‘The great river flows east, its waves washing away the heroes of a thousand ages.’ No matter how much I lingered in the warmth of soft embraces, the Spring Festival passed, and I had to immediately return to my post. Liu Xue currently has no plans to make a public comeback; as long as she remains among the women, nothing will go wrong. Moreover, Taotao and Xia Huren are keeping watch; for the Silverwing Killers organization and the TW's Qinglian Gang, laying a hand on her will not be easy.
It wasn't that I didn't want to personally protect Liu Xue and use the opportunity to grow closer to her, but time waits for no one; I could only attend to one thing at a time. Before I left, Liu Xue and Yun Yao even staged a special evening show for me, which almost made me not want to leave them.
Zhou Ni and Ning Shixuan are my intended wives, yet they remain virgins to this day—it truly is my fault. Cai Jingjing has been very secretive lately, and Cai Bao'er won't tell me the truth. I’ve tried to see her several times, but she keeps avoiding me. Who knows what’s going on with this ‘wife-sister’ of mine? Sometimes, I really do miss playing the breast-sucking game again.
Xu Chen went home to Nanjing for the Lunar New Year. I heard her hometown is not far from the Nanjing Military Region garrison. She hoped I could contact her family and visit them. However, the immediate task is to familiarize myself with the affairs of the Nanjing Military Region as quickly as possible and allocate the weaponry and equipment I brought to the various Army Groups.
To enhance the strength of the forces and fight the unification war effectively, I provided the troops with a batch of new weaponry through Zhu Da’s channel.
Before introducing this batch of weapons, I must mention the state of the Tri-Service Legion’s equipment. In terms of aircraft, two generations of fighters and attack planes have been developed. The first generation is the Mountain Eagle class, average in combat power and ordnance load, but light and agile, suitable for high-altitude dogfights. The second generation, the Hummer class, is powerfully combat-capable but larger, making it less nimble compared to the first generation, but better suited as an attack aircraft. For bombers, there are also two generations: the first is the Walrus class, and the second is the Beluga class, the difference lying mainly in payload and precision guidance. Transport aircraft have also seen two generations: the first is the Arhat class, and the second is the Qiankun class; essentially, the difference is only the size of the cargo hold. For attack helicopters, there is only the Cheetah class, but it comes in two models: the improved Cheetah LBR vastly surpasses the LBI in firepower and protective armor, significantly enhancing anti-submarine, anti-tank, and anti-infantry capabilities, while also boosting cruising speed, endurance, and performance in various harsh climates.
The reason for not developing new models is not that our technology has hit a dead end, but because the wives felt it was unnecessary. These aircraft are more than enough to conquer the world; investing further human and material resources into producing other, more advanced models would be a waste.
In terms of submarines, the current classes are: the Mercury class with a displacement of 20,000 tons, the Mars class with a displacement of 30,000 tons, the Venus-class Submarine Carrier with a displacement of 130,000 tons, and the Earth-class Underwater Fortress with a displacement of 300,000 tons. No new models are planned for now; one Earth-class Underwater Fortress is sufficient to counter a US carrier battle group. Our Third Fleet consists of one hundred Earth-class Underwater Fortresses, carrying 15,000 fighter jets—this number is enough to contend with the entire world.
For warships: we have cruisers—the Xia class (20,000 tons displacement) and the Shang class (40,000 tons displacement); and destroyers—the Light Rain class (10,000 tons displacement). Since the Tri-Service Legion has focused primarily on strengthening air and submarine forces, there are currently only these three types of surface combatants. Landing craft are not being considered; if ground operations are necessary, fighter jets and bombers will certainly provide cover while transport planes airdrop troops, which is fast, accurate, and minimizes casualties.
Ground weaponry is virtually nonexistent, save for one type: the Tiger Heavy Armored Tank. This was developed specifically to guard against the Old Muscovites, whose mechanized tank divisions are formidable. We developed this heavy tank in anticipation of a decisive battle with them.
There is also a machine gun, the Metal Storm, capable of firing 2 million rounds per minute, equivalent to unleashing 4 tons of steel every sixty seconds. Other nations have researched this weapon, but theirs are single-use items that must be discarded after firing, and the barrel cannot withstand the torrent for more than a few minutes. However, our Metal Storm, due to the special alloy used, allows the barrel to fire continuously for several hours without melting, and ours is a reloadable, refillable type.
Given the current state of warfare dominated by aerial combat and missile warfare, the Metal Storm's utility is limited. However, it should prove useful during the landing operation on TW Island. Using it to secure a strong defensive position would be effortless; even if Ah Shui sends several reinforced brigades, they would still be riddled with holes.
Having detailed the Tri-Service Legion’s weapons system, I will now introduce the equipment I brought to the Nanjing Military Region: one hundred Mountain Eagle-class fighters, one hundred Walrus-class bombers, ten Arhat-class transport planes, and ten Cheetah attack helicopters (first generation, but equipped with anti-submarine and anti-tank capabilities), and one hundred Metal Storms. Zhu Da had sold these types of weapons internationally before, but in small quantities, and always modified to run on fuel as per customer requests. However, the batch ‘sold’ to Great Dragon Country this time uses high-energy batteries, which vastly outperform fuel-driven systems, multiplying their range several times over.
Foreign clients dared not request the high-energy battery models because they feared being beholden to the Great Land Energy Company for power. Thus, they bypassed the high-energy battery drive. Although this sacrifices some performance, the resulting boost to their own forces' combat capability is still immense.
Although this rapid military procurement caused panic in M and R countries, they could not openly criticize Great Dragon Country immediately because they had all purchased arms from Zhu Da before. Can they be allowed to light fires while Great Dragon Country is forbidden to light a candle? Upon learning that this batch of weapons would be entirely allocated to the Nanjing Military Region, TW also became anxious and immediately contacted Zhu Da, hoping to purchase the same quantity of these weapon series. Price was not an issue.
What TW and its backers did not expect was that this world-class arms dealer suddenly decided to give his employees a holiday, temporarily halting all arms deals, with a notice to follow regarding reopening. This enraged Ah Shui and countries like M and R, who cursed profusely, yet they dared not offend Zhu Da. He can supply weapons in bulk to various nations; making him unhappy would surely invite trouble.
Nanjing Military Region Commander General Liu Ya personally greeted me at the military airfield. His joy upon seeing me was truly moving. He clapped my shoulder and said, “Comrade Chief of Staff, we’ve finally waited for you. Let me introduce everyone.”
Before me stood a group of comrades all over fifty years old. Under General Liu Ya’s introduction, I learned they were: Political Commissar of the Nanjing Military Region General Zhu Yiming, Commander of the First Army Group Major General Shi Hanbiao, Commander of the Twelfth Army Group Major General Du Huacheng, Commander of the Thirty-first Army Group Major General Wang Qi, Director of the Political Department Major General Zhou Fa, Deputy Commander of the Nanjing Military Region and Air Force Commander Major General Lu Xilong, and Commander of the East Sea Fleet Lieutenant General You Zhenghang.
They were all Generals, Lieutenant Generals, or Major Generals. My appointment as the Military Region’s Chief of Staff at the rank of Colonel was likely an anomaly. Looking at the entourage accompanying me, I understood the special nature of my position: personnel from the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Rectification Office were all dispatched with me to work at the Nanjing Military Region. A team of 20 Super Soldiers also followed. This setup was akin to an imperial procession. It wasn't a self-aggrandizing move, but rather a necessity dictated by the office I held.
I still had to offer some customary pleasantries: “Thank you all for coming in person to welcome me. I am truly moved beyond words. Thank you.”
Air Force Commander Major General Lu Xilong broke in, “Enough with the pleasantries. Let’s talk quickly about these 220 aircraft. The Chairman stated you have full discretion over their allocation. I’ve been eagerly awaiting your arrival; I barely slept last night.”
I was stunned—so they had ulterior motives. Commander Liu Ya, unlike Major General Lu Xilong, was less impatient. “It’s nearly lunchtime. We should return to the military region headquarters to eat and discuss; we have a welcome reception this afternoon. I hope Comrade Chief of Staff can guide our work.”
I dare not presume to guide their work. My experience is only suited for battles fought with overwhelming advantage. When facing situations without overwhelming superiority in troop numbers or weaponry, my combat experience is vastly inferior to these veterans. This is precisely why I urged the Chairman to increase military purchases. Of course, these weapons were essentially semi-gifts, and I hoped to use them to win victories so the Chairman wouldn't feel too much loss.
The afternoon tea session involved numerous proposals. The primary task was to discuss and approve the establishment of a new unit under the direct command of the Central Air Force—the Independent First Fighter Division—without altering the existing Nanjing Military Region Air Force structure. This division would be equipped with one hundred Mountain Eagle fighters, organized into three flying regiments. Each regiment would have three flying groups, and each flying group would have three flying squadrons, with each squadron comprising three Mountain Eagle fighters—standard Great Dragon Country Air Force organization. This was designed to facilitate easier handover to the existing Air Force leadership. The remaining nineteen Mountain Eagles would include one dedicated to the division headquarters and eighteen held in reserve for mobile readiness.
The second task was to establish a bomber division directly under the Central Air Force—the Independent First Bomber Division—equipped with one hundred Walrus-class bombers, structured identically to the fighter division. The sites for the two new divisions would be provided by the Fuzhou Air Force Command. The operational and logistical personnel would be drawn from experienced pilots and logistics staff from the Nanjing Air Force’s 3rd, 10th, 14th, 26th, and 28th Fighter Divisions, and the 29th Fighter Division.
The new aircraft shared operating characteristics almost identical to Great Dragon Country’s classic series of fighters and bombers. Pilots required no specialized training to fly them immediately. This was one of the first considerations when Little Raindrop and Yi Xiaorou developed these aircraft; since the Tri-Service Legion personnel were drawn from various units, training them from scratch to fly fighter jets would be too burdensome. Therefore, besides having simpler, more convenient, and more intuitive controls, all designs referenced the layout of the Great Dragon Country series aircraft.
The ten Arhat-class transport planes would form the Independent Airborne Division. With their superior stealth capabilities and highly armored fuselage, they could transport 100,000 troops to TW Island within two hours. The one hundred Metal Storms would be distributed at the battalion level; should a landing operation commence, they would be used to suppress TW firepower.
Here, I must mention a commonality among the Tri-Service Legion aircraft: besides using high-energy batteries to boost flight speed and endurance, their 3x super-alloy shells are comparable to ultra-thick protective mechs. All aircraft are protected against radar detection and electronic jamming, and they utilize the high-precision navigation system provided by Universal Communications, ensuring a strike accuracy error of no more than 50 centimeters.
The meeting ended with a disagreement over the allocation of the ten Cheetah helicopters. General Liu Ya slammed the table: “These ten helicopters should be assigned to our Army for use in anti-tank roles and landing cover. I hope Chief of Staff Zhao will give more consideration to the safety of our soldiers.”
East Sea Fleet Commander Lieutenant General You Zhenghang disagreed: “Commander Liu, I can’t agree with that. Are your soldiers’ lives more precious than our Navy personnel? TW recently procured eight additional Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines from the US before the New Year. As everyone knows, the Cheetah attack helicopter has formidable anti-submarine capabilities. With these ten helicopters for ASW, those eight TW Kilo submarines will become useless scrap metal. Otherwise, they could inflict massive damage on our surface vessels.”
As the two argued, I had to frankly inform Lieutenant General You Zhenghang: “Commander You, you needn't worry about this. Before I arrived, the Chairman informed me that the Central Government has already procured two Xia-class cruisers. Their anti-submarine capabilities far exceed those of these ten helicopters. Additionally, ten Mercury-class submarines will all be assigned to the East Sea Fleet. No matter how potent TW’s submarines are, they will be useless. So, rest assured.”
You Zhenghang was so overjoyed he almost lost his composure: “Really? Comrade Chief of Staff Zhao, you aren't deceiving me, are you? How is it that not a single piece of news about this was released? If that’s true, the East Sea Fleet will see an increase in combat strength equivalent to nearly thirty thousand tons of displacement!”
Being experienced in political matters, Nanjing Military Region Political Commissar General Zhu Yiming addressed You Zhenghang: “Old You, can you still doubt Chief of Staff Zhao’s words? If he says the Chairman mentioned it, it cannot be false. Just wait to receive them. I heard the Mercury submarines and Xia-class cruisers are extremely suitable for our Great Dragon Country sailors; they can start training immediately. Just don't forget to thank Chief of Staff Zhao when you earn merits.”
Everyone knew I was a favorite of Chairman Li and Premier Qiao. Although I was here as the Chief of Staff for the Nanjing Military Region, these veterans were incredibly astute. Before drawing any conclusion, they would always check with me first, because my opinion was effectively the opinion of the Chairman and the Premier; they had to treat it with utmost seriousness.
You Zhenghang obviously understood the implication in Zhu Yiming’s words. He rubbed his hands excitedly: “Of course I believe it. Then I will prepare to receive the two cruisers and ten submarines. This is wonderful! With the cruisers, we won't fear their Jide destroyers! Everyone knows the Red Dragon organization has tested the power of their Xia-class cruisers; even US aircraft carriers dare not underestimate them. However, cruisers are still a new class of warship in Great Dragon Country; I worry maintenance might be a scramble.”
I reassured Commander You Zhenghang: “Don't worry. Suppliers for both the aircraft and warships will send dedicated personnel for maintenance. We only need to learn how to use them. If we had to learn everything from scratch, we wouldn't even need to fight the war.”
Everyone agreed: “Chief of Staff Zhao is right. The TW authorities have gone mad. They are completely ignoring the Central Government’s warnings and will hold another referendum for UN membership next Tuesday. The Central Government must issue a judgment on this matter. If the UN truly allows them to join based on the will of the TW people, then our motherland’s unification will truly be jeopardized.”
I nearly slammed the table in anger: “Who says unification will be difficult! TW is merely a small pebble on our path forward. We must not only unify TW but also reclaim the vast territories in the south and the large swathes of lost land in the north! If the UN dares to approve TW’s membership, we will destroy the UN! If Japan dares to support TW independence, we will destroy Japan! If the US dares to support TW independence, we will destroy the US!”
“What!” Everyone was stunned. They wanted to say I was spouting nonsense, but they feared displeasing me, and their frustrated expressions were truly unpleasant to behold.
I didn't wish to discuss future matters. Calming my emotions, I said, “Let’s not talk about the distant future for now. The vanguard of the TW defense zone is right here with us in the Nanjing Military Region. Does anyone have any good ideas to teach them a lesson, to let them know we will not stand idly by while they act so presumptuously?”
Air Force Commander Major General Lu Xilong offered, “TW has been frequently deploying E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft to reconnoiter our troop deployments recently. I think we should have a countermeasure.”
General Liu Ya stated grimly, “We are all old comrades. We must not act rashly before the Central Government gives us orders! Based on our intelligence analysis, the US has already deployed F-22 advanced fighter jets at the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. They might intervene in a Taiwan Strait conflict!”
Commander of the First Army Group, Major General Shi Yibiao, questioned, “Would Japan allow US aircraft to take off from their territory to attack us? Setting aside the fact that this would make us enemies, there is the Red Dragon organization in the middle of the ocean. Would they allow aircraft to fly over their warships? I believe this is the best opportunity to recover TW. Everyone, look here.”
Shi Hanbiao stood up and moved toward the map: “This is the operational area of the Red Dragon Fleet. In this sea zone, they have deployed only submarine units, encompassing the Ryukyu and Okinawa islands, as well as our Diaoyu Islands. Based on post-battle intelligence analysis from the last naval engagement, the Red Dragon has at least 80 Earth-class Underwater Fortresses here, possibly accompanied by thousands of Mars-class attack submarines. This force is virtually unrivaled in the current world. If we can communicate with the Red Dragon organization and ask them to assist with defense deployment on the eastern Pacific coast, the US fleet would absolutely not dare to participate in a Taiwan Strait war, nor would they dare to send fighter jets flying over the Red Dragon Fleet.”
Commander of the Thirty-first Army Group Major General Wang Qi interjected, “Is Major General Shi confused? Asking the Red Dragon to assist our deployment? We might as well have them take TW for us directly.”
The two began to argue over differing opinions. I spoke up to stop them: “Stop arguing. While Major General Shi’s suggestion seems overly idealistic on the surface, one thing we can confirm is that the Red Dragon will absolutely not interfere in our internal affairs, nor will they allow the US or Japan to infringe upon their interests. Overall, the situation is highly advantageous for us. I will present this advantage to the Chairman and hope the Central Government abandons the concept of peaceful unification as soon as possible to resolve the TW issue. We cannot let Ah Shui continue to act so arrogantly.”
Perhaps my words sounded somewhat presumptuous, but right now, I needed to project an image of dominance. I can be indifferent to fame and fortune, as those things are useless to me now, but I cannot tolerate Ah Shui pulling TW away from the path of unification. If I cannot even govern TW, how can I speak of unifying the world?
The proposals discussed in the afternoon were immediately submitted to the Central Government and approved the very next day. At this point, their faith in my influence grew stronger. The speed of processing and the full endorsement from the Central Military Commission were unprecedented in their experience. The Central Government also issued secret notices to all military regions, clarifying the policy of using force to reclaim TW if necessary.
However, in current public announcements, Great Dragon Country was still urging the TW authorities to return to peaceful negotiations and not to recklessly harm the people of TW. The Central Government also called upon the entire nation and the Party to hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, continue to deepen reform, improve people’s income levels, and follow the great path of peaceful development!
The Washington Post reprinted Pinfkov’s Kanwa analysis. According to satellite images, the barracks housing the 112th and 113th Divisions of the 38th Army in the Beijing Military Region, the 115th Division of the 39th Army in Shenyang, and the 79th and 80th Divisions of the 27th Army in Jinan were recently empty. Were the troops out on maneuvers? Or was there an intention toward TW?
Pinfkov specifically pointed out that all these units were among Great Dragon Country’s most elite forces. Great Dragon Country was massing troops and might be pursuing the route of military reunification with TW! The US President had already reacted, deploying large numbers of F-22 fighters and bombers to Kadena Air Base, standing by.
Two days later, the capital of Great Dragon Country issued an announcement: the Central Government was willing to hold peace talks with Taipei regarding the independence issue, reiterating that no force would be used against T.
The next day, Taipei released the latest news: the ‘President’ had rejected peace talks, stating there was nothing to discuss regarding independence. TW had effectively been independent for 60 years; by international custom, even if not de jure, it was independent.
In the upcoming election, the Kuomintang suffered a major setback, severely losing seats in the legislative election and losing its majority control of the legislature. Ah Shui effectively controlled the entire island of TW. The smoke of war was about to rise.