Liu Ying’s mind was a tempest. Graffiti bearing threats had appeared on her doorstep again today, terrifying her parents into not daring to leave the house all day. She had reported it, but the police were helpless; they had no idea who was behind it. The Rectification Office had offended countless people in the past—who knew who was pulling the strings in the shadows?

Ah, if only he were here. For a minor matter like this, one word from him, passed down through Brother Leader Zhu of the Alliance of Brothers, and the perpetrator would be identified in less than an hour. Now, the entire capital was in chaos. The political faction led by Tan Zhong had seized control of the government. They were so preoccupied with consolidating their power and fiercely suppressing anti-Japanese sentiment that no one, from the central government to the local level, had the mind to work properly.

Oh, perhaps one should say anti-government sentiment now, because the once-glorious so-called Empire of Great Japan had been utterly annihilated. Even the Northern Four Islands, previously occupied by Russia, had been taken by Tai Hao. The Eastern Expeditionary Army was gathered on the southern shore of the La Pérouse Strait, preparing for departure.

Zhu Da Yi—once the intimidating leader of the underworld’s Alliance of Brothers, now the Great General Pacifying the Barbarians—ignored the world’s judgment and slaughtered millions of Japanese squatters along the way. Yamamoto Isoroku, Tojo Hideki, and others had their ancestral tombs desecrated, their corpses exhumed, their bones pulverized and scattered to the wind, and their entire clans wiped out. Former Prime Minister Koizumi and current Prime Minister Kikuchi were both executed; their remains were thrown into latrines to be spat upon daily.

The Western Army advancing into the Korean Peninsula annihilated the foolish Southern Korea in a single week. That nation had repeatedly pilfered ancient Chinese culture, foolishly claiming the Dragon Boat Festival as their invention—damned bastards couldn't even wrap a zongzi properly, let alone organize a grand event like a dragon boat race. What was worse, their athletes dared to claim Changbai Mountain as their territory during the games on Chinese soil. Separated by North Korea, they still dared to make territorial claims against the Dragon Country. They might as well claim Mars as their territory too! A group of idiotic Koreans offered no resistance; wherever they went, the attack began with a high-saturation missile barrage from an Earth-class underwater fortress, followed by the main army moving in to collect the corpses of the Koreans.

Although North Korea was a friendly ally to the Dragon Country, they had still repeatedly laid claim to Chinese territory. Now that the nation was gone, that half of Changbai Mountain should rightfully return to its owner. The unresigned Koreans deployed their ultimate weapon—nuclear arms. Of course, the outcome was only one thing: accelerating their demise. Tai Hao negotiated with no one. Since someone had violated their pledge by using nuclear weapons, the response would inevitably be a strike with a black hole bomb!

The Western Army was now resting in Rason and would soon proceed along Khasan and Slavyanka straight toward Vladivostok—the vital city that was once Chinese territory but had been renamed by the Russians.

Tai Hao’s military actions drew widespread international condemnation, yet within the Great Dragon Country, it was a scene of pure jubilation. No matter how strict the government’s gag order, every victory Tai Hao achieved was met with firecrackers. Many organized themselves and flocked toward Tai Hao in large groups. The Great Dragon Country government recently had to issue a lockdown order, closing all international flights and entry/exit permit applications.

Just today, Leng Feng from the Rectification Office called a meeting with four others, suggesting they secretly defect to Tai Hao. Liu Ying disagreed. Before they left, the Director had told her to stay and work at home calmly; he would return soon. But now the situation domestically grew more chaotic, and the safety margin for Rectification Office staff was dropping rapidly. Although she voiced her opposition during the meeting, seeing her parents’ worried faces at this moment made her waver.

Just as Liu Ying was agonizing over how to find the person scribbling threats at her door daily, her phone rang. It was Leng Feng. “Hello, Liu Ying, we have an urgent matter to discuss. It’s inconvenient on the phone. Hurry downstairs; we’re waiting for you outside.”

Liu Ying couldn’t imagine what business they could have just after parting ways. She said goodbye to her parents and hurried downstairs. Her father, still uneasy, watched until Liu Ying emerged from the stairwell before finally retreating back into his room from the balcony.

Liu Ying spotted Leng Feng’s car immediately. Seeing her exit the building, Leng Feng, Guan Yue, and Tian Qing got out and rushed over. The four of them moved to a small flowerbed in the corner to speak in hushed tones. Leng Feng said, “Liu Ying, the opportunity is here. I just got word that Tang Han from the Audit Office is leaving Beijing for Tai Hao tonight. Let’s go together. They have a spacecraft coming to pick them up. This is a chance; stop holding out. I assure you, the Director won't blame you when you see him.”

Recalling the terrifying red graffiti on her door, Liu Ying’s heart stirred, but worry surfaced. “But what about my parents? If I leave, I’m afraid someone might harm them.”

Leng Feng was decisive. “We take them too. Since the Great Dragon Country won’t have us, we might as well follow the Director to Tai Hao and do great things. Tai Hao has already established the Central-Southern Command in the south. I believe he needs his old subordinates to help.”

Liu Ying considered for a few seconds before firmly stating, “Alright! We go together. But you have to give me some time to talk to my parents. Forcing them to leave the place they’ve lived for half a lifetime will be difficult.”

Leng Feng glanced at his watch. “We need to rendezvous with Tang Han by eight tonight; time is tight. How about this: we all go upstairs together to persuade your parents. Don't bring anything; someone there will arrange things for us once we arrive.”

Liu Ying nodded. The four left the flowerbed, preparing to go upstairs. In the deepening twilight, the stairwell was dark, occupied by five or six figures. Liu Ying and the others startled, stopping dead in their tracks. The figures stepped out of the darkness of the stairwell and blocked the group outside the building.

“Gentlemen, what’s the hurry? Where are you going?” the leader asked, tapping a stick rhythmically against his palm.

Liu Ying recognized everyone in the building, but these men were complete strangers. “Who are you? What do you want?”

The man grinned sinisterly. “Didn't expect all four of you to show up. That saves us the trouble. Let’s settle the score today.”

Leng Feng coldly retorted, “What kind of thing are you to dare settle accounts with us?”

“What kind of thing? The capital belongs to me, Wang Ba, from now on. Someone paid us to settle debts, so naturally, we must exert ourselves with the money we’ve taken.” The other man snorted. Leng Feng suddenly sensed something amiss behind him and turned to see that a dozen or so men had silently gathered there.

Guan Yue tried to pull out his phone to call the police, but as soon as he revealed it, the opponent noticed. The stick struck down, causing him such pain that he dropped the phone, recoiled his hand, and gasped sharply.

Leng Feng and Tian Qing shielded Liu Ying behind them, thinking that as men, they should protect their female comrade first. The opposing group stopped issuing threats and immediately turned into a frenzy of brutal assault, their sticks falling heavily and mercilessly onto the three men.

Guan Yue had only been hit once on the hand earlier, but now he fared worse, struck down onto the ground. Although Liu Ying had weathered great storms and investigated countless corrupt officials, this kind of melee was new to her. Frightened, she could only scream for help, but the building’s soundproofing was excellent; no one inside heard her cries.

A thug rushed forward and clapped a hand over her mouth. “Shut up, or my brothers will take turns with you tonight!”

The scare, paradoxically, calmed Liu Ying down. “Who are you working for? We are state civil servants; what you are doing is illegal!”

Wang Ba roared, “I don’t care about any of that. Someone is backing us, and since we’re being paid, why shouldn't we do this happily?”

Seeing Leng Feng, Guan Yue, and Tian Qing pinned down and brutally beaten, Liu Ying grew frantic. “Let them go quickly! Do you know who we are? We are from the Rectification Office! You won’t have a good end if you cross us.”

Wang Ba sneered, “We beat those from the Rectification Office! Brothers, put more effort into it! They said to be as vicious as possible, or it won't be satisfying. It’d be best if we beat them to death!”

“What? You’re from the Rectification Office?” A rat-faced fellow stood up from the group beating the three men.

Liu Ying saw that someone was scared and quickly pressed her advantage. “That’s right, the four of us are from the Rectification Office. Let them go immediately, or you will all suffer the consequences.”

The rat-faced fellow squatted down and grabbed a stout man. “Snake Two, Snake Two, this is bad! We hit the wrong people! They are friends of Boss Zhu. Damn it, hurry up and stop him!”

The stout man, Snake Two, fell heavily to the ground when the rat-faced fellow yanked him. “Damn it, Rat Three, what’s wrong with you? Why are you pulling me? I finally get out to earn some extra cash; if you don’t put in the effort, who will pay you?”

Rat Three exclaimed, “Are you a pig? What is the relationship between Boss Zhu and the Rectification Office? All of us in the Alliance of Brothers know. Even though Boss Zhu is temporarily not leading us in the country, we, his brothers, cannot break the rules!”

Snake Two paused, then shouted to the crowd, “Stop! Everyone, stop what you’re doing! These people are friends of our Boss Zhu!”