All eyes instantly focused on Angel.
After a brief silence, the cook's aged face burst into a smile, blooming like a flower.
"Oh! Miss Angel!"
The cook dramatically smacked his own forehead with his palm.
"Damn it, how could I have forgotten you!"
Indeed he should be damned.
And he was not wrong.
Who was Angel?
Descendant of a political dynasty in Country M, a graduate from a prestigious school.
Her father was a renowned businessman, her mother a board member of a charity, her aunt the whip of the Donkey Party, her large family divided into thirds, one part businessmen, another part politicians, and the last third social activists, a true aristocratic family.
Not using such a powerful backing, wouldn't that be a death sentence?
Angel said, "Given the current situation in Baghdad, it is indeed impossible for someone without any background to start a PMC business here. At most, you could operate a small independent mercenary group. It's already a miracle you got a job from an employer like me. If it weren't for a special hardship, I guess I wouldn't have hired you..."
Her words were harsh and unpleasant.
That innate sense of superiority born of her illustrious background inadvertently came through again.
But these were all true statements.
"I am very satisfied with your services this time, so I am willing to give you a hand."
The cook immediately seized the opportunity, "May I know how you plan to help us, Miss Angel?"
"In a week, my Aunt Nancy will arrive in Illiguo for a three-day visit. I can arrange a brief meeting for you," said Angel. "If you can seize the opportunity, I believe you can establish your own PMC company in Illiguo."
Grey Wolf couldn't help but say, "We are mercenaries, your aunt is a politician, what could we possibly discuss with her..."
The cook threw Grey Wolf a look, signaling him to shut up immediately.
Then, he turned to Angel and said, "Thank you very much. Please make sure we get that meeting. I believe I can definitely convince your Aunt Nancy, especially after this mission, since our 'Musician' Mercenary Group has gained some notoriety."
The cook was right.
The major media had already front-paged the news of the successful capture of Sayif in their newspapers and websites the next day.
Song Heping along with several others had their photos displayed prominently.
The news spread very fast, and the 'Musician' small team became a hot star in Illiguo's mercenary circle within just a few days.
Angel had been in the Green Zone these past days and had finished her interviewing duties. The reason she hadn't left was because she planned to wait for her Aunt Nancy's visit and then return home with her on her plane.
The advantage of doing so was to get an exclusive interview on the plane and obtain first-hand interview material.
This was the resource of an aristocratic family.
What was most surprising was that upon returning to the Green Zone, Angel had not immediately terminated the security contract with the 'Musician' Mercenary Group.
Along with the previously agreed upon additional service fee of 100,000 US Dollars with Angel at the refinery and the repair cost of 200,000 for the B7 bulletproof vehicle, just over these few days they had already pocketed 300,000 US Dollars.
Song Heping could see it now.
The cook was skilled in business.
For instance, that 100,000 US Dollars the cook had asked from Angel under the pretense of purchasing Black Water Company intelligence and unmanned reconnaissance services and so forth.
In fact, the support of the RC-12 reconnaissance aircraft and the MQ-1 Predator drones were provided by Thomas and Colonel Brown from ISA, considered part of the collaboration with the "Musician" team, and were free of cost.
As for the repair costs of the two B7 Lincoln armored vehicles, that matter was even less present.
When the cook went to return the vehicles, he didn't mention it at all, nor did Thomas demand any compensation.
Everyone had their own schemes and knew exactly what was going on.
As long as Sayif was captured, none of these would matter; they were all considered normal attrition.
In Baghdad, both within the city and the outskirts, no one knows how many vehicles are destroyed daily due to IED attacks. Although the B7 armored vehicles are expensive, both Langley and the military do not see it as unacceptable. On the contrary, they prefer it when there are damages.
Coming out from Thomas's place, Song Heping, originally worried about losing his shirt, breathed a sigh of relief and asked the cook why Thomas seemed not to care at all.
Logically speaking, given how much Thomas disliked him and the cook, wouldn't he use this opportunity to have him pay through the nose?
The cook chuckled and said, "Song, you are competent in combat and very clever, but your understanding of the current situation in Illiguo is definitely not as deep as mine. Let me tell you, those two Lincolns being wrecked won't upset Thomas at all; it would actually make him happy."
"Happy?"
Song Heping was somewhat baffled.
Who would be happy about losing expensive equipment?
The cook said, "Attrition leads to procurement, and procurement brings opportunities for embezzlement. I ask you, is Illiguo short on money now?"
Song Heping said, "With the war waged like this, everything's destroyed, of course they're short on money."
"Wrong," the cook said. "You're right that the common people in Illiguo are short on money, but that doesn't mean the Temporary Management Committee and the Project Management Committee are short on money, nor are the military and intelligence personnel.
Do you know what else, apart from weapons, equipment, and logistics supplies, is brought in by the transport planes landing daily at the 82nd Airborne Division's airport on the outskirts? Money! Cash! Fresh, colorful US dollars! I've seen them, brand new, shipped by the container load!"
As he spoke, the greed in his eyes overflowed like a flood breaking its banks.
"I've seen it! Let me tell you, Illiguo is now a paradise for adventurers. This place isn't short on money; it's short on capability. If you're capable, you can grab as much cash as your arms can reach and pull into your hands! Those two B7 armored vehicles could actually be repaired, but Thomas won't fix them.
Instead, he will turn around and write a report to his superiors requesting the purchase of two such armored vehicles, and the resident Ford company representatives here will soon close this deal, making profits for both Thomas or his boss and Ford."
The cook became more and more excited as he spoke.
"Song,"
He gestured toward the distant Republic Palace and various military tents with a somewhat sarcastic tone, "Do you know how many multinational corporate representatives are stationed in this tiny Green Zone? Those selling arms, oil, services, supplies, vehicles, even satellite phones, all came here to establish their businesses. You think they come here out of love? It's because of money!
Illiguo is now a fat lamb, and everyone wants to bite off a chunk of its flesh; that's the rule of the game!"
Song Heping was dumbstruck by his explanation.
However, his shock wasn't over yet.
Suddenly, the cook revealed a sly grin, "There's one more thing I'm going to do in a couple of days."
"What's that?" Song Heping asked.
The cook turned, pointing to the two Lincolns riddled with bullet holes in the parking lot and said, "Those two cars, I'm going to buy them in a few days!"
"Buy them?"
"Certainly, if our PMC company starts up, we'll need such vehicles. These cars represent our facade, necessary for PSD missions to host VIPs. We can't exactly use Nissan SUVs, right?"
"Thomas will sell the cars to you?"
"Why wouldn't he? He'll receive new Lincolns, and we'll have two repaired armored Lincolns. They eat the meat, and we pick up a few scraps and sip some broth."
In the end,
The cook revealed a smile akin to that of a cunning merchant.
"Song, remember, this too is one of the rules of the game!"