0116 Hou Rui Offers a Strategy

“Captain, well, this child is indeed a bit young, but I have my reasons for keeping him. He speaks English, and nowadays it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find children who can speak the language, so that’s why I kept him,” Sergeant Kun hurriedly explained.

Upon hearing this, Captain Mulu’s expression softened somewhat. After casting a few more glances, he finally seemed satisfied and returned to his fortress in the town center.

After a hectic morning—especially nearly being taken out by government forces' mortar fire—Captain Mulu was deeply frustrated. As soon as he entered, the maids promptly served food, but he had little appetite to enjoy it. At that moment, Rui noticed the girl who had been assigned to Captain Mulu. However, something must have happened after Rui fainted last night because one of the girl’s eyes was swollen to the size of a peach, making her face look somewhat comical.

This belated lunch was far from satisfying for Captain Mulu. He barely took a few bites of roasted meat before losing his appetite, and Rui also stopped eating, sitting beside the captain with a worried and troubled look.

After a while, Captain Mulu suddenly looked up at Rui, feeling desperate and grasping at straws. “Sergeant Douglas, you recently joined the Liberators Alliance, so you should have a clearer understanding of the situation outside. Can you think of any way to stop the government forces’ advance?”

“Well…” Rui quickly recalled the basic information about the various factions in Somalia, as well as the news and situation before he joined the Liberators Alliance. Then, cautiously, he suggested, “Captain, could we send someone to negotiate, proposing to sit down with the government forces to talk and buy some time?”

“That won’t work. The Alliance has used that tactic repeatedly over the years; I doubt even the government forces’ fools would fall for it anymore.”

“Then could we send soldiers to Mogadishu to assassinate high-ranking government officers to disrupt their plans?”

“Since the war began, Alliance members in Mogadishu have actively sought opportunities to use explosions and assassinations to disrupt the government’s operations, but it hasn’t had any obvious effect. Now, with the government forces’ attack imminent, I’m afraid their small-scale actions won’t be enough to stop this major offensive.” Captain Mulu shook his head. Though his face was grim, the worry was clear to Rui.

“Captain, are you certain the government forces will launch a large-scale offensive this time?” Rui’s time in the Liberators Alliance was still short, and he needed to confirm with Captain Mulu, as it directly affected his own mission.

“Sergeant Douglas, I’ve been fighting the government forces for nearly fifteen years. I know their stupid tactics all too well. If they weren’t preparing for a large-scale offensive, they wouldn’t attack our positions proactively. This time, they even bombarded us during a pause in infantry assaults, which is very rare. So I can tell you with certainty: within twelve weeks, when the government forces have squeezed the Alliance’s defensive lines to the limit, that will be when they launch their full-scale attack.”

No matter how ruthless he was in dealings, Captain Mulu’s battlefield experience was undeniable. Rui preferred to trust the judgment of this veteran guerrilla fighter against the government forces.

But then a new problem arose. If the government forces launched a massive offensive, the Liberators Alliance would have to fully mobilize, whether to defend or counterattack. The Alliance’s controlled territories would descend into chaos. In such a situation, could Rui still leisurely search for General Garcia?

If Rui, as a sergeant in the Liberators Alliance, had to lead soldiers into battle against the Somali government forces, things would become far less enjoyable.

Thinking this through, Rui for the first time truly identified himself as part of the Liberators Alliance. He began racking his brain to find a way to stop the government forces’ advance.

“I’ve got it! Let’s make this a big deal!” Ten minutes later, Rui suddenly had an idea and excitedly exclaimed.

“Sergeant Douglas, what exactly do you mean?”

Seeing Captain Mulu’s intrigued expression, Rui quickly explained, “The Liberators Alliance has always requested ceasefire talks with the Somali government, using that to delay their attacks. Since that method no longer works, why don’t we change the party we ask to negotiate with?”

“Change to whom? In this country, our only enemy is the government forces,” Captain Mulu said, still not understanding.

“How about the entire international community? Those Western countries that claim to be peacekeepers and maintain order, including my homeland, the United Kingdom.” Rui grew more excited as he spoke, standing up and putting on a cunning look. He strode over, grabbed a globe from the captain’s desk, and returned to Captain Mulu’s side.

“The United States, France, Russia, and of course the UK—these permanent members of the UN Security Council pride themselves as guardians of world order. We send representatives directly to them to lobby, then contact mainstream global media, announcing that the Liberators Alliance is willing to disarm voluntarily to end Somalia’s chaos. I believe these countries will pressure the Somali government forces, citing reasons like preventing harm to civilians. Under immense international pressure, the government’s large-scale offensive will be impossible. Our goal will be achieved.” Rui spun the globe, pointing out each target country to Captain Mulu.

After some thought, Captain Mulu finally spoke. He snatched the globe from Rui’s hands, examining the Security Council nations’ locations with a sigh. “Sergeant Douglas, allowing you to join the Alliance may well be my greatest achievement. You Westerners’ ideas are indeed crazier and more effective! But…”

“Captain, do you foresee any difficulties?”

“Time. That’s the biggest issue. You saw today’s bombardment. The government forces rarely conduct such long and intense shelling unless right before an infantry charge. But in the past three days, they’ve launched seven attacks of this scale. The Alliance troops are suffering heavy casualties.” Captain Mulu rubbed a swelling bump on his head, lamenting.

“The Alliance must have contacts worldwide. We can first issue a statement to the media, then send a delegation here. This will quickly amplify the negotiation effort and buy us time. With the round-trip and negotiation process, we won’t have to worry about a government offensive for at least a year.” Rui promptly offered a feasible plan, addressing Captain Mulu’s greatest concern.

After further consideration, Captain Mulu’s dark clouds gradually lifted. He stood abruptly, pacing excitedly in the hall. “This might actually work! But the consequences are too great—beyond my authority to decide. I need to report to the lieutenant colonel. No! I should report directly to the general. Only the general can decide on such a critical plan.”

General? The word immediately caught Rui’s attention. Since entering the Alliance’s territory, this was the first time he heard someone mention the general.

“Captain, are you going to consult General Garcia?” Rui asked cautiously.

“That’s right. I’m about to contact the general’s aide. Don’t worry, I won’t take credit from you. In the Alliance, we don’t suppress talent’s promotion. Someone, prepare the satellite phone.” Captain Mulu reassured Rui and then began the call right in front of him.

For over half an hour, Captain Mulu spoke with the general’s aide in Somali. Rui showed no outward reaction but was inwardly frustrated to the point of near despair. He had finally earned a chance to connect with the target of his assassination mission, yet understood nothing of the conversation.

Finally, Captain Mulu hung up the satellite phone, beaming with joy. He turned to Rui and embraced him. “My brother, Douglas King, you are now a sergeant in the Alliance. You can have a personal guard of about fifty men. In a few days, I’ll assign you a territory to govern. Within your jurisdiction, you can do whatever you want. Ha ha ha! The general’s aide loves your idea. Just wait—more promotions are coming! Ha ha ha!”

“That’s wonderful, Captain, but I don’t need subordinates or land. Someday, I will return to Britain. Right now, what I need most is to make the best use of this opportunity to build my reputation and career.” Rui patted the 3800 camera slung over his shoulder.

“Suit yourself. Who knows what the future holds? For now, just contribute your wisdom to the Alliance. Ha ha ha.”

“Captain, may I visit the child soldier’s camp?”

“No problem. I’ll tell Sergeant Kun to give you full support.”