Time Travel 04: I Fight the US in the Middle East

"Mariam's mother, you should also have some fish. By the way, where did this fish come from?"

"I bought this fish when I saw it was fresh while I was asking around at the market," Mariam said before Nur could speak. "News about our guerrilla force is everywhere. We Death Juba are famous now!"

Her face lit up with excitement when she talked about it.

My sister was buried yesterday afternoon. From now on, she and her mother, Nur, will live only for her sister's revenge!

Upon hearing the word "buy," Azam pressed further: "You bought it with your own money?"

"Captain Azam, if it weren't for you standing up for me yesterday, my sister and I would have... not to mention spending money, even if I were to..."

Azam frowned.

Yesterday's impulsive decision forced me to step forward, and now I realize there are still many problems to solve.

The number one factor is funding!

While his men are currently highly motivated to fight, their combat skills are appalling. They need rigorous military training and absolutely cannot be allowed to go out on the battlefield like a rabble and randomly shoot guns!

To train an elite force requires a significant investment of time, effort, and... a large sum of money.

The village was occupied by American soldiers, and they couldn't return in the short term. The villagers were also unable to farm and lost their source of livelihood. They needed to be provided with money to maintain their lives. Only by maintaining a close relationship between the military and the people can the village develop in the long term!

How can this problem be solved?

Robbing a US military supply convoy?

The risks are high, but the returns are low!

Taxing land occupation? We haven't reached that stage yet!

So... there's only one way left: find the treasure that Saddam Hussein buried!

Saddam Hussein ruled for 24 years, and his family lived a life of luxury! Outsiders roughly estimate that their family's wealth is at least several billion, or even tens of billions of US dollars!

When the US military entered Baghdad, they quickly searched the presidential palace and Saddam Hussein's residence, reaping a rich harvest!

The presidential palace's basement contains gold, hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, and countless diamonds, jade, and other jewels...

The wealth seized by the US military is merely the tip of the iceberg of the Sadamaku family's fortune.

Before the US military attacked Baghdad, Saddam Hussein had already transferred most of his family's wealth!

Some say he transferred his wealth to other family members and deposited it in Swiss banks; others say he buried large amounts of gold and cash in the desert…

No one knows the specifics, but... based on his memories from later generations, Azam remembers some American soldiers who became extremely wealthy!

For example, a soldier named Matt Novak and his three companions found more than sixty boxes in a large wooden palace on the banks of the Tigris River, all of which were brand new 100-dollar green notes!

The exact amount is unknown, but it has been reported by the media as being two hundred million US dollars!

To avoid being discovered by their superiors, they stored the boxes in various places and then sent them back to China in batches. Unfortunately, the truth eventually came out!

Actually, if they weren't so greedy, and shared some of the benefits with their superiors, everyone could be happy!

The US military goes to wars for money!

As for the location where the box was hidden...

The report didn't say anything, but as long as we catch this guy, we won't have to worry about finding the money that hasn't been transported yet.

"Captain Azam, Captain Azam?" Mariam's voice rang in her ears.

"Mmm, you guys go ahead and eat."

Back among the guerrillas, Azam continued to ponder.

These men under my command still need training. They're good at bluffing in our own territory, but I can't rely on them to fight outside for the time being.

Moreover...money can be a powerful motivator, what if someone among them...?

Only after everyone's hands are stained with the blood of American soldiers, and they can never go back, and after they have forged life-and-death camaraderie on the battlefield, can they know the value of this treasure!

Don't test the people around you with money; even your bedmate can turn against you!

and so……

After going around in circles, all I have left is... take Majid with me. If I can't trust this guy, then there's no one else I can trust!

Lost in thought, Azam quickly finished a large flatbread and drank a few sips of fish soup. He stood up and said, "Majid, you're coming with me! The others who aren't familiar with firearms, continue practicing. Those who are can go out and gather information, especially about the situation in Jufra village!"

"yes!"

Mariam watched as Azam pushed the motorcycle out, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.

This motorcycle can only seat two people at most. I... it's inconvenient for me to squeeze in with them. I really want to go out with them and fight the Americans!

Sharjah Market in Baghdad's Old City.

This market was established in 750 BC during the Abbasid Caliphate period, making it the oldest market in all of Ithaca, and even in the entire Middle East.

Cardamom, pepper, incense... the aroma of various spices wafted into Azam's nose, and he walked around looking at them with great curiosity.

Wait a minute! At the stall next door, various powders are piled on grid-shaped shelves, with signs on top displaying the names and prices of the items in Arabic script, as well as some packaged products…

Azam stopped and looked at the familiar product.

The yellow packaging has a logo of a person wearing a white hat—isn't that Wang Shouyi? This Thirteen Spices is even sold in the Middle East? Wait, the soy sauce next to it is Haitian?

Am I in Baghdad? Or am I at a market in the East?

When he was on duty in Lituo, he had never been to the market. He never expected that Dongda's products were indeed all over the world!

As for the memories of this body... I haven't paid any attention to them at all!

"This used to be a spice market, but now most of the products come from the East..." Majid, pushing a motorcycle nearby, remarked, "The East is a good place, no war... There's open space up ahead, so we set up our stall there!"

A large bucket was hanging on the back of the motorcycle. When the lid was opened, crucian carp were splashing around inside.

Azam skillfully scooped one out, cleaned the scales and entrails, simply rubbed it with white powder, split it open from the back with a knife, then took three wooden sticks, one end inserted into the meat, and the other end inserted into the fire that Majid had just started.

Grilled fish in Baghdad is the most representative dish of Baghdad!

Then we'll deal with the second, the third, and so on...

The aroma of fresh fish and the fragrance of fruit carried by the fuel from the fruitwood trunks wafted far and wide.

"Fresh fish from the Tigris River! Wood-grilled, only 10,000 dinars per pound..." Majid placed the golden-brown grilled fish in front of his stall and began to call out his wares.

In a restaurant, a pound of these would cost at least 20,000 dinars, and they're not even that big!

The bigger the grilled fish, the tastier it is!

Just then, several American soldiers were patrolling swaggering around when they saw the new stall and immediately came over.

"Hey! Who are you two?"

Okay, we've finally waited for this!