Must Go On As Usual

Fengtian, Neon Country Consulate.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber.

Sato Kenichi held a cup of sake, sipping it slowly, his eyes carrying a hint of disdain.

"Matsui-kun, the Feng Army's defeat at Shanhai Pass has severely wounded them. Zhang Yuting is now a cornered, sick tiger, not to be feared."

Across from him sat Matsui Shigeki, a man with a stern face wearing an army uniform.

Upon hearing this, the corner of his mouth curled into a cruel arc.

"Sato-kun, a sick tiger is still a tiger. Moreover, I heard that Zhang Yuting's son, that young man named Zhang Xueming, has been making quite a few moves recently."

"Oh?" Sato Kenichi put down his wine cup, his interest piqued. "What can he possibly achieve, being just a young pup?"

Matsui Shigeki let out a cold snort and picked up an intelligence file from the table.

"He's started a newspaper, organized some sort of new education system, and I heard... he even wants to form a modern Air Force and Navy."

"Pfft."

Sato Kenichi couldn't help himself, nearly spitting out his sake.

He wiped his mouth, laughing heartily.

"Air Force? Navy? Matsui-kun, are you joking?"

"What will they build them with? Airplanes made of sorghum stalks? Or warships made of rafts?"

"The intelligence says they've already built an airfield in the outskirts of Fengtian, and they've also cordoned off an area in Yingzhou, claiming they're going to build a naval port." Matsui Shigeki's tone was also filled with disdain.

"Let him be." Sato Kenichi waved his hand, picking up his wine cup again. "It's just child's play. I think we should give this sick tiger a small 'surprise' to make him face reality."

A sharp glint flashed in Matsui Shigeki's eyes.

"Sato-kun means..."

"I heard the Army has recently developed a batch of Western-style mountain artillery? They're incredibly powerful," Sato Kenichi said slowly. "Zhang Yuting's hometown is in Haicheng, isn't it? We could conduct an artillery live-fire exercise near Haicheng."

"To show them what true power is!"

Matsui Shigeki slammed the table, standing up excitedly.

"Great idea! Let's do it! I want Zhang Yuting and his son to hear the roar of our Great Neon Empire's Army artillery right at their doorstep!"

Sato Kenichi nodded with satisfaction and added, "However, it's an exercise, so we must maintain control. The impact point should be set on the outskirts of Haicheng, no need to actually hit the city. After all, we still need the Feng Army as a shield."

"Understood!" Matsui Shigeki replied with a sinister grin.

Just as the two were congratulating themselves on their "brilliant plan," the office door was violently kicked open.

An intelligence operative scrambled in, his face deathly pale and covered in sweat.

"Mr. Sato! General Matsui! It's bad! Something terrible has happened!"

Sato Kenichi frowned, displeased.

"What's all this panic? Have you no composure!"

The operative, not bothering to wipe his sweat, tremblingly pulled an envelope from his chest.

"Ying... Yingzhou Port! Our people took this at Yingzhou Port!"

Matsui Shigeki snatched the envelope, tore it open roughly, and spilled out several photographs.

The moment he saw the contents of the photos, his entire body froze.

Sato Kenichi, feeling curious, leaned over.

With just one glance, his pupils constricted sharply.

The photos showed a deep blue sea and a brand-new port.

In the port, three behemoths were quietly docked!

Their sleek hull lines, towering bridges, and the menacing, skyward-pointing massive gun barrels... all indicated that these were three bona fide modern battleships!

"This... this is impossible!" Matsui Shigeki's voice trembled. "How could the Feng Army possibly have something like this! Whose warships are these?"

"The flag... look at the flag!" Sato Kenichi pointed to the flag flying from the main mast of the warships in the photos, his voice dry.

It was a flag they had never seen in the naval inventory of any country.

A red background, eighteen golden stars.

The Iron Blood Eighteen Star Flag!

"It's... it's Huaxia's flag!" the operative added, his voice trembling. "And, according to our observation, these three warships... are likely newly launched vessels!"

"New vessels?" Matsui Shigeki's mind went blank.

Sato Kenichi felt the world spinning. He leaned on the table, gasping for breath, his vision blurring.

Secret construction?

Three battleships?

How did they do it? Right under the Empire's nose?

This isn't child's play anymore!

These are real weapons that can kill!

Overwhelmed by immense shock and horror, he could no longer stand.

"Sato-kun!"

"Sir!"

Amidst the cries of Matsui Shigeki and the operatives, Sato Kenichi's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed straight backward.

After a flurry of activity, Sato Kenichi was finally revived by pinching his philtrum.

The first thing he did upon waking was to tightly grasp Matsui Shigeki's arm, his eyes filled with terror.

"Halt! We must immediately halt the artillery drill!"

"Matsui-kun! We were all wrong! We severely underestimated that Zhang Xueming!"

"Three Battleships! Amaterasu Omikami! This force is already enough to threaten our interests throughout the Kanto Region! We must report this to the homeland immediately and request the Combined Fleet to send reinforcements!"