Cracks

After Kyle and Lucy finished lunch at the restaurant, they headed back home.

As they passed the yard where the [Vicious Dog] had been earlier, Kyle saw the large black dog curled up in its kennel, trembling all over as if it had been frightened by something. Lucy, who was holding his hand, still seemed preoccupied and had no mood to pay attention to the [Vicious Dog].

Along the way, Hailan Street was completely empty, without a single pedestrian in sight.

This was obviously not the Mirror Dimension. It was more like some force had intervened and placed the area under control and isolation.

Only when they came within ten meters of their residence did Kyle seem to sense something. He narrowed his eyes, patted Lucy’s hands, stepped forward to shield her, and said coldly, "Come out!"

The moment his voice fell, dozens of armed soldiers emerged from behind cover at nearby street intersections. They rapidly lined up in perfect formation, pressed their fingers together against their temples, and saluted Kyle respectfully. "Hello, Major General Kyle!"

"Hello, Madam Major General!"

The latter greeting was clearly directed at Lucy behind Kyle. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she stammered, not knowing what to say.

"General Chester sent you to deliver orders to me. Was there really any need to bring so many people? You even used military force to seal off this entire street." Kyle looked at them in mild surprise.

The fully armed soldiers did not answer. They turned around in symmetrical formation, gripping their rifles and standing guard vigilantly while leaving a pedestrian passage through the middle of the troops.

Not far behind the armed force, three camouflage armored military vehicles stopped on the road. Under the protection of another group of armed soldiers, a middle-aged man in a general’s uniform with five stars on his shoulders stepped out and strode over with brisk efficiency.

No wonder there was such a grand display. A Five-Star General had come.

Kyle casually waved in greeting and asked, "General Chester, why did you come here in person?"

"Isn’t it because of you?" General Chester glared at Kyle. There were faint dark circles beneath his eyes, and his face was haggard and pale, as though he had not slept all night.

"You were the one who gave me leave. It’s only the first day, and you’ve already come straight to my house." Kyle spread his hands helplessly.

General Chester said gravely, "The situation has changed. You already know about what happened this morning, don’t you?"

"I know." Kyle nodded, glanced around, and suggested, "This isn’t a good place to discuss it. How about you come inside, sir?"

"Fine." General Chester agreed, then told the soldiers beside him, "Just guard the outside of the house."

"Yes, sir!" the armed soldiers replied in unison. With Major General Kyle present, they believed their protection was entirely unnecessary.

Inside the first-floor hall of the villa.

Lucy was very considerate. She returned alone to her room on the second floor, leaving the spacious and comfortable hall to Kyle and General Chester for their conversation.

"There had actually been signs about the President last night. After a night of emergency treatment, we still couldn’t save his life," General Chester said sadly.

Roosevelt, who had served three consecutive terms as President of the United States, had stabilized the nation’s government and handled foreign relations. He had once strongly advocated for General Chester to become the first Five-Star General in history. The two had understood and trusted each other as friends.

"The President’s sudden death while in office will have an enormous impact on the country, even on the course of the war. The urgent matter should be selecting a new President," Kyle said thoughtfully.

General Chester gently shook his head and said sternly, "Choosing a new President is naturally essential, but that is the responsibility of the senators and officials. What our military must consider now is how to end World War II as quickly as possible!"

"You came to find me in such a hurry because you want to send me to the Asian Theater?" Kyle asked bluntly.

Germany had already signed a surrender agreement ahead of schedule, and the European Theater had been completely pacified. Only the Asian Theater still had one tough major combatant stubbornly holding on—

Jisang (Ben).

"That’s right. You should know about the Pearl Harbor Incident, which caused our forces such grievous casualties. Whether for justice or to give the people of the nation an explanation, Jisang is our number one enemy."

"Therefore, over the past one or two years, the naval forces invested in the Asian Theater have only increased. Our army intends to gradually seize Jisang’s coastal islands before finally landing on the main island and conquering Jisang."

At this point, General Chester sighed softly. Kyle naturally understood what had made the Five-Star General sigh in frustration.

The United States naval fleet had always wanted to push into Jisang’s homeland. Yet merely carrying out landing operations on the islands along Jisang’s coast had already met with fierce resistance from the Japanese Army.

Large and small battles had continued endlessly across Jisang’s coastal islands, but even the massive naval forces found it difficult to break through, let alone invade the homeland.

"The military over in Jisang worships things like Bushido and Militaristic Spirit. Every soldier seems brainwashed, fighting like madmen without regard for their lives. Our soldiers have superior equipment and numbers, yet every time they fight those Japanese Army lunatics, we only win miserable victories," General Chester said with deep emotion.

"You want me to go there and lead the army in conquering Jisang’s homeland?" Kyle asked directly. Whatever Bushido it was, before him there was only the vast difference between ordinary humans and Superheroes.

But General Chester shook his head. Kyle asked again, "You don’t believe in me?"

General Chester smiled at that and looked directly at Kyle. "Your strength has been certified by Germany. You are a genuine symbol of national conquest and power."

Then his tone changed as he voiced his concern. "But strong as you are, our soldiers cannot endure it. With you leading them, I believe we could conquer Jisang completely and force their surrender within a few months. But after that campaign, our army would also pay an unprecedentedly terrible price."

Kyle fell into thought. "In that case, the Soviet Union might get some bad ideas."

"Right now, we and the Allied nations are keeping one another in balance. No one can afford to suffer too great a loss," General Chester said with a nod.

"Then what mission do you want me to carry out?" Kyle became even more curious.

General Chester’s eyes were complicated as he asked, "What if I sent you alone to Tokyo, Jisang, to assassinate the Emperor?"

Crash!

The sound of a cup shattering came from Lucy’s room upstairs. General Chester paid it no mind, his imposing gaze fixed tightly on Kyle.

Kyle smiled faintly. "So that’s how it is…"

He paused, then said, "If you dare send me, I’ll go."

"As expected of a Super Soldier." General Chester hesitated before saying, "I will also announce it publicly in advance, declaring that you are heading to Tokyo to carry out the mission of assassinating the Emperor."

Kyle smiled. "I understand. Assassinating the Emperor is only a smokescreen. What you really want is for me to enter Jisang alone, create pressure and a crisis, and force them to surrender sooner."

If he failed, they would merely lose a War Hero; if he succeeded, they could exchange no American military strength for lasting world peace.

What a scheme from a Five-Star General.

Some readers suggested that I create a reader group, so I’m asking everyone for your opinions here—leave a 1 in the comments for this chapter if you want to join.

Also, the World War II arc is about to reach its conclusion. After that, the faction arc will fully begin. The groundwork for Logan, the Red Room, new elements, Wakanda, the Ancient One, and more will officially unfold, so stay tuned.

As always, please support with recommendation votes, QAQ