United States, Virginia, Arlington, Pentagon.
Sunlight streamed through the massive bullet-proof glass windows, illuminating the expensive mahogany conference table within, yet it couldn't dispel the heavy atmosphere in the room.
At this moment, seated around the oval-shaped table in this top-secret meeting room, equipped with the highest level of soundproofing and anti-electromagnetic leak measures, were a dozen figures capable of influencing the global military landscape.
At the head, Defense Minister Austin had his hands crossed on the table before him.
To his left was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mark.
To the right and arrayed in sequence were several actual power-holding generals from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Their expressions varied, from grave to contemplative to hints of imperceptible doubt.
Currently displayed on the LCD screen to the left was Colonel Kote, who had just finished briefing the attending military leaders.
In the center of the meeting room, a massive high-resolution display screen clearly showed satellite maps of the Northern Illiguo Hulmatu Region, where several glaring, seemingly blood-scented red "X" markings were firmly pinned at key positions—
These were command nodes of "Musician" defense identified via comprehensive intelligence analysis, core troop assembly points, and the most likely activity coordinates of Song Heping.
"Gentlemen."
Minister Austin finally spoke.
"Based on the latest and most comprehensive assessment report provided by our intelligence analysis department and frontline command units..."
He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over each military senior official present.
"Song Heping, and the 'Musician' defense he leads, have undergone a fundamental and dangerous transformation."
Then, his tone grew weighty, every word like a hammer striking solid wood.
"He and the militia organization and Mercenary Group under his control have evolved from a collaborator we needed to supervise cautiously, a potential regional instability factor, into a military presence in Northwest Illinois, and even into a hostile entity directly threatening our national security interests in the Middle East!"
"They attacked our Special Operations Forces, causing significant casualties, took ISOF soldiers hostage, and tortured them to obtain highly sensitive military information, including communication codes and operational plans..."
Minister Austin's voice grew colder.
"This series of actions has ruthlessly trampled over all unwritten rules between us, crossed all untouchable red lines! This is not friction; this is an act of war! We must take decisive measures to completely eliminate this threat!"
Then, he turned his gaze to Colonel Kote on the screen.
"Kote, you are in Baghdad, your report was very detailed just now, now talk about your views on the attack incident."
Before Austin could finish, Colonel Kote hurriedly said:
"Minister! Generals!"
His voice was somewhat sharp due to excitement.
"The danger posed by Song Heping far exceeds our initial assessment! Using the limited resources we provided for strategic considerations earlier, he meticulously crafted an impregnable independent kingdom in Hulmatu!"
He pointed a finger, almost touching the red markings on the screen: "Look at the armed forces he's now controlling! Look at his influence on surrounding tribes! This has long surpassed the scope and baseline of a private military company! We must soberly recognize that he has evolved from a dull knife that occasionally wounds himself into a sharp sword hanging over our throat! Moreover..."
Kote deliberately paused for a moment, throwing out a more destructive assumption, although he knew this hypothesis currently lacked solid evidence:
"...Moreover, according to some unconfirmed but reliable intelligence, Song Heping has likely recently made contact through secret channels with personnel from the Russian Military Intelligence Bureau (GRU) or the Persia's 'Holy City Brigade'! If we continue to hesitate, what we will face in the future will no longer be the head of a PMC, but a regional warlord stuck at the northern throat of our border! The consequences are unimaginable!"
He took a deep breath and continued:
"Therefore, I strongly suggest immediately initiating a special clearance operation! Deploy F-35s and Grim Reaper drone formations to carry out precise 'surgical' strikes on all locked high-value targets! We must ensure a one-hit kill to completely excise this tumor!"
A subdued murmur of whispers and secluded conversations echoed inside the conference room.
In the gray-area game of counter-terrorism, it was not unheard of for a once-uncontrolled "collaborator" to silently "disappear" or suffer an "accidental demise."
"But we still have three Delta Force soldiers and two ISOF soldiers in his hands; we must consider the safety of these hostages."
One general raised his concern.
His worries garnered considerable resonance.
Two more generals proposed whether a new Special Operations Forces should be deployed to parachute into the city and retrieve the hostages during the bombing.
Yet, their opinions were vetoed by others.
After all, Song Heping currently has nearly six thousand strong in Hulmatu.
Among them, two battalions are elite mercenaries trained at the South American Hunter School. Many are retired veterans from South American, African, and even Eastern European Special Forces.
Executing a flawless airborne hostage rescue operation safely is not simple.
Amidst the varied opinions, Kote requested to speak.
"General, please allow me to express my brief suggestion."
"Colonel, speak your mind."
Austin gestured for everyone to halt the discussion and listen to Kote.
"Everyone quiet down, let's hear what the frontline commander suggests."
"Indeed." Colonel Kote's gaze looked determined: "Song Heping is not easy to deal with, sending rescue teams into the city to save people and ensuring a successful retreat is almost impossible, and moreover... we don't have the time..."
At this point, he stopped as if contemplating something.
All eyes were on Kote on the screen, waiting for his next statement.
"Considering the complex situation in Northwest Illinois and Hulmatu, I suggest disregarding the hostage issue, first decapitating Song Heping, and even if something happens to the hostages, this kind of price is acceptable, after all, there are no tearless wars, it's a reasonable cost, and moreover, even if the hostages perish, it would be easier to shift the blame onto Song Heping..."
These words were explosive enough, and the conference room became lively again.