambiguous, sources indirect, the truth best left difficult to discern. Additionally, have Samir mobilize his informants throughout the northwest to spread news about our reduced troop presence in Area 4, revealing defensive weaknesses."
Ending on this note, raising a finger and pointing it in the air: "And… stop supplying fresh water there, halt our patrol duties on the transport routes to Area 4, let those Aricans get their own. Or let them fetch water from Hulmatu City, transporting it themselves from here to the checkpoint at Area 4, a distance of over ten kiloters. If the 1515 personnel are clever, they'll find ways to exploit this..."
Upon this, Jiang Feng's eyes lit up, displaying a knowing smile:
"Got it! You an… using others to strike? Or at least make them deaf and blind, staying there helplessly?"
"Using others to strike? That's too overt, and too cheap for them. The 1515 personnel aren't fools, they won't easily take the chestnuts out of the fire for us."
Song Heping coldly chuckled: "What I want is for them to feel this piece of 'feng shui treasure' becos isolated and dangerous on their own. Making them stay there always on high alert, with only static noise on the listening channels, dispatching patrols only to catch wind and sand, unable to find a single valuable ghostly shadow. Preventing them from obtaining supplies locally, not even a cup of clean water. Letting their entire 'professional experience' and 'high-tech equipnt' slowly exhaust their effectiveness amid endless isolation, suspicion, and fatigue."
He walked to the window, gazing towards the southeast, as if he could see through the walls and observe the standoff unfolding on those hills.
"Simultaneously, we want Washington and those Pentagon bureaucrats to clearly see that this 'professional force' they had high hopes for to 'counterbalance' us, after reaching the front line, achieved nothing but wasted precious resources and friction among allies, becoming a burden and weakness needing additional protection due to their arrogance."
Song Heping's voice was deep and powerful, each word dropping like a ticulously calculated chess piece onto the board of fate:
"Of course, this is only the first step. If they can't withstand this invisible pressure and isolation, decide to stir up trouble to break the deadlock or 'accidentally' cross over our line—unknown to them—into areas covering our true core interests… like attempting to infiltrate the town for reconnaissance, or interfering with our other supply lines…"
He paused, turned around, eyes blazing as he looked at Jiang Feng:
"Then at that ti, any 'accidents' that occur, such as encountering 'unidentified' ambushes, or stepping onto '1515 left behind' simple explosive devices, can only be blad on their lack of skill or bad luck. After all, this land is fraught with crises, full of unknown dangers. Isn't it?"
Jiang Feng fully grasped Song Heping's intention.
This is not a simple retreat but an advance by retreat, setting up an invisible net.
Certainly can't violate the agreent to drive them away directly, but there are ways to make these self-righteous forr special soldiers deeply experience what a 'cultural clash' ans, what 'invisible walls' are, leading them to either shrink their activity range quietly or withdraw completely from this ga they should never have delved into due to so 'perfectly tid' 'accident'.
"Understood! I'm going to arrange it right away, ensuring everything is leak-proof, leaving them with no recourse!"
Jiang Feng was full of confidence, eyes shining with admiration for Song Heping's strategy.
This is the old sergeant he knows, adept at utilizing rules, environnt, and human nature to achieve the most effective strategic goals with minimal cost.
"Hmm."
Song Heping nodded, sitting back at the table, picking up the report on Mosul, as though he had just handled a trivial matter.
"By the way, Ferrari and White Bear are arriving in Hulmatu tomorrow, have the logistics crew prepare, give them a welco at dinner tomorrow night."
"They're arriving?!"
Jiang Feng was overjoyed.
"Haven't seen Ferrari and the others in a long ti, really miss them. Are they coming to discuss the Afghan plans with you?"
"Yes."
Song Heping said: "The Aricans have given us a logistics contract worth six hundred million US dollars annually, but I suspect… they won't give us such a great advantage, I assu this candy is poisoned. I can't spare myself for the matters here for now, Ferrari is coming over to join us first, then work together on a plan, to advance to Afghan a month later, after handling Titrick I'll take a turn in Afghan."
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