Mercenaries, I Will Be King

Because they had to go to the PMC company's mission center to collect the mission, breakfast was hastily finished in ten minutes.

After eating, the group soon arrived at the parking lot, where Song Heping saw the only two vehicles in the team. Yevgeny said, "We had three vehicles three days ago, now we're down to two, but it's enough for the five of us for now. Let's make do. In a couple of days, I'll take on more business and buy you guys a Hummer armored vehicle! The kind with a roof-mounted machine gun. I'll mount an M2HB heavy machine gun on top for you, and let's see who dares to block our way on missions, we'll shoot them up!"

Song Heping always felt that the cook had a way with big talk; although it was just a small team, he boasted as if they were almost on par with Blackwater International. Despite only having two old vehicles, he insisted they would soon have a Hummer.

However, the cook's optimism did uplift Song Heping. He clearly knew the guy was just boasting, but he made you feel somewhat delighted by the exaggeration, like seeing hope in a pie in the sky.

He began to vaguely understand why a non-military fellow like the cook could command the respect of several guards.

Maybe this is why

One was a second-hand Opel station wagon, and the other was a Nissan Patrol 4WD off-road vehicle.

Since the black-market was outside the Green Zone, Yevgeny and the others got geared up and grabbed their guns before boarding the vehicles.

Song Heping noticed the division of roles from the personal weapons each one carried.

Yuliy held an SVD sniper rifle, indicating she was a sniper.

Grey Wolf carried an AKM assault rifle with a scope, clearly the team's assaulter.

White Bear and the cook both had somewhat unusual weapons; they were using modified RPD light machine guns.

Song Heping was familiar with this type of machine gun.

This was because China's Type 56 light machine gun was modeled after the RPD, bearing a similar appearance.

The primary modifications on White Bear and the cook's RPDs were on the stock; they removed the original ones and fitted telescopic stocks, eliminated the bipods, and mounted scopes on the cover of the receiver, giving them an odd appearance.

Song Heping guessed this was because the RPD light machine gun was over a meter in length, which made it cumbersome in the confined space of a vehicle, hence the modifications to shorten it. Besides, the RPD's drum could hold 100 rounds, balancing firepower with duration, making it very suitable for missions in places like Illiguo.

Settling into the Patrol off-road vehicle, Grey Wolf took the wheel. His AKM assault rifle had also been modified with a folding stock. Upon entering the vehicle, Grey Wolf folded up the assault rifle and slid it between the gap by the car door and the dashboard.

Song Heping keenly observed every move of these veterans, as his past military training had taught him that the devil lay in the details.

Learning from veterans is a vital experience every capable recruit must acquire.

Despite having undergone rigorous military training, he was still a novice in front of these battle-hardened veterans, and there was no shame in that.

Grey Wolf's method would allow him to quickly grab his weapon and counter-attack in case of emergencies while driving; by merely grabbing the handle and lifting slightly, the muzzle could be pointed out the window.

Seeing Song Heping constantly checking out the weapon in his hand, the cook chuckled and said, "Do you want a go with this too?"

Song Heping shook his head, "How much for this one?"

The cook waved his hand, "Five hundred dollars."

Five hundred dollars.

For Song Heping, who had less than three thousand dollars left, it was a significant amount, so he couldn't help but ask the cook, "Is there anything cheaper?"

"There is, you can pick one yourself later," the cook replied, "But I advise you to choose a better weapon. I wouldn't want your gun to jam when you need it most; that could cost you your life."

The black market in Baghdad is actually quite varied.

There are civilian ones and semi-official ones.

The civilian ones are easy to understand, as they're spontaneously formed.

The semi-official ones are more interesting.

The semi-official black market is actually located inside the Baghdad Green Zone, near the Tigris riverbank. Like the bars and other facilities in the Green Zone, it serves the people within the zone, mostly attracting mercenaries.

Because the merchandise is mostly weapons and equipment, such items are very sensitive for the temporary government or the coalition forces. The confiscation of civilian arms is supposed to be absolute, but this is not achievable. Since it cannot be fully managed, there must be an official black market to meet the weapon needs of over ten thousand PMC personnel.

They were just flagrantly running a black market under the guise of official business. Even the Americans couldn't pull that off without some shame, so they simply capitalized on it, outsourcing the job to various PMC companies.

It made perfect sense for PMC companies to sell weapons themselves. Moreover, with multiple companies setting up shop in the Green Zone and selling openly, there was competition, which was very much in line with market demands.

The cook took Song Heping to a black market shop that was an AAFES company's weapon sales point in the Green Zone.

This sales point was actually a few huge containers connected together, with the interiors opened up and various weapons and equipment displayed for selection.

As soon as he entered, the cook shouted, "Harvey! Quick, come out and show some good guns for my brother here, I'm in a rush! And get a gun license while you're at it!"

"Cook, didn't you lose a few men a few days ago? Didn't their equipment remain?"

Harvey's voice came from inside, and he soon appeared in front of Song Heping and others.

Short stature, dark skin, a typical South American face.

No need to ask.

Lao Mo.

Mentioning the brothers he had lost a few days ago, the cook's face immediately darkened.

But Harvey seemed to think nothing of it, coming forward to ask, "At such times, where do you recruit people from? Your motherland?"

"Harvey," the cook's face clouded over with anger, "keep talking nonsense and I'll rip your mouth apart, believe it or not?"

Harvey chuckled, his gaze falling on Song Heping, somewhat surprised, "A China Person? That's rare…"

He pointed at Song Heping and asked, "Are you buying the guns?"

Song Heping nodded, his gaze falling on the wall behind Harvey.

The wall was covered with guns.

All kinds of guns.

From the Soviet AK7 and AKM to German G33 and G36 assault rifles, to M16 and M4A1, and even the MK18 commonly used by Special Forces.

Handguns included his own Beretta 92F at his waist, to Glock 17, as well as HK's USP and SIG's line of pistols.

Most submachine guns were MP5 and sterling smg series.

Other items included hand grenades, combat vests, bullet-proof plates, Motorola soldier radios, military water bottles, combat uniforms, and all manner of other assorted individual soldier gear.

He didn't need to buy handguns; the Beretta 92F was quite decent. Just buying an assault rifle would be okay.

Starting a business was tough, and the startup capital was limited. Song Heping now had to make every penny count.

He asked Harvey, "How much for an AK47?"

Harvey's eyes glinted with disdain as he casually said, "One hundred fifty US dollars."

Before his words could fall, the cook started cursing, "Harvey, you crook! Even when Illiguo's security forces come here to buy these guns, they only pay a hundred dollars! Are you pretending I don't exist?!"

Then he said to Song Heping, "Don't buy the AK47; it's nearly falling apart—these are the ones they bought back from the local black market for just 50 US dollars a piece!"

Song Heping was dumbfounded.

It seemed the profit margin for these arms dealers was indeed high!

Buy locally, resell, and make a hundred US dollars—a direct doubling of profit.

Especially since the demand for AK47s was huge, used by both the local security forces and private security companies.

No wonder arms dealers make so much money!