"I have never advocated war except as means of peace, so seek peace, but prepare for war. Because war... War never changes. War is like winter and winter is coming."- Ulysses Simpson Grant, American Civil War Union general and 18th President of the USA post-war.

August 22nd, 2025. 08.30 JST

Xiaguanshi (Shimonoseki), Shankou (Yamaguchi) Special Administrative Zone.

Major General Yu Wangming was starting to feel overwhelmed in his role as the overall ground commander of the 104th Special Group Army, as days and months passed, he had seen nearly half of the units he landed with had either been killed, captured, or even surrender to the Coalition across Chugoku region, some to what the Party called "Separatists" or "Nationalists"; referring to the Taiwanese exiles in Japan, and many more were unaccounted for. 

From the start of the war, Japanese and other Coalition special forces - mainly Americans - were marauding not just the outskirts, but also in some cases the city center itself, leading partisans that were ready for these kind of scenario, to the point that two of his colonels ended up dead by their guns and small drones, as well as car bombs targeting Japanese who cooperated with them. Wangming reflected on the state of the city and his troops as evacuations continue under heavy fire from the Japanese lead Coalition forces - luckily no shell or exploding drones had hit his HQ yet in the hotel - Shimonoseki residents initially used peaceful protest tactics, and he commandeered the regional police's water cannon to disperse some of the more militant ones in the first weeks of the occupation. But later he had to resort to warning shots and finally, night raids against ringleaders of the resistance as well as two occasions of live ammunition usage against the protesting Japanese.

And right now, the city's garrison were having to deal with larger scale raids and a generalized uprising with wheeled tanks supporting IGDF's airborne troops and their cousin, heliborne air assault troops dropped on the edge of the city that was relatively less defended in support as well as to relieve the stretched Japanese and Coalition commandos. One district would have been practically lost a day ago if what was left of his heavy tank force failed to repulse one such raid, with significant loss from their accursed drone swarm as well as long range artillery. Matters made worse by Tiangong feed showing the accursed Taiwanese brigade leading at least two Japanese brigades, slowly encircling the city despite their own casualties, covered by increasingly effective laser ABM systems which to be fair, also possessed by the Chinese that covered Shimonoseki from most, but not all, Japanese missile strikes.

"Comrade General! All laser offline!"

"What is the progress of the purge?" Wangming asked.

"It's 90 percent, Comrade General, and more to be shredded." one of the officers answered, in charge of destroying sensitive documents physically as well as those in digital storages.

Another staff came to him with some comforting, at least for now "Comrade General, I think it's time for us to leave." just as two artillery shells hit anti-aircraft emplacements around the historical hotel.

"I swear that we will be back stronger." he declared to his staff. "We had done enough damage to those fascists - it will take them some time to recover as we went to the next phase of our great campaign... Long Live the People's Republic of China!"

But it would be his last word as one extended-range shell from a South Korean Navy destroyer attached to the Japanese fleet covering the Sea of Japan landed directly on the Shupanro Hotel. 

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Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the same time

1/LT Kousei Arima, 11th Tank Regiment, 5th Brigade (Mechanized), 1st Nerima Division Japan Imperial Ground Defense Force

"Sir, are we going to attack now? The Chinese are unable to break out." asked Sgt Hanazono on the radio.

"Negative" I answered. "Our order is to return fire only or if our infantry are in need of support." 

Radio chatters across the whole brigade so far blamed supply problems for the halt, which was true, but I also heard grumbling from my fellow officers and some NCOs about "how we are too soft on those occupiers, now they're digging their hole in our factories while we're dying here from their artillery!" The loudest voice in Team Kirin was none other than Lieutenant Horokeu. I could understand why, with the fact that he lost his platoon sergeant by a Chinese naval artillery. 

We kept the occupiers, who were still shooting, busy by many means - shelling by mortars and sometimes tank gun - alongside artillery duel with the Chinese counterparts, but also other things for example, by using a special variant of Type 23 Heavy mounted loudspeakers, Those speakers blasted Japanese and allied country's songs of various kinds - patriotic, pop, rock, jazz, even special stuff like anime songs. 

Other speakers made them think that we are opening fire from some direction, while the skies were packed with our own manned craft and drones keeping the pressure on Chinese fighters trying to forcefully open an air corridor.

"Where are our ships? They supposed to cover us!"

Col. Okazaki answered on the radio "The Fuso is needed somewhere else."

Back to my tank...

"Unlike the Russians" Kitazawa started, his eyes glued on one of our small UAV feed from the waterfront. "their business oligarchs and other elites had higher sense of patriotism, look at this."

"Oh yeah" I muttered, as the screen showed two normally exclusive yachts were impressed to evacuation duty to the point that the Chinese marked it - and many more vessels - with red crosses, a guarantee for immunity from attack. "Smartasses" 

The preoccupation of our air assets also meant the return of intermittent daring helicopter flybys - must be from some uninhabited islands they still control - many were also clearly marked. Their escort however were less lucky with the expected encounter with Russian made Ka-52 Hokums of Chinese Navy a couple of hours ago turned to be virtually a turkey shoot. Not a single LAHAT was needed from my own tank.

"The cavalry is coming" voiced an American accented man, repeated by the same message in Japanese.

I could hear Colonel Okazaki replied. "Thank you for coming... In return, our cavalry is heavier and it's riders are anxious to charge." That's enough to tell us that the leading companies of Strykers were in our area and available.

Left flank - Indians, Right flank - British and Italians. And the Americans are ready to fill up for any gaps.

Around two and half hour later...

"Incoming!" shouted Kitazawa.

Blaring alarm indicated the coming of not missiles, but kamikaze drones - something that is could be intercepted by the Seki, but nevertheless still jarring. 

"Driver, reposition!"

"Yes sir" Watari hit reverse. Kitazawa's eyes meanwhile were on the tank's onboard screen, or in my case, the outside situation projected by the Type 17 Helmet. 

"Can you see the launcher?" I asked.

"Wait" said Kitazawa. Then "Sir, got it, from one of the drones"

Superbly, Watari drove us closer, under few pings on our armor, a wasteful usage of ammo by some of our enemies. 

I remotely swiveled the Browning upon discovering the launcher one corner away before serviced the Dongfeng Mengshi-based mobile launcher. 

"Be advised, the assault has began"

There were two objectives to take; Shinnan-yo Railway Station and the nearby shopping center. American Strykers were in the lead, supported by Inu and Janken Company. On the other hand, Captain Kawashima were always ready to send out the platoons of Kirin in case of other companies need reinforcements, particularly tanks in support of the fresh and eager Americans.

"Remember Roosevelt and Carl Vinson!" The rallying cry of Americans, evoking the names of two of their mighty aircraft carriers started the mainly dismounted attack supported by our robotic bulldozers.

Our screen relayed the battle, allowed us to watch from our position as some Americans walked into Chinese ambush. Worse for them, the ambushers included foreign legionnaires of the IAIB, armed with mostly captured weapons and no armored vehicles in support, only for bulldozers to make a short work of them.

Not that the Chinese were fully out of the fight, as from the sea, swarm of small UAVs were deployed, which were promptly answered by our own, but not before it did it's work in slowing down the Americans and disabled the bulldozers.

We're lucky that we still had targets, through. Some enterprising Chinese were still trying to ambush us with anti tank rockets, or the assaulting American force, while overhead, a fierce dogfight pitting Coalition and Chinese manned and unmanned fast jets remained.

"Gunner, switch to .50 cal!"

And so it goes....

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1/LT Kaori Arima, 32nd Infantry Regiment, on attachment to 11th Tank Regiment, 5th Brigade (Mechanized), 1st Nerima Division Japan Imperial Ground Defense Force

Two hours later

"Now, what's next?" that would be everyone's question that day, especially those in the lower ranks, when the regimental commander of the 31st Infantry - Lt. Col. Shinjou Nakahara - received a couple of Reds under a flag of parley. Ragged and dishiveled like almost everyone, on the other hand I thought that those people had it worse.

Others, like Tsubaki, thought. "Be advised, it must be a trap"

The first sign of that sudden change was a message directly from highest command - "Be advised, this is Nogijiku, repeat, this is Nogijiku (1). To all Coalition forces inside Shunan, cease fire."

Followed by similar brigade level call, courtesy from Colonel Yamabuki. "To all 5th Brigade unit, J-CENTCOM ordered cease fire, cease fire!"

"... J-CENTCOM had received message directly from the Chinese military command - stated that People's Army forces in Japanese soil had completed their combat operations, for now... We have been ordered to give the rest of their forces a free passage, I repeat, a free passage to their ships. " 

"Just it?" asked Chen, behind me. "After all this time??"

"I have no idea, stay sharp" I answered. "This is for everyone." as we took positions that were left by the 31st Infantry for us to relieve. Nobody opened fire at the factory complex.

"Just learned today that Colonel Nakahara speaks Chinese like a pro." mumbled one of the newer soldiers in my platoon as the negotiation few blocks away from our position continued, with multiple air and ground drones were recording. I nodded.

All doubts were dispelled when some Chinese soldiers - holed up inside the large industrial complex - came out and with their remaining officers went on to our position.

"When we got our leave, ma'am?" asked Tsubaki. 

I answered my best friend turned subordinate. "I hope we'll got that soon. Kousei-kun will be happy too, as well as Watari. I miss my violin, you know that."

Silence ensued as more remnants of Chinese solders and their foreign allies, the latter with looks of resignation, went out with their hands over their head, others dropped their rifles in front of us officers. 

Followed by another address by J-CENTCOM HQ in Japanese and English.

"This is Nogijiku, be advised, the commander of PLA 104th Special Group Army Major General Wangming has been killed by naval artillery strike in Shimonoseki. Although pockets of resistance remain both in Honshu and Kyushu, it's safe for us to say that as of 1420 hours, our nation has been liberated. To everyone who've taken part in this endeavor... Japanese and international allies alike... His Imperial Majesty and the Prime Minister on behalf of the people of Japan both wish to extend their gratitude and congratulations to all of you."

Dead silence filled the air as the final words were spoken by the joint command.

"We won!"

The transmission ended.

It seemed like the entire Yamaguchi Prefecture shook in the resounding roar of excitement and triumph, in contrast to the sky that were slowly setting.

Chant of victory in English, Japanese, Italian, Hindi, and many more.... It was IPSDC-NATO Coalition's first decisive victory in the Third World War.

My eyes gazed at the sky. 

"Kousei-kun, we'll go home...." I gazed at my gathering troopers, still awashed with celebration with Tsubaki on the forefront.

"Lieutenant" she asked. "Give us the order."

"Let's celebrate." I answered my best friend-turned-subordinate. "But don't ask too much on why we let them go." I referred to the fact that the honors of war given according to the J-CENTCOM was the highest one, called "free passage" 

At noon it became obvious as our unit were called upon towards the city's main street to oversee the symbolic march of the defeated. 

First, weapons and ammunition, except sidearms for officers and NCOs were collected in several points, for example, in front of the city hall, before their officers ordered a march through the main street with the tune of a Japanese Army song, played by one of our psy-ops speakers.

Tsubaki told her squad. "Look at them, people... even in defeat, they still march with pride!"

"Yeah, sarge... if only we still have room for more... you know." one of his soldiers replied.

Others were not so happy.

"Hey, you!" The accent and one of the drone feeds helped me to recognize who shouted - one of the Americans present here in Shunan, on the other side of Tonda River as one Chinese column passed through the area. "That's right, you stupid f*ck! That's right! Say hello to your leaders and tell him that we Americans won't forget!"

"That's enough, Webster!"

"You dragged our asses half the world away, interrupting our lives and the Japanese's for what? What the f*ck are we doing here?" another American responded, pointing at the defeated Chinese column.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3PeUZGIkmw

Not that our own troops shy away from the jeers, through, while Indians and British turned their backs or spit at the Chinese.

"False China, unmasked!" said my own platoon sergeant. "Their Emperor wore no clothes!"

I chuckled, as tirade of curses continue to flow.

"Say hello to your leaders, scum!"

"Go home and never return!"

Nevertheless, it's nothing superfluous to say that with the fact that my whole body was still whole is something to celebrate, as well as to be able to experience this moment with my husband, standing on my side.

"This is just the beginning" Kousei told me, a captured Chinese QBZ rifle on his hand, as another column of defeated PLA soldiers passed through our position. 

"But everything will be okay." I replied to my husband. "Our leaders didn't tell us that this journey will be short, you know that."

He smiled in return of my own. Any pain would come later... 

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A/N:

(1). Nogijiku or Chrysantemum japonense is the prefectural flower of Hyougo Prefecture. 

The next chapter will be revelation from the enemy side.