Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 147 Military Contract

Chapter 147 Military Contract
Song Heping was woken up by the ringing phone early the next morning.

I stood up and saw that it was the cook calling.

"What's wrong with you today? It's already nine o'clock, and you haven't gotten up yet?"

Usually the cook gets up later than Song Heping, but today he gets up earlier than him, so the cook starts teasing Song Heping.

"Didn't I tell you last night? I bought another $500,000 worth of arms from Yusuf. I stayed at the warehouse for half the night and didn't come back until almost dawn."

Song Heping grabbed the bottle of mineral water next to the bedside table, unscrewed the lid and took a sip to relieve the dry mouth he felt after getting up.

"I'm almost at the Green Zone. Hurry up and wash up. We'll go to the US military headquarters in Iraq later."

"headquarters?"

Song Heping suddenly became completely sober.

"What are you doing there?"

"Sign a contract!" the cook said. "I've got a business deal for our company."

"Military contract?"

Go to the US military headquarters to sign the contract.

It's obviously a military contract.

That’s really awesome.

Ordinary companies really don’t have this ability.

Most small companies either pick up odd jobs thrown out by large companies, or provide security services to private enterprises or media reporters.

Only large companies can sign contracts directly with the US military.

This is definitely a good thing for the defense of "musicians".

"Of course it's a military contract. I'm awesome, right?!" the cook said proudly, "I do have some connections here!"

That's the chef's personality.

A little starlight can shine as brightly as the sun.

Song Heping has gotten used to it.

He was too lazy to ask what the order was.

According to my own speculation, the contract amount should not be large.

And one thing is certain, the task is definitely not easy.

By the time he finished washing up, the cook had arrived.

The two chatted for a few minutes and then got in the car and went to the US military headquarters in Iraq.

The headquarters is also in the Green Zone, within the Palace of the Republic.

When I got to the door and hadn't gone in yet, I suddenly saw a car driving into the open space outside the door, and several Americans got out of the car.

One of them looked familiar to Song Heping, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He just felt that he looked familiar.

And that person also looked towards him and looked at him twice more.

Alvin said to Wilson, "What are you looking at?"

Wilson, who was staring at Song Heping, said absentmindedly, "Nothing..."

"Come on, let's go up to see the general."

"Ok."

"Do you know that Chinese guy?"

"do not know……"

"You were staring at him just now, and I thought you had met before."

"No, I haven't seen it... nor is it..."

Wilson himself was a little confused, and finally smiled and said perfunctorily: "Maybe I have seen it before."

With that, the two of them went upstairs.

Outside the building, the cook also asked Song Heping: "Why are you staring at that American?"

Song Heping frowned, thinking in his mind where he had seen that guy before.

Suddenly, a flash of light flashed.

"Fuck..."

He seemed to remember.

That guy's figure...

Greater Ale Mountain Area...

"Watchmen"?
Song Heping's hair stood on end.

Could it be that he discovered something and is coming for him?
"Let's go, it's almost time." The cook urged: "The colonel doesn't like to wait for people."

Song Heping felt a little confused.

He remained calm on the surface: "Let's go."

The two went upstairs.

They went to the second floor.

I explained my purpose to a black non-commissioned officer outside an office, and he checked the appointment list.

"It's the 'Musician's' defense, right?"

"Yes." The cook said with a smile on his face, "We have an appointment to meet the colonel at half past nine."

"Please sit in the chairs outside. The colonel is meeting guests. I'll let you in when he's done."

"Yes, please."

The cook was very polite and took Song Heping outside to wait.

There was a TV in the corridor, showing the news.

The cook was watching the news boredly, while Song Heping was thinking about Wilson whom he had met before.

After repeated confirmation, he was sure that this was one of the "watchmen" he had seen in the Greater Ale Mountain area at that time.

Although it was night and they could only rely on night vision goggles for observation, Song Heping had a very good memory and an extremely sharp and reliable memory of things.

So he was almost certain that it was "Watchman".

How did this guy escape the pursuit of Turkey's JAK special forces and get away unscathed?
This left Song Heping puzzled.

But after thinking about it carefully, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The fact that the other person didn't recognize me when they met at such a close distance only confirmed one thing - the other person didn't know who I was either.

"funeral!"

The cook suddenly pushed Song Heping and screamed.

"Huh?" Song Heping was slightly surprised: "What's the matter?"

The cook pointed at the TV and said, "Watch the news!"

Song Heping looked up and saw the TV screen.

There's a news report on it -

Shadamu was arrested in a small town called Wadar near Titlik.

Da Mu was arrested?
This is shocking news.

Because the coalition forces have been looking for him for a long time, especially the US military.

He couldn't help but immediately think of Afanasiy and Hassan.

The reason why Afanti went to such great lengths to capture Hassan was to get some of Shadamu's hidden gold.

Now all the trees have been caught.

What to do with gold?

Will he reveal the location of the hidden gold himself?
If so, then the $100 million that Afanti spent on himself was like throwing it into the sea.

Kind of interesting...

"You can come in."

The black sergeant appeared in front of them again. Song Heping and the cook quickly turned their attention away from the news.

After all, Da Mu’s affairs have nothing to do with him, and the contract is the most important.

The person who met with the two men was Colonel Curtis from the headquarters engineering department.

After meeting and greeting each other, Colonel Curtis took out the contract and said, "Here is the contract, take a look first."

Then he handed the contract to the two of them.

The content of the contract is not complicated.

The general meaning is that the US military stationed in Iraq plans to build a water supply station near the town of Kova near the city of Shergat to pump water from the nearby Tigris River to three nearby villages, and the job of the "Musician" defense is to ensure the safety of the construction of this water supply station.

It seems simple.

In fact, Song Heping is not a fool, and he sees through the tricks behind it.

First of all, the city of Shergat is located between Titlik and Mosul, close to the Tigris River. Secondly, it belongs to the northwest region of Ilig. The battles in Titlik and Mosul have not yet ended. The coalition forces are gathering on the outskirts of these two cities and have been clearing out the resistance forces in the city.

It can be said that the city of Shergat is a very unsafe place.

The water supply project is a means for the US military to win over local forces and villagers, and it can be considered a people's livelihood project.

After all, since they invaded here, they had to do something good. Otherwise, the people would not support them and their future reconstruction work would be difficult to carry out.

However, the construction volume of this type of water supply station is not large and the budget is not high, so the security cost expenditure will not be high.

It would be a waste of manpower to withdraw US troops to garrison there, and sending mercenaries is the most cost-effective option. The only problem is that hiring mercenaries from large companies like Blackwater or Spartan is too expensive and not cost-effective; hiring mercenaries from small companies will not be strong enough to defend the country at all.

For those armed groups, it is impossible for them to allow the US military to build water supply stations under their noses.

Two small companies took over the contract. As a result, the water supply station has been destroyed twice. The mercenaries there were either dead or disabled. Now no one dares to take on this business.

The cook was Colonel Curtis, whom Mr. Wood introduced to him at the last cocktail party. The colonel was in charge of engineering, so this matter was under his responsibility. When he was having a headache, he thought of the cook, so he took the initiative to call the cook and invite him to sign the contract.

After all, Musician Defense's performance in the Hassan and Cook oil fields was very eye-catching. Curtis had also inquired about it. Although the company was established not long ago, its combat effectiveness was very strong. They even took down the Freedom Army's lair.

As the saying goes, when desperate, one will try anything. Since Blackwater can no longer be afforded, hiring a small defense company like "Musician" is a more cost-effective option.

The contract amount is US$5 per month for security fees.

When he saw the amount, Song Heping couldn't help but smile knowingly.

No wonder no one from big companies is willing to take it.

If the water supply station is near Bakda, many companies are willing to take it for $5 a month, but it is completely different in Shergat.

The north and south ends of the area are both war-torn areas, and it is impossible to defend it without a dozen elite mercenaries. Even if elite mercenaries like Blackwater are sent there, they must call for support when necessary to ensure safety.

However, the base salary for mercenaries in large companies is generally $1.5 per person, and as much as $2 per month, not including mission allowances.

Ten people would cost at least hundreds of thousands of dollars, and if something goes wrong, the equipment would be lost, and the company would have to pay compensation.

No matter how you look at it, it's a loss-making account.

Use local mercenaries. It is indeed cheap, 150-300 US dollars a month. 5 US dollars a month is enough to send a local mercenary platoon over.

But so what?

The local mercenaries were so weak in combat that they couldn't even hold out until the US military provided air support in the face of those ferocious militants.

The two companies previously used local mercenaries from Irigo, but both companies failed to hold on. The water station was destroyed twice, many workers were killed, and two pumping units were destroyed.

$5 a month.

This price is a joke!

Curtis probably saw what the two were thinking, and he himself felt quite embarrassed. It was simply a pipe dream to hire someone to guard the water supply station at such a price.

However, the general above him would never approve of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month for security for a water supply station.

"I'm honest with you two. This price might be a bit low, but you need to take a long-term view. Military contracts are like qualifications. If you're capable of taking on this contract and successfully completing it, the military will prioritize working with you in the future. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, right? If your company wants to grow, you must start with small orders, especially military contracts like ours."

Song Heping had to admit that Colonel Curtis, who was sitting opposite him and wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and looked like a teacher, was indeed very eloquent.

This pie he drew...

Wouldn't it make people drool to death?

Seeing that Song Heping and the cook seemed to be still hesitating, Curtis continued, "Based on the current speed of our coalition forces' advancement, it is estimated that the situation in the north will be basically stable in two months. You only need to ensure the safety of the water supply station for three months. After that, you can kick the ICDC troops and the local police force. Even if there is a loss, it will only be three months."

After a pause, his eyes swept back and forth between Song Heping and the cook's faces, and he continued, "But the qualifications and relationships that allow you to cooperate with our military can't be bought with a few hundred thousand dollars."

What a profiteer!
Song Heping thought.

No wonder there is a revolving door among American officers.

After retiring, he went directly to work as a consultant in a defense company or the military-industrial complex.

Each one is more business-savvy than the other.

Curtis is in charge of this water supply station. If he doesn't do a good job, his superiors will definitely criticize him and his promotion will be affected.

If this matter is done well and completed, the generals in the headquarters will be happy, and he, a colonel, will be just one step away from being a brigadier general. This is a critical period for the development of his career. If he wants to make further progress, he must do something on this battlefield.

That's why he was so anxious. His silver tongue was as smooth as if it had been soaked in an oil barrel.

"Colonel, can we discuss this?"

"Please."

The two walked out of the office.

The cook said, "Do you want to take it?"

Song Heping said, "This guy's talk is all talk and no one believes it. It's only been three months. Consider it a favor. If we do a good job, it will also burnish our reputation. He's right about one thing. Taking on this kind of contract will help us take on military contracts in the future. Many future reconstruction projects will require security, and since this guy is in charge of the project, I think we can do him a favor."

The cook said, "Fifty thousand...that's too little."

Song Heping said, "We can send two people and a platoon over there, and we should be able to hold it."

The cook sighed and said, "Okay, it seems we still need to recruit more people. We have no shortage of local mercenaries right now, but we lack experts who can do big things."

"Masters are hard to come by." Song Heping said, "After you get the money from your arms business, we'll recruit more people."

"Okay! Then I'll take it."

"Go ahead, I agree."

The two returned to Curtis's office.

The cook took the contract and said, "Colonel, we'll take it, but you know we'll lose money on this contract, so if you get any lucrative jobs in the future, you'll have to make it up to us."

"no problem!"

Curtis was overjoyed to see that someone was finally willing to take on the thorny issue of the water supply station.

"Three months. After holding out for three months, you can hand it over to the ICDC. After that, it'll be their Interim Management Committee and the Joint Security Council's responsibility. I have some security contracts for construction projects in Bakda, and I can give them to you first. Those are excellent assignments."

"Thank you in advance."

The cook handed the contract to Song Heping, who picked up a pen, signed it, and stamped it with the company seal.

Curtis also signed and stamped it.

Done! Two copies, one for each person.

"Happy cooperation!"

That's how it was done.

The procedures for signing a security contract here are not complicated.

Song Heping went downstairs with the cook, and happened to meet Wilson and Alvin again.

Neither side expected to meet each other again.

Wilson nodded at Song Heping for some reason.

Song Heping suppressed his fluctuating emotions and nodded at him as if nothing had happened.

"Where have we... met before?"