922: Chapter 912: Aren’t People Allowed to Lose Battles Anymore?
922: Chapter 912: Aren’t People Allowed to Lose Battles Anymore?
Gao Yang saw what he wanted to see, but it wasn’t of much use since everything was packed into crates; however, the harvest was significant, as all the crates were slender and elongated.
Gao Yang thought that if it were money being transported, even if packed, it would be in square crates, not in these long slender crates that looked like they were made for bombs.
But now, Gao Yang could not deny that the crates in the truck might be transporting weapons.
Judging from the length of the crates, they really resembled those used for shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles.
If it were a truckload of anti-aircraft missiles, that truck would indeed be worth a fortune.
Aleppo had fallen into fierce competition, and the Rebel Army was unable to seize Aleppo for a long time, including the Aleppo Prison, because the government forces had air superiority.
If the intent was to eliminate the government’s air superiority by supplying the rebels with a large number of shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, this possibility was very high.
If the missiles in the truck were old models, each could be worth at least fifty thousand dollars.
However, considering the nature of the Syrian Rebels’ supporters, they would not settle for old missiles; they would provide new and high-quality ones.
Whether it was something like Stinger, Northwest Wind, or Pinnacle-S anti-aircraft missiles, each would cost at least tens of thousands of dollars.
Moreover, these types of weapons, which could have a decisive influence on the Syrian conflict, could not be judged solely by money.
Even if a truck carried only one hundred missiles, costing roughly ten million dollars at most, it was quite possible that they would spend more on transport fees to deliver them to Aleppo than the cost of the missiles themselves.
Of course, crates that could hold anti-aircraft missiles could also contain chemical weapons.
Whether missiles or chemical weapons, they were both worth risking life and limb to protect and important enough for Mahmaudiya’s Armed Organization to seize them and then consider trading them for something more useful to them.
Especially observing the four men inside the truck cabin, Gao Yang felt even more troubled; it was impossible for him to guess their origins or which organization or country they might come from based on any features of the escorts.
All four men had big beards; two of them had quite dark skin, though not exceptionally so, enough to suggest they might be from the Indian subcontinent.
Their long robes hinted that they might be from Pakistan, and each of them was clutching a sawed-off AK47.
Another man, with graying hair and beard, held an FAL rifle.
His face was deeply wrinkled like crags, and another was dressed in a black robe and black headscarf.
The last man looked younger, a Caucasian, also with a big beard, wearing a half-length white robe.
He held a sawed-off, sight-removed AK47 but also carried an AK74 on his shoulder; it was uncertain which was his primary weapon.
Encountering someone armed with a sawed-off AK47, one had to be cautious.
Gao Yang had heard this warning many times—such people, with such guns, weren’t planning to shoot from fifty meters away but were instead prepared for sudden close-quarters firing in a crowd.
Generally, such individuals were confident, formidable, and reckless.
Gao Yang wanted to have everyone on the truck disembark.
If the truck couldn’t accommodate the four men, where could they go?
The truck cabin definitely couldn’t fit six people, whereas Gao Yang’s vehicle was still rather empty.
Gao Yang’s plans fell through as the four men on the truck didn’t move.
After some hesitation, Mulafa waved his hand and said, “Can’t your vehicle carry some for us?”
Gao Yang made a helpless gesture and said, “Buddy, look, the pickup is carrying machine guns and mortars, our only heavy firepower.
I don’t want to jeopardize its effectiveness by overloading it with fuel.
As for the inside of the vehicle, it’s already full; we really can’t carry any more fuel for you.
We need to leave room to maneuver for shooting.”
Mulafa frowned and said, “We really don’t need that much fuel.”
Gao Yang continued shaking his head, “Buddy, we have to travel two thousand kilometers, mostly through the desert.”
While Mulafa hesitated, Gao Yang pointed at the pickup and said, “Your men can sit in the pickup.
If attacked, they can get down, which won’t cause any problems and is safer.”
Mulafa shook his head and said, “No, they cannot leave the cargo.
Forget it, let’s load it on the truck, they can squeeze in a bit.”
Gao Yang didn’t persuade further and immediately said, “Alright, if you insist, and your men don’t mind, then it’s up to you.”
Gao Yang waved his hand and said, “Load the fuel!”
Driving two thousand kilometers in places like Iraq and Syria was different from other places.
For instance, driving two thousand kilometers in Huaxia might burn a hundred liters of fuel, but here, two hundred liters might not even suffice.
The reason is simple: poor road conditions mean high fuel consumption due to low speeds, and detours might be necessary, which can lead even further and consume more fuel.
There are various reasons for high fuel consumption, along with a major concern: if attacked, there could also be a loss of fuel, so it was definitely necessary to prepare more.
Besides fuel, there was also water, as one cannot go without water while crossing the desert.
Gao Yang and his team began loading oil into the truck, and four people had to jump out of the truck.
Once Mula insisted that the oil was sufficient and no more was needed, the four could only barely squeeze onto the truck.
Once the fuel was loaded, Gao Yang, with a relaxed expression, said to Mula, “It’s time to grab some food, and after eating, we’ll set off.
Don’t you plan to invite them to join us?”
Mula hesitated for a moment, then said, “No need, we’ll just eat in the truck.”
Unexpectedly, the meal prepared by Masum and the other big men was not only presentable but also tasted quite good.
Mula did what he said, they ate in the truck, and the four in the back of the truck, besides taking turns using the restroom, also ate in the cramped rear compartment.
Eating kebabs and drinking cold cola, Gao Yang and his team felt much better, though the atmosphere wasn’t too lively.
Gazing through the door at the people on the truck, Gao Yang whispered, “They are watching too closely, too cautiously.
It seems unlikely that we can get them all away and then open the crates for inspection.”
Glolov, with a grim look on his face, said, “That white guy, he’s definitely Chechen.
I can recognize a Chechen even if he turns into ashes.”
Gao Yang sighed, “Pakistani, Afghan, Chechen, f**k, what a combination this is.”
Cui Bo muttered, “It’s definitely going to be tough.”
Gao Yang waved his hand and said, “Never mind, we must figure out what exactly we are transporting before entering Syria.
If it really is nuclear or chemical weapons, we just f**king pull out.”
Glolov frowned and commented, “But if we do that, our reputation will suffer a fatal blow, Satan’s name would be completely ruined.”
Gao Yang said in a deep voice, “Then we quit.
We’ve made enough money.
What’s there to fear from retirement, and even if we only take jobs from acquaintances, it’ll keep us busy enough.”
Eileen said with a bitter smile, “It seems very difficult to inspect what the cargo is.
We can’t just inspect it forcibly.”
A fierce look appeared on Gao Yang’s face as he said, “Nuclear and chemical, those things are too hot to handle, no, they could burn us.
Under no circumstances can we let these things be delivered to Syria by our hands.
The countries and people behind the Syrian Rebels wouldn’t dare touch them.
If something goes wrong, they just get cursed, but if it happens to us, we’re dead for sure.
We can’t be the scapegoats.”
After finishing, Gao Yang pressed his hand down and said, “The Syrian border is our final line.
If we can’t figure out what the cargo is, we’ll do it hard!
What’s there to fear about a forced inspection!
Even if we have to slaughter everyone on the truck!
Then pin it on anyone, just say it was an attack, how about that?”
Li Jinfang nodded and said, “Right, what does it matter if we kill them?
It’s better than being scapegoats.”
Gao Yang smiled and said, “Actually, the situation doesn’t have to be handled so violently.
We could be more meticulous.
We can have someone attack us, kill everyone on the truck, then inspect the cargo ourselves.
If it’s missiles and money or the like, we’ll deliver it.
No worries.
Their escorts are dead, but we delivered the goods, who can say our mission failed?”
Everyone laughed, and Cui Bo said with a laugh, “Brother Yang, you are quite shrewd.”
Tommy, however, frowned and said, “What if we kill them but find that there really are nuclear and chemical weapons on the truck?”
Gao Yang exhaled and said, “Then it’s even simpler.
Don’t forget, we encountered irresistible factors.
The goods were stolen, the mission failed.
How is it that they can fail in Mahmaudiya once, and we can’t fail?
Let Polovich just find some armed organization to stage a mock battle, we save face and lives, and that’s it.”
Glolov still frowned and said, “But that way, there’s a high risk of leaking information, and our reputation would be completely destroyed.”
Gao Yang stroked his chin and sighed, “Yeah, in this world, there’s no wall that doesn’t leak.
Thinking about the skills of information dealers like Justin, it’s too hard to keep people in the dark.
Losing our reputation is a minor issue.
The problem grows serious if the news leaks.”
After pondering for a moment, Gao Yang waved his hand and said, “What mock battle, a real battle!
There are plenty of rebel groups in Syria; we just pick one and engage in battle, and then lose.
Let Tomlecha handle it.
We’ve fought fiercely but unfortunately couldn’t match the strength, what now?
Aren’t we allowed to lose battles?”
Rafael laughed and said, “Boss, I’ve realized, you’re shameless enough.
This is just like rigging a match, right, it’s just like rigging a match like Juventus—shameless!”
Gao Yang laughed heartily and said, “Alright, then our plan will be called the ‘Rigged Match Operation.’ Guys, if we’re cornered, we’ll have to put on a show of a rigged match, not only do we need to perform well, but we also need to keep our mouths shut, we can’t let it blow up like Juventus’s phone-gate scandal.” (To be continued.
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