No one knew how long had passed before Song Heping finally finished collecting and reviewing the intel. He put away the tablet, rubbed his eyes, then looked out the porthole.
In the distance, a faint, rhythmically blinking infrared beacon appeared on the Horizon—that was the landing zone guidance Signal Jiang Feng had set up.
The "Pathfinder Eagle" began to drop altitude, the engine's roar growing deeper.
The helicopter weaved nimbly through the hills, using the terrain for cover.
Song Heping could clearly feel the extra G-force and turbulence.
Two minutes later, the helicopter made a neat sideslip and settled down steadily on a flat patch of sand in Hulmatu City.
The rotor gradually came to a stop, the deafening noise quickly fading into the sound of the wind.
The cabin door slid open, and a rush of dry, cool desert night air poured in.
Song Heping unbuckled his harness, grabbed his pack, nodded to the crew, then jumped out of the helicopter.
The door slammed shut behind him, the engines spooled up again, and the "Pathfinder Eagle" clawed back into the sky, vanishing into the night it had come from, as if it had never been there.
Ten minutes later.
Hulmatu Region, temporary command post code-named "Sandstone."
Local time: 02:50.
"Old Squad Leader, smooth trip?"
Jiang Feng came up and reached for the bag in Song Heping's hand.
He was wearing a standard desert camouflage Combat Uniform, face smeared with camo paint, his eyes flashing with a feverish light in the dark.
"Smooth. Any changes?"
Song Heping asked as he walked. The two of them quickly headed toward a half-underground command bunker nearby, where a faint light was leaking out.
"No major changes. Abu You Brigade's main force is still on the southern defensive line of Kirkuk City, Barzani's troops are still assembling, no signs of an offensive yet. The 'rats' over in the canyon"—he meant the ambush team—"haven't budged either."
Jiang Feng reported briskly.
"Per your orders, the initial personnel screening is complete. I picked twenty of the best from 1st and 2nd Battalions, and Abu You sent fifteen from his 'Mountain Eagle' company. Thirty-five in total, they're inside doing further evaluation and gear fit. Abu You himself is here too, waiting on your briefing."
The temporary operations command post was fairly spacious, divided into several functional areas.
Right now, in the largest chamber, more than thirty soldiers were either sitting or standing, the atmosphere solemn. They wore different patterns of Combat Uniform, some checking weapons, some talking quietly, some silently tending to their gear.
Seeing Song Heping and Jiang Feng come in, everyone stopped what they were doing and stood up in unison, eyes locking onto Song Heping.
Abu You rose from beside the sand table.
"Boss! Finally, you're here!"
"We're short on time, so let's skip the pleasantries."
Song Heping walked straight to the sand table.
The sand table was a scaled terrain model made from the latest intel, highly detailed—rock hardness and vegetation distribution were even marked in different colors.
"How are your men, mentally and in terms of equipment?"
"All veterans who've been with me for years, been through tough fights."
Abu You's tone grew heavy. "Boss, Masood… is he really in danger? Barzani actually dares to betray…"
"Not only does he dare, he already has."
Song Heping cut him off, jabbing his finger hard at the red thumbtack on the sand table that marked the ambush site.
"A twelve- to fifteen-man elite team, all wearing your Abu You Brigade uniforms, armed with Soviet-made 'Short-Horn' anti-tank missiles and sniper rifles, just waiting for Masood's convoy to pass. Once they pull it off, you become the murderer who killed the chairman. Barzani will rally all armed Kurd factions to go to war with you under the banner of 'crushing the rebellion and avenging blood,' and then seize the chance to declare full wartime status and grab supreme power."
Abu You's face went ashen, veins bulging on his forehead.
"That vicious Jackal! He's Masood's own nephew, for god's sake! And he still dares to frame me!"
"In the face of politics and power, blood ties can be worth nothing."
Song Heping said coldly, "Rage won't solve anything. The only thing we can do is smash his gun before he pulls the trigger. Get me the men who know this area best. Jiang Feng and I will pick them ourselves."
The next ten minutes were a model of efficient selection.
In the end, Song Heping and Jiang Feng jointly picked twenty-four men. With the two of them and Abu You, that made twenty-seven, forming the core assault team for this operation.
The rest would serve as a reserve.
Once the selection was over, Song Heping gathered the chosen twenty-seven around the sand table for the first mission briefing.
"Our mission codename: 'Silent Dawn.'"
Song Heping tapped the ambush point on the sand table with his finger.
"Objective: infiltrate this hilly area before first light, silently eliminate the ambush team Barzani has emplaced there, then wait for Masood's convoy to arrive and intercept it here."
"From the moment we leave this base until the clearing operation is complete, we cannot be exposed. Any unnecessary sound, light, or communication may cause the mission to fail."
"The operation has three phases: First, maneuver to the infiltration point on the west side of the canyon; second, climb the western cliff to reach the top; third, clear the enemy positions on the eastern cliff top. Jiang Feng will command the sniper and support element, providing long-range cover and battlefield surveillance. I'll lead the main assault element for the climb and clearance. Brigade Commander Abu You moves with the assault element."
"Now, sync your watches. Current time, 03:25. At 04:00, draw equipment and conduct final checks. At 04:30, we move out on time."
No rousing speeches, no stirring pep talk.
Only a clear mission, brutal requirements, and a ticking clock.
The selected soldiers' eyes were steady as they silently absorbed the orders. They knew they were about to step onto a stage of death where no mistake would be forgiven.
After the briefing, everyone immediately broke off toward the equipment storage area.
Song Heping stayed with Jiang Feng and Abu You for a more detailed tactical run-through, locking down the specifics of the climbing route, comms codes, contingency plans, and how to identify and link up with Masood's convoy if it arrived early or late.
Outside the command post, the Hulmatu wilderness remained shrouded in dense night.
A sharp "scalpel" had been honed to a shine. Less than an hour remained before it was unleashed.