Ishiwara returned to his lodgings. The room was elegant and comfortable, but Ishiwara felt vexed. He ordered his secretary, "Go out and buy a world map!"

The secretary was slightly taken aback but immediately went to obey the order. In early March, the wind on the streets of Beijing, China, was cold, but streetlights illuminated the city in the night. Restaurants on both sides of the street were full of people, and lights shone from the windows of residential communities along the road. Beijing at night was even more bustling. Many restaurants of some scale had televisions inside, and various images on the screen attracted diners to look.

In this city that seemed sleepless, Ishiwara's secretary asked the driver to drive slowly; there were many cars on the street. Four-wheeled, three-wheeled, and two-wheeled motor vehicles were all honking their horns, adding a sense of irritability to the city at night, while also making the city's lively atmosphere thicker.

In front of a stationery store, Ishiwara's secretary got out of the car. Japan had listed Chinese language courses as the first foreign language, and those Japanese university students who looked forward to a brighter future would all study Chinese. Inside the stationery store, Ishiwara's secretary asked in Chinese, "Excuse me, do you have a world map?"

The owner was not surprised by the obviously accented Chinese, and simply answered in Henan dialect, "Sorry, sold out."

Ishiwara's secretary was stunned for a moment, but didn't find it unexpected. In Japan over the past few months, world maps, as well as specialized pins and magnetic markers for war gaming, had sold extremely well. Japanese people, especially young men, were deducing the development of the war on maps. Those newspapers with high nationalist sentiments were even discussing what benefits Japan could gain after winning the war.

The Japanese government, however, had conducted large-scale interviews with editors of all Japanese newspapers, stipulating what could be discussed and what could not. Although the Japanese public looked forward to obtaining vast colonies after the war victory, the Japanese government clearly understood He Rui's definition of this war. At this time, Japan must not equate this war with colonial wars domestically.

"Boss, do you know where I can buy a world map?" Ishiwara's secretary asked politely.

"New maps will be delivered tomorrow," the owner replied.

"Someone in my family needs it urgently. Where can I buy one today?"

"Hehe, *Laoshi'er*, is it for a child at home?" the shop owner laughed. It was already past 8 o'clock, and the owner was about to close, so he started chatting with Ishiwara's secretary.

After a few sentences, seeing that Ishiwara's secretary was really anxious to buy a map, the owner said, "If you can wait a while, the delivery will arrive. If they hadn't insisted on delivering tonight, I would have gone home to sleep long ago."

Ishiwara's secretary made a judgment in his mind and decided to wait a while. He took out a cigarette and offered one to the owner. The owner took it and looked, saying with some surprise, "Oho, Mild Seven, Japanese cigarettes. Buddy, you're doing alright."

The knowledge of this Beijing shop owner surprised the secretary. The secretary smiled and lit it for the owner, but did not reveal his identity as a Japanese person. The owner pulled up a stool for the secretary, and the two began to chat.

Although he had seen many Chinese people, Ishiwara's secretary was still not quite used to the style of Chinese small shop owners. Japanese shop owners treated customers as God and were basically people with some say on their streets, generally feeling a bit more rigorous. Chinese shop owners looked like ordinary people; although shrewd, they lacked any "self-awareness," only complaining incessantly.

The secretary didn't want to leave any handle against himself, so he changed the topic, "Boss, has your family been exempted from agricultural tax?"

China's policy of exempting agricultural tax had caused a huge shock in Japan, making Japanese people also develop expectations. Many Japanese supported it, more Japanese cautiously expected it, and the number of opponents was not small. The reason for opposing the abolition of agricultural tax in Japan was that, apart from the reduction of national tax revenue at the practical level, abolishing agricultural tax in Japan would cause a huge impact on the current agricultural associations in rural Japan.

Now, the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives were gradually becoming middlemen selling Japanese agricultural products to Japanese cities, and to a large extent, they also undertook the work of helping the government collect taxes. If the agricultural tax were abolished, the responsibility of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives would be reduced. In Japan, reduced responsibility meant that power would also be weakened. Therefore, a strange situation appeared in Japan where cities supported the abolition of agricultural tax, while rural areas opposed it.

Hearing about the agricultural tax, this Chinese stationery store owner didn't look happy. Instead, he sighed, "Sigh, anyway, they say agricultural tax won't be collected this year. Who knows if the policy can be implemented."

"You think there's a problem with the policy?" Ishiwara's secretary didn't quite understand the Chinese shop owner's reaction.

"It's not that there's a problem with the policy. The Chairman's policy is definitely good for us. It's just that I feel it's a bit late. Now grain can't sell for much of a price. A few years ago, grain sold well. If they didn't collect agricultural tax back then, we could have earned a bit more," the shop owner sighed.

Ishiwara's secretary first felt that the Chinese people really had a bit of a "unruly people" flavor. The Japanese people actually weren't grateful to the Ishiwara government either, but all Japanese people were finally not starving, so the Japanese public wouldn't express dissatisfaction with government policies so openly.

Just as he was thinking, the owner sighed again, "Nowadays everything costs money. No matter how much you earn, it's not enough."

Ishiwara's secretary didn't want to respond. This kind of complaint also existed in Japan. The transition from a traditional agricultural society to an industrial society, the first stage of the monetary revolution, was the monetization of all labor and transactions. The people's feeling at this stage was "people's hearts are not what they used to be, money reigns supreme." Japan had also experienced such a process, and this process was cruel, even bloody. Europe encountered such a stage even earlier, which produced colonialism and committed countless sins globally.

At seminars in Japanese domestic academic circles, China's industrialization and urbanization process could be described as "tender and affectionate." The He Rui government had provided countless job opportunities and industrial subsidies for the industrialization of the whole of China in the past 20 years. In order to allow China to undergo this recent super-large-scale urbanization, the He Rui government even launched a global war of liberation, providing massive employment opportunities by creating a global market led by China. Ishiwara's secretary felt that the Chinese people really didn't understand what the He Rui government had actually done for China. As an official, Ishiwara's secretary felt a sense of sadness like the fox mourning the death of the hare.

However, on second thought, Ishiwara's secretary felt somewhat emotional again. He followed Ishiwara and had heard Ishiwara talk about He Rui. He Rui had no selfishness. The Chinese Civilization Party was clean and progressive from top to bottom, advocating "serving the people wholeheartedly." Therefore, the He Rui government certainly didn't care whether the people appreciated it, nor would they expect the people to be grateful.

After getting drunk once, Ishiwara roasted, "My teacher, He-kun, is a very proud yet humble person. If the Chinese people can truly benefit from the policies of He-kun's government, He-kun would have to thank the Chinese people profusely for their support. A tiny bit of progress by all citizens is a great progress for the whole country."

Now looking at the ungrateful appearance of the stationery store owner, it actually felt a bit like the populace of a great power. What these people demanded was actually not excessive, because they only demanded a better life in the industrialization process they had never experienced before.

And the stationery store owner didn't care about the cancellation of the agricultural tax at this time. He chatted with Ishiwara's secretary about his child's schooling. He kept complaining that there were all kinds of students in school now, children didn't study hard, and their grades were bad.

"With bad grades, he won't even be able to become a soldier!" the owner lamented greatly.

Ishiwara's secretary thought this topic was really good. Because it was the same in Japan, everyone believed that knowledge changed destiny, and only by studying hard could one achieve class ascension. The message contained in the complaint of this Chinese stationery store owner was actually terrifying. Countries naturally hoped to recruit soldiers with excellent grades and good health who could proficiently master modern military equipment. But such people already had a good future, so naturally, they wouldn't be willing to be soldiers.

China's domestic supply of such excellent youth was enough to meet China's conscription demands. For China's allies, this was good news. At the same time, this also meant that China had the possibility of winning the war independently. The greater the responsibility China bore in the war, the greater the proportion of benefits it would harvest after the war. And since the total war dividends were fixed, if China took one more piece, Japan would have to take one less piece.

Just as he was venting to this point, the *tuktuk* sound of an engine came from outside. With the friction sound of brakes, someone outside shouted, "Old Zhang, I've arrived. Hurry up and move the stuff, I still have to deliver to the next one!"

Shopkeeper Zhang hurriedly got up and moved a few boxes of things from the three-wheeled motorcycle outside into the store. The delivery master didn't even count the goods, said a few words, and left. Ishiwara's secretary was a bit confused by this transaction method; such a style could be called "heroic" in Japan. Receiving goods without careful inspection—people in Japan really wouldn't dare to do this.

He didn't know if this was because the moral level of the Chinese people was higher, or if China's degree of industrialization was not enough, and Chinese shop owners hadn't yet suffered the social beating of large-scale deception by unscrupulous merchants.

The owner opened a long box, hugged out a large roll of rolled-up maps from inside, pulled one out, and handed it to Ishiwara's secretary. Ishiwara's secretary pointed to the map rack next to it again, "Get me one of those too."

When the owner brought these over, the secretary asked, "Give me an invoice."

Hearing "invoice," the owner was unhappy, "For an invoice, come back tomorrow."

Ishiwara's secretary was stunned. Although he was Ishiwara's secretary, he couldn't get reimbursed without an invoice. Although the map and rack didn't cost much—cheaper than similar products in Japan—as a bureaucrat's habit, Ishiwara's secretary felt very uncomfortable. But seeing the shop owner's frowning and unwelcoming expression, Ishiwara's secretary decided to bear this small expense himself.

Returning to the hotel, Ishiwara had his secretary hang up the map and sat in front of it to look. His gaze swept across the world map but unconsciously returned to Midway Island at the westernmost end of the Hawaiian Islands.

At this time, Midway Island had also entered the night. Both the Chinese and American sides had preliminarily completed night-fighting radars, but they hadn't been deployed on a large scale. So the sky over Midway Island was quiet. The Japanese Navy had even set up many huge searchlights on the scorched island. Those shallow-draft vessels drove directly into the natural lagoon in the atoll and transported various equipment onto the island.

Some unlucky Japanese Navy personnel undertook the work of moving corpses. The Navy hadn't considered chemical warfare and wasn't equipped with gas masks. These Japanese soldiers could only wrap towels around their faces to filter the scorched smell.

Compared with the corpses of US troops killed by explosions, the appearance of US troops who died from fuel-air explosives was more terrifying. Almost all corpses were burned black and had their mouths wide open. This was not a cry before death, but a subconscious opening of the mouth to breathe after being burned by 2500-degree flames. And under the high temperature, the deceased were instantly roasted from the inside of the mouth to the throat, losing the ability to close their mouths.

When Japanese Navy soldiers entered the US underground bunkers, what they saw was even more terrible. Although these US corpses were not roasted, they also rolled their eyes, opened their mouths wide, their mouths were full of white liquid, and their fingers clutched at their throats. Not only was the death state terrifying, but it was also colorful, as if poisoned. Because when the fuel-air explosive burned violently, it drained the oxygen in the air in this area, and the US troops all died of hypoxia and suffocation.

These few unlucky guys carried the corpses to a corner of the island and put them down, starting to collect the relics of the US dead. These corpses must not be left behind, and there was no place to bury them on Midway Island, so they could only be piled up and burned as soon as possible. Out of the humanitarian regulations established by the Asian Coalition, the relics of the dead had to be collected so that they could be handed over to the families of the deceased.

Unlike the unlucky ones who cursed repeatedly, the Japanese troops responsible for other work worked in full swing. The radar equipment had been debugged and could be turned on as soon as it was dragged onto the island. And the anti-aircraft weapons, as well as the supporting fortifications, were also prepared in advance; finding a position to put them down, they soon formed an anti-aircraft fire net.

The runway of the US military airfield was not damaged much. Perforated steel plates were laid on the runway and fixed. Then land-based fighter jets could take off and land. Busy until 3 a.m. local time, the Japanese troops landing on Midway Island sent a telegram calling for fighter jets on Wake Island to come and land.

After the fuel-air explosives eliminated nearly a thousand US troops on Midway Island, the operation to occupy and utilize Midway Island proceeded methodically. On the sea nearly a thousand kilometers away from Midway Island, the lights were on in the fleet command rooms of both the US and Japan. The combat systems of both countries could determine that their own side was currently safe. So the command headquarters were brightly lit.

Admiral Nimitz's face was grim. The loss of Midway Island only opened the door to the Hawaiian Islands; the US military was still far from defeat. But the taking of Midway Island presented a huge variable to the US Pacific Fleet's previous plans.

A group of US Navy officers were also somewhat exhausted. Now the views within the headquarters were divided into two factions: one advocated retaking Midway Island first, and the other advocated attacking the Japanese Combined Fleet first. Obviously, the view of attacking the Japanese Combined Fleet was too radical; let alone whether the position of the Japanese Combined Fleet could be found, even if it was found, the US military might not be able to supply it. Retaking Midway Island was a very practical and feasible goal.

Admiral Nimitz was more inclined to find the main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet and inflict heavy damage on it. In Admiral Nimitz's view, at this stage, the Japanese Combined Fleet's operational space had become larger after capturing Midway. If the Japanese Combined Fleet could not be found and its combat power contained, it was entirely possible for Japan to continue capturing other islands in the Hawaiian Islands. If the Japanese army captured a larger island, the US military's operational situation in the Hawaiian Islands would deteriorate rapidly.

But looking for the main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet meant that the US military had to enter the area south of Hawaii. At this stage, the threat to US carrier formations in the area south of Hawaii was much greater. If they went rashly, they would likely be attacked.

In the end, Admiral Nimitz had to propose suspending the plan to seek a decisive battle with the Japanese Combined Fleet and aiming to retake Midway Island first.

The command headquarters of the Japanese Combined Fleet was also brightly lit. Yamaguchi Tamon had already persuaded the members of the headquarters. At this time, he stood up, and other officers stood up one after another. Yamaguchi ordered loudly, "The Combined Fleet will proceed to Wake Island, ready to reinforce Midway Island at any time. At the same time, the Combined Fleet will vigorously search for the traces of the US carrier formation. Once discovered, prepare to engage in a decisive battle with it."

A group of Japanese Navy officers answered in unison, "Hai!"

Yamaguchi Tamon immediately ordered, "Then, gentlemen, take advantage of the present to rest quickly. The upcoming battle will require us to commit to combat command at any time! Dismissed!"

After giving the order, Yamaguchi Tamon led by example, turned and left the headquarters, heading straight for his cabin. At this time, in the passage of the aircraft carrier, the Japanese troops were patrolling in an orderly manner. Seeing Yamaguchi walking with large strides, they stood at attention and saluted one after another.

Even facing ordinary officers and soldiers, Yamaguchi returned the salute without distinction. Back in his cabin, Yamaguchi lay directly on the bed, only feeling his heart beating fiercely. This order could be said to be very different from the Japanese military tradition. Japan lacked resources, so it could only gamble on national destiny. After the establishment of the Asian Coalition, quite a few Japanese Navy officers still had this habitual thinking. Either gamble everything or play speculation.

Yamaguchi's order was for a war between great powers competing in strength with the United States, so Yamaguchi spent a lot of energy to persuade the Navy officers, telling them not to think about easily hanging the US military and letting the US military follow Japan's baton. And don't think about inflicting heavy damage on the US Pacific Fleet in one go, thereby quickly seizing the Hawaiian Islands.

Although these guys in the Navy were unreliable, Yamaguchi decided to force them to take the correct path no matter what. As for what the real result would be, Yamaguchi didn't consider it at all.

Soon, Yamaguchi felt drowsiness surging up. He randomly took off his military uniform, lay down, and fell asleep.

Dawn broke, and the streets of Singapore became lively. Singapore was originally a major town for the British Navy, with tens of thousands of British troops. At this time, after the British troops surrendered, they were all sent to China for detention. The appearance of a large number of foreigners on the street did not make Singapore residents feel uncomfortable. Watching this group of foreigners busy under the accompaniment of Chinese officials, Singapore residents just felt somewhat baffled.

Since this meeting was held while the war was in progress, scholars didn't have to pretend to accuse others. On March 6th, the first plenary session was held to begin electing members of the presidium. This election had a special condition for the present: everyone who came had to first express their stance and views in a position survey. German Marshal Reichenau finished reading the thick survey book and felt that perhaps he should return to Germany.

The survey book required the participating experts from various countries to express their attitudes on political and economic stances. Political stances included colonialism, imperialism, and racism. Economic stance was to express stances and views on the monopoly economic model represented by bureaucratic capitalism.

Reichenau found that the German experts didn't have much hostility towards this survey book, and the experts from European and American countries were similar to Germany; they didn't seem to feel that the survey content was disrespectful, and even started discussing the content.

The reaction of these scholars made Reichenau very unhappy. As a staunch supporter of Nazi views, Reichenau felt that what he could face most easily was colonialism. Although Reichenau supported Germany taking back the colonies stripped after WWI, that was 20 years ago after all. Reichenau himself had no experience serving in colonies, and only had views on colonialism, no feelings.

The term imperialism was very negative in Germany at the moment, used to describe the Entente Powers' oppression of Germany. Reichenau didn't have strong feelings about this word either. Even if Nazi Germany called itself the Third Reich, it was just a so-called "free monarchy." Hitler himself never thought of engaging in blood inheritance. Although the Führer's power was comparable to an emperor, or even greater than the German Emperor, the Nazi Party believed that Germany's Führer should be chosen by the people, not by blood inheritance.

Reichenau thought for a while and found that his views on imperialism were actually quite chaotic. Reichenau opposed other countries practicing imperialism against Germany, and he couldn't brazenly think that Germany could casually and openly practice imperialism against other countries.

As for racism, Reichenau thought for a while and found that the concept that Germany was the most excellent nation could only be practiced domestically; it didn't hold water internationally. The international arena spoke of the jungle rule where the weak are prey to the strong; there were no naturally superior or inferior nations. The winner is king, the loser is a bandit. Today you are more excellent, tomorrow someone else will be more excellent. France had suppressed the German region for hundreds of years; if calculated this way, France was more excellent than Germany for hundreds of years.

Thinking and thinking, Reichenau was stunned to find that his previous emotional views actually had no theoretical basis, let alone any real logical support. Although Reichenau was not prepared to change his political stance because of this, his initial fierce emotions had calmed down a lot.

Although still unhappy, Reichenau still picked up his pen and began to write on the survey book. Not being selected was normal; if he were selected, Reichenau felt he would be somewhat surprised.