Mercenaries, I Will Be King Chapter 156 - 144: The Highest Courtesy

An hour later, Song Heping was woken up by the alarm clock on ti.

Just as he finished packing, he heard the familiar sound of helicopter propellers in the sky.

He looked at his watch.

It wasn't even two hours yet.

It seed that Avanti's action was quicker than expected.

The one who ca to pick him up was the old acquaintance, Naxin.

Upon disembarking from the plane, he first saluted Song Heping.

A salute?

How novel!

That was the highest honor a soldier could receive.

He was no longer a soldier.

"Mr. Song, please board the plane!"

"Ah..."

Song Heping wanted to grab his bag, but Naxin darted forward and snatched it up first.

"I'll take this."

Having said that, he picked up Song Heping's tactical bag and walked away.

"Um..."

Naxin had always been very proud.

He had never been so polite to him before.

This ti was really...

Both n boarded the helicopter, and once in the air, turned south.

Less than two hours later, the helicopter landed at the camp where they had t before.

It was already daylight.

Avanti was personally waiting beside the landing pad.

Upon seeing Song Heping, he opened his arms wide, where previously, he would have only shaken hands, now he embraced him.

"Mr. Avanti, I would like to take a shower first."

Song Heping sniffed himself, feeling quite rancid.

Avanti laughed heartily, then turned to Naxin and said, "Go, take Mr. Song to the officers' shower room."

This was the most comfortable shower Song Heping had ever had.

Though not luxurious, the camp's shower room had everything necessary. This place was probably intended for senior officers, featuring a large pool lined with mosaic tiles, shampoo, soap, towels, and even a change of clothes prepared for Song Heping.

The Persian way of bathing was very similar to that of rural China, much like the village bathhouses.

Song Heping lay in the warm pool water, scrubbing every part of his body, removing pounds of gri.

After scrubbing, he blissfully leaned against the edge of the pool and fell asleep.

He didn't wake up until Naxin ca to wake him up, realizing he had slept for an hour.

"Mr. Song, Mr. Avanti has prepared breakfast and is waiting for you."

"Ah..."

Song Heping hurriedly scooped up so water, splashed it on his face, then subrged his head in the water for a good soak before getting dressed and following Naxin to et Avanti.

The breakfast was very lavish.

Avanti was extrely cordial.

The task was accomplished.

The operation was very successful.

The Persians were very satisfied.

"Mr. Song, would you mind if I asked which Special Forces you were once affiliated with in China?"

He couldn't help but ask the sensitive question.

Song Heping simply smiled and did not reply.

"Mr. Avanti, I think... as a friend, I should have my own little secrets, but I can tell you that I left the military many years ago."

Avanti paused slightly.

He felt Song Heping had misunderstood him.

So he added, "I don't mistrust you or harbor any suspicions towards you, I am just curious as to what kind of unit could possess soone with your exemplary tactical skills, and even let you leave active duty."

Song Heping stuck to his explanation: "It's hard to fulfill both loyalty and filial piety, an old saying of ours. I chose to fulfill my filial duties. Besides, my motherland has too many soldiers like ... "

Avanti's eyes sparkled, and it took him a while to muster a response, "Thank goodness we aren't enemies."

Song Heping half-jokingly said, "I'm the owner of a Defense Company, even if we are friends, I still have to charge, but I can give a discount."

Upon hearing this, Avanti laughed heartily, "Mr. Song, rest assured, I've already initiated a transfer of a million US dollars, I believe it will be credited today."

All of a sudden, Song Heping put down the pastry he was holding, "Mr. Avanti, may I also ask a sensitive question?"

"Please go ahead." Avanti appeared very generous.

Song Heping said, "Who is Hassan? Worth the SAD's 'Watcher' squad's personal effort to arrest?"

Avanti pondered for a mont, sipped so tea, and seed to decide to be candid, finally saying, "Hassan is one of those who know the hiding places of Sadam's gold. The intelligence agencies of Country M have been searching for this batch of gold, said to be several tens of tons still unaccounted for, but so far no one has been able to find it."

Footnote: "When Sadam was in power, he amassed considerable wealth. After the last Gulf War, he began storing gold, amassing about two hundred tons over ten years. The coalition forces have only found about one hundred and thirty tons; there are rumors of several more tens of tons that Sadam had moved out of Baghdad and relocated before the coalition forces entered."

"The CIA is searching, and if they get this gold ils can keep it entirely unreported, using it as their own fund, while we... "

While he spoke, he rotated the gold ring set with a ruby on his finger.

"Gold is tempting to everyone, including a nation; it's a hard currency."

As he said this, he took off one of the ruby rings and handed it over.

Song Heping was stunned.

He didn't understand the gesture.

Avanti explained, "Normally, I rarely give rings to others; in our tradition, a ring is both a token of trust and a pledge. This ring has my inscription inside it. Holding it, you would be respected by any military commander in the Persian forces."

So it was a token.

Song Heping, showing proper etiquette, reached out and accepted it.

Not to accept it would have been incredibly impolite and disrespectful.

He was not the kind of cold, unsociable person who didn't understand human emotions and social norms.