Mercenaries, I Will Be King Chapter 444 - 390: Personal Visit to 203

Inland, in a mountainous area.

On the winding mountain road, a military jeep sped along.

In the back seat, Han Gang, wearing the insignia of a lieutenant colonel, focused on the docunt in his hands.

This docunt had just been passed to him.

It contained information on a retired non-commissioned officer nad Song Heping.

The credentials of this officer read like a thrilling pulp novel.

Han Gang couldn't help but admire the man after going through his file.

Today, he had to make a trip to Unit 203.

Because so of Song Heping's information was missing.

Although it was known that he had served in a certain special forces unit, he had suddenly retired. Before his retirent, he seed to have participated in a selection and training program for Unit 203.

It is said that even ordinary non-commissioned officers from the special forces, upon retirent, are subject to a five-year confidentiality period during which they are not allowed to leave the force.

How did Song Heping manage to leave then?

Moreover, within just a little over a year abroad, he established a defense company of considerable scale with several hundred under his command, and his company is currently the largest transportation contractor for the US Army in Illiguo.

His journey was simply like a dream.

Could it be related to Unit 203?

Song Heping had actually been placed on the surveillance list half a year ago.

For a simple reason: information had been relayed from overseas.

An intelligence broker nad "Lao Yinbi" sent a ssage saying that this person had approached him to buy intelligence, and upon discovery, "Lao Yinbi" realized this was no ordinary individual. He was involved in a deal concerning SA-9 missiles, deed to be acting as an agent for the US Army, with the buyers being anti-governnt ard forces in Africa.

Owing to his professional sensitivity, "Lao Yinbi" felt that there was sothing more to this matter and thus sent back Song Heping's situation, asking the intelligence departnt to investigate his background.

At the ti of the investigation, due to issues of classification and authority, it was found that there was a period in Song Heping's history that was a blank, speculated to be related to a highly confidential military unit, hence he was placed under surveillance.

Because Song Heping still retained his citizenship, he would inevitably return to the country soday, and once he returned, he would have to be interviewed.

This was the advice of the intelligence departnt.

As a relevant official at the agency, Han Gang had received a warning and obtained this notice.

Because Song Heping had returned.

Indeed.

This guy had actually returned to his hotown, seemingly because of matters concerning his family's admission into the household registry. However, over the past few days, he and another retired non-commissioned officer who had entered the country at the sa ti had registered a security company. They were currently recruiting and buying horses, recruiting mostly retired elites, mainly from the training units.

Among them were both officers and soldiers.

Currently, with the implentation of autonomous career choice, many officers had started seeking their own jobs after returning to civilian life.

While many excelled in the military, they beca like dragons in shallow waters upon returning to civilian life, where nothing seed to work out for them. Many squandered their demobilization pay to the point of having to drive taxis or work as security guards.

Many of those recruited by Song Heping were in such situations.

According to data obtained from the business sector, Song Heping's security company was engaged in overseas business. It appeared that everyone had signed contracts stipulating their destination was to service an oilfield security detail in Illiguo.

Legally speaking, there is nothing wrong with this.

There are few companies involved in the PMC business dostically, but it is allowed overseas.

As long as the contracts are signed with legitimate companies, there are no issues.

This ti, the overseas labor contract was signed with a company registered in the Cayman Islands. A check showed it was a company established within the last year, with no issues in its business operations.

In other words, everything was legal.

This surprised Han Gang.

Just Song Heping alone wouldn't have been capable of such a global enterprise, thriving so impressively.

It showed he had an impressive roster of talents in his "Musician" defense company in Illiguo.

Even with his rank, Han Gang couldn't access many details in the docunt, such as "Lao Yinbi", which was clearly a codena; even he did not know who the person really was.

But based on Han Gang's experience, this had to be a high-level spy known to only a few people.

Song Heping's return to the country now seed to be tangled in an economic dispute.

Fortunately, it looked like no major issues had arisen.

The local alert was sent to the provincial office. After being passed around, it finally reached Han Gang's departnt.

The chief instructed that Song Heping was a very valuable individual, and it was essential to establish contact with him. If possible, even offering him a position would be necessary.

Han Gang still rembered the scene in the chief's office before he departed; when the chief read through Song Heping's file and widened his eyes in surprise, he questioned how such a valuable person got away. What did he intend to do with so many recruits upon his return?

At that mont, Han Gang could only explain that this individual would surely not act against the country's interests, noting his low profile since returning and not even complaining after being extorted for two million.

It showed he neither wanted nor dared to make trouble in the country.

The chief laughed, handing the docunt back to Han Gang, saying, "You'd better go to Unit 203 and get a clear understanding of his situation. If he participated in their selection and training, there's definitely an assessnt report. Find out how he left, what his temperant is like; there will be conclusions."

As a final word of caution, he said, "After you've got a clear grasp, I'll coordinate with 203. Don't just go pinning down Song Heping directly—you can't handle him. Let soone from his own unit talk to him."

Even now, Han Gang still felt a touch of defiance.

He couldn't handle it?

His operational departnt was full of capable people; how could they not handle a re retired soldier?

Of course, he was also aware that Unit 203 was no ordinary unit.

The classification level of this unit was so high that without authorization, even he could not inquire about it.

And now, with authorization in hand, he still had to make a personal visit.

"Commander, we're almost there."

The driver suddenly turned his head and pointed ahead.

Indeed, amidst the dense jungle in the heart of the mountains, a simple iron archway ca into view.

The archway looked sowhat historical, with a white wooden sign hanging on the right, its white paint also looking slightly faded.

In bold letters were written — XXXXXXX 203 Breeding Base.

"We've arrived..."

Han Gang nodded slightly.

Just as they approached the iron gate, a fully ard soldier stationed beside it raised a hand, commanding the vehicle to stop.

The driver braked, coming to a halt in front of the gate.

Han Gang handed over his paperwork and officer's ID, looking around as he did so.

He was almost certain that there were already quite a few gun barrels aiming at him from the slopes around him.

The base was virtually nestled in the mountains, dozens of kiloters from the nearest town, and the term "seldom visited by people" was no overstatent in describing it.

After checking his ID, the duty guard went to the guardhouse to make a phone call and only returned a while later to hand back the docunts.

"Lieutenant Colonel, we will send soone to follow your car to the designated area," the guard said.

Having said that, a non-commissioned officer ca over, opened the passenger door, sat down, and instructed the driver, "Turn right after entering."

Han Gang could not help but joke with the non-commissioned officer, "Do you escort every visitor that cos here?"

"Yes."

The officer was curt.

Han Gang asked again, "Can you manage with all the trouble that must cause?"

The officer replied, "We rarely have visitors here, apart from our own people, you're the first visitor this week."

Visitor...

Han Gang couldn't help but glance at his own shoulder insignia, thinking, am I still a visitor?

Damn it, so I'm not one of their own?

That's really damn unwelcoming!

The car circled the camp for a few minutes, but Han Gang didn't see many people, so out of curiosity he asked, "Why is there no one around?"

The escorting officer replied coldly, "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

Han Gang glanced at the guy's rank insignia.

Hey!

Just a junior officer?

Thinks he's better than a regint officer?

The car stopped in front of a three-story building.

"Here we are," the officer in the passenger seat got out, went straight to the guard post in front of the office building, gave so instructions, and then said to Han Gang, "Follow him up."

With that, he turned and left without a second glance.

The guard post was also manned by an officer, who said to Han Gang, "Lieutenant Colonel, please co with ."

Han Gang had no choice but to follow.

The two went up to the second floor and ca to an office where the officer knocked on the door, and a voice from inside said, "Co in."

The officer pushed the door open and gestured for Han Gang to enter.

The office was small, with just an old desk.

A man with the rank of Colonel stood up from behind the desk and ca forward with great enthusiasm.

"You must be Comrade Han Gang from Bureau X, right? My na is Chen Kefan, I am the deputy head of the instructor group here," he said.

"Yes," Han Gang replied while producing the docunt, "Our superiors communicated with yours before I ca over today, to inquire about an individual."

He handed over the docunt.

Chen Kefan took the papers, glanced through them, and then motioned to Han Gang, "Please, have a seat."

After Han Gang sat down, Chen Kefan poured him a glass of water.

Han Gang felt a bit awkward.

The other man's rank was higher than his own.

Still, why was a Colonel the deputy head of the instructor group?

He had always heard that ranks at Unit 203 were higher than those in ordinary forces.

But this seed a bit excessive.

Chen Kefan sat down in a wooden armchair, flipped through the docunt, and frowned, "I have a vague recollection of this trainee. However, I wasn't around during his collective training session, so I wasn't the one in charge of him. He was personally supervised by our Captain Lei Ming from the Lei Ming squadron. Wait a mont, Captain Lei is on the base, I'll get soone to bring him over."

He moved to the radio, picked up the walkie-talkie and began to call.

"Calling Captain Lei, this is the base instructor group."

"Kefan, what do you want? Don't you know I'm leading a training session?"

"I know, but there's soone here looking for you, at building 2. Co over, it's a comrade from Bureau X."

"Bureau X?"

The voice of Lei Ming on the other end seed a bit surprised.

"Alright, I'll be right back."

"He will be back shortly," Chen Kefan said with a smile as he sat back down, "Captain Lei is outside training."

After that, he picked up the docunt to read it again.

"I rember this soldier."

"Ah... he was discharged eight years ago, and what happened here was three years ago; do you still recall anything?" asked Han Gang.

Looking at the photo, Chen Kefan said, "Though I wasn't in charge of that session, they hadn't finished by the ti I returned, and I rember eting him. Most of the participants in the selection training here are officers, and it's rare to see any soldiers, so he made an impression on ."

About twenty minutes later, suddenly there was a rumble from outside. Han Gang looked out the window and saw a Mi-171 helicopter slowly landing at a distant apron.

Five minutes later, a short, camouflaged-clad Major General ca in, demanding, "Chen Kefan, get a glass of water."

After requesting, he noticed Han Gang.

"Are you the comrade from Bureau X?" he inquired.

"Yes."

Han Gang quickly stood up and saluted.

The other man appeared slightly embarrassed, tried to return the salute, but then pointed at his own head.

"Sorry, I didn't even bring my hat back with ."

He then shifted the subject, "What's the matter that you needed back here for?"

Chen Kefan brought over a glass of water and handed the docunt to Lei Ming.

"Comrade Han Gang would like to know the details of this soldier's assessnt," he explained.

Lei Ming glanced at the photo on the docunt without hesitation and said, "Song Heping!"

Then looking straight at Han Gang, he asked, "Has he gotten into trouble?!"