Chapter 352: Schedule Coordination, Please

A few days later, Eric visited Korea. I welcomed him in the study at Pyeongchang-dong.

"Eric, how have you been?"

"Of course! It's been a while, Boss. It's great to see you!"

Eric looked just the same as I remembered him from before.

His confident voice and proud demeanor spoke volumes about his success lately.

After shaking hands, we took our seats.

"Thanks for making the trip here."

"Haha, it was hard to say this over the phone, so I came in person. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Trouble? Not at all. I should be the one visiting more often, but I've been swamped with work."

We chatted about our recent lives, and during our conversation, Manager Ma entered with a teapot and cups.

"Please, take a seat, Manager. You should join us too."

I poured tea for Eric and Manager Ma, then filled my own cup.

"Eric, did you always like tea? Give it a try. It's a good one."

"Oh! Thank you!"

Eric lifted his cup and tasted the tea. Luckily, his expression lit up, indicating it suited his taste.

"With the Iraq war gearing up after Afghanistan, you must be quite busy. You coming all this way means this is important news… Is there a problem with the company?"

Eric shook his head.

"No, there aren't any major issues with the company."

"Really?"

"Yes. There's no better situation for us right now. We have a huge client in the U.S., after all."

Private military companies thrive during wartime.

So, with the impending large-scale war, Black Bear is bound to hit a golden era.

If it's not company trouble, it must be something more serious. I studied Eric's face, remaining silent.

"Boss, what I'm about to say is confidential."

At my serious gaze, Eric set down his cup.

Wiping the smile off his face, he began to speak earnestly.

"The invasion of Iraq has been set for next Wednesday. We'll first conduct missile strikes and aerial bombardments, then our mercenaries will be deployed alongside U.S. ground troops. Over half of our mercenaries are expected to be sent to Iraq."

The Iraq war is about to commence. Although there has been opposition from many Middle Eastern countries again, the U.S. has cleanly ignored it.

"Hmmm… That's quite a troop deployment."

"Not just us; other PMCs are deploying many troops as well. Even so, when combined, all the other mercenaries will still be outnumbered by ours."

"Looks like Black Bear has really established a strong foothold. The U.S. hiring so many mercenaries must have political reasons behind it."

"Exactly, there's hardly any difference between the costs of mobilizing regular troops and hiring mercenaries. Yet, hiring mercenaries minimizes casualties among their own soldiers."

"Anyway, the U.S. certainly has its tricks…"

Thanks to the consecutive wars in Afghanistan and now Iraq, an anti-war sentiment has gradually started forming within the U.S.

For the Bush administration, the tragedy is that mercenaries, even if they perish, aren't counted as combat casualties, allowing them to duck political scrutiny.

"Nonetheless, this time the Pentagon has promised to supply equipment. We executed operations with our gear in Afghanistan, but in Iraq, we'll likely operate using the equipment used by U.S. troops."

"Why would the U.S. go out of its way to give such benefits?"

"Thanks to my negotiating skills, haha."

Eric boasted about his success with a proud smile, and I couldn't help but join in on his laughter.

I felt amused seeing Eric like this.

"The Defense Ministry will be providing armored vehicles, helicopters, and various heavy weapons. However, we'll be deployed to risky operational areas."

"As much as we can't avoid casualties in war, please do your best to minimize losses for the Black Bear mercenaries. Cost is no issue to me."

"Yes, I assure you we will manage that."

While mercenaries are compensated for their dangerous missions, I still felt concerned.

"So, will all the mercenaries currently in Afghanistan be withdrawn?"

"That's actually one of the things I wanted to report to you."

I looked at Eric, puzzled.

"Currently, Black Bear is providing security for Ahmad Shah Masoud, the representative of the Afghan transitional government. However, we need to redeploy those personnel to Iraq. We might need to send Igor's mercenary team to Afghanistan to fill in the security gap."

"Igor's team?"

"Yes. Deploying U.S. special forces and recruits from Western Europe to Iraq while sending Eastern European mercenaries to Afghanistan would be the most effective strategy."

If Eric said this, there must be a reason. It didn't quite add up, so I asked for clarification.

"What's the reason?"

"Ahmad Shah Masoud doesn't fully trust the U.S. With the presidential election coming up, there's been some friction."

"Really? I've heard rumors that the U.S. is supporting Hamid Karzai from the start."

"That's right. The U.S. backs Hamid. But Ahmad has the military and higher approval ratings. Yet, Afghanistan isn't like a normal democratic country. It's an alliance of several tribes, which means they are not friendly to Hamid."

In my previous life, Hamid, backed by the U.S., rose to the presidency of Afghanistan.

Yet, the Northern Alliance, which truly assisted the U.S. in overthrowing the Taliban, was largely overlooked.

Members of the Northern Alliance began to demand many bureaucratic positions from Hamid, which he reluctantly accepted.

To build his power, Hamid started prioritizing members of his ethnic Pashtun group.

As a result, conflicts arose with prominent leaders of the Northern Alliance, rekindling the Taliban's resurgence.

"If Hamid wins or is forced into a leadership position by U.S. demands, the Northern Alliance will stage a coup. The U.S. knows this and chose Ahmad as the leader of the transitional government. Ahmad is the only one with the support of all the diverse ethnicities in Afghanistan. In the end, he is bound to become president."

The reason I intervened to save Ahmad was because of this.

He was a thorn in the Taliban's side and the only one who could garner support from all those different ethnicities in Afghanistan.

If Ahmad becomes president, unnecessary political strife would lessen, and all ethnic groups could unite to work together against the Taliban.

Afghanistan was a treasure trove of underground resources, yet due to endless civil wars and complex political situations, no company dared to develop those mines.

If Ahmad manages to stabilize Afghanistan, it's certain that companies tempted by those vast resources will enter the market.

"Ahmad's weakness is that he can't speak English. At least he can handle some Russian. Therefore, sending Igor's mercenary team would be the best option. Since they will need to communicate up close, it could be uncomfortable without a common language."

"Then let's do that. Please contact Igor and deploy him. However, it won't be feasible to send all personnel because Russia is preparing for war soon."

"Yes, Igor informed me. We won't need too many. Just two teams should suffice. They will only provide protection for Ahmad and his family."

Once I granted my approval, Eric smiled.

"Also, Ahmad requested to meet you, Boss."

"Me?"

How does Ahmad know about me? With a puzzled look, I watched as Eric continued.

"More precisely, he wants to meet the true owner of Black Bear."

"Hmmm…"

Visiting Ahmad in person sounded worrisome.

Afghanistan isn't completely stabilized, and the Taliban is still conducting guerrilla warfare on the outskirts.

After mulling it over, I decided to ask Eric, who knows the situation best.

"Eric, is Kabul safe?"

"Yes, Kabul is secure. The U.S. has completely taken control of the surrounding area, and the peace isn't too bad. Moreover, the main troops of the Northern Alliance are all in Kabul. The Taliban dares not attack Kabul."

"What's the reason behind the meeting request?"

"He wants to discuss matters in person. He didn't go into detail."

Ahmad. Even though I told Eric to save him, I wasn't keen on meeting him directly.

Still, meeting him shouldn't bring any harm, so it felt alright to accept the invitation.

"Alright. Please schedule a time and let me know."

"Sure. I'll coordinate with Ahmad to set up a time."

"Is that why you came to visit?"

"Yes. If we just talk on the phone, there's a high chance we'll be overheard. Right now, the U.S. is going crazy with their methods. They're conducting indiscriminate wiretaps and surveillance under the pretense of rooting out terrorists."

I furrowed my brows unconsciously. If they're eavesdropping on their own citizens, just how much worse would it be for foreigners.

"I understand the government's stance, but that's an overreach. Our headquarters is likely being eavesdropped on too."

"Are they just going to let it happen?"

"There's no need to raise unnecessary alarms. We're not engaging in any illegal activities, are we?"

That's true. It wouldn't help to raise my voice over unnecessary matters, as it could ruin relationships.

"Are you going to Iraq as well?"

"I'll probably have to manage the overall situation from headquarters. I think the field commander will be Director Ellen."

"Oh, Ellen is reliable. Just in case, tell him to ensure that civilians aren't harmed."

Unlike Eric, who had been in the field for long, Ellen is a more aggressive person.

"I can't guarantee what might happen during operations. I'll do my best to minimize civilian casualties, but eliminating them completely is unlikely."

"Later, when the war ends, companies related to reconstruction will enter Iraq. If the citizens feel uncomfortable with Black Bear mercenaries assigned for protection, it could create complications for related projects. Please try to minimize unnecessary casualties."

"I will try my best."

Eric didn't provide a clear answer.

Well, how the mercenaries respond in the field is ultimately their decision.

If I bring it up, I'm sure they'll take it into consideration. I decided to stop pressing at this point.

Feeling that our conversation was winding down, I stood up.

"If we've covered everything, let's get up. You've come a long way; we should grab a meal. I heard you're flying out tomorrow morning. Is that right?"

Eric stood up alongside me.

"Yes. Once I get back, I need to prepare for deployment to Iraq right away."

"Alright, let's go. Do you like Korean food, Eric?"

I took Eric to an old traditional Korean restaurant in Myeong-dong.

Eric genuinely enjoyed the Korean food. We had quite a lengthy conversation while savoring traditional liquors.

The night deepened, the glasses tilting just like the hours.

A week later, the U.S. began its indiscriminate airstrikes on Iraq.

Operation Shock and Awe.

It was a military operation that plunged the world into shock and awe.

Cruise missiles launched at Baghdad at the onset leveled major facilities, including the presidential palace, turning them into ruins in an instant.

The area around the Iraqi presidential palace erupted into flames in no time.

Following that, 300,000 ground troops, comprised of the U.S., UK, and allied forces, advanced simultaneously through northern Kurdish regions and southern Kuwait.

It was a full-scale invasion. I shook my head in disbelief as I dropped the newspaper featuring the blazing presidential palace on the front page.

"Looks like it's finally starting."

I checked the time and stood up. I had to wrap up work for Representative Jeong Chan-seong before I visit Afghanistan next week.

For that, I needed Huh Tae-min and headed out to the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province to meet him.

After a long drive, I arrived at the restaurant where we had agreed to meet.

It was lunchtime, but the place was completely empty. As I stepped out of the car, a man approached.

"Are you CEO Kim Mu-hyeok?"

I nodded, and he bowed slightly to greet me.

"I am Oh Chul, the chief aide of Representative Huh Tae-min."

I had already heard about him while looking into Huh Tae-min.

He was the one who attended to Huh Tae-min since his entry into politics.

"Representative Tae-min is waiting for you. Please follow me."

Oh Chul led me to a room deeep inside.

"He's in there. You can go in alone."

Oh Chul glanced at Manager Ma as he spoke to me,

"Please wait here."

After instructing Manager Ma to wait, he opened the swinging door.

Inside sat Huh Tae-min, his hair completely white.

He looked even more stubborn than in photos.

Thinking such thoughts, I walked over slowly and nodded my head slightly in greeting.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Mu-hyeok."

"Pleasure to meet you. I am Huh Tae-min."