nucmednet Chapter 917: Fusang Kyoto under the Dark Clouds
Chapter 917: Fusang Kyoto under the Dark Clouds
At this moment, Kyoto, Fusang, seems to be shrouded in a thick haze, losing its former prosperity and bustle. On both sides of the street, most of the shops that were once bustling with people are closed, and occasionally a few are still on with dim lights, but they also seem particularly deserted. Pedestrians are in a hurry, with worries and uneasiness written on their faces. The voices of the people talking to each other are low and suppressed, and the air is filled with an indescribable tension and despair.
The atmosphere in the palace was extremely tense. The emperor and his ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures, but faced with the surging offensive of the three Chinese armies, their faces were filled with anxiety and helplessness. Every battle report from the front was like a sharp knife, cutting their already fragile heartstrings.
In the streets and alleys of Kyoto, all kinds of newspapers emerged like mushrooms after a rain. Some were crudely printed, while others were beautifully bound, but without exception they all analyzed the current war situation.
The headlines in the newspapers were shocking, and a strong sense of pessimism was revealed between the lines: "The Chinese army is approaching, Fuso is in danger", "Hiroshima has fallen, Kyoto is in danger", "Where is Fuso going? When will the shadow of war dissipate"... These reports are like invisible nets, tightly binding every corner of Kyoto, making it difficult to escape.
Merchants were worried that the war would destroy their businesses and their years of hard work would go to waste. Officials were worried about their careers and that the turmoil in the country would affect their status and power. Ordinary people were even more miserable. Not only did they have to face the threat of war, but they also had to bear the pressure of soaring prices and difficult lives. The entire Kyoto seemed to be pulled by an invisible force and fell into an unprecedented panic and confusion.
In this context, people's emotions become extremely sensitive and fragile. Some people begin to seek spiritual sustenance and go to shrines or temples to pray for the arrival of peace; others choose to escape from reality and indulge in alcohol or gambling to seek a moment of peace. However, no matter how hard they try, they cannot change the cruel reality before their eyes - Fusang is facing unprecedented challenges and crises.
As the war situation continued to deteriorate, a mood of pessimism spread rapidly in Fuso like a plague, silently eroding everyone's heart, even those young people who were once proud to be Fuso soldiers were not immune.
At first, there were only a few scattered letters home, and the words between the lines revealed the fear of war and confusion about the future. Gradually, these letters became a catalyst, causing the beliefs of some young soldiers to begin to waver.
They began to question the meaning of this war and missed their loved ones far away. Finally, under the dual influence of inner struggle and external pressure, they chose to escape - disappearing silently in the military camp.
At first, this was just a few isolated incidents, but as time went on, this undercurrent of escape gradually gathered into a river and eventually turned into a large-scale desertion wave. Although the army commanders took drastic measures and publicly executed deserters as a warning to others, the panic spread like wildfire and was difficult to contain.
Trust among the soldiers collapsed, fear and anxiety spread in the barracks, and the fighting will of the entire army suffered an unprecedented blow.
Prime Minister Tojo Takehide sat in the dim light of his study, holding a newspaper called "Kyoto Tabloid" tightly in his hand, his face was so gloomy that it seemed like water could drip out. The headline of the newspaper was glaring and eye-catching - "The three armies of China are unstoppable. At most three months, the entire Fuso will fall. What should the people of Fuso do?" This short sentence hit his heart like a heavy hammer, making him feel unprecedented despair and anger.
"Useless! A bunch of useless!" Tojo Yuei suddenly flew into a rage, crumpled the newspaper in his hand into a ball, and threw it to the ground, his voice filled with long-suppressed anger. He turned to face Hong Yuzhang, the head of the Fuso Jade Agency, who was standing beside him, his eyes seemed to be spitting fire, "Are you all shit eaters? After so long, you can't even find the source of these newspapers that shake the army's morale? What do you do for a living!"
Hong Yuzhang lowered his head, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. He knew that Tojo Yuei was extremely angry at the moment. He answered carefully: "Your Excellency Prime Minister, we have been trying to track them down, but the other party's methods are very cunning, and... and it seems that there are internal personnel assisting, so the progress is slow."
"Insider? Humph, are you saying there's a traitor among us?" Tojo Takehiko's voice became even colder, as if it could freeze the air. "I don't care what method you use, I want to see the result within three days! Otherwise, you don't have to come to see me again."
After saying that, Tojo Takehido turned and walked to the window, looking at the dark night sky outside, his heart filled with helplessness and despair.
He knew that he could not change the situation by just suppressing and investigating, but what else could he do? Fusang's future seemed to be shrouded in darkness, with no light to be seen.
The night was as dark as ink, and the headquarters of Kyoto Daohe Chamber of Commerce was caressed by a layer of faint moonlight, appearing particularly quiet and mysterious.
In a secret room of the Chamber of Commerce, dim light shone on the long table, illuminating several men and women with resolute faces and deep eyes.
They were members of the Special Operations Division of the Chinese Intelligence Bureau. They were currently sitting together, discussing their next action plan in a low and intense voice.
Leading the group was Director Xiong Chang, who was tall and strong, with an aura of authority that came from his brows.
He tapped the table lightly, his voice low and powerful: "Our 'psychological warfare' has begun to show results. Those newspapers are like sharp blades, cutting the psychological defenses of the Fuso people bit by bit. But what we need to do is not only to make them panic, but also to let this negative emotion spread uncontrollably like wildfire."
"The director is right," said a bespectacled, gentle man. He is intelligence analyst Li Ming. "According to our latest intelligence, a large number of deserters have begun to appear in Fuso, which means that our strategy has touched their weak spot. Next, we need to expand the scope of influence and let more people read these newspapers and feel the ruthlessness and cruelty of war."
"I agree with Li Ming's point of view," said another female member, Zhao Min, the leader of the action team, in a calm and decisive voice. "We can use the Daohe Chamber of Commerce's underground network in Kyoto to secretly deliver newspapers to every corner. At the same time, we can also arrange some 'messengers' to quietly circulate among the crowd so that the information can spread as quickly as possible."
"Not only that," Xiong Chang added, "we also need to create some 'fake news', such as exaggerating the defeat of the Fuso military, or making up some pessimistic predictions about the future war situation. Although these news are not completely true, they are enough to make the Fuso people more shaken and even despair."
"But," Li Ming reminded with some concern, "doing so may attract the attention of the Fuso intelligence agency. We must act carefully to ensure our own safety."
"Don't worry," Zhao Min smiled confidently, "We in the Special Operations Department never fight a battle without preparation. We have formulated a thorough action plan, including retreat routes, emergency measures, etc. As long as everyone acts according to the plan, we will be able to complete the mission and retreat safely."