For a mont, chaos erupted and the world seed to be at a critical juncture. Moran rcenaries, Russian airborne troops, the Iraqi governnt army, IS, Aricans, and even so of the United Nations peacekeeping forces were mobilized by a series of seemingly accidental incidents, converging near the Zagros Mountains, where the Lure people resided.
Large masses of IS ard forces had occupied the Zagros Mountains, and satellite detection showed that IS was continuously reinforcing their presence in the mountainous region.
Only then did the Iraqi governnt seem to recognize the strategic importance of the Zagros Mountains! It was the critical choke point where the governnt forces, Kurdish insurgents, and IS Country t. Whoever occupied the Zagros mountain region held the initiative to attack the other two sides and could cut off their avenues for joining forces.
Moreover, the terrain of the Zagros mountain region was vast and rugged, with continuous mountain ranges that were easy to defend but difficult to attack, making it difficult to execute precise strikes and extensive bombings, an ideal environnt for terrorist activities.
Massive combat troops from Iraq began to assemble, preparing to launch an offensive against the Zagros mountain region;
Unable to deploy large-scale army troops into Iraq, other countries agreed to dispatch their soldiers from the peacekeeping forces. Led by Moran International, who were familiar with the local terrain, they coordinated with the Iraqi ground forces in mounting an attack and starting a ground search and rescue operation.
Additionally, at a Russian military airbase closest to Iraq, two special task squads of the Russian 76th Airborne Division were ready and waiting to be air-dropped into the mountains for rescue operations, to be conducted simultaneously with the ground troops.
Governnts around the world took action, yet for the vast majority of ordinary people, it barely raised any concern. In the Middle East, battles are reported on television and in newspapers almost every other day. So long as it doesn't fall on their own heads, who cares who lives and who dies.
This was especially true for the people of Huaxia. To them, things like terrorist organizations and the Middle East seed too remote from their lives, almost like a tale from the Arabian Nights.
Except for a very few, those directly involved.
On the Weibo account of Taoyuan Yiqu, people first noticed sothing was amiss. Soon after, both Weibo and the Yangchuan City forum were full of animated discussions.
"Eh? A businessman surnad Su from Yangchuan City? Could it be... the zookeeper!"
"Damn, now that you ntion it, I rember the zookeeper saying he was going to the Middle East to buy animals!"
"No doubt about it, it's definitely the zookeeper!"
"Oh my God, the zookeeper was actually kidnapped by Middle Eastern terrorists?!"
"Amitabha, may Buddha bless the zookeeper to return safely!"
"Let's form a group to rescue the zookeeper. We can take the animals from the zoo and create a ruckus in Iraq!"
"Now that you ntion it, I really feel nervous for the zookeeper; almost none of the hostages kidnapped by terrorists have ever been successfully rescued. I'm so worried we'll see the zookeeper's head..."
"...Calm down a bit, I heard on TV that the ones who kidnapped the zookeeper weren't terrorists, it was an Iraqi tribe."
"It's all the sa, Middle Easterners are all lunatics!"
"Give a hundred thousand urban managent officers..."
"Let us pray for the zookeeper's safety..."
"Praying... little candle"
"Praying..."
"Prayers..."
Compared to the speculations on the internet, the zoo authorities had already received formal notice—kidnapped, indeed, was Suming, or more precisely, missing.
The news was delivered personally by Wang Jian She, accompanied by the Deputy Secretary of the Yangchuan Municipal Party Committee, who convened a brief eting at the zoo. Not only were the zoo's staff present, but also the heads of the other enterprises under Suming's charge, including Wang Hao in the capital, who joined via video conference.
Even Nangong Yan, Zhaoqian, and Nangong Huang's family had received the news and were invited to attend. However, at the adamant insistence of Nangong Yan, they had yet montarily refrained from informing Suming's mother.
"Comrades, Su Ming is one of our outstanding entrepreneurs in Yangchuan City, a representative of excellent youth, and also one of the best young mbers of our party. His trip to the Middle East to purchase animals was not only for the cause of animal conservation but also for the economic developnt of Yangchuan City. Therefore, rest assured, the country will do everything in its power to rescue Comrade Su Ming."
This statent firstly defined Suming's trip to the Middle East as a positive act on behalf of Yangchuan City. In case of an unfortunate event, it would be a sacrifice for the nation.
The Deputy Secretary continued gravely, "The municipal governnt and the province will keep in touch with the higher-ups at all tis. Before coming here, the Secretary asked to convey a ssage to everyone—have faith in the party. After the eting, I will take a direct flight to the capital to communicate with the upper echelons."
After the brief eting concluded, Zhao Yun contacted them directly via video call from the Iraq Huaxia Embassy.
"Everyone, please don't panic. Nangong Huang and I are currently at the embassy, very safe. Suming has a professional Russian bodyguard by his side. He's not in the hands of IS, but with a pro-governnt tribe in Iraq and shouldn't be in too much danger right now. The Iraqi Governnt Army, Russia, United States, and our country's Peacekeeping Force have already started to mobilize. Please wait patiently.
After Zhao Yun reported the situation, the Deputy Secretary briefly summarized it and hurriedly left the zoo to catch a plane to the capital.
It was only after the Secretary had left that Zhao Yun tried to use a more relaxed tone, "Keep calm, everyone. Despite being young, Suming is always level-headed and never fights unprepared. I believe he will safely return. Heh, and I have so mixed news that isn't exactly good but... because of Suming's disappearance, our governnt has gained a huge advantage in the negotiations over the oil fields in Iraq. When Suming cos back, he'll still be a national hero."
Though said in that way, no one in the office could genuinely feel at ease!
Suming must be able to return for this to matter!
The governnt is now putting up such a significant show of force that anyone with a bit of sense would realize how serious the situation is! Three of the world's major powers and IS—an even more vicious terrorist organization than Al-Qaeda—this is practically a war!
No matter how powerful an individual is, they are insignificant in the face of war.
The atmosphere in the office was extrely oppressive, leaving everyone feeling distraught and distracted.
Zoos, entertainnt companies, reservoirs, liquor distilleries, including Shen Yan's small computer technology company—either created by Suming or brought from decline to glory under his leadership—in their hearts, Suming had unwittingly beco the linchpin for all of them.
As life seed to be getting better every day, the threat that it all might vanish overnight was sothing none of them could readily accept.
"It's all my fault... all my fault..." Mrs. Tong murmured to herself, lost in a daze, while everyone else seed as gloomy as if attending a funeral, their heads bowed in dejection.
"Should we, perhaps, suspend various activities at the zoo for the ti being?" one of the veteran employees suggested quietly.
"What about the live streaming platform? Should we also pause it for a while and wait for Mr. Su to return?"
"Ask Zhao about what to do with the liquor industry?" a representative from Great Sage Liquor Industry suggested.
But contrary to everyone's expectations, the person who should have been the most upset, perhaps even wailing loudly, displayed extraordinary calm.
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