Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1411 The Shady Practices in the Inventory Process
At 7:30 a.m. the next morning, Song Heping's team had already assembled in the warehouse area.

The dozens of mercenaries were divided into six groups, each with two U.S. soldiers.

Jiang Feng was in charge of overall coordination, while Song Heping toured between the various groups.

At 8:00 AM sharp, the door to the first warehouse slowly opened.

Unlike the sampling inspection at Camp Taji, a full inventory is required here.

Every gun, every accessory, and every bullet must have its serial number checked, its condition inspected, and recorded.

The first group entered the warehouse and began work.

Song Heping stood at the doorway observing.

The warehouse is spacious and bright, with neatly arranged shelves, each with detailed labels.

Everything looks very professional and legitimate.

But problems arose within the first hour.

"Boss, come here for a second."

The second group leader made a call via walkie-talkie.

When Song Heping arrived, the team leader was pointing at a batch of M4 carbines: "The list says M4A1s produced in 2016, but they are actually standard models from 2014. The quantity is also wrong; there are 120 missing."

Jiang Feng was already checking the list: "The serial number range doesn't match. This batch of guns should be from Lockheed Martin's third batch of 2016, but the actual serial numbers show it's a Colt product from 2014."

The U.S. soldier in charge of supervision was a young black corporal who looked somewhat nervous: "It might be a registration error. I'll go get the sergeant major."

A few minutes later, a sergeant major in his forties arrived.

He glanced at the situation, his expression calm: "Oh, this. The batch of guns from 2016 was transferred to Afghanistan last year, and we're temporarily using old stock as a substitute. The documents might not be up-to-date."

"Where are the transfer documents?" Song Heping asked.

The prices of the two models of guns can be completely different.

“You need to check with the administrative office,” the sergeant said. “We probably won’t be able to get it today; the civilian officer in charge of the files is in Baghdad for a meeting.”

"Why are there more than a hundred fewer units?"

The sergeant shrugged: "Maybe it's an inventory error, or maybe it's wear and tear from previous training. You know, these things happen all the time."

Just as Jiang Feng was about to lash out, Song Heping raised his hand to stop him.

“This batch of guns will be re-evaluated based on their actual model and quantity, and the price difference will be deducted from the total price,” Song Heping said to the sergeant major. “Is that alright?”

The sergeant was taken aback, clearly not expecting the other party to be so straightforward: "Of course... I can. I'll make it noted in the report."

As they left the area, Jiang Feng lowered his voice and said, "This is clearly a switch! The new guns have been replaced with old ones, and the twelve missing ones have definitely been sold!"

“I know,” Song Heping said calmly.

"So we're just going to leave it at that?"

“Now is not the time to pursue this.” Song Heping glanced at Lieutenant Colonel Swift in the distance, who was talking quietly with Major Walker: “Remember what I said last night? In this system, trying to stay clean will only make you an enemy.”

"But--"

“No buts.” Song Heping stopped in his tracks. “Jiang Feng, our top priority right now is to get the goods and move them away. Every minute of delay increases the risk. The remnants of 1515, other militia groups, the opposition within the Iligo government… everyone is watching this shipment. We must complete the handover as quickly as possible and get the goods back to Mosul.”

"So we're just going to let them steal like that?"

“It’s not theft, it’s ‘system attrition,’” Song Heping said sarcastically. “Everyone knows it, everyone participates, so no one will expose it, so it’s not theft. That’s why the US military can maintain this system for decades. Not because it’s efficient, but because it allows people at every level to profit from it. Production line workers, procurement officers, warehouse managers, transportation contractors, even frontline soldiers. Everyone takes a little, and the system keeps running.”

Jiang Feng fell silent.

He was also a soldier, accustomed to orders and obedience, and to clear rules and boundaries.

This gray, ambiguous, and tacitly understood corruption made him uncomfortable.

“Go prepare the ‘gifts’,” Song Heping continued. “Swift, Walker, Johnson, Miller, the three contractor representatives, and every key person present today. The amount will be allocated according to rank, but everyone should get a share.”

"You were involved in the bribery too?" Jiang Feng asked incredulously.

“No, this is a ‘coordination fee,’ a ‘thank you fee,’ a ‘fast-track fee,’” Song Heping corrected. “In this game, language is very important. We don’t talk about bribes, we talk about cooperation. We don’t talk about corruption, we talk about efficiency. Understand?”

Jiang Feng took a deep breath and finally nodded: "I understand."

The inventory work continues.

As they delved deeper into the various warehouses, similar problems emerged one after another:

Ammunition depot: The list indicates 30,000 rounds of .50 caliber machine gun ammunition, but there are actually only 25,000 rounds.

The missing 5,000 rounds are listed as "training consumption" in the inventory records, but the training log is dated three years ago.

Night vision device warehouse: 150 sets of AN/PVS-14 monocular night vision devices, of which 30 sets have "disappeared".

The contractor explained that the night vision devices were "removed during a security check," but the removed night vision devices were not stored in the same warehouse.

Communication equipment inventory: 450 sets of AN/PRC-152 individual radios, but 55 fewer encryption modules are missing.

The file is marked "Save As" but the location of "Save As" is not recorded.

Medical supplies warehouse: morphine syringes, antibiotics, surgical instruments...

The discrepancy between the inventory and the list for these high-value civilian market items is as high as 30%.

Every time a problem is discovered, the US military's explanation is exactly the same.

Registration errors, inventory errors, training losses, and separate storage.

Song Heping's reaction was always the same.

Accept the reassessment, deduct the price difference, and proceed to the next item.

During his lunch break, Johnson found Song Heping.

"Mr. Song, do you have a moment to talk?"

The two walked to a shady spot outside the warehouse.

Johnson took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his bald head.

“Regarding the inventory this morning… there are some things I’d like to remind you of privately.” Johnson’s voice was low: “According to standard procedures, the transfer of supplies requires seven reviews. But in practice, each review has a certain ‘processing fee.’ It’s usually one to three percent of the total value.”

“Our contract is worth approximately 80 million US dollars,” Song Heping calculated. “One percent is 800,000, and three percent is 2.4 million US dollars.”

“Seven reviews, each at 1.5%, that’s 8.4 million,” Johnson corrected. “Of course, considering this is an intergovernmental agreement, a discount is possible. 500,000 US dollars, and I guarantee all reviews will be completed within three days.”

Jiang Feng happened to walk over and overheard this; his expression immediately changed: "FUCK! You're extorting me!"

Johnson adjusted his glasses, his expression unchanged: "This is standard procedure. Without this procedure, the review could take three months or even longer. And... during the lengthy review process, there could be more 'inventory errors,' 'registration mistakes,' and 'unexpected losses.'"

Song Heping pressed Jiang Feng's shoulder and said to Johnson, "Account."

Johnson smiled and handed over a slip of paper: "Swiss bank, funds will arrive today. The other half will be paid after all goods arrive in Mosul."

How do I know you will keep your promise?

“Because my career is built on these kinds of transactions, we have professional ethics,” Johnson said very seriously. “I’ve handled 27 large-scale material transfers, totaling over four billion dollars. If I weren’t trustworthy, I would have been fired long ago. In this system, reputation is more important than contracts.”

After he left, Jiang Feng almost exploded: "Five hundred thousand! Just for the work they were supposed to do!"

"Calm down." Song Heping looked at the account information on the slip of paper and reassured Jiang Feng, "This 500,000 might save us 5 million in losses, and more importantly, it saves time. Every extra day we delay in Baghdad doubles the risk. We might be attacked during transport, the warehouse might be looted, the political climate might change..."

"But this is too—"

“That’s how the world works, Jiang Feng,” Song Heping interrupted him. “In Africa, we give kickbacks to warlords; in Eastern Europe, we bribe customs officials; in the Middle East, we appease tribal elders. Now we’re facing a larger, more sophisticated, and more hypocritical system, but the essence is the same. Pay money, or pay an even greater price.”

Jiang Feng looked at his boss and suddenly felt a little unfamiliar with him.

Although Song Heping used to do shady business, he always maintained a certain bottom line.

But now, he seems to be adapting to a darker set of rules. "Go prepare the money." Song Heping handed him the note: "Also, investigate Johnson's background. A Department of Defense auditor who dares to so blatantly solicit bribes must have someone behind him."

The afternoon inventory was conducted in the heavy equipment area.

When the massive hangar door slowly opened, even Song Heping, who had seen many grand occasions, felt a momentary suffocation.

Eighty-four M1126 Stryker armored vehicles were neatly lined up, each worth nearly two million dollars, their desert camouflage gleaming matte under the lights.

Further away are 127 M-ATV mine-resistant vehicles, with a V-shaped chassis design specifically designed to counter the roadside bomb threat in Ilig and Afghanistan.

The total value of these vehicles exceeds $500 million.

"The average mileage is less than 500 miles."

The accompanying U.S. military technical officer was a lieutenant named Thompson, who looked to be under thirty.

"Most of these are new vehicles that were commissioned in 2016. After the troops rotated back to China, the cost of transporting a lot of the equipment back was too high, so they were left here for storage."

Song Heping approached a Stryker and lifted the dust cover.

The vehicle is equipped with a remote weapon station on the roof, explosive reactive armor on the sides, and an infrared suppression system on the hull.

He opened the car door and got into the driver's seat.

The dashboard displays a total mileage of 387 miles.

"It was tested over a hundred miles from the factory, transported over two hundred miles to Iligo, and then it just sat here." Lieutenant Thompson's tone carried a barely perceptible hint of regret, tinged with a certain irony: "Taxpayers' money."

"Maintenance status?"

“Start it once a week, perform basic maintenance monthly. Replace the battery and tires regularly. In theory, you can drive off with a full tank of gas.” Thompson paused, lowering his voice, “But some critical components of the vehicles… may have been replaced.”

Song Heping looked at him: "What do you mean?"

Thompson looked around to make sure no other U.S. soldiers were nearby: "The fire control system of the remote weapon station, the encryption module of the vehicle communication, the sensors of the active protection system... these high-value components are sometimes removed and replaced with older models or training components. The warehouse records will not show this; it will only be discovered during actual operation."

"Who did this?"

Thompson chuckled wryly: "Who knows? Contractors, warehouse managers, soldiers in charge of maintenance, even higher-ranking officers. These parts are very valuable on the black market; a complete Javelin missile launcher unit can sell for $150,000. Take away ten, that's $1.5 million, enough for some people to retire early."

Song Heping got out of the car and looked around the entire hangar.

Eighty-four Strykers, one hundred and twenty-seven M-ATVs, and other support vehicles.

Such enormous wealth has become a pie being devoured by various parties within the system.

“Why are you telling me all this?” he asked Thompson.

The young lieutenant remained silent for a long time. "I'm retiring next year."

He suddenly became unusually "sincere".

“I spent three years in Iligo and two years in Afghanistan. I’ve seen too much…waste. This equipment could have enhanced the fighting capacity of the Iligo government forces and helped stabilize the country. But now, it’s either rusting here, being dismantled and sold for parts, or being shipped to other battlefields. And we’re all pretending it’s a working system.”

“You can testify before Congress,” Song Heping joked.

Thompson laughed: "I tried. Last year I wrote an anonymous letter to the General Auditor General, detailing the corruption I had witnessed. And what happened? The letter was forwarded to my direct supervisor, and I was 'advised' to remain silent. Three months later I was transferred from my original post to this remote base. When I retire next year, my file will have a comment that says 'unsuitable for command positions'."

He looked at Song Heping: "So I won't testify. I'll only tell those who need to know. As for what you plan to do... that's your business."

After Thompson left, Jiang Feng walked over and asked, "Is this person trustworthy?"

“Believes,” Song Heping said. “He’s from a good family, but it’s useless; he can’t change anything.”

"Should we inspect all the critical components of the vehicles?" Jiang Feng asked.

Song Heping thought for a moment and shook his head: "There's not enough time. And even if they find a problem, they'll use excuses like 'maintenance and replacement' or 'upgrade and modification' to brush it off. Notify Samir to have his people focus on checking the weapon systems and electronic equipment when they receive the equipment. As for the missing parts... we may need to replenish them from other sources."

They continued forward, entering the most sensitive area: the missile depot.

Security here is significantly higher, requiring passage through three checkpoints. All electronic devices must be deposited, and even paper notebooks are inspected.

The warehouse is kept at a constant temperature and humidity. Javelin anti-tank missile systems are neatly arranged on specially designed shelves, with each unit having its own protective case.

The Stinger anti-aircraft missiles are in another area, fewer in number, but in good condition.

“These are active-duty equipment, and theoretically they shouldn’t be on the handover list.” Lieutenant Thompson reappeared at some point, his voice low: “But an order is an order.”

Song Heping opened the protective case of a javelin system.

Inside was the CLU command and launch unit and a missile. He gently stroked the cold casing, which was engraved with the production batch and number: JT-2018-0477.

"Do you know who these equipment were originally intended for?" he asked.

Thompson hesitated for a moment: "One part was for the Iligo Special Forces, an order from 2018, but the delivery was later canceled. The other part... I heard it was for a certain armed group in Cyria, but it stayed here after the policy changed."

How should this be handled in the accounting records?

“It’s recorded as ‘training losses,’ ‘battlefield losses,’ or simply removed from the inventory system,” Thompson said. “During audits, this equipment is marked as ‘disposal’ and then disappears from the books. In reality, it may be here, it may be at another base, or it may have already been sold on the black market.”

Song Heping closed the box lid.

The lock on the box made a crisp click, echoing in the quiet warehouse.

The inventory work continued until 7 p.m. By the time the last set of data was checked, Jiang Feng's tablet had accumulated more than 7,000 records.

"The total weight is 16,000 tons, 1,000 tons more than on the list," Jiang Feng reported. "The extra items are mainly scrap equipment, parts awaiting repair, and some... sensitive items that shouldn't be here."

"Shouldn't it have appeared?"

“Twelve ‘Switchblade’ loitering munition systems are not on the list.” Jiang Feng pulled up a photo: “There are also three ‘Raven’ small drones, which are also not on the list.”

Song Heping looked at the photo.

The switchblade is a small suicide drone that can carry a warhead to precisely strike its target.

The Raven is a reconnaissance drone, standard equipment for US company-level units.

These should not appear on the sales list for private companies.

“Major Walker’s ‘gift’ worked,” Jiang Feng said in a low voice. “The ‘sensitive items’ he mentioned last night were probably these.”

“It could also be a trap.” Song Heping pondered, “If these equipment are discovered, we could be charged with illegally acquiring military technology. In that case, all the goods could be seized, and our people could be arrested.”

"Then what should we do? Go back?"

Song Heping thought for a long time. "No, I'll accept it."

He finally made up his mind: "But it must be stored and transported separately. Notify our overseas smugglers to prepare a special channel. This equipment cannot go to Mosul; it must be transported directly out of Ilig."

Jiang Feng wrote down the instructions, then asked, "Then, shall we pay the 750,000?"

“I will pay,” Song Heping said, “but in three installments. The first payment is 250,000, to be paid after I receive the list of all sensitive equipment. The second payment is 250,000, to be paid after all the goods are loaded onto the trucks. The final payment is 250,000, to be paid after the goods arrive in Mosul.”

"What if they disagree?"

“They will agree.” Song Heping looked at the darkening sky outside the warehouse. “Because in this game, trust is phased. They don’t trust us, and we don’t trust them. So every transaction is a test, a gamble.”

Soon after, the base's searchlights came on, illuminating the entire warehouse area as if it were daytime.

In the distance, their convoy of drivers were waiting for loading instructions, but after today's inventory was completed, it would take at least two more days before transportation could begin.

Song Heping felt a deep sense of exhaustion.

It's not physical exhaustion, but mental wear and tear.

Every transaction, every negotiation, and every decision requires finding a balance between legality and illegality, morality and interests, and risk and reward.

Today, however, this balance is increasingly tilting towards the dark side.

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(End of this chapter)