Illiguo northern mountainous region, Artie Village.
One o'clock in the morning.
This was a northern mountainous village.
The village was small, home to just over sixty households.
In earlier years the population was larger, but during the eight-year war between the Persians and the people of Illiguo, the residents here either fled to the Turks or to Persia. Most of those who stayed were elderly people who couldn't move.
Children who grew up in this environment didn't have many career choices. They either herded sheep or joined armed organizations to make a living.
Most of the villages on the border were semi-militarized like this.
Why are the armed organizations here hard to eliminate?
Because here, anyone might be a spy for an armed organization.
When the government army airstrikes, they duck into the mountains.
Send in the infantry, and the mountain terrain hinders mechanized progress.
Go in on foot, and before the men even reach the mountains, the armed fighters have already fled, leaving only an empty village for the army.
When it's time to withdraw, the fighters even stage a few ambushes, constantly striking to deplete the government forces.
Plainly put, it's guerrilla warfare.
Most times, the regular army felt like they were using cannons to swat mosquitoes against guerrillas, like a tiger that can't bite through a turtle's shell.
In a mud-brick house in the village, a dim light was still on.
Several leaders of the Freedom Army hadn't gone to sleep yet.
The Madheh Army had been causing trouble to their west in recent days, having attacked their two strongholds and killed or injured over fifty people.
"Bashir, I think we're still short-handed in the west, I think we need to transfer another company from the east tomorrow."
Military advisor Amini, looking at the map with troop deployment markers, furrowed his brow and thought for a long while before finally making the decision.
Standing opposite Amini was a man in camouflage, named Bashir.
He was the commander of the elite main battalion under the Freedom Army.
Lately, he had been leading troops in combat against the Madheh Army.
Commander Bashir expressed his concerns, "We've already reallocated almost all the troops in the south. If we also transfer from the east, we'll have hardly any military strength in the southeastern direction. That area will be extremely vulnerable."
"If it weren't for the surprise attack on the oil fields that cost us two hundred men, we wouldn't be so short on troops. After this fight with the Madheh Army, we need to recruit more soldiers. The leaders from the Kurd Armed Forces have already said they can supply us with some weapons, equipment, and funds."
The leader of the Freedom Army, Akadula, who had been silent in the middle, finally spoke.
"There's no immediate problem in the east. Let's reallocate personnel to the west to deal with the Madheh Army first. Ever since Sadam fell, they've been looking for chances to clash with us. I have a feeling that they're serious this time, planning to take over our territory."
"Take over?" Amini sneered, "I doubt they have the stomach for it. They can choke on it! Our three thousand square kilometers of territory, can one Madheh Army swallow it? Dare they invite the Persians to help exterminate us? As long as the Persians dare to intervene openly, then the Kurd Armed Forces have an excuse to seek help from Country M, letting their troops confront the Madheh Army."
Bashir inwardly disagreed with Amini's statement.
He had little respect for this so-called military advisor.
He was a Kurd.
He was not appointed to the Freedom Army as a military advisor for his strategic genius; his role was mainly to monitor every move within the organization.
Plainly put, he was a supervisory officer.
He knew nothing about military matters!
Bashir's gaze fell to the south, continued moving south, and finally landed on two oil field areas.
He always had a premonition.
Those two oil field areas were a great menace.
Although historically, whoever occupied those oil fields was eventually driven out,
this time seemed different.
The Freedom Army had launched several attacks, all of which ended in complete defeat.
This had never happened before.
According to intelligence, it was said that a Defense Company, unknown by name, had appeared, staffing the two oil fields with just over 300 people.
But their boss was quite interesting, actually a person from China.
He had never heard of anyone from China in the area with the power to run a Defense Company. This was a first.
Staring at the map, Bashir always felt that something was going to happen at the oil fields.
He felt very insecure,
as if someone had a sharp knife pressed against his back.
"Boss."
He turned to the leader, Akadula.
"I think we shouldn't withdraw the troops from the east just yet, keep them here, otherwise, if something happens at the oil fields to the south, it'll be tough to handle."
"What could happen at the oil fields?"
Before the boss, Akadula, could respond, military advisor Amini cut in, "Do those mercenaries even dare to come to the mountains to trouble us? Do they have the guts?!"
Bashir fell silent.
Indeed, he had never seen a mercenary company openly attack armed organizations in the mountains.
Previously, even Blackwater International, a large company, had connected through the Kurd Armed Forces and their organization attempting to negotiate.
Although a lot of people died in a major incident during their meeting, Bashir always felt it was suspicious.
Something was off, but he couldn't pinpoint what.
Akadula scornfully said, "Bashir, the advisor is right, the mercenaries wouldn't dare enter the northern mountainous region, especially since most of the mercenaries in those oil fields are local from Illiguo, mostly coming from ICDC forces, lacking any real combat capacity."