"Let's do as you say!"
After brief consideration, he actually agreed to Song Heping's suggestion.
"Boss, how can you listen to him!" White Bear was unhappy, "He's just a rookie! He doesn't understand anything!"
Queen Julia chimed in, "That's right, my darling is correct, Song is just a rookie!"
Yuliy and White Bear were a couple.
It didn't seem too much to call out like that.
Actually, every time Song Heping heard Yuliy call White Bear "my darling," he felt an urge to laugh.
"Enough, I agree with Song's suggestion," the Cook finally declared, "Everyone, go get ready. We leave at eight in the morning on Friday!"
"Boss…"
"Enough, anyone who talks more can get out! If you acknowledge me as the boss, then listen to me!"
The Cook's resolute attitude genuinely shook Song Heping.
He actually agreed to his suggestion, which Song found somewhat unexpected.
If the Cook had not adopted his advice, to be honest, he had no other choice but to follow the original plan.
After all, the rationale for requesting a change of plan was indeed very persuasive.
The bulletproof Lincoln's advantages included good comfort, superior bulletproof capabilities, and it was less conspicuous than military vehicles.
But that was relatively speaking.
If two bulletproof Lincolns were mixed into a convoy of Humvees, it would be like telling the enemy that these two vehicles carried VIPs.
To catch the thieves, first catch the king; once actions started, those Lincoln SUVs would likely become prime targets.
While Humvees are armored vehicles and can't blend with civilian traffic during an escape, risking high visibility wherever they go.
However, it also has its advantages; its bulletproof capabilities are no less than the bulletproof Lincoln and it comes with an integrated rooftop weapon station which can be a lifesaver during an escape with its large caliber heavy machine gun, potentially saving lives when needed.
So when Song Heping told the Cook it was just intuition, he wasn't lying.
Sometimes on the battlefield, you have to rely on intuition.
There's an old saying in military science: no battle plan survives contact with the enemy.
That is, no matter how excellent the military talent, no matter how comprehensive your intelligence, the plan you devise before battle will invariably meet unforeseen situations and require adjustments.
Thus, intuition during adjustments is an important part of decision-making, while military capability only forms the basis.
Song Heping found the Cook to indeed be quite a character.
At least he didn't ignore his suggestion and was open to different opinions.
This kind of leader, was worth following.
With everything set, the next steps involved purchasing ammunition and equipment.
The Cook asked White Bear to buy extra smoke bombs along with the ammunition.
He said these would be especially useful when escaping, and it was crucial not to take too few—each person should have four on their tactical vest and another four in their individual tactical pack to ensure they had enough, avoiding any problems at critical moments.
The next step was rest and waiting for the departure day.
Time passed quickly.
Suddenly, the day of departure arrived.
The night before departure, Song Heping suffered from insomnia.
He awoke suddenly from a dream, sitting up drenched in sweat.
Looking around the dark shipping container room, he could only hear the heavy breathing of Grey Wolf and the Cook.
Last night, he had fallen asleep late because next-door in another container, White Bear and Queen Julia were causing a racket until past one in the morning, as loud as if they were demolishing a building, like it was the end of the world and they needed to use up their ammunition stock as if there would be no other chance.
Eventually, the Cook, driven to distraction and losing his temper, furiously pounded on the container walls, cursively asking them to tone down the noise, which made them somewhat quieter.
White Bear and Queen Julia were a remarkable pair.
Song Heping had not asked if these two had developed a relationship after joining the team or if they had been together before joining "Musician."
In the Baghdad mercenary circles, Song Heping had not seen such a couple partner.
In the military, there are reasons why female soldiers are generally not considered for front-line combat roles.
It's not that women aren't capable, but if a woman gets injured or killed in combat, the emotional impact on her male partner can be significant, leading to emotional judgments that can result in defeat.
Sending female soldiers to the front line is done only if absolutely necessary.
Having a couple like White Bear and Queen Julia in one team would be nearly impossible.
Only a leader like the Cook would allow such a situation.
Unable to sleep, Song Heping decided not to try any further.
He looked at his watch, which showed it was already four in the morning under the glow of its backlight.
He quietly got up and carefully picked up his gear before stepping outside the container to find a place to sit.