Although the rebellion broke out just a few months ago, Ahvaz is already in ruins and houses are empty.
It is true that the Persians did not have the habit of fighting to the death. Unlike Britain, France, and Germany, which had completed the industrial revolution, the Persian Empire was still a hierarchical feudal country. The upper level of the country was controlled by feudal princes and high-ranking monks, and the middle level was the entrenched landlord class.
And the emerging bourgeoisie, the wealth of the entire country is monopolized by these classes, leaving the lower class civilians and serfs with nothing.
Regrettably, the princes, nobles and high-ranking monks who hold most of the power in the country often do not resist desperately when faced with war. Protecting oneself wisely is the choice of most people, while more low-level civilians are unable to resist and can only
Becoming a victim of war, or being coerced by war.
The destructiveness of the war is also unparalleled. Before the rebellion broke out, Khuzestan had a population of about 200,000. Now there are very few people left. Many people fled to the neighboring Ottoman Empire to escape the war. The rebellion also has a tendency to spread to other regions. This is so
Unacceptable to everyone.
In fact, Tang En also had a headache. After the rebellion of the Babu believers, about 8,000 people went to Port Elizabeth regardless of the ban. Most of these people were young adults. They would do anything to make a living. If they were not handled well, it might cause serious social problems.
.
"Reza, your troops must gradually withdraw from Khuzestan, and the rebellion will be handled by our Umbrella Company." Tang En's plan was clear, and it was obvious that he wanted to annex Khuzestan.
"Don, only the oil of Ahvaz belongs to you, and Khuzestan belongs to Persia." Reza Khan did not expect Don's ambition to be so big. If Reza Khan's troops withdraw from Khuzestan, Khuzestan will be handed over.
If the Umbrella Company is surrendered, then this will become a shame that Reza Khan will never be able to wash away.
"You took supplies worth 200,000 pounds from me one after another, and you only gave me the oil in Ahvaz? The oil in Ahvaz is not even worth 200,000 pounds!" Tang En is also greedy and shameless now.
With a colonial face, all investments must be repaid. The Umbrella Company can support Reza Khan or other generals. The only thing that remains unchanged is interest.
"Ahwaz has at least 10 million barrels of oil reserves. Isn't it worth 200,000 barrels?" Reza Khan will also quote data. This is an estimate of Ahvaz's oil reserves by senior experts from many oil companies.
The number obtained afterwards.
With the technology at this time, we can only draw such an inference.
"Come here, the oil in Ahvaz has been mined out. Even the British and American Oil Companies have withdrawn from Ahvaz." Tang En also looked regretful.
This is the consequence of predatory mining. When the Anglo-American Petroleum Company discovered oil in Ahvaz, all the oil companies rushed in and built derricks densely.
Although experts estimate that Ahvaz has at least 10 million barrels of oil, the result of predatory exploitation is that no oil can be dug out now. The British and American oil companies that once held on to Ahvaz were frustrated and finally withdrew three days ago.
.
"This has nothing to do with our agreement. Our original agreement only included oil from Ahvaz." Reza Khan has a strong psychological quality. His face is not red and his heart is not beating. What he means is that whether there is any oil or not has nothing to do with me. Even if there is no oil, it has nothing to do with me.
Oil also deserves your umbrella's misfortune.
"Oh, Reza, Umbrella Company will not let anyone humiliate you." Tang En laughed angrily. Regardless of whether there is still oil underground in Ahvaz, Reza Khan's attitude is absolutely unacceptable to Tang En.
"The Persian Empire will not be humiliated by others. Khuzestan belongs to Persia. This is undisputed." During this period, Reza Khan was probably a little wandering due to the expansion of his strength and his lack of clear understanding of himself.
"Then let us use our strength to decide who will belong to Khuzestan." Tang En doesn't talk nonsense and will fight if we can't reach an agreement. Yazi, whose title of Guards sounds powerful, is actually a scumbag in Tang En's eyes.
scum.
To deal with the Guards led by Reza Khan, Twain did not even need to dispatch the mercenaries of the Umbrella Company, Ali Rashid's troops could handle it.
"Are you declaring war on the Persian Empire?" Reza Khan said with a serious expression.
"We are just a commercial company and do not have the right to declare war on an empire. We just want to safeguard our own interests." Tang En did not dare to mention "declaring war", but it was similar to declaring war. Southern Africa did not declare war.
Right, the Umbrella Company is a commercial company, but it has some unpleasant frictions with the Persian Empire because of its interests.
"Then let's talk on the battlefield." The figure behind Reza Khan leaving was Xuan Ang.
At noon that day, a force under Reza Khan marched towards Ahvaz from northern Khuzestan. Prior to this, Reza Khan's troops had not entered Khuzestan at all.
Also at noon that day, a mercenary unit of the Umbrella Company entered Khuzestan from the direction of Basra. This was the first time that the mercenaries of the Umbrella Company entered the Persian Empire in an organized manner.
Hank, who just joined Umbrella Corporation, is in this unit.
Hank, who left Port Elizabeth on a camel, regretted that he could not carry his beloved Cowboy because of caliber issues, but he did not choose the Browning provided by the Umbrella Company, but chose a Cavalier with a shorter barrel.
Compared to the Browning, which is inconvenient to retract, Hank still trusts the revolver with quick response. The caliber of the Cavalier is also nine millimeters. The shape is indeed not as stylish as the cowboy, but the power and accuracy have not decreased much.
"Our umbrella is an oil company. Why do we have to ride camels when we go out? Can't we just buy a few cars?" Hank complained habitually, but that was all. Hank was serious and responsible about his work.
"Say less, Hank. Look at the road we are taking now. If we are equipped with a truck, I'm afraid we will have to carry it." Oscar, a member of Hank's team, would enjoy it. He actually hitched a ride on a camel.
The pergola does not have to withstand the scorching sun, which makes Hank very envious.
Still lacking experience, Hank will definitely not make similar mistakes next time.
Compared with camels, cars are indeed more comfortable, but cars have higher requirements for roads and have more faults. In comparison, camels are much better. As long as they are fed, they can work without complaint. There is no need to refuel every day. A meal can
Full for many days.
Of course, for mercenaries, camels have another inhumane use. Next, the mercenaries of the Umbrella Company will go deep into Khuzestan. If the logistics supply is not available, camels can also be eaten.
Considering the situation in Khuzestan, this possibility is still very high. Hank and the others considered this issue when they set out. Each mercenary carried more than 500 rounds of ammunition, which is four times under normal circumstances.
times.
The road traffic conditions in Port Elizabeth are still very good. Southern Africans really love building roads. As long as it is a place controlled by Southern Africa, within two years, road traffic will be extremely developed. Port Elizabeth is building a project from Port Elizabeth to Malaysia.
Many people think that the road between Scatter is unnecessary. After all, the two places can travel through the Persian Gulf, so there is no need to waste people and money.
All other issues can be compromised, but on this issue, Umbrella and Adam Company are very insistent. In fact, it does not cost much. After the rebellion broke out in Khuzestan, the refugees who fled into Port Elizabeth were organized by Adam Company to repair it.
The work is very arduous, and people get sick and even die every day. Miraculously, the Persians would rather endure the oppression of Adam's company than return to Khuzestan to face the Babs.
People in war are irrational. The day after Hank and the others entered Khuzestan, they came to a village that had been reduced to ruins. Judging from the scale, the village was quite small, with about a hundred households.
, of course it is now desolate, with ruins and ruins everywhere.
There are many corpses in the open space at the entrance of the village that have not yet been buried. Most of these corpses have their heads missing and are highly decomposed due to the hot weather. The unbearable corpse odor can be smelled from a distance.
"Don't get close, go around. There may be a plague in this village. No one is allowed to get close -" Captain Bill soaked a towel with water and used it as a mask to cover his mouth and nose. Hank immediately followed suit. The plague is no joke.
, after the Black Death, the whole of Europe was shadowed by the plague, and it has not recovered yet.
Looking from a distance, one can easily tell that many of the corpses are women and children.
Hank shook his head repeatedly: "Who would be so cruel? Even killing women and children."
"This is the power of faith. All heretics should be burned to death." Oscar is a fanatical believer in Christianity.
"You're absolutely crazy!" Hank couldn't accept this extreme thought.
But it was obvious that more people recognized Oscar's words. Many people were shouting slogans and waving long knives at the same time. It was already the 20th century, and they didn't know what use the long knives had.
But looking at the corpses with missing heads, Hank seemed to suddenly realize something.
"Hank, you'll get used to it soon. Isn't this how you treat Indians?" Oscar didn't think this was fanaticism.
"That was last century, and we can live in peace with the Indians now." Hank said seriously.
"Can we really live in peace?" Oscar didn't believe it.
Hank was silent. Some facts are irrefutable. Some areas of the United States are still undergoing the westward expansion movement. Africans can nominally coexist peacefully with white people in the United States, but can they really be peaceful?
Hank himself didn't believe it.
"This is the purpose of our coming to Khuzestan. We want to rescue these people from the brutal rule of the Persian Empire and bring them a more advanced model and a better life. This is our mission." Bill's words made people happy.
Hank believed that the mercenaries came to Khuzestan with this sense of mission.
