[Chapter 589: Easy Money]
Lying in the desert, making easy money felt entirely plausible to Max. By observing, he realized that the entire coalition camp looked pretty much the same.
To say there's no risk at all would be pure nonsense. Just yesterday, a Scud missile landed in the neighboring camp, taking out a dozen guys on the spot.
Damn it! Knowing full well they were at war, these idiots were so laid back. The air raid sirens had blared for ten minutes, and they were still hanging around outside. Some people just forget the pain once the wounds heal.
Airstrikes had been ongoing for a week now, and it seemed like this war had nothing to do with the Army. If it weren't for these guys getting in the way, the bombardment would be even more intense.
Max thought that those fighter jets tasked with protection could actually go back home. Within a twenty-mile radius, there wasn't a single enemy. Just that annoying Scud, it was driving him crazy.
In fact, Saddam did make some attempts at offense. At least that's what their spokesperson claimed, "Our troops are fighting and resisting the invaders."
Well, their methods of attack were limited to missiles and empty chatter. It was hard to believe they really knew nothing about the frontline situation.
After cursing the America for a good fifteen minutes, their press conference wrapped up.
To be honest, the Americans seemed baffled. They didn't care about the insults; if you were capable, you'd just take action. Stop the talking if you can actually do something.
Weak growls are ultimately meaningless; they only reveal one's vulnerability. The Americans were confused, wondering where the battle was that they spoke of. This past week, valuable targets had been bombed repeatedly, and it was hard to see anything else worth hitting.
...
"Master, are they planning to keep bombing? There aren't many military targets left down below."
"Ha! Tanner, are you worried about humanitarian disasters?"
"That doesn't seem likely. However, if it continues, who knows what might happen."
"Those bigwigs in Washington have already debated the military purpose of this. Their aim is just to push the Saddam out. Unless something unexpected happens, they won't cross the border."
"If that's the case, then what are we waiting for? This is something a single charge could solve."
"The military believes if the enemy loses the will to fight..."
"Ahem, master, are they actually going to battle?"
"Ha! Isn't it great? We sit back and make money while the defense contractors are raking it in. No need to disarm those bombs nearing expiration; just toss them aside. Even if they're duds, that's still Saddam's problem."
To be honest, Saddam had already lost all his chips. Even if he pulled back now, it would probably be too late.
As for why Washington wasn't attacking?
Election year was approaching, and if they didn't want to lose the presidency, it was best not to cause too many casualties. Ground wars weren't easy, at least that's what Washington's think tank believed.
Bombing was essential. If they didn't expose the Iraq's hidden cards, they might as well flatten those defensive lines. Heard that so-called three flexible defensive lines were actually designed with help from the Soviets.
...
"Honey, I didn't have my period this month; something seems off."
"Off? If it's off, then it is what it is; I've been busy for ages. Ahem, wait a second, I'll ask Fulton to call for a doctor."
William White was done with Iraq and Saddam and didn't care anymore. The arrival of a new family member was the important thing; everything else was just minor details.
The once calm villa was now a whirlwind of activity. This commotion lasted for several hours. What left William White stunned was that Suzuki Meiko was pregnant too.
Huh, could it be that the good deeds he'd been doing lately had caught the heavens' attention?
With two pregnant women at home, William White's status plummeted. Naturally, the two expectant mothers became high-priority protectees, followed by the three kids.
The status of the richest man was now on a downhill slope.
In this household, those two women were practically the mistresses. The only difference was a piece of paper stating who was the official wife.
Some said it was shameless; love should be exclusive.
Ahem, if you must say that, I respect your principles. The truth is, he was also exclusive, just not with other women.
He had no choice; there were plenty of families eager for a marriage alliance. In his view, these unions felt more like transactions. They could certainly bolster family power, but was it really necessary? Anyway, William White didn't think so.
Those concerns were for his children. As for him, he had made enough achievements to be considered a pioneer. His descendants would surely carry the name William.
It seemed injuries weren't the worst thing. No matter how poor the bullet quality, as long as there were enough, it could offset quality issues.
...
"Michelle, since things are as they are, who will keep an eye on that guy?"
"Never mind, it's hard to monitor him. Besides, his fame is too high now; it's not very convenient for him to go out. Ultimately, it's just a bunch of stars."
"And that Jason! Next time he acts up, I'll tell his wife!"
"Suzy, let it go; that guy's way worse than him. He's openly keeping another woman, and even after his wife caused a scene twice, nothing happened."
"What about legal support?"
"Legal support? Ha! If you've seen prenuptial agreements, you'd know. They're way more complex than business contracts. Funny enough, the wealthy class tends to do this."
...
William White had no chance to overhear the two women's whispers. He still needed to understand the specifics on the front lines. Also, there's the matter of whether to retain the security company; these guys couldn't come back to America, and Africa wasn't a feasible option yet. Arrangements for the future needed to be thought out.
"Master, congratulations."
"Thanks. You've got to work a bit harder too. Expanding the family is important."
"Ha! I will, master! News from Max has come in; they will likely take on subpar assignments. This group is considered a rabble."
"That's good to hear. In case there's a tough mission, let the elite handle it. Our task is to make money, and we're getting paid by the day."
"Sir, if this lasts a year, wouldn't Kuwait go bankrupt? Their military aid this time is in the billions, plus all these hired guns."
"A year? Tanner, that kind of money only comes around once or twice in a lifetime. What are you thinking? Three to five months would be the limit. Do they have any issues that need resolving?"
"Sure, the most troublesome are those oil reserves. Their exports have come to a standstill recently. I believe Saddam has a lot of oil stockpiled. If that stuff is utilized, it will be very hard to breach the blockade."
"Tsk, how did I forget about that?" William White smacked his head. "Tanner, prepare extra respirators. It may not be crucial to shield against toxins; Saddam probably won't dare to use them. But we definitely need to guard against oil fumes."
"Master, you mean..."
"Setting those oil wells ablaze is inevitable. Since he can't possess them, he'll surely destroy them. As for that oil, he'll obliterate it as well. In the end, it'll either be dumped into the sea or used as an obstruction."
"I understand; I'll make it happen immediately."
*****
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