Chapter 1345
The Art of Incest
Chapter 1345 The Art of Incest
Just as Barzani was making his last struggle behind his bunker, on a high ridge overlooking the western hills, another pair of eyes were calmly surveying the entire battlefield through a high-powered observation device.
Song Heping heard intermittent reports from various groups through his earpiece:
"The enemy machine gunner behind the rock pile on the east side has been eliminated."
"The assault team is encountering fierce resistance and needs fire support!"
"Medical team! We need a medical team!"
The background noise of the battlefield was incredibly chaotic, but Song Heping's mind remained remarkably calm, like a sophisticated computer processing every stream of information.
His gaze was mainly focused on two things: first, the burning Mercedes SUV, which Abuyu's commandos were approaching at all costs; and second, the unnaturally quiet area behind the rocky outcrop on the east side—where Barzani was hiding.
Suddenly, several figures leaped out from behind the rocks on the east side in the field of view of the observation instrument!
"Attention all!"
Song Heping's voice tightened instantly as he pressed down on the microphone.
"Target spotted on the east flank! Barzani is trying to escape! Repeat, Barzani is trying to escape! Location: Alpha-7 area, moving towards the gap on the east flank! All firing positions covering this area, intercept him! Don't let him get on the vehicle!"
His commands were clear.
"Lynx, can you hit the high ground at the ten o'clock position?"
He called for the snipers in the fire support group.
"The distance was too far, the angle was bad, and the target was moving quickly... They were using rocks and vehicle wreckage to make irregular maneuvers."
The sniper, codenamed "Lynx," responded quickly, his voice unusually anxious.
"Assault team, move and fire towards Alpha-7 area! Delay them!" Song Heping turned to the assault team.
"Roger that, trying... The enemy fire is heavy! They're using at least two light machine guns for cover, we're pinned down on the slope!"
Abuyu's reply was accompanied by the sound of intense gunfire.
Song Heping adjusted the focal length of the observation instrument.
In the field of vision, the figures, under the desperate cover of the guards, charged toward a black Mercedes-Benz G500 SUV with almost savage efficiency.
Their movements were anything but elegant; they were pure battlefield survival tactics: low stance, changes of speed, and use of any cover. He saw one of the guards shot in the leg and fall like a felled tree, but before he fell, he managed to push the man surrounded in the middle.
Although the person being surrounded was covered in blood and dust, Song Heping still managed to capture the face he had seen in intelligence photos the moment the observation device zoomed in.
That's right, it's Barzani!
He saw Barzani being dragged towards the car door by two burly guards, who practically held him by the arms.
The two guards acted roughly but effectively. One dragged the bullet away while the other turned around completely, presenting his broad back to the direction from which it was most likely to come, and blindly fired his rifle backward, attempting to create some psychological deterrence with firepower.
Just behind the rock bunker that Barzani and his men had rushed out of, a modified Toyota pickup truck suddenly sprang out.
The pickup truck's rear bed was welded with crude steel plates, and a PKM general-purpose machine gun was mounted on it. Instead of following Barzani towards the G500, the pickup truck suddenly made a sharp turn and came to a stop, using its body to create a temporary barrier on the flank of Barzani's escape route.
The machine gunner on the vehicle went berserk, firing wildly in the direction the assault team might appear, completely disregarding his own safety.
This reckless fighting style actually temporarily suppressed the assault team members who were trying to outflank and intercept them.
"Bazooka!"
Song Heping's speech suddenly quickened, his voice revealing a steely coldness.
"Does anyone have a rocket launcher that can reach that G500?! Take it down right now!"
He knew that time was passing in seconds.
Once Barzani gets in the car, with the performance of that bulletproof off-road vehicle and the cover of this complex terrain, it will be difficult to intercept him.
"Boss, the rocket launcher team is clearing the last firing point at the south end of the canyon. They'll be here in at least a minute!"
A response came through the communication channel.
"Damn it!"
Song Heping muttered a curse under his breath, a rare occurrence for him.
He watched helplessly as Barzani was roughly shoved into the back seat of the G500.
Before the car door was even fully closed, the heavy SUV sped off with a screeching sound of tires.
Just then, a turning point seemed to appear.
"Rocket launcher operators, in position!"
A hurried but clear voice suddenly came through the channel.
It turned out that when the rocket launcher operator received Song Heping's first order, he abandoned his original target and moved toward this side at the fastest speed. He had just rushed up a slightly higher embankment.
"I have locked onto the target vehicle! It's 170 meters away, the wind is blowing from the east, you can fire!"
Song Heping's heart skipped a beat.
"Approval to fire! Shoot it down!"
"understand!"
A plume of white smoke suddenly shot out from behind the earthen embankment. The rocket, trailing a bright flame, drew a deadly arc in the air and hurtled straight at the black G500 that had just started moving and was accelerating!
Song Heping kept a close eye on the rocket's trajectory through the observation instrument, calculating the lead time...
This attack has a very good chance of blowing up the opponent!
However, what happened next made even the battle-hardened Song Heping's pupils shrink.
Just as the rocket was about to hit the G500, the Toyota pickup truck that had been parked to the side and firing its machine gun wildly suddenly roared like a beast!
The guard driving the pickup truck made a decision that most people couldn't understand—
Instead of dodging or fleeing, the pickup truck floored the accelerator, swerved sharply, and headed headlong into the trajectory between the rocket and the G500!
"He's gone mad?!"
Someone on the channel suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
"Boom——!!!"
The deafening explosion echoed through the canyon.
The rocket struck the side of the pickup truck's driver's compartment with solid force.
The fragile civilian vehicle body was like paper in front of the military warhead, instantly torn open with a huge gap. Then the ammunition detonated, and the entire vehicle turned into a rolling fireball. Broken parts and human remains were thrown in all directions by the shock wave.
The barrel of the PKM machine gun twisted and flew into the air.
Thick smoke and flames temporarily obscured the view.
"Hit! But...it hit Pikachu!"
The rocket launcher operator's voice was filled with disbelief and astonishment.
Song Heping's observation instrument quickly penetrated the smoke.
Although the Mercedes-Benz G500 was violently shaken by the blast wave, with countless scratches on the right side of the vehicle from flying debris and cracks all over the bulletproof glass, it was ultimately not directly hit!
The driver had clearly gained a precious second or two from his companion's selfless act; he gripped the steering wheel tightly and slammed on the gas.
The G500 armored vehicle shot out of the relatively weak firepower gap on the east side of the canyon like an arrow, plunged into the undulating hilly area outside, and quickly shrank into a black dot.
"Target escaped! Repeat, primary target escaped!"
The sniper's voice was tinged with frustration.
Song Heping subconsciously reached for his waist, but found nothing—he was serving as an observation and command point this time and did not carry his usual HK417 assault rifle.
Hey!
He cursed inwardly.
How careless!
My main task here is to be responsible for key decisions during the operation.
The original intention was to give Jiang Feng and Abuyu an opportunity to command independently and train together, while I would play more of an advisory and safety guarantor role.
In hindsight, we were overconfident.
The battlefield is ever-changing, and any missing or underestimated link can cause a sure win to slip away.
More importantly, the almost obsessive loyalty and selflessness displayed by Barzani's guards forced Song Heping to take notice.
These Kurdish fighters may lack systematic combat skills and high-tech equipment, but their ingrained ferocity, unwavering loyalty to their leader, and resolute determination to achieve their goals in dire circumstances are not to be underestimated.
"The Kolds... are not entirely without merit."
Song Heping muttered to himself, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"At least judging from the quality of Barzani's core guard, their foundation is stronger than expected."
He pressed the microphone and gave the new instructions:
"Attention all teams, primary target Barzani has escaped eastward. Repeat, primary target escaped. Cease pursuit and avoid deviating from the pre-designated battlefield. Priority tasks: ensure the safety of the 'Elder,' clear the battlefield, and prepare for withdrawal as planned."
After giving the order, he leaned against the rock, closed his eyes, and quickly reviewed everything that had just happened in his mind, and deduced the chain reaction that was about to occur.
"Old squad leader."
Jiang Feng's voice came through the earpiece, tinged with resentment, "We just let him get away like that? If we chase after him, he can't get very far..."
"Chase after them, and then what?"
Song Heping opened his eyes, his voice as calm as ice.
"Go deep into the territory controlled by the Kold forces? Engage in firefights with a large number of troops that may arrive after being alerted? Our mission is to rescue Massoud, not to assassinate Barzani, much less to start a war with the entire Kold armed group."
He paused and continued:
"If I'm not mistaken, Barzani's escape to Kirkuk means he has chosen the most radical and dangerous option—a direct military coup. He won't return to Erbil; there are too many variables there. He will go and take control of those three elite brigades, then declare a takeover, accusing the Abuyu Brigade of being rebels and claiming that Massoud is dead."
Jiang Feng gasped: "Then... isn't there going to be a civil war within Kold's ranks?"
"It's not just a civil war."
Song Heping stood up, dusted himself off, and looked in the direction where Barzani had disappeared.
"In order to consolidate his power, Barzani will definitely try to frame Abuyu. The war will quickly spread to Kirkuk, Suleimaniye, and even Erbil."
He walked to the edge of the cliff, gazing at the gradually calming battlefield in the canyon below, his voice low and clear:
"This is just the beginning; a chain reaction is sure to follow. Turkey has always viewed the Kurdish forces as a major threat. If the Kurds descend into internal strife, Ankara will not let this opportunity pass, and border military action is highly likely. The Persians are also likely to increase their intervention during the chaos. As for the central government in Bakta, they would be happy to see the Kurdish forces weakened, but they will never allow the war to escalate indefinitely, threatening oil facilities and border security..."
"Where are the Americans?" Jiang Feng asked.
"American……"
Song Heping snorted coldly, "The most troublesome ones are the Americans. They have a lot of interests and a military presence in the Kolde region, but their attitude has always been ambiguous. They may want to find a more 'obedient' proxy, but they would never want things to fall into complete chaos here, affecting the overall counter-terrorism strategy and the plan to confront Persia. Barzani's coup has disrupted everyone's plans."
He turned and looked at Massoud, who was being treated by medics.
"The key issue is Massoud's life or death. As long as he lives, Barzani's 'legitimacy' is fatally flawed. But Massoud is currently unconscious and cannot immediately step forward to stabilize the situation. This time gap is the time for bloodshed."
Song Heping's analysis was as calm as a scalpel, dissecting the surface and getting straight to the heart of the matter.
He saw not only the ambush and counter-ambush before him, but also the political and military tsunami that would inevitably follow and sweep across the entire region.
"Our mission is complete, but the real trouble is just beginning. Let's go back to Hurmatu first."
He concluded by issuing the following orders: “Immediately notify U.S. military command in Bakta that we need an emergency medical evacuation route. Also… issue the highest level of alert in my name to all armed forces on our turf—the storm is coming, prepare for massive chaos.”
5:47 a.m., northwestern suburbs of Kirkuk.
The First Mechanized Brigade's base.
The piercing alarm blared, tearing apart the silence before dawn time and time again.
Barzani's Mercedes G500 armored vehicle did not slow down at all when it rushed into the camp gate.
The guards recognized the vehicle, but what shocked them even more was the wildly waving arm sticking out of the passenger window—
That was the hand of Captain Qasim, Barzani's bodyguard captain, whose face was covered in dried blood.
"Open the gate! The general is back! Emergency!" Before the barrier was fully raised, the vehicle had already violently smashed through the obstacle, its tires crushing the scattered wood chips as it sped straight toward the brigade headquarters building.
Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Barzani had already pushed open the door and jumped out.
His current appearance is alarming to everyone.
The senior general's uniform was tattered and covered in mud and dark brown bloodstains; his face was blackened by gunpowder and etched with lines from sweat; his hair was disheveled, but his eyes shone with a frightening intensity, like a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey.
"Assemble! Assemble all officers of battalion level and above immediately!"
He yelled at the brigade chief of staff who was rushing towards him, "Five minutes from now, to the brigade operations room! Get there now!"
Chief of Staff Colonel Khalid was stunned.
He looked at the bullet-riddled car behind the general, and at the few remaining guards.
"General, something has happened..."
"Chairman Masood is dead."
Barzani interrupted him, his voice not loud, but it sounded like a bombshell in Khalid's ear.
The colonel's face instantly drained of color: "What?!"
"Abyu did it!"
Barzani said, word by word, "They colluded with external forces and ambushed the Chairman's convoy in the northern hills. The Chairman... was hit by several bullets and died on the spot."
He paused, letting the "fact" solidify in the air, before continuing, "My guards and I fought back desperately and barely managed to break through... but a dozen of our most loyal soldiers were left there."
Colonel Khalid's breathing became heavy.
He was an officer promoted by Barzani, but he also held Chairman Massoud in high esteem.
The news was so shocking that his mind couldn't process it for a moment.
"General, such accusations require evidence..."
After all, Khalid knew that the autonomous council seemed to be leaning towards negotiating with the Abuyu Brigade to resolve the oil field issue.
Abyu suddenly turned on them and ambushed and killed Massoud, right in Kold's controlled territory...
This kind of thing requires evidence, and the best way is to bring it up in front of the Americans, gain their support, and then attack Abuyu's territory.
"evidence?"
Barzani suddenly grabbed Khalid's shoulder, his fingers digging so hard they almost embedded themselves into the man's bones.
“The fact that my guards were almost completely wiped out is proof! The bullet holes in my body are proof! As for that traitor Abuyu, he is definitely preparing to launch an attack on us right now, taking advantage of the brief chaos after my uncle's death to swallow us all up in one fell swoop! Khalid, we have no time to hesitate!”
He released his grip and turned to face the officers and soldiers who were pouring out of the various barracks.
More and more people gathered around, and seeing the general's miserable state and hearing snippets of discussion, a sense of unease spread through the crowd like a plague.
Barzani took a deep breath.
He knew that the next ten minutes would determine his fate.
He climbed onto the roof of a BTR-80 armored personnel carrier parked in front of the command post.
The loudspeaker was urgently connected, and the cold metal microphone was held in his trembling hand.
"Soldiers! Officers! Brothers of the Kold Freedom Fighters!"
His voice was amplified through the loudspeaker, echoing across the empty playground.
Everyone gathered around, thousands of eyes focused on the figure standing on top of the armored vehicle.
"Just an hour ago, a despicable and heinous murder occurred!"
Barzani's voice began to rise.
"Our leader, Chairman of the Koldistan Autonomous Region, Massoud—my uncle, my commander, the father of all of us—was ambushed on his way to inspect this place!"
A suppressed gasp rose from the crowd.
"The ambushers were not Turkish, not Iberian government troops, and certainly not from an extremist group!"
Barzani paused, his gaze sweeping over each face below, letting the suspense build.
"It's Abuyu, and the so-called 'Abuyu Brigade' that he commands!"
A greater uproar ensued. Whispers of doubt, shock, and anger surged forth.
"Impossible!" someone in the crowd shouted. "Just two days ago I heard that Abuyu was negotiating with the autonomous council in Bakhta."
"negotiation?"
Barzani interrupted sharply, his voice filled with feigned anguish: "Yes, the Chairman believes the dispute can be resolved through peaceful negotiations, but Abuyu doesn't want that at all. His ambitions go far beyond just a few oil fields in Kirkuk! He wants the whole of Erbil!"
He suddenly ripped open the front of his already tattered military uniform, revealing the still gruesome abrasions and bruises underneath, which had been simply treated.
Those injuries were actually sustained during the escape, but at this moment, from the perfect angle, they look like shrapnel or explosions.
"Look at this! Look at my guards!"
He pointed to Captain Qasim, who was being helped up from under the car, and the few surviving guards.
"Hundreds of us fought desperately to protect the Chairman as he broke through the encirclement! But the enemy was too many! They were prepared! Rockets, machine guns, snipers... They didn't want prisoners, they didn't want negotiations, they wanted decapitation! They wanted to completely eliminate the core leadership of our Kold'd people!"
His voice began to choke.
That was superb acting skills.
“Chairman…Masood…in order to give me a chance to rush out and deliver the message, and to prevent the traitor’s plot from succeeding completely, he…he shielded me from the bullets with his own body…”
Barzani lowered his head, his shoulders shaking violently, as if he were trying to suppress immense grief.
"I watched him fall... watched him say his last words: 'Tell the people... to avenge them...'"
silence.
Dead silence.
Then, the first sob rang out from the crowd.
He was a young soldier, a son of the soldiers from Masoud's hometown.
Then, the second, the third...
Sadness and anger exploded like a drop of boiling oil.
Barzani knew the time was right.
He looked up, his face streaked with the tears of crocodiles.
What is true and what is false is no longer important at this moment.
At this moment, emotions are the most important thing, and stirring up emotions is the key!
“Brothers! Soldiers! Why did Abuyu do this? Because he has always wanted to annex us! He has always made peace with those enemies who want to divide us! The Turkish people promised him the title of Independent Army, the Americans promised him political asylum, and those remnants of the Ba'ath Party in Baghdad wrote him an exorbitant check! He betrayed the Chairman, betrayed all of us, and betrayed the future of Koldistan!”
Barzani didn't care whether his lies had logical flaws.
evidence?
No need.
In any case, how many of these soldiers in front of me really have a lot of intelligence and information?
If one's words are alarmist enough, one can stir up their sense of crisis and ignite their anger.
Once you do that, everything will be OK!
"And now!"
His voice suddenly became firm and resolute: "This traitor must be destroying evidence, fabricating lies, saying that I, Barzani, orchestrated all of this! He'll say I killed the Chairman! He'll say I framed him! And then he'll incite other troops who don't know the truth to attack us! He'll smear our three brigades in Kirkuk—Kold's most elite forces—as rebels!"
He waved his arm, pointing east, towards the direction where the Abuyu Brigade was stationed.
"Can we allow it?!"
"cannot!"
The first shout came from Khalid's chief of staff, whose eyes were already red.
"Can we watch the Chairman sacrifice himself in vain, watch traitors seize power, and watch Koldstein descend into civil war and division?!"
"cannot!!"
More voices joined in, initially disparate, but later coalescing into a roaring torrent.
Barzani stood on the roof of the car like a vengeful god of war.
"I, Barzani, in my capacity as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Vice Chairman of the Military Council, hereby declare: in accordance with Article 7 of the Emergency Law, I shall temporarily assume all military and political power until the legitimate government of the autonomous region resumes operation!"
His voice, transmitted through loudspeakers, reached every corner of the camp.
"I order: the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Mechanized Brigades of Kirkuk to immediately enter a state of maximum combat readiness! We must avenge Chairman Massoud! We must eradicate the traitor Abuyu and his bribed scum! We will defend the honor and unity of Koldistan with steel and blood!"
"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!"
The roars grew louder and louder.
The soldiers pounded their chests, pounded their rifle butts, and shouted at the top of their lungs.
Barzani's lies struck their emotional soft spot so perfectly.
Loyalty to the leader, hatred for betrayal, concern for the fate of the nation, and the soldier's most basic desire for revenge.
The officers began running and issuing orders.
The garage doors were wide open, and the diesel engines of the T-72 main battle tanks spewed thick smoke; on the artillery positions, the covers of the 122mm howitzers were torn off; infantrymen lined up to receive extra magazines and grenades; signalmen carried radios back and forth, their antennas swaying in the morning breeze.
Barzani was surrounded by officers as he entered the command building.
In the instant he turned around, all the grief and tears on his face vanished, leaving only cold calculations.
He whispered to Khalid, "Immediately cut off all civilian communications from Kirkuk to the outside world, leaving only the military encrypted channels open. At the same time, send people to 'protect' the city's television and radio stations; I'm going to give a national address later."
"Yes, General!"
Khalid stood at attention and saluted. At this moment, the chief of staff was completely convinced by Barzani's performance.
In his view, the nation was already at a critical juncture of survival.
“And another thing,” Barzani added, “Send a telegram to the 9th Brigade of Suleimaniye and the Duhok Border Regiment, telling their commanders that Abuyu has sent special forces to assassinate the Chairman, and that I have already mobilized my troops in Kirkuk to prepare for a major counterattack. Demand that they… make a choice immediately.”
He didn't say "command," but rather "asked them to make a choice."
This is a subtle difference—it gives those commanders who are still observing a way out, an excuse to join the "army of justice".
Moreover, since he has not yet reached the pinnacle of power and taken the seat of chairman of the committee, he should remain somewhat humble beforehand and not let his ambition and arrogance be exposed too early.
ten minutes later.
In the operations conference room of the First Brigade headquarters, a huge electronic map was already lit up.
The blue dots representing the three brigades began to flash and move, converging towards the pre-designated assembly point.
The red area to the east, representing the Abuyu Brigade's base, was now seen by Barzani as both a thorn in his side to be removed and a sacrifice necessary to consolidate his power.
The fury of lies has been completely ignited.
Now, his path to the pinnacle of power requires even more blood as fuel.
Second update, 6,800 words. 10,000-word update complete. Requesting monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)