Mercenaries, I Will Be King Chapter 916 - 853: New Plan

Moradi was quickly isolated and interrogated.

His confession was like a sharp dagger, slicing through the facade of the Revolutionary Guard's intelligence system to reveal the rotten core inside.

When the list of suspects in the espionage case was released, Avanti was shocked after reading it.

According to the list provided by Moradi, there are a total of 17 officers within the Revolutionary Guard suspected of providing internal intelligence to the Aricans.

These 17 officers are spread across various critical departnts, holding positions of mid-level and above, so of which, although not high-ranking, are in extrely crucial positions.

He decided to entrust this clearance mission to Song Heping, with an investigative team ford by him and Naxin responsible for the operation, aiming to capture all suspects in the shortest possible ti.

After all, this is an internal investigation.

Leaving it to insiders to handle, Avanti feared that there might be moles among the investigators.

Seeking help from the national counter-espionage departnt would be akin to airing dirty laundry in public.

Given the Revolutionary Guard's special status, if widespread espionage was discovered within this unit, it would an that the high-level officials would also have doubts about the unit's loyalty and combat efficacy.

Therefore, handling it discreetly is the only mutually beneficial choice.

Two nights later, Song Heping stood in the investigation team's office, with the walls covered in photos and relationship diagrams.

Many of those photos have been marked with red crosses.

They were the ones confird as moles and subsequently executed on orders from Avanti.

"Out of the seventeen people on the list, nine have been dealt with."

Avanti used a red pen to cross out several photos on the wall, "The remaining eight are under surveillance."

Song Heping stepped forward and tapped a photo lightly with his finger: "Why hasn't there been any action against Hassan Rashi?"

"He is the head of the Border Intelligence Office and holds a crucial position."

Avanti handed over a file.

"We need ti to confirm whether he really defected or if Moradi deliberately frad him."

Song Heping opened the file and quickly skimd through its contents.

Sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled shadows on his chiseled face.

In his thirties, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes were traces left from long years of flirting with death.

"Look at this." Song Heping pointed to a page in the file, "In the past six months, Rashi has had seven unreported cross-border activities, all to the Eligo Cold Region. According to Moradi's testimony, the CIA has a liaison station in Elbil."

Avanti frowned even more: "But the north of Eligo is also our transit point for contact with the Pearl Party, so he has ample reason to go there."

"Then let's test it." Song Heping closed the file, "Set up fake intelligence, see if it flows to the Aricans."

Avanti thought for a mont, then nodded, "Tomorrow there's a high-level eting. I'll deliberately leak fake news—we plan to ship a cargo of arms to Yen for the Houthis, and then discuss the ship's na and route in the eting. Given the recent turmoil in Yen, the Aricans believe we will definitely help the Houthis gain control there; they won't want to see this happen, so they'll intercept in the Arabian Sea. If this really happens, then it ans…"

"Then it proves Rashi is indeed a mole." Song Heping said.

Avanti patted Song Heping on the shoulder: "Exactly, so your suggestion is very good, Song. Sotis I feel very tired, and truthfully, I wish you could stay and help if you are willing."

"Don't joke." Song Heping said frankly, "I'm an atheist."

The words seed completely unrelated.

But Avanti imdiately understood that his earlier words were just wishful thinking.

Recruiting Song Heping wasn't about compensation or friendship. It was that Song Heping ntioned the core—he's an atheist.

In a country like Persia where religion and politics are intertwined, it's simply impossible for Song Heping to stay, not to ntion hold any position in a crucial departnt like the Revolutionary Guard.

"You could stay as a consultant, or just serve as my personal advisor. Especially this clearance action, the reason I want you to take charge is that I don't trust many of the departnt heads within. Nobody knows who among them might be an Arican's hidden link."

Avanti had no ulterior motives.

Song Heping is a talent.

He desperately needed skilled people.

Song Heping didn't answer imdiately.

He walked to the window and looked out at the training ground.

A few Revolutionary Guard soldiers were engaged in combat training, their sweat glistening under the sun.

Joining this clearance action ant getting deeper into the intelligence war between Persia and the United States, but the conditions Avanti offered—the complete opening of Middle Eastern arms smuggling routes—were invaluable to the "Musician" Defense Company.

"I can serve as a consultant and take charge of this operation, but I need complete operational freedom." Song Heping finally said, "Without the constraints of your bureaucratic procedures."

Avanti laughed: "In front of you, I'm the biggest bureaucrat. But to clean up these cockroaches, I'll give you special privileges."

He took a docunt out of a drawer, "This is a special decree signed by the Supre Leader, allowing you to participate in the operation as a consultant and granting you corresponding immunity."

Song Heping took the docunt, quickly browsed it, then folded it and put it in his pocket, "Then let's begin. First, I need to get in touch with the CIA assassin you recently captured."

Almost simultaneously, in a conference room on the seventh floor of CIA headquarters in Langley, Washington D.C., Counterterrorism Departnt head Wright was briefing Director Vincent.

"Simon is still in the hospital and will need at least two months to recover to work," Wright adjusted his glasses, "Pence is dead, Jasper is dead too, and our special team pursuing Song Heping is almost completely wiped out."

Director Vincent stood by the window, his back to Wright, with a deep voice: "This China People has cost us too many excellent agents. Where is he now?"

"The latest intelligence shows that he has reached Persia and is currently at a secret base of the Revolutionary Guard," Wright opened the file, "Avanti personally received him. We suspect he's assisting the Persians in cleaning out the moles in their intelligence system."

Vincent turned around, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes: "So, our intelligence network in Persia faces the risk of being completely exposed?"

"Yes, Director. Moradi has already lost contact, and it's very likely he's been captured or executed," Wright's voice grew cautious, "Directly hunting down Song Heping within Persia is almost impossible to succeed. I suggest executing the B plan that Jasper formulated before his death."

"Kidnap family mbers of 'Musician' Defense Company personnel?" Vincent walked back to the table, "That's risky. If exposed, it could embarrass our European allies…"

"But it's currently the most feasible plan," Wright quickly said, "Song Heping's core team is very small, and the sister of the company's second-in-command, Ferrari, Caterina, is a reporter in Eastern Europe, making her easy to target."

Vincent asked, "How do you plan to do it? Cooperate with the mob? Conduct a kidnapping?"

"No need," Wright said, "Caterina works at a traditional dia outlet called the European Observer as an investigative reporter. Currently, she's just gone to Romania to investigate a human trafficking case, and she's already joined a model company suspected of smuggling trafficked humans. We don't need to do anything, just reveal her identity to the mob, and they'll complete the first step of the operation for us. Then we'll leak the news of Caterina's incident to Ferrari's mother residing in Italy. I believe Ferrari will quickly return to Europe and head straight for Romania…"

"Sounds like a good plan," Vincent was silent for a long ti, then eventually nodded, "Approved. But it must be done cleanly, leaving no evidence pointing to us."

"Understood, Director." Wright closed the file, "We'll make everything look like a regular kidnapping and extortion case, and if Ferrari disappears, Song Heping is bound to show up in Europe to rescue his valuable assistant…"

"Ensure you don't miss this ti," Vincent coldly interrupted him, "I don't want to see that China People's na appear in any report, ever again."