CHAPTER 1455: CHAPTER 1436 EMERGING TO THE SURFACE

As they say, a joyful occasion lifts the spirit, and Gao Yang was having one joyous event after another, naturally feeling elated, almost to the point of euphoria.

Just before daybreak, the ships that the Skull Gang had assembled at sea had finally sailed into Bepela Port.

The Skull Gang deployed about half of their ships, around fifty armed fishing boats, the same ones that collect tolls at sea. This wasn’t easy since the Skull Gang controlled coastal towns, with the closest being Hith, quite a distance away. Sailing over required them to prepare for battle several days in advance.

The Skull Gang’s ships smoothly entered Bepela Port, and the Marines on board immediately engaged in combat.

The Skull Gang also had Marines. Regardless of how small or weak their navy might be, or whether it qualifies as a navy, since they called themselves one and had a dedicated unit for amphibious operations, it was indeed a Marine Corps.

They first seized the critical positions at the port, and then, the main force, about three hundred men, coordinated with Wimbel, who was already losing attacking strength, to assault the barracks defending the port. It’s worth noting that the people hired by Satan also joined the battle against the port’s garrison.

Wimbel’s manpower was limited, and their equipment was as well. Although they had no shortage of small arms and ammunition, continuing the attack without heavy weapons became difficult over time.

The attack weakened, but holding up the garrison at the port was not a problem. Wimbel had engaged the port’s defenders all night long without allowing them to regroup, let alone launch an effective counterattack.

The airport had already been captured. The British had fled to the port area, and with nothing else to do, the GRU had stolen some cars and brazenly drove to the airport, where they and the seasoned airborne soldiers easily secured it.

The Signal Flag and Alpha also successfully completed their designated combat objectives, effectively pinning down the most significant defense forces in Bepela.

Bepela’s command system had been completely shattered. Gao Yang and his team had executed a very thorough heart-striking tactic. Regardless of which unit they encountered, their first action upon landing was to attack the command system. By now, Bepela was thrown into complete chaos; the main forces were still there, but there was no brain left to command them.

What particularly excited Gao Yang was that he finally dragged the Black Demon into the fray. While they couldn’t conduct mock battles with the Black Demon right now due to the ongoing war, they could start immediately afterward. Besides, it seemed like the battle would end soon.

If necessary, Gao Yang would lead Satan to continue fighting, assisting the Skull Gang’s army in penetrating the city. However, from the current situation, an internal-external coordinated operation might not even be necessary.

Next, they awaited the army to advance into the city. Based on past experiences, urban warfare was inevitable. Yet, similar to previous experiences, once the Skull Gang’s soldiers entered in force and took complete control of Bepela, urban warfare would cease. Without a command system, combined with the Africans’ habitual acquiescence to occupation, nobody in Beira would oppose Skull Gang’s rule unless a powerful army attacked them, appearing overwhelmingly advantageous.

In fact, the Skull Gang had a decent reputation. Many in the lower tiers of Beira City knew the Skull Gang’s reputation. Not only would they not oppose Skull Gang’s occupation, but they would also stand by their side. This had been proven in Skull Gang’s past expansions. As long as they seized Beira, unless a foreign power intervened, especially a major power, Bepela would be firmly in their grasp.

The situation looked promising. Despite the ongoing battle, Gao Yang had to start considering their next steps.

Bepela was conquered, but it might not necessarily bode well. The most crucial aspect was observing the UK’s reaction, followed by Ethiopia’s stance. Somaliland maintained relatively close ties to the UK, and Ethiopia bordered Somaliland’s controlled territories, making them capable of intervening. Other major powers capable of interference wouldn’t be interested in Somalia’s happenings, especially the US.

If the UK found the situation unacceptable, the Skull Gang would have to quickly withdraw from Beira. If Ethiopia opposed or even decided to deploy troops, the Skull Gang should also retreat, as their minor strength couldn’t contend with these two countries.

According to Gao Yang’s assessment, Ethiopia was unlikely to react strongly to the Skull Gang’s actions. Although Ethiopia’s relationship with Somaliland wasn’t bad, it wasn’t particularly good either. But they’ve consistently hit against the Somali Youth Party and even invaded them in 2011.

Over the past two years, the Skull Gang and the Somali Youth Party had been clashing as foes. The Skull Gang’s moderate foreign policy marked them as one of the Somali Youth Party’s main adversaries. Viewing the enemy’s enemy as a friend, Ethiopia should not only not oppose the Skull Gang but also support its expansion. Even if they wouldn’t support it, they should at least tacitly allow it, ensuring no attacks against the Skull Gang.

The UK’s stance, however, was unpredictable. Gao Yang and Maide’s strategy was to speak favorably and excessively flatter the UK while showing intentions through practical actions. The actual impact of these efforts, however, depended on the outcome and couldn’t be predicted.

Gao Yang sat at the pier, in a corner away from others, making a call to Justin.

After Justin answered the call, Gao Yang said gravely, "Hey, brother, let me tell you something. First, you received the money, thank you for the low interest. Secondly, I want you to help me find some intelligence. To be precise, I’d like you to help me conduct an intelligence summary and analysis."

Justin enthusiastically replied, "Alright, what kind of intelligence are you looking for? Tell me first, let me see if it’s a big deal. If it is, I’ll find an expert intelligence group to help you with analysis and judgment. Even if you want renowned international think tanks to analyze, it’s not a problem."

Gao Yang chuckled lightly and said softly, "It’s like this, I just captured Beira City..."

"What? You captured Beira City? You did it? That’s really quick, uh, go on."

Gao Yang said gravely, "I helped the Skull Gang capture Beira City, which is the Alliance of Fairness and Justice. I want to know the British reaction to this and the decisions they will make. Will they intervene, and if they do, in what form and to what extent? I need intelligence on these aspects. How much does it cost? And what if you help with analysis and assessment?"

"Well, it depends on the level of intelligence you need. If it’s just gathering media and public opinion attitudes, 500,000 will do. If you want the reactions of the official government high-level, then it’s expensive, at least three million and up, with no upper limit. As for intelligence analysis, it doesn’t cost much, but to conduct an assessment, well, I’ll find someone myself for two million. If you want think tanks to assess the future direction, it’s uncertain, ranging from tens of thousands to millions."

Gao Yang impatiently said, "It’s just this matter; the more detailed the intelligence, the better grasp of future direction, the better. Don’t mention looking for this or that. Be direct; just name the price. I’m not worried about ruining your reputation. Even if you casually find some online keyboard warriors’ comments to fool me, that’s fine."

Justin bitterly smiled, "Your demands are actually quite high, you know? Okay, five million. I can provide you intelligence from high levels to public opinion. Additionally, I’ll find people to do an assessment, for a period of one month. During this time, the British reaction should become clear. Every day, I’ll provide you an intelligence summary and future outlook assessment."

Gao Yang said gravely, "Alright, I’ll get you the money shortly. Also, you haven’t answered my previous question. Why are you willing to lend money at low interest? What exactly are your plans? Anyway, I don’t believe you’re willingly offering low interest without a reason. You must have some intention."

Justin smiled, "Yeah, the opportunity to establish a friendship with Grand Ivan, how could I possibly pass that up."

Gao Yang said incredulously, "Just because of that? Where does your confidence come from?"

Justin laughed heartily and said, "Where does my confidence come from? Buddy, you’re allied with Grand Ivan; isn’t that reason enough?"

"What kind of reason is that?"

Justin said gravely, "In this world, there are only a few people who know what kind of situation Grand Ivan is in now, and you’re among those most likely to know. If Grand Ivan is dead or is about to perish, would you still have a chance to ally with him? Certainly not. Since you’ve allied with Grand Ivan, of course, I’m willing to lend money to him. Buddy, isn’t that hard to understand?"

Gao Yang suddenly doubted Justin’s intelligence analysis abilities, but he held back and didn’t voice these thoughts.

He cleared his throat and said gravely, "Alright, I understand. There’s nothing else now. I’m going to hang up."

"No, wait a minute. I wanted to tell you last time but didn’t get the chance. You know, IS has reappeared. Well, they never really disappeared. But this time is different. IS is active again in Iraq. They attacked Fallujah, and moreover, Badadi has resurfaced. Since being hit by you guys in Syria, this is his first appearance."

Gao Yang’s pupils shrunk suddenly, then he said gravely, "Do you know his exact whereabouts?"

"No, well, ever since being hit, Badadi is far more cautious than before. IS is not very active frequently now, but all signs show that IS should be gearing up to become active again."

Gao Yang exhaled and said gravely, "Inform me immediately if there’s any news about Badadi."

"Of course, you know I very much want him dead. Also, I’m curious, are you still very eager to get rid of him?"

Gao Yang said gravely, "Of course, no matter when or where, as long as I can catch Badadi’s tail, I will certainly go and personally kill him, regardless of the cost!" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)

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