Chapter 1660 - 1328: Leaders Must Know How to Paint a Rosy Picture

The phone was picked up after two rings.

A rough voice came from the other side, accompanied by the rhythmic roar of oil field pumps in the background:

"Mr. Song. You're calling me, I guess things in Baghdad aren't going well, right?"

"We need to talk." Song Heping wasted no time on pleasantries and got straight to the point: "About the Kirkuk oil fields... yes, the other half, the ones at the border between your and the Erbil Government's control area. I think it's time to consider taking them over."

He paused, letting Abu You digest the meaning of his words.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, and the machine noise in the background seemed to fade a bit.

Abu You might have moved to a relatively quiet place.

"Those oil fields..."

Abu You's voice became cautious, with each word seemingly weighed out.

"They produce forty thousand barrels per day, accounting for 60% of Kirkuk's total output. But there are two battalions of the Erbil Autonomous Government stationed there, well-equipped. Making a move there means touching the core interests of the Kurdish Autonomous Committee."

He paused again and then spoke his real concern.

"Although I've split with them, I'm still a Kurd at the end of the day. Seizing my compatriots' territory... that would earn me the label of a traitor. In Kurdish society, betraying your compatriots is the gravest sin."

This was the sentence Song Heping was waiting for.

"A traitor?"

He chuckled softly, with a hint of mockery in his voice.

"Abu You, tell me, in the eyes of those committee lords in Erbil, what do they see you as right now?"

Silence on the other end, only heavy breathing.

"Why did you leave Erbil to seek refuge with me? It was because your forces were developing too fast and infringing on the interests of the Barzani family. It was because you refused to hand over all the oilfield revenue you controlled to the committee."

Song Heping's words were sharper with each sentence.

"They marginalized you, pushed you to the sidelines, and finally forced you to leave with your troops. From that day on, in their eyes, you were already a traitor."

He mercilessly shattered Abu You's self-consolation.

"You've shouldered the traitor's name long ago. The only difference now is whether you're a weak traitor, barely surviving in southern Kirkuk, or a strong traitor whom they have no choice but to acknowledge and even accept."

Abu You's breathing became heavy: "Mr. Song, these words of yours—"

"Hear me out first." Song Heping interrupted him, "This action not only helps Samir but also helps you. Do you want to remain a marginalized local warlord? Guard a few oil wells, live under Erbil's shadow? Or do you want to return to the center of power, have a real seat in the autonomous committee, where your people can stand tall and speak in Erbil?"

"You want me to go to war with the committee?" Abu You's voice rose: "With just these few thousand men?"

"Why be afraid? If there's a war, then there's a war!"

Song Heping's tone suddenly became firm.

"You have only a few thousand men, but what about me? What about Samir? You have the entire 'Musician' Defense Company behind you. Moreover, look at the current situation, the Kurd Armed lost several thousand men in the previous 'Balance Beam' operation, and their morale is low. Their main force now is not enough to defend the Kirkuk western oil fields."

He slowed down his speech, allowing each word to strike like a nail into Abu You's mind:

"If you make a sudden move and control the entire Kirkuk oil field, they have only two choices: either pay a high price to counterattack or sit down to negotiate. If they want to fight, they need to weigh their strength; can they win against you, and can they win against you plus me plus Samir and even a Holy City Brigade? Tell me, would they prefer to negotiate or risk losing all of Kirkuk?"

The breathing of Abu You on the other end grew heavier.

"Imagine that scenario."

Song Heping continued painting a picture, giving his subordinate a grand vision.

"You control the entire Kirkuk oil fields, Samir controls the northwest passage. By then, what position will Kurdistan be in? The east, south, and west will all fall under our sphere of influence. They need to understand who is the real landlord on this piece of land. And I can act as the mediator to negotiate with them, just as I got Samir into the Ministry of Defense, I can get you into the core of Erbil's power."

Abu You remained silent for a full half a minute.

Song Heping waited patiently, listening to the faint noise from the oil field and the heavy breathing on the other end.

"Power core..."

Abu You finally spoke, with a long-repressed yearning in his voice.

"You're saying you want me to be part of the pro-Baghdad faction within the committee?"

"Whom to support or not is your choice."

Song Heping corrected, "But you must become a force to be reckoned with within the committee. With Samir entering the Defense Army system, you returning to the core of Erbil's powers, the future northwest being your ally, not a threat. By then, whether it's the oil revenue distribution, border control rights, or Kurdistan's future political position, you'll have negotiating chips. Isn't that better than now being an isolated oilfield warlord?"

"But what if the committee chooses to launch a strong attack?"

Abu You voiced his last concern, "What if they prefer to shed blood to take back the oil field?"

"Then let them come."

Song Heping's voice turned cold: "What you can't gain on the battlefield, you also can't gain at the negotiation table. I've already arranged the strongest support for you through 'Musician' Defense. The Kurd people haven't yet recovered from the failure of the 'Balance Beam' operation, and after Colonel Kote's suicide, the US Army's support for them is waning. It's the right time to strike, catch them when they're weak and finish them off. If they're smart, they'll choose negotiation; if they're foolish, then teach them a lesson."

Another silence ensued.

Then, Abu You asked, "We need an excuse right now. Border friction? Smuggling charges? Or..."

"Sometimes, for the advantaged side, excuses are easy to come by, just like wolves needing an excuse to eat lambs? Not necessary at all!"

Song Heping chuckled, "Besides, conflicts naturally arise in sensitive areas, especially when both sides are tense. A fuel tanker breaking through a checkpoint, a misunderstanding during a search, accidental gunfire, that's enough."

The call lasted twenty-five minutes.

Song Heping analyzed every variable in detail: the actual troop strength of the Kurd Armed in Kirkuk; the equipment advantage of the Abu You Brigade; the internal divisions among the Kurd leadership—the Barzani family, the Talabani family, and the emerging reformists; the Americans' subtle stance; the international oil price trend...

Every statement was factual, but combined, it painted an enticing picture.

Abu You was no longer the exiled, but a king returning, re-entering the center of power, becoming an undeniable force in the Kurd Region.

Before hanging up, the already passionate Abu You asked one last question: "Mr. Song, what exactly do you want with all this setup?"

Song Heping gazed out at the Tigris River.

On the river, a US Army patrol boat was heading upstream, the Stars and Stripes limply fluttering in the hot wind.

In the distance, traffic crawled slowly on Republic Bridge, with each security check potentially taking half an hour.

This was Illiguo, a nation torn by war and forcibly stitched together.

"I want a stable domain."

He said, with a calm and sincere tone.

"And a stable domain requires a stable Illiguo. A stable Illiguo is in the interest of you, me, Samir, and our friends. Do you understand?"

From the other end came Abu You's deep laughter: "Heh, Mr. Song, you sure have a way with words. Taking power while claiming it's for everyone's good."

"Isn't that what politics is?" Song Heping also laughed, "Packaging selfish goals as public benefits. The key is, my promise to you is real, to return to Elbil with a seat and power. As for the rest, everyone gets what they need."

"Alright." Abu You exhaled as if making a decision: "I will act according to the plan. But remember your promise, let me return to Elbil not as a marginal figure, but as a significant player."

"I never break my word."

After hanging up, Song Heping drank his now cold coffee in one gulp.

The bitter taste enveloped his mouth, followed by a subtle aftertaste.

He looked at the television, where reporters were dispersing, and Samir and Yusuf were getting into a black SUV, preparing to return to the hotel.

The battle for today was temporarily over, but the real game had just begun.

He opened the encrypted communication app on his phone, with a simple black background and white font.

He typed a short message: "Initiate the plan. Maintain contact, await my signal."

The recipient was not Abu You, but Jiang Feng, the head of "Musician" Defense Company in the Bayji area.

The message showed "Sent, encryption level: Mole."

Song Heping deleted the sent record and put the phone back in his pocket.

The river breeze brought a slight chill, but Baghdad's heat still hung heavy like a blanket, wrapping tightly around every inch of skin.

Song Heping leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He remembered years ago, those military training sessions in the southern jungles of his homeland.

Back then, he was still a pre-select trainee participating in multi-sided confrontation exercises with Unit 203.

His instructor, Lei Ming, once said, "When something happens, first muddy the waters! If the water is clear, the fish can see you; if it's muddy, you can catch the fish."

Sometimes, the best way to solve a problem is to create a bigger problem elsewhere.

That way, you can disrupt the opponent's plans and take advantage of the confusion.

"When something happens, first muddy the waters..."

He couldn't help but laugh.