Chapter 1187 - 1046: Uninvited Guest on the Persian Plateau (Part 2)

On the screen, a number with intricate coding was flashing.

He pressed the answer button, pressing the receiver tightly to his ear, his voice extremely low: "Qin Fei?"

The sound of the canyon winds became a natural cover.

"It's me."

Song Heping was somewhat surprised: "You didn't call just to thank me, did you?"

"I'm not that bored."

On the other end, Qin Fei's familiar and steady voice came through: "No need for thanks, everything at home has been arranged. However, Lao Lei asked me to pass a message to you—'Persian Carpets' have many patterns, watch out for loose threads."

Qin Fei's coded message clearly conveyed the information: The business in Africa has been smoothly taken over by the X Mercenary Group, everything is running as usual. Lei Ming's (Captain Lei's) warning directly pointed out the complex situation within Persia, full of hidden dangers.

"Got it. The threads will be cut."

Song Heping's reply was equally terse, indicating he understood the risks and would handle them.

He was just about to ask another question about the current situation in Africa when suddenly, a near-instinctual sense of crisis honed from countless near-death experiences flashed through his mind without warning!

Danger intuition!

He suddenly looked up!

Above the canyon, in a narrow slit of sky, an extremely tiny, almost imperceptible silver speck was gliding silently at a constant, mechanically cold speed!

It flew very high, on the thin atmospheric edge, like a cold star, yet with the gaze of a Grim Reaper.

"Grim Reaper..."

Song Heping's heart sank sharply, his pupils constricting instantly.

He was all too familiar with this trajectory; it was the signature flight path of the US Army MQ-9 Reaper drone!

How could it appear in this god-forsaken deep part of the Persian Plateau?

Is it a coincidence?

Or is it...

Coming for me?

Almost at the same moment he looked up to confirm that speck, a sudden change occurred!

Behind him, Kamran, the guide who had been silently checking the saddles with a hunched back, suddenly moved swiftly like a ghost!

He feigned bending over to fasten the camel's belly strap, but in an instant, his body exploded, like a leopard that had been gathering strength for a long time, pouncing fiercely at Song Heping's back!

A flash of cold light appeared in his withered hand, revealing an exceedingly sharp, narrow sword.

The blade plunged straight toward Song Heping's lower back kidney area!

Fast! Precise! Ruthless!

With resolute determination to kill with one strike!

The timing was pinpointed with poisonous precision!

It was exactly at the moment when Song Heping was looking up at the sky, his mind distracted by the threat from above!

The cold murderous intent was like a physical needle, piercing the thin cold air, reaching Song Heping's skin!

Song Heping did not turn back!

Before Kamran's muscles tensed and his actions started, that scarcely noticeable premonition—perhaps the slightest rustle of fabric in the wind, or a change in airflow caused by leaked killing intent—was already captured by his highly alert senses!

The instinctive response at the edge of life and death surpassed thought.

His right hand, holding the satellite phone, swung backward fiercely!

The heavy satellite phone shot out like a stone from a sling, with whistling wind, hitting the inside of Kamran's knife-wielding wrist with pinpoint accuracy!

At the same time, his body twisted to the extreme right side like a reed blown by a strong wind, pivoting on his left foot!

The whole person instantly crouched and spun away, narrowly escaping the lethal blade!

The cold blade almost brushed against his robe, cutting open a slit.

"Bang!"

A dull thud and Kamran's suppressed groan of pain resounded almost simultaneously.

The satellite phone struck his wrist solidly, and the sword flew out of his hand, clattering down onto a pile of rubble.

"Courting death!"

Song Heping's gaze instantly turned as cold as an ice pick.

In the midst of his spinning away, his left hand drew out the Glock 17 pistol hidden in his robe, the movements smooth as flowing water, leaving only a blur behind!

Bang bang bang—

A brief, precise three-shot burst!

The bullets tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling!

Kamran's reaction was also extremely quick; despite the intense pain in his wrist, his body rolled forward awkwardly towards the side, attempting to hide behind a kneeling camel.

The first bullet grazed past his scalp, the scorching airflow singeing a few strands of grey hair.

The second hit the gravel in his rolling path ahead, sparking a flame!

The third!

"Pssh!"

A burst of blood exploded violently from the back of Kamran's left thigh!

"Aah—"

He let out a harrowing scream, his rolling motion instantly distorted, collapsing heavily to the ground, clutching his bleeding thigh and wailing loudly.

The other six smugglers in the camel troop all flipped open their robes, revealing the AK assault rifles underneath.

Song Heping darted behind the rocks, and while taking cover, had already pulled out a hand grenade.

Pull the pin, release, shrapnel—

Toss!

Grab another, pull the pin, release, shrapnel—

Toss!

The entire sequence of actions was as fast as lightning.

The smugglers were clearly outclassed in military quality in all aspects compared to Song Heping.

They did not seize the opportunity to spread out and encircle, nor did they advance; they merely stood on the spot with guns aimed and kept their triggers locked on Song Heping's hiding position.

Tat tat tat tat—

Tat tat tat tat—

The rain of bullets hit the boulder, stone chips flying everywhere.

But quickly, they paid a heavy price for their rashness and low military proficiency.

Boom—

Boom—

The grenades exploded in succession.

Screams arose everywhere.

After the explosions, Song Heping slowly peeked out from the other side of the rock.

Several smugglers lay on the ground, dead or injured, blood splattered everywhere.

Bang bang—

Bang bang—

Song Heping swiftly fired additional shots.

Sending off the remaining two survivors on their way, then he strode out from behind the rock.