Chapter 1808 - 1377: The Cost of Victory_3

At this moment, the phone vibrated.

Song Heping took it out and saw it was Duke's number.

"General, do you have any new questions?"

Song Heping harbored a fire in his heart toward Duke.

The Americans probably had intelligence warning reports long ago, which they didn't share with him.

Clearly, they were afraid of affecting the arrest operation.

They also worried that if he knew there was a messenger in the city, he might make some shady deal with the 1515, or even capture the messenger himself to use as leverage.

Though on the surface, the two sides were in a cooperative relationship, deep down, the Ansars still did not truly trust him.

Now calling, they must need something from him.

That was Song Heping's guess.

If so, they must pay some price.

Just in time, he also needed the Americans' help.

The conversation with Duke that followed was very important.

"Song, can we meet?" Duke seemed not in the mood for pleasantries and got straight to the point: "There is an urgent matter to discuss."

"Can't you say it on the phone?"

"No, the matter is highly classified and urgent."

"Okay, I'll meet you at the evacuation point in twenty minutes."

"OK, I'll wait for you!"

After hanging up, Jiang Feng cautiously spoke: "Old squad leader, are you going to the evacuation point to meet Duke?"

"Yes."

Song Heping drew his gun, checked the magazine, and re-holstered it.

"But right now, there is something more important to do. Intelligence officer, pull up all intelligence summaries on the use of chemical weapons by the 1515 Armed in Iraq-Syria over the past year."

The intelligence officer quickly accessed the database.

The screen split into multiple windows, displaying a series of events from August 2015 to June 2016:

In August 2015, 1515 used mustard gas shells to attack Kurdish Armed in Al-Hasakah, Syria. In the same month, the German Federal Intelligence Agency (BND) confirmed evidence of 1515 using mustard gas against Kold Warriors in northern Iraq.

In October 2015, the Kurdish Regional Government announced that 1515 had fired mortar shells containing mustard gas at the Peshmerga forces.

On March 8, 2016, 1515 fired 24 mortar shells and rockets containing "toxic substances" south of Kirkuk in Taza Village, injuring 40 people. Local officials claimed that the terrorists used chlorine gas.

On June 9, 2016, an anonymous U.S. Department of Defense official revealed that U.S. Special Forces had captured a "key figure in the 1515 chemical weapons program" in the Eligo Cold Region.

"The timeline is connected now."

Song Heping sighed, sliding his fingers over the screen.

"1515's chemical weapons capability is steadily improving, from simple chlorine attacks to more complex mustard gas weapons. The Americans have been tracking this project; they even caught a key figure. So the question is: why didn't they issue a public warning? Why didn't they alert us of potential chemical weapon defenses before our assault on Titrick?"

Beside him, Jiang Feng could not answer and could only shake his head awkwardly.

Song Heping turned off the intelligence summary and stood up: "Jiang Feng, come with me to the evacuation point. The rest of you, continue to monitor the city's situation, updating the gas dispersion model every half hour. If there is any change, remember, any change, notify me immediately."

"Yes, Boss."

Song Heping walked out of the command center. The sun had completely set over the horizon, but the yellow smoke cloud above Titrick was still churning, twisting the last gleam of twilight into a sickly halo.

The armored vehicle was already waiting.

Before getting in, Song Heping took one last look in the direction of Titrick.

The war seemed to have ceased on the surface, but some accounts must be settled.