"Squad leader, why are you still awake so late?"

Jiang Feng suddenly appeared beside him.

Song Heping raised his head and looked at him. "Couldn't sleep after being startled awake. Went for a walk and ended up receiving some bad news."

"What bad news?" Jiang Feng immediately sat down near the flower bed upon hearing this, then began rummaging through his pocket. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one out, and lit it with a snap.

"I had planned to use the US media to expose the CIA and 'Satan' organization's operations in Syria, thereby disrupting the CIA's plans against us. But just now, the journalist who took the materials was killed."

Jiang Feng's expression slightly changed. "Killed?"

"Yes, they said it was a car accident. Do you believe that? He died in an accident less than half an hour after leaving the press conference."

Song Heping let out a sigh.

"Now we're on the defensive again. If we can't disrupt their internal operations and let them proceed step by step, our situation will only become harder."

Jiang Feng said, "This is silencing, plain and simple—taking out the person holding the materials. Odds are the materials you gave him have already been seized."

Song Heping nodded. "As expected, but no one will investigate this case. The local police don't have the capability."

The two fell silent.

Song Heping reached out toward Jiang Feng. "Give me a cigarette."

Jiang Feng froze.

He had never seen Song Heping smoke before.

"You smoke?"

Song Heping said, "I used to, before joining the military. I quit after enlisting—the physical training was too grueling."

Jiang Feng handed him a cigarette and lit it for him with his lighter.

The flame illuminated Song Heping's face, and Jiang Feng saw deep worry etched there.

Song Heping took a puff and started coughing violently, clearly not used to it.

Jiang Feng asked, "So, what do we do now?"

Song Heping held the cigarette in his hand thoughtfully. "We need a breakthrough. Our biggest problem right now is that we don't even know who our enemies are or where they are. It's like we're in the fog, and the other side has complete control."

"Isn't it the CIA's Secret Action Department?" Jiang Feng said. "This is all part of their plan. Let's just go after them directly."

Song Heping shook his head. "The Secret Action Department is just an intelligence unit—a tool. Even Kelly doesn't represent herself. The ones who want me dead are the people behind them: the so-called 'Elder Council' and the ones in the 'Satan' organization."

"You mean those black-clad mercenaries in Silia Gelashuk Town?" Jiang Feng asked.

Song Heping replied, "Yes. But they're not CIA personnel, nor would I classify them as mercenaries. I suspect they belong to a private military group, though the people backing them are even more formidable."

"The bounty has been up this whole time, but no one has dared to claim it," Jiang Feng suddenly remarked. "I reckon no one knows their true identities or the real details about these organizations."

Song Heping took another puff and shook his head. "No, it's not that no one knows. Nothing in this world is airtight. The reason no one takes the bounty is because those who know are well aware of the consequences of exposing the secrets of these groups."

"So what now? Are we just going to be stuck in Persia forever?"

"Of course not..."

Song Heping said, "There will always be a way out. A couple of days ago, I asked Ferrari and Henry to post photos of those black-clad corpses from Syria on the Dark Web. Someone will provide clues eventually. Once we figure out their identities and backgrounds, we'll find a breakthrough."

Despite his words, Song Heping himself felt uncertain inside.

Still, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope this time for a breakthrough.

Just then, his phone began buzzing again.

Although Song Heping usually kept his phone on 24/7, tonight there had been an unusual number of calls.

It was apparent that the situation had become extremely urgent; otherwise, nobody would be calling at this hour.

On the line was Ferrari.

Before Song Heping could say anything, Ferrari burst out excitedly.

"Good news! Great news!"

Known for staying calm under pressure, Ferrari's outburst this time betrayed his uncontrollable excitement.

"Tell me. I've already heard too much news today; help balance it out."

"Someone reached out to us. They want to claim that $50 million bounty!"

Even through the phone, Song Heping could hear Ferrari's accelerated heartbeat.

"Are you certain?!"

Always cautious, Song Heping immediately asked, "Have you verified the credibility?"

"I have. No question about it! The contact is someone from the DIA who used to handle intelligence analysis and archival work. He claims to have sorted through classified files involving the 'Elder Council'..."

"Hold on."

Song Heping interrupted Ferrari mid-sentence.

"How could the DIA have any information related to the 'Elder Council'? The 'Elder Council' is a secret society, a shadowy puppet master behind the murderous 'Satan' organization. They have no ties to the US intelligence system. How does this connect?"

He pointed out several suspicious gaps in this story.

DIA stands for the Defense Intelligence Agency, one of the most mysterious branches of the U.S. intelligence framework.

It was established in 1961 under the orders of the United States Department of Defense, tasked with meeting the intelligence demands of the Pentagon's major departments. During the Cold War, it had a remarkable track record. The agency is divided into the Directorate of Intelligence (DI), the National Clandestine Service (NCS), the Directorate of Science and Technology (DS&T), and the Directorate of Support (DS).

The DIA's operations, personnel, and funds remain highly classified, with even Congress unable to scrutinize them.

"I had the same doubts initially," Ferrari continued, "but he provided a solid explanation. The assassins from the 'Satan' organization are all former special forces operatives. They were recruited by the 'Elder Council' even before their discharges, lured with generous pay and terms. The recruits had their retirement arrangements facilitated and signed contracts committing to stay at an overseas secret military base, where they received training supported by the military. As such, their training records were documented and classified. He recognized some faces in the photos you posted from the Syrian mission, matching names from files he once worked on. That's when he contacted me."

Ferrari's explanation seemed plausible.

Nonetheless, Song Heping remained grim.

This connection implicated the military.

Prior to this, Song Heping had presumed organizations like the 'Elder Council' would discreetly recruit and train private soldiers, keeping their existence hidden. The fact that they openly utilized U.S. Army training facilities and resources suggested insiders in the defense establishment.

Otherwise, no one would have dared to operate so brazenly.

Song Heping had originally theorized that the CIA was the key holder of these records. He hadn't anticipated uncovering an even bigger player in the mix.

Great...

Now his enemy list included yet another entity—the U.S. military.

"He claims to have reviewed their files—does he have any proof?"

Song Heping raised another skeptical inquiry.

"At first, I thought he might be trying to scam us for the bounty," Ferrari admitted. "So I asked him to send over some documents to prove his credibility. The guy actually delivered. I've forwarded the materials to your secure email. Download them yourself and take a look; they seem legitimate. He sent two personnel files that match the appearances of the black-clad individuals killed in Gelashuk Town."

Hearing this, Song Heping couldn't sit still. He stubbed out his cigarette and returned to his room.

To facilitate his work, Avanti had arranged a private room for Song Heping within the military barracks, even providing him with an internet connection—true VIP treatment.

Booting up his computer, he logged into the system, connected to a secure router, and accessed his encrypted mailbox.

Sure enough, there was a disguised, encrypted new email in the inbox. Song Heping deftly downloaded and unlocked it using a prearranged password.

Soon, the files provided by the informant appeared before him.

After carefully cross-referencing them, Song Heping felt a weight slowly lifting from his chest.

These dossiers were remarkably thorough, detailing psychological metrics, stress tolerance levels, and more during their training.

Surprisingly, their military service records were just as exhaustive—enhancing the likelihood of these files being genuine. They outlined their years served in various units, specialized training received, and so on.

"Ferrari, does he have a list of specific 'Elder Council' members?"

"Probably not," Ferrari said. "But he does have detailed records on many 'Satan' organization members, including those who weren't involved in the last mission and are still alive."

Having the profiles of living members was incredibly valuable.

Knowing who they were and where they might operate would make them easier to eliminate—at least, as long as they remained outside the confines of the United States.

"What does he want in exchange?"

After reviewing the files and hearing Ferrari's account, Song Heping was almost persuaded of their reliability.

"He wants more than just money. He also demands a fake Venezuelan identity, complete with an authentic-looking fake passport."

"He seems to know quite a bit about us, even that we can pull something like that off in Venezuela…" Song Heping mused.

"And there's more. He has two additional conditions."

"What are they?"

Song Heping was intrigued.

"He insists on a face-to-face meeting where he inspects the goods, and only then will we wire him the money."

"I get it," Song Heping said. "He's cautious. No one would blindly hand over important information upfront. This is actually reasonable. Where's the meeting supposed to be?"

"Liben."

"Hmm…" Song Heping stroked his chin. "Smart choice. It's outside U.S. control and serves as a hub for intelligence trades. Fine, agree to it. Liben is close to here, and Persia also has some influence in that area. I'll have Avanti help process the necessary arrangements, and I'll head over personally."

"You're going in person?"

"Can you think of someone better suited? We're all blacklisted; even airlines wouldn't accept our bookings. The moment you step foot out of Russia, you risk being apprehended."

Song Heping smiled bitterly. "I might still manage. Avanti should have ways of bypassing formal channels."

He paused before asking, "You mentioned two extra conditions. What's the other one?"

"He wants us to arrange plastic surgery for him. He's asking for a reliable doctor, preferably to operate in Persia. He knows we can make this happen."

The request made Song Heping chuckle.

It was the first time he'd encountered someone demanding cosmetic surgery as part of a deal.

But this only highlighted how scared the informant must have been. Once the transaction was done, he likely intended to disappear for good.

"Agreed," Song Heping said. "Also, ensure his credibility once more. If everything checks out, set a time for the meet. I'll deal with him personally and secure the data. With those files, we'll be able to mount a proper counterattack and make sure the killers on that list don't live to see another day."

"Understood. I'll coordinate with him right away."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com