Dusk, 5:10 PM, the sun just began to set in the west, not yet fully below the horizon.
South of Kandahar, Gamsha.
In a Lexus SUV driving from north to south, Song Heping opened a map on the dashboard in front of him, while holding a civilian version of a satellite GPS, constantly comparing it to the surrounding scenery.
As for map reading and navigation, Song Heping was certainly no stranger.
However, in an utterly unfamiliar country like Afghanistan, driving through vast highland basins to a dangerous area known for the most severe opium cultivation and highest production in the world felt like driving across the African savannah without a guide.
The difference is that in the wilds of Africa, the only things that can kill you are animals, but here, the only things that can kill you are people.