Inside and outside the Baghdad Green Zone, it was as if there were two worlds—fire and ice.
There were over a dozen entry and exit points in the Green Zone. Entry wasn't just a matter of passing through three security checkpoints—it also involved navigating a corridor lined with barricades designed to slow traffic and prevent suicide car bombings. Usually, one or two Humvee armored vehicles would be parked at the exits, and a crucial entrance might have an Abrams Tank stationed.
The machine guns atop the tank and Humvees aimed at every approaching person and vehicle.
After Sadam's regime collapsed, he vanished without a trace, and to this day, the US Army had not managed to capture him. It was said that he was hiding somewhere in Illiguo, remotely commanding his loyal Suicide Squad to launch various attacks within the territory. This made the American soldiers, who had flown thousands of miles to be here, jittery.
They saw every person as a potential attacker and felt the urge to pull the trigger on sight.
This led to the American soldiers, because of their extreme nervousness, mistakenly killing civilians from time to time. This is why Song Heping only carried a pistol when delivering generator units and didn't pick up any guns after killing the attackers.
If you weren't a member of the Resistance Organization, it was best not to carry a gun; those jittery soldiers might just shoot you on the spot.
Just a month ago, a tragedy occurred within Illiguo.
During a wedding, a family followed local customs and fired old AK-47s into the air in celebration. Unfortunately, a US Army patrol happened to pass by and mistook it for an attack. They swiftly opened fire on the wedding crowd, killing all attendees including the bride, groom, and guests.
In the end, all that came from this incident was a "We deeply regret this" from the Coalition's Chief of Staff.
In a damned place like Illiguo, human lives meant less than nothing.
Today seemed to be a lucky day with the road to the airport peaceful and uneventful.
In the vehicle ahead, Song Heping and Grey Wolf began to get familiar with one another. Grey Wolf, an Ewenki descendant of hunters who had ventured out of hunting grounds to join the military, had experienced the second Chechen War, seen blood, and killed. Half of his comrades in his unit had perished.
After retiring, Grey Wolf found he could not peacefully return to his hometown to live a secluded life as a hunter, so he chose to come here with the cook instead.
During their conversation in the vehicle, Grey Wolf said something to Song Heping that left a deep impression—"A man with blood on his hands is like a drug addict, knowing it's poisonous yet unable to escape."
After a screeching halt, the two vehicles finally arrived at the military airport. At the entrance was a checkpoint set up by the interim management committee. Besides some local soldiers from the Civil Defense Force (ICDC), there were also two American soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division.
During the inspection, Song Heping noticed that the two soldiers were very young, even a year or two younger than himself. They chewed gum carelessly, wearing a nonchalant expression.
They directed the ICDC soldiers, who behaved almost like puppet troops, to rush around inspecting vehicles, showing less interest in the identities of Song Heping and the others compared to the Ray-Ban sunglasses perched on the cook's nose.
Finally, the inspection was over.
One of the paratroopers gestured to let them pass and loudly commented to the cook sitting in the vehicle, "Cool sunglasses! You're clear to go!"
Baghdad Airport had been requisitioned for military use. This was Song Heping's first time entering this area. One thousand US soldiers were stationed at the airport and nearby, with containers and mobile storage units marked with the United States Department of Defense (DOD) logo everywhere. Song Heping saw several soldiers moving coffins out of an open container.
Indeed, those containers were filled with coffins.
Compared to the numerous soldiers, there weren't many planes, but there were numerous Abrams Main Battle Tanks neatly lined up, their sharply defined armor glinting with a stern gleam, as if waiting for the end of the world.
Angel's plane hadn't arrived yet. The cook, along with the people and the local Civil Defense Force commander, began the liaisons as required by their mission. The ICDC needed to provide two Humvee off-road vehicles and 16 soldiers for the escort.
After examining the papers handed over by the cook, the ICDC Captain Commander repeatedly scrutinized the document and then looked the cook over, muttering something under his breath.
Initially amiable in his communication, the cook's expression suddenly darkened, and he said something harshly in Arabic.
The color drained from the other man's face immediately.
The cook was a man with a commanding presence, particularly when speaking harshly; his voice wasn't loud, yet every word was imbued with a biting intensity.
That the cook knew Arabic was something Song Heping had never expected.
The ICDC Commander was caught off guard, his face suddenly changing color.
The cook continued shouting, "Hurry up and arrange the personnel. The plane lands in half an hour!"
With that, he turned and left.
After leaving the ICDC headquarters, Song Heping couldn't help but ask the cook, "What did that guy say that made you so angry?"
The cook snorted, "He said we weren't professional."
Song Heping wondered, "Just because of this?"
In his view, it was as ridiculous as a hodgepodge force from Illigo telling Russians their paratroopers weren't professional, much like if the world's leading nation called China's military prowess inferior.
Who would bother arguing with an idiot?
Who would?
Would you?
At the end, the cook added, "They called us 'Muscovites'."
Song Heping didn't understand.
Grey Wolf explained, "It's a derogatory term for us Russians."
"Oh!"
Song Heping suddenly understood.
Although he hadn't been around the cook long, Song Heping had somewhat grasped some aspects of his personality.
As a citizen of a former superpower, the decline in Russia's national power had caused a great psychological gap, yet their pride remained disproportionately high.
This contradictory mentality led to fragility; fragile people are often irritable, which made understanding the cook's personality easy — just like his motherland.
You can joke about me, but not about my country.
Angel's plane was a C-130 transporter.
The group waited by the tarmac for half an hour; the plane landed punctually.
When the cargo door opened, only Angel disembarked.
She was a slim and toned woman, about thirty years old, in her prime like a season's ripe peach, with brownish-yellow hair flowing like a waterfall over her shoulders, a facial structure with some European lineage, dressed in beige casual pants, a tan vest over a white T-shirt, looking more like a tourist on vacation.
"Just her alone?"
White Bear raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"All this fuss over one journalist?"
"Ten thousand US dollars a day for security," Grey Wolf said in a slightly mocking tone. "Must be a famous journalist?"
At this point, the cook seemed unruffled, saying, "Heard she's a well-known investigative journalist. Who cares! It's all about the money!"
He then proceeded to lead the group to make contact with Angel.
Suddenly, a piercing alarm filled the air.
Song Heping was very familiar with this sound.
It often reverberated in the Green Zone; he had heard it numerous times.
"Air raid alert!"
Looking around, Song Heping noticed that the American soldiers near the tarmac had scattered, each seeking shelter.
"Protect the VIP!"
The cook yelled, rushing forward first.