Chapter 31

At the Berlin Imperial Hotel, Yamamoto Gonbei sat in the suite's reception room, with three documents spread out before him.

The first was a formal reply from the British Navy Department, politely but firmly rejecting Japan's procurement request, on the grounds that "shipbuilding capacity is limited, priority must be given to domestic needs."

The second was a memorandum from the German Foreign Ministry, which tactfully indicated that the "Westerwald-class is currently not for export," and advised Japan to "consider other classes of vessels."

The third was a coded telegram from Tokyo, consisting of a single line: "The Imperial Navy needs dreadnoughts, at any cost."

Yamamoto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This Japanese Navy admiral, a hero of the Russo-Japanese War, now felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

He had been traveling around Europe for a month—London, Berlin, Paris, Rome…—trying every possible channel. The answer was always the same: no.

It wasn't because Japan lacked money—the Meiji government could squeeze the last penny from the populace for naval construction.

It wasn't because Japan was unimportant—after defeating Russia, the world recognized Japan as an emerging power in the Far East.

But because…… they did not want Japan to possess equal strength.

"Your Excellency Yamamoto."

A voice came from the doorway. Yamamoto opened his eyes to see his aide, Navy Lieutenant Commander Suzuki Kantaro, standing there with an equally grave expression.

"Come in, Suzuki."

Lieutenant Commander Suzuki entered the room and closed the door: "Just now we received word from the Austrian embassy that the three dreadnoughts acquired by the Austro-Hungarian Empire have completed sea trials and officially joined the fleet."

Yamamoto gave a wry smile: "Even Austria has them now."

"Moreover," Suzuki lowered his voice, "there are unverified rumors that these ships might not have been built in Germany proper."

Yamamoto snapped his head up: "What do you mean?"

Suzuki walked over to the map, his finger tracing across Europe and stopping at the Persian Gulf: "Our intelligence agents in Singapore heard sailors' chatter saying there is a Chinese-established industrial base there, enormous in scale, even capable of building large ships. The Germans frequently ship industrial equipment to that region."

"Chinese?" Yamamoto frowned, "building dreadnoughts in the Persian Gulf? That sounds like fiction."

"I also find it hard to believe," Suzuki said, "but all normal channels have been exhausted, Your Excellency. The British say wait, the Germans say no, the French themselves have none…… the Imperial Navy can't wait. Although the Combined Fleet won at the Battle of Tsushima, losses were severe. If hostilities were to break out now with Germany or the United States in the Far East…"

He didn't finish, but Yamamoto understood.

Japan staked its national fate to defeat Russia, but won only to be exhausted. Like a boxer who throws everything into knocking down his opponent, only to stagger himself, if another challenger steps into the ring now……

"We need dreadnoughts," Yamamoto stood, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling crowds on Berlin's streets, "not just one, but at least four. Without them, our interests in the Far East are like a garden without a fence—anyone can come in and pluck a flower."

Suzuki fell silent for a moment, then said: "Your Excellency, perhaps… we should go to that rumored place and see for ourselves. If such a shipyard truly exists, if someone really can build dreadnoughts……"

"And then?" Yamamoto turned, "Even if it's true, would they sell to Japan? The Germans already control that area, and the British will soon notice. What right do we have to intervene?"

"By the Imperial Navy's resolve," Suzuki's voice was soft but firm, "by our willingness to pay any price."

Yamamoto stared at his aide for a long time.

Any price.

Those four words echoed in the quiet room.

"Suzuki," Yamamoto spoke slowly, "have you heard of the Blue Dragon plan?"

Suzuki shook his head.

"The Naval General Staff showed me a top-secret plan before I came to Europe." Yamamoto walked back to the desk, took a document from the safe, its cover bearing the two characters "Blue Dragon," and continued, "If all legitimate channels are blocked, then… we resort to illegitimate means."

Suzuki took the document, skimmed it quickly, and his face turned pale.

"Your Excellency, this is too risky! If we get caught……"

"If we are caught, it will be the unilateral action of a certain 'radical officer,' with no connection to the imperial government." Yamamoto remained expressionless, "but if we succeed…… we could obtain the dreadnought's design drawings, and possibly…… a shipyard."

He walked to the map and pointed his finger at the Persian Gulf's location:

"The Dutch oppress the Chinese in the South Ocean, the British look down on yellow people in Asia, the Germans treat us as tools…… everyone thinks Japan should stay humble and remain a second-rate nation."

Yamamoto's palm slammed heavily onto the map:

"But the Imperial Navy's victory at the Tsushima Strait proved that yellow people can defeat white people! Now we must again prove that Japan deserves the finest warships and deserves to become a true world power!"

His eyes burned with an almost obsessive flame:

"Suzuki, prepare yourself. We will leave Berlin tomorrow, via Istanbul for Basra. I want to see with my own eyes what that rumored place actually holds."

"And what if…… there is nothing there?"

"Then we will execute Plan B of the Blue Dragon project." Yamamoto's voice was icy, "investigate the security of the British Dreadnought's shipyard, look for infiltration opportunities. The Imperial Navy must obtain dreadnoughts, at any cost, by any means."

Lieutenant Commander Suzuki snapped to attention, head bowed: "Yes, sir!"

Yamamoto walked to the liquor cabinet, poured two cups of sake—which he had specially brought from Japan—and handed one to Suzuki:

"For the future of the Imperial Navy."

"For the Empire." Suzuki drained his cup.

The liquor was strong, burning his throat.

Just like Japan's current situation, it is painful, but must be swallowed.

Because in this world of the strong devouring the weak, without power, even the right to suffer is denied.

The hot wind of the Persian Gulf blew as usual over Dubai's harbor. But beneath this seemingly calm sea surface, undercurrents had already begun to stir.

In the Administrative Building conference room, Chen Feng was listening to Wang Wenwu's latest report sent back from Singapore.

"The deposit for Deguo's second batch order, three million six hundred thousand pounds of gold, has been deposited in a Swiss bank." Li Mingyuan—Deputy of Wang Wenwu, acting as Minister of Commerce—read the telegram: "Deguo demands that the delivery period be shortened to fourteen months, and they are willing to pay an additional ten percent expediting fee."

"Fourteen months..." Chen Feng tapped his fingers on the table, "Tell the shipyard we can do it, but we need Deguo to provide more technical support and special materials. Especially large bearings and high-pressure seals—our own production isn't up to standard."

"Yes." Li Mingyuan noted, "Furthermore, Deguo's diplomatic mission sent an official note, hoping to dispatch an 'Industrial Technology Exchange Team' next month, about thirty people, including naval engineers, metallurgy experts, and military advisors."

Chen Feng raised his eyebrows: "Military advisors? What do they intend to do?"

"The note says it is 'to better understand our industrial capabilities in order to provide more targeted technical support.'" Li Mingyuan paused, "But Minister Wang's analysis in Singapore suggests this might be Deguo's attempt to strengthen its means of control over us. They are not comfortable letting a force capable of building dreadnoughts remain completely independent."

Chen Feng smiled, his smile devoid of warmth: "Of course they aren't at ease. Emperor Wilhelm wants us to be his obedient tool, not an equal partner."

He pondered for a few seconds:

"Agree to their visit. But draw clear boundaries: technology exchange limited to civilian industrial sectors; military-related facilities not open to outsiders. Furthermore, we require that their exchange team must include experts in optical instruments and special alloys—this is the technology we urgently need."

"Understood."

Any more?

Li Mingyuan turned to the next page: "There are two... unusual contact requests."

Speak.

The first request comes from Faguo. A representative calling themselves the "Faguo African Mining Company" sent a telegram from Djibouti, asking whether they could visit our "industrial base" to discuss the possibility of "purchasing mining equipment and technical cooperation." However, Minister Wang checked and found that the company has been established for less than three months, with an obscure background.