"This mission is really tough..."
Hunter shook his head with a bitter smile, "They make it sound easy. If they were so capable, why invite us to handle the rebels?"
Song Heping said, "Every country has internal factions. A country like Sena has been sitting on its resources for years and is still dirt poor. Don't you think they have internal issues?"
Hunter said, "Why don't we just tell M we're not taking this job anymore and let these self-righteous pigs handle the rebels themselves? Let's see if they can hold the capital."
Song Heping said, "If it were that easy to wash our hands of it, it would be great. Not doing a job after accepting it would tarnish our reputation, and M wouldn't provide us with any intelligence support in the future. Given our current situation, it's better to have more friends than enemies."
After speaking, his gaze returned to the map. After some time, he said, "Tell everyone to assemble in an hour. I have something important to announce."
"OK."
Hunter nodded and turned to leave the tent.
After Hunter left, only Song Heping remained in the tent.
He stared at the blue flight path on the map, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. The shadow of the F-15E Strike Eagle loomed over his mind like the sword of Damocles hanging overhead.
The tent flap was lifted again, and Lumar strode in.
The representative from the Sena Government had a sheen of sweat on his forehead, clearly having jogged over.
"Song, did Fernandez just come by?" Lumar got straight to the point, his voice lowered, "Did he blow up at you?"
Song Heping raised his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He didn't expect the news to spread so quickly.
"Yeah, he stormed in and yelled at me, saying that I've been here for days without taking action."
He pointed at the map, "It's as if, in their eyes, war is like playing a video game, just a few mouse clicks and you win."
Lumar shook his head with a wry smile, pulling out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offering one to Song Heping.
"I don't smoke." Song Heping waved it away and picked up the chewing gum on the table, "This suits me better."
Seeing Song Heping refuse, Lumar lit a cigarette for himself, and the tent was soon filled with the pungent smell of tobacco.
"What's the deal with this General Wula?"
Song Heping tossed the gum into his mouth and asked after a few chews, "He seems quite arrogant? If he's so great, why couldn't he stop the Rebel Alliance's advance?"
Lumar took a deep drag of his cigarette and let out a long sigh.
"The internal affairs here are very complicated..."
He went to the tent entrance, ensuring no one was outside, before returning to sit beside Song Heping.
"Ula Kamara is the president's cousin."
Lumar's voice was almost inaudible.
"Three years ago, this pig was just a colonel in the Capital Garrison. After the coup, he rocketed up the ranks and now holds the highest command in the Sena Republic's army."
Song Heping raised an eyebrow.
Nepotism like this isn't uncommon in African countries, but it usually signifies an inefficient and corrupt command system.
"He doesn't understand military command at all."
Lumar continued with a glint of disdain in his eyes, "When the Rebel Alliance first began their operations, he insisted it was just small-scale guerrilla harassment and refused to mobilize the main forces. After the rebels captured three cities, he panicked and scattered elite forces across multiple bases, which were then picked off one by one by the American-trained rebel special forces."
Song Heping nodded thoughtfully.
No wonder the rebels could advance to the outskirts of the capital in just a month. It wasn't just due to the prowess of the US Special Forces; there was also the "strategic genius" of this "brilliant" general aiding them.
"There's a lot of dissatisfaction with him within Sena now." Lumar cautiously glanced around, "There's a rumor in the Ministry of Defense that the president might replace him."
Song Heping suddenly understood something, a cold smile appearing on his lips, "So he's out to get me? If I succeed in turning the tide with a thirty-man special operations platoon, it would prove his incompetence and shake his position?"
Lumar nodded, a look of appreciation in his eyes, "Song, you understand African politics better than I imagined."
"This isn't politics," Song Heping snuffed out the cigarette butt and smiled, "This is basic human nature."
Outside the tent, the shouts of soldiers training were audible, and occasionally the roar of truck engines could be heard in the distance. Song Heping went to the water jug and poured himself a glass of water.
The water quality here wasn't great, even boiled it had a stomach-turning strange taste, but he drank it all the same.
"There's a deeper reason," Lumar leaned closer, his voice even lower, "Currently, the opposition in Sena... is pro-British."
Song Heping's hand stopped, the glass suspended in mid-air.
"The French-supported president has lost public support." Lumar continued, his eyes fixed on Song Heping's reaction, "This time, the British ostensibly sent you to help the government army, but in reality..."
"In reality, they intend to support the opposition in rising to power after resolving the rebellion."
Song Heping picked up the thread, his voice eerily calm, "So that's why Fernando the Frenchman is hostile towards me."
After pausing, he added, "Then why did the French agree to let the British send us to assist in quelling the rebellion?"
"Heh." Lumar chuckled coldly.
"In Africa, the British and the French have been colonizing for centuries, their interests here are deeply intertwined."
Lumar nodded slightly, "The French are caught in a bind. Their own military advisors can't solve the rebel problem, so they reluctantly agreed to let the British send you, but they're certainly not happy about it."
Song Heping suddenly laughed, with a hint of sarcasm: "Interesting. I've become the rope in a tug-of-war between the British and the French."
"Not only that," Lumar's eyes flashed cunningly, seemingly probing further: "If you can assist certain people after calming the conflict, you will gain more benefits."