"The Northeast Army has retreated... reinforce your defenses." Okamura Yasuji put down the phone and marked one of the many numbers on the paper. These numbers represented unit designations, and now more than half had been crossed off. The Northeast Army currently held the tactical advantage, yet they had chosen to retreat. Those artillery barrages were precautionary blocking fire, not an active offensive.

Nagata Tetsuzan shifted his gaze from the map. The situation was clear—the Northeast Army did not want to engage in a bloody decisive battle—but Nagata still could not be entirely certain of the reason.

Ishiwara Kanji had been deep in thought for a long while. He suddenly stood and said: "This battle must be under He Jun's personal command."

Nagata did not respond to this speculation, which held little practical significance. He watched as Ishiwara picked up his military cap and carefully placed it on his head, saying: "He Jun must have come to the front lines. I must go meet him." With that, he strode out.

Nagata and Okamura exchanged glances. Both wanted to speak, but in the end, neither said anything.

As night gradually descended, the sound of gunfire fell completely silent. Under the cool September night sky, stars shone brilliantly, and the Yalu River returned to calm. After five continuous days of sleepless combat, the small insects that had seemed to completely vanish suddenly reappeared, chirping their various calls. Though the Japanese forces remained on high alert, the soldiers seemed to have been sprinkled with sleep-inducing fairy dust—in camps, in trenches, even at their sentry posts, they fell into slumber while standing.

At 11 PM, a squad of Japanese soldiers arrived with a Northeast Army officer and Ishiwara's adjutant. The Northeast Army officer saluted Nagata. "Chief of Staff Nagata, General Ishiwara is currently drinking with our Supreme Commander, General He Rui. He has sent me to relay a message: tomorrow is the reunion day for the Imperial Japanese Army Academy. He invites our Supreme Commander, General He Rui, to attend the gathering with fellow Army Academy alumni. General He Rui has agreed to participate. General Ishiwara has asked me to inform you that he requests Chief of Staff Nagata to organize the arrangements on the Japanese side."

Nagata did not ask questions, merely responding: "Then please return and inform Ishiwara-kun that since there is a gathering tomorrow, he should drink less tonight."

After the Chinese officer departed under Japanese escort, Nagata questioned Ishiwara's adjutant and confirmed the story was true. After the adjutant withdrew, Nagata smiled wryly: "When it comes to being carefree and uninhibited, I cannot compare to Ishiwara."

Okamura nodded slightly but said nothing. He knew Nagata had already decided to attend this meeting.

At 10 AM on September 7th, bright sunlight, no longer obscured by artillery smoke, spread across both banks of the Yalu River. A group of Japanese officers crossed the crater-pocked earth and arrived at a hilltop on the Korean side of the Yalu. Each wore the Army Academy badge on their chest—the insignia known as the "Tenpo-sen Group."

Looking down from this vantage point, a Northeast Army pontoon bridge was visible nearby. The Northeast Army had already withdrawn from beside the bridge. But in the distance, the silhouettes of Northeast Army units could still be faintly seen. On the Korean side, Japanese forces also maintained their guard.

Characters like Itagaki Seishiro, despite being Army Academy graduates and even He Rui's classmates, had not been invited to this alumni gathering. Even so, many Academy graduates' expressions remained full of hatred. If their sidearms and sabers had not been confiscated upon entry, many hands would likely be gripping their weapons.

Around 10:05, three riders appeared at the far end of the pontoon bridge. From a distance, everyone could see the one on the left was Ishiwara Kanji. Ishiwara had never been skilled at horsemanship, and crossing the pontoon bridge now, he looked rather unsteady.

The three quickly arrived at the meeting venue entrance and dismounted. Major Kuribayashi Tadamichi stepped forward and saluted. His expression had been unfriendly, but seeing that He Rui had actually come, he naturally extended his right hand to take the reins while saluting with his left. "Welcome, senior, to the gathering."

He Rui had never met Kuribayashi Tadamichi, so he asked: "How should I address this junior classmate?"

"Senior, I am Kuribayashi Tadamichi."

"Ah... I've heard of you." He Rui looked Kuribayashi up and down, nodding slightly. Kuribayashi Tadamichi—a Japanese officer who, during World War II, had not actually supported expanding the war's scale. He had not been favored by the Japanese military command and had accomplished little in the war's early phases. However, before Japan's final destruction, Kuribayashi Tadamichi commanded the defense of Iwo Jima. Facing American forces ten times his numbers and with dozens of times his firepower, he fought bitterly for over a month.

After the Battle of Iwo Jima concluded, the statistics showed: from February 19, 1945 to March 26, 1945, the Japanese garrison suffered 22,703 killed and 1,083 captured, totaling 23,786. The Americans had 6,821 killed (including 5,324 Marines) and 21,865 wounded, totaling 28,686 casualties.

This was the only battle in the entire Pacific War where Japanese casualties were fewer than American casualties. It was also the battle that produced the famous flag-raising photograph that would become an iconic image for the US Marine Corps and the American military as a whole.

Nearly one-third of all Congressional Medal of Honor recipients in the Pacific Theater came from the Battle of Iwo Jima, attesting to the battle's ferocity.

Kuribayashi Tadamichi did not understand how He Rui had heard of him, but He Rui's expression was sincere, not false. He answered: "To be known by a senior is a great honor for me."

He Rui patted Kuribayashi's shoulder. "Kuribayashi, you are resolute and intelligent. You never follow the crowd and always stay true to yourself. You will certainly become a great figure in the future."

Hearing the genuineness in He Rui's tone, Kuribayashi could not help but respond with admiration: "Senior is the pride of the Army Academy. I have always admired you." This was not flattery. Setting aside this Sino-Japanese war, He Rui's outstanding academic record, profound insights, and various achievements in developing the Northeast—along with his rapidly rising status—had all impressed his Academy classmates.

Considering this great war, the Northeast Army that He Rui had built and its performance on the battlefield made his Academy classmates hate him while also admiring his power.

By now, the Army Academy alumni who had arrived at the venue came down to receive them. Everyone saw that He Rui and the Northeast Army officer beside him both wore combat uniforms. Under Northeast Army regulations, military uniforms and combat uniforms were of the same design regardless of rank. However, He Rui wore the Army Academy badge on his chest and general's insignia on his shoulders. The officer beside him wore lieutenant general's insignia on his shoulders. Though his face looked quite young and his eyes held some curiosity, his bearing was composed.

"Senior Nagata... Senior Okamura... Homma-kun... Yamashita-kun... Tojo-kun..." He Rui shook hands with seniors and classmates one by one. Many originally wore somewhat awkward expressions, but seeing He Rui's warmth and complete lack of arrogance, the atmosphere gradually became more cordial.

After the greetings, Nagata Tetsuzan smiled: "That He-kun has personally come shows truly admirable courage."

Seeing Nagata challenge him, He Rui was not one to back down. "At present, the Japanese Army is defeated but not yet destroyed. That you gentlemen dared to come first into the artillery range of both armies—that courage is truly admirable. If anything were to happen to you all, it would take the Japanese Army ten years to recover."

Both sides, seeing the other would not yield, could only smile wryly. But the subtle gloom that had hung over them initially had now been dispelled. Nagata said: "He-kun, please follow me in."

He Rui quickly interjected: "Please wait, I've brought gifts." Indeed, the saddles of the three horses had food boxes hanging on the left and four bottles of daiginjo sake bundled together on the right. Junior alumni stepped forward to collect the gifts and followed behind as the group ascended the hill.

Wild trees along the Yalu River banks were not rare, but few had survived the devastation of war. On this hilltop, one tree had fortunately survived. Following Japanese custom, curtains were set up to mark off the gathering space, with this tree standing in one corner of the venue.

With even such simple arrangements, the ruined ground outside became invisible. Blue sky, white clouds, green tree, grass mats spread on the ground, small tables arranged in a row—everyone seemed transported back to their university days, to those times on the Army Academy campus.

After He Rui took his seat, he introduced the Northeast Army general who had accompanied him. "Everyone, this is Lieutenant General Hu Xiushan of our army. Though he is not an Army Academy graduate, I believe you have all heard of him."

All eyes focused on Hu Xiushan. If gazes could reflect sunlight, Hu Xiushan would probably have burst into flames. Finally, Nagata Tetsuzan sighed: "I heard Hu-kun graduated from Baoding Military Academy. That school truly produces heroes."

Hu Xiushan, never one for many words, simply nodded in acknowledgment.

He Rui did not want the conversation to grow cold, so he called out: "Since this is an alumni gathering, according to school rules, we naturally need a duty officer. Who is supposed to be duty officer today?"

This question stumped many people. Homma Masaharu hesitantly asked: "What day of the week is it?"

The assembled officers looked at each other. Everyone knew today was September 7th—if they didn't know that, they couldn't even issue orders. But what day of the week September 7th was—most of them actually didn't know. Finally, Okamura Yasuji answered: "Today is Friday."

Colonel Yamashita Tomoyuki immediately responded: "Friday—isn't that when Tojo is supposed to be duty officer?"

Homma Masaharu also recalled the duty roster from their Academy days and immediately called out: "Tojo! Where is Tojo?"

Tojo Hideki had been sitting in the back. Hearing everyone calling his name, he had no choice but to stand. He Rui also remembered that today was Tojo's duty day. He pointed at the pile of sake he had brought. "Then I must trouble Tojo-kun!"

Tojo had no choice but to lead the lower-ranked alumni in pouring drinks and serving food. When everything was arranged, Nagata said: "He-kun, we are at a disadvantage. By rights, we should have been the ones to seek an audience with you. But since you have come of your own accord, I have something to ask."

"Please speak, Senior Nagata."

"He-kun will certainly unify China. After China is unified, what will Sino-Japanese relations be like?" After Nagata finished, he and the other Academy alumni watched He Rui.

He Rui answered loudly: "Senior Nagata, this current alumni gathering reminds me of my graduation day eight years ago, when I sat beneath the Army Academy tree with editors from the *Gunkon* newsletter and classmates from various years. Senior Nagata was in Europe at the time, and Obata-kun was there then but is not serving now. But Senior Okamura, Homma-kun, Yamashita-kun, Tojo-kun, and Ishiwara-kun were all present. This moment feels exactly like that time. Do you all remember?"

Okamura Yasuji actually did recall that gathering. Hearing He Rui bring it up, he could not help but nod. The others who had attended that day also felt some sentiment. Okamura sighed: "Now that you mention it, He-kun, I remember that what we discussed then was precisely the future of East Asia and Sino-Japanese relations. At the time, I thought He-kun was being presumptuous, but unexpectedly, the current situation is closer to the future He-kun described."

Many of the officers who had come to this alumni gathering had served as editors for the *Gunkon* newsletter or had contributed articles. They had also attended that long-ago discussion. Recalling the past, they were quite moved. But half had not attended, and these classmates asked what exactly had been discussed that day.

He Rui answered: "What was discussed then and what Senior Nagata just asked are actually the same matter. Since Senior Nagata asked first, let me answer him first. Senior Nagata, when Bismarck unified Germany, he first defeated Austria, then France. The predecessor of today's Germany—the German Empire established in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles after the Prussian-led North German forces defeated France—continues to this day. What I am doing is merely learning from Bismarck's strategy of that time. Only by stopping Russia, Japan, and other neighboring powers from interfering with Chinese unification can China be unified smoothly. Therefore, my answer to Senior Nagata is: future Sino-Japanese relations must naturally learn from Germany's experience and lessons. We absolutely cannot walk the old path of Franco-German enmity. We must pursue friendly cooperation together."

Nagata's expression showed no dismissiveness. His bright eyes fixed on He Rui. "He-kun, since you have proactively mentioned Franco-German relations, how can you be certain that Sino-Japanese relations will not follow those two nations down the path of enmity?"

He Rui answered: "This brings us back to what I discussed with our classmates eight years ago. The problem Japan faces is not how to fight China, but how to make Japan prosperous and its people wealthy. Now that China and Japan have fought this war, aside from exhausting both nations' finances and making the people's lives even more difficult, it has done nothing to help either country. This is true not only for China and Japan, but also for France and Germany. Both nations are now mired in debt with depressed economies. Germany is currently falling into the crisis of hyperinflation."

Seeing that Nagata was truly listening, He Rui continued: "More than 2,500 years ago, Laozi understood: The Way of Heaven reduces what is excessive and supplements what is insufficient; the way of humanity reduces what is insufficient to add to what is already excessive. Human civilization, whether in Western Europe or East Asia, must follow the laws of civilizational development. Currently, all nations are unanimously pursuing industrial efficiency while ignoring the rules of social redistribution. That is why every twenty or thirty years there must be a great war or economic crisis—this is ultimately insoluble. The great powers frantically expand colonies, expand sources of raw materials and controllable markets. They seem invincible, but the truth is known only to those experiencing it. Yet they cannot help but repeat this cycle of order and chaos again and again. This is fundamentally not a problem of war, but a fundamental problem of production and distribution. If the problems of production and distribution are not solved, great wars will inevitably recur every thirty to fifty years. As long as we cannot escape this vicious cycle, neither Japan nor China can speak of any possibility of national prosperity and popular welfare."