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refused, stating I had my own agenda to attend to.

Ten days had already passed since the operation began.

Sheikh Nasir Al Hassan started to place his trust in me, beginning with the arms trade.

In the Mauritania Continent, “Sheikh” refers to a leader. Gaining his trust as the leader of the Hassan Warlord is akin to saying the entire faction trusts me.

The seeds have been sufficiently sown.

Now, all that remains is to harvest the crops.

—

**Episode 16 – The Six Million Dollar Man**

Nasir is a cautious individual.

Before being a leader of a warlord faction, he’s a politician, a businessman, and an operative.

Considering one of the factors for selecting operatives is caution, there must be reasonable motives and purposes behind Leoni having trained Nasir as an operative back in her active days.

His cautious demeanor while wary of me engaging in conversation was a good sign. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to introduce a crucial topic.

If I continued to drift around while he was focused, he might lose interest.

So I had to push forward before he had the chance to think of something else.

“If Sanya and Asen directly clash, there are two likely outcomes.”

In the conversation arranged by Nasir, I approached him with my new business proposal.

The subject of the business is the conflict between Asen and Sanya.

This program triggers disputes between Group 1 Warlords and Group 2 Warlords to obstruct the activities of the Kien Empire Information Agency, while assisting the friendly Group 3 Warlords.

“When the conflict starts, the Asen side, which maintains a reasonable relationship with Hassan, is likely to demand not to interfere in this clash or not to trade with Sanya. They might even request support instead.”

Nasir nodded silently.

“On the other hand, Sanya, having clashed with Hassan multiple times, will be wary of cooperation between Asen and Sanya. They might threaten to retaliate if Asen cooperates or at least propose a ceasefire until the dispute with Asen is resolved.”

“Their threats aren’t scary.”

The leader of the Hassan Warlord dismissed the threat from Sanya in a resolute tone.

I gestured to calm him down and spoke in a soothing voice.

“But it will be a hassle. You don’t install a screen to keep bugs out because you’re afraid of them, right? But annoyances do pile up.”

I concluded my statement.

“To sum it up, both tribes are sensitive to Hassan’s movements. This indicates how significant Hassan’s influence is and that it can play a crucial role in the Asen and Sanya dispute.”

I intentionally elevated Hassan’s authority to ease Nasir’s mood.

Praise can make even whales dance, and no one detests flattery.

Though my words might be bland flattery, it didn’t seem unwelcome. Nasir’s expression brightened when I mentioned the potential clash with Sanya, a moment before when he had looked slightly tense.

“Hmm… that’s true. So what should Hassan do if such contact comes from Asen and Sanya?”

“Simply put, forming an alliance with Asen to strike Sanya may seem beneficial.”

I paused for a moment to focus his attention.

“Even if we eliminate Sanya, Asen may absorb Sanya, leading to a disruption in the balance of power.”

The entities that essentially govern this country are the three major warlords represented by Asen, Sanya, and Hassan.

While the government exists, the president, who came to power via a coup, is only interested in what happens in the capital, and the government army’s main forces rarely stray far from the capital.

It’s a sort of sanctuary of governance, if you will.

Like a well-fed lion, they don’t actively hunt.

The government reigns over the capital while merely pretending to be a king, not deeply involving itself in the inter-faction conflicts happening in the provinces. Of course, they sporadically deploy regular troops to attack factions, but there have been few attempts at serious eradication.

In other words,

This dispute will be thoroughly centered around Asen, Sanya, and Hassan.

A fierce three-way battle among the warlords.

Keeping that fact in mind, I continued.

“Partnering with Asen would also benefit Hassan. However, Asen, being the direct party in this conflict, stands to hold far more stake than Hassan. If that happens, Asen will absorb Sanya. And if Asen then targets Hassan…”

I didn’t need to elaborate further—Nasir would understand.

I carried on.

“To maximize Hassan’s benefits, it’s crucial that Hassan remains stronger than the two factions when the power balance shifts. Collaborating with Asen at this moment would only swell Asen’s ranks. The dynamics of a one-on-one confrontation would cease to exist.”

“That’s obvious. But is it feasible?”

Nasir asked me for a solution. With an air of confidence, I put forth my proposal.

“Simple. We need to escalate their conflicts.”

“Shouldn’t they be fighting each other over Jamila’s matter anyway?”

When I mentioned Jamila, I referred to the conflict between Asen and Sanya.

Jamila, the niece of the Asen warlord’s leader, had extorted money from a merchant associated with the Sanya warlord, prompting Sanya to target Asen’s munitions production facilities.

I spoke calmly.

“Though there’s the powder issue, the conflict between Asen and Sanya would eventually have erupted. What I mean is, we should expedite this and make it blow up at our desired moment.”

“How?”

The length of the sentences was getting shorter.

Shorter sentences imply a focus on what I was saying and a willingness to analyze and absorb my words. It was truly the crux of the matter.

“First, I need three things: information, troop strength, and supplies.”

I raised three fingers to Nasir.

“Explain.”

“I’m curious about how well Asen grasps Sanya and vice versa. Right now, having information regarding Sanya from Asen is a priority.”

Next.

“I also need detailed info on Asen’s main facilities and their leadership structure.”

Nasir stroked his thick beard and shifted his gaze to the right.

“I can hand over the details on Asen’s main facilities or their leadership structure right now. That information came in not long ago. However, how well Asen knows Sanya is probably something that can only be understood by going directly into Asen’s intelligence department.”

It seems Hassan himself isn’t quite aware of this aspect. Or perhaps he just didn’t want to share that information.

But at least I confirmed one thing: Asen operates its own intelligence department.

With a moment’s hesitation, Nasir, who was sipping his tea, posed a question.

“By the way, what do you intend to use the troops and supplies for?”

“I plan to strike at Asen and Sanya.”

I pushed my teacup aside to continue my explanation.

“Sanya has already picked fights with Asen several times, right? Thanks to Jamila, we have a sort of rationale for it. If we disguise ourselves as one of Sanya’s sub-tribes to assault Asen, Asen will prepare to retaliate against Sanya. Then, immediately disguised as another of Asen’s sub-tribes, we’ll pester Sanya and discreetly inform them about Asen’s preparations for war, leaving them to fight it out themselves.”

In short, it was a plan to stir up chaos.

“What if it risks failure?”

“That’s why I’ll be the one to take action.”

When an intelligence officer takes to the field, there is always a considerable risk involved. Still, this level of risk is something I could manage.

Of course, I wouldn’t just charge into enemy territory without a plan. In dangerous situations, having contingency plans isn’t optional—it’s essential.

“However, I would like you to support me with troops. A couple of squads of elite troops, experienced and tight-lipped soldiers.”

“Hmmm….”

Nasir fell into thought at my request for troop support. Perhaps he is concerned about the backlash that would come if this operation fails and Hassan’s involvement is exposed.

That’s a perfectly rational concern, and I empathized with his situation.

So I made a suggestion.

A sweet proposal he couldn’t refuse.

“If we strike Asen and Sanya and then withdraw immediately, even if the operation fails, there won’t be any traces left behind pointing back to Hassan.”

Which meant less risk.

Nasir closed his eyes and crossed his arms as he pondered.

People vary, but some can be persuaded to reconsider in moments of doubt, while others may push back. Usually, it’s easier to sway a hesitant person towards a favorable outcome if they trust you significantly.

What kind of relationship do I have with Nasir? Can this cautious man truly place unlimited trust in me?

I didn’t know for sure, but it was worth a try. I began to gently encourage a hesitant Nasir.

“If this operation is a success, Hassan can gain access to all the key facilities of Asen and Sanya.”

While Hassan has its munitions, explosives, and firearms production facilities, all three are smaller in scale compared to those of Asen.

The same goes for their drug cultivation facilities; the Mauritania Continent is known for its high-quality opium. The opium cultivated here is a primary ingredient in synthesizing magical potions mixed with drugs, such as ‘The Devil’s Whisper,’ ‘The Dreamer’s Kiss,’ and ‘The Angel’s Tear.’ While Hassan has been growing poppies for these raw materials, the warlord with the largest poppy cultivation facilities in this land is not Hassan, but Sanya.

Nasir knows this too, hence he is putting tremendous effort into expanding various facilities. However, as the saying goes, when a cousin buys land, the other feels sore about it. It’s not like Hassan’s growth is going unnoticed by rival factions.

While Hassan is indeed a massive warlord faction, the scales of Asen and Sanya are in another league.

The pro-Empire Sanya warlord receives enormous funds and arms from the Empire Information Agency. It goes without saying about Asen, which stands firmly on the support of both domestic and international adherents sharing the same ideology who willingly provide resources for their ‘Revolutionary Comrades opposing foreign powers.’

Hassan, however, is left without a strong background. Abbas might have supported Hassan in the past, but he has effectively cut off that help for the last twenty years. Leoni, who trained Nasir as an operative, vanished completely after her deployment.

Thus, Hassan needed to seize this opportunity to keep up in the competition and grow.

I refrained from mentioning this implicitly. It would be scratching an itch that could lead to an unnecessary ruckus. So, I decided to wait for Nasir to come to that conclusion on his own.

“…….”

It seems Nasir finally organized his thoughts as he uncrossed his arms and suddenly asked,

“What about the equipment you’ll need?”

“There’s a particularly aggressive faction among the tribes allied to Sanya. This faction functions as an elite guard within the warlord and has caught my attention due to some unusual traits.”

I pulled out a few photos from my pocket and placed them on the table.

The images showed soldiers armed with automatic rifles equipped with optical devices, sporting white bands adorned with Sanya warlord propaganda.

Pointing at the rifles in the photos, I declared, “These are Kien Empire rifles.”

While Nasir examined the photos, I continued my explanation for him.

“There’s a defense contractor called Grom in Kien. They supply optical scopes, ergonomic grips, and stocks. The empire’s special forces, counter-terrorism units, airborne troops, marine infantry, and light infantry frequently use their gear.”

“Are these equipment made by that Grom company?”

“Yes. They’ve signed agreements with the Imperial Ministry of Defense to deliver materials.”

The information source was none other than Victor, an active arms broker selling military supplies to the Sanya warlord here.

Certainly, the Sanya warlord’s elite troops weren’t on par with the empire’s special forces, judging by training or equipment quality. The capabilities administered by the Reconnaissance Command are leagues beyond mere warlords.

The problem is that these guys are equipped with the kind of gear that the Empire special forces or Abbas’s elite units might use. This means the Empire Information Agency is systematically backing them.

“It seems like they received support through the Empire Information Agency.”

“From the Imperial Guard HQ? Or the Reconnaissance Command?”

“Most likely, it’s the Reconnaissance Command.”

The two intelligence agencies performing overseas operations in the Kien Empire are the national intelligence agency, the Imperial Guard HQ, and the military intelligence unit, the Reconnaissance Command.

Being a military intelligence agency, the Reconnaissance Command has been promoting initiatives to cultivate guerrillas, rebels, and warlords abroad over the past several decades.

What I know for sure is that the elite units of Sanya warlords are being directly supported by the Reconnaissance Command, according to the double agent who was recruited by Clevenz.

Of course, what drew Clevenz’s attention wasn’t the fact that the Reconnaissance Command was supporting warlords but the signs of activity from the Empire Information Agency.

The double agent claimed that the current movements of the Imperial Guard HQ were rather concerning. The overseas department was mingling with nobles and acting foolishly, while the Reconnaissance Command brought in special forces to the imperial capital without a word.

These special forces refer to the 35th Independent Special Operations Group that Camila discovered just before being dispatched north. The troops from the Reconnaissance Command that entered the imperial capital months ago are still lingering in Petrogard.

No one knew the reasons behind the Reconnaissance Command’s troop movements, not even the double agent from the Imperial Guard HQ.

Some speculated it was an attempt at a coup, but the Military Intelligence Agency, which had gathered intel via several channels, dismissed the coup hypothesis.

Due to the lack of imperial reaction to the sudden troop movement from the Reconnaissance Command, the interpretation concluded that their entering the imperial capital wasn’t according to the Emperor’s will.

Reassessing the intel, Leoni suggested that something might be amiss within the imperial family. Clevenz surprisingly agreed with her viewpoint.

Although I was called into the meetings discussing this topic a few times, I kept my comments minimal. What mattered wasn’t the movements of the Empire Information Agency.

The important fact now is that the Sanya warlord’s elite forces are receiving support from the Reconnaissance Command.

I’ve decided to use this elite force as a pawn.

“The optical gear possessed by Sanya’s elite guard is something Hassan lacks. However, Hassan now possesses the automatic rifles used by Sanya’s elite guard.”

“Right. You got them through me. So you mean for us to operate wielding those rifles?”

As expected. It wouldn’t take long for him to catch on.

“Asen won’t focus on minor details like optical equipment. They’ll only narrow in on the fact that Sanya’s elite guard attacked.”

“What about the uniforms?”

“Just disguising ourselves in the military attire used by Sanya’s elite guard will suffice. If we can also procure emblem armbands, that would be perfect.”

“That’s not an issue at all. Any other support you need?”

“Please find out the least monitored routes leading from Hassan to Sanya. Any assistance in bribing guards along those routes or ensuring their vigilance wanes would be greatly appreciated.”

Normally, this would be the job for an intelligence officer to handle, but with a local supporter, it would be just fine to delegate it. After all, I didn’t go through the trouble of making costly weapon transactions for nothing.

Nasir readily accepted the request. It seemed he believed he was merely paying off the outstanding balance of the weapons he had received in the past.

“We already have someone in Sanya whom we planted beforehand, so there shouldn’t be any issues with bribery.”

“You’ve planted intel agents in Sanya?”

“I did the same with Asen. Knowing your enemy first allows you to strike first, doesn’t it?”

Perfect.

Nasir and I continued to discuss the operation while sitting around the table. Our conversation flowed smoothly, but at some point, Nasir seemed to struggle to grasp the situation.

It was a natural occurrence. The documentation created during the planning of this operation amounts to hundreds of pages, with reference materials numbering in several multiples. It’s not easy to understand a large operation composed of so much data in a mere 30-minute conversation.

Ultimately, after a while, he halted his inquiries, his head clearly spinning.

“Got it. When do we start?”

As naturally as can be.

“Is tomorrow possible?”

The sooner, the better.

“Come back after the Pajar prayer tomorrow morning. Tomorrow’s prayer is at 5 o’clock.”

Pajar refers to the prayer for Al-Yabd.

After scheduling the appointment, Nasir waved his hand, signaling the end of our meeting.

Following the guard’s guidance outside the building, Nasir’s female secretary extended a polite farewell.

—

Negotiations were over.

I gathered the desired information and received the support I needed. I got back in the car and headed to my lodging.

Nasir suggested I stay overnight due to the traveling distance, but I politely declined.

I turned down his proposal. I had already gathered enough information, and staying with Hassan could lead to me providing information in return. As a guest, I couldn’t keep refusing his questions, so it was best to find a place to sleep as far away as possible.

The truth was, I wanted to rest too.

I turned off the SUV and entered the accommodation, organizing my plans and drafting a report for the Military Intelligence Agency. I then activated the surveillance equipment to detect communications in the area.

While I couldn’t intercept every communication, it was a precaution against the operation leaking or any unforeseen circumstances. As I slept, I entrusted the analysis of encrypted communications to the signal intelligence officers at the Military Intelligence Agency, along with some basic information.

I placed my pistol by my bedside and managed to get about four hours of sleep.

When I woke up and checked the device, I received news that there were no signs of abnormalities. It was still dark outside.

Since it would be a while before morning prayers began, I decided to head down to the kitchen to wake myself up. As I slowly descended the creaky stairs, getting ready to drink a cup of water…

“Are you awake?”

Suddenly, Camila appeared, greeting me with a cheerful expression.

She smiled brightly and asked about my well-being.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. Nothing unusual happened during the night, right?”

“Right.”

Camila, who I encountered in the kitchen, twisted her neck, yawning.

“I went out for a bit yesterday, and you were sleeping like a corpse. It didn’t seem worth waking you up, so I left you as you were. You must have been very tired.”

“A little.”

I refreshed my throat with lukewarm water and sat down at the table with Camila to eat.

The breakfast menu was lasagna. Not freshly baked from the oven, but just reheated canned food.

Camila opened the steaming pot and pulled out the canned lasagna. It seemed like the steam didn’t even bother her as she grabbed the heated can with her bare hands and shook off the water.

“Ah, right. I didn’t know this, but it seems I can’t feel heat lately. I hardly get burned. Is that because of the magic?”

“Does learning magic do that…?”

Even though it had been 15 years since Ayla became a magician, I had never heard of element mages being immune to burns.

Of course, elemental mages often got assigned to matters related to the elements, but that was because magic was needed for the job, not because they were supposed to have some kind of immune system.

I stared blankly at Camila, who was transferring the lasagna from the boiling pot to a plate. She seemed to find it fascinating, repeatedly gazing at her soft hands that bore no blisters.

The canned lasagna tasted like any ordinary reheated food you could find anywhere. It was not worth paying for.

I, trying to fill my stomach sufficiently, started talking to her after having eaten about half of the lasagna.

“Camila.”

“Why do you call?”

“I think I’ll need to be away for a while.”

“Suddenly?”

Camila tilted her head quizzically, an unspoken question of what was going on.

I clarified her doubts with a short answer.

“Work.”

Upon hearing that it was for the Information Agency, Camila nodded in understanding. She seemed to get the gist of the situation.

“It seems you have a business trip planned. Where are you going?”

“To another warlord’s territory.”

“Hmm…”

Setting down her fork for a moment, she clasped her hands together and suddenly spoke to me with a worried tone.

“Is it going to be dangerous?”

For some reason, my answer didn’t come immediately. While I poked at the lasagna, I finally replied after some thought.

“No.”

“Then that’s a relief. Am I not going with you on this trip?”

“Yes. The area is too far.”

“What a shame. Since you’ll be out there, I wanted to see other warlords’ territories.”

Her words seemed to bring comfort to Camila, who let out a slight sigh and smiled.

After finishing one plate of lasagna, she pulled out a new can from the fridge and tossed it into the boiling pot.

“To go far, you need to eat well. Just wait a moment; it’ll be ready soon.”

“…….”

I silently watched her humming a tune in front of the pot. As I poked at the cold lasagna with my fork.

Eventually, I found myself laughing while digging into the cold lasagna. I set my fork down and threw out a joke.

“Aren’t you going to eat that?”

There was no answer in return.

Instead, a long, slender finger pinched my thigh.

I jumped up with a scream, and Camila stuck her tongue out as if saying, “Serves you right.”

It was just another ordinary day that had become a routine.

*

By the time the morning prayers concluded, it was dawn.

I arrived at the Hassan warlord’s base, traversing the desert where darkness and light coexisted. As usual, I tried to park in the visitor’s area, but a guard approached me and instructed me to avoid parking there and go to the underground parking garage. That seemed to be the gathering point.

In the underground parking garage, twelve soldiers were waiting for me.

They were wearing the military uniforms used by the Kien Empire’s army decades ago, equipped with the imperial army’s distinctive gear and automatic rifles. Additionally, they donned masks and keffiyehs, wearing armbands symbolizing the Sanya Tribe’s elite guard.

As I glanced around at Hassan’s elite troops disguised as Sanya’s elite guard, I thought to myself, this is too blatant.

They might be camouflaged, but at the very least, there should be an attempt to conceal their affiliation from the enemy’s point of view. What kind of fool would reveal their identity when launching a surprise attack? Even a moron of a warlord wouldn’t do something that stupid.

“May the blessings of the Earth God be upon you. I am Asud. I will be in charge of this operation. I expect your cooperation, and you must follow my command until the mission is complete.”

Standing before Hassan’s soldiers while disguised in the traditional attire of the Mauritania Continent, concealing my ethnicity and status with a keffiyeh, I was greeted with immediate responses.

“May the blessings of the Earth God be with you.”

“Do you happen to have something like a black cloth?”

When I pointed to the armband, one of the soldiers looked puzzled.

“We do have some.”

“Then cover the armband. Don’t tie it too tightly—just enough. If you reveal your affiliation too obviously, it will attract attention.”

A short while later, the soldiers returned with some fabric from somewhere and wrapped it around their armbands. Meanwhile, I took out a map and spread it on the desk.

The point indicated with a black pen was a location near the Sanya Tribe.

After drawing circles multiple times, I looked at the soldiers and explained the operation.

“The Asen tribe will not monitor the area between the Sanya and Hassan tribes. However, they will be watching the points that connect Sanya to Asen and Hassan to Asen.”

I drew a line along the paths.

“Sanya is overseeing all pathways leading to their territory from Hassan, but the Sheikh has secured one of those paths. We will infiltrate through this point.”

This was the route I had requested from Nasir yesterday.

“I will be moving separately from you. You will head out first and move to this point near the Sanya Tribe. I will refer to this place as Point A for convenience.”

The plan was simple.

The soldiers of Hassan disguised as Sanya’s elite will move to Point A. Upon reaching Point A, they will immediately proceed to Point B located in the Asen territory.

Point B is where I would meet up with the soldiers. After gathering at Point B, we will conclude some basic preparations before moving on to the next operation.

“The ambush will take place at dawn. To move leisurely, it’s best to depart right now. I will inform you of the communication timings—arrivals 10 minutes before reaching Point A, departures 10 minutes after arriving, etc. You will contact me according to that timing.”

One of the soldiers raised a hand and asked.

“Does that mean we should not communicate during other times?”

“Yes. Maintain radio silence.”

The soldiers selected by Nasir were all elite troops from Hassan’s forces. They had military service experience, and they were capable fighters in real combat.

The soldiers comprehended my meaning immediately. I handed them a piece of paper with the scheduled communication times written on it. It was written simply enough so that, even if captured, it wouldn’t impede the mission.

Unless a special situation arose, I ordered them to maintain radio silence and sent the soldiers off first. After ensuring their firearms and gear were ready, they divided into vehicles and headed for Sanya territory.

I chose one of the cars parked in the garage. This was a vehicle provided by Nasir. As the most sold model locally, it would blend easily with civilian vehicles on the road.

As I drove onto the smog-laden road, I made one last phone call.

Timing-wise and situationally, this was my last opportunity to communicate. I pondered for a while, gripping the phone tightly before dialing the number.

A moment later.

“Hello?”

Camila answered the phone.

“It’s me, Camila.”

“Oh, Frederick. Since you’re calling, I guess you’re safe now. Have you arrived at your destination?”

“I’m about to leave now.”

I grasped the phone tightly while gripping the steering wheel. Since I didn’t have much time to communicate, I got straight to the point.

“If you open the drawer in my bedroom on the second floor, you’ll find extra passports and some cash. Can you check it out?”

“Just a moment… Hmm… Aha! What do I do with this?”

“…….”

A moment of silence ensued.

As the abruptly cut-off conversation hung in the air, Camila suddenly asked in a serious tone through the phone.

“…Is something wrong?”

“If, just if…”

“If something goes wrong, take that and go back to the continent. You can either go by smuggler or find the Embassy of the Empire.”

“Why are you saying that all of a sudden? It’s making me uneasy.”

“I’m just considering all possibilities. There’s a phone number on that passport. It’s the contact for a smuggling broker, so feel free to reach out anytime.”

I informed her of a safe way to return to the continent just in case something happened to me. Even if it wasn’t death, I wanted her to have a backup plan, just in case I got into trouble.

But her response was slightly unexpected.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Camila said, her voice seemingly filled with laughter.

“Where would I go without you, Frederick? I promised I’d help you no matter what, remember?”

“…….”

“You can put your worries aside for now. If you really get anxious, just shout. I’ll come to help.”

…I just wish I could handle this better.

I chuckled and started the engine. The powerful roar filled the car. It was almost time to set off.

“Alright. I’ll be back.”

“Take care. I’ll keep an eye on the house.”

“Don’t eat too much while I’m gone.”

“Huh? When did I eat that much…?”

“Wasn’t it the stack of snacks piled up at the hotel?”

“Okay, okay! I’ll eat moderately!”

As Camila, overwhelmed with embarrassment, shouted back, I pressed the accelerator.

The tires screeched against the dusty road, leaving deep marks on the dirt path.

The sound of gravel and sand scraping against the tires echoed around me.

One vehicle kicked up dust as it sped toward the horizon of the desert.

Heading toward a distant border.

*

D-DAY 20:00. Upon crossing Sanya territory, I connected with Hassan’s soldiers at Point B.

I had allowed enough time for the gathered soldiers to rest adequately. I placed my rifle down and sat in the vehicle, lighting a cigarette.

D+1 01:00. The prepared Hassan soldiers surrounded the Asen warlord’s drug production facility. Dubbed the ‘Kitchen’, it was a site where cocaine was produced in the middle of the urban area. Soldiers merged into the shadows of the buildings, signaling each other as they approached the ‘Kitchen’. A small number of guards remained at the ‘Kitchen’, which was closed for business.

D+1 01:20. One of the Asen guards on watch started to doze off. Struggling against fatigue, or perhaps just a habit of sleeping at this hour, the guard slumped down in his chair with his rifle resting beside him.

His head would not rise again.

D+1 01:24. A suspected internal guard stepped outside. He had a cigarette in his mouth and was fumbling to unbuckle his pants, aiming at the wall. A greatsword swiftly and accurately pierced his carotid artery, and the sticky blood pooled on the ground beneath him. The mingled urine and blood on the dirt was indistinguishable.

D+1 01:30. The surrounded Hassan soldiers surged into the ‘Kitchen’. As the soldier in the lead opened the door, several grenades rolled inside. With successive explosions, screams erupted from within, and soldiers charged into the building, shouting.

Hassan’s troops were made up of elite forces composed of former soldiers. The infantry and marines replicated their previous operations of raiding drug facilities remarkably well in the field.

They demonstrated that even the corrupt government soldiers were capable of fighting.

D+1 01:45. At this point, alarms began to sound. A piercing siren shook the city, covering the sound of gunfire. Reinforcements, presumed to be from the Asen warlords, approached from the southeast. They engaged with the Hassan soldiers who were on guard.

In this chaos, a fire broke out for unknown reasons, resulting in six casualties. Four were shot, and two died in the flames.

D+1 02:12. The Asen reinforcements that had come from the southeast retreated. Hassan’s resistance was stronger than anticipated.

It was at this moment that I issued the withdrawal order after achieving the objective of facility destruction. Although the soldiers wanted to retrieve the bodies of their fallen comrades, I opposed it. Not only was there no time to fetch the bodies, but more importantly, evidence was needed that the Sanya warlord had attacked the Asen warlord.

Four more charred corpses were added to the count.

D+1 03:40. The Asen forces that had retreated gathered again at the ‘Kitchen’. Their numbers had quadrupled, and a handler in police gear was also spotted. They were the corrupt local police bribed by the Asen warlords.

They located the bodies of guards and six unidentified corpses within the now-flattened cocaine manufacturing facility. While it was impossible to identify them due to the fire, an armband of Sanya’s elite guard was found tied around the arm of a half-burnt military uniform.

D+1 04:18. News reached the Asen warlords. Their command structure identified the attack as the work of Sanya. Recon assets from the Military Intelligence Agency, under the command of Leoni, flew over Asen territory, collecting their communications.

D+1 05:00. According to information obtained by Hassan’s agents, a meeting was called within the Asen warlords. The leadership was divided on whether to retaliate against Sanya for the attack.

Cautious advisors argued that it wouldn’t hurt to verify if Sanya was indeed behind this before making a decision. In contrast, more aggressive members pushed for immediate retaliation. Nasir, having received this information, called me for advice.

D+1 19:00. As the beautiful sunset settled over the desert, an ammunition depot located within Sanya territory came under attack.

Intruders rushed through the main gate, spraying machine-gun fire, and detonating guard posts. Many soldiers from the Sanya warlord perished in the chaos. The ammunition depot was completely incinerated.

Realizing the situation, the Sanya warlord initiated an investigation. Soon after, they received information from agents they had planted in Asen and Hassan, confirming that the ‘Kitchen’ had been attacked by forces presumed to be the elite guard of the Sanya Tribe.

The informants unanimously stated that the Asen’s attack on Sanya’s ammunition depot was a very honorable and justified retaliation.

However, the identity of the person who first relayed that information remained unknown.

As is often the case with propaganda.

 

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