In the Nanjing Military Region, I wasn't quite the top dog, but I was certainly the second-in-command. Though I didn't aspire to such overarching authority, they simply wouldn't make a move without seeking my counsel. Furthermore, I intended to leverage the retaking of TW as an opportunity to secure higher rank and position for myself; one’s path in the officialdom is rarely one’s own choosing.
As the situation progressed, even those ignorant of warfare could plainly see that no matter how high Ah Shui jumped, the Great Dragon Nation could never abandon Taiwan Island. Losing TW would be tantamount to surrendering half the nation’s territory. Despite its modest size compared to the vast inland expanses, TW Island’s strategic location was like a colossal aircraft carrier guarding the eastern gate of the Motherland.
In the TW elections, the Kuomintang suffered successive crushing defeats while the DPP steadily gained ground. Consequently, the cry for a referendum on joining the UN grew louder, with the vote scheduled in just three days. Certain T-separatist elements took to the streets in full-blown propaganda campaigns, sending countless balloons loaded with seditious leaflets soaring toward the mainland.
The TW media broadcasted through every channel that their yearning for independence would not waver in the face of Beijing’s intimidation; TW was marching toward an ‘independent and autonomous’ tomorrow! Worse still, three E-2C Hawkeye aircraft performing missions even displayed reactionary stickers, completely disregarding the presence of our military's air defense forces. These stickers often bore slogans like, ‘UN admission is the free and democratic choice of the TW people; Beijing has no right to interfere with the will of the TW populace. Long live the DPP, long live independence.’ Ah Shui was already a notorious political thug and gambler; he surely knew this maneuver was doomed to fail, especially since the US had already issued warnings indicating they would not be dragged into this mess. Yet, having loosed the arrow, there was no turning back. Even with a one-in-ten-thousand chance, Ah Shui had to risk it all. If he didn't, the DPP’s “Presidential” status would be lost, and Ah Shui would become a prisoner, perhaps even losing his life. Thus, the gamble was necessary, but this wager threatened to drag all 23 million compatriots of TW into peril.
Why would the US oppose Taiwan independence? As is widely known, the fractured state of the two sides was orchestrated single-handedly by the US years ago. Taiwan has always been a trump card the US held to constrain the Great Dragon Nation, and the efficacy of this card depended entirely on the Straits remaining neither independent nor unified—maintaining the status quo.
In truth, the Americans understood that peaceful reunification across the Strait was almost impossible, and the Great Dragon Nation’s will and determination to oppose T-separatism were unchallengeable. ‘UN admission’ meant Taiwan independence; Taiwan independence meant war; and war meant the unification of the Dragon Nation, which in turn meant greater strength!
A moment's thought reveals the reality: once the TW issue is resolved, the formidable military might currently aimed at TW will be liberated. Surely, this force must strike fear into the heart of the US, which tasted the power of the steel legions deeply in the last century!
As for Ah Shui, the instigator of this trouble, the Americans now wished him dead and gone, warning him against desperation that might lead to reckless action, lest he incur all ensuing consequences and responsibility. Despite these strong words, the US was simultaneously compelled to redeploy its forces to prepare for any unexpected contingency.
Following years of preparation, especially since TW launched the ‘UN admission’ referendum slogan last year, the PLA had undertaken extensive preparations for the armed liberation of TW. Now, everything was in place; only the opportune moment was missing. Ah Shui’s blatant scheduling of the ‘UN admission’ referendum provided the PLA with the perfect pretext for an assault on Taiwan, leaving the US and Japan no legitimate grounds for intervention. Should they dare to step in, it would be interference in the Great Dragon Nation’s internal affairs, tantamount to a declaration of war!
Just as the Nanjing Military Region was preparing to teach those arrogant E-2C Hawkeyes a lesson for their aggressive reconnaissance, the national television and radio stations broadcasted an announcement regarding an important televised address by Chairman Li to the world: The “UN admission” in TW constitutes an act of splitting the nation’s unity, and the government of the Great Dragon Nation possesses the capability, the right, and the obligation to stop it.
The directive read: Effective immediately, the entire nation shall unite around the Central Government to engage in a decisive final battle against a handful of T-separatist forces!
The address was simultaneously accompanied by ten orders: 1. The 2.3 million People’s Liberation Army troops shall enter a state of war. 2. The 11 million militia members shall be mobilized to active duty. 3. All vessels within national borders shall be requisitioned and assembled at designated times and locations. 4. The 300 nautical miles surrounding TW are declared a combat zone; any vessel entering this area will be treated as an enemy ship, and its safety will not be guaranteed. 5. Any foreign power engaging in military action against the People’s Liberation Army, the territory of the Great Dragon Nation, or citizens of the Great Dragon Nation will be deemed an act of war, and the Great Dragon Nation does not guarantee it will refrain from using nuclear weapons. 6. It is announced that the Great Dragon Nation possesses 4,600 nuclear weapons. The nation’s sea-based nuclear forces include 16 nuclear missile submarines, capable of destroying a nation of 10 million square kilometers six times over. The Great Dragon Nation’s Second Artillery possesses an intercontinental missile force capable of destroying a nation of 10 million square kilometers twelve times over: Furthermore, it is announced that the Great Dragon Nation has developed the anti-nuclear weapon, the Black Hole Bomb, capable of directionally eliminating the destructive power of a nuclear explosion within a specified range, and demonstration footage of the Black Hole Bomb test was displayed. 7. Japan is severely warned: Should Japan dare to offer military aid to TW or support Taiwan's independence factions, the Great Dragon Nation will consider abrogating all Sino-Japanese peace accords and vows to reclaim all territories lost during past Sino-Japanese wars. 8. All grain, petroleum, and transportation within the Great Dragon Nation shall be placed under wartime control. Coastal cities in the southeast shall observe blackout measures after nightfall. 9. The crackdown on T-separatist forces shall not involve the people of TE Province who support unification; the people of TE Province shall enjoy all the rights and obligations stipulated by the Great Dragon Nation’s Constitution. 10. Hard-line policies shall be adopted against T-separatists: anyone who fails to declare support for unification within two days shall be executed without exception, and all their property shall be confiscated.
These ten orders sent shockwaves around the world the moment they were released. Some bold analysts had previously estimated that the Great Dragon Nation would need at least 3,000 nuclear warheads to pose a substantive threat to US mainland soil; now, over a thousand more were revealed overnight. The officially published figures had only hinted at the true scale.
What stunned the world even more was the anti-nuclear weapon! This meant the Great Dragon Nation no longer feared US nuclear capability, and its sheer arsenal of nuclear weapons was enough to annihilate any enemy, including this planet. The world exclaimed that the descendants of the Dragon were too powerful! The sleeping lion had finally awakened, and ironically, it was TW that had poked it awake.
Anti-nuclear weapons have always been the ultimate superpower yearned for by nations everywhere. The sudden announcement by the Great Dragon Nation of developing the Black Hole Bomb meant that, besides neutralizing nuclear fallout, the Black Hole Bomb itself was a weapon of far greater destructive power. A single deployment in a major city of over a million inhabitants would leave not even a shard of broken tile behind! Even more terrifying was the fact that this technology was currently mastered only by scientists of the Great Dragon Nation. Without a balance of power, the Great Dragon Nation could deploy this weapon in combat at any moment!
Many scientists found it hard to believe the Great Dragon Nation's technological prowess was so advanced, yet after watching the publicly released Black Hole Bomb test footage, they could find no discernible flaw. Furthermore, the Great Dragon Nation followed up by releasing physical photographs and partial data on the Black Hole Bomb, once again proving the weapon’s existence to the world.
The US panicked, and nations worldwide grew anxious. The imbalance in nuclear deterrence was set to reshape the global order. US President Joe Bush, bound by the mutual defense pact between the US and TW, was forced to begin assembling troops at the US base in Okinawa to provide necessary support to TW should the need arise. He issued a final ultimatum to the government of the Great Dragon Nation: Cease all military action immediately, or the US would unite with other nations to impose economic sanctions, reserving the right to military intervention if necessary. The US declared it would never bow to terrorist forces, regardless of the Black Hole Bomb's existence.
However, what the Americans failed to anticipate was Japan's refusal to allow US forces access to its territory. Japan also issued a severe warning to the Great Dragon Nation: Do not attack its territory, including Okinawa, or Japan would enter a state of war.
The Great Dragon Nation readily accepted this point. Matters between China and Japan could be settled later; national unification came first. The Great Dragon Nation also had no fear of US economic sanctions. The Strait of Malacca was effectively controlled by the Red Dragon. Even if the Strait were lost, any entity attempting to supply resources to the Great Dragon Nation would effectively be challenging the Red Dragon, thereby inviting a devastating strike!
During the two days awaiting a decision from the TW authorities, news broke of another earth-shattering event in the Great Dragon Nation: The Ministry of State Security rooted out a ring of traitors who had sold state secrets and executed them, including several high-ranking military officers. Military leaks had caused the complete failure of an operation against Taiwan over a decade ago; this time, the Great Dragon Nation would not repeat the mistake.
Word had it that this internal investigation, codenamed 'Digging for Treasure,' was linked to a mysterious Deputy Minister of State Security, who tasked a mysterious young woman and an enigmatic cat with executing the mission. Anyone attempting to conceal the truth would not escape their scrutiny; it was rumored that this pair could peer into a person's inner thoughts, making them ten thousand times more effective than a lie detector.
The downfall of a large number of corrupt officials further underscored the Great Dragon Nation’s resolve to reclaim TW. The fifth great battle to reclaim Taiwan in history was about to commence: the first by Zheng Chenggong, the second by Emperor Kangxi, the third by Emperor Qianlong, the fourth by the Kuomintang, and the fifth, this one.
Having been rebuffed by Japan, the US grew frantic. Despite their deep dissatisfaction with Japan, they could not criticize them too harshly, as Japan was a non-nuclear state; even with the Great Dragon Nation possessing the Black Hole Bomb, they need not fear Japan. Helplessly, the US began massing forces in the Pacific. However, this move risked provoking the Red Dragon again, forcing them to proceed with extreme caution while repeatedly issuing public statements that the US desired no further conflict with the Red Dragon; their immediate concern was fulfilling their past commitment to TW.
But before the US forces could fully mobilize, on the morning of the third day, just as the ‘UN admission’ referendum meeting was beginning, TW sounded its air raid sirens. Highly saturated missile strikes hammered bases across TW. Ah Shui immediately declared a state of war, and various wartime command centers sprang into action. After narrowly dodging the missile attacks, Ah Shui boarded an armored vehicle and proceeded to the Hengshan Command Center.
After two waves of missile bombardment, the remaining TW radar systems barely detected planes approaching from the northwest, southwest, and due west—a vast, overwhelming swarm numbering over a thousand aircraft, comprising no less than five or six different models: fighters, attack aircraft, bombers, refueling tankers, transport planes, early warning aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft...
Undamaged F-16A/Bs, French Mirage 2000s, and other fighter jets within underground hangars at bases like Hsinchu Nanliao, Taoyuan, and Taichung Chingchuangang scrambled into the air. A secret bomber wing of the T-forces quietly took off, heading for SH City on the mainland, while T-forces’ medium-range missiles were placed on standby, waiting only for Ah Shui’s command to launch retaliatory strikes against major mainland cities near Taiwan.
Taiwan’s five Patriot missile systems and Tien Kung-1 anti-aircraft missile batteries did manage to shoot down a fair number of PLA aircraft, but the attacking air force was simply too massive; even the fiercest interception could not withstand the onslaught. Simultaneously, PLA reconnaissance satellites swiftly pinpointed the exact locations of the T-forces’ missile launchers and relayed the data to missile units along the Fujian coast and to the aircraft hovering over TW. Guided missiles flew with unerring accuracy toward the Patriot missile platforms and the Tien Kung-1 launch sites. Before the second wave of attack, the T-forces’ entire anti-aircraft missile capability was silenced.
However, by this time, the T-forces’ fighter jets had successfully taken to the skies. They quickly engaged the PLA aircraft, which darkened the sky like a plague of locusts. The outcome was predictable: the F-16s and Mirage 2000s stood no chance against the Shan Ying (Mountain Hawk) fighters, especially when supported by large numbers of Su-30s, Su-27s, and J-10s. The T-forces’ planes were doomed to be shot down; soon, every single one was destroyed, resulting in the complete loss of TW's air superiority. Upon hearing the news, Ah Shui was furious and ordered the medium-range missiles to strike the mainland.
What made Ah Shui nearly vomit blood was that those missiles, so highly praised by the US, could not evade interception by the PLA missile forces. They were largely detonated mid-air before they even crossed the Strait, at best falling into the sea and killing countless fish, which served as a bonus for the mainland fishermen who could simply go out and net them.
Soon, the aircraft dispatched for the secret bombing mission over SH sent back requests for support, reporting heavy, concentrated anti-aircraft fire that prevented them from getting within 100 kilometers of SH City. Only two bombers remained of the entire squadron; they dropped their ordnance onto vegetable patches in the suburbs and hastily retreated. Ah Shui completely collapsed. At this point, the Navy was unreachable, and the PLA’s offensive was so rapid that the US assistance seemed hopelessly late.
The PLA’s H-6s, FBC-1 fighter-bombers, and the main strike force—eighty-one Haima (Seahorse) bombers—blasted hundreds of kilometers of beachhead on the northwest corner of TW Island as if turning over sod, sinking several meters deep. Following the bombing, ten Leopard attack helicopters, each carrying a Type 99A main battle tank, began landing. Once the ten tanks hit the tidal flats, they rapidly suppressed the remaining defending forces’ fire. Immediately following them, ten Luohan-class transport aircraft descended like scattered beans, air-dropping 100,000 troops along the eastern coast of TW Island in a single deployment. Trailing closely were one hundred Metal Storm artillery systems. Under the cover of the Type 99A main battle tanks’ firepower, the Metal Storm units quickly deployed and entered the fray. The M60A3 tank counterattacks organized by the T-forces were ripped apart, their armor pierced by conventional rounds. With a rate of fire of four tons of ammunition per minute, even diamond could not withstand such sustained barrages. Reinforced concrete bunkers were riddled with holes after several minutes of fixed bombardment; even if a single round chipped away one millimeter of concrete, a minute allowed for 70,000 rounds—enough to pierce any thickness of structure. Combined with the single-soldier rocket launchers and portable anti-tank rockets carried by the PLA soldiers, the T-forces were reduced to crying out for their mothers, routing into the island’s interior in disarray. The defending forces, units once hailed as elite brigades, could not withstand even ten minutes of sustained fire before fleeing.
As the PLA Navy arrived, more soldiers and weaponry were brought ashore, and the troops quickly assembled, advancing deep into the island under the cover of several hundred modified Type [Number obscured/symbol] main battle tanks. As for the TW Navy, tasked with maritime surveillance, they had vanished entirely. Upon the outbreak of fighting, they had withdrawn under orders from the Naval Commander, thus narrowly escaping total annihilation. However, their actions earned them a stream of curses from the sailors of the East Sea Fleet, who had finally been looking forward to using their cruisers and super-submarines, only to find themselves without a meaningful fight.
The battle raged for one full day and night. By daybreak, not a single organized resistance force could be found on TW Island. The garrisons on Kinmen, Matsu, and Taiping Island surrendered en masse as the East Sea Fleet arrived. In the early morning hours, the People’s Daily published an editorial: Ten Thousand Sails Cross the Taiwan Strait; The Great Dragon Nation Achieves Unification!
Ping Ke-fu commented on Voice of America (US): It was catastrophic; the Green Island vanished from the Earth, and the US flinched before the nuclear threat.
In truth, it wasn't entirely fair to blame the US for fearing nuclear weapons; the speed of the war was simply too great. They had anticipated the T-forces could hold out for 72 hours, perhaps even a week, but the result was a shocking disappointment: within 24 hours, resistance on TW Island was virtually eliminated. Ah Shui’s body was discovered in the latrine of the Hengshan Command Center. Due to the excessive force of the explosives used to breach the command post, sewage had overflowed, and Ah Shui had been submerged in filth for a full six hours.
With the tide decisively turned, even if the US were to intervene now, it would be an occupation of TW, not a defense of the Republic of China’s Taiwan Province. The Motherland had finally achieved complete unification; the designation "Republic of China" had become history! The 1.3 billion people across the nation rejoiced, bringing an end to the humiliation dating back to 1840; the descendants of the Dragon had stood up!
Ping Ke-fu published another commentary in Kanwa Defence Review: Dragon Nation’s military ranked twelfth globally, just behind Canada, while Japan ranked sixth, tied with the UK, just behind France. According to initial predictions by US military experts: the Asian Dragon Nation was first in military power, India second, and South Korea third. Given Japan’s current geography, the Dragon Nation could occupy or destroy Japan 100 times over; India could do it 50 times; and the Dragon Nation’s TW could destroy Japan once. Based on the comparative national strength and military standing, TW should have held out for a minimum of three days, and with the military procurements made by the T-forces in recent years, the more accurate estimate should have been a week or more. Yet, they failed to defend their homeland for even 24 hours! Just how much military capability has the Dragon Nation concealed from the world? What agreement did the Dragon Nation reach with the 'Arms Dealer Madman' that led him to supply a vast array of advanced weaponry to aid the attack on Taiwan? With the Dragon Nation achieving national unity and Russia’s military strength waning, Beijing is poised to become the new global hegemon, ushering in an era dominated by two superpowers!
That same day, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, under pressure from his parliament, issued a statement indicating a willingness to negotiate with the Great Dragon Nation regarding the East China Sea and the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. The Australian government announced its intention to restore economic and trade relations with the Dragon Nation and apologized for some past aggressive actions. Canada, New Zealand, the EU, and other nations selectively expressed understanding for the Dragon Nation’s unification of TW, asserting it would not affect bilateral trade relations, as they only recognized one Dragon Nation in the world. Canada specifically offered assistance regarding the extradition of Lai Xing. Ecuador, various African nations, and others strongly demanded the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Dragon Nation, ordering all so-called TW diplomatic personnel to depart within 24 hours. The US ultimately had to accept the unification of the Dragon Nation and sent a congratulatory message to Chairman Li Zhenyu, expressing a desire to cooperate against the world’s new terrorist organization—the Red Dragon. The Indian government expressed joy over the Dragon Nation’s unification and requested the resumption of border talks. The Indian military leadership praised the Dragon Nation army’s considerate treatment of prisoners of war and proactive withdrawal by 20 kilometers in 1962, viewing it as a solid foundation for today’s border negotiations, hoping the Dragon Nation government would maintain a posture of peaceful negotiation regarding the South Tibet issue.
Foreign media commentary declared: The battle in the Taiwan Strait was spectacular. In the first war of the 21st century, the Dragon Nation utilized sheer numbers to overwhelm TW. As of the time of this dispatch, it was reported that 1.5 million troops had landed on the island. Satellite imagery showed tanks everywhere, and aircraft covered the skies over TW Island like a swarm of locusts. After the battle, not even an ant could be found, and the beaches were littered with fish killed by trampling feet; TW had become the most densely populated place on earth.
A few days later, the situation in TW stabilized. The landing forces were gradually withdrawn, leaving only a sufficient garrison force stationed on the island. TW was established as the Taiwan Special Administrative Region, governed autonomously by its local people but under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government.
Regardless of the role I played or the merits I earned in this successful conquest of TW, I was promoted nonetheless, my rank advancing to Major General. In the eyes of people like Liu Ya, this was inevitable; being assigned to the Nanjing Military Region was merely a formality—otherwise, they would not have sought my opinion on every single matter.
I cared little for how others viewed this promotion; I possessed the capability to be a Major General, and time waited for no one. India eagerly anticipated border consultations with the Dragon Nation, and reclaiming South Tibet was to be my next objective. If I remained stuck at the rank of Colonel, none of that would happen.
The transfer order had arrived: I was to assume the role of Deputy Commander of the Chengdu Military Region, concurrently serving as the chief negotiator for the border talks with India. I was scheduled to depart for my new post immediately after the Lantern Festival. In the remaining time at the Nanjing Military Region, I thought I might visit Xu Chen; perhaps I could accompany her back to the capital.
I wanted to surprise Xu Chen, so instead of contacting her directly, I asked Su Xue for her home address—a small town on a tributary of the Yangtze River, nearly four hundred kilometers from the Nanjing Military Region headquarters. I planned to visit her quietly, to see what truly lay hidden beneath the melancholy expression Xu Chen had worn previously.
Travel now was impossible to arrange as casually as before. Besides the arrangements made in advance by the Nanjing Military Region with local authorities, the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Public Security, and my Super Soldier detail never left my side. Though, frankly, with my capabilities, did I even need their protection? However, if an emergency arose requiring this Major General to intervene personally, it would seem somewhat improper. Even my daily necessities, from food to lodging, were meticulously managed by Secretary Liu Ying from the Rectification Office—she was more attentive than my wives. Is this the privilege of holding rank?
We set off early in the morning, finally reaching this southern Jiangsu town by noon. It didn't seem particularly affluent; while better off than Yun Yao Village, it couldn't compare to the larger towns we passed through. A local official accompanied us from the county seat, but since we hadn't revealed the precise destination beforehand, no one bothered me upon arrival at this quaint Jiangnan settlement.
Having lived with my two wives for so long, Xu Chen was certainly aware of my true identity. Still, for the sake of discretion, I asked everyone to wait outside of town and find somewhere else to eat while I made my way to Xu Chen's house on foot.
A modest, two-story brick dwelling—typical of many houses in this region; the ground floor was too damp to live in comfortably. A little boy stood on the muddy ground in front of the house, pleading with the girl before him: "Sis, just one more dollar, please? Everyone else is playing with firecrackers."
"Alright, I’ll give you ten dollars instead. It's not that I begrudge you the money, but you are growing up and should be sensible. Father is ill in bed; we need to save money for his treatment. Mother works so hard pulling a tow-rope every day; we absolutely shouldn't waste a single cent, right?"
"I understand, Sis. I don't want this ten dollars. Let's keep it for Father’s medicine. I’m growing up now; I shouldn’t be playing with firecrackers anymore, right?"
The girl before me was the pitiable Xu Chen, and the little boy, not yet five, must have been her brother. I heard Xu Chen say to him, "Xu Cong, you’re so good. Go on, Sister grants you special permission to play with firecrackers today. Let's go to the store to buy some, and we can pick up some groceries while we're there. Mother should be coming home for dinner soon."