The command center fell silent as death.
Everyone understood what this ant.
A Persian chanized division of ten thousand was charging at full speed toward the area surrounded by the 1515 Ard.
Once they intervened, the battle would instantly reverse.
"Why?" Major Miller was the first to break the silence, "Why are the Persians here? How dare they..."
Kote didn't answer.
His mind was racing, piecing the fragnts together.
Song Heping's plea for help, the sudden gathering of the 1515, the "coincidental" appearance of the Persian forces...
No, it's not a coincidence.
It was never a coincidence.
From the start, it wasn't!
"Check all the communication records of Song Heping's troops in the past seventy-two hours, especially any transmission on the encrypted bands,"
Kote ordered.
The intelligence team quickly moved into action.
Five minutes later, a preliminary report was placed in front of Kote.
"Colonel, six hours before the Grey Wolf Team was encircled, we intercepted a brief satellite phone communication. The signal source was in the Sinjar Mountain Area, the recipient could not be determined, but the signal's direction..." the intelligence officer paused, "pointed inside Persia."
Kote opened the audio file.
A familiar voice, after noise reduction, spoke in English, "The situation has developed according to plan... A green signal will be sent in six hours... Rember, not early or late..."
It was Song Heping's voice.
Kote closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
When he opened them again, his pupils were filled with rage.
"He never expected us to intervene to provide rescue."
Kote said word by word, squeezing each one out, "All those distress signals were just an act. He was waiting for us to refuse, to just stand by. That way, he has a legitimate reason to request 'external assistance.'
Major Miller suddenly realized:
"The Persians have always waited for an excuse to enter the Northwest Illinois. According to our previous agreent with Song Heping, his controlled area could not be used as a route for Persian supplies and personnel to Syria. But if his security was threatened, if the US Army 'could not' offer protection..."
"He could justifiably invite the Persian forces to enter to protect his 'security.'
Kote took over, his voice filled with sarcasm and anger., "And we, thinking we were smart bastards, just happened to give him this excuse."
The command center sank into deeper silence.
Everyone realized that they had been played, played so thoroughly. The image of Song Heping dying in despair shattered, replaced by a calm strategist, leading them into a trap.
"Colonel, the vanguard of the Persian forces has entered within twenty kiloters of the engagent zone,"
The drone operator reported, "1515 Ard Brigade seems to have discovered them, and parts of the unit are starting to redeploy."
On the screen, the 1515 Ard Brigade, which was previously focusing entirely on the Grey Wolf Team, began to split their forces, with so turning direction, preparing to face the threat from the north.
However, their movents were chaotic and disorganized, clearly unprepared for this sudden situation.
"Colonel, what should we do?" Major Miller asked, "Notify the Illigo Governnt? Or... take action?"
Kote stared at the screen, watching as the Persian armored forces advanced as if through an unguarded territory.
His fingers drumd on the console, the pace quickening, revealing the intense struggle within.
Notify the Illigo Governnt?
What good would it do?
The Illigo Governnt Army was filled with pro-Persian Shiite officers who would welco Persian influence.
Take military action?
Firing on such a massive Persian force without clear authorization would be equivalent to starting a war.
Moreover, the Illigo Governnt Army had been held back for months on the Ozham side, if they only had a little combat ability, they wouldn't have been stuck in Ozham with no progress.
Have them send troops to the Northwest Region now?
Isn't that just giving the 1515 Ard Brigade an opportunity to break through Ozham and advance on Baghdad?
Deadlock!
This is completely a deadlock!
Kote now realized that Song Heping had calculated everything, realizing that even if the Persian forces entered Illinois, the governnt army couldn't do anything about them, hence his blatant actions.
Damn it!
Got caught again!
"Continue surveillance."
Kote helplessly ordered: "Record everything, collect evidence. At the sa ti, notify the Pentagon and Central Command, we need... guidance."
The so-called "guidance" was actually to shirk responsibility.
Kote knew this ss had already surpassed his authority to handle.
The only thing he could do now was ensure he wouldn't beco a scapegoat.
Yet the anger within him erupted like magma.
He walked to his office area, closed the door, and then—
"Bang!"
The fine ceramic coffee cup was hurled forcefully at the wall, shattering into pieces.
Kote's hands hit the desktop, his chest heaving violently, veins bulging on his forehead.
He had been played, played by a rcenary Leader he had never regarded seriously. Worse, this mistake would lead to Persian influence officially entering the Northwest Illinois, forming the so-called "Shiite Arc," linking Persia, Illiguo, Syria, and Liben.
This was the scenario both the military and the White House dreaded the most.
And all this began with his underestimation of Song Heping, with his foolish plan of killing with a borrowed knife.
Outside ca a cautious knock on the door.
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