Chapter 224: New Technology Is Changing the Rules of War!

"Preserve strength? Preserve what strength?!" Okamichi Shisuke sneered, "Do they even have any strength left to preserve? All four Kongang-class ships have sunk, the rest are just old junk! What's the use of keeping that junk? We'd rather go out and fight, at least we could die in battle like a soldier!"

"Minister," the Deputy Chief of Staff tried to reason, "now is not the time for impulsive actions. What we need is an overall strategy, not…"

"Strategy? What strategy?" Okamichi Shisuke cut him off, "The enemy is already at our doorstep! Those who kill you at your own door, bomb your port! At a time like this, what strategy can we talk about? What we need is blood! Is backbone! Is the spirit of Bushido!"

He walked to the map, his finger jabbed hard at Yokosuka's location: "If they can shell Yokosuka today, tomorrow they can shell Tokyo Bay! The day after, they can shell Osaka, Kobe! If we don't counterattack and just endure, the Empire will be finished! Completely finished!"

The generals remained silent. Some sided with Okamichi Shisuke, believing a hard counterattack was necessary; others were relatively rational, knowing that striking out now meant a death sentence.

"I propose," Chang Gu Chuan Hao Dao began, "that we convene an Imperial Council at once, demand that Your Majesty Tianhuang issue an order for the navy to sortie! If they refuse, it's defying the holy command, it's treason!"

The proposal made the atmosphere in the office even more tense.

"Minister Chang Gu Chuan," the Deputy Chief of Staff said gravely, "do you understand the consequences? If we force the navy to sortie and the last fleet is wiped out, the Empire will truly have no maritime defense capability. Then Lanfang could freely block our ports, cut off our sea transport line, without needing to land, and we would collapse on our own."

"Then let them land!" Okamichi Shisuke roared, "As long as they dare to land, the army can wipe them out! We did it in the Russo-Japanese War, we can do it now!"

"Times have changed, Minister," the Deputy Chief of Staff replied unyieldingly, "Lanfang's shell support capability is ten times stronger than the Russians had back then. They don't need a massive landing; they only need to seize a few ports, set up forward bases, and use battleship shell support to advance slowly. And us… how long can we hold? One month? Three months? Our food reserves only sustain the nation for two months. What after two months?"

The office was dead silent.

Okamichi Shisuke glared at the Deputy Chief of Staff, his eyes nearly spitting fire. But he knew the other was right. As army minister, he knew the Empire's food and resource situation better than anyone. Sakura Nation is an island nation, heavily dependent on imports. Once the sea transport line is cut, collapse is only a matter of time.

"Then what do you suggest?" his voice lowered, carrying a sense of defeat.

"Negotiations," the Deputy Chief of Staff said, and the office filled with inhalations, "While we still have bargaining chips—our full army, our domestic defense system. While Lanfang hasn't fully blocked our ports, we should negotiate quickly to secure relatively favorable terms."

"Negotiations are surrender!" Chang Gu Chuan Hao Dao roared, "In the Empire's history there has never been a precedent of surrendering to a Yazhou nation! It would be an eternal disgrace!"

"At least it's better than losing the nation," the Deputy Chief of Staff said calmly.

The argument flared again. The hawks and doves, the army's hardliners and pacifists, clashed fiercely in that tiny office. Everyone's face flushed, everyone believed their own stance was correct.

And while they argued, in Yokosuka, the shelling continued.

Round after round, Shells fell, destroying everything in the port: shipyards, warehouses, docks, barracks…

Decades of navy construction turned to ruins within hours.

And all this was being monitored in real time by Tokyo's politicians and generals via telephone and telegram.

But they could do nothing.

Beyond arguing, beyond blaming each other, beyond shifting responsibility to the navy, they could do nothing.

It was a despair deeper than the shelling.

A despair of knowing the enemy is right there, knowing home is being destroyed, yet being powerless.

Okamichi Shisuke finally collapsed onto his chair, hands covering his face.

"Notify the Prime Minister's Office," his voice rasped from between his fingers, hoarse and weary, "request an emergency cabinet meeting. Also… inform the Navy Ministry; Minister Shan Ben must attend."

He lowered his hands, his eyes bloodshot: "Tell Shan Ben, if the navy still wants a place in the Empire, produce a plan. A plan that lets us… end this war with dignity."

A young staff officer asked cautiously, "Minister, you mean…"

"My meaning is," Okamichi Shisuke stood, walked to the window, looking at Tokyo's sky, "we may… really have to prepare for negotiations."

After saying that, he seemed to age ten years in an instant.

The sky outside was bright blue, the sun shining well. Yet beneath that sky, a nation's fate was sliding toward an unknown abyss.

Berlin, Wuyou Palace, Wei Lian Er Shi's study, 7 a. m.

The German Emperor Wei Lian Er Shi, dressed in a Prussian general's uniform, held a freshly arrived telegram in his hand, pacing back and forth in the study carpeted with heavy Persian rugs. His left arm—only a slightly atrophied arm—was pressed close to his side, but his right arm waved, his face radiating an almost childlike excitement.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" he exclaimed, stopping before a massive world map, his gloved finger thumping heavily on the East Sea location, "Four Kongang-class! The Japan navy's four elite battleships! Annihilated within an hour! Gentlemen, do you know what that means?"

In the study stood three others: Chief of Staff Xiao Mao Qi, Navy Minister Di Er Pi Ci, and Foreign Minister Feng Ya Ge. Their expressions differed—Xiao Mao Qi looked grave, Di Er Pi Ci's eyes burned, Feng Ya Ge maintained the diplomat's usual caution.

"Your Majesty," Xiao Mao Qi spoke first, his voice low, "this means Lanfang's navy combat power far exceeds our previous estimates. The Bismarck Class's actual performance may be stronger than the technical specifications provided by Deguo shipyards."

"Not just strong, it's crushing!" Wei Lian Er Shi turned, eyes shining, "28,000 meters! Over 10% Hit Rate! Can our battleships achieve that? Tell me, Admiral Di Er Pi Ci, what was the long‑range shooting performance of the main ships of the open‑sea fleet during exercises?"

Di Er Pi Ci straightened his back: "In calm sea conditions, at a Distance of 18,000 meters, the average Hit Rate is about 3 to 5 percent, Your Majesty."

"Three percent versus ten percent! That's the gap!" Wei Lian Er Shi walked to the massive oak desk, picked up another document, "Moreover, according to our intelligence, Lanfang troops used some advanced fire‑control system in combat that can detect and aim at targets at night and in fog. Do we have that thing…?"

Di Er Pi Ci's complexion grew uneasy: "Our engineers are developing similar equipment, but progress is slow. Yingguo are also researching, Faguo, the Americans are all researching. But Lanfang… they seem to have already deployed it in combat."

"That's the point!" Wei Lian Er Shi threw the document back onto the desk, a "Snap" sound, "Technology! New technology is changing the rules of war! And Lanfang is ahead of everyone!"