On November 23, 1922, a large batch of staff officers arrived at the Seoul Liaison Office of the Japanese Manchuria-Mongolia Expeditionary Army. Three days later, Commander Lieutenant General Terauchi Hisaichi and Chief of Staff Major General Nagata Tetsuzan were scheduled to arrive in Seoul with the headquarters command. These staff officers were the advance party.

The headquarters was situated south of the Han River. As officers led soldiers in transporting documents and equipment, they snapped to attention and saluted upon seeing Major General Okamura Yasuji and Major General Ishiwara Kanji walking side by side into the courtyard.

Okamura, seemingly indifferent to his own promotion, escorted Ishiwara to the gate of the headquarters. "Ishiwara-kun," Okamura advised, "this appointment is extremely urgent. I ask that once you arrive at the Second Army Headquarters, you maintain frequent communication with the Manchuria-Mongolia Command."

Ishiwara Kanji nodded, but replied, "I am returning to Tokyo. Is there anything you need me to do for you, Okamura-kun?"

Okamura felt that Ishiwara had changed significantly since Nagata had admonished him with the phrase "a gentleman is cautious when alone" before returning to Tokyo. The prickish Ishiwara, who used to love sneering at others, now appeared superficially like a normal person, though Okamura dared not fully believe it. It was only now, when Ishiwara spoke standard parting words like a normal person, that Okamura took a letter from his breast pocket. "If you have time, Ishiwara-kun, please deliver this to my home and give it to my family. If you explain things personally, I believe my family will better understand my feelings."

Ishiwara put away the letter and sighed with some emotion. "Is this a farewell letter?"

Okamura nodded. He heard Ishiwara sigh again. "I actually forgot to write a farewell letter to my family. I really am careless. Okamura-kun, your attention to detail is truly admirable."

Okamura also admired Ishiwara. Even if he was no longer a prick, such acute sensitivity and the air of regarding life and death as trivial were truly not the traits of a normal person.

An orderly had already led a horse through the crowded stream of movers to Ishiwara's side. Ishiwara took the reins and was about to mount, but turned back. "Okamura-kun, if we are fortunate enough to survive this war, I must drink with you until we drop."

Okamura Yasuji replied solemnly, "It shall be so. Safe travels, Ishiwara-kun."

Ishiwara Kanji said no more, nodded to Okamura, mounted his horse, and rode away. Throughout the journey, Ishiwara's mind was occupied with the work required for his new post. The Imperial General Headquarters was forming the Second Manchuria-Mongolia Expeditionary Army Headquarters, with Vice Admiral Suzuki Kantarō as Commander and Lieutenant General Ugaki Kazushige as Deputy Commander. Ishiwara Kanji had been recalled to Tokyo. According to news from Nagata, the Headquarters was considering appointing Major General Ishiwara Kanji as the Chief of Staff for the Second Expeditionary Army.

The concept of establishing a Second Expeditionary Army had been proposed by Ishiwara. The Northeast Army occupied the mountainous regions; after months of preparation, it would be extremely difficult for the Japanese Army to break through. Only a large-scale amphibious landing could break the stalemate and annihilate the Northeast Army's heavy troop concentrations in Korea. These days, apart from his regular duties, Ishiwara had spent all his time formulating this operational plan.

This plan involved too many factors, the most important of which was seizing the fleeting opportunity. Ishiwara was very clear: what he could think of, He Rui could certainly think of as well. But He Rui was not a god, and the Northeast Army's current strength was at its limit. Japan's population and industry were superior to the Northeast Government's. Faced with an all-out Japanese offensive, the Northeast Army could absolutely not achieve a watertight defense.

Ishiwara Kanji did not understand naval warfare, so he focused his efforts on determining the precise moment when the Northeast Army would be forced to commit its reserves to the front line. At that moment, he needed to identify the weakest point in their defense and throw the landing forces in with a single decisive stroke.

Unaware of the passage of time, Ishiwara Kanji immersed himself in military planning. He slept when he couldn't hold out, ate when hungry, and spent the rest of his time planning. It was only when the guard reported that it was time to disembark that Ishiwara realized he had arrived in Tokyo. As for when they had entered the port or the commotion of the people disembarking, Ishiwara had been completely oblivious.

Checking the calendar in his notebook, assuming no accidents had occurred on the way, today should be November 25th. Just as Ishiwara was preparing to have his orderly pack up the maps and drafts, a man entered the cabin. "Your Excellency, I am Major Kamada from the External Liaison Office of the Imperial General Headquarters, here to welcome you."

After the greetings, Major Kamada conveyed Ishiwara's first task. "Your Excellency, please wear your medals and accept an interview with the reporters."

Ishiwara did not want to waste time, but given the recent major defeat, the Army needed to boost morale by publicizing war heroes. Accepting interviews was an obligation for an Imperial soldier. Moreover, the propaganda campaign had already begun long ago. Nagata Tetsuzan was hailed in the media as the "Wall of the Empire," and Okamura and Ishiwara were also widely famous.

Before long, Ishiwara passed through the gaps in the formation of disembarking soldiers and headed straight for the interview site under countless gazes. The reporters, having waited anxiously for some time, hurried forward upon seeing Major Kamada leading a Major General toward them.

They saw that Major General Ishiwara had a round face. Clean-shaven, he looked to be only in his early twenties. On his collar, he wore the Order of the Golden Kite, 3rd Class. Aside from this, he wore no other medals—not even the Order of the Rising Sun. A feeling of reverence spontaneously arose among the knowledgeable reporters.

Japan's Order of the Rising Sun was a medal that a soldier or civil servant could only receive after serving a stipulated number of years in a certain position. For example, for the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class (Small Cordon), the requirement for civil officials of the 5th rank (Army/Navy Majors and equivalent civilians) and 6th rank (Captains and equivalent) was to serve 10 years after receiving the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th Class.

If a Major was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel without serving ten years as a Major, he could not receive the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class. Even if he later served the required years as a Lieutenant Colonel, he would only receive the Order of the Rising Sun appropriate for that rank.

The fact that Major General Ishiwara was not wearing the Order of the Rising Sun proved that his personal ability was formidable and his military promotion had been extremely smooth.

Soldiers with the greatest achievements in war were designated as having "Distinguished Service" (Shukun). This was divided into grades A, B, and C. Those who satisfied Article 7 of the Regulations for the Granting of the Golden Kite were classified as Distinguished Service Grade A—combat heroes who held key positions in battle, made important decisions leading to victory, or displayed outstanding valor.

The Order of the Golden Kite itself had grades. Ishiwara was a Colonel when he was decorated. In the vast majority of cases, a Japanese Colonel would only be posthumously promoted to Major General and awarded the Order of the Golden Kite, 3rd Class, after dying in battle. That Ishiwara Kanji received this medal while alive was enough to prove the magnitude of his merit.

Although Ishiwara was a prick, that didn't mean he was confused. The entire interview proceeded very smoothly. When it ended and everyone got into the car sent to pick him up, Major Kamada looked very relaxed. Ishiwara said to the orderly in the car, "Go contact Major General Okamura's family in a while. Tell them I will visit in the next couple of days."

After giving instructions, Ishiwara looked out the car window. People in uniforms were everywhere on the streets, the bustle resembling some kind of festival. However, most small shops on the street were closed. At the entrances of larger stores, people were changing the signboards. The new signs read "Ration Point, Ward X, Street Y."

Seeing that rationing had already begun, Ishiwara felt both reassured and uneasy. Japan was meeting this challenge with maximum preparation. If they could not defeat the Northeast Government, Japan would suffer a terrible backlash.

When the car stopped at the gate of the Ministry of War, where the Imperial General Headquarters was located, Ishiwara took advantage of Major Kamada going to the guard post to pull out a pen, write an address, and hand it to his orderly. "Go to Okamura-kun's house now, and on the way, go here and inquire about the current situation of the Morita family."

The orderly took the order and left. Major Kamada returned with the guard. After scrutinizing the people in the car and checking Ishiwara's ID, the guard saluted and ran back to the post. Soon, soldiers pulled open the movable barricades, and the car drove into the compound.

Vice Admiral Suzuki Kantarō, Commander of the Second Manchuria-Mongolia Expeditionary Army, and Lieutenant General Ugaki Kazushige were both present. The two men asked straight away for Ishiwara's views on the war situation. Ishiwara laid out his assessment completely. The expressions of the two generals gradually relaxed; it was evident they approved of Ishiwara, their potential future Chief of Staff.

Less than an hour into the conversation, the Commander and Deputy Commander invited other officers to join the discussion. These Army and Navy officers frequently showed involuntary surprise, likely because Ishiwara's views either perfectly matched the conclusions the Second Army Command had already reached, or differed significantly in insightful ways.

Later, Commander Yamamoto Isoroku of the Operations Room exchanged a glance with the Chief of Operations and asked straightforwardly, "Your Excellency Ishiwara, why do you request a surprise attack rather than a fleet patrol?"

Ishiwara immediately explained, "I believe that even with a month and a half of training, the Army cannot truly habituate itself to long-term cruising at sea. A surprise attack guarantees the Army's combat effectiveness upon landing. Furthermore, I suspect the Northeast Army might utilize its aircraft advantage to execute some form of attack. If it were me, I would certainly attempt to crash aircraft filled with explosives into capital ships."

The officers exchanged glances; some nodded slightly, while others frowned.

Yamamoto Isoroku continued to press, "Your Excellency, do you not think such a method is too extreme?"

Ishiwara Kanji shook his head. "Aircraft already possess their current power; in the future, they will be able to deliver more than just the small bombs used now. Air forces and air defense are a major key to future warfare. The enemy will only face this reality; they will not refrain from using such extreme tactics out of fear that our country will learn them. This war concerns the national destiny of both China and Japan for the next decade. Compared to winning the war, the loss of a few hundred aircraft is negligible."

Seeing Ishiwara's calm and resolute answer, Yamamoto couldn't help but feel some admiration. This was the bearing a soldier with broad vision and a steely mind should have. In contrast, some in the Navy Ministry talked nonsense merely out of inner anxiety when facing threats they could not temporarily counter. Compared to the baby-faced Ishiwara, those people were like ignorant children.

The meeting did not end until 2:30 AM. The two commanders told Ishiwara to wait at his quarters. After everyone had dispersed, Vice Admiral Suzuki Kantarō looked at Lieutenant General Ugaki Kazushige. "Your Excellency, how do you evaluate Ishiwara-kun?"

Ugaki Kazushige smiled bitterly. "I didn't expect Ishiwara-kun to have the temperament of a frontline general."

Admiral Suzuki felt the same. However, he also clearly understood Ugaki's hesitation. If Ishiwara Kanji could fight a few more battles to prove that his performance in the Seoul Campaign was not a flash in the pan, there would be no need for these discussions; Ishiwara would have returned to Tokyo simply to accept the appointment.

Moreover, at first glance, Admiral Suzuki felt Ishiwara Kanji was too young—so young it was unnerving. But Ishiwara's subsequent performance greatly changed Suzuki's perception.

Although the Second Manchuria-Mongolia Expeditionary Army Headquarters was still researching landing points, the method of landing had been basically determined, and it was completely consistent with Ishiwara's line of thinking.

Therefore, what this battle required was a commander with an excellent feel for frontline warfare. The Japanese Navy and Army Ministries had conducted extensive discussions and concluded that there were no reliable frontline commanders in the current Japanese military who performed excellently with the latest war technologies. Among the generals listed as options, only Ishiwara Kanji remained.

Admiral Suzuki wanted to discuss it further, but heard General Ugaki say, "We have no time. I support Major General Ishiwara."

Under these circumstances, Admiral Suzuki pondered for a moment and had to reply, "I agree with Ugaki-kun's view. We will discuss it at the Imperial General Headquarters meeting tomorrow morning."

Early in the morning on November 26th, Ishiwara Kanji, who had slept less than four hours, got up. The Headquarters cafeteria was operating 24 hours a day. Before the shift change, Ishiwara ate a quick breakfast in the empty cafeteria. He then took his guard to the Security Section to apply for a pass.

Although Lieutenant Colonel Hisamitsu, the Security Section Chief, felt it was strange for Ishiwara to go out in such a hurry, he had not received any orders forbidding Ishiwara from leaving, so he had to issue the pass. Watching Ishiwara leave carrying his military saber, Lieutenant Colonel Hisamitsu felt compelled to send someone to report this to his superiors.

Ishiwara didn't care about that. He took his guard, requisitioned a car, and headed straight for Okamura Yasuji's home. It was shift change time, and large groups of workers were gathering at factory gates. Seeing their patched work clothes, Ishiwara couldn't help but sigh slightly. Japan's economy had not been doing well in the last two years. The reason for agreeing to the Washington Naval Treaty was to enable disarmament at home. They had indeed reduced the number of Army soldiers, effectively disarming in a disguised manner.

The Northeast Army had seized this timing to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese Army, successfully buying three months for their defense preparations in Korea. Thinking of He Rui's ruthlessness, Ishiwara's resolve for the decisive battle grew stronger.

Okamura Yasuji's home was in the Shimeizaka-cho district of Tokyo. Okamura's parents and wife had already been informed of Ishiwara's visit. Even though Ishiwara arrived early in the morning, the family was only surprised, not astonished.

Everyone sat in the living room in the *seiza* style. Okamura's father took the letter. After reading it, his brow furrowed. He asked tentatively, "Your Excellency, although I know the war situation is urgent, has it really reached a critical stage?"

Ishiwara Kanji shook his head. "Mr. Okamura, if the Empire wishes to retake the Northeast, it must inevitably fight a war of unprecedented scale. This war will be incomparably tragic. Not only Okamura-kun, but the entire army is prepared to die in battle for the Empire. To be frank, I have also prepared my last will and testament, which will soon be mailed to my family."

Okamura's family knew that Okamura was already a Major General and felt proud of him. Now, seeing the testament Okamura had sent and hearing Ishiwara's explanation, they realized how brutal the war would be. The expressions of the women in the Okamura family became uneasy, though they dared not make a sound.

Okamura's father remained relatively calm. He bowed sincerely. "Thank you, Your Excellency Ishiwara, for coming personally and letting us know the true situation."

Ishiwara hurriedly returned the bow and then took his leave.

Leaving the Okamura home, Ishiwara's car headed straight for Mitsuko's house. Passing the Army War College, he saw the gates were shut tight and the school was empty; not a soul was to be seen. Although he wanted to get out and look, Ishiwara decided against it. If the students of the Army War College were sent to the battlefield before they could even graduate, Japan would likely be on the verge of national subjugation. The crisis had not yet reached that stage.

The car passed through streets where many shops were closed, weaving through exhausted workers getting off work. Arriving at the entrance of the alley, Ishiwara Kanji strapped on his saber and stepped out of the car. Not far in, he saw the wall of the Morita residence scrawled with large characters in charcoal: "Traitor" (*Hikokumin*). Walking further, more curses were visible: "Collaborator," "Shina Sympathizer."

Workers were coming in and out of the alley. Being Tokyo citizens, they recognized that the man with the saber was a general. Everyone instantly fell silent out of fear and hurried back to their homes. Closing their outer doors, they pressed against them, listening carefully.

Only one young man walked over cautiously. Seeing Ishiwara Kanji stop at the Morita gate, the young man slowed down. Ishiwara turned to look and saw joy on the young man's face. He walked quickly to Ishiwara and bowed. "Is it Ishiwara-niichan? I am Kimura from the street corner."

"...Are you the Kimura who took me home when I was drunk?" Ishiwara had a vague impression, but Kimura had been a boy then. On second thought, seven or eight years had passed.

Seeing that Ishiwara still remembered him, Kimura whispered, "Ishiwara-niichan, these words weren't written by the neighbors. It was outsiders. They heard He-kun used to live here, so they ran over and wrote all this."

Hearing this, Ishiwara felt slightly reassured. As long as the Morita family wasn't loathed by the people on this street, things would be much easier to handle. However, Ishiwara didn't dare fully trust it. The changes in the Morita family were significant, and there were probably quite a few people jealous of a small household consisting only of a mother and daughter. Even if they hadn't done anything openly, they likely harbored such thoughts.

Footsteps sounded inside the courtyard. It was Morita Mitsuko who opened the door. Seeing Ishiwara Kanji, she was somewhat unexpected but not surprised. Seeing Mitsuko come out, Kimura bowed to Ishiwara again, turned, and left.

Ishiwara ordered his orderly, "Go get the police chief here!" Only then did he enter the courtyard, conversing with Mitsuko and Mrs. Morita, who had come out to welcome him.

Before long, the police chief arrived outside the door, following the orderly. Ishiwara did not let the police chief enter. instead, he strode out the gate and shouted in the alley, "The country is facing an unprecedented challenge. Some people do not know to serve the country and bravely enlist, yet they recklessly threaten Imperial subjects. Shameful! Despicable!"

The police chief naturally knew the Morita family was somewhat unusual. Since no one had stepped forward before, the chief hadn't dared to take initiative. Now seeing the national hero, Major General Ishiwara Kanji, sticking his neck out for them, he nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Ishiwara Kanji didn't have time to do much more. After expressing his stance, he asked the police chief, "Now that the country has entered general mobilization, any suspicious persons must be arrested immediately. Have all the Chinese in your jurisdiction been arrested?"

The police chief quickly replied, "They have all been arrested and handed over to the Kempeitai."

Ishiwara Kanji had asked casually, and only now learned that the Japanese side had already rounded up Chinese nationals in Japan into concentration camps. He took the opportunity to say loudly, "Then you must strengthen patrols. If anyone disrupts order again, arrest them immediately!"

The police chief bowed and scraped, agreeing profusely. As Ishiwara Kanji said goodbye to the Morita family and walked to the car at the alley entrance, the chief saw him off all the way. As Ishiwara got into the car, the chief shouted, "Your Excellency, I wish you eternal martial fortune!"

Ishiwara did not reply, simply ordering the driver to return to Headquarters. On the way, the orderly finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Your Excellency, why pay special attention to this family? Do you think they were treated unfairly?"

Ishiwara gave the orderly a displeased look. "If the Morita family deserves what they got, then does the Army War College also deserve what it gets?"

One sentence left the orderly speechless. After a moment, the guard lowered his head in shame and apologized. "I am sorry, Your Excellency. I was wrong!"

Ishiwara Kanji did not wish to express any further views on the matter. His visit to the Morita family was largely because he needed inner peace. Having helped the Morita family, Ishiwara felt that when he thought of He Rui again, he could do so with a calm heart and a clear conscience. Apart from crushing the Northeast Army and killing He Rui, Ishiwara Kanji had no other thoughts.