Every passing second could mean the closing of Masoud's survival window.

"Mr. Song, sorry to disturb you late at night. The situation is urgent, so I'll keep it brief."

Duke's speaking speed was slightly faster than usual.

"We've received reliable intelligence that General Salah al-Din Barzani plans to stage a coup against Chairman Masoud Barzani today. The specific plan is: while Masoud is en route to Kirkuk for inspection, an ambush disguised as an 'Abu You Brigade Rebel attack' will be orchestrated in the hilly river valley area about 20 kilometers from Kirkuk on Highway No. 1, aiming to eliminate Masoud amidst the chaos and blame it on the Abu You Brigade, using this as an excuse to start a full-scale war and seize power."

He paused for half a second for the other party to digest this bombshell of information, while organizing the next wave of more specific "evidence" to enhance persuasiveness.

"The ambush is orchestrated by Barzani's confidant Rashid. They've deployed a special operations team equipped with Russian-made 'Kornet' anti-tank missiles. Masoud's convoy is expected to depart from Elbil at 10 AM local time and enter the ambush zone around 2 PM. Meanwhile, Barzani's forces in Elbil have already begun abnormal maneuvers, controlling critical communication nodes. We suspect Chairman Masoud has been essentially cut off from external contact and is effectively under house arrest, with communication being monitored or blocked."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone.

Duke could almost imagine Song Heping sitting in his hotel room in the Baghdad Green Zone, his eyes swiftly scanning maps, troop deployment diagrams, and relationship networks on his laptop screen, brain working like a high-performance computer evaluating the truth, motive, and potential impact of this information.

Approximately five seconds later, Song Heping's voice rang out again, still calm but with a slightly probing tone:

"Major General Duke, thank you for providing this... attention-grabbing information. However, allow me to be direct: why tell me? The US Army possesses strong intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and rapid response troops in Northern Illigo. Theoretically, you are better equipped than me to intervene directly in handling such internal threats."

Here it comes.

The anticipated counter-question, hitting the core.

Duke was already prepared with an answer, which had to be credible enough to earn trust while not exposing the entirety of the US side's predicament and calculations.

"Because the political and legal risks of direct military intervention exceed the thresholds we can currently bear, Mr. Song."

Duke opted for a candid but tactfully phrased expression.

"Without explicit requests from the Eligo Central Government and authorization from our highest levels, the US Army's proactive involvement in the internal power struggles of Kurdish regional leaders would be viewed as a severe violation of sovereignty. It would provide nations like Persia, Turkey, and Russia with grounds to attack us and trigger an uncontrollable political storm domestically. We're caught behind procedures and red lines."

He slightly slowed his speech, steering the topic toward the potential convergence of interests.

"However, Chairman Masoud's survival is crucial to maintaining stability in Northern Illigo, particularly in the Kirkuk region. If he is killed and Barzani takes power, a full-scale conflict will inevitably erupt, possibly spreading and disrupting oil production, effectively providing the remaining forces of the 1515 extremist organization a chance to strike, ultimately harming the safety and stability of all parties with legitimate interests in the region. This naturally includes the negotiations you and Samir, Abu You are undertaking. After all, Masoud is a moderate, easier to deal with than Barzani."

The silence this time was slightly longer.

"So..." Song Heping finally spoke, without showing emotion in his tone, "your proposal is for me to intervene, to stop this assassination and save Masoud."

"It's a cooperation proposal, Mr. Song."

Duke stressed, "You have the capability to do so. The Abu You Brigade and your elite mercenary camp are currently deployed near Kirkuk, free from the political constraints we face. More importantly, as I mentioned, Masoud's survival aligns with your interests. If Barzani succeeds, he won't recognize any agreements with Abu You, but will launch a full-scale attack on the Abu You Brigade. Your arrangements there will be disrupted, which is not in your interest."

"Interesting logic chain."

There seemed to be a barely noticeable touch of amusement in Song Heping's voice.

"Let me figure this out—Americans have information on the coup but are bound and unable to act, so they reach out to me, an 'independent contractor,' hoping I'll complete this high-risk task. If successful, regional stability is maintained and your interests are preserved; if not, or if it triggers even greater chaos, responsibility falls on an 'uncontrolled third party.' And what I get is an... oral statement about 'aligning with my interests.'

Here it comes!

Duke thought.

This is hitting the critical points of risk.

Behind the scenes, naturally, is the hand reaching for interests!

Indeed, he's a mercenary chief, wouldn't act early without profit.

"It's not just an oral statement, Mr. Song."

Duke swiftly responded, deciding to throw out some more concrete "benefits":

"If this crisis can be resolved with Chairman Masoud unharmed and the coup thwarted, then it's evident that Chairman Masoud and the forces in the Kurdish Regional Government that still support him will be extremely grateful to those who lend a helping hand. This gratitude, in future arrangements... might translate into a very pragmatic attitude."