"But I need intelligence support, Barzani surely has rear guard protection. I don't want to blindly crash into his main force."
"The US Army has authorized sharing some real-time drone surveillance footage and signal intelligence, data link will be synchronized to your brigade command system within an hour."
Song Heping promised: "Your core goal is to slow down Barzani's overall advancement pace, forcing him to redirect some forces and attention to rear protection. As long as you can engage even one battalion of his troops, making him feel a thorn in his side, it's a significant achievement."
"OK, leave it to me! My vanguard will depart promptly in an hour! Keep the channels open, wait for my good news!"
After ending the call with General Abuyou, Song Heping wasted no time and immediately connected another call.
This time the wait was slightly longer.
"Boss, I've been waiting for your call, knowing you would surely need me! Did Barzani make a move, and is Elbil's forces tight? You need my troops to attack his flank from behind, from Mosul, right?"
"Correct! It seems you finally have made some progress, understanding to predict my predictions."
Song Heping smiled and asked: "How many troops do you have available for immediate mobile operations?"
"I can deploy two fully equipped mechanized infantry regiments from the Mosul direction, one reinforced artillery battalion, one division reconnaissance company, totaling approximately four thousand three hundred personnel, with over three hundred armored vehicles and transport trucks."
Samir reported precise numbers.
"But the real issue is time: from the current positions in the south suburb of Mosul to assemble, travel north along Highway 1 to the predetermined interception area west of Elbil, even at full forced march will take a minimum of fifteen to seventeen hours."
"Barzani's leading armored units are expected to reach the outskirts of Elbil in eleven hours."
Tor Khan added in a deep voice alongside, the pressure of time ticking like a clock in everyone's mind.
"Then we need to arrive before them."
Song Heping's eyes locked onto the tactical map, his brain functioning like the most precise combat computer, frantically calculating distances, speeds, forces, time - these cold variables.
His finger heavily pressed on the screen at a critical node tightly enclosed by contour lines - a throat area east of the Kuy Region formed by hills, valleys, and multiple intersecting roads.
"Samir, your target is not under the city of Elbil."
Song Heping lightly tapped on the hill and valley area.
"I need your troops to rush at the fastest speed, regardless of fatigue, directly to the high point and road hub, bridges, and crucial passes east of the Kuy Region. Here, construct a solid semicircular mobile interception position facing the southeast."
He paused slightly to clarify his intent:
"If Barzani is thwarted under the city of Elbil – he certainly will be – or if he senses the unfavorable situation early, his most likely choice is to retreat south, attempting to return to his old base Kirkuk, or continue north to seek refuge at the Turkey border. Your task is to drop an iron gate on his inevitable northward escape route! Forcefully push his southern arrow back, trapping him in the encirclement!"
"Strategic encirclement, closing the door to trap the dog."
Samir instantly understood but then raised a crucial concern: "If I move all my troops from Mosul, won't 1515 over there..."
He worried that the 1515 Armed in Tetric, would seize the opportunity to take territory or even attack Mosul.
"Mosul has another force responsible for containment."
Song Heping reassured: "Time is victory, speed is life. Please act immediately!"
"Right, I will order my troops to head out first. I am currently in Baghdad, taking a helicopter back to join my troops. Keep in touch."
The third call, Song Heping dialed a satellite communication number with the highest encryption level.
The waiting tone from the handset was regular and monotonous, seeming especially abrupt in the tense atmosphere of the command center.
Six rings later, a male voice with a noticeable Persian accent came through:
"This is Naxin."
"Naxin, it's Song Heping. Has the reinforcement of the Holy City Brigade been deployed as agreed on time?"
"Three fully equipped mechanized infantry battalions, one support company, totaling one thousand eight hundred forty combat personnel and accompanying equipment, arrived at the designated hidden position codenamed 'Palm Garden' southeast of Bayji before 22:00 yesterday."
Naxin's reply was as precise as reading a military report.
"Elder Afanti asked me to tell you that you can trust us with Mosul's safety this time."
Song Heping said: "In the strategic area between Bayji and Mosul, establish frontline observation and alert posts. The core mission is to conduct a continuous twenty-four-hour close surveillance on all movements in the 1515 Armed control zone of Tetric, especially detecting any communication links, personnel contacts, or troop movements between them and Barzani. Your task is to prevent the 1515 Armed from muddying the waters; if they dare to reach for Mosul and Bayji at this time, then sever their hand!"
"No problem!" Naxin immediately responded: "The Holy City Brigade will honor the agreement, ensuring your rear security. Please maintain encrypted channel watch, contact anytime, wishing you success in suppressing the rebels."
When Song Heping hung up the third phone and turned around, he found the gaze of almost everyone in the command center concentrated on him.
Tor Khan, Little Masoud, staff officers, communications soldiers...
Their eyes intertwined complexly with shock, realization, respect, and a flame of hope suddenly ignited after seeing a precision counterattack blueprint in absolute disadvantage.
"Now."
Song Heping walked to the central tactical screen, picking up a red electronic stylus.
The pen tip drew a slightly elongated oval encircling the light points representing Kirkuk and Elbil.
"Here is Barzani's sixteen-thousand-strong army, his three main brigades."
He marked three bright red triangular attack symbols within the oval heavily.
Then, he drew a solid blue shield on the position of Elbil:
"General Tor Khan's Third Mechanized Brigade, here, relying on the city's deep defense system, to conduct resilient resistance. Your task is not to repel but to delay, consume, and stick to hold the rebel main force, winning the most precious golden time for us to mobilize forces for encirclement."
Then, he drew a sharp blue arrow behind the oval (east side), pointing directly at the tail of the oval: "Here Abu You Brigade, they will act like a venom-coated dagger, continuously piercing and harassing from the rebel's rear, making it impossible for him to fully engage in the siege, bleeding constantly."
In the north of the oval, he drew a thick, curved blue line.
"Samir's 'Liberation Forces' main force establishes a blocking line here. This is the key iron gate of the encirclement plan, completely sealing off all channels for Barzani's north escape or west retreat."
Finally, at the south of the oval, he drew a dotted line with a prominent skull warning symbol:
"Here is the control zone of the Persian Holy City Brigade. Unless Barzani wants to fight to the death with Persia's most elite troops, he will never dare to rampage south easily."
"Encircle from all sides, impenetrable."
Little Masoud repeated lowly, his eyes flashing intensely.
"But the time… is the greatest enemy. Barzani's armored vanguard will be at the city outskirts by tomorrow noon or before dusk, Samir's forces need nearly a day to arrive, General Abuyou's containment effect also needs time to ferment."
"Therefore, we need here—"
Song Heping's pen tip, pinpointed the 80th Highway about one-third along, at a rugged segment marked as "Nasur Fortress".
"To fight a battle of interception. A battle beyond counting casualties, only vying for time, a bloody battle. The goal is not annihilation, nor even repulsion, but to pin Barzani's sharpest armored vanguard here, for at least twelve hours!"