Chapter 1354
Barzani's High-Stakes Gamble
Chapter 1354 Barzani's High-Stakes Gamble
In the temporary command post converted from the former oil company building on the western outskirts of Kirkuk, a sense of impending doom permeated the air.
Deep inside the command center, the old satellite TV screen was the only light source in the room, flickering an unstable blue-white light that reflected on several stiff-faced individuals.
Barzani stood there, stunned, in front of the screen.
On television, a haggard-looking old man named Masoud is giving a televised address.
"...Based on the powers granted by the Constitution and the unanimous resolution of the Kolde Regional Security Council, I, Masoud, in the name of the President of the Kolde Regional Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, hereby declare the immediate removal of Barzani from all military and political posts... Any individual or military unit that continues to obey his illegal orders or participate in his military operations after the issuance of this statement will be considered to have committed an armed rebellion against the legitimate government and will be severely punished by law and the military..."
"Clap!"
The teacup fell straight from Barzani's hand and shattered on the polished floor.
The color drained from his face in an instant, his lips trembled slightly uncontrollably, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, but he couldn't make a sound.
The young staff officers standing by the command post held their breath, not daring to even move their eyes; the only sound in the air was the audio from the television.
But this loss of composure lasted less than ten seconds.
Barzani abruptly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When I opened my eyes again, the panic inside had been replaced by a ruthless determination.
He slowly bent down, picked up a sharp-edged shard of glass from the mess, and then applied slight pressure with his fingertips. The sharp edge cut through his skin, and a clear stinging sensation traveled along his nerves to his cerebral cortex.
The pain brought him fully awake.
"Commander!"
His voice returned to its usual coldness and hardness, even lower than usual, like the friction of cast iron.
"Immediately summon all regimental-level and above commanding officers and chiefs of staff stationed in Kirkuk to assemble in Operations Room One within twenty minutes using the highest priority communication. Anyone absent or late without a valid reason—"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the few silent advisors.
"All such cases will be treated as wartime defection and can be arrested on the spot!"
The order was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, triggering a chain reaction.
The command post instantly came alive with the sounds of footsteps, keyboard clicks, and urgent communication calls.
Thirty-three minutes and seventeen seconds later, in the conference room of the Kirkuk temporary military command center.
On either side of a nearly ten-meter-long mahogany conference table, twenty-three officers dressed in camouflage sat upright.
No one spoke, and no one even made eye contact.
Everyone knows what happened.
Barzani was the last to enter.
Instead of walking to the high-backed chair at the top of the conference table, which symbolized the head seat, he stopped at the end of the table, slammed his hands on the smooth surface, and leaned forward slightly, like a ferocious beast about to devour someone.
Two fierce gazes slowly and heavily swept over each familiar or semi-familiar face, their eyes filled with scrutiny, coercion, and even a hint of barely perceptible madness.
"news."
He spoke, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear in the absolute silence.
“You all saw it and heard it.”
Some people nodded subconsciously, while most remained in a stone-like posture.
“Our president, His Excellency Masood, says I have betrayed him.”
He spoke slowly, but emphasized each word.
The meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
But what is the truth?!
Barzani's voice suddenly rose, and he slammed his fist on the table, making several water glasses jump.
"The truth is that Erbil has fallen! It's been taken over by a group of foreign conspirators, mercenaries, and traitors from within our own ranks! That Dong Da guy, Song Heping! And that stray dog Abuyu, I should have strangled him with my own hands long ago! They kidnapped Masood and used him to threaten the old president, forcing him to say these insincere lies!"
He suddenly swung his arm and pointed at the screen:
“Look! Look closely at the president’s expression! Does that look like he’s speaking voluntarily? It looks like he’s being coerced into this, filled with humiliation and anger! We must go back to Erbil and take down those bastards who slandered us!”
A suppressed commotion arose in the conference room.
Several generals sitting near Barzani, including Qadir, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade and other Barzani confidants, immediately echoed his sentiments, their tone very vehement:
"I knew it! This is definitely not normal!"
"How could the president dismiss a general without any warning? That's against procedure!"
"Something terrible must have happened in Erbil! Someone has plotted a coup!"
However, the solemnity on some faces did not dissipate.
Sitting in the middle of the conference table, an elderly colonel with gray hair slowly raised his right hand.
This is Colonel Hassani, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade.
He served in the military for over 35 years and was known for his steadiness and integrity.
He was not a direct follower of Barzani.
"General."
Ali's voice was as steady as he was.
“I understand your shock and anger. There are indeed many suspicious points in this matter. But…”
Hassani changed the subject, his gaze meeting Barzani's with a frank expression.
"We need more concrete evidence. The president's televised address was broadcast through official channels. To date, we have not received any unusual reports from the Erbil security forces, the 3rd Mechanized Brigade, or any other troops stationed in the capital. General Torhan has also not made any urgent contact with us. If, as you say, a serious kidnapping and coup had occurred, the capital's communications and command systems could not possibly be so 'normal.' To rashly mobilize a large army towards Erbil without solid intelligence support is tantamount to...starting a civil war."
He considered his words carefully, but still said it:
"General, please forgive my bluntness, but we need to be extremely cautious. What if... what if the president's words are true? Then any action we take now will confirm the charge of rebellion."
He was telling the truth, and his words touched on the doubts in the hearts of everyone present.
The temperature inside the conference room instantly dropped to freezing.
Barzani stared intently at Colonel Ali, the mad glint in his eyes growing ever stronger.
"Torhan?"
He spat out the name through gritted teeth, his voice filled with hatred.
"Colonel Hassani! You expect that opportunist to tip you off? He's either already in league with those rebels, they're all in cahoots! Are you using your outdated caution to question my assessment of the situation, to question the very life and death of all of us right now?!"
Colonel Hassani was silent for a few seconds.
This brief silence, in Barzani's tyrannical interpretation, became an open provocation and an attempt to undermine morale.
"General!"
Ali spoke again, his tone unwavering: "I'm not questioning your loyalty or judgment. I simply believe that as commanders, we are responsible for the lives of our more than 16,000 soldiers, and for the future of Kolde. Mobilizing three main brigades is no small matter. We need a clearer picture; perhaps we could send out reconnaissance units, or use other channels..."
"enough!"
"boom--!!"
Gunshots rang out in the enclosed reinforced concrete conference room. The sound was far louder than usual, making people's eardrums ache, and the fluorescent lights overhead seemed to flicker.
Colonel Ali Hassani's body was thrown backward by the force of the bullet, and the high-backed office chair beneath him creaked and overturned.
He fell heavily onto the dark green woolen carpet, his eyes still wide open, pupils staring straight at the light on the ceiling. Bright red blood quickly seeped from his chest, staining the carpet beneath him and forming an ever-expanding dark red pattern.
The smell of gunpowder mixed with the stench of blood began to fill the air.
Dead silence.
Absolute silence.
A wisp of smoke rose from the muzzle of the large-caliber pistol in Barzani's hand.
He didn't even glance down at the still slightly twitching corpse on the floor, but slowly raised his gun-wielding arm, pointing the muzzle at the pale ceiling of the conference room.
"Now--"
His voice was cold and hard, with a hint of ruthlessness: "Who else wants to spread rumors and undermine morale here, like this spy who has been bought off by the Erbil traitor? Who else wants to speak for those bandits who have hijacked the president and usurped power?"
No one dared to move.
Several young officers were ashen-faced, with beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.
A major's lips trembled uncontrollably as he gripped the edge of the table in front of him so tightly that his knuckles turned bluish-white from the force.
Barzani slowly lowered his gun, placed his hands back on the table, and leaned forward at an even greater angle, almost pressing his body against the table.
"Listen up, everyone!"
He said, enunciating each word clearly, "The current situation couldn't be simpler. If we sit here doing nothing and wait for those traitors in Erbil to consolidate their power and fabricate all the 'evidence,' then every one of us here—me, you, all of us—will be nailed to the pillar of shame for treason! Military courts? Those are just formalities! What awaits us are bullets, or life imprisonment! Our families will be implicated, our property will be confiscated, and our names will become synonymous with 'traitor' in the Kolgh language, cursed by our descendants!"
He paused for a full ten seconds after saying this.
"but!"
His voice suddenly became high-pitched, carrying a seductive and persuasive quality.
"We now command our three most elite brigades! If we act now, swiftly retake Erbil with overwhelming force, thwart the conspiracy, rescue the president and his son, and restore constitutional order! Then—"
He waved his arms, his expression becoming even more frantic.
"We are the heroes who saved the Kolde people! We are the righteous men who turned the tide! History is written by the victors, and we will write this most glorious chapter with our own hands!"
"I will follow the general!"
Barzani's confidant, Brigadier General Qadir, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade, was the first to stand up.
"We can't just sit here and wait to die! We must take action!"
Several trusted officers stood up in response.
"Fight back Erbil! Purge those traitors!"
But most people in the conference room remained seated, their gazes shifting laboriously between Colonel Ali's rapidly cooling body on the floor and the crazed Barzani.
At this moment, everyone finally understood.
This was not about "saving" anyone; it was a complete military coup.
Barzani is using blood and fear to kidnap everyone onto his chariot.
"Stand up!" Barzani suddenly roared. "All those who support immediate action and the retake of Erbil, stand up!"
This time, I have no choice but to make a statement.
Not taking a stand means certain death!
A screeching sound of a chair scraping against the floor followed.
The officers stood up one after another.
Some stood ramrod straight, their eyes burning with fervor; others moved slowly, their faces etched with struggle; some rose almost instinctively with the crowd, their eyes filled with nothing but fear.
In the end, only three people remained sitting at the conference table.
They were all key officers of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade, promoted by Colonel Hassani: one deputy brigade commander and two main regimental commanders.
Barzani walked up to the deputy brigade commander.
The gleaming military boots made a soft "plop" sound as they stepped on the blood-soaked carpet.
He raised his hand, and the still-warm muzzle of the gun was pressed directly against the lieutenant colonel's forehead.
The cold metallic touch sent a shiver down the colonel's spine.
"Lieutenant Colonel, what is your choice?"
Barzani's voice was terribly flat.
The lieutenant colonel closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently a few seconds later. He clenched his teeth, trembling, and stood up, supporting himself on the table with his hands.
Barzani moved the gun barrel and pointed it at the next person.
The regimental commander looked ashen and almost slumped off his chair.
Before the last man could even point the gun at him, he suddenly stood up, but his eyes remained fixed on the floor, avoiding Barzani's gaze.
This guy is now a wolf driven mad.
"very good."
Barzani slowly holstered his pistol, a twisted smile creeping across his face.
"From now on, everyone will obey my orders!"
He walked to the main screen, pulled up the electronic map, and a red arrow pointed sharply at Erbil's location.
"Two hours—I'm only giving you two hours to prepare! In two hours, the entire army will advance at full speed along Highway 80 towards Erbil! We will crush all conspiracies with an iron torrent, and before those traitors and foreigners can react, we will reclaim our capital and restore true order!"
"The 1st Armored Brigade will lead the way and open up the path! The 2nd Mechanized Brigade will protect the left flank and secure the supply line! The 9th Infantry Brigade will cover the rear and be responsible for capturing key points along the way! Operation codename—'Dawn Clearance'!"
The order, like a mountain, crashed down with a deafening roar.
The officers filed out, none of them glancing at Colonel Hassani's body again, as if it were merely an eyesore in the conference room that had to be avoided.
When the heavy door closed again, shutting out all footsteps, Barzani was left alone in the conference room filled with the smell of blood and gunpowder.
He looked down at his right hand, which had just pulled the trigger.
His fingers were still trembling slightly, and his palms were cold and damp.
There's no way out...
From the moment Colonel Hassan's blood splattered from his chest, he had severed all paths of retreat.
Either become the new ruler of Kold and trample Massoud underfoot, or become the foolish and despicable traitor, madman, and self-destructive psychopath in history books and folk tales.
"Lieutenant!" he shouted hoarsely toward the door.
"General!" The young adjutant pushed open the door and entered, his face still pale.
"Prepare the vehicles and head to the forward assembly point of the 1st Armored Brigade."
Barzani straightened the collar of his military uniform.
"I want to personally give the lads a pre-battle pep talk."
"Yes!"
First update! Please vote with more monthly tickets, I don't have enough, I've dropped from sixth to ninth... I've been updating really frequently.
(End of this chapter)