Chapter 524 - 468: Total Collapse

Song Heping sat in the command center, sipping coffee, watching Moslim take a phone call.

The command center was newly established and had moved out of the mountains; it was currently set up in the Cucuta region.

The reason for re-establishing the command center was that, in just one day, the entire battle situation had undergone a massive reversal.

After the annihilation of the AUC Armed Forces' top brass, the armed troops in both the northern and southern war zones fell into complete chaos.

In the southern war zone, Peterovich's SU-24 had dropped another ODAB-1500 Thermo-baric Bomb on the AUC Armed Forces' rally point, killing hundreds instantly.

Meanwhile, in the northern war zone, another SU-24 fighter-bomber had dropped two thermo-baric bombs on AUC Armed Forces' troops.

The poor AUC Armed Forces' troops, having never seen such a thing, saw the horrific limbs and bodies at the explosion site and many collapsed instantly.

All commanders attempting to contact their superiors found no one since the command layer was gone.

It takes only a single straw to break the camel's back.

This was the effect that Song Heping wanted.

At the same time, under Song Heping's command, the ELN Armed Forces counterattacked across the board, recapturing all the ground they had embarrassingly lost in the past three days as easily as harvesting leeks, and began to concentrate their strength on a large-scale counterattack into the southern areas originally under AUC control.

"Song!"

Morins came up to Song Heping with his crooked smiling face.

"Do you know the situation now?"

Song Heping did not even look at him, continuing to drink his coffee with undivided focus.

"What's the situation?"

"In the past two hours, we've recaptured all the positions we lost in the past three days, and our southern troops have organized more than five thousand men to launch a counterattack on AUC's control area. They're now moving south along San Jose, and at the current pace, we'll be able to take at least 80% of AUC's territory in a week."

"Congratulations..."

Song Heping suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, where did these over five thousand men in the southern war zone come from?"

"You don't know? Hahaha!" Morins laughed proudly: "There are already two small armed organizations that have joined us. Those small armed organizations were previously affiliated with the AUC Armed Forces, and now that they see AUC is done for, they've immediately defected."

"Good news," Song Heping said: "I expect more armed organizations will switch to your side soon. You don't need me to teach you how to win people over as the boss."

With that, he stood up, stretching his body.

After commanding intense operations for more than three days straight, Song Heping felt as if he had been drained.

"It's time for me to go."

"Eh?!" Morins exclaimed in surprise: "You're not going to help me command the battle anymore?"

"The battle has gotten to this point, do you still need me to command?"

Song Heping joked: "If you can't handle a battle with the wind at your back, maybe you shouldn't be the boss at all."

He paused, then added: "Anthony is a talent. Use him well, and having him as your chief of staff shouldn't be a problem."

Morins said: "No problem! This time I've really seen what's most important—talent! The core members who went through training with you performed exceptionally well in combat. After this battle is over, I will send another batch to you, and you must teach them well."

"As long as the money is in place, everything is negotiable."

Speaking of money, Song Heping remembered and asked Morins: "By the way, my consultant fee, it should be time to settle the final payment now, right?"

Morins laughed: "Brother, you're all about propriety. Others take the money before doing the job, but you do the job before taking the money. If I don't happily pay up, would I even be human? Don't worry, an hour ago, I had the accountant who launders my money transfer it to your offshore account. Just have someone from your company check on it."

"Good, very straightforward!"

He extended his hand.

Morins quickly shook it.

"Pleasure doing business with you! When you become the second largest armed organization in Colombia, you've got to help me push my arms sales."

"I guarantee you, at least seventy percent of the arms for the ELN Armed Forces will come from you," Morins assured, thumping his chest.

Song Heping was very pleased.

Seventy percent was already laying oneself bare.

The remaining ten percent was certainly related to connections with other aspects.

An Armed Organization like ELN surely couldn't have just one channel for importing arms.

After all, one needs to leave oneself a way out.

If Morins claimed that he let Song Heping handle all one hundred percent of his arms, not only would Song Heping not believe him, but he would also look down on Morins, thinking this guy wouldn't last long.

He only gave seventy percent, and that actually put Song Heping at ease.

What's more important wasn't just the ELN Armed Organization, but within the ELN's controlled zone, all drug-trafficking groups and other small armed factions would seek out their own agent Seras to buy arms from, which brought about a group effect.

"He who doesn't plan for the eternity has no immediate plans; he who doesn't plan for the whole, has no plans in part."

Song Heping understood this principle.

"I should leave now, my people, please arrange for them to be sent back as well, within these two days."

After finishing, Song Heping drained the coffee in his cup, picked up his tactical pack, and slung it on his back.

"Arrange a car for me, to take me to the border."

"Really not staying? I was planning to hold a victory banquet after the battle is over!" Morins was a bit reluctant.

Even though he was the boss of the ELN, after interacting with Song Heping, he was completely in awe of this Easterner.

Strategy, military, solo combat, character.

Morins considered Song Heping perfect in every aspect.

He even felt somewhat dependent; Song Heping's departure left a hollow feeling in his heart, an indefinable emptiness.

"You are asking me to attend a victory banquet? Are you crazy?"

Song Heping looked around.

"Remember, only the dozen or so people in your command center here have seen me, make sure they keep it secret. I have never been to Colombia, understand? If you win, it's because you, Morins, are formidable, not me, got it?"

After speaking, he turned and left the command post.

Morins stood there dumbfounded for a while before he realized the implications.

This message was about more than just keeping a secret.

Song Heping was helping to establish his authority.

To let everyone in the armed group know that their victory was due to external support would, aside from Song Heping's own desire to stay out of the spotlight, also greatly impact Morins's image.

If the others didn't know that their victory was due to Song Heping's assistance, even other armed organizations like the FARC would regard him more highly.

This was very useful for consolidating his position.

Realizing this, Morins felt even more admiration.

"God-like man..."

He hurriedly chased after him.

"Brother, wait for me, I will drive you to the border myself!"

Song Heping had just gotten into the car when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

He pulled it out to see that it was from Dominic.

Assuming that Dominic was coming to him to complain because he hadn't been able to pilot the SU-24 himself on a mission, he answered with, "Dominic, I'll be back at the school before tonight, let's talk then."

"Boss, something has happened."

"What happened!?"

Song Heping was slightly startled.

He was still in Colombia; something happened in Venezuela?

What could have happened?