Mercenaries, I Will Be King Chapter 1561 1265: Broaden Your Horizons

After Samir left with a belly full of grievances, Jiang Feng entered the command center with a frown.

Looking at Song Heping, who was carefully rolling up the map of the Northern Illigo War Zone on the table, he couldn't help but step forward and ask:

"Old squad leader, I still can't figure it out! We put in so much effort, lost so many people, and managed to capture Hulmatu with great difficulty. The place hasn't even cooled down yet, so why are we just giving it up? Now it's all a bargain for those bastards at Thunder Defense! They must be popping champagne sowhere right now, celebrating and laughing at us for being soft!"

Song Heping didn't stop rolling the map, nor did he lift his head, as if Jiang Feng's agitation was sothing he had anticipated.

He spread the map open again, his finger tapping precisely on the repeatedly marked position of Hulmatu with a red and blue pencil, making a dull thudding sound.

"Focusing only on this small patch of land won't accomplish anything big."

He calmly said, "Co here, take a closer look."

Jiang Feng moved closer.

On the map, towns, roads, rivers, and mountain ranges were clearly marked, with red and blue arrows interlocking, outlining the chaotic battle situation in Northern Illigo.

Song Heping picked up the nearly bald red and blue pencil and drew several heavy circles in the Titrick and slightly further Ozham areas north of Hulmatu.

"Look here," he said, "The main forces of 1515 are now like mad dogs trapped in these dens, in a state of constant panic."

Then, instead of directly pointing to the nearby Titrick as Jiang Feng expected, his pencil moved steadily southward, past so minor towns, and finally landed on another transportation hub west of Titrick—Bayji.

"Bayji?"

Jiang Feng furrowed his brows tighter, asking with confusion, "What's the significance of this place?"

"Yes, Bayji."

Song Heping pressed the red pen heavily at that point, leaving a prominent mark as if nailing it to the map.

Then, his wrist moved, drawing a clear, firm red line connecting Bayji with the also heavily marked city to the northwest—Mosul.

Beside Mosul, it was marked "Abu You Brigade (Control)."

"Look, if we can take this place and connect it with Abu You Brigade in Mosul, what do you see?"

Song Heping raised his head, looking sharply at Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng's gaze swept back and forth on that abrupt red line, his brain racing to understand the purpose of this move, but in the end, he shook his head in confusion:

"Old squad leader, stop beating around the bush, just tell directly. Titrick is right under our noses, taking it would push 1515 into the desert to the south, right? By then, the Aricans can organize an airstrike and be done with it!"

Song Heping sighed, seemingly a bit helpless at Jiang Feng's linear thinking.

He lightly tapped the position of Titrick with the end of his pencil, as if tapping the head of soone who doesn't get it:

"You're only seeing the first layer. Sure, Hulmatu is north of Titrick. If we march south and take Titrick now, we can indeed cut off 1515's main retreat route in Northern Illigo. From a purely military perspective, this would force the enemy gathered in the Ozham area to break out to the south, right into the well-prepared firepower of the US Army in the south, serving up a satisfying 'turkey hunt' feast for the US Air Force."

"Wouldn't that be exactly what the Aricans want? Quick, clean, and decisive."

Jiang Feng interjected, thinking the logic was self-evident.

"So does that an it's a good thing?"

Song Heping sneered, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes:

"It's a good thing for them, but for us, it would be a disaster! If we did that, it would be like helping the Aricans clear the most stubborn battlefield in Eastern Illigo with our own hands. Think about it, once the biggest threat around Baghdad is removed, what use would we, rcenaries selling our lives for money, and Samir's complex 'Liberation Forces' militia, have in the eyes of the Aricans? We would imdiately go from 'useful partners' to 'potential threats' that are annoying and need to be guarded against! By then, wouldn't they imdiately throw us under the bus?"

He paused, seeing the agitation in Jiang Feng's eyes gradually replaced by contemplation, and continued using the pen to draw a larger circle around Bayji, as if outlining a future kingdom.

"But if we temporarily hold back, forgive the imdiate Titrick, and instead launch a long-distance raid to capture this place—Bayji."

His pen tip stayed firmly there.

"Taking it ans we can also control the main traffic artery for 1515 ard forces to retreat west to Siria. This closes their escape route west but doesn't seal it completely. By leaving a bit of 'breathing space' for the 1515 ard forces trapped in Titrick and Ozham, they won't be driven to desperation and head south recklessly, nor will they imdiately turn around and fight us to the death."

Song Heping's pen tip moved slowly on the map, as if a strategist was conducting a sand table exercise, sketching a grander and more complex strategic situation:

"Moreover, as long as we control Mosul and Bayji, we can control how many 1515 reinforcents co from the Siria direction, like controlling a faucet. With this, the entire Northwest Region's conflict won't end quickly but will instead beco a long-term stalemate. The longer the conflict drags on, the more the Aricans will depend on our intelligence, manpower, and influence in the area. The more stable Samir's 'Liberation Forces' becos, the more benefits—weapons, funds, political leverage—we can gain!"

"And, doing this has another benefit they would never expect."

Song Heping's lips curled into a cold smile:

"We deliberately gave up Hulmatu, a 'hard bone' that just got into our mouths, to the Thunder Defense who are eager to claim credit. Colonel Kote and the bigwigs behind him probably think they've scored a great deal, thinking they snatched a juicy piece from us."

"But little do they know, what they've picked up isn't a victory prize, but the direct attack pressure from 1515 ard forces in the Titrick and Ozham directions! They think they've gained an advantage, but in reality, they've been pushed into a quagmire of a long-term war of attrition! The deeper they sink, the more advantageous it is for us!"

He spoke more excitedly, unable to suppress a smile:

"Now that Mosul is already in Abu You Brigade's hands, as long as we take Bayji in a swift move with Samir's 'Liberation Forces,' we can establish a solid foothold in the vast western region between Titrick and the Siria border, allowing us to advance or retreat."

"At that point, the 'Liberation Forces' will no longer be a local militia that can only engage in guerrilla warfare in the northern mountains, surviving on others' rcy, but will beco a force in Illigo that no one can ignore! We can leverage this power to push Samir onto Illigo's political stage, securing him a place in the future governnt cabinet and national assembly! That's the ultimate goal of us getting involved in Illigo's chaotic situation!"

Song Heping's gaze seed to penetrate the coarse paper map, seeing a more distant future.

"Once this goal is achieved, it ans Illigo will beco another solid and reliable base for our 'Musician' Defense Company overseas. To the north, we can connect with our Persian partners, forming a mutually supportive network. By then, even if we openly confront the Aricans, we'll have enough strategic depth and strength to maneuver and counter them!"

Listening to this step-by-step, deeply calculated analysis, the confusion and dissatisfaction in Jiang Feng's eyes had long been replaced by shock and admiration.

He suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaid:

"Damn! Old squad leader, the depth and scale of your ga... It's incredible! I get it! All of it! Hulmatu was just a trouble purposely thrown out, Bayji is the real territory we want to seize! Let those fools at Thunder Defense take the hits, head-to-head with 1515, while we open up more valuable ground!"

"Hmm, you haven't turned out to be completely clueless."

Song Heping smiled as he skillfully rolled up the map, tying it with a rubber band, and instructed, "Go and relay the orders, tell everyone to get ready, at first light tomorrow, the whole army mobilizes, withdraw from Hulmatu."