Mercenaries, I Will Be King Chapter 192 - 168: To Profit from an Endeavor, First Sharpen

Hunter pondered for a mont and then began to speak slowly, his tone carrying a hint of uncertainty, "I use the M24, and with top-notch ammunition, I'm indeed confident about hitting a target at 1000 ters away, and when in top condition, attempting 1200 ters isn't impossible. But that's under extre conditions."

Upon hearing this, the Cook's voice instantly beca much louder, sounding sowhat agitated, "Then what are we even talking about! The range of the two snipers in our team is not as good as theirs; isn't this plainly sending us to our deaths? Without proper sniper support, aren't we, the machine gunners and assaulters who charge into battle, just live targets?"

Grey Wolf chid in thoughtfully, "I also feel that General Peter's arrangent is likely intended to make us decoys for the Seal Team to draw fire."

Ferrari interrupted bluntly with a firm tone. "Don't use words like 'seems;' it is exactly what's happening, we are being used as bait."

He turned his head towards Song Heping, his eyes revealing a trace of worry, "The pay for this mission is substantial, yet hard to earn."

The Cook, who was straightforward, spoke out again bluntly, "I think we shouldn't have taken this job."

Upon hearing this, Ferrari imdiately countered, "I strongly disagree! Cook, you aren't seeing clearly. This contract is a litmus test for proving our capabilities, and more so, it's a stepping stone into higher circles. Peter is hiring us not just for the current crisis in Mosul, but more profoundly as a test for us."

"A test?" the Cook furrowed his brows and asked after a mont of contemplation, "Are you saying they are worried about unreliable elents within our team?"

Ferrari nodded, pointing at each team mber in turn, "Look, Russians, Caucasians, and you—"

He pointed at Song Heping: "And a person from China. In their eyes, such a combination is hard to fully trust. Only if we can truly showcase our strength in Mosul and eliminate those resisters, will we be considered 'reliable' and qualify for more important military tasks.

You guys know how much the recent contract Sparta Company signed to protect the diplomats of the Illigo Interim Governnt overseas is worth?"

The team mbers looked at each other, all baffled.

Ferrari stretched out two fingers proudly: "Two hundred million US dollars!"

"Holy shit!"

The team mbers, although used to handling significant sums of money, couldn't help but marvel repeatedly at this astronomical figure even the usually composed Song Heping couldn't hide his astonishnt.

At that mont, Yusuf's previous warnings about the corruption and injustice within the Illigo Interim Governnt flashed through Song Heping's mind—the low-level officials had no security; only the top echelons enjoyed comprehensive protection.

This deepened his realization that in their world, strength and trust are equally important, and they were standing at the crossroads of proving themselves.

He originally thought it was a cost issue.

It appears not!

"They have so much security funding, so why won't they provide Yusuf and his like with security services? Just the diplomat security alone costs two hundred million; how many billions then for the entire security of all high-ranking officials of the interim governnt?"

"How many billions?" Ferrari scoffed, "The approved reconstruction funds alone are already around one hundred billion US dollars, with security funding accounting for one-third. What do you think? Two billion is nothing! Song, the money we previously made is nothing compared to the real big business.

Black Water alone gets three hundred million US dollars just for a three-year contract to train the ISF from Illigo, not including the contracts for conducting black operations, detentions, and interrogations signed with the CIA."

As he spoke, his eyes twinkled.

"Of course, this money isn't as simple as you think. It's ant for consultation fees, you get it? Consultation fees."

Song Heping couldn't help but ask, "What consultation fees?"

Ferrari explained, "For instance, why does Black Water get these contracts? Because their consultants are all forr high-ranking military officers. What role do you think these people play in Black Water? Obviously, consultation. There's a lot of depth here."

"Funds are allocated by the Congress bigwigs for reconstruction, then the money flows into the military accounts here, then the military and PMC contractors sign lush military contracts, then Black Water gets the money, a portion of which is spent on operational costs and personnel salaries, with the remaining going into the company accounts as profit, and so as consultation and consulting fees to those retired high-ranking military officer consultants, and these consultants then launder so of this via comrcial ans to the families of current stationed military high-ranking officials...

It's not just contractors that operate this way; the major military-industrial complex companies do the sa. This is a tradition in United States—revolving door!"

As he spoke, he gestured in the air, drawing a circle.

"A perfect loop! 言われなければ,なぜアメリカ人が戦争が好きな理由がわかりますか? How do we say it in our old Chinese saying? What about gold?"

He really considers himself a Chinese, though he's only a quarter blood.

Song Heping couldn't help but laugh, "When the cannon fires, gold is ten thousand taels!"

"Exactly! When the cannon fires, gold is ten thousand taels!"

Ferrari burst out laughing.

The Cook impatiently said, "What does all this Ferrari is talking about have to do with our current contract?"

Ferrari spread his hands wide with an exaggerated expression, "This contract, although dangerous, is just the key to the door. In my view, that guy Peter wants to find a trustworthy smaller company to make money for himself, but this small company must have so capability and a clean background, and be able to handle so matters that are inconvenient to discuss openly, you understand?"