"Squad leader, why are you still awake so late?"
Jiang Feng suddenly appeared beside him.
Song Heping raised his head and looked at him. "Couldn't sleep after being startled awake. Went for a walk and ended up receiving some bad news."
"What bad news?" Jiang Feng immediately sat down near the flower bed upon hearing this, then began rummaging through his pocket. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one out, and lit it with a snap.
"I had planned to use the US media to expose the CIA and 'Satan' organization's operations in Syria, thereby disrupting the CIA's plans against us. But just now, the journalist who took the materials was killed."
Jiang Feng's expression slightly changed. "Killed?"
"Yes, they said it was a car accident. Do you believe that? He died in an accident less than half an hour after leaving the press conference."
Song Heping let out a sigh.
"Now we're on the defensive again. If we can't disrupt their internal operations and let them proceed step by step, our situation will only become harder."
Jiang Feng said, "This is silencing, plain and simple—taking out the person holding the materials. Odds are the materials you gave him have already been seized."
Song Heping nodded. "As expected, but no one will investigate this case. The local police don't have the capability."
The two fell silent.
Song Heping reached out toward Jiang Feng. "Give me a cigarette."
Jiang Feng froze.
He had never seen Song Heping smoke before.
"You smoke?"
Song Heping said, "I used to, before joining the military. I quit after enlisting—the physical training was too grueling."
Jiang Feng handed him a cigarette and lit it for him with his lighter.
The flame illuminated Song Heping's face, and Jiang Feng saw deep worry etched there.
Song Heping took a puff and started coughing violently, clearly not used to it.
Jiang Feng asked, "So, what do we do now?"
Song Heping held the cigarette in his hand thoughtfully. "We need a breakthrough. Our biggest problem right now is that we don't even know who our enemies are or where they are. It's like we're in the fog, and the other side has complete control."
"Isn't it the CIA's Secret Action Department?" Jiang Feng said. "This is all part of their plan. Let's just go after them directly."
Song Heping shook his head. "The Secret Action Department is just an intelligence unit—a tool. Even Kelly doesn't represent herself. The ones who want me dead are the people behind them: the so-called 'Elder Council' and the ones in the 'Satan' organization."
"You mean those black-clad mercenaries in Silia Gelashuk Town?" Jiang Feng asked.
Song Heping replied, "Yes. But they're not CIA personnel, nor would I classify them as mercenaries. I suspect they belong to a private military group, though the people backing them are even more formidable."
"The bounty has been up this whole time, but no one has dared to claim it," Jiang Feng suddenly remarked. "I reckon no one knows their true identities or the real details about these organizations."
Song Heping took another puff and shook his head. "No, it's not that no one knows. Nothing in this world is airtight. The reason no one takes the bounty is because those who know are well aware of the consequences of exposing the secrets of these groups."
"So what now? Are we just going to be stuck in Persia forever?"
"Of course not..."
Song Heping said, "There will always be a way out. A couple of days ago, I asked Ferrari and Henry to post photos of those black-clad corpses from Syria on the Dark Web. Someone will provide clues eventually. Once we figure out their identities and backgrounds, we'll find a breakthrough."
Despite his words, Song Heping himself felt uncertain inside.
Still, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope this time for a breakthrough.
Just then, his phone began buzzing again.
Although Song Heping usually kept his phone on 24/7, tonight there had been an unusual number of calls.
It was apparent that the situation had become extremely urgent; otherwise, nobody would be calling at this hour.
On the line was Ferrari.
Before Song Heping could say anything, Ferrari burst out excitedly.
"Good news! Great news!"
Known for staying calm under pressure, Ferrari's outburst this time betrayed his uncontrollable excitement.
"Tell me. I've already heard too much news today; help balance it out."
"Someone reached out to us. They want to claim that $50 million bounty!"
Even through the phone, Song Heping could hear Ferrari's accelerated heartbeat.
"Are you certain?!"
Always cautious, Song Heping immediately asked, "Have you verified the credibility?"
"I have. No question about it! The contact is someone from the DIA who used to handle intelligence analysis and archival work. He claims to have sorted through classified files involving the 'Elder Council'..."
"Hold on."
Song Heping interrupted Ferrari mid-sentence.
"How could the DIA have any information related to the 'Elder Council'? The 'Elder Council' is a secret society, a shadowy puppet master behind the murderous 'Satan' organization. They have no ties to the US intelligence system. How does this connect?"
He pointed out several suspicious gaps in this story.