Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1263: One Thousand Two Hundred Forty-Six: Complex Plan

Chapter 1263: Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Forty-Six: Complex Plan

“The Iron Madonna is currently in Ukraine. What’s certain is that the Iron Madonna played a significant role in causing chaos in Ukraine. However, the upheaval in Ukraine has already been set in motion, and the Iron Madonna has accomplished most of what it aimed to do. According to the plan, Krulney will commission the Iron Madonna, and the pretext for hiring them is to eliminate us.”

Gao Yang’s words triggered a commotion. Facing a group of stunned, speechless people, Gao Yang spread his hands and said, “Yes, that’s the plan. If everyone thinks it’s too difficult to take down part of the Iron Madonna directly, we have a second option. That’s to find a mercenary group that’s not as strong, lure them into our ambush, and then take them out. Simple.”

Glolov shook his head, saying, “This is chaotic, unreasonably chaotic.”

Frey raised his hand, loudly saying, “Sorry, Boss, but I feel like we’re working on a conspiracy.”

Gao Yang sighed and responded to Frey in resignation, “Buddy, where did you get the illusion that this isn’t a conspiracy? Please, this is a conspiracy, clear as day. Last time, Tomler and the Iron Madonna set us up. This time, we are teaming up with Krulney to set up the Iron Madonna. That’s the gist of it.”

Frey froze for a moment, then waved his hand and said, “Alright, I have nothing more to say. But I’m not used to the idea of using another mercenary group as cannon fodder. Personally, I’d prefer targeting a part of the Iron Madonna directly. I’m not afraid of the Iron Madonna. If we can’t take them down all at once, chipping away at them piece by piece seems fine to me.”

Gao Yang pointed at Frey, smiling, “Absolutely right. Satan and the Iron Madonna—between the two of us, only one can survive. So even if it means weakening the Iron Madonna incrementally, it’s still a good choice. My plan is to have Krulney hire ten to fifteen people from the Iron Madonna, roughly the size of a small squad. Of course, if this is an intricately set trap, it doesn’t matter if the numbers go higher. I believe eliminating up to thirty of them won’t be an issue.”

Li Jinfang furrowed his brow and said, “We’re already mortal enemies with the Iron Madonna. We must take them down by any means necessary. There’s no need to deal with the question of using weaker cannon fodder anymore; we’ll deal directly with the Iron Madonna. However, under what pretext does Krulney plan to approach the Iron Madonna?”

Gao Yang chuckled, “As I said earlier, it’ll be under the pretext of eliminating Satan. My guess is that the Iron Madonna would likely dedicate some personnel to taking us out. Just as we have to eliminate the Iron Madonna, they’ll also need to figure out how to eliminate us. Add money to the equation, and I don’t think Iron Madonna would refuse.”

Glolov expressed worry, “The Iron Madonna isn’t some small-time mercenary group. They’ll only send a portion of their force. I have a feeling the aftermath of this operation is going to be troublesome. As for Krulney, he cannot be trusted. Putting everything on Krulney is too risky.”

Gao Yang shared the same concerns, waving his hand. “Exactly. Krulney isn’t trustworthy; otherwise, we’d already be discussing the ‘how’ rather than debating whether to proceed or not. Here’s Krulney’s take: we’ll hire the Iron Madonna under Satan’s name for a job to eliminate the Angels, leveraging people from the Iron Madonna to stand in for the Angels. And as far as the Iron Madonna is concerned, they’re hired to eliminate Satan. However, they’ll inadvertently walk into our trap. From the Shah’s perspective, they’re paying Satan to deal with the Angels. After the mission succeeds, they pay up as agreed. Of course, that’s the ideal scenario. Whether this plan works depends on whether the Shah agrees to Krulney’s request.”

After finishing, Gao Yang raised his hand and said sternly, “Also, according to information from Krulney, the Iron Madonna is collaborating with a man named Arseny Pavlovich in Ukraine. They’re both located in Kiev right now. The Angels are also in Kiev. However, nobody knows who hired them. To carry out our plan, we’ll need to go to Ukraine.”

Cui Bo laughed and said, “We’ve been plotting for so long to enter Ukraine. Who would’ve thought that the ultimate reason we’d go to Ukraine would be this.”

Everyone chuckled lightly except for Albert, who didn’t laugh simply because he had no idea what was going on.

Andy He casually remarked, “I don’t care about the plan. All I care about is how we’re going to screw over the Iron Madonna. Guys, when are we actually going to get started?”

“Tomorrow! Tomorrow, I’ll head to Austria with Krulney to meet Ben Suharitan. Once this plan is finalized, the next step will be Krulney negotiating with the Iron Madonna.”

Tommy suddenly interjected, “But there’s an issue. Since Krulney surrendered out of fear for his life, doesn’t he worry about the Iron Madonna’s retaliation? He’s the one contacting the Iron Madonna and sending part of their force into an ambush. Won’t he fear retaliation from them?”

Gao Yang replied solemnly, “Krulney explained that due to Tomler’s relationship with the Iron Madonna, they trust him enough. Naturally, the ambush has to be perfectly orchestrated so Iron Madonna’s people don’t suspect anything. If a mercenary group gets wiped out due to inferior strength, it’s hardly fair to blame the broker who introduced the deal. So if the Iron Madonna seeks revenge, it’ll be against us, and we’re already mortal enemies with them.”

Tommy nodded and said, “That explanation sounds reasonable. Still, I don’t understand—by any measure, the Iron Madonna is stronger than us. Krulney is a coward who fears death, so why did he surrender and align himself completely with us, the weaker side?”

Gao Yang shook his finger, smiling, “You’ve got it wrong on one point. Yes, the Iron Madonna has more people, more money, and greater battle prowess; in terms of sheer combat strength, they’re stronger than us. But there’s one area where we’re far stronger than the Iron Madonna.”

Tommy furrowed his brow, “Which area?”

Gao Yang said grimly, “The Cleansers!”

Without waiting for others to question, Gao Yang elaborated, “Let me explain. The Cleansers are a very mysterious, powerful, and bizarre organization. Unless you’re an insider, no one knows exactly how its inner workings function. However, it has limitations—it only operates in regions that adhere to order and rules. It’s simple: in lawless places like Somalia, where people commit crimes openly, there’s no need for cover-ups.”

Thus, the Cleansers rarely intersect with mercenaries. According to Krulney, the Iron Madonna doesn’t even know the Cleansers exist. Satan might be the first mercenary group in history with a long-term partnership with them.”

The Cleansers are known to Satan, though no one pays too much attention to them. Working with the Cleansers isn’t particularly special; you pay, they perform. If you don’t pay, there’s no service. Standard practice.”

Glolov frowned and said, “Why are we bringing up the Cleansers again? Partnership? We don’t have any real partnership—they complete tasks when we pay them, just like someone hiring us for a fight. It’s transactional, not partnership.”

Gao Yang smiled and replied, “No, it’s not as simple as that. The truth is, while the Cleansers handle transactions, they’re selective about what they take on. Any underground organization that wants to survive long-term must understand the boundaries and what lines shouldn’t be crossed. The Cleansers know this too. They won’t take on ventures that are excessively risky. For instance, should a major firefight break out in New York’s financial district, the Cleansers would manage the aftermath without hesitation.”

Frey said blankly, “That describes us, doesn’t it? But we paid them a substantial amount.”

Gao Yang shook his head, “It’s not just about a large sum of money. Trust me, even if Tomler offered them double what we paid, the Cleansers wouldn’t accept that job. Do you know why? Because Tomler is a Level Five Client while we—specifically me—are Level Two Clients with the Cleansers. And that, folks, is the most valuable gift Grand Ivan bestowed on us!”

Glolov muttered, “I can’t believe it!”

Gao Yang exhaled, saying, “You all know what the Cleansers represent. Krulney understands this as well, which is why he believes we possess far greater power than the Iron Madonna. Consider this simple fact: the Iron Madonna doesn’t even know the Cleansers exist. Meanwhile, Satan has VIP membership privileges with the Cleansers.”

With deliberate emphasis, Gao Yang said, “Yes, you heard me correctly. The Cleansers operate on a membership system. While they also deal with casual clients, their major business comes from members. Sensitive cases undergo evaluations before being accepted. And us? We’re high-level VIP members!”

After pausing for effect, Gao Yang took a deep breath and loudly declared, “Everyone, we are Level Two Clients. We don’t need to submit requests—they must accept our business as long as it’s within their capability. They can only negotiate the price with us; rejection isn’t an option. That’s the difference!”

The group looked enlightened, except for Albert, who remained confused and asked blankly, “The Cleansers? What are the Cleansers? Can someone explain this to me?” (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)