The quiet war of aggression lasted twenty days. Japan's deployment was basically complete, gathering over 1.2 million Japanese soldiers and eight fully armored mobile divisions in Busan. South Korea's naval fleet was no match, and the large number of aircraft on the two carriers supplemented Japan's insufficient air power. But all this seemed useless against Japan's ace KT20-type poison gas.
A war that seemed destined for prolonged resistance ended due to a joke-like weather event, also known as the most helpless war.
July 10, 2013.
A gentle breeze blew across South Korea, carrying God's curse. The Seoul command center received a report from the meteorological bureau: this gentle breeze was a south-north wind, landing near Busan, then sweeping across the entire unified Korean peninsula, lasting for seven days!
Such news could only be described as disastrous for everyone. Everyone knew that for Japan, possessing absolute poison gas weapons, this wind was like a god-given power.
Just one hour after the wind started blowing, the Japanese Prime Minister made a televised speech.
The content was simple: order South Korea to declare surrender, sovereignty to be transferred immediately to the supreme combat commander in Korea. From then on, South Korea would be incorporated into Japanese territory. Otherwise, poison gas would be released, extinguishing all life in South Korea, and they would then take over an uninhabited, yet most complete, country!
The whole world was shocked. This was the most brutal national declaration in Earth's history, naked ambition laid bare on the table. Koizumi's few short sentences contained the fate of seventy-five million lives.
This could no longer be called war. If the South Korean government refused to agree, it would be a massacre! A one-sided massacre! Exterminating the people of an entire nation without even resistance.
The world could only watch, because no one could change South Korea's fate of national destruction. Whether the South Korean government agreed or not, South Korea had reached its end.
Perhaps someone could still change it. The people of South Korea still yearned for salvation from their neighboring country. With his king-like power, the irresistible "Seed." If launched in Busan, or on the Japanese mainland, South Korea could easily gain rebirth.
When the South Korean President contacted Zhao Xiang for the fifty-seventh time, he finally abandoned hope. China was different now; the vows made before the television seemed like a performance, the nation's promises a farce.
This was the harsh reality. What friendship between nations? What humanitarianism? All hypocritical performances. Faced with truly unchangeable power, no one remembered their existence in the world anymore. Not even a sympathetic glance would be spared. They would only consider how to better protect themselves, protect their own country's interests, their own country's security.
In the last hour of the twelve-hour response time given, the President sat slumped at his desk, powerlessly dialing the combat command center.
At this moment, South Korea declared unconditional surrender. In the face of power, they admitted defeat, a complete and utter defeat. No excuses, no rebuttals. After repeatedly confirming the surrender order, the commander sorrowfully put down the receiver, so he didn't hear the clear gunshot inside. The President ended his own life in his office.
Only a few simple words, considered a suicide note, remained on the desk:
"Sorry! My homeland!"
At 12:30 AM on July 20, 2013, the South Korean Vice President tearfully announced South Korea's surrender, accepting all of Japan's conditions, but pleading not to harm South Korean citizens.
That night, South Korea lacked its usual bustle; only the sound of weeping echoed throughout the vast nation. Thus, the Korean-Japanese war ended with zero Japanese casualties and the annihilation of South Korea. Japan's century-long plan of aggression achieved its most perfect success for the first time. Japan rapidly expanded.
The world still waited, waiting for China's next move. But Zhao Xiang could only tremble watching the South Korean surrender announcement on TV.
July 22, 2013.
Still on the almost forgotten beach. Nie Yun stood under a tree. Checking his watch, thirty minutes had passed. He watched the calm sea surface.
"Should be back by now," Nie Yun thought silently.
The familiar black figure appeared again, striding steadily towards Nie Yun, dragging a shark nearly three meters long with his left hand.
"Am I late?" 13 said.
"No." Nie Yun surprisingly shook his head. "The load is already 140 kilograms, yet you completed it in thirty minutes. You've gotten stronger."
"Could have been faster, but 36 said he wanted shark fin, so it took a bit more time." 13 dropped the shark in his hand.
"Alright, let's head back," Nie Yun smiled and patted 13's shoulder.
"Wait." Walking beside the shark, he used his left hand as a knife, slicing horizontally. The fan-like shark fin broke off.
The living room clock chimed its fifth stroke. 13 habitually headed to the kitchen, but strangely found everyone already seated at the dining table.
He looked blankly at the still ticking clock; it seemed it wasn't six o'clock yet?
"We have something we want to talk to you about," 1 awkwardly spoke first.
"If it's about stopping Japan, don't bother talking to me," 13 continued towards the kitchen.
"Why are you so stubborn?" 36 blocked 13's path.
"Because I hate the life from before," 13 bypassed 36.
"Don't be like this. If we don't stop them now, no one in the world can stop Japan's aggression plan," 1's words carried a plea.
"What do you think you are?" Standing at the kitchen counter, 13 faced away from everyone; no one knew his expression. "Don't be so naive. We are just ordinary people, not 'Gods'."
13's words were exceptionally calm, yet deeply imprinted on everyone's heart.
"I'm not lying to you, I like the life here." He slowly lowered his head. "I like waking up every morning, like the daily training, like cooking for everyone every day. As long as everyone is around, that's good enough. I don't have to worry about losing anyone important anymore. Because you all live well beside me, far from society, far from war, yet it brings us closer, like those ordinary families. Don't you understand?"
At this moment, everyone understood something.
"I don't want to lose anyone important. That feeling, it really hurts!" Supporting his body with one hand, he trembled, clutching the pendant on his chest tightly.
13 shed tears, crying for the life called happiness before him.
"Sometimes, people must strive for important things, even if it means potentially losing something, you still have to do it." Nie Yun watched 13's back.
"So even if you lost the woman you loved most, you still chose the nation's strength. Do you think it was worth it?" 13 touched Nie Yun's sore spot.
"Yes!" Nie Yun nodded firmly. "Everything was worth it!"
"Foolish people," 13 said contemptuously.
The clock continued its work. 13 clearly heard approaching footsteps. This sound was very familiar to 13, light as if dancing in the sky, a habit cultivated through long-term assassination, 24's special footsteps.
A pair of soft arms wrapped around 13's body from under his armpits, holding him tightly. He could feel 24's warm face against his back. Calm breathing carried warmth through his clothes.
"I hear your heartbeat quickening," 24 smiled happily.
13 didn't speak.
"Although I know it's not just because of me, I know you're worried about our safety. So thank you anyway." 24 hugged tighter. "All along, we've been under your care. Without you, perhaps Special Operations Team Seven couldn't even have been established. Really, truly thank you. Even if you won't be by our side in the future, rest assured, we will take care of ourselves. On the battlefield without you, we will cherish our lives even more."
13 broke free from 24's arms, turned around, and roared:
"Are you all crazy? Do you know what you're facing? It's a country! A country's army! And without any support, without any supplies! Everything has to be handled by yourselves! Do you think you can defeat it?"
"You never know until you try," 24 wasn't angered by 13's rough action; instead, she was happy about his agitation.
"Why try so hard?" 13 asked puzzledly.
"For the homeland," Nie Yun answered.
"For the homeland," 1 answered.
"For the homeland," 36 answered.
"We are for the homeland," 24 answered.
"You all go die then! I won't risk my life for some ridiculous homeland!" 13 ran into his room, slamming the door shut and locking it.
"Are we being a bit despicable? It's clearly our own country's affair, yet we keep thinking of asking 13 for help. Theoretically, he doesn't owe any country or individual anything," 1 seemed to be questioning himself.
"Maybe. But that kid is really stubborn; we beg him, and he still refuses to help." 36 looked at the empty dining table, sighing for his shark fin.
"We've completed missions without 13 before. Let's just consider it doing it again," 24 tried to boost morale.
"That's fine too. Since you've decided to go, follow me to the garage. I have something to give you." Finished speaking, Nie Yun stood up.