"They're called the Ten Commandments."
In the back room of the bar, Merlin listened to his liquor supplier, Alepf, who had lived in Kandahar for generations, say what he knew."
They were there in Kandahar very early.When I was younger, I heard my grandfather, who had died, say that long before the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, they had their own presence in Kandahar.My grandfather said that for a while, officials in the city were constantly being killed, and every bizarre death scene would have the sign of the Ten Commandments. ”"My grandfather said that they were a group of forces that appeared on this land at a very early age.It is said that they fled from the East.The warriors who act in the dark, like the legendary Assasins, obey a powerful leader, who is said to be an immortal saint. ”"Of course, these are just legends."
Alepf looked at the badge in Merlin's hand with some trepidation, and said, "At the time, my grandfather used those stories as legends to scare me and my brothers and sisters, but then, a few years ago, when my business was at its highest, I actually met them. ”"Where?"
Merlin asked."
In the mountains south of Kandahar.""
There are a lot of canyons out there, and they're hiding in one of them," Alef said.At that time, a friend of mine helped me take an order for a group of 'jihadist fighters' who wanted a lot of wine.But as you know, those who claim to be jihadists are the most paranoid and crazy believers, and drinking alcohol is a sinful act for them. ”"That shows that they are not sincere, at least not as sincere as they advertise to the outside world."
Merlin said a word, which drew a frequent nod from Alep.Recalling the experience several years ago, the wine merchant said to Merlin: "I was a little hesitant, and I knew the virtues of the mujahideen, and I was afraid that something would go wrong.But at that time, my business needed money, so in the end, I took the business. ”"I went to deliver it myself.""
They blindfolded me and went to their base with three trucks full of alcohol," Alef said. ”"It was a very remote canyon, full of people, Yuri, many, many, and very messy, and I saw more than just Arabs in it...
There were many weapons piled up in the caves, all of them very advanced, and I saw the huge, well-tended fields carved out behind the ravine. ”At this point, Alepf hesitated, unsure whether he should say what he saw.Merlin guessed what Alepf was hesitating, and he said, "Those fields shouldn't be crops, right?"
”"Hmm."
Alepf nodded, and he said in an accentuated tone, "It's a very evil thing. ”"Raw materials for Poison X?"
Merlin's jaw was clear, and now all the key points were strung together."
What else?"
Merlin asked, and Alepf shook his head, "No, that's all."
I was scared because the militants always behave inappropriately, but unexpectedly, the deal went smoothly, I didn't meet their leader, but the person in charge of the handover was happy to settle the account for me.They wanted more wine, but I refused. ”"I'm not a particularly sincere person, but it's enough to go to that kind of place once.""
Oh, that's it."
Merlin was a little disappointed, and Alepf gave a little less news.He and the dead militant before had said that the stronghold of the Ten Rings should be in the mountains south of Kandahar, but there were many canyons in the valley, and there was no way to lock down the location of the Ten Rings just by relying on this news."
How many of them are there?"
Merlin asked."
At least 400 people."
Aleph recalled, saying: "They carved caves in the canyon and lived in them.I saw their emblems on the tents, just like the ones you have in your hand, a lot like what some jihadist would make.But how to put it, those people give me a different feeling than the jihadists I've seen before.Like you said, they...
Well, not sincerely. ”"They're more like a mob of armed thugs, fanning the flames everywhere in the name of faith, a bunch of thugs.""
Sincere people don't sell X."
Merlin shook his head, "In your teachings, that's also very wrong.I know enough, thank you, Alef, and leave with your father, and in a few days I'll go to your liquor warehouse and settle the bill with you. ”"Hmm."
Alepf beckoned his sons, who were outside, to come in, picked up his father, and prepared to leave.And just as he was leaving, he seemed to remember something, and he said to Merlin, "One more thing, when I left the canyon, I seemed to have seen some white men. ”"Huh?"
Merlin looked at Alepf, he frowned and said, "Whites, how can they be in the base of a group of self-proclaimed mujahideen?"
”"I'm absolutely not mistaken.""
Even though I was there for less than an hour, I remember them in black uniforms and a couple in military uniforms, so I remember them very clearly because they were dressed differently from the others," Alef said. ”"yes, I see."
Merlin nodded, and he watched as Aleph left in a hurry, then returned to the back room, took out his notebook, and jotted down the message.Merlin's notebook had already jotted down many similar messages, and in the past few months, the clues to the Ten Rings Gang hiding near the city had become clearer and clearer.But, there are still some less.Some of the most critical.Merlin didn't just come for the Ten Rings, Fury sent him here to find out the evidence of large-scale drug trafficking involving the CIA using the corpses of soldiers killed in battle.The current situation suggests that the Ten Rings are supposed to be the providers of those drug X, but although Merlin has been trying to find a way to search for information in recent months, Merlin doesn't know much about the CIA's local news.His peers have been hiding in this place for too long, and it is not so easy to find them.What Merlin collected was more fragmented messages.The C.I.A. has a solid foothold in Afghanistan, where it began to build up power as early as the Cold War.After the failure of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the CIA established a secret but solid system here in the shortest possible time, and also supported several forces to participate in the brutal civil war that began in Afghanistan in 1995.If Merlin finally finds out that the CIA is really involved in the evil X trafficking operation, it means that the CIA's activities in Afghanistan are likely to cover up some evil acts, and it also means that the strategic system used to collect intelligence abroad may have rotted from top to bottom.This is a very alarming state of affairs.However, it is very troublesome that because of the CIA's decades of operation, they have a large number of local personnel and eyes and ears all over the land, which forces Merlin to conduct any investigation of the CIA must be carried out carefully.He can't reveal his identity, he can only wait for the moment.And, now there's another troublesome thing plaguing Merlin.This mission, according to Fury's plan, should be over in a few months, Merlin thought so at first, but while he was lurking, something terrible happened.From the beginning of the civil war in 1995 to 1999, Kandahar, Afghanistan's second-largest city, was firmly under the control of government forces, but three months ago, the situation changed, and the armed factions that had been scattered around Kandahar were suddenly consolidated and began to march towards Kandahar.As a result, the city became one of the battlefields of a civil war in just a few months.Although the war has not yet spread to the city, according to Merlin's estimates, it is only a matter of time before the city is dragged into the hell of war.And the worst thing is that Merlin has been active in Kandahar since he entered Afghanistan, and he has already found signs of secrecy here, and the secrets of the Ten Commandments and the CIA are near Kandahar, and he can't leave.Merlin was like falling into a swamp caused by the war, and he was trapped in this country that had been in turmoil for more than a decade.Fury had advised Merlin to abandon his mission and return to New York.But having put so much effort into this place and finding so many clues, even if Fury is willing to give up, Merlin himself is not.He's not a guy who likes to do useless work."
This civil war has muddied the waters, and the activities of the CIA are becoming more and more secretive, and it is difficult to make a quick breakthrough in the investigation of them in a short period of time."
Merlin thought with some regret: "Unless I find their base camp and rush in to find evidence." ”"So, change your mind, Ten Rings."
Merlin looked at the badge in his finger, and a general idea had emerged.His eyes flashed: "It seems that we must go to the canyon that Alepf said, if he is not mistaken, the white people who appeared in that canyon...
Maybe somewhere, I can get some news. ”With that up to his mind, Merlin had to get ready for action.The mountainous area south of Kandahar is vast, the whole country is located in the Pamir Plateau, the unique topography of the Afghan region determines the number of canyons in the mountains is staggering, and most of those places are not very suitable for human action, and some of the canyons are also close to dangerous deserts, and the natural ecology is extremely harsh.Even for a man like Merlin, if he was to explore the place for a long time, he would have to prepare a lot of necessary things.Having made up his mind, Merlin looked at the little bar he had been opening for a few months with some regret.In the past few months, he has remained lurking, but he has become accustomed to this kind of leisurely life, and seriously, this is the easiest time he has lived in the years since he joined S.H.I.E.L.D."
Well, the bar owner's career is coming to an end."
He turned around, poured himself a glass of wine, and added some ice.He leaned back against the bar, sipping on the cold liquid, and in the empty bar, Merlin closed his eyes and began to enjoy the last of his free time.He's a guy who executes a lot, and tomorrow, he's going to start his own action.May all the best of the best.()