"Mr. Abe, what did you say?! The Yamato sank, the entire Combined Fleet was completely destroyed at the bottom of the sea!"

Upon hearing the news, Tojo Umetoku stood up in shock, pointed at Abe Saburo, and angrily questioned him.

His face suddenly aged considerably, covered with wrinkles, his eyes wide open, filled with disbelief, as if he had heard a fantastical tale.

"It's true, Your Excellency the Prime Minister," Home Minister Genki Abe replied with a sorrowful expression. "According to the latest intelligence, it has been confirmed that all of them perished."

"How is this possible?!" Tojo Umeto shook her head, unable to accept this cruel reality.

The Yamato, the Empire's most powerful battleship, is their pride! It represents the Empire's glory and prestige.

"Your Excellency, please accept my condolences..." Home Minister Abe Genki said with a complex expression, "The Combined Fleet has failed to cut off the Confederate Army's sea routes and has been completely annihilated. The most urgent task is to resolve the crisis the Empire is facing on land..."

"well."

Tojo Ume sighed helplessly, slowly sat back in her chair, closed her eyes, and looked dejected.

After a few minutes, he looked up at Saburo Abe again, and after a long silence, he spoke: "Abe-kun, the Imperial Air Force and Navy are gone. Without air and sea superiority, even if I implement a scorched earth policy, I'm afraid it will be difficult to defend the Empire."

"As you know, even if we have millions of troops in other war zones, the area around this island is full of enemy submarines. It's harder for them to land on the island by merchant ships than to climb to heaven."

"Your Excellency, there is one last way..." Saburo Abe hesitated for a moment before answering cautiously.

"What method?"

Tojo Umetoku's eyes widened suddenly, staring intently at him.

He is willing to pay any price as long as he can win this battle!

Saburo Abe lowered his eyes: "As long as we agree to the US's conditions, give them several islands around the main island, and hand over the economic lifeline of the empire for the next few decades to the US, I believe that no matter how strong the National League for Democracy is, they will compromise when faced with a war machine that is more powerful than it."

Is this the only way?

Tojo Ume shook her head with a bitter smile.

Honestly, he could agree to cede islands, but handing over the economic lifeline of the empire for the next few decades to the US... that was worse than killing him.

After all, the empire has never given up its ambitions of external aggression and expansion over the past few decades.

Every so often, the empire would launch large-scale wars against the world to plunder resources.

Despite suffering heavy losses during this period, Tojo Umetoku would rather die on the battlefield than become a puppet of the United States!

"Are there any other options?" Tojo Ume asked dejectedly.

"Yes." Saburo Abe nodded solemnly: "To negotiate with the Democratic League."

"No! No, no, no!"

Tojo Umedo shook his head repeatedly: "The Democratic League killed my soldiers and my people, I will never yield!"

His tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

This is a matter of principle, and there is no room for compromise!

After pondering for a while, Saburo Abe suddenly sighed softly, "In that case, we have no choice but to negotiate with the US..."

"Um."

Tojo Ume looked somber.

Agreeing to the US's terms is the best option.

If the empire is truly forced to a desperate, all-or-nothing situation by the Democratic League, the inevitable outcome will be the complete collapse of the entire nation—and the Yamato people will cease to exist in the world.

……………………

2 p.m. on July 5, 1942.

Tokyo, the U.S. Consulate in Japan.

"Knock knock knock~~~knock knock knock~~~" The knocking sounded, and then the secretary entered the consulate and handed a document to the consul's residence.

The Consulate Residence, located in southern Tokyo, covers an area of ​​approximately 50 acres and features a well-arranged cluster of buildings.

Ahead is a huge fountain plaza, paved with red bricks and sculpted with crystal, exquisite and luxurious, spraying colorful water jets.

The walls are covered with various artworks and decorated with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists.

Inside the spacious and bright hall.

Consul Tom Bruno, dressed in a black suit, examined the document carefully, his brow furrowed, lost in thought.

He used to be the head of the consulate in Indochina, but with the rise of the Democratic League, he was gradually squeezed out of Indochina and could only be a minor consul in Japan.

"Consul, it has been confirmed that the entire combined fleet of the Sakura Kingdom has been annihilated, including the Yamato."

A tall, thin man strode into the hall, his expression indignant. "I believe it's only a matter of time before the Democratic Alliance takes over Japan. They're already assembling their army, preparing to attack Tokyo! I think we should remind the president to be prepared!"

“John, you’re right. If Congress doesn’t pass the bill to declare war, all our preparations for World War II will be for naught. In that case, it will only benefit the Democratic League and create a powerful enemy for us…”

Tom Bruno took a deep breath, stuffed the documents in his hand into his suit pocket, stood up, patted John Griffith on the shoulder, and said, "Go tell Hirose Yutaka that we agree. We, the Eagles, are willing to mediate and persuade the Democratic League to stop the attack and withdraw from Sakura Island."

"Yes, Consul, I'll be right there."

John Griffiths left in a hurry, leaving Tom Bruno gazing silently at Tokyo, the capital of the Cherry Blossom Kingdom, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

4:16 PM.

A diplomatic letter from the United States was delivered to Lin Feng.

At this moment, he had just arrived in Fukui Prefecture after a two-day and two-night voyage.

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