Courtyard House: Home Alone

Meanwhile, the Japanese headquarters learned overnight that the North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters and the Beiping Gendarmerie had suffered heavy losses in the attack, and that Hatoyama Yoshio, the temporary commander, had been massacred as soon as he arrived.

Therefore, the Japanese emperor summoned cabinet and military leaders overnight to discuss the selection of the commander of the North China Expeditionary Army.

The conference room was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was oppressively tense. The Japanese soldier's face was ashen, his fingers gripping the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

He slammed an urgent battle report onto the smooth mahogany table, scattering the papers all over the floor. The words "heavy losses," "total annihilation," and "Hatoyama's martyrdom" on the report made everyone's eyelids twitch.

"Baka! Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

The Emperor's roar echoed in the silent conference room, making the windows rattle.

"The North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters is the heart of my Great Japanese Empire in North China! The Beiping Military Police are the sharp blade of the Empire!"

Overnight, his heart was ripped out, his blade broken! Hatoyama, barely in office, became a victim of violence! Tell me, what happened?!

The Prime Minister and the Army Minister, among others, remained silent, heads bowed, cold sweat trickling down their foreheads and soaking the collars of their crisp uniforms.

When had they ever seen the Emperor so enraged? The Minister of War, in particular, felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were about to be dragged out and commit seppuku at the next second.

In Central China, North China, Shanxi and other places, the Hundred Regiments Offensive launched by the Huaxia Red Party organization had already caused them a lot of trouble. Now, the headquarters and the military police have suffered heavy blows at the same time, which is like adding insult to injury. Moreover, it is the loudest slap in the face to the Great Japanese Empire!

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

The Prime Minister spoke hesitantly, attempting to ease the tension.

"The most urgent task is to select a capable and prestigious general as soon as possible to replace the commander of the North China Expeditionary Army, stabilize the situation in North China, find out the truth behind the attack, severely punish the perpetrators, and restore the army's morale!"

The Emperor took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and his gaze swept over the assembled high-ranking military officials like a hawk's: "A candidate! I need a candidate! Now, who can shoulder this heavy responsibility? Who can clean up this mess in North China for me?"

The Minister of the Army felt a pang of anxiety and quickly stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, among the generals in the army, General Matsui Iwane is highly experienced and has participated in many important battles."

"And there's Lieutenant General Okamura Ning, whose military talent and iron-fisted methods are widely recognized in the Imperial Army..." Before he could finish speaking, he was impatiently interrupted by the Emperor.

"Matsui? He's too old. What North China needs now is spirit! A steely resolve!"

The Emperor snorted coldly, "As for Okamura..." A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes. Okamura Ningci's ability was beyond doubt, but his methods were too ruthless, sometimes even disregarding international influence, which made the Emperor somewhat worried.

But right now, there seems to be no better option. The situation in North China is on the verge of collapse, and only the toughest measures can stabilize it.

"Okamura Yasutsuki..."

The Emperor murmured the name, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

"By my decree, Okamura Yasuji is hereby appointed Commander-in-Chief of the North China Expeditionary Army, granted the rank of General, and ordered to proceed to Beiping to assume his post immediately!"

Tell him that no matter what methods he uses, within three months he must quell the resistance forces in North China, capture the culprits who attacked the headquarters and the military police, and grind them to dust!

Otherwise, he'll bring his head to me! Also, assign two high-ranking ninja from the royal family to him to ensure his safety.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Minister of War's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed his head to accept the order. "Your Majesty's decree will be delivered immediately!"

"Furthermore," the Emperor's voice turned icy again, "order all garrisons in North China to strengthen their defenses, especially the protection of important military facilities and officials' residences."

At the same time, intensify the crackdown on the rebellion in Beiping and the surrounding areas. Better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free! I want those rebels to know that offending the Empire will only lead to death!

"Yes, sir!" the officials responded in unison, their voices tinged with barely concealed fear.

They knew that with Okamura Yasuji's appointment and the Emperor's cruel order, the skies over North China would be completely shrouded in blood.

An even bigger storm is brewing.

Lin Yifan, the instigator, was fast asleep in his spatial dimension, unaware that Okamura Ningci was about to arrive in Beiping, accompanied by two royal ninja as bodyguards. If he had known, he would have kept track of Okamura's arrival time and tried to find a way to kill him.

Because his predecessor knew that after Okamura arrived in North China, he forcefully promoted the strengthening of security, the iron wall encirclement, and the Three Alls Policy (burn all, kill all, loot all) in an attempt to destroy the resistance will of the Chinese people and soldiers, causing great harm to ordinary people in the Japanese-occupied areas.

Therefore, Lin Yifan harbors an irreconcilable hatred for Okamura Neiji, an executioner whose hands are stained with the blood of the Chinese people.

He knew very well that as long as he could get rid of Okamura Yasuji, no matter the cost, he could spare the anti-Japanese forces in North China and even the whole of China from much suffering and save countless innocent people from the flames of war and slaughter.

Right now, he is enjoying a rare peaceful sleep in the space. The impending bloodshed outside the space, as well as Okamura Neiji, who is both a huge threat and an excellent opportunity for revenge to him, are temporarily isolated from him.

The tranquility within the space creates an eerie contrast with the harsh reality that is about to unfold.

When Lin Yifan woke up, it was already noon. He stretched, got out of bed in the space, washed up quickly, and began his daily morning exercise.

He started by practicing Bajiquan stance training, with his feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands clasped in front of his chest as if holding an infant, eyes slightly closed, adjusting his breathing, and feeling the faint but real energy flowing slowly through his meridians.

He stood in the stance for an hour, and when he finished, fine beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead, but he felt an unprecedented sense of comfort and strength throughout his body.

Afterwards, he practiced the Bajiquan stance several times, his punches and kicks were powerful and fierce, and every move was precise and ruthless, fully demonstrating the essence of Bajiquan: "opening the door and striking, six forces combined into one".

After finishing his punches, Lin Yifan exhaled a long breath, his eyes sharpening. He knew that in this chaotic world, only by being strong enough could he better protect himself, protect those he wanted to protect, and more effectively strike back at those damned invaders.

After finishing his training, he took out some braised lamb chops, rice, and spiritual spring water from the static warehouse and had a simple lunch.