Chapter 1916 - 1414: Thieves in the Night_2

The cargo on the vehicles isn't goods but mortars, heavy machine guns, ammunition, and fuel.

These vehicles will depart separately, taking longer routes to reach the assembly point before dawn.

In the command center, Song Heping and Samir stayed awake all night.

On the electronic map, blue dots representing friendly forces move slowly, while satellite images display the real-time situation in the Amadiye Mountain Area.

"The Kurdish's Ninth Brigade has already set off," Samir pointed at the cluster of dots in the northeast, "Colonel Bashir reports that his advance troops can reach the designated position within two hours."

Song Heping nodded, yet his gaze was fixed on another screen.

It showed commercial satellite images obtained through secret channels, depicting movements in Baghdad's Zone C-7 base.

On the images, dozens of heavy trailers are being loaded, with large containers being hoisted onto vehicles.

Despite the limited resolution, the contour of the Stryker Armored Vehicles and the shape of missile launch boxes can still be discerned.

"They're speeding up," Song Heping frowned, "The originally planned transportation for early morning the day after tomorrow might be moved up to tomorrow night."

"Why?"

"Perhaps Major Walker noticed something, or maybe greed drives him to get the money quicker," Song Heping pulled up meteorological data, "Tomorrow night, there will be fog in the mountainous area, with visibility below 100 meters. This is advantageous for us but also provides cover for the convoy."

Samir immediately ordered, "Notify all units, advance the plan by 24 hours. They must be in position by 6 p.m. tomorrow evening, ready for overnight operations."

The orders were transmitted to all directions through encrypted channels.

The troops that had already traveled most of the way began to accelerate, while logistic vehicles daringly continued during the day, disguised as civilian freight convoys.

The soldiers of the Kurdish's Ninth Brigade carried heavy equipment, force marching on mountain trails.

These warriors, who grew up in the mountains, stepped steadily. The 2,000 strong unit moved through the jungle like ghosts, without startling any birds or leaving visible traces.

Baghdad's northwest military base, Zone C-7 warehouse.

At 11 p.m., this enclosed area that should be silent is now brightly lit.

Twelve large cranes cast web-like shadows under the spotlight, and the roar of engines tore through the night's quiet.

Fifty German MAN heavy trailers lined up in four columns, each with civilian license plates, covered with tarp canopies.

But anyone with basic military knowledge could tell from the outlines that what lies beneath is far from ordinary cargo.

"The third batch, numbers C7-18 to C7-30, are all Stryker armored personnel carriers, equipped with remote weapon stations."

The warehouse manager holding a tablet spoke, his voice echoing in the spacious hangar.

He is a civilian contractor in his fifties, wearing khaki work pants, with glasses slipping to the tip of his nose.

"Mileage below 500 miles, electronic systems intact, full ammunition load. Each vehicle's paperwork is ready, labeled as 'training loss', 'mechanical failure retired', 'battlefield damage irreparable', reasons randomly assigned to bypass audits."

Major Walker stood on the observation deck on the second floor of the warehouse, hands behind his back, overlooking the busy scene below.

"Progress has slowed down," Walker's voice wasn't loud, slightly anxious, "Originally scheduled to depart at 2 a.m., now forty-three vehicles remain unassembled. Mr. Perkins, your efficiency disappoints me."

The warehouse manager wiped his forehead sweat, "Major, these vehicles require final 'processing'. Each vehicle's serial number needs repainting, military insignia removed, GPS trackers dismantled or jammed. It takes time..."

"Then add more personnel," Walker interrupted, "I don't care how you do it, by 1 a.m., all vehicles must be loaded. The buyer is waiting at the Turkish border, every hour delayed increases our risk tenfold."

"But—"

"No buts," Walker said non-negotiably, "Do you know the total value of this batch? Eight Hundred Million US Dollars. Do you know how many are waiting to split this amount? From the Pentagon to the State Department, contractors to transport companies. If your delay causes transaction failure..."

He didn't finish, but the threat was clear enough.

The warehouse manager paled, turned and yelled into the intercom, "Everyone! Cancel break! I want to see the last forty-three vehicles loaded on trailers within forty-five minutes! Bring crane teams three and seven over too!"

The pace below suddenly accelerated. Workers began running, crane hoists issued a piercing friction sound, hydraulic systems hissed.

Walker nodded in satisfaction and descended the metal stairs from the observation deck.

His military boots clanged crisp echoes on the steel plates, each step exuding the confidence of a master.

On the warehouse floor, the scene was even more striking.

In the left area, twenty-four M-ATV mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles were being lifted sequentially. These armored vehicles, valued at 800,000 US Dollars each, were almost new, V-shaped chassis with anti-rust coatings still shimmering faintly. Workers used angle grinders to quickly remove US ARMY markings from the vehicle bodies, spraying logos of a fictitious "Global Mining Equipment Company."

In the middle area, twelve sets of "Javelin" anti-tank missile systems were packed in special transport boxes, being forklifted onto trailers. Each box was labeled "industrial laser calibration equipment," but the faint military product numbers were still visible in the corners of the boxes.

The right area was the most sensitive.

Eight sets of "Spring Blade-300" loitering munition systems are being packaged.

These suicidal drones were dismantled into parts, repacked into dozens of boxes, labeled as "geological exploration drone components."