The next day, just as the first light appeared in the East.
On the dirt road outside Hulmatu Region, a steel tide was rolling forward.
The first to invade the view was the billowing dust, like the prelude to a sandstorm, obscuring the sky.
Next ca the low roar of engines, growing louder.
Leading the way were three "Joint Light Tactical Vehicles" painted in desert digital camouflage, equipped with M2HB heavy machine guns, speeding past like a whirlwind, with wheels kicking up stones and smoke.
The machine gunners on the vehicles wore protective goggles and uniform Thunder Defense combat uniforms, scanning the wasteland and low buildings on both sides of the road warily, fingers hovering over the trigger guard.
Following closely behind was the main force of the unending convoy.
Dozens, even hundreds of various military vehicles ford this intimidating ard column—
Sturdy mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles like moving fortresses, followed by light armored personnel carriers, military trucks for material transportation covered with thick canvas, with ammo boxes and equipnt faintly visible below.
Occasionally, technical vehicles equipped with armor and weapons could be seen.
All vehicles were uniformly painted with the striking Thunder Defense lightning logo and specific letter codes representing contractors.
The convoy maintained strict intervals and speed, moving smoothly toward the predetermined strategic points across Hulmatu Region along Main Street and various branch dirt roads.
At a key junction in front of a small concrete checkpoint, a squad was detached from the convoy.
Four M-ATVs spread out in combat formation, the weapon stations on the roof slowly rotating, with gun muzzles pointed at the few "Liberation Front" militia mbers inside the checkpoint.
A commander wearing advanced Thunder Defense combat attire and Ray-Ban sunglasses jumped from the lead vehicle, ignoring the militia's tense and angry gazes, walked straight to the makeshift barrier, and took out a docunt, loudly declaring in a heavily accented yet undeniable Arabic:
"According to Alliance Headquarters Order No. 7-41, and the agreent reached with local ard forces, this checkpoint and surrounding defenses will be fully taken over by Thunder Defense Company imdiately! You must pack up personal belongings and vacate the area within fifteen minutes! Repeat, vacate imdiately!"
His voice was cold and authoritative.
Behind him, the rcenaries got out and ford a defensive line using the vehicles, their movents skilled and coordinated.
In the distance, more Thunder Defense vehicles were heading for other targets, engines roaring intermittently, seemingly announcing the handover of control over this land, filled with an oppressive sense of an impending storm.
anwhile, inside Hulmatu City.
Song Heping, accustod to waking early, was already seated at the desk in the command room, spreading out the large Illiguo military map, moving his fingers along the Tigris River, concentrating on studying possible routes and key points for a southward attack on Tikrit.
At that mont, the urgent, even sowhat frantic, footsteps quickly approached, suddenly shattering the morning calm.
The door was pushed open with a "bang," and Samir rushed in like a gust of wind.
"Boss! Sothing major has happened!"
Song Heping looked up, his brow slightly furrowed, but his tone remained calm: "Samir, calm down. What happened? Don't rush, tell clearly."
"It's Thunder Defense! Those bastards!"
Samir practically shouted, waving his arms and saying:
"They... they mobilized a large force! Dozens, no, possibly hundreds of military vehicles! Full of ard rcenaries, they stord into our Hulmatu Region like locusts as the sky was still dark!"
He panted heavily, speaking rapidly like machine-gun fire:
"Now they're forcibly taking over almost every stronghold and checkpoint we've set up within a tens of kiloters around Hulmatu! They are pointing guns at our brothers' heads, ordering them to imdiately lay down arms and leave their positions! Our n refuse, and tensions are high in many places! Brothers' eyes are red, fingers on the triggers, ready to fire any mont!"
Song Heping's gaze instantly turned icy.
It seems Kote and Thunder Defense's counterattack has arrived!
And it ca so swiftly, with no room for negotiation!
This is not any "defensive collaboration," it's a carefully planned, blatant ard takeover, a direct, assertive response to the previous No. 4 checkpoint incident, aiming to seize control and foothold established by Song Heping in Hulmatu Region in one move!
His mind began operating at full capacity within a fraction of a second, weighing pros and cons, calculating gains and losses.
Resist?
With the current power at hand and the militia's morale, he might temporarily hold off, but the ensuing standoff would inevitably bring many chain reactions, even the newly negotiated Afghan contract might be voided.
Compromise?
Handing over the territory won through bloodshed will surely lead to the destruction of just-gathered military spirit and morale, and his prestige will suffer.
The air seed to freeze, leaving only Samir's heavy breathing in the command room.
In this suffocating silence, the encrypted satellite phone on the table suddenly emitted a sharp and urgent buzzing sound, breaking the deadlock.
Song Heping's gaze swept across the number displayed on the screen—Kote.
"Hmph!"
What was bound to co, really ca.
He took a deep breath, suppressing all the turmoil in his chest, then made a "stay calm" gesture to the almost-fuming Samir, before pressing the answer button:
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