This story introduces the American millionaire John Dall, who reappears in many of the following books.

The huge Mongol is now assembling and training a large and well-equipped army of mercenaries in a hidden valley in the Hindu Kush Mountains bordering on Afghanistan.

Karz does have one problem though; he lacks a couple of top lieutenants to command two sections of his growing army.

His choice falls on Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin, even though he knows they are not for hire.

Meanwhile, Sir Gerald Tarrant, who runs a secret service organisation under the British government, has noticed that many mercenaries are being recruited by some unknown employer and disappearing.