Chapter 1980 - 1438: Better Safe Than Sorry (Part 2)

"Still negotiating. They want a lower price, saying the situation in Tripoli is unstable and cash flow is tight. I set the price at 380 million, they countered with 320 million. The gap is a bit large."

"The bottom line is 350 million," Song Heping said, "No lower. Tell them if cash is insufficient, they can pay with oil or gold, but at an additional discount. Also, transport must be our responsibility, and they just need to receive it in Tripoli."

"Understood. I will continue negotiating," Nura replied.

"Stay vigilant, Nura," Song Heping concluded, "The winds lately feel off, I sense eyes everywhere. Upgrade communications encryption to AES-256, change keys daily. Unless necessary, do not use satellite phones, switch to disposable encrypted phones instead."

"Something happened, Boss?"

"Maybe not, maybe so," Song Heping looked at the deepening night outside the window, "But in this circle, those who survive are those prepared for trouble before it arises."

After hanging up the phone, Song Heping paced in the room.

The feeling of unease wrapped around his thoughts like vines.

Fadil, 560 million, advance deposit...

All of it exuded the scent of bait.

He sat in front of the computer and logged onto an intelligence trading platform on the Dark Web.

This platform was run by a group of former intelligence officers, claiming "you can buy any information as long as you can afford it."

Song Heping had an anonymous account here, spending over two million US dollars in three years on various intelligence, including warlord movements, government official corruption evidence, and competitor plans...

He entered keywords "Fadil arms dealer North Africa South America," setting a maximum of fifty thousand dollars for the search budget.

The platform instantly returned three results:

1. Fadil: Basic profile (Price: 800 USD)

2. Fadil transaction records (2010-2016) (Price: 12,000 USD)

3. Fadil: Multiple identities and suspicious associations (Price: 48,000 USD)

Without hesitation, Song Heping purchased the third piece of intelligence.

A few seconds later, an encrypted file appeared in the download list.

He entered a twenty-four-digit decryption password, and the file opened.

The first thing he saw was a blurry surveillance snapshot, taken at a marketplace in a desert town.

An Arabic middle-aged man in a white robe was talking to another European wearing sunglasses.

The image resolution was low, but the man's profile was clear: high cheekbones, aquiline nose, neatly trimmed short beard.

Alias: Fadil (Real name: Mahmoud Al-Fadil, of Algerian descent) **

Age: 49

Known areas of activity: North Africa (Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Mali, Niger), Sahel Region, Middle East (occasionally), South America (claimed, unverified) **

Public identity: "Mediterranean Import-Export Company" owner in Tripoli, main business in building materials and food

Actual activities: Arms smuggling, money laundering, human trafficking (secondary)

Known affiliated organizations: AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, multiple transaction records from 2013-2015), Boko Haram (alleged supply of light weapons in 2019), Al-Shabaab (2020 intermediary contact)

Government association: Arrested by the French External Security Agency (DGSE) in Tunisia in 2019, released three months later (remark: extremely unusual, suspected turncoat)

Recent activity (6 months ago): Activity frequency significantly lowered, last confirmed appearance at Algerian border town. Rumors suggest recruitment/control by a major national intelligence agency.

Warning marker: High risk. Possible multiple agent (working for multiple intelligence agencies simultaneously). Transaction records include three suspected "sting operations," resulting in four arms dealers' arrests.

Recommendation: Avoid direct contact. If transactions are necessary, use untraceable intermediaries, require prepayment, and complete in a neutral location in a third country.

Song Heping's breathing slightly quickened.

Indeed, Fadil was not an ordinary arms dealer but an asset for a spy agency.

DGSE informant, possibly controlled by other agencies too...

The records of those "sting operations" were especially glaring.

He closed the file, cleared all browsing history and cache.

Then he picked up the satellite phone, hesitated for two seconds, and called Nura's number.

"Boss?" Nura answered quickly.

"I've changed my mind about Fadil," Song Heping said directly, "Cut off all contact. Don't respond to any messages; if he contacts you, just say you got it wrong, I don't have those supplies at all."

"...Why?" Nura's voice was full of confusion, "Did you find out something?"

"Just do as I say," Song Heping did not explain, "Nura, you are one of my most trusted partners, so I'll be direct: Fadil is likely a trap. Continuing contact could be dangerous. In the future, connect more with Henry for such matters, have him do some background checks for you."

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

Song Heping could imagine Nura's expression changing from confusion to shock and then to solemn.

"Understood," Nura finally said, voice becoming much more serious, "I'll clean everything up. All communication records will be destroyed, and I'll give the intermediary some hush money to forget this ever happened."

"Good. Also, from today onward, temporarily leave Tripoli and stay at the Africa headquarters for a while. Return when things calm down."

"Is it that serious?"

"Caution is never wrong," Song Heping said, "I also feel something's off here with Illiguo. Too many coincidences, too many 'good opportunities' appearing at once. It's like someone is casting a net, and we might already be caught in it."

After hanging up the phone, Song Heping walked to the window.

Darkness had fully descended, Mosul plunged into the night.

The city's power supply remained unstable, with only a few scattered lights.

But in the Tenth Division's barracks, searchlights swept the night sky, and patrol footsteps echoed rhythmically below.

His gaze turned southeast, towards Baghdad.

Seven hundred kilometers away, in that Green Zone fortress, what was Robbin doing now?

How much did Robbin know about this sensitive equipment?

Could Fadil be the bait he set?

Very likely.

It seemed they wanted not just the equipment but also to use this opportunity to completely dismantle the network he had built.

Song Heping's mouth curled into a cold smile.

Bring it on. The sensitive equipment would stay in Mosul, guarded by the Tenth Division's most loyal troops.

Until an absolutely safe disposal plan was decided, they wouldn't budge from the warehouse.

And the Ministry of Defense's fifteen billion dollar order, that was a legitimate business deal, with contract security and four thousand armed guards.

As long as it was completed successfully, his position here in Illiguo would be more secure, giving him more leverage to handle various challenges.

Outside the window, a crescent moon rose into the sky, appearing and disappearing among the clouds.

In the distance came sporadic gunfire.

Possibly patrolling security forces, possibly criminal activity, or perhaps just someone celebrating.

In Mosul, gunshots were already part of the background noise.

Song Heping took a beer can from the fridge, opened it, not drinking, just watching the golden liquid sway inside.

He recalled Robbin's somewhat threatening warning after their fallout at the Tulip Hotel.

He raised the beer can to the night sky outside the window and softly said:

"Let's see whose net is stronger, whose knife is sharper."

In the distance, another burst of gunfire echoed, denser this time, lasting over ten seconds before stopping.

The night in Mosul never truly settled, much like this hidden showdown, which had long since commenced.